Jackie Chan’s Drunken Master II 醉拳二.
Jackie Chan is the man. Period. He is funny, cool and oh so talented, why, I haven’t even seen half the films he has made and starred in but it is obvious his body of work is consistent and always fun to watch — the man is a perfectionist.
The most recent film I saw of his was DRUNKEN MASTER II (1994). I watched it for the first time with my brother and we both agreed it was greatly satisfying, as we immediately imitated our favourite parts during the credits. Wait… I think I remember him slapping me in the eye. Huh…
The film is a follow-up to Chan’s 1978 film DRUNKEN MASTER (another great), directed by Yuen Woo-ping, but not a direct storyline sequel. The stunts and fight sequences of precise choreography were intricate and amazing as one would expect from Chan, and were supported by an interesting cast of characters and a easy-to-follow storyline. I highly recommenced you add it to your queue of things to watch.
Chan returns to the adventures of rascally Wong Fei-Hong, a master in the strange art of “drunken boxing.” After a shopping visit to China with his father (Ti Lung), Wong accidentally stumbles into the middle of an export war between British smugglers and Chinese locals. The film combines Chan’s martial arts prowess with slapstick laughs, culminating in a wild coal foundry showdown.
In 2005, DRUNKEN MASTER II was named one of the top 100 best films of all time by Time magazine, and was acclaimed by late film critic, Roger Ebert, as having a terrific finale:
“When I did a seminar at the Hawaii Film Festival several years ago, comparing the physical comedy of Chan and Buster Keaton, martial arts fans brought in their bootleg Hong Kong laser discs of this film and told me that I had to see the final 20-minute fight sequence. They were correct. Coming at the end of a film filled with jaw-dropping action scenes, this extended virtuoso effort sets some kind of benchmark: It may not be possible to film a better fight scene.” (Read Full Article.)
Blog needs more Chan, and I need more martial arts! Do you have any kung fu favourites?
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