Before I have children. That was probably the most important lesson I learned from Kung Fu Hustle, a wonderful martial-arts comedy starring Stephen Chow.
This movie is probably the best antidote for people sick and tired of the melodrama and high-brow scenery and acting in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero and House of Flying Daggers. While I love a good melodrama from China every now and then, the silliness from Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle are also welcome in my world. It's pure silly fun that has influences from Looney Tunes and the late-night kung fu flicks.
Personal favorite fight is a dazzling scene between two musicians that are deadly with and without their instruments. It combined all of the old-fashioned fight scenes with a dose of comedy in all the right places.
What I loved the most is realizing that many of the characters such as the Landlord, Landlady, The Beast, Donut and the Tailor are all played by martial artists that can be found in the 70's kung fu flicks. However, it's not an homage film where the old guard sit around and offer wisdom to the new generation, a la Mr. Miyagi. They kick hard-core ass. I don't doubt for a fact that some of these people could kick several of the younger generation's asses.
The only weak point for me was the tacked-on romance between Sing (Stephen Chow) and the mute ice-cream girl. It tread into melodrama, but mercifully there was enough inspired wackiness to help take my mind off of that. The ending's also kind of weak, but it's got a nice nod to the Matrix with Sing and the million, billion Axe Gang members. But the redeeming factor of the ending was simply the line, "You two! Pull your pants up!"
Oh, and Stephen Chow looks better with scruff than clean-shaven. But that's just me.
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