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Review
by Kozo: |
This Wong Jing/Jet
Li collaboration is messy, loud, and overall a forgettable
experience. Li is Hung Hei-Koon, Shaolin disciple and
enemy of the imperials. On one bad day, he gets his family
wiped out by imperial troops. Only his son is left, so he
pulls a Lone Wolf and Cub on him: the kid can choose
a rocking horse or a sword. If he chooses a sword, then they’ll
be fugitives from the government for years to come. If he
chooses the rocking horse, the Hung will send him to hell
to join his mom. How's that for parenting?
Needless to say, the kid chooses
the sword and grows into the form of kung-fu kid Tze Miu.
Years later, the two find themselves stalked by more imperials,
and must protect some Shaolin kids who possess the map to
an ancient Ming eunuch’s treasure. Aiding them are mom-and-daughter
thieves, played by Deannie Yip and Wong Jing starlet Chingmy
Yau. Hijinks ensue.
Yuen Kwai’s action is okay, but Jet
Li’s rock-like performance and Wong Jing’s cartoonish direction
hurt the picture. There are occasional entertaining moments,
but on the whole the film is far too frenetic and uneven.
Jet Li's presence and Wong Jing's comedic leanings seem to
be incompatible anyway. You'd think these guys would see that. (Kozo 1995) |
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