• BIGGEST ALL TIME CHINESE FILM OPENING WEEKEND with S$1,885,201 in Singapore’s film distribution history!

• BIGGEST CHINESE FILM SINGLE DAY OPENING IN HISTORY! (Kung Fu Hustle opened at S$412,507.04 on its’ opening day 23 DEC)

Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Stephen Chow
Starring: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Leung Siu Lung, Dong Zhi Hua, Chiu Chi Ling, Chan Kwok Kwan, Lam Tze Chung, Feng Xiao Gang, Yuen Qiu, Lam Suet
RunTime: 1 hr 38 mins
Released By: Columbia TriStar
Rating: PG

Release Date: 23 December 2004

Synopsis (Courtesy from Columbia TriStar):

Set amid the chaos of pre-revolutionary China, small time thief, Sing, aspires to be one of the sophisticated and ruthless Axe Gang whose underworld activities overshadow the city. Stumbling across a crowded apartment complex aptly known as “Pig Sty Alley,” Sing attempts to extort money from one of the ordinary locals, but the neighbors are not what they appear. Sing’s comical attempts at intimidation inadvertently attract the Axe Gang into the fray, setting off a chain of events that brings the two disparate worlds face-to-face. As the inhabitants of the Pig Sty fight for their lives, the ensuing clash of kung fu titans unearths some legendary martial arts masters. Sing, despite his futile attempts, lacks the soul of a killer, and must face his own mortality in order to discover the true nature of the kung fu master.

Review:

Before you go further into this review, you are reminded that only those who are born with a moronic sense could fully appreciate any Stephen Chow's movies.

Four long years after the success of "Shaolin Soccer", the finest comedian of Chinese movie return with more screen-chaos, this time bringing you back to the 40s where the callous Axe gang dominated the streets of China. Stephen Chow play a diminutive but indomitable, Sing, who yearning to become a member of the Axe gang. Overwhelmed by his dream, Sing and his tons-heavy sidekick (Lam Tze Chung) posed unconvincingly as members of the Axe gang to extort money in a seemingly helpless and forlorn district, known as "Pig sty Alley". Little was expected that among these exteriorly ordinary folks, there were crouching tigers and hidden Dragons, each possessed with paranormal physics and abilities. Unintentionally, Sing gradually ignited the showdown between these KungFu Masters and the equally formidable Axe gang's mercenary fighters. Amidst the brutal and ferocious battle of the Titans, Sing struggled to unfold his destiny as a magnanimous saviour.

As in most Stephen Chow's movie, the plot is usually membrane-thin. With a short runtime of merely 95 minutes, the movie has killed the adventure of discovering the origins of the many KungFu Masters. Stephen Chow's fans may also be disappointed that after four tongue-long years, there is limited display of his hysterically comedic talents, unlike his previous works "Shaolin Soccer". Moreover, most cracks in the movie seem to have been recycled and overused, though they are still good enough to tickled you off the seats.

Nevertheless, KungFu Hustle was a dream come true for most boys, bringing those legendary martial arts, which were found in most Louis Chia's classics, realistically on the silver screen. Prepare for a jaw-dropping visual treat from Centro Digital Pictures, the team behind the phenomenal effects work on "Kill Bill", "Stormriders" and the critically acclaimed "Shaolin Soccer". Popular ancient fighting skills like the "Ha Ma Gong" (Toad Skills), "Tai Chi Quan" (Tai Chi fists), and "Shi-Zhi Ho" (Lion roar skills) were now more powerful with the computer graphics enhancement. To complete the destructive nature of Chinese KungFu, men are flung into the air like thin sheet of papers or crashes through thick brick walls helplessly after sustaining a seemingly harmless kick. Get terrified by lightning-fast fists, so powerful that could deform inch-thick steel like plasticine. Or marvel with the gracious palms movements that could blown-off a concrete building! More points are added for the ears-deafening sound effects that make these punches and kicks like the bombardment in World War II!

Overall, this movie is for those Kungfu effects fanatics and Stephen Chow's followers. However, if you do not belong to any of the category, which I had quoted earlier, my advice is that you let go of your logic senses as I do not think anyone should miss this finest of Chinese Kungfu extravaganza!

Movie Rating: B+

Review by Leosen