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by Jim Pappas Published: March 22, 2005
 Landlord (Yuen Wah) is accused of marital infidelity by wife, Landlady (Yuen Qiu), in, “Kung Fu Hustle.” Part fantasy, part morality play, part satire and all fun, “Kung Fu Hustle” is quite simply a masterpiece. Directed by, written by and starring Stephen Chow as his homage to his childhood and hero Bruce Lee, the film soars above so many others of its genre that it is hard to believe a martial arts film could actually be this good. Chow stars as the bumbling Sing, a would be gangster who hopes to impress the evil Axe Gang (trust me, they bring new meaning to that word, “evil”) by intimidating the apparently defenseless and poor denizens of the shanty town called Pig Sty Alley. However, Sing and his partner, Sidekick (Lam Tze Chung), are so inept that they end up making enemies of not only the Alley dwellers, but the Axe Gang as well. They do get the chance to redeem themselves with the gang, though, as the gang leader, Brother Sum (Chang Kwok Kwan), decides that Sing’s talent for picking locks could become useful. The film features fight sequence choreography by the now legendary Yuen Wo Ping (“The Matrix,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), and these action scenes raise the bar to new, imaginative, and satisfying heights (quite literally, heights!). The cinematography by Poon Hang Sang is not only breathtaking, it is so vibrant, colorful, and full of life that it is hard to remember a film looking so good. There are such exquisite distinctions made between the various locations used that the look of the film itself is pure art. Assisting Mr. Chow with the writing of the film are Tsang Kan Cheong, Chan Man Keung and Lola Huo. The dialogue is funny when it needs to be, poignant when that is required, and substantive and insightful when those attributes fit the occasion. The film is in Chinese with subtitles, but after the first few frames I hardly noticed them. As director, Chow is obviously trying his best to enable his actors, and the decision to bring back Hong Fong film veterans Yuen Wah (as Landlord) and Yuen Qiu (Landlady) is inspired. These old pros bring a zest and relish to their roles that other actors might have not been able to emulate. There is an air of professionalism surrounding them that adds authenticity to the proceedings. As fantastic as some of the sequences involving them are, it is easy to accept that these two could actually do what we ultimately see them doing. Back to Chow’s direction, the film’s pacing is so perfect, without waste yet inclusive enough so that there is very little doubt and confusion, it is easy to believe this movie is truly a labor of love. (Also, the editing by Angie Lam is just so delightful that I have to believe she, as well as the entire crew, was feeling Chow’s motivation here.) Chow certainly seems to have done his homework and he obviously knows when to tip his cap, which he does often enough to impress, but subtly enough to not fall victim to pedantry. He also is adept at making the viewer feel welcome in his world, and the misdirection he throws at us tantalizes us into thinking we know what is coming, but when we see what is next, we are genuinely amazed. I am tempted to give away more about the story than I mentioned above, but I’m not going to as I think this film should be seen without any preconceived notions as to what it is about and what happens. Suffice it to say that the most fanatical martial arts fan will be pleased, as well as those who aren’t necessarily fans of the genre. I really am not a big fan, as all of these types of films that I’ve seen in the past seemed confusing and had stories that I simply couldn’t wrap myself around, but “Kung Fu Hustle” has managed to bring me back from the cinematic ennui I often find myself experiencing with the pedestrian efforts I see coming out of Hollywood these days. “Kung Fu Hustle” opens in New York and Los Angeles on April 8th, and everywhere on April 22nd. There are some rather violent and disturbing sequences that should not be seen by children (the film is rated “R” by the MPAA), but I really believe teens over 13 should enjoy this as much as I did. Overall Rating: A |
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