Better lay off the estrogen pills.
If you have seen Shaolin Soccer, then you already know how Stephen
Chow [aka the Chinese Buster Keaton] films go. They are extremely silly,
but throw in some very original comedy and action to boot. Also, Stephen
Chow is like Quentin Tarantino when it comes to the cast in his films. Every
Stephen Chow film has tons of familiar faces that you have seen before;
that is, if you have seen other Stephen Chow films. On that note, onto my
Kung Fu Hustle review.
Kung Fu Hustle-The Plot
A hapless wanna be gangster, Sing [Stephen Chow], must overcome his inability
to wield a knife and demonstrate his mettle in order to become a member
of the notorious Axe Gang. During the beginning of Kung Fu Hustle
we are introduced to the Axe Gang through a music sequence that shows the
gang dancing on a dance floor while crime scene photos are displayed. The
scene works to show that the Axe Gang has become the new controlling force
in town. Personally, I loved this scene from the movie, as it reminded me
a lot of Chicago.
The Axe Gang want to reign supreme by occupying the most coveted territory, which is a sacred street protected by an unlikely cast of characters, many of whom are highly skilled kung fu masters disguised as ordinary people. However, the Axe Gang does not realize this until Sing [Stephen Chow] unwittingly has the gang attack the rundown apartment building where the kung fu masters are hiding.
After several humorous attempts by the Axe Gang to remove the occupants
of the decaying apartment building, they are forced to hire the best assassins
including one that is known as the Beast. Multiple fights ensue that cause
Sing to discover his true good nature and be the best kung fu master of
them all.
Sometimes it takes two to the face to do the trick Kung Fu Hustle-The Movie
I don't know which Stephen Chow film I like better, Kung Fu Hustle
or Shaolin Soccer. However, I did appreciate that the fight scenes
in Kung Fu Hustle were even more brutal with louder 'smack' and
'hit' effects to go with the action. This does not mean that the kung fu
packed movie was only for action. Being that it is a Stephen Chow film,
there were also scenes in Kung Fu Hustle that had me up in hysterics.
One of the scenes involves Sing as he tells a crowd he is only willing to
fight one-on-one. Sing then decides to pick people to fight him from the
crowd, but only picks those who look too old, too young, too small, or really
short. Every time he does so his choice backfires, as the person he chooses
is not all that he/she seems. Oh yeah, Sing is a horrible fighter.
The fact that Sing could not fight for almost the entire film was one of the major problems I had with this film. I love watching Steven Chow [himself] combine his kung fu with comedy, but he is unable to do so right up until he 'discovers himself' at the end of the film. Up until then, Steven Chow is just a nitwit trying to look tough.
However, other than that small issue I greatly enjoyed Kung Fu Hustle.
But be warned, this movie is extremely silly and hopes that you will laugh
at even the most brutal scenes [which, for the most part, I did]. Stephen
Chow obviously loves what he does, and he should hope you will too.
Final Judgment: If you are already a fan of Stephen Chow and enjoyed
Shaolin Soccer, then go see Kung Fu Hustle. If you have always wanted
to see a Stephen Chow film, then go see Kung Fu Hustle. If you want to
see something extremely entertaining and sill, then go see Kung Fu
Hustle.
Score:   
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