Next week will be episode 100, so I’ll be giving away a Blu-ray copy of Dragon. Don’t miss it!
Jet Li Celebrates His 50th Birthday
Police Story 2013 Has First Public Screening
Scarlet Johansson to Become Lucy
Jackie Chan wants to Pass the Torch to Jay Chou?
Background Info
Still early in his career, Gordon Liu starred in Heroes of the East. The film was directed by Lau Kar-leung and provided an interesting spin on a very common subject. Gordon Liu would be forced to face several different opponents with various weapons, meaning he had to be a believable and relatable main character. This film also had Liu sport a wig to get rid of his typical “monk” image. Was there enough different in Heroes of the East to prove that Liu was more than a one-trick pony?
Story/Characters
The story to Heroes of the East is simple, yet layered at the same time. It tackles the conflict between the Japanese and the Chinese, but on a more personal level. The conflict starts out between a husband and wife, who constantly bicker back and forth, but branches out into something bigger. However, I felt that the first and second half of the film were too different. I wish that the movie had focused on the latter in more detail instead of just skipping forward to the fights. It would have been great to see more of the critical thinking behind the battles than watching a couple bicker for 45 minutes.
One of the biggest issues I had with Heroes of the East were the characters, especially the wife. She is illogically thickheaded and doesn’t open up to any ideas. She’s nationalistic to a fault, which is probably what the makers were going for. That being said, she somehow ends up supporting her husband when he gets trapped in a tournament against 8 masters, even helping him train. It doesn’t make sense and I couldn’t really sink into the movie because of it. It’s obvious that the Chinese martial arts and thought-process is at the forefront here, but the story is hard to follow when key characters are out of sync. Ho Tao is not perfect either, though, and some of his ideas (like how women should fight) probably won’t sit well with some people.
Action/Choreography
If you are like any big action movie fan, you’re watching Heroes of the East of the action, and you won’t be disappointed. The fights are plentiful and amazing to watch. It’s stunning to see Gordon Liu fight so many battles in one film without any repeated ideas. Yes, some concepts are better than others, but the fights are fantastic and easily worth a view. Lau Kar-leung knew what he was doing and how to make it look good on screen. This is classic kung-fu at its best.
Own it, Watch it, Try it, or Skip it?
For those that have never seen it, Heroes of the East will be a good action movie with some interesting themes mixed in. It’s easy to see why it’s so highly regarded, but a few speed bumps keep this movie from being truly magnificent. If you only care about fights, buy this movie without any hesitation. However, if small things like plot and character development pick at your brain like they do mine, I suggest watching it and seeing what the hype is about. It’s still a good film and a shame to miss out on, but your enjoyment will be based on what your expectations are.
Watch it
Heroes of the East DVD (US Version)
Background Info
In 1994, Jackie Chan decided to create a sequel to one of his first big hits, Drunken Master. The sequel continues the story of Wong Fei-Hong, and Jackie teamed up with Lau Kar-Leung for the film. However, Jackie and Lau Kar-Leung did not see eye to eye on the film, eventually leaving Jackie in the director’s chair. Would Jackie be able to pull the film together and still create a satisfying experience?
Story/Characters
Given today’s standards, Drunken Master II’s story doesn’t hold up as well as it used to. The evil foreigners are at it once again, stealing artifacts from the Chinese. While this seems tired now, it’s simply because it’s been overdone these past few years. However, there are still elements that ensure the plot revolves around the characters and not the events that overlook them. I think this is one of the best decisions for Drunken Master II.
It had been a while since I have seen this film, and I forgot how developed the characters are. Anita Mui plays a wonderful mother, showing both her stern and humorous side at all the right moments. Jackie also shows the ups and downs of using drunken boxing, which I think is great given how lighthearted the original film was. All of the supporting characters are just as developed, but the villains are casually overlooked because they are apparently just bad for no other reason. All in all, the characters give enough depth to the story to make you care about them.
Action/Choreography
This is Jackie at his best, and there are very few fights that are as memorable as the ones in Drunken Master II. Jackie uses just enough wirework to make you question if he’s even using them while throwing in some crazy stunts and choreography. If you look closely enough, you can see where Jackie had control of the action compared to Lau Kar-Leung.
The finale, which pits Jackie against former bodyguard Ken Lo, is one of the best in the industry, and proves that fights can be long and intricate without losing the interest of the audience. The shots are very wide and cuts are few and far between, letting the audience see the action for what it is. Drunken boxing was made popular by Chan, and he makes sure to use every style and method well while sprinkling in his trademark humor.
Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?
For me, Drunken Master II is a no-brainer. The story is good and the characters are interesting. The fighting is intense and a blast to watch, even after all these years. If anyone were to watch one Jackie Chan film, this would be one of the top contenders. This movie is one of the reasons why I became a fan of Jackie, and I’d recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat. This is one you need to have, you’ll be going back to it for years to come.
Own it
The Legend of Drunken Master DVD (US Version)
The Legend of Drunken Master Blu Ray (US Version)
Not to contradict my own verdict, but try to find a version that isn’t the US one if you can. The US version has different music and the references to the drunken gods are skipped over. While its fine if you have no other option, I’d say a HK release is worth the effort.
Case in point (the dub is different but the music changes are noticeable)
Legend of the Drunken Master Fish Market Fight
Mad Monkey Kung Fu is a movie I just recently learned about. Can it stand the test of time and still impress? (more…)
The 29th Hong Kong film awards wrapped up on Sunday night, and the winners are now announced. Lau Kar-leung also also picked up his lifetime achievement award. It was an interesting night and I think there were several surprises when it came to the winners. See below for the list of all the winners. (more…)
Actor and director Lau Kar-Leung will be receiving a lifetime achievement award at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards.Grandmaster Lau has been in the filming industry for over five decades. He also had the privilege of studying under legendary master Wong Fei-Hong. (more…)
