OASIS
(South Korea 2002)
Original Title: Oasiseu
Directed by Lee Chang Dong Produced by Myun Kaynam Starring: Sol Kyung Gu, Moon So Ri, Ahn Nae Sang, Ryoo Seung Wan, Choo Kwi Jung, Park Myung Shin Reviewing: Third Window Films UK DVD Release Genres: Drama / Romance
Rating - 5 / 5
DVD Synopsis: Combining fantasy with stark realism, Lee Chang-dong's (Peppermint Candy, Secret Sunshine) magnificent film is both beautiful and tragic as it explores the thorny issue of how people with disabilities are marginalised. Stars Sol Kyung-gu and Moon So-ri give their finest performances as the mentally ill ex-con Jong-do (Sol) who falls for a young woman suffering from cerebral palsy (Moon), would-be lovers who are sidelined by society. (132 Mins)
Views: Acclaimed novelist turned-director, Lee Chang-Dong delivers a powerful tale of humanity and love, that often comes across in the most heartbreaking of ways but gives you everything a movie should. Sol Kyung-Gu plays Jong-Du, a troubled young man who has just been released from prison after spending a number of years locked up for manslaughter. As an adult with autism, Jong-Du is seen by many as a social misfit, always fidgeting and laughing inappropriately which makes those around him feel uneasy. Not long after he is released, Jong-Du finds his way back to his family who helps him get back on his feet and find him a job as a food delivery man. One day, he decides to pay a visit to the family of the victim, bringing them a fruit basket as a peace offering but as expected, they send him away – caught up in the midst of moving house. Upon entering their home, Jong-Du briefly meets Gong-Ju, the younger sister of the family who is severely disabled by cerebral palsy. To his surprise, Jong-Du finds that she is being left to fend for herself with her family moving out of town to get on with their own lives (cheating the system for better housing by pretending Gong-Ju is still living with them). Jong-Du soon takes a bit of a liking to Gong-Ju, believing they have a connection of sorts even in their short time meeting. He makes a point of going back to her (a number of times), eventually letting himself in where he attempts to rape the unsuspecting woman – causing her to blackout as she fends him off. Panicked and embarrassed, Jong-Du brings her round then runs off in anger!
As time passes, the ex-con soon gets a call from Gong-Ju who asks him to come over – to which he quickly obliges. From there, the pair form a special bond that sees them share a lot of time together discussing their favourite things as he washes her clothes and hair, late-night phone calls to help her sleep better, and secret trips out for lunches and car trips. Together, they go on a journey to defy the odds as they go up against bigotry – both from family members and strangers – ignorance towards their disabilities and their own challenges of living with them, as well as the struggle of others accepting their love. As things come to a climax, Jong-Du finds himself back in cuffs after Gong-Ju's family members catch them after sex. Although this was consented by her, the family members have him arrested for rape – resulting in a frustrating and difficult situation at the precinct that proves to be an incredibly hard watch. Knowing that his arrest is wrong, both parties make a point of letting everyone know with Gong-Ju throwing a fit and Jong-Du making a run for it. It all boils down to a mad declaration of love between two misunderstood and abused souls, that lets us see that no matter who we are or what people think we are, we all need someone in our heart...
To be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like Oasis. It sat in my collection for a few years before I even got round to watching it for this review, but I can only say I'm sorry I didn't watch it sooner. Director Lee Chang Dong creates a picture that is so realistic it pulls its audience in by the hair and refuses to let go. While there's a great supporting cast in the shape of Ahn Nae Sang, Park Myung Shin, Kim Jin Gu, and Ryoo Seung Wan – the award winning director of amazing titles such as Arahan, Crying Fist, City Of Violence, The Battleship Island, and more – the show really belongs to it's main stars Sol Kyung Gu and Moon So Ri, both of whom give such outstanding performances. And as I said to my husband at the time watching, I don't think I've ever seen or been so encapsulated in a performance quite like what Moon So Ri delivers in this movie! It really was something else, and hugely impressive for only her second ever role. Like many others, I was totally convinced that this was an actress with Cerebral Palsy – woke from this amazement when Gong-Ju stepped out off her disability and became free of her restrictions every time she dreamed of a moment of happiness or being with Jong-Du (which offered many emotional and beautiful moments). Her ability to contort every single muscle in her body and keep up those painful looking twists in her face, all while delivering an emotional and convincing performance, was nothing short of incredible and absolutely worthwhile of the many awards she received as Best Actress. In fact, both Sol Kyung Gu and Lee Chang Dong were winners of many awards themselves, picking up those for Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Film respectively.
Of course, both actors are no strangers to giving great performances with Sol Kyung Gu starring in the fantastic Public Enemy the very same year, as well as roles in its sequels Another Public Enemy, and Public Enemy 3, The Legend Of Gingko, Memoir Of A Murderer, and Lee Chang Dong's very own Peppermint Candy (before this) with co-star Moon So Ri, in her début role. With these two great films under her belt and a host of awards behind her, Moon has went on to be one of South Korea's most respected actresses starring in film and television shows such as The President's Barber, The Housemaid, Park Chan Wook's incredible film The Handmaiden, Legend Of The Blue Sea, and much more. And as for director Lee Chang Dong, well, he may stretch his time between projects but he makes damn sure that each one is well worth watching. Making his début with Green Fish, Lee has directed no less than 6 features over the past 20+ years with the incredible mystery thriller, Burning, being his latest. While a late bloomer to the world of film, there's no denying the man has certainly made his mark in what he has already offered. I didn't know what to expect from Oasis, and I don't think it's the kind of film I'd be watching too often – but what it offers is something special and highly memorable. It's a film that will forever stick in my mind as a beautiful and important piece on how society views its people that they deem helpless and how love is deserved of us all, no matter who we are!
Overall: An outstanding film with incredible performances, Oasis is one that most definitely should be seen and understood by many!
DVD Extras: The Making of Oasis, Trailers
ODD COUPLE
(Hong Kong 1979)
Original Title: Bo Ming Chan Dao Duo Ming Qiang (aka) Shaolin Sabre Vs Wu Tang Spear; Eternal Conflict
Directed by Lau Kar Wing, Sammo Hung Produced by Karl Maka Action by Sammo Hung, Lau Kar Wing, Yuen Biao Starring: Sammo Hung, Lau Kar Wing, Leung Kar Yan, Chung Fat, Lam Ching Ying, Lee Hoi Sang, Karl Maka, Mars, Dean Shek, Ho Pak Kwong, Billy Chan Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Traditional Kung Fu / Comedy
Rating - 4.5 / 5
Eureka Video Blu-ray Synopsis: Widely considered the greatest classical weapons movie ever made, Odd Couple stars Sammo Hung, Lau Kar Wing (also directing) and Bryan 'Beardy' Leung Kar Yan (Dreadnaught, The Victim) in a classic tale of rivalry and vengeance. Two ageing masters of the spear and sword engage in an epic mountaintop battle every ten years, but the outcome invariably ends in a draw. Realising that neither one of them will ever outclass the other, they agree to take on a younger student and train them to champion their cause, thus putting an end to their longstanding rivalry. Showcasing some of the most intricate and explosive weapons choreography ever seen, this masterpiece remains a quintessential classic from the Golden Age of Hong Kong Cinema, and now makes its UK debut on Blu-ray. (96 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends UK DVD Synopsis: Two ageing masters of the spear and sword engage in an epic mountaintop battle every ten years, but the outcome invariably ends in a draw. Realizing that neither one of them will ever outclass the other, they agree to take on a younger student and train them to champion their cause, thus putting an end to their longstanding rivalry. Unexpectedly, fate drives them into open conflict with a powerful enemy, and both masters and their students are propelled into the fight of their lives! Showcasing some of the most intricate and explosive weapons choreography ever seen, this masterpiece stands head and shoulders above many of it's competitors, and remains one of the quintessential classics from the age of Hong Kong Cinema!! (92 Mins)
Eastern Heroes UK VHS Synopsis: An eternal conflict is the premise for this martial arts masterpiece. Sammo Hung (Martial Law, Eastern Condors) and Lau Kar Wing portray old rivals who meet every ten years to find out whose weaponry skills are better: the sword (Sammo) or the spear (Lau). As the contest always ends in a draw the two ageing warriors decide to take on pupils to continue the once a decade duel. In a novel twist Sammo plays Lau's younger student and vice versa, thus making way for untold comic possibilities. Skilful balletic duels between the sword and spear rival even the best work of Jackie Chan and Liu Chia Liang in their intricacy. (90 Mins)
Views: Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Wing play two old kung-fu masters that feel the need to duel once every ten years, even though they know that every fight results in a draw. In a bid to name someone the winner, the warriors agree to each find a student and teach them their finest styles so that they can battle it out and claim victory for their master. But along the way, the masters and their new students have a run-in with an old opponent who is on a trail of vengeance, which leads to a brutal showdown in the art of spear and sword with deadly consequences!
I just love Lau Kar Wing's Odd Couple! It opens with a typical Shaw Brothers-esque display of moves and weapons against a black background - winking at the viewers to note how it's mocking the very genre it slides into, before quickly becoming a wacky kung-fu comedy that features some of the greatest weapons work ever committed to film that still highly entertains even over 40 years later. The late 1970's were an incredible time for Hung as a director and star, from his directorial debut with Iron Fisted Monk in '77 through to Enter The Fat Dragon, Dirty Tiger Crazy Frog, Warriors Two, Incredible Kung Fu Master, Knockabout, and The Magnificent Butcher (from Yuen Woo Ping) – it seemed that there was no stopping this, already well-established, martial arts superstar. While the comedy is often hilarious and the fight scenes, such as the physicality of the moves and choreography, are undoubtedly outstanding, there still seems to be a little repetitiveness about the whole thing – something I guess that couldn't be avoided given the basic storyline of the film. One of those behind the script is none other than famed writer/actor/producer/director Raymond Wong Pak Ming – delivering what would only be his 4th title as a new writer, and one of the five penned by him that same year including the kung-fu comedies Crazy Partner and Crazy Couple – with Crazy Crooks following in 1980. The great Lau Kar Wing already had hundreds of titles under his belt by this stage of his career, both as an actor and a choreographer – including the previous years Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog which was also from the short-lived Gar Bo Films. As the director of Odd Couple though, as well as the co-star, Lau does a fantastic job in bringing a true classic to fans of Hong Kong cinema with what would only be his third film as a director following He Has Nothing But Kung Fu, and Dirty Kung Fu. Of course, Lau would work with Sammo over the decades on a number of amazing titles, but wouldn't direct him again until the awesome Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon in 1990 of which he also co-starred as the main villain - but I guess Odd Couple is the film that really gives us more bang for our buck as both stars play dual roles with old Sammo (the King of Sabres) taking a young Lau Kar Wing as his student, and old Wing (the King of Spears) taking on a young Sammo Hung. It's a hilarious pairing either way, with both actors flexing their comedic chops and each getting to show some incredible martial arts skills – both as student and teacher, which makes for a highly entertaining show. 1979 would also see the pair star alongside each other in the equally fantastic Knockabout with Yuen Biao – a Golden Harvest production that saw the majority of this cast stick around for more kung-fu fun – with Lau Kar Wing starring in a total of 7 films overall that year and the burly Sammo Hung in 4, including the fun Incredible Kung Fu Master and Yuen Woo Ping's Magnificent Butcher.
The amazing Leung Kar Yan stars as Scarface – impressing fans once again with some incredible moves and a highly memorable performance. I'm a huge fan of Leung's – a man who has starred in over 150 films and an actor that rarely disappoints. By the time Odd Couple had come about, Leung had been in the business a good 5 years already, winning fans over since his debut in the Shaw Brothers hit Shaolin Martial Arts and almost 30 other titles including Marco Polo, Five Kung Fu Daredevils, Eagles Claw, Enter The Fat Dragon, Warriors Two, and the aforementioned Knockabout – with the latter 3 really kicking-off his relationship with Sammo Hung. 1979 would see him star in 6 films altogether including the fun Sleeping Fist, Cantonen Iron Kung Fu, and the Karl Maka directed His Name Is Nobody alongside Lau Kar Wing once again. As well as being the producer of Odd Couple, the brilliant Karl Maka pops up in a hilarious role as a challenger to the King Of Sabres, reducing his time on screen and number of roles behind the camera in this follow-up Gar Bo project to Dirty Tiger, Crazy Frog. Along with his co-stars, Maka spent the most of the year sharing the screen with them all in some way or another, directing Iron Fists alongside His Name Is Nobody, as well as producing. And while the US educated, bald-headed superstar would work with Lau and Hung a number of times during this period it would be another number of years before they would all gather again for the fun Lucky Stars Go Places, then later again in Skinny Tiger & Fatty Dragon (also released on Blu-ray by Eureka Video). Popular stuntman and star of Jackie Chan's Dragon Lord and the brilliant Lackey & The Lady Tiger, Mars, stars alongside Billy Chan as the wacky assistants to each of the old masters and the late Dean Shek shows up in yet another crazy role complete with wacky costume and ticks. Fans can also keep an eye out for Peter Chan Lung, brother of co-star Billy Chan, who pretends to be the King Of Sabres that gets a fun fight against Karl Maka, as well as the wonderful Chung Fat, Lam Chin Ying, Yuen Miu, Lee Hoi Sang, Yeung Sai Gwan, Huang Ha, and many others who appear throughout - including Yuen Biao who doubles Lau Kar Wing and others for their more intricate moves.
The abundance of amazing fight-action is handled by it's main stars Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Wing, along with Yuen Biao and Lam Ching Ying – and no doubt a host of other names as Sammo began to pull together his infamous stunt team around this period. Of course, the main focus of the action sequences is the weapons work – something the team wholeheartedly achieve with some incredible moves that come across on a level that challenges Lau Kar Wing's very own brothers Shaw Brothers epic, Legendary Weapons Of China, although pre-dating that film by a few years. Saying that, I've always wondered did the sword and spear battle between the Lau brothers in Challenge Of The Masters a few years earlier, inspire Kar Wing to make this classic. Regardless, it's fair to say that the martial action on display here helps nestle Odd Couple as one of Hong Kong cinema's finest kung-fu classics that, although not perfect, stands strong today as a quality piece of entertainment. While all the fights (for the most part) are pretty damn amazing throughout, two of the highlight fights for me would have to be the attack on the old masters by Scarface with his men in the restaurant, and the awesome grand finale between the young students and the Leung once again – with that particular battle leading into an energetic and impressive showdown between young Lau and Hung themselves. These two fights offer some incredible moves and acrobatics, with Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Wing both making their weapons dance around them flawlessly as they go up Leung Kar Yan – with the latter bringing a fantastic screen presence as the deadly bad guy of the piece proving, once again, to be pretty incredible for a man who's never had any formal kung-fu training.
