Kung Fu Hustle
With Kung Fu Hustle, Stephen Chow churns out yet another brilliant work with the fusion of martial arts, special effects, and his sense of humor. Chow not only directs, writes, and performs, but he also does whatever it takes to entertain us. So before entering the theater, leave your common sense at the door, and enjoy the show – remember to silence your cell phone too. My cell phone joke might not work, but Chow’s pop-culture references work like a charm, especially the Buddha’s Palm and the Roadrunner commercial. The hair on fire is not another stab at Michael Jackson, I hope.
Of course, Chow’s comedy plays an important role in the film, but the kung fu sequences are also gorgeously choreographed, thanks to Yuen Wo Ping whose works include Kill Bill, Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Despite the lack of blood spills all over the screen like Kill Bill, Kung Fu Hustle illustrates Chow’s violent and brutal comic style. If the fighting, the axing, the flying, the screaming, or nothing in the film is convincing, the little romance between the sweet but muted girl (Huang Sheng Yi) and Sing (Stephen Chow) might be.
The plot of Kung Fu Hustle might not be compelling, but it serves Chow well, and allows him to go nuts with other aspects. Sing started the trouble between the ruthless Axe Gang and poor group in the Pig Sty Alley. The Axe thugs are tough, but the kung fu fighters in Pig Sty are tougher. After losing the battle, the Axe gangleader seeks professional killers for revenge. The fighting scenes take off from there. In between the chaos, Chow cleverly sneaks in a few flashbacks for a romantic story, and some quiet moments from the beautiful Huang Sheng Yi.
Kung Fu Hustle is a type of film that can be enjoyed by paying attention to the aesthetic experience. Leave your personal judgment behind and just focus on the work of art itself. That way, you’ll get Chow’s jokes and appreciate the film more.
I watched this a while back when the DVD was released in HK. Good flick for almost everyone. I lend it to couple of friends and they’ve all liked it. It’s a classic Stephen Chow with tribute to movie like Matrix Reloaded, Wuxia reference, and many other.. it’s a nice blend. It’s a shame that the movie is rated R while many violence and gore film only labled as PG-13 (the grudge – american remake version come to mind).
I also enjoyed this movie, I thought it was very hard for Steven Chow to impress me again after “Shaolin Soccer”, but I was wrong. I love his goofy sense of humor and the light-hearted story in Kung Fu Hustle. And I also enjoys the little symbolic scenes, which he duplicated from Spiderman, Batman, and Forest Gump.
Anh Don, the movie is very funny! Kim Dung enjoyed very much.
Hello sister Mikiki,
Kim Dung watch Kung Fu Hustle just short time, Sis Mikiki confused Kim Dung.Steven chow duplicated what??? from spiderman, batman, and forest gump??? Khong hieu sis Mikiki saying! Kim Dung like shaolin soccer too.
So, TBlue can’t watch it, it’s rate R. But how come you know the movie very well.
KD
Mikki talks about the pop-culture references. The joke might be lost in translation but they are in there. Remember, “he’s the one” and “great power comes great responsibility.”
KD needs to pay more attention to the movie instead of checking out Thu Minh’s nipples :)
… and I thought women are very detail oriented. I guess it is true depend on if they are interested in the topic or not!
I did not like “Shaolin Soccer” that much when I first saw it… like Donny’s comment: “… just focus on the art itself…” and I did for this movie… seem like I begin to like Steven’s style better this time around.
Kim Dung, I did watch it. What I meant to say was, it’s a shame the movie is rated R in the U.S., and it doesn’t deserve to be so.
vAn, I am glad it is working for you. Many folks can’t separate the aesthetic experience from the intention (what the film suppose to mean?)
Anh Don, thank you for explaining my confusion which regards to sis Mikki, oops! Kim Dung apolozied that KD misspelled sis Mikki to Mikiki-smile-
Kim Dung watched the movie in chinese saying, no english subtitle, because Kim Dung happened to be at the friend’s of the friend’s house, and KD don’t understand chinese, that’s why KD confused when sis Mikki mentioned about spiderman, badman, and forest gump. anyway!!! “great power comes with great responsibility” (in spiderman movie) KD remember. But Anh Don oi! Tai sao Anh viet:
KD needs to pay…la la la. Anh viet tra’ch em ha? “needs” like…she needs, Anh wrote to point out for every body to know! Anh la la`ng KD? Anh dau co’ viet cho KD, straight to KD like KD need to…la la la…
Em gia^.n Anh!
em vAn – Tai sao em no’i ky` va^.y! It’s very strange for you to say “women” (tat ca dda`n ba`), em quo* ddu?a ca? dda’m! You saying to all female!!!Why???If em no’i, say
Kim Dung not very detail oriented thi` em cu*’ no’i. just say to me, but “women”. It’s very strange for em saying like that! ok!
KD
Anh TTBlue, let Kim Dung tell Anh why??? the movie is rated R in US and PG-13 in chinese.
Kim Dung saw the asian kids watch kung fu and not scared. The American kids are scared for very much violent kung fu, and US parents don’t want them to be very much violent like chinese kids.
KD
i really liked the kung fu hustle .. i thought stephen chow did a absoulute faboulus job !!
I thought this movie was a piece of crap. It didn’t make me laught or cry. It reminds me too much of Western movies which is too too too unrealistic which is a hate-factor for me.
You must be retarded, Mini.
Forget how funny KFH is, Kim Dung is funnier.
I need an interpreter, LOL.