Wu Ma directed this kung-fu film/historical piece set during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai circa 1910. Wu Ma also stars as the patriarch of a circus troupe (which includes Yuen Biao and Irene Wan), who find their tent burnt to the ground by the Japanese. With their livelihood turned to ashes, they're forced to disband. Loyalty prompts them to stick together to get their lives back together.
     Sadly, life is not kind to circus performers, and they get embroiled in the machinations of corrupt local politics. The constable (Donnie Yen) is actually a good guy, but he's unwillingly led astray by the evil bastards (including kick-boxing terror Ken Lo Wai-Kwong). Eventually, the bad guys are outed, the Chinese band together, and lots of fighting ensues.
     Circus Kids is a well-meaning production, but the experience proves to be an unnecessary one. Despite the presence of both Yuen Biao and Donnie Yen, the action is rather tame, and the film itself is uneventful. Things happen, but the events feel like drama for drama's sake. Neither the plotline nor the fighting justify a viewing. This isn't a bad film, but that's hardly a stunning endorsement. Nowadays it seems that finding a good Yuen Biao movie may be a thing of the past. (Kozo 1996)