It's also worth noting that the late and talented Chu Yat Hung joins the team as the assistant director of the film. Starting in the industry as a script supervisor in the early 1950s, Chu made her first appearance as a bit-player in the 1955 film Backyard Adventures, before making her first move as an assistant director four years later and then her debut as a director in 1967 with You Are The One I Love. Chu followed this up with the first live-action film of Old Master Q in '75, then The Mad Mad Mad Sailors about 6 years later – long leaving her job as the script supervisor of 112 films behind her in the late 60s. But the majority of her career would see Chu continue to work as an assistant director, putting her talents to use on a huge number of classic titles such as The Man From Hong Kong, Game Of Death, Dirty Tiger Crazy Frog, Warriors Two, Knockabout, By Hook Or By Crook, Aces Go Places, Legend Of Wisely, the Happy Ghost Series, Gambling Ghost, and so much more including Ronny Yu's Bride With White Hair 1 & 2. Between them all, and crammed somewhere in-between their time with Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, and Cinema City, this talented team of stars and film-makers gave fans a genuinely fun and fantastic kung-fu comedy with Odd Couple, that has never looked better than this 2K restored Blu-ray release from Eureka Video – and a film that I'll be returning to again and again!
Overall: Awesome fight sequences and fun comedy, backed by a wonderful cast, Odd Couple is a highly entertaining piece of kung-fu cinema!
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & Bobby Samuels, Interviews with Lau Kar Wing & Leung Kar Yan
Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Bey Logan, Interviews with Lau Kar Wing & Leung Kar Yan, Trailers
Watch my unboxing video for this Eureka Video release HERE
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OF COOKS & KUNG FU
(Taiwan 1979)
Original Title: Tao Tie Gong (aka) Fists Of Vengeance; Duel Of The Dragon
Directed by Ting Chung Produced by Chen Yung Chun, Huang Yung Action by Jacky Chen Saho Lung Starring: Jacky Chen Shao Lung, Wu Ma, Chang Shan, Chia Kai, Chang Chung Kuei, Chang Ping Yu, Yueh Sun, Lee Kwan Reviewing: Hollywood East UK DVD release Genres: Traditional Kung Fu / Comedy
Rating - 4 / 5
DVD Synopsis: Chia Kai portrays a master chef who once served up culinary delights to the Empress Daughter. This banquet was sabotaged & the master falsely accused of murder & treason. All his clan and family members are murdered by the mysterious Basket Hat assassin. Only the master and his grandson survive. The lad grows up under his grandfathers strict discipline and soon becomes a master in his art of kung fu. Now it is up to the youngster to avenge his family and take revenge on the Basket Hat assassin!!!
Views: Another £1 purchase, this quirky kung fu comedy is pretty much a rip-off (or homage) to Jackie Chan's classic Snake In The Eagles Shadow, Drunken Master, and Fearless Hyena. Jacky Chen Shao Lung plays Tan Tan, a lazy practicing cook who is also learning a rare style of kung-fu invented by his grandfather – a former cook to the Empress who has been hiding in isolation for many years. At the same time, a mysterious man in a straw hat is making his way across the land, killing off any cooks who have had a past in the palace. As the story progresses, the motives of the mysterious fighter soon become clear and soon, Tan Tan and his grandfather must stand up against him in a deadly battle of kung-fu!
Of Cooks And Kung Fu is an underrated gem of a film! Although we've seen it all before, such as the aforementioned Jackie Chan films and a hundred others from this period, this late '70s kung-fu comedy wins with some fantastic choreography and a great performance from its leading man – Chen Shao Lung (adopting the international name of Jacky Chen). Here, he tries his hardest to look and act like the King of Hong Kong cinema, pulling off some incredible kung-fu and acrobats while playing the clown, and he pretty much nails it - minus the same on-screen charisma we got from Chan the man in his breakthrough years. But that's certainly not enough to make this a bad film. Of Cooks And Kung Fu offers plenty of old-school comedy, along with a host of recognisable faces and plenty of fantastic Jackie Chan-esque kung-fu fighting with choreography from its leading man. The end battle alone, between Chen and the main villain, is just as impressive as Chan's own closing battles from this era splitting the last 20 minutes into 2 main battles, both of which are brilliantly executed. Jacky Chen began life in the film industry appearing as a monk alongside Roy Chiao in King Hu's, A Touch Of Zen. From there, he gradually became the leading man in a host of independent titles as well as taking up the role of choreographer in a number of films such as Wandering Dragon, The Jade Fox, Tai Chi Shadow Boxing, Two On The Road, and Dynamite Trio – as well as going on to be the action director of the wild Angel Terminators and China Dolls in 1992.
Chia Kai plays Chen's grandfather, Master Glutton (sometimes dubbed as his uncle in other prints). Chia had his first role in the mid 1970's when he starred in The Shaolin Kids, although had previously worked as a choreographer on Bloody Mask from 1969. And while he would only be in the business for a decade after that, Chai went on to star in films like The Blazing Temple, 10 Brothers Of Shaolin, Mar's Villa, Dance Of Death, The King Of Fists And Dollars, and Mantis Under Falcon Claws – some of which he also choreographed. The hilarious Lee Kwan, star of over 140 films such as Drunken Tai Chi, Fantasy Mission Force, and Fearless Hyena to name but a few, plays the same smart-ass character he always does – complete with comical dub. The great, late, Wu Ma also pops up in a small role for a couple of laughs, as does Angela Mao Ying's brother – Mao Ching Shun, who starred in films such as Shaolin Death Squads, 7 Grandmasters, To Kill With Intrigue, Phantom Kung Fu, A Massacre Survivor, Little Hero Of Shaolin Temple, and Lady Constables, alongside his sister and the wonderful Judy lee. And the brilliant Chang Shan, who starred alongside Alexander Lo Rei in many films such as Devil Killer, Shaolin Vs Lama, Ninja Hunter, and Ninja USA, stars here as the main villain of the piece in what was only the second role of his career. Born in South Korea, Chang has always impressed with his moves across a wide range of films including A Fistful Of Talons, 5 Fighters From Shaolin, Kung Fu Wonder Child, A Heroic Fight, Magic Of Spell, Wild Panther, and many more...
Director Ting Chung, who started life in the film industry as an actor in the mid 60's, delivers his swan song as a director with this little classic. Debuting in 1971 with The “B” “B” Baboon Belle, Ting directed 14 films over 8 years including Fairy Fox, The Golden Mask, 10 Brothers Of Shaolin, Mar's Villa, Kung Fu Of Seven Steps, and more. As with a number of those titles, Of Cooks And Kung Fu is definitely worth the watch in terms of entertainment value, and in showcasing some incredibly exciting fights and training sequences of it's time. It would be nice to see a widescreen HD version some day but I doubt that'll happen anytime soon!
Overall: Fast 'n furious kung-fu comedy that deserves to have a bigger audience, Of Cooks And Kung Fu is a lot of fun and very entertaining!
DVD Extras: None
OFFENSIVE SHAOLIN LONGFIST
(South Korea 1982)
Original Title: Murimsa Budaehaeng (aka) Deadly Shaolin Longfist; Murim Beggar Master
Directed by Kim Jung Yong Produced by Tomas Tang Action by Mike Wong Lung Starring: Elton Chong, Bruce Cheung Mong, Mike Wong Lung, Jin Nu Ri, Bi Un, Kim Ha Rim, Choe Myeong Hui, Kim Wuk Reviewing: YouTube Release Genres: Traditional Kung Fu / Drama / Comedy
Rating - 3.5 / 5
Synopsis: While on a journey with his master to deliver a secret letter to a neighbouring province's ruler, Wong is left for dead by an attacker. Rescued by an old beggar, Wong starts to learn kung fu through playing the Korean version of chess (janggi), while finding himself in some silly situations. Eventually, Wong finds allies in a man called Choi and the daughter of his murdered master, with the three of them setting out to take down the murderous thief and take back the letter!
Views: South Korean star Elton Chong (real name Jeong Jin Hwa) is a kung-fu actor that I can honestly say that, I wouldn't ever rush out to buy his movies. The majority of his roles as a leading man mean sitting through some painful (and annoying) comedy sequences, as seen in films like Fist Of The Golden Monkey, Magnificent Natural Fist, Shaolin Drunken Monkey, and this, but I have to admit that the man can bust a move when called for. Offensive Shaolin Longfist really doesn't offer anything that we haven't seen before, but it does contain some great fight scenes courtesy of co-star and choreographer Mike Wong Lung, star of films such as the aforementioned Elton Chong titles as well as Raiders Of Buddhist Kung Fu, and the classic Ninja Hunter (Wu Tang Vs Ninja) and Ninja Vs Shaolin Guards with the great Alexander Lo Rei. He looks great in Offensive Shaolin Longfist and provides some exciting action scenes, that utilise the fantastic kicking skills of its South Korean cast!
The film isn't terribly made, but coming from the Filmark International catalogue, Offensive Shaolin Longfist has obviously had some cuts under the eye of Godfrey Ho - here credited as Philip Chan. But it's really Korean director Kim Jung Yong who is the real name behind it all, a man who has worked with Chong on a number of titles as well as The Mighty Four, Warriors Of Kung Fu, and Rivals Of The Silver Fox with Casanova Wong. Interestingly enough, one of Kim's first jobs was as the assistant director to a young John Woo on the classic Hand Of Death, starring Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Tan Tao Liang – most of which was shot in South Korea. The film also stars Bruce Cheung Mong who plays the villain of the piece. Cheung starred in around 30 titles over the course of his 12 years in the business, including films such as The Mighty Four, Bruce And Shaolin Kung Fu, Dynamo, Hitman In The Hand Of Buddha, Duel Of The Tough, and Hard Bastard alongside the awesome Hwang Jang Lee, with John Woo's war flick Heroes Shed No Tears being his final film in 1986. Jin Nu Ri stars as the daughter of Chong's late master – going on to star alongside him in Invincible Obsessed Fighter, Magnificent Natural Fist, and with Mike Wong Lung in Ninja Vs Shaolin Guards. Jin definitely steals any scenes she's in, and delivers a host of fantastic moves that rival that of her co-stars.
Producer Tomas Tang delivers an entertaining enough piece in Offensive Shaolin Longfist, with the final 25 minutes making up for a slower first hour (albeit with a number of fun fight scenes) with some exciting choreography and lots of impressive moves in its lengthy closing battle. The only downside for me is knowing what kind of movies the likes of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung were making the very same year back in Hong Kong (and had already made), which almost makes Offensive Shaolin Longfist seem outdated in it's year of production. But again, that's hardly an excuse to make me think it's a terrible movie...
Overall: While it's nothing spectacular, Offensive Shaolin Longfist has its moments and a great closing battle to keep any kung-fu film fan happy!
OFF TRACK
(Hong Kong 1991)
Original Title: Ma Lu Ying Xiong
Directed by Cha Chuen Yee Produced by Benny Chan, Willie Chan Action by Lee Kin Hing Starring: Jacky Cheung, Max Mok, Loletta Lee, Ellen Chan, Wu Ma, Karel Wong, Jimmy Lee, Mai Kei, Billy Ching, James Ha Reviewing: Winson Entertainment HK DVD Release Genres: Triad / Drama / Action
Rating - 3.5 / 5
Synopsis: Street-racing triad Lui, finds his reputation at stake when new kid Joe shows up and challenges him to a race. At the same time, Lui's sister falls for the handsome stranger which only causes more friction between the drivers. (90 Mins)
Views: Produced by the late Benny Chan and Jackie Chan's long-time manager, Willie Chan (no relation), Off Track tells the tale of small-time triad boss Jacky Cheung who is one of Hong Kong's best street racers. While he tries hard to keep his title, Cheung is also working on some serious issues he has with his father (Wu Ma), who also happens to be a cop. A handsome stranger soon arrives on the scene (Max Mok) and challenges Cheung to a race in a bid to gain some respect. Jacky accepts and almost loses to Mok – which is enough to damage his reputation and immediately start some friction between the pair. To make matters worse, Cheung's sister (played by Loletta Lee) starts to fall for Mok, much to the annoyance of her big brother. As his family problems close in on him and Mok's popularity grows, Cheung sets out on a vengeful mission to save his name, hurting those around him in the process and losing those he loves!
Playing out like A Moment Of Romance meets The Fast & The Furious, this 1991 flick is hardly talked about among fans of Hong Kong cinema – most likely lost among many similarly themed movies released around the same time. But the simple truth of it is, Off Track is a pretty decent film boasting a great cast, some nice car chases (albeit with some under-cranking), and some painful looking stunt-work and fights. Helmed by Cha Chuen Yee, a director-turned-actor who appeared in titles such as Tiger Cage 2, Queens High, Super Lady Cop, Inspector Wears Skirts 4 (clearly had a thing for Cynthia Khan), and more, Cha made his directorial debut in 1979 with television show, Reincarnated, alongside a host of other great names. After some more TV work, his first feature film soon followed in 1985 with Journey Of The Doomed starring Stephen Tung Wai and Kara Hui. To date he has directed over 20 titles including, In The Line Of Duty 5: Middle Man, Awakening, Once Upon A Time In Triad Society 1 & 2, Theft Under The Sun, and more. With Off Track, Cha manages to keep things interesting enough, backed by a great cast and a decent script by Rico Chung (who continued to write the most of Cha's directed pieces).
Jacky Cheung – who I adore – does a great job as the edgy street-racer and angry son, Lui. It's a role that, much like Andy Lau, Cheung could play with his eyes closed with many films around this period showing him in a similar role. It's always great to see the gorgeous Max Mok in any film, and Off Track is no exception. He does great going head-to-head with Jacky Cheung and brings a little suave romance to it all, as he tries to win the heart of Loletta Lee. The gorgeous Ellen Chan, from The Inspector Wears Skirts, Tiger On The Beat 2, and Naked Soldier with Sammo Hung, plays Cheung's girlfriend, Katy. And while she doesn't really have much to do except look great and solve problems, it's just always nice to see her pop up in titles I didn't know she was in. The great Wu Ma plays Cheung and Loletta Lee's unfortunate father who hasn't had it easy since the death of his wife, and popular bad guy Jimmy Lee stars (once again) as the big boss who is pulling on Jacky's strings. A host of other popular faces fill out the cast including Karel Wong from Angel Terminators 2, Fight Back To School, Young & Dangerous 5, and Gambling Baron with Max Mok – popular character actor, Mai Kei, who appeared in a host of Jackie Chan classics along with Billy Ching who stars as another triad, and Ng Kwok Kin who has appeared as a policeman in over 140 films throughout his career.
The action, which is a mainly gang fights and some one on one fighting, is handled by Lee Kin Hung – an actor and action director who has worked on titles such as Shaolin Vs Manchu, Queens High, Dances With The Snakes, Transmigration Romance and more – with Blacky Ko Shou Liang looking after the vehicle action. Although it never gets wild or comes across as spectacular, it's still enough to keep viewers hooked and offers enough enjoyment when it comes about. While not amazing, Off Track is still an enjoyable watch and has plenty of the late 80s/early 90s Hong Kong film quality about it to keep older fans of the jaded screen happy!
Overall: Gritty and dramatic, Off Track is backed by a great cast and proves to be an entertaining piece worth a watch!
DVD Extras: Trailers
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THE OLD MASTER
(Hong Kong 1979)
Original Title: Shi Fu Chu Ma (aka) Master Of Kung Fu; The Intrigue
Directed by Joseph Kuo Produced by Joseph Kuo Action by Chan Siu Pang Starring: Yu Jim Yuen, Bill Louie, Wang Yung Sheng, David Pedernera, Ng Siu Nam, Pau Ga Chung, Yuen Hung, Chui Chung Hok, Chi Fu Chiang, Wang Yung Sheng Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Comedy
Rating - 2.5 / 5
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: In The Old Master, Master Yu Jim Yuen (the real life teacher of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao) comes to the United States where he takes on an L.A. Street gang!
