· Sep 26, 08:14 AM by Andy
Kung Fu Hustle
So I rented Kung Fu Hustle the other day. I’ll admit I’m not a fan of the kung fu genre, I just don’t get them. Maybe it’s cultural, maybe it’s that I’m a movie snob and most of the kung fu movies I’ve sat through have been absolute shit.
This one although not quite as stupid as most of the others I’ve seen – all of them so memorable I can’t remember a single name – doesn’t raise my hopes for that the genre is getting any better.
Things started off ok with the dance sequence early on featuring the “Axe Gang.” It was like a Chinese version of the “Beat It” video or old Hollywood musicals. Hell, I was even snapping my fingers and chanting Jets, Jets, Jets…
But then… what the fuck is going on here? Obviously, or at least I thought obviously this is a kung fu movie with a little musical bit thrown in. Or was that suppose to be musical comedy? Then all sorts of shit started piling up: cartoony bits with the cute sound effects – pinball machine noises during one of the fight sequences and the running really fast noise made popular by the roadrunner were the highlights, the struggle between right and wrong or good and bad, the warriors who are tired of fighting, and, of course, the love story. I’m probably missing a few other things here but no need to go on with the //// and ands. But wait, we can’t forget the subplot about the hooker with a heart of gold played by Pam Grier. Uh wait, that last one isn’t in here but it will we in Tarantino’s next rip off that combines this garbage with blaxploitation flicks.
Stephen Chow must have been going through an identity crisis while making this movie since it has so many. That or he took bits and pieces from other movies he made and pieced them together to create this gem. That, actually, may have made more sense or at least may have been a little funnier. This one’s personality was so scattered it was like uh, insert some sort of obscure reference here? Ah, dip into the same old well and say it was like watching Robin Williams in his old coked up days flying all over the place.
So a rating, I guess, is in order. I’m betting 3 monkeys could have banged out this masterpiece in all of 8 minutes. What does that mean? Hell if I know. The movie sucks plain and simple but had some redeeming qualities. Heck, I watched the entire thing so I was somewhat interested in what was happening. That said, I won’t be rushing out to see any Stephen Chow movies any time in the near future. If you want to see some kung fu, try Hong Kong Phooey. Now that’s entertainment.
