Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Title: Kung Fu Hustle
Director: Steven Chow
Genre: Foreign
Highs: Very entertaining action sequences.
Lows: Not as light hearted and funny as expected.
RhynoBot Grade: B-

Kung Fu Hustle is Steven Chow's second entry into the American movie market, his first being the very funny and entertaining "Sholin Soccer". This movie doesn't quite match the charm and light heartedness of Sholin Soccer but did however meet my expectation for entertainment value. The movie starts out very dark. We immediately see a handful of people get chopped down, literally, by the psychotic axe gang. The heavy death theme continues throughout the movie but the entertainment value soon improves with the appearance of Steven Chow and his exact same cast of characters (meaning actors) that made Sholin Soccer so hilarious. Chow by far single handedly makes this movie work. His knack for physical comedy and stage presence is right up there with some of the best American physical comics including Jerry Lewis, Jim Carrey, and John Ritter. The movie has kind of a wacky Loony Toons meets Kung Fu kind of feel to it which works well is some areas but really gets old in other areas. The movie does have some tender moments between Chow and the deaf/dumb girl that he tried to protect as a child with his newly acquired empty palm sholin moves he studied from a pamphlet sold to him by an old beggar. The moves didn't work for him as a kid and he got his ass kicked but it just so happens to turn out the beggar sold the pamphlet to the right person since Chow's character ultimately turns out to be to chosen one - a great sholin master.

Anyway, the movie is fun at times, grim at others but is good entertainment and can be enjoyed by a wide variety of Marshall Arts enthusiast's but is definitely not for everyone. If you haven't seen Sholin Soccer, see that instead, it has more universal appeal.

This is a good movie but not for everyone, watcher beware.