MIA UK DVD Synopsis: Jackie Chan's real life Kung Fu Master, Yu Jim Yuen, makes his big screen debut in this genre classic from Joseph Kuo. Master Yu is invited to Los Angeles to take on numerous fighters in a kung fu contest. He beats all comers and this angers a local Mob boss who lost a great deal of money on illegal betting. Now Master Yu must rely on his kung fu skills to beat the L.A. Street gang's top fighters. Helping him in his deadly task is World Karate Champion Bill Louie (Fist Of Fear, Touch Of Death). (90 Mins)
Views: When I first got The Old Master on DVD many moons ago, I kind of enjoyed what I was watching. At the same time,I was a little confused as to what was going on and as to why the hell this film even got made. Yu Jim Yuen – master to Hong Kong legends like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah,Corey Yuen Kwai, Yuen Tak, and many others – plays Master Wan, an ageing kung-fu master who is coerced to LA by an old student who needs help with some debts. But while master Wong is sent out and about to kick-ass and settle some scores, his old student starts his plan of making money by putting bets-on that he will win his fights. But it doesn't take too long for master Wan to find out what's happening, and he soon shacks-up with kung-fu student (and disco dancer) Bill who trades his kindness for more kung-fu lessons. But when a local mob boss gets angry about how much money he is losing on the fights, he sends out his best men to take down the master and student in a fight to the death!
It's safe to say that this is one strange little movie. I have to admit that, with my initial DVD purchase, I was pretty excited to see a film starring Yu Jim Yuen – considering that many of his infamous students are my all-time heroes – and I'm sure that was the intention of Joseph Kuo (or others) when they put this movie into production. While many think that this is the only film master Yuen has starred in, he had actually appeared in 6 or 7 films from the early 50s through to the late 60s. Interestingly enough, this would be the period that Yu Jim Yuen would have been teaching Chan, Hung, and Biao etc who (if we are to go with what we saw in Painted Faces) were discouraged from getting into the film industry by their master, convinced that Peking Opera would always be the main source of entertainment in Hong Kong. Regardless, The Old Master is the only film starring Yu Jim Yuen that I have seen, but I guess it was a film that maybe came a little too late in making him a martial arts superstar at 75. Artfully doubled (for a good 90% of his fight scenes in reality), Yu gets to throw a few slight moves here-and-there but never really delivers anything that wows the viewer – or highlights the fact that this is the master of so many successful stars. At the same time though, this decision helps create a few more laughs along the way (albeit very unintentional for the most part) and isn't too dissimilar to that of the great Simon Yuen as Beggar Su/Sam the Seed in films like Snake In The Eagles Shadow, Drunken Master, and others...
Thankfully, we still get entertained with some exciting fight action which is mainly delivered by Chinese-American martial artist, Bill Louie (aka Lui Siu Foo). Starting his martial arts training from the age of 9, Bill went on to learn many styles over the years and eventually founded his own martial arts system known as Chinese-American Goju Ryu Karatein 1982. Although it's possible he may have had an early appearance in the 1970 Hong Kong flick, The Inn Of Mercy, Bill started his acting career by default in 1976 with an appearance in Sonny Chiba's The Bodyguard where he can be seen with martial artist Aaron Banks in the opening sequence - a scene that was only put in for its western release. His first real role came in the 1977 martial arts thriller Death Promise, directed by Robert Warmflash, before starring here in The Old Master. The rather questionable Bruce Lee documentary Fist Of Fear, Touch Of Death would be his next project with Louie serving as the action-choreographer before going-on to star alongside Bruce Le in the aptly named Bruce Vs Bill – a decent kung-fu flick directed by Lam Kwok Cheung who also directed films such as Ironside 426, Enter The Game Of Death, and The Hellfire Angel. There wasn't too many other recognisable faces kicking about, except for the likes of popular character actor Wang Yung Sheng getting a quick fight and then leaving. Wang starred in around 80 films over the course of his career from One-Armed Boxer to its crazy sequel where he played the Indian fighter, along with many other Wang Yu titles such as Beach Of The War Gods, Seaman No.7, Infernal Street, and many more including Jackie Chan's New Fist Of Fury, and Joseph Kuo's own Mystery Of Chess Boxing, 36 Deadly Styles, and World Of Drunken Master. Wang would also serve as the assistant action-choreographer on The Old Master, as well as over 20 other titles into the early 1980s. Hui Man Yui would probably come in next, starring in almost 50 films into the late 90s including The Idiot Swordsman, Phantom Kung Fu,18 Fatal Strikes, Big Boss Of Shanghai, 3 Famous Constables, Drunken Tai Chi, and more. The third notable actor I caught was Chi Fu Chiang, an actor who started in the early 70s in titles such as The Begging Swordsman, Invincible Eight, and Furious Slaughter, going on to appear in films like Crazy Nuts Of Kung Fu, One-Armed Boxer Vs The Flying Guillotine, Return Of The Chinese Boxer, 18 Jade Arhats, Shaolin Iron Claws, Incredible Kung Fu Mission, and Matching Escort which would be his final film. And the last would be Chui Chung Hok, a popular actor from the mid-50s who starred in over 140 films over 40 years. Chui joined the prolific Shaw Brothers studios in the early 1960s going on to star alongside Jimmy Wang Yu (as the most of them have) in his earlier titles such as Temple Of The Red Lotus, The Twin Swords, Trail Of The Broken Blade, Magnificent Trio and more. As the 80s crept in, Chui would end his time with Shaw's after appearing in the awesome Return To The 36th Chamber, and moved into modern hits such as Aces Go Places 2, Millionaires Express, Rosa, Pedicab Driver, and She Shoots Straight – as well as being an assistant director on The Old Master. Just to note – there are 7 people credited under the name of Yuan/Yuen, with this film being the only credit to their names. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's possible that these guys may have been the last students of master Yu Jim Yuen, trading their real names for his much like Jackie and Sammo did in their younger years with Yuen Kwai, Yuen Tak, Yuen Wah, Yuen Biao and others adopting theirs from there on in.
Chan Siu Pang, actor of over 100 titles, choreographer of 60, and director of titles such as Shaolin Death Squads, The Magnificent, Choi Lee Fat Kung Fu, and Rivals Of The Silver Fox, choreographs the action in The Old Master – returning to work with Kuo after handling things in films such as The Shaolin Kids, The Blazing Temple, 18 Bronzemen, and Return Of The 18 Bronzemen. As mentioned, he is assisted by Wang Yung Sheng with both action-directors providing enough fun fights to enjoy with Bill Louie playing a likeable Jackie Chan-esque character, and impressing with some pretty sweet moves - obviously saving the best of what he has for the final 25 minutes – but I've a funny feeling that Chan Siu Pang only stepped in for the grand finale (which is definitely the best part of the film). Although it has a bit of a slow start, things pick up after the first 30 minutes but viewers shouldn't be expecting anything like 18 Bronzemen, 7 Grandmasters, or World Of Drunken Master. And while the film most definitely has its flaws, The Old Master plays like a guilty pleasure of sorts and makes for a fun watch. Sure it doesn't fit in to the rest of Joseph Kuo's filmography and isn't quite as glorious looking as most of his finest works (with the obvious lack of Kuo DOP regular Chujiro Shintaro who was replaced by 3 lesser experienced cinematographers), but it's an experience!
Overall: A little bonkers and not the greatest movie ever made, but The Old Master makes for a fun watch!
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder & Arne Venema
DVD Extras: Trailers
Watch my unboxing video of this Eureka Video release HERE
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA
(Hong Kong 1991)
Original Title: Wong Fei Hung
Directed by Tsui Hark Produced by Tsui Hark Action by Yuen Woo Ping, Yuen Shun Yi, Yuen Cheung Yan, Lau Kar Wing Starring: Jet Li, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan, Jacky Cheung, Kent Cheng, Wu Ma, Yen Shi Kwan, Yuen Cheung Yan, Hung Yan Yan, Lau Shun,Yuen Gam Fai, Mark King,Yuen Shun Yi Reviewing: Criterion US Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Drama / Historical
Rating - 5 / 5
Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. Writer-producer-director Tsui Hark's sprawling vision of a changing nineteenth-century China begins with this riotously entertaining epic, a blockbuster hit that cemented Jet Li's status as the greatest martial-arts superstar of his generation. Li displays his stunning, fast-and-fluid fighting style as the legendary martial-arts teacher and doctor Wong Fei Hung, who, with a band of disciples, battles a host of nefarious forces – foreign and local – who are threatening Chinese sovereignty as British and American imperialists encroach upon the Mainland. Once Upon A Time In China's breathtaking blend of kung-fu, comedy, romance, and melodrama climaxes in a whirlwind guns-vs-fists finale that is also a thrilling affirmation of Chinese cultural identity. (134 Mins)
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Tsui Hark's phenomenal Once Upon A Time In China trilogy finally arrives on Blu-ray in the UK from brand new 4K restorations! Starring Jet Lias the real life Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung,a physical embodiment of traditional Chinese values and moral incorruptibility, this martial-arts epic charts China's transition into the modern-world as it gradually abandons its old traditions and begins to accept the inevitable encroach of Western cultures. In 19th Century Canton, Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li) battles ruthless imperialist forces determined to subjugate his country and enslave his people, leading to a climactic fight sequence still regarded as one of the best ever filmed. (134 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends UK DVD Synopsis: “Romeo Must Die” star Jet Li heads up an all-star cast, including physical virtuoso Yuen Biao (Dragons Forever) and 'China Rose' Rosamund Kwan (Armour Of God),in this epic big-budget action adventure, heralded by fans and critics alike as one of the finest martial arts movies ever made. Filled with vibrant emotion, poignant historical context and showcasing some of the most incredible fight sequences ever devised for film, “Once Upon A Time In China” recounts the adventures of legendary martial arts master, Wong Fei Hung, as he battles imperialist forces determined to subjugate his country with a terrifying new weapon – the gun! Inspired by Sergio Leone's “Once Upon A Time In The West”, this matchless work by veteran director Tsui Hark combines powerful characterisations,breath-taking cinematography and fluid,high-energy fight sequences to deliver one of the most memorable and groundbreaking martial arts action-adventures of the last decade. Now digitally re-mastered and restored for it's UK DVD debut, “Once Upon A Time In China” is the perfect showcase for the devastating physical talents of action-superstar Jet Li. Featuring one incredible fight sequence after another, this is one movie you will want to watch again and again and again! (128 Mins)
Made In Hong Kong UK VHS Synopsis:The deathless legend of hero Wong Fei Hung is explosively resurrected in maverick auteur Tsui Hark's masterpiece “Once Upon A Time In China”. Martial arts superstar and breathtaking acrobat Jet Lee heads a truly stellar cast (including Yuen Biao, Jacky Cheung and the devastating Rosamund Kwan) as the embodiment of honourable Chinese manhood, taking on the invading forces of evil and corruption against all odds. Mind-boggling hyperkinetic action choreography courtesy of veteran Liu Chia Yung is seamlessly interwoven into a classic story of honour and vengeance, danger and triumph. (132 Mins)
Views: What can I say about Tsui Hark's New Wave classic that hasn't already been said? It's a film that launched a string of sequels and connected television show, as well as a host of copycats and homages, going on to inspire just about every film-maker in Hong Kong to get back into the kung-fu genre after a decade of modern action. This included many modern hits such as Yuen Woo Ping's Iron Monkey and Wing Chun, Ringo Lam's Burning Paradise, Sammo Hung's Moon Warriors and Blade Of Fury, forgotten gems like Fist Of Shaolin and Sam The Iron Bridge, and even saw Jackie Chan step-up to the mark with the awesome Drunken Master 2, as well as many others. Of course, and with the exception of the latter, most of these films utilised the majority of their action with some highly skilled wire-work; something that the Once Upon A Time In China series does extremely well. It was also the film that made the fantastic Jet Li a major star in the role of Wong Fei Hung – a role he would go on to play numerously in the films sequels and other stand-alone titles. This first chapter of the series plays as a lengthy introduction to Wong and his students, set among the backdrop of invading countries, imperialism, challenging kung-fu masters, and foreign influence. When Fei Hung's Aunt Yee returns back from America, the 'besotted' martial-arts hero takes up the role of her protector, among all his other duties as previously mentioned. This leads to an epic mix of stylish kung-fu action, plenty of calamity's that deliver some genuine laughs, and just the right amount of historical drama. Of course, we can't forget about the social commentary addressed throughout courtesy of writer and director Tsui Hark...
The first time I had ever seen Once Upon A Time In China was via a bootleg copy that I had borrowed from a friend. I was probably in the later half of my teens, and already had a bit of a reputation for having an extensive collection of Hong Kong movies on VHS. This particular guy had a similar set-up, only I noticed a lot more of his were bootleg editions. These were obtained from private collectors who would advertise in the back of (the now defunct) Impact Movie Magazine – something I very quickly took advantage of myself soon after. I remember him drooling over Jet Li and forcing Once Upon A Time In China into my hands, along with a few other titles, and I was sent on my way. Of course, the quality of such a video wasn't amazing at all, but it was still good enough to get me hooked and fall in love with this epic film. Not long after that, UK based VHS label 'Made In Hong Kong' released the film, along with parts 2 and 3 eventually, and I was then able to have a legit copy of Once Upon A Time In China as part of my ever-growing collection. Now, with a more mature mind and having made 7 feature films myself, I see these films in a whole new light. I see the technical side of every shot. I see the edits. I see the flaws. God, I wish I was 14 again and in the same mind-set when these movies were totally and utterly leaving my mouth on the floor! Truth be told, on a technical level, Once Upon A Time In China isn't perfect. There are certainly moments throughout that had me asking what direction Tsui was going, or why certain scenes were left in – saying that, he did initially want Sammo Hung to direct (a job he would complete for the 6th entry to the series). And it almost seems as if the whole thing was quite possibly two films put together, with an obvious change in direction/style/tone just after the halfway point. Of course, that would probably explain its lengthy running time, but all of that can most certainly be ignored due to the amount of greatness and overall joy the film brings its fans as a whole!
Vietnamese-born director Tsui Hark had been stunning audiences for well over a decade by the time he had made Once Upon A Time In China. From his fun directorial debut with The Butterfly Murders to the ground-breaking Zu:Warriors From The Magic Mountain, and so much more, Hark had already been creating a stir with his style of 'New Wave' wuxia action for a few years before. Whether it was as the writer, producer, or director, films such as A Chinese Ghost Story 1–3, Swordsman, and A Terracotta Warrior were all great tasters of what was to come from this amazing film-maker. Taking on the roles of all three duties for Once Upon A Time In China, Tsui joined forces with Golden Harvest to bring the first chapter of his Wong Fei Hung stories to life. But this wouldn't be their first project together that year, with Tsui and Jet teaming up for the so-so US based martial-arts comedy, The Master – a film that was deemed so bad it was shelved until Once Upon A Time In China made a superstar out of Li, and soon, The Master got its release; along with a retitling of Wong Fei Hung '92 in some places. Of course, this particular movie itself was known as Wong Fei Hung in its home territory. Much like Jackie Chan, Jet Li did an amazing job in playing the legendary folk hero and delivered a very different take on Wong than those before him. Launching into the film world in the highly regarded and very enjoyable, Shaolin Temple, Jet fast became a firm favourite with his good looks and fast moves, going on to star in sequels such as Kids From Shaolin and Martial Arts From Shaolin – with the latter being directed by the great Lau Kar Leung. In 1988, Jet set out to make his directorial debut with Born To Defence – an interesting war-based action film that definitely had some good moments to offer but, ultimately, was a bit of a flop and Jet would never direct again. A role alongside Chow Sing Chi in Billy Tang's underrated US-based fight flick, Dragon Fight, would follow with Jet sticking around in the West for Tsui Hark's The Master before his life would soon take a whole new direction with Once Upon A Time In China. Since then, Jet became one of Hong Kong's most bankable stars with many great roles to follow in films such as Once Upon A Time In China 2 & 3 as well as Once Upon A Time In China & America, Swordsman 2, Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2, Tai Chi Master, Fist Of Legend, Black Mask, and so much more – leading to a healthy Hollywood career that would help make him a household name. If I had one complaint about his first appearance as Wong Fei Hung, it would be down to the fact that Jet was doubled so much during the action sequences. Granted, the guy did break both legs after jumping down from a balcony after attempting to do one of his own stunts, but even before that particular scene I could recognise some other people delivering the moves. These stunt-doubles would come in the shape of the brilliant Hung Yan Yan – who would go on to play the White Lotus Cult leader in part 2, before playing his infamous role of Clubfoot in part 3 and other sequels – along with popular fight choreographer Dee Dee Ku, Tony Ling, and possibly others including Ridley Tsui.
A wonderful cast joins Jet Li in Once Upon A Time In China in the shape of the amazing Yuen Biao, who was initially led to believe that he was going to be the star of the show (with Wong Fei Hung only being a bit-part character of the story). Having already proved his worth in many Golden Harvest hits from The Prodigal Son to Project A, Wheels On Meals to Millionaires Express, Righting Wrongs to Eastern Condors, and so much more, I have to admit it was a shame to see the talents of this incredible star wasted. That's not to say that Biao didn't get to show his worth! The kick-ass fighter still got to show off some great moves and acrobatics, often stealing the show and still having enough of a meaningful storyline that saw him through to the end. While the character of Leung Foon would see Biao replaced by Max Mok for all other chapters that followed, the underrated star would go on to produce and star in the Wu Ma directed Kickboxer – a fight-filled kung-fu adventure that saw his (similarly themed) character as the leading man. Known in many territories as an unofficial chapter of the Once Upon A Time In China saga, the film would also be known as Once Upon A Time In China 6: Kickboxer, Once Upon A Chinese Hero, Once Upon A Time In China: The Next Chapters, and Wong Fei Hung Ji Gwai Geuk Chat in Cantonese; and is well worth checking out. The fantastic Kent Cheng stars as heavy-hitter Butcher Wing, one of Wong's students who finds himself in more trouble than enough. I love Kent Cheng, and I honestly loved him in this role, but I can't help but feel that if Tsui Hark (and Raymond Chow) had put Sammo Hung in the role of Butcher Wing – reprising the very same character from his role in The Magnificent Butcher – that it may just have given the film even more star-power and secured Biao in the role of Leung Foon for the following films. Regardless, I can't deny Cheng's performance and its just a shame that his character didn't appear in any of the sequels until part 5. The delightful Rosamund Kwan stars as Wong's 13th Aunt, going on to join Jet Li in the next 2 sequels, as well as starring alongside him in Hark's Swordsman 2 and Doctor Wai & The Scripture With No Words, as well as returning to star as Aunt Yee for Once Upon A Time In China 5. Kwan does a wonderful job as Yee, getting herself in trouble due to her Western influences and love for photography, as well as becoming the love interest of the young kung-fu master. The hugely enjoyable Jacky Cheung stars as Bucktooth So, one of the calmer members of Wong's entourage who is big on medicine and loves to practise his bone-setting. Unfortunately, much like that of Yuen Biao, Cheung's appearance in the role of Bucktooth So only lasted for one movie – which was a pity. The always enjoyable Yuen Cheung Yan cameos as a kung-fu master, doubling-up on duties as one of the action-choreographers, as well as his brother Yuen Shun Yi who also joins him behind the scenes. And the brilliant Yen Shi Kwan, the prolific actor who is most noticeable for his roles in Jackie Chan's Fearless Hyena 1 & 2, 36 Crazy Fists, Dragon Fist, Dance Of The Drunk Mantis, Swordsman 2, New Dragon Inn, and Iron Monkey, stars as the misunderstood and fierce kung-fu master Iron Robe – Wong's final challenger. Lau Shun, Wu Ma, Karel Wong, Hung Yan Yan, Yau Gin Gwok, also appear throughout along with popular Westerners of the time, Jonathan Isgar, Mark King, and the brilliant Steve Tartalia...
The action-choreography in Once Upon A Time In China allows for many of its stars to display their genuine talent of martial arts and acrobatics. Mixing the beauty and speed of wushu with some gravity defying wire-work, the collective team of Yuen Cheung Yan, Yuen Shun Yi (and an uncredited Yuen Woo Ping) along with the great Lau Kar Leung – whose style would be more noticeable around the Peking Opera scene – and the helping hands of Hung Yan Yan, Ridley Tsui, and Dee Dee Ku; the action team did an amazing job in bringing some memorable fight scenes to the screen. From the exciting opening street-fight, of which Roy Chow would pay homage to in his Wong Fei Hung reboot Rise Of A Legend (starring Eddie Peng as the young hero), to the phenomenally designed and choreographed grand finale between Wong and Iron Robe, there's no denying that there is a grand selection of exciting fight scenes on offer for fans of Hong Kong martial-arts films! Of course, such great action should always be complimented with great music and Once Upon A Time In China has plenty with its main theme – called 'A Man Of Determination' – based on the Ming Dynasty folk song, 'Under The General's Orders', with the one-and-only Jackie Chan singing the Mandarin version and George Lam handling the Cantonese release. It's a highly recognisable tune that has been used in countless movies over the years, including Jackie Chan's awesome Drunken Master, and never fails to get the blood pumping backed by an original score from James Wong and Herman Chow. Complimenting both of these is the wonderful cinematography on offer which is captured by the popular Arthur Wong – the director behind In The Line Of Duty 3, and DOP on classics such as Operation Condor, Moon Warriors, Eastern Condors, The Warlords, Bodyguards & Assassins, League Of Gods, and many more. Wong is supported by the likes of Bill Wong – who went on to shoot the aforementioned Kickboxer for Yuen Biao, and had already shot some of Tsui Hark's previous titles including All The Wrong Clues, Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain, and Aces Go Places 3: Our Man From Bond Street. They are joined behind the lens by actor and cinematographer Andy Lam, Wilson Chan, David Chung, and Wingo Chan, respectively.
Whether you know the history of Wong Fei Hung or not, Once Upon A Time In China is absolutely worth checking out. Kwan Tak Hing, the original and longest serving actor of the folk hero, would be proud of Tsui Hark's adaptation. The film was a huge box-office smash, raking in almost 30 million in its initial (HK) cinematic run, so it would inevitable that Tsui would follow up with a sequel or five. Highly regarded as one of Jet Li's finest films, and rightly so, offering a slightly complex plot made easy with a solid script from Tsui and his writing team. It's an immensely and visually entertaining treat, with an interesting view of the the Chinese psyche of the time on Imperialism and Western influences – a trait that would continue into further chapters of the series. If you haven't already had the chance to see it, do what you can to grab a copy of Once Upon A Time In China and relish one of Hong Kong cinemas finest moments!
Overall: A true classic of Hong Kong cinema, Tsui Hark's Once Upon A Time In China is a lot of fun and beautifully made!
Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration: 4K Restoration, Trailer
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, The Legend Of Wong Fei Hung (Part 1) Featurette, Archival Interviews with Jet Li & Yen Shi Kwan, Trailers
Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Bey Logan & Mark King, Interview Gallery, Biography Showcase, Photo Gallery, Trailers
Made In Hong Kong VHS Extras:
Watch my unboxing video of this Criterion release HERE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2
(Hong Kong 1992)
Original Title: Wong Fei Hung: Nam Yee Tung Chi Keung (aka) Wong Fei Hung 2
Directed by Tsui Hark Produced by Tsui Hark, Ng See Yuen Action by Yuen Woo Ping Starring: Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Rosamund Kwan, David Chaing, Xiong Xin Xin, Max Mok, Zhang Tie Lin, Yen Shi Kwan, Leung Yat Ho, William Ho, Mike Miller, Dion Lam, Joe Chu Reviewing: Criterion US Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Drama / Historical
Rating - 5 / 5
Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. Having chronicled the social upheval wrought by Western influence in the opening chapter of the Once Upon A Time In China series, Tsui Hark turned his attention to the perils of the unchecked nationalism in his sensational follow-up, the rare sequel to equal the dizzying highs of its predecessor. Jet Li returns to the role of Wong Fei Hung, who here takes on the diabolical White Lotus Sect, a virulently xenophobic cult whose anti-foreigner sentiments unleash a wave of destructive violence. Fellow martial-arts icon Donnie Yen dazzles in a star making turn as Wong's nemesis, who faces off with the hero in a battle royal that showcases the kinetic brilliance of revered Hong Kong action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping. (112 Mins)
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Tsui Hark's phenomenal Once Upon A Time In China trilogy finally arrives on Blu-ray in the UK from brand new 4K restorations! Starring Jet Lias the real life Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung,a physical embodiment of traditional Chinese values and moral incorruptibility, this martial-arts epic charts China's transition into the modern-world as it gradually abandons its old traditions and begins to accept the inevitable encroach of Western cultures. Wong Fei Hung faces off against the White Lotus Cult, a dangerous xenophobic group seeking to drive all European influence out of China, as well as a conflicted military officer, played by Donnie Yen in his breakthrough role. (112 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends UK DVD Synopsis: Jet Li is back as irrepressible folk hero and martial arts master Wong Fei Hung in the No.1 Hong Kong Box Office smash hit “Once Upon A Time In China 2”. Featuring a tense, atmospheric story which centres on Canton and the destructive power struggle between the official government, the emerging democracy movement and the rabidly xenophobic White Lotus Cult, this movie entered the record books as the 100th movie to depict the life of legendary hero Wong Fei Hung, making the series the longest running in movie-making history. This movie has everything which made its predecessor such a success: a dynamic, incorruptible hero brought brilliantly to life by Jet Li, a supremely talented supporting cast, beautifully conceived sets, stylish cinematography and breath-taking fight sequences. (108 Mins)
Made In Hong Kong UK VHS Synopsis: The World's Number One martial arts star Jet lee returns opposite Donnie Yen and the devastating Rosamund Kwan as Wong Fei Hung, legendary Chinese folk hero battling for the honour of Imperial China in the face of foreign invasion. Director Tsui Hark (Once Upon A Time In China, Zu Warriors Of The Magic Mountain) helms this tragi-comic masterpiece, flawlessly interweaving mind-blowing stunt comedy and gut-wrenching carnage with trademark aplomb. High art meets explosive Eastern action as never before. (106 Mins)
Views: Tsui Hark returns with the first sequel to his groundbreaking martial-arts epic, Once Upon A Time In China – a film that launched a string of sequels and connected television show, as well as a host of copycats and homages. It was also the film shot Jet Li to major stardom in the role of Wong Fei Hung – a role he would go on to play numerously in the films sequels and other stand-alone titles. This first sequel of the series is somewhat a little darker than the first, yet challenges it scene for scene in terms of entertainment, action-choreography, story, and excitement; often standing out as my favourite chapter of the series. This time, Wong Fei Hung, Leung Foon and Aunt Yee travel to Guangzhou (Canton) where a feared, and worshipped, society of fanatics (known as the White Lotus Cult) have taken over the town – determined to drive out all Westerners and their influences, destroying any foreign objects at hand and beating on their countrymen who followed Western traditions. While attending a medical conference, Wong and the other attendees come under attack! As they rush to safety, Fei Hung puts himself at risk to defend his new friend, Dr. Sun Yat Sen – a revolutionary and fellow physician (who also became the first president of the Republic of China) that was in town trying to re-organise his followers. Both of them, along with the rest of their party, soon cross paths with Commander Lan; a determined and twisted army leader who is determined to stop Dr. Sun and those that help them. Pulled in all directions while standing up to the White Lotus Cult and Commander Lan, as well as keeping his beloved Aunt Yee safe among others, Wong Fei Hung finds himself up against his biggest challenge yet and must take his martial-arts skills to the next level in a bid to save the day!
I absolutely love Once Upon A Time In China 2! I feel that it's a much stronger film than the first on many levels – technically, artistically, visually, and even in terms of its action-choreography. Tsui's execution of character development continues to impress and I really felt that Jet Li had a much better grip of playing Wong Fei Hung, delivering a fun performance that showed him at the top of his game. Vietnamese-born director Tsui Hark had been stunning audiences for well over a decade by the time he had started the Once Upon A Time In China series. From his fun directorial debut with The Butterfly Murders to the ground-breaking Zu:Warriors From The Magic Mountain, Hark had already been creating a stir with his style of 'New Wave' wuxia action on films such as A Chinese Ghost Story 1–3, Swordsman, and A Terracotta Warrior which were all great tasters of what was to come from this amazing film-maker. As with the first one, Tsui returns in the roles of writer/producer/director for Once Upon A Time In China 2, joining forces once again with Golden Harvest to bring the second chapter of his Wong Fei Hung stories to life. As mentioned before, Tsui and Jet had teamed up for the so-so US based martial-arts comedy, The Master – a film that was deemed so bad it was shelved until Once Upon A Time In China made a superstar out of Li. Of course, soon after that, The Master got its release and a retitling of Wong Fei Hung '92 in some places, and has since garnered a healthy following with Hong Kong film fans. Much like Jackie Chan, Jet Li did an amazing job in playing the legendary folk hero and delivered a very different take on Wong than those before him. Launching into the film world in the highly regarded and very enjoyable, Shaolin Temple, Jet fast became a firm favourite with his good looks and fast moves, going on to star in sequels such as Kids From Shaolin and Martial Arts From Shaolin – with the latter being directed by the great Lau Kar Leung. In 1988, Jet set out to make his directorial debut with Born To Defence – an interesting war-based action film that definitely had some good moments to offer but, ultimately, was a bit of a flop and Jet would never direct again. A role alongside Chow Sing Chi in Billy Tang's underrated US-based fight flick, Dragon Fight, would follow with Jet sticking around in the West for Tsui Hark's The Master before his life would soon take a whole new direction with Once Upon A Time In China. Since then, Jet became one of Hong Kong's most bankable stars with many great roles to follow in these sequels, as well as Once Upon A Time In China & America, Swordsman 2, Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2, Tai Chi Master, Fist Of Legend, Black Mask, and so much more – leading to a healthy Hollywood career that would help make him a household name. And while I still managed to catch a few moments of doubling when Jet was on screen, it was still amazing to see him display even more fantastic kung-fu moves than before – this time, thankfully not hindered by a pair of broken legs.
Once again, a wonderful cast joins Jet Li in Once Upon A Time In China 2 with the handsome Max Mok taking over Yuen Biao in the role of Leung Foon. I absolutely adore Mok, but it was such a shame that Biao didn't stick around for the rest of the films. Like many Hong Kong stars of his generation and most before him, Max Mok made his debut as an actor in the Shaw Brothers studios starting with The Enchantress, directed by Chor Yuen. From there, the handsome hero would go on to star in films such as Holy Flame Of The Martial World, Journey Of The Doomed, Last Eunuch In China, The Dragon Family, Pedicab Driver, Outlaw Brothers, and so much more. His role here as Foon just elevated his status even more, with Mok continuing to play the character through every sequel (and series) except for part 6. The delightful Rosamund Kwan returns as Wong's 13th Aunt. Of course, Kwan would go on to join Li in the part 3, as well as starring alongside him in Tsui Hark's Swordsman 2 and Ching Siu Tung's Doctor Wai & The Scripture With No Words, as well as returning to star as Aunt Yee for Once Upon A Time In China 5 and Once Upon A Time In China & America. Kwan does a wonderful job as Yee, getting herself in trouble due to her Western influences and love for photography, while the love between her and the young kung-fu master grows. And while fans may feel the lack of star power with the absence of Jacky Cheung and Kent Cheng absent from the cast list, martial-arts superstar Donnie Yen and Shaw Brothers legend David Chiang help to fill the gap – along with the addition of Hung Yan Yan as the leader of the White Lotus Cult. Although he had made an explosive debut in 1984 as the leading man of Yuen Woo Ping's awesome Drunken Tai Chi, Donnie still only had 9 titles under his belt before nailing the role here as Commander Lan. Of course, many of these were genuine hits such as Tiger Cage 1 & 2, and In The Line Of Duty 4 – with others such as Crystal Hunt, Cheetah On Fire, and Holy Virgin Versus The Evil Dead winning over fans with their wild and exciting content – so, in essence, the super-kicker was still pretty fresh-faced in comparison to most other Hong Kong stars who were dishing out 12 films a year on average. As the menacing Commander Lan, Donnie proves to be quite the match for Jet Li under the direction of his long-time mentor Yuen Woo Ping; who would also have given him the freedom to work-in his own choreography at times. As it happens, 1992 was one of Yen's busiest years with the aforementioned Cheetah On Fire coming out just ahead of this and another villainous role in Tsui Hark's New Dragon Gate Inn – leading to a run of 'new wave' martial-arts films with Butterfly & Sword, Iron Monkey, Hero Among Heroes, and Wing Chun respectively. It was also great to see the wonderful David Chiang appear in such an epic movie. Having started his film career a good 40 years before he starred in Once Upon A Time In China 2 and racking up over 100 titles during that time, most of which were martial-arts based, I must admit that I was slightly disappointed that he didn't get to join in with any of the kung-fu action. Regardless, Chiang does a great job in the role and only adds to the impressive cast on offer. And then there is the fantastic Hung Yan Yan (Xiong Xin Xin) who stars as the wild cult leader of the White Lotus Society – returning as a different character to the previous chapter that saw him play a throw-away gang member, as well as doubling-up for Jet Li most of the time after the main star broke both his legs halfway through production. As Priest Gao Kung, Hung Yan Yan gets to display some hugely impressive martial-arts and go wild with his performance that sees him go up against Wong Fei Hung in a furious showdown. Having made his debut opposite Li in Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Hung would go on to appear in films such as Tiger On The Beat 1 & 2, Aces Go Places 5, City Cops, God Of Gamblers, and Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon before joining Tsui for his run in the series. But, as any true fan of Hong Kong cinema knows, it would be his role as Clubfoot in Once Upon A Time In China 3 – and from there on in – that would highlight the skills of Hung Yan Yan, and earn him the nickname of that same character with fans around the world.
Due to the setting of the story, with focus on the influence of Western people and inventions, a number of Hong Kong based Westerners pop-up along the way also. These include Australian actor Mike Miller, in what would have been his 4th role over 2 years after appearing in Rings Untouchable, The Greed Of Man, and The Deadly Rose which was made the same year as this. In fact 1992 would be a busy enough time for Miller with roles in the latter, Black Cat 2, Pom Pom & Hot Hot, Invincible, and obviously this. Spending just under a decade in the business, Mike would go on to star in around 20 films, with appearances in classics such as City Hunter, Swordsman 3: The East Is Red, Bodyguard From Beijing, Red Wolf, Knock Off, and The Black Sheep Affair. Starring alongside him is Paul Fonoroff, a noticeable bit-part actor who has appeared in films such as Fight Back To School 2, Once Upon A Time A Hero In China, Inspector Wears Skirts 4, The Final Option, and the Sunny Luk thriller, Helios, which also featured my good friend Mike Leeder who, incidently, worked on Once Upon A Time In China 2 and had his own brief role also. And fan favourites such as Dion Lam, Yen Shi Kwan, William Ho, Zhang Tie Lin, Kent Chow, Patrick Ling, and others, help to fill things out...
Compelling for the most part and showing its two main kung-fu stars at the top of their game, Once Upon A Time In China 2 saw cinematographer Arthur Wong return to capture the stunning visuals on offer throughout. Over the years, Wong has starred in and produced many titles since the late 1970s, and went on to make a name for himself as the DOP on classics like Operation Condor, Moon Warriors, Eastern Condors, The Warlords, Bodyguards & Assassins, and League Of Gods, and worked with Brandy Yuen as one of the directors on In The Line Of Duty 3: Force Of The Dragon. The production also saw the return of Herman Chow in the music department along with the infamous Wong Fei Hung theme song, sung by Jackie Chan in Mandarin and George Lam in Cantonese. Of course, one of the biggest highlights of the show is that of the fantastic martial-arts action courtesy of the one-and-only Yuen Woo Ping. As mentioned, I have no doubt that Woo Ping gave Donnie some creative freedom to add his own ideas to the mix, and it's quite possible that talents such as Hung Yan Yan and other members of the Yuen Clan were involved also. Regardless, the team deliver a host of exciting and beautifully crafted work that allows everyone involved to look their best and wow martial-arts fans with some genuinely stunning fight action, with the final showdown between Jet Li and Donnie Yen being the best of the lot. All-in-all, there's no denying that this sequel is just as impressive as its predecessor and is a film that deserves to be a part of every true Hong Kong film fans collection!
Overall: Another classic of Hong Kong cinema, Once Upon A Time In China 2 is one of Tsui Hark's finest moments and a great showcase for its main stars!
Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Trailer
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Memories Of OUATIC 2 with Mike Miller, The Legend Of Wong Fei Hung (Part 2) Featurette, Archival Interviews with Jet Li & Donnie Yen, Trailers
Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Bey Logan, Interviews with Jet Li & Donnie Yen, Animated Jet Li Biography, Trailers
Watch my unboxing video of this Criterion release HERE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 3
(Hong Kong 1992)
Original Title: Wong Fei Hung 3: Si Wong Jaang Ba (aka) Wong Fei Hung 3; Fighting For King
Directed by Tsui Hark Produced by Tsui Hark, Ng See Yuen Action by Yuen Bun Starring: Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan, Max Mok, Xiong Xin Xin, Lau Shun, John Wakefield, Chiu Chun, Meng Chin, Wong Tak Yan Reviewing: Criterion US Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Drama / Historical
Rating - 4 / 5
Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. Jet Li's third outing as the storied martial arts hero Wong Fei Hung is an exhilarating celebration of Chinese culture peppered with a dash of international espionage. This time around, Wong travels to Beijing, where he finds himself drawn into the intrigue surrounding an epic lion-dance competition,spars with a Russian rival for the affections of his beloved Thirteenth Aunt (Rosamund Kwan), and fights to foil a foreign plot to assassinate the real-life Chinese diplomat Li Hong Zhang. The eye-popping lion-dance set pieces – which combine vibrantly coloured, fire-breathing pageantry with martial arts mayhem – rank among the most visually spectacular achievements of the Once Upon A Time In China series. (111 Mins)
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Tsui Hark's phenomenal Once Upon A Time In China trilogy finally arrives on Blu-ray in the UK from brand new 4K restorations! Starring Jet Li as the real life Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung, a physical embodiment of traditional Chinese values and moral incorruptibility, this martial-arts epic charts China's transition into the modern-world as it gradually abandons its old traditions and begins to accept the inevitable encroach of Western cultures. Wong Fei Hung travels to Peking and is forced to enter a martial arts contest in order to prevent an assassination attempt against a prominent Chinese diplomat who wants to showcase traditional Chinese martial-arts, and restore national pride. (112 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends UK DVD Synopsis: With matchless charisma and dynamic physicality, Jet Li delivers another mesmerising performance as martial arts Legend Wong Fei Hung in the No.1 Hong Kong Box Office smash-hit “Once Upon A Time In China 3”. With stunning production values and luminous cinematography by famed director Andrew Lau (Stormriders), this lavish period drama explores Wong's adventures, as he defends his country against competing foreign powers and his family against dangerous local forces, who want to end their triumphant reign as the pre-eminent force in the martial arts. Epic, romantic, with incredible acrobatic fight-action from veteran fight choreographer Yuen Tak, “Once Upon A Time In China 3” is another landmark production from acclaimed filmmaker Tsui Hark, and a testament to the enduring Legend Of China's most celebrated cinematic hero, Wong Fei Hung. (107 Mins)
Views: When I first saw Once Upon A Time In China 3 – via its UK VHS release courtesy of Made In Hong Kong – I wasn't exactly as hooked on it like I was with the previous 2 films; and it was the same when I had gotten my hands on the Hong Kong Legends DVD release a number of years later. Now though, with the film series having had its 4K restoration and Blu-ray release courtesy of Criterion (US) and Eureka Video (UK), I have finally recognised just how amazing this third chapter actually is and definitely have a new found love for it! I think part of the problem was that this film seemed a little different to the previous two, with both of them offering a strong story, character development, and political twists. In hindsight, Once Upon A Time In China 3 would have been an amazing first chapter to the series as its tone come closer to the first half of Once Upon A Time In China – rather than it following the darker elements of part 2. Regardless though, and like most third films of any series (especially in Hong Kong cinema), the film has enough going on to enjoy and certainly doesn't disappoint in the action department. This time, Fei Hung, Aunt Yee, and Leung Foon take a trip to Beijing to visit the young master's father, Wong Kai Ying, and see his new medicine shop. But once there, the trio find themselves caught up in an assassination attempt with the Russians and must get involved in a regional lion-dance competition to try and stop it. With the challenges of local martial-arts schools at hand, and a love rival in the shape of Aunt Yee's old Russian friend, Wong Fei Hung quickly realises that his holiday has been cut short – all while under the scrutinous eye of his well respected father!
Tsui Hark returns with the second sequel to his ground-breaking martial-arts epic, Once Upon A Time In China – a film that launched a string of sequels and connected television show, as well as a host of copycats and homages. It was also the film shot Jet Li to major stardom in the role of Wong Fei Hung – a role he would go on to play numerously in 3 sequels and other stand-alone titles. Vietnamese-born director Tsui Hark had been stunning audiences for well over a decade by the time he had started the Once Upon A Time In China series. From his fun directorial debut with The Butterfly Murders to the ground-breaking Zu:Warriors From The Magic Mountain, Hark had already been creating a stir with his style of 'New Wave' wuxia action on films such as A Chinese Ghost Story 1–3, Swordsman, and A Terracotta Warrior which were all great tasters of what was to come from this amazing film-maker. As with the first two, Tsui returns in the roles of writer/producer/director for Once Upon A Time In China 3, joining forces once again with Golden Harvest to bring this chapter of his Wong Fei Hung stories to life. As with the most of his projects, Tsui challenges himself to present something new, unleashing even more creativity on a directional level – which really shows. As mentioned before, Tsui and Jet had teamed up for the so-so US based martial-arts comedy, The Master – a film that was deemed so bad it was shelved until Once Upon A Time In China made a superstar out of Li. Of course, soon after that, The Master got its release and a retitling of Wong Fei Hung '92 in some places, and has since garnered a healthy following with Hong Kong film fans. Much like Jackie Chan, Jet Li did an amazing job in playing the legendary folk hero and delivered a very different take on Wong than those before him. Launching into the film world in the highly regarded and very enjoyable, Shaolin Temple, Jet fast became a firm favourite with his good looks and slick moves, going on to star in sequels such as Kids From Shaolin and Martial Arts From Shaolin – with the latter being directed by the great Lau Kar Leung. In 1988, Jet set out to make his directorial debut with Born To Defence – an interesting war-based action film that definitely had some good moments to offer but, ultimately, was a bit of a flop and Jet would never direct again. A role alongside Chow Sing Chi in Billy Tang's underrated US-based fight flick, Dragon Fight, would follow with Jet sticking around in the West for Tsui Hark's The Master before his life would soon take a whole new direction with Once Upon A Time In China. Since then, Jet became one of Hong Kong's most bankable stars with many great roles to follow in these sequels, as well as Once Upon A Time In China & America, Swordsman 2, Fong Sai Yuk 1 & 2, Tai Chi Master, Fist Of Legend, Black Mask, and so much more – leading to a healthy Hollywood career that would help make him a household name. And while I still managed to catch a few moments of doubling when Jet was on screen, it was still amazing to see him display even more fantastic kung-fu moves than before – this time, thankfully not hindered by a pair of broken legs. It's also worth noting that after making this, Jet Li decided not to continue on with the series – with the great Vincent Zhao taking over the role respectively. Rumours have it that Tsui Hark's treatment of his actors and low pay attributed to this (with others stating it was Jet's shooting schedule), although Li would return to the role for the aforementioned 6th film, Once Upon A Time In China & America, which was directed by Sammo Hung. During his time away from Hark's series though, would find time to poke some fun at the role that made him famous by starring as Wong Fei Hung in Wong Jing's brilliant Last Hero In China alongside Gordon Liu.
Although filled once more with hundreds of extras, a smaller cast joins Jet Li with the handsome Max Mok returning in the role of Leung Foon. Like many Hong Kong stars of his generation, and most before him, Max Mok made his debut as an actor in the Shaw Brothers studios starting with The Enchantress, a film directed by Chor Yuen. From there, the handsome hero would go on to star in films such as Holy Flame Of The Martial World, Journey Of The Doomed, Last Eunuch In China, The Dragon Family, Pedicab Driver, Outlaw Brothers, and so much more. His role here as Foon just elevated his status even more, with Mok continuing to play the character through every sequel (and series) except for part 6. The delightful Rosamund Kwan returns as Wong's 13th Aunt, and also went on to star alongside Jet in Tsui Hark's Swordsman 2 and Ching Siu Tung's Doctor Wai & The Scripture With No Words, as well as returning to star as Aunt Yee for Once Upon A Time In China 5 and Once Upon A Time In China & America. As usual, Kwan does a wonderful job as Aunt Yee, continuing to get herself in trouble due to her Western influences and love for photography. This time though, Yee catches the eye of an old friend, Tomansky – which makes Wong Fei Hung incredibly jealous – played by English actor John Wakefield. The original plan was to have the two men of this love triangle fight it out towards the end, but Wakefield's lack of martial-arts skills meant that a change in story and script was needed. The wonderful Lau Shun, who worked with Tsui Hark on the Chinese Ghost Story films, Swordsman Trilogy, and original Once Upon A Time In China, stars as Wong Fei Hung's father Wong Kei Ying – going on to return as the character in parts 4 & 5, as well as the television series Wong Fei Hung: The Eight Assassins in 1995. And the great Hung Yan Yan returns as his third different character in as many movies, only this time as his most popular one to date – Clubfoot aka Ghost Foot Seven – the kick-ass rickshaw puller with an attitude. Having made his debut opposite Li in Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Hung would go on to appear in films such as Tiger On The Beat 1 & 2, Aces Go Places 5, City Cops, God Of Gamblers, and Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon before joining Tsui for his run in the series. I really loved him in this role, and his wild style of martial-arts action just added even more excitement to the mix. Starting of as an opponent and hater of Wong Fei Hung, Clubfoot soon learns to accept the hero as a new friend and master when he is left broken and alone. It's a fantastic character to have added to the story, and one that would accompany Wong for the rest of his cinematic journeys (at least, with those produced by Tsui Hark I should say). Interestingly enough, little known Chinese actor Chiu Chin stars as Wong Fei Hung's biggest adversary, challenging him in the lion dance competitions and in battle. Debuting with a small role (and stuntwork) in the Tsui Hark produced film, A Terracotta Warrior, Chin's filmography is sparse with a handful of films in the early '90s including Jumping Corpses and the fun Andy Lau flick, The Three Swordsman. I must admit, although he plays a 'slimy bad guy you love to hate' very well, I found him to be quite an odd choice for the role here – which would have possibly went down better had someone like Yu Rong Kwong or Ji Chun Hua been cast instead. Regardless, Chin does a fine job, especially in the action department – and I guess that's all that counts...
Visually stunning at times with its vivid kaleidoscope of colours, streamlined story and editing, as well as its lighter tone, Once Upon A Time In China 3 saw cinematographer Arthur Wong replaced by Infernal Affairs director and DOP, Andrew Lau Wai Keung. By the time this project had come about, Lau had already starred in a number of films as a bit-player and had directed a few films himself such as Against All, The Ultimate Vampire, and Rhythm Of Destiny. But more importantly, he had handled the cinematography on many great titles including Iron Angels, Mr. Vampire 2 & 3, Armour Of God, Wild Search, Wicked City, As Tears Go By, City On Fire, and many more. Of course, today, the man is more widely known as a successful director who has delivered many of the best Hong Kong films such as the Young & Dangerous Series, Storm Riders, A Man Called Hero, the aforementioned Infernal Affairs Trilogy and then some. Aside from that, another one of the biggest highlights of the show is that of the fantastic martial-arts action courtesy of the highly underrated Yuen Bun – one of the Seven Little Fortunes who attended the same school as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and friends. Having gotten into acting and choreographing in the mid-1970s along with many of his school brothers at the Shaw Brothers studios, Bun went on to appear in well over 100 films and has been behind the action for many classics including Shaolin Prince, The Seventh Curse, Just Heroes, A Chinese Ghost Story 2 & 3, Swordsman 2, New Dragon Inn, The Blade, and the rest of the Wong Fei Hung series from here on in – clearly a favourite of Tsui Hark for many of his titles. In fact, Tsui would hand the reigns over to Bun in part 4, allowing him to make his directorial debut – which was actually quite enjoyable. Unfortunately though, its clear that Yuen Bun never had what it took, going on to direct the very fun (but very flawed) Tough Beauty & The Sloppy Slop a couple of years later, then the horror movie Fearful 24 Hours almost a decade after that. While many fans and critics have claimed that this is a slow chapter with less fighting and dull choreography, I'd have to firmly disagree and say that Yuen Bun and his team deliver a host of exciting and beautifully crafted work that allows everyone involved to look their best. With such a wide range of creative fight scenes, the highlights for me include Clubfoot's introduction with the attack on Wong's father, the exciting street-fight that sees Wong take on gangs of fighters using his jacket as a weapon, Clubfoot and Wong's fighting race to save Aunt Yee, Wong's fight to stay alive amidst a shower of axes on the oiled-up floors at Chiu's dinner party – a fight that reminded me massively of Jackie Chan's teahouse battle with the axe-gang in Drunken Master 2 – and obviously the final showdown, that sees Wong and company take part in a massive lion-dance competition while kicking plenty of ass on a tower of wooden poles, and stopping the Russians assassinating a Chinese official.
It's actually worth noting that the Criterion Blu-ray release offers a special feature of around 20 minutes of deleted scenes – many of which include snippets from fights scenes and drama – so anyone that feels that part 3 could have had a little more should check these out (although the film still clocks in at just under 2 hours). And for what it may lack in purpose and development that was so evident in the previous two films, Once Upon A Time In China 3 makes up for with exciting fight scenes, comedy, and heart – and is most definitely one of the (if not the) biggest 'lion-dance' films to ever come out of Hong Kong. And because of that, I can't argue that this sequel is certainly worth checking out and another classic of Asian cinema!
Overall: Colourful, fight-filled, funny, and underrated, Once Upon A Time In China 3 is most definitely worth the watch and hugely enjoyable at the same time!
Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Deleted Scenes, Archival Interviews with Tsui Hark & John Wakefield, Trailer
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Interview with John Wakefield, The Legend Of Wong Fei Hung (Part 3) Featurette, Archival Interview with Tsui Hark & John Wakefield, Behind The Scenes Montage, Trailers
Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Bey Logan, Interview with Tsui Hark & John Wakefield, Animated Jet Li Biography, Behind The Scenes of OUATIC Featurette, Trailers
Watch my unboxing video of this Criterion release HERE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 4
(Hong Kong 1993)
Original Title: Wong Fei Hung 4: Wong Je Ji Fung (aka) Wong Fei Hung 4
Directed by Yuen Bun Produced by Tsui Hark, Ng See Yuen Action by Yuen Bun Starring: Vincent Zhao, Jean Wang, Max Mok, Billy Chow, Chin Kar Lok, Lau Shun, Louis Roth, Andy Wong, Kwok Nga Cheung, Wang Jin Hua, Wong Tak Yan Reviewing: Criterion US Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Drama / Historical
Rating - 4 / 5
Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. Though it picks up the narrative where the previous instalment left off, Once Upon A Time In China 4 introduces a new director, action choreographer Yuen Bun, and star, Vincent Zhao, who takes over the role of Wong Fei Hung from Jet Li. Once again, foreign skulduggery and a violent nationalist group – this time in the form of the fierce women warriors known as the Red Lantern Sect – swirl around a magnificent lion-dance competition, with Wong caught in the fray. Toning down the comedic and romantic elements of the first three films in favour of almost wall-to-wall kung-fu action, the fourth entry is the leanest and meanest of the series, highlighted by a gravity-defying fight atop a field of collapsing, domino-like planks. (101 Mins)
Views: With Once Upon A Time In China 4 set to go into production straight after the third film, Tsui Hark quickly found himself in a bit of a pickle as Jet Li had decided to step away from the series after playing Wong Fei Hung in the first 3 movies. Regardless, Tsui was determined to continue his saga with or without him and quickly found a replacement in the underrated and very talented Vincent Zhao Wen Zhuo. In fact, part 4 opens with an impressive scene that introduces Zhao as the new Wong Fei Hung, allowing him to display some incredibly fast and very impressive moves that confirms to the audience that he is a firm replacement as the well-loved folk hero. A short re-cap of what went on in the previous chapter plays during the opening credits, letting us know that this is clearly a continuation of that story and placing Wong (and company) still at his father's home in Beijing – although Aunt Yee has left on another trip. As a Governor arrives in town to meet with Wong Fei Hung, with his entourage and golden dragon on display, Leung Foon mistakes it for another challenger and rushes at them with their champion lion-head. As tensions build and the crowds begin to gather, Wong arrives to take control of the situation and turn it into a friendly dance-off. As it happens, the friendly official has arrived in town to bring the Golden Lion King Award to Master Wong – the same award he won and refused to take from the previous chapter. After the two become friends, the Governor requests the help of Wong for a new lion dance challenge – a must bigger one that could threaten the sovereignty of the nation, and one which has been organised by 8 foreign parties in a bid to drive the Chinese into submission. At the same time, Wong Fei Hung is asked by his beloved to keep an eye on her sister; Wong's 14th Aunt, who is as influenced by West as much as her sister is and runs a news printing company in town. And as if he didn't have enough to worry about, Wong and his party run into the Red Lantern Sect; a crazed society of kung-fu women who are intent on killing and burning any Westerners and their ideals – much like the White Lotus Cult before them. As violence in the town runs rampant and the foreigners set their plan in motion for a massive take-over of the capital, Wong Fei Hung must do what he can to stop the evil-doers and save Beijing from collapse!
I really like Once Upon A Time In China 4, and I don't really understand why many people are opposed to it or say that it is the worst entry of the series. In believe that it's just as entertaining as the chapter it follows – albeit for a few messy moments of choreography during the final battle – and offers as much excitement as before with the great Vincent Zhao proving to be as great a Wong Fei Hung as Jet Li was, and especially in the action department. But I do believe that it was the change in stars that annoyed most people, no doubt many of whom were dedicated Jet Li fans by this stage. One thing you've got to remember folks – it wasn't Zhao who kicked Jet Li out to replace him, that was Jet's own decision! Then we have the change of directors, with Tsui Hark handing the reigns over to Once Upon A Time In China 3 choreographer,Yuen Bun. And although Tsui would still be heavily involved as the writer and producer of the film, there's no doubt in my mind that he put in his 10 cents worth with a bit of uncredited direction. Regardless, this underrated chapter of the series totally has lot to offer, from it's exciting kung-fu action to some visually stunning moments, and more...
Making his feature film debut as the wicked Governor who faces off against Jet Li in the awesome Fong Sai Yuk, Chinese actor Zhao Wen Zhuo (aka Chiu Man Cheuk) landed the role as Wong Fei Hung the very same year. It was a great start for him with a role following that in Tsui Hark's romance-fantasy, Green Snake, before he would return as the kung-fu master in Once Upon A Time In China 5 and the television movies in 1995 – sticking with Tsui that year for a further two films including The Chinese Feast and awesome One-Armed Swordsman reimagining, The Blade. While a few more great titles would follow such as Mahjong Dragon, The Blacksheep Affair, and Body Weapon, Zhao would see a shift in direction at the turn-of-the-century where he would star in more successful television shows than films including Tai Chi, Seven Swordsmen, Wind & Cloud, and Hua Mulan – but would see a resurgence of sorts when he starred as Beggar So in Yuen Woo Ping's fantastic True Legend. From there, Vincent Zhao made a welcome return to the big screen and returned to the role of Wong Fei Hung in films such as The Unity Of Heroes, Warriors Of The Nation, and Kung-Fu League respectively. While he's often had a lot of criticism and negative reviews surrounding his work, I've always enjoyed watching Zhao on-screen, and thoroughly enjoy him in the role of the legendary Wong Fei Hung. Although Rosamund Kwan sits this one out, having a crazy busy year with no less than 10 features going on including the Tsui Hark produced/Benny Chan directed Magic Crane, Blade Of Fury, Love Is A Fairy Tale, End Of The Road, and The Assassin with her Once Upon A Time In China 3 co-star, Max Mok. Kwan is replaced by the lovely Jean Wang who was fresh off the set from the Tsui Hark produced epic, Swordsman 3: The East Is Red. Wang plays Wong Fei Hung's 14th Aunt, May, who also returns in part 5, and finds herself in as much bother as Kwan's Aunt Yee – often relying on Fei Hung to save her. While she didn't do too bad a job in the role, there wasn't anything overly memorable about Aunt May that helped make the film any better. Still, Jean would find more fans and notoriety for her role as Miss Orchid in the fantastic Tsui produced Iron Monkey (which would go into production straight after this and before the next chapter). The handsome Max Mok returns as Leung Foon, delivering yet another fun performance that allows him to getting inon the action and play the comedy sidekick. Like many Hong Kong stars of his generation, and most before him, Mok made his debut as an actor in the Shaw Brothers studios starting with The Enchantress, a film directed by Chor Yuen. From there, the handsome hero would go on to star in films such as Holy Flame Of The Martial World, Journey Of The Doomed, Last Eunuch In China, The Dragon Family, Pedicab Driver, Outlaw Brothers, and so much more. His role here as Foon just elevated his status even more, with Mok continuing to play the character through every sequel (and series) except for part 6. And the great Hung Yan Yan returns as the popular Clubfoot – aka Ghost Foot Seven – the kick-ass rickshaw puller with an attitude who is now a dedicated follower of Wong Fei Hung. Having made his debut opposite Jet Li in Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Hung would go on to appear in films such as Tiger On The Beat 1 & 2, Aces Go Places 5, City Cops, God Of Gamblers, and Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon before joining Tsui for his run in the Once Upon A Time In China series. I really loved him in this role, and his wild style of martial-arts action just added even more excitement to the mix – boosted even more here as a permanent member of the team. Lau Shun continues his role as the kung-fu hero's father, Wong Kai Ying, and gets to show off even more kung-fu action throughout the story. And Chinese martial-arts actor, Chen Ji Ming, who made his film debut in the superb mainland production Arhats In Fury, stars as the ill-fated friendly official, Deputy Governor Guan. I must admit though, I found the addition of Billy Chow and Chin Kar Lok as over-the-top villains, an interesting choice – and especially the latter, as he just seemed somewhat out of place. After a wild introduction that showed the swashbuckling Kar Lok defy gravity and Billy Chow punch a charging horse in the face to take it down, the pair are more or less kept to the side until the grand finale – albeit for a few scenes here and there to remind us that their characters are still around. Both are in cahoots with the foreigners who are intent on repressing the Chinese people to make their take-over much easier. A big part of that is the aforementioned lion-dance, with each of the invading countries providing their own giant animal to go up against Wong's regular sized lion. These include an eagle that can spit out 10 or 12 ropes to capture prey, a large turtle with bladed sides, and even more wild designs to add to the lunacy. That said, it all makes for an exciting showdown and is quite different to that of the previous chapter's big competition.
Some fans and critics alike have attacked Once Upon A Time In China 4 with comments that it's simply just a rehash of parts 2 & 3, mixing the theme of the lion-dance with the cult violence of the Red Lantern Sect. Much like the White Lotus Society from Once Upon A Time In China 2, this cult is intent on driving any and all foreign powers out of China. This includes murdering any Westerners that get in their way, bombing homes and buildings ran by foreigners, and becoming a law unto themselves in the process. But this cult is divided into 3 different ranks – red, green, and blue – and even though they are all female, they still prove to be even more ruthless and deadly than the White Lotus Cult; taking no prisoners and bombing everything in sight. They're practically a terrorist organisation! The first introduction of the Red Lantern Sect leads to a showdown against Wong Fei Hung who skilfully uses a whip to fight them off. It's a fantastic fight that leads to their leader and the kung-fu master getting arrested by the foreign armies – sentenced to death with noway out. Thankfully, a helpful Western priest (played by the late Louis Roth) helps them to escape their cells, allowing Fei Hung to let loose and break free from the prison. It's a powerful fight scene, both wild and violent, that sees Yuen Bun offer up some exciting choreography as the pair make their escape. In fact, Bun gives fight fans a lot to love throughout Once Upon A Time In China 4 with highlights including Wong Kai Ying and Clubfoot defending their home from the Red Lantern Sect – set among the red hue of their burning lamps and material. Another sees Wong Fei Hung make his way into the Red Lantern's headquarters where he has to survive a series of challenges. These include crossing an unsteady line of giant dominos while being attacked, making it through a maze of moving rice-paper screens as he avoids spinning blades and bombs, before he has to face off against a small army of kung-fu women and their crazy Holy Mother. It's an interesting and fun fight that reveals the use of wires, allowing Wong (and director Yuen Bun) to utilise them in the action. A further attack by the Red Lantern Sect on some foreigners allows Wong to put his trusty umbrella to use as a weapon – with the same attack seeing Billy Chow literally punching the head off the shoulders of their Holy Mother. Of course, the film closes with an impressive fight during the lion-dance in the Forbidden City, before Wong and his team go up against Billy Chow and Chin Kar Lok for an impressive and furious showdown!
The great Arthur Wong returns as the DOP for the film, along with cinematographers Ko Chiu Lam, Cho Man Keung, and Cheung Man Po, with each of them delivering some beautifully shot and well lit scenes that leave an impression. Marco Mak, director of Cop On A Mission and Naked Soldier, returns as the editor – and has went on to edit over 180 Hong Kong titles to date – and William Wu returns from the previous chapter as the musical director, offering up yet another enjoyable score. Although it has its flaws here and there, and namely (in my eyes) due to Chin Kar Lok's character – both in terms of development and through his fight scenes – I still believe that Once Upon A Time In China 4 is a worth entry to the series and well worth watching. Interestingly enough, this same year would see two worthy cinematic opponents of the series in the shape of the fun Fist From Shaolin; released in some places as Once Upon A Time In China: Fists From Shaolin (although it has nothing to do with the Tsui Hark films) starring Wang Qun as Wong Fei Hung, and Jet Li reprises his role under the direction of Wong Jing and Yuen Woo Ping in the highly enjoyable Last Hero From China – both films of course, are well worth watching. I say those of you in the Jet corner who were having a hissy fit because of Wong Fei Hung's recasting, need to step back and revisit this chapter of the series (as well as the next). There's a lot to love here and Vincent Zhao Wen Zhuo does a fantastic job in the role, and thanks to this incredible release of the full series from Criterion, the film has never looked so good...
Overall: Underrated and packed with plenty of great moments, Once Upon A Time In China 4 is exciting, full of great fights, and worth checking out!
Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Interview with Marco Mak, Trailer
Watch my unboxing video of this Criterion release HERE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 5
(Hong Kong 1994)
Original Title: Wong Fei Hung Chi Neung: Lung Shing Chim Pa (aka) Wong Fei Hung 5
Directed by Tsui Hark Produced by Tsui Hark, Ng See Yuen Action by Yuen Bun Starring: Vincent Zhao, Rosamund Kwan, Max Mok, Kent Cheng, Roger Kwok, Xion Xin Xin, Jean Wang, Tam Bing Man, Lau Shun, Elaine Lui, Stephen Tung Wai, Dion Lam, Kenji Tanigaki, Kent Chow, Paul Wong Reviewing: Criterion US Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Adventure / Historical
Rating - 3.5 / 5
Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. Tsui Hark returned to the director's chair for the rollicking comedic adventure Once Upon A Time In China 5, in which the indomitable hero Wong Fei Hung (Vincent Zhao) tangles with a band of ruthless, finger-removing pirates who are exploiting the political chaos created by the invasion of foreigners in order to terrorize the Chinese coast. The fist-and-foot kung-fu set pieces – including a showstopping, gold-hued melee set in a warehouse full of pirate treasure – are plentiful, but Tsui ups the ante by introducing acrobatic gun-play to the proceedings, infusing this furiously entertaining crowd-pleaser with a bracing jolt of John Woo-style bullet-ballet mayhem. (101 Mins)
Views: The legend of Wong Fei Hung has been around for a long time. Of course, he was a real-life character born in 1847 in Foshan, that was challenged by many fighters across the land and was believed to have, seemingly, never lost a fight. While his true life story was most likely a bit more modest than those we are led to believe, it hasn't stopped the folk-hero from becoming the subject matter of hundreds of cinematic outings for over 70 years. Just as famous as the man himself was actor Kwan Tak Hing; a man who played the kung-fu master in a record-breaking 81 films from 1949 right through to the early 80s where he would complete his journey with roles as the master in The Magnificent Butcher, The Magnificent Kick, and the awesome Dreadnaught as well as a nod to the character in Dean Shek's 1986 comedy, The Family Strikes Back. As Kwan's appearances as Fei Hung started to slow down, other studios would attempt to tell their own stories of the kung-fu master including the Shaw Brothers, which would see actors such as Ku Feng and Gordon Liu taking up the mantle – with the latter being directed by the late Lau Kar Leung whose own father was a student of Butcher Wing – himself a student of Wong Fei Hung. Of course, the much-loved character would find a new lease of life courtesy of Jackie Chan in Drunken Master, with the superstar returning to the role of Wong Fei Hung in Drunken Master 2 about 15 years later – just as the Once Upon A Time In China hype was really kicking off, and Jet Li was seen as the next best Wong Fei Hung to many. While many others would step in the role over the years (both on the big screen and in many television shows), with the late Jimmy Wang Yu even getting the chance to play him in Sammo Hung's Millionaires Express, it would seem that Hong Kong audiences were tiring of Wong Fei Hung's adventures by the time Once Upon A Time In China 5 had its cinematic run. With a severe drop in numbers at the box-office and mixed reviews from the critics, it's understandable why Tsui would take things to the small screen soon after with Vincent Zhao, Max Mok, Hung Yan Yan and Kent Cheng continuing their roles in the Wong Fei Hung Series – a 20 episode collection of television movies that proved to gain a decent audience from 1995 – 1996...
I had waited years to see Once Upon A Time In China 5. Well over 25 years, in fact! And it was only thanks to the release of Criterion's complete film series that I had the pleasure of finally viewing it – and with a 2K restoration at that. After hearing horror stories and reading bad reviews over the years, I have to admit that I was actually pleasantly surprised with the film and – even though I can see its flaws and did feel that it could have been much better – have enjoyed going back to this swashbuckling chapter of Wong Fei Hung time and time again. The great Vincent Zhao returns once again in the role of Wong who, along with his father, aunties, and students, are heading to Hong Kong, when they find the port town they must leave from desolate and ravaged by pirates. Teaming up with some desperate officials in the town, Fei Hung heads-up a new crime prevention force to take down the pirate army and return the stolen riches to the fearful townsfolk – as well as juggling an awkward love triangle between him and his two aunts!
Making his feature film debut as the wicked Governor who faces off against Jet Li in the awesome Fong Sai Yuk, Chinese actor Zhao Wen Zhuo (aka Chiu Man Cheuk) landed the role as Wong Fei Hung the very same year for the previous chapter. It was a great start for him with a role following that in Tsui Hark's romance-fantasy, Green Snake, before he would return here and then the television movies. Zhao would stick with Tsui this same year for a further two films including The Chinese Feast and awesome One-Armed Swordsman reimagining, The Blade. While a few more great titles would follow, such as Mahjong Dragon, The Blacksheep Affair, and Body Weapon, Zhao would see a shift in direction at the turn-of-the-century where he would star in more successful television shows than films including Tai Chi, Seven Swordsmen, Wind & Cloud, and Hua Mulan – but would see a resurgence of sorts when he starred as Beggar So in Yuen Woo Ping's fantastic True Legend. From there, Vincent Zhao made a welcome return to the big screen and returned to the role of Wong Fei Hung in films such as The Unity Of Heroes, Warriors Of The Nation, and Kung-Fu League respectively. While he's often had a lot of criticism and negative reviews surrounding his work, I've always enjoyed watching Zhao on-screen, and thoroughly enjoy him in the role of the legendary Wong Fei Hung. After a crazy busy year with no less than 10 features going on including the Tsui Hark produced/Benny Chan directed Magic Crane, Blade Of Fury, Love Is A Fairy Tale, End Of The Road, The Assassin, and Once Upon A Time In China 3 of course, Rosamund Kwan returns as Aunt Yee – this time sharing the screen with Jean Wang as the 14th Aunt; the replacement for Wong's love interest which goes on to create a weird love-triangle of sorts. Also returning is Kent Cheng as Butcher Wing, a character that made such an impression in the first film of the series, I was actually disappointed that he didn't show up in any others until now. Once again though, Cheng does a great job in the role and brings a lot of comedy to the film along with Bucktooth So – this time played by Roger Kwok instead of Jacky Cheung. Lau Shun puts in another turn as Wong Kai Ying – Fei Hung's well-respected father, and the handsome Max Mok returns as Leung Foon, delivering yet another fun performance that allows him to getting in on the action and play the comedy sidekick. Like many Hong Kong stars of his generation, and most before him, Mok made his debut as an actor in the Shaw Brothers studios starting with The Enchantress, a film directed by Chor Yuen. From there, the handsome hero would go on to star in films such as Holy Flame Of The Martial World, Journey Of The Doomed, Last Eunuch In China, The Dragon Family, Pedicab Driver, Outlaw Brothers, and so much more. His role here as Foon just elevated his status even more, with Mok continuing to play the character through every sequel (and series) except for part 6. And the great Hung Yan Yan returns as the popular Clubfoot – aka Ghost Foot Seven – the kick-ass rickshaw puller with an attitude who is now a dedicated follower of Wong Fei Hung. Having made his debut opposite Jet Li in Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Hung would go on to appear in films such as Tiger On The Beat 1 & 2, Aces Go Places 5, City Cops, God Of Gamblers, and Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon before joining Tsui for his run in the Once Upon A Time In China series. I really love him in this role, with his wild style of martial-arts action just adding even more excitement to the mix – boosted even more here as a permanent member of the team and doubling-up (once again) as the assistant fight choreographer to Yuen Bun.
Chinese actor Zhang Tie Lan, who played Dr. Sun Yat Sen in Once Upon A Time In China 2, dons a beard to play a new character in this chapter – that of the Official Chief Constable – who befriends Wong Fei Hung after a mix-up sees them trade moves due to a misunderstanding. In the year between both films, Zhang would also star in the Tsui Hark produced Magic Crane for director Benny Chan, which would also see him star alongside Rosamund Kwan. Popular bit-player and action-choreographer Paco Yick Tin Hung plays dual roles, one of which is a constable to Zhang's character, and the other as Devil Cheung – the feared legendary pirate who is so old, many believe he died a long time ago. Starting as a bit-player in Tommy Fan's 1982 thriller, Gang Of Five, Paco has since went on to star in over 100 titles including Winners & Sinners, Hocus Pocus, Armour Of God, In The Line Of Duty 4, City Hunter, House Of Fury, Rob-B-Hood, and much more – with some roles proving to be a little bigger than others. The mid 80s would see him shift into stunt-work and choreography, going on to handle the martial-arts action in films such as Blood Stained Tradewind, City Cop, Warriors Of Virtue, No Problem 2, and Once Upon A Time In China 4 where he would assist Yuen Bun which no doubt led to his role here, as well as him continuing to help Bun in the action department. He plays the big boss to an exciting band of nasties including famed actor/director/choreographer Stephen Tung Wai, who plays Junior Cheung who leads his men with a fearless attitude – killing anyone that gets in his way. Of course, everyone knows him best for his role in Enter The Dragon where he plays the kid that gets a lesson from Bruce, but Tung Wai has been in plenty more superb titles over the years including Executioners From Shaolin, The Shaolin Plot, Mars Villa, Incredible Kung Fu Master, Hocus Pocus, Pom Pom & Hot Hot, and Extreme Challenge which would also be the last film he would have directed to date after Magic Cop, Fox Hunter, and Jet Li's Hitman. As an action-choreographer, Tung Wai has been behind a incredible number of impressive works from Mars Villa to Peacock King, The Blade to Kung Fu Jungle, Magnificent Warriors to Bodyguards & Assassins, and so much more. I really enjoyed him in his role here as deadly pirate Junior Cheung, where he gets to impress with his martial skill a number of times throughout the film. He is joined by fan favourites Dion Lam, Sam Ho, Kenji Tanigaki, and Paul Wong with the lovely Elaine Lui delivering a scene stealing role as Ying – the only female member of the pirate army. While she only starred in 12 films from 1986 to 1995, Elaine made quite the impression with Hong Kong film fans since her debut in The Innocent Interloper (a personal favourite) followed by her two most famous titles, Iron Angels 1 & 2. From there, Lui had enjoyable roles in Stanley Tong's Stone-Age Warriors, Sammo Hung's Ghostpunting, and Ronny Yu's Bride With White Hair. Her final few years saw her play more and more crazed characters, one of which was here in Once Upon A Time In China 5, with her wild role in Yuen Woo Ping's Red Wolf standing as her last to date – aside from a surprise appearance in Sammo Hung's popular US television series, Martial Law years later.
So what makes this particular chapter of the series a little less appealing? Well to be honest, I don't believe that Tsui Hark's heart was fully in it. Made between a sandwich of self-directed comedy-dramas with The Lovers and The Chinese Feast (with the latter also starring Vincent Zhao) which, in turn, had fantasy romantic-dramas either side of them, I felt that the direction in Once Upon A Time In China 5 was a little messier to begin with than in previous chapters. Certain scenes felt like they were just dropped in willy-nilly, and elements of time were just skipped over without thought – giving me the impression that production was rushed. It also lacked the solid story line and social commentary that was so present in previous chapters, exchanging the threat of foreign invasion for a more local problem, which wasn't necessarily a terrible choice – after all, it had been a good decade since Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung's hugely successful Project A offered fans a fun pirate adventure. But perhaps that's just the case! Once Upon A Time In China 5 is more of an adventure film featuring Wong Fei Hung, rather than the historical-drama we've been used to watching with the previous four films. In fact, this theme would continue with Once Upon A Time In China & America; a film that saw Wong Fei Hung travel to the old wild west in America. I suppose, in a way, that I find this one just as entertaining as that.
As mentioned previously, Yuen Bun acts as the lead action-choreographer of the film – a role he had been doing from Once Upon A Time In China 3 which also saw him take over Tsui Hark as director. With Paco Yick, Hung Yan Yan, and even Stephen Tung Wai by his side, as well as others, the action team manage to create a host of exciting fights that range from boat battles to pirate caverns, and more. The big difference is – and no doubt brought on with Tsui trying to do something different once again – that our heroes now get the chance to play with guns, allowing for plenty of fun moments of John Woo style gun-play mixed in with the crazy kung-fu fight action. And while it does seem a little odd at first to see the likes of Wong Fei Hung, Club Foot, and Bucktooth So taking aim and shooting down opponents – it actually works out and adds to the excitement of it, as well as being a precursor to Wong's next big adventure in America complete with its 'wild-west' feel. While the film opens with a few fun action-packed introductions of the pirates, Wong Fei Hung, and others, there is a bit of a lag until the first real fight scene of the movie that comes in around the 50 minute mark when Dion Lam's boat load of pirates attack. It's a pretty fun fight scene that kicks-off almost an hour of non-stop action after that. This includes a lengthy and exciting showdown between team-Wong and the pirates after they infiltrate their secret hideout, crossing paths with the crazy first-mate, Ying, and true leader of the clan, the lightning fast-but ancient Devil Cheung. I really enjoyed this action-sequence as it blends some great kung-fu fighting with frenetic gun-play on a huge scale, . Surviving that, the heroes lure Junior Cheung and the rest of the pirates into the town with a show of fake celebrations – a scene that reminded me very much of a similar set-up in Mel Brooks classic comedy, Blazing Saddles – that delivers a couple of exciting showdowns between Vincent Zhao and Stephen Tung Wai, among others, in a barrage of bullets and blades that revives the epic finale of the original Once Upon A Time In China to some degree!
Backed once again by the movie machine that was Golden Harvest, and famed producer Ng See Yuen of Seasonal Films – director of classics such as The Secret Rivals 1 & 2, Tower Of Death, and producer of Jackie Chan's Snake In The Eagles Shadow and Drunken Master, as well as Ninja In The Dragons Den, Legend Of A Fighter, and Tsui Hark's very own Butterfly Murders and We're Going To Eat You – it's fair to say that Once Upon A Time In China 5 is not a complete failure, and for what it fails to offer in script and story it sure makes up for in its action scenes and entertainment. As mentioned, this chapter is an adventure movie, although fans would see Tsui return to the traditional way of the previous chapters for the series of television movies. And while Jet Li would return for the role of Wong Fei Hung in the aforementioned 6th entry to the Tsui Hark series, Once Upon A Time In China & America (of which, I believe, was a shitty move in leaving Vincent Zhao hanging after he officially played the character more than Li did at that stage), many others would attempt to deliver their own variations over the years, both on the small screen and cinematically, but none would match the epic scale of this beloved series. However, in 2014, up and coming director Roy Chow Hin Yeung, who was behind successful thrillers such as Murderer and Nightfall, attempted to revive and retell the story of Wong Fei Hung in Rise Of The Legend – a film that saw Eddie Peng as the new kung-fu hero, along with Hong Kong legends Sammo Hung and Tony Leung starring alongside him, and Corey Yuen Kwai delivering some of his finest modern action to date. But it was clear that fans were still hooked on Tsui's classic series – quickly writing it off, with many critics just brushing it off as a failed attempt of a remake. Something it most certainly wasn't! Offering a much darker approach than any of Tsui Hark's stories, I felt that Rise Of The Legend was a fantastic film and the perfect reboot to a modern audience that should have started a whole new series representing Wong Fei Hung in a new light, as Burning Paradise did with Fong Sai Yuk. But I suppose there's still time. For now though, Tsui Hark's Once Upon A Time In China series still stands as the ultimate Wong Fei Hung collection of the new wave era, and part 5 is no exception...
Overall: Slow to begin but filled with plenty of great action and fun moments, Once Upon A Time In China 5 may lack the same charms that started the series, but is still a great watch!
Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Daring Difference: An Interview with Nan Sun Shi on the Founding of Film Workshop, Trailer
Watch my unboxing video of this Criterion release HERE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA
AND AMERICA
(Hong Kong 1997)
Original Title: Wong Fei Hung 6: Sai Wik Hung See (aka) Once Upon A Time In China 6; Wong Fei Hung 6
Directed by Sammo Hung Produced by Tsui Hark Action by Sammo Hung Starring: Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan, Xiong Xin Xin, Jeff Wolfe, Patrick Lung, Richard Ng, Roger Yuan, William Fung, Lau Kar Wing, Mars, Johnny Koo, T.J. Storm Reviewing: Criterion US Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Adventure / Historical
Rating - 3.7 / 5
Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. (100 Mins)
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Tsui Hark's phenomenal Once Upon A Time In China trilogy finally arrives on Blu-ray in the UK from brand new 4K restorations! Starring Jet Lias the real life Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung,a physical embodiment of traditional Chinese values and moral incorruptibility, this martial-arts epic charts China's transition into the modern-world as it gradually abandons its old traditions and begins to accept the inevitable encroach of Western cultures. In Once Upon A Time In China & America, Jet Li makes a triumphant return to his most famous role after a four year gap, as Wong Fei Hung travels to the Wild West and encounters cowboys, Native American Indians, and Mexican bandits. (100 Mins)
Hong Kong Classic UK DVD Synopsis: “Once Upon A Time In China & America” is one of the biggest budget Hong Kong movies of all time, taking over $20 million at the box office, and combines the talents of director Sammo Hung, and producer Tsui Hark, together with a heady mix of gun-play and kung fu action with Jet Li proving that the fastest guns in the west are no match for the fastest hands in the east. Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li) together with his fiancee (Rosamund Kwan) and devoted sidekick, Seven (Yeung Pan Pan) find themselves in the Wild West in search of new horizons. However,an early confrontation with Native American Indians renders Jet unconscious and parted from his group. When he comes to, he finds he has lost his memory, but the one thing that is clear in his mind is the ability to fight with lightning speed. The warriors of the tribe are amazed at his unique abilities and offer him respect and friendship. Unable to communicate, he manages through sign language to persuade them to help him find his true identity leading to countless action packed encounters on his path to be reunited with his friends. (100 Mins)
Views: While I was never a huge fan of Once Upon A Time In China & America, nor would rate as one of my favourite of the series, it was clear that the Hong Kong film audience were excited to see Jet Li back in the role that made him a superstar. This time round, the adventures of Wong Fei Hung and company head West to start a new life in America and open up a clinic there. Along the way, they stop to help a young gun-slinger (Billy the Kid) and find themselves attacked by a Red Indian tribe. The attack sees Wong Fei Hung, Aunt Yee, and Club Foot caught up in the raging torrents of a nearby river, that separates the kung-fu master from them both and leaves him with memory loss after he bangs his head on a rock. While Yee and Club Foot quickly find help with their old friend Bucktooth So who has already set-up their new Po Chi Lam, Wong awakens in the village of a friendlier tribe of natives who soon take him on as one of their own. As the search for their master begins, Aunt Yee, Club Foot and So face their own trials with the local townsfolk as they battle corrupt sheriffs, racism, and more. Eventually, Wong is found by Aunt Yee and strives to regain his memory (known only as Yellow by the tribesmen who took him in). He soon finds his way back to Po Chi Lam where his memory is revived through battle, with the help of Club Foot. At the same time, a corrupt gang of lawmakers rob the town and put the blame on Wong and the Chinese community; a lie that leaves Wong and his party with a noose around their necks. As luck would have it, an attack on the proceedings allows Wong to free himself, and after saving his friends, gets to face-off against the corrupt law-men and the deadly bandit leader known as the Wolf!
After many years of watching Tsui Hark's stories of Wong Fei Hung through his films and series, I always felt that Once Upon A Time In China & America was more of a bolt-on – more of a stand-alone film, if you like – and the only one of the features that doesn't fall under the Golden Harvest banner. The swapping back from Vincent Zhao to Jet Li was clearly effective in the success of the film at the box-office, but I can't help but feel that it was a tad unfair in getting rid of a great actor who had already played Wong Fei Hung more than Jet Li did. Gone is the comedy relief and long-time characters of Max Mok's Leung Foon and Kent Cheng's Porky Wing (Butcher Wing); both of whom are absolutely missed, and although he had stepped away from the duties of director and writer, Tsui Hark still sticks around as the producer of the film. This time, the reigns are handed over to the legendary Sammo Hung who actually does a stellar job in delivering a genuine 'wild west' feel to the movie, as well as innovative camera angles and techniques that make sure this chapter of the series stands out from the rest. Of course, a name like his needs no introduction with the man having starred in, directed, produced, and choreographed hundreds of exciting titles up to this point. However, as with many Hong Kong stars, the mid-90s had proved to be a bit of a slump for him with films like Don't Give A Damn, How To Meet The Lucky Stars, and Ah Kam failing to impress at the box office. In fact, Sammo was making more of an impression behind the scenes as a director and action-choreographer, offering-up impressive works with Blade Of Fury, Kung Fu Cult Master (of which he also had a great role in), Ashes Of Time, Thunderbolt, and more. But it looked like Once Upon A Time In China & America would become somewhat of a turning point for the director (as well as it's main star and producer). In accepting the job as director and action-choreographer on the film, legend has it that Sammo Hung well and truly pissed off his little brother and superstar, Jackie Chan, who had dreamed for years about making a Western that saw him play an amnesiac character. Of course, this would eventually transpire in his Hollywood produced hit, Shanghai Noon – with the amnesia storyline used only a year after this in Who Am I? But regardless, and in Jackie's eyes, it was clear that there was a lack of respect on Sammo's behalf when he took on the project. Thankfully though, it didn't last and, although hurt from the experience, Jackie still had his big brother by his side the very same year to direct him in the super-fun Mr. Nice Guy, of which Sammo featured in a hilarious cameo. As I mentioned, it seemed that the success of Once Upon A Time In China & America open new doors for Sammo, Jet and Tsui in the west, with the former going on to headline his own award winning television show just a year later with Martial Law, and Jet Li making a splash as the much-loved villain of Lethal Weapon 4. That same period would see Tsui Hark make his Hollywood directorial debut with the underrated Double Team; an action-packed adventure film starring Hollywood powerhouse Jean Claude Van Damme, with action-choreography from Sammo Hung and Hung Yan Yan (who also gets a fun scene as an assassin). The same team would stick together to go straight into production for Knock Off, a Hong Kong based action comedy that was originally set to star Jet Li (with that role going to Michael Wong in the end). While both Sammo and Tsui would return to their roots and stick with film-making in Hong Kong and China by the turn-of-the-century, Jet Li would go on to become a megastar soon after – jumping between east and west to deliver action hits such as Romeo Must Die, The One, Fearless, Kiss Of The Dragon, The Warlords, and many more. So it seems that this 6th chapter of the Wong Fei Hung story hinted at the migration of these stars with its western setting, to some degree...
Aside from offering up a neatly directed adventure film, Sammo Hung delivers plenty of great fight scenes that are evenly spread throughout. From the opening attack by the Mohican tribe to Clubfoot's showdown with the gunslingers in the bar, Sammo creates some powerful battles that are expertly choreographed and a joy to watch. I especially loved the fight between Wong and Clubfoot as his student pretends to be his master's past enemies, in a bid to revive his memory. These include Iron Vest from the first film (as played by Yen Shi Kwan) and Commander Lan from the second (as played by Donnie Yen) – both of which Clubfoot plays very well. I must also take this time to state how, since revisiting the series, I have found Hung Yan Yan's character of Clubfoot to be the most interesting of them all since his journey from the 3rd film – as well as having the most solid story arc of any long term character, going from a savage enemy of Wong's to becoming his most valuable student (as well as proving to be the strongest fighter of the followers). As well as that, I think it's only fair to point out that Hung Yan Yan himself has been the one and only actor that has appeared in all of Hark's Wong Fei Hung productions; mostly as Clubfoot, but also as the leader of the White Lotus Cult in the second film and a gang member in the first (not to mention the stunt-double for Jet Li numerous times). Having made his debut opposite Jet Li in Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Hung would go on to appear in films such as Tiger On The Beat 1 & 2, Aces Go Places 5, City Cops, God Of Gamblers, and Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon before joining Tsui for his run in the Once Upon A Time In China series – going on to get his own time in Hollywood with cameos and choreography work on films such as Double Team, Knock Off, Simon Sez, and The Musketeer. Sammo even works in explosions among the action in a great scene that sees Wong and his friends hanging by the neck until the gallows are blown to pieces. This leads to their freedom and the start of a massive showdown between some nasty bandits and corrupt sheriffs, with Wong Fei Hung taking on their leader; a hot headed gun-slinger with some slick martial-arts skills. This slimy looking guy is played by Joseph Sayah, an Australian martial-artist who also went on to play a small role in Mr. Nice Guy (which was, incidently, shot in his home city of Melbourne).
As per usual, Jet Li does a wonderful job in the role of Wong Fei Hung – although I must admit, I felt he was quite a different one to that from the first three movies. Rosamund Kwan returns as Aunt Yee, and is an enjoyable as always in one of her final roles of the 90s. She would sparsely follow this with only 4 more films through to 2005 which included Feng Xiao Gang's comedy, Big Shot's Funeral, alongside Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland, and in Andrew Lau's sci-fi Wesley's Mysterious Files with Andy Lau. Chan Kwok Bong returns to play Bucktooth So after being cast in the role for Wong's adventures on the small screen. This is the third iteration of So in Tsui's tales, and he doesn't do too bad a job once again. Character actor Patrick Lung, who made his debut in the 1958 film, Crime Of Passion In The Hotel, joins the cast as Uncle Lone – returning to star alongside Jet Li once again after taking him on in the previous years exciting superhero flick, Black Mask, of which Tsui Hark produced. He spends most of his time on-screen with the great Richard Ng who offers a little comedy element to things but ultimately, is a little quieter than usual. American-Chinese actor and martial-artist, Roger Yuan, makes his Hong Kong film debut as Dick – a Chinese immigrant who does the dirt on his brothers and helps to frame them for the robbery. Interestingly enough, Yuan would go on to play a similar role opposite Jackie Chan in Shanghai Noon. The brilliant Lau Kar Wing and Mars cameo briefly in the lion-dance scene, with the latter helping Sammo with stunt-work and Kar Wing working as assistant director. And finally, American martial-artist and stuntman Jeff Wolfe impresses as the happy-go-lucky Billy The Kid who is saved by Wong Fei Hung and a dedicated friend to the Chinese. Having started as a bit player in films like Mission Of Mercy, Bloodsport 2, and Mortal Kombat, Wolfe made quite the impression in his role here that saw Tsui and Sammo bring him back for Van Damme's Knock Off as well as a guest appearance in Hung's television show, Martial Law soon after. Since then, this young Robert De Niro lookalike has went on to appear in a long list of TV shows and movies, as well as becoming a stunt co-ordinator and director in his own right.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I was never a huge fan of Once Upon A Time In China & America; but seeing now in it's 2K restoration as part of the Criterion (and Eureka) collection has definitely changed my mind on it. I'd say this particular viewing has been my most enjoyable yet and highlights Sammo's work as a director, as well as the stunning cinematography on offer from Raymond Lam, Johnny Koo, and American cinematographer Walter Gregg which really helped capture the unique feeling of its intended period. While still far from perfect, I have a new found respect for the final chapter of Tsui Hark's Wong Fei Hung collection and thoroughly enjoyed this little gem for what it was!
Overall: While it may have its flaws, Sammo Hung's direction and fight sequences make Once Upon A Time In China & America well worth checking out!
Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Making Of Featurette, Behind The Scenes, Trailer
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Making Of Featurette, Trailers
Hong Kong Classics DVD Extras: Making Of Featurette, The Legend Of Wong Fei Hung Featurette, Extensive Photo Gallery, Trailers
Watch my unboxing video of this Criterion release HERE
