Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Plot Summary:

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 activites overshadow the city. Stumbling across a crowded apartment complex aptly known as "Pig Sty Alley," Sing attempts to extort money from on of the ordinary locals, but the neighbours 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 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.

I watched this movie a few days ago. When I first told that was what we were going to watch I was extremly sceptical and wasn't really wanting to watch it at all. Luckily I was forced to. Kung Fu and other martial arts movies rarely interest me but this movie was pure comedy genius coupled with random ultra voilence that had me laughing so much.



The scene opens in a police station in China where we see people being beaten and thrown against walls as the wife of the leader of a local gang arrested for spitting in public. The arresting officers, unaware that the lady in question was the wife of one of the gangs that ran the city on a knife edge of fear and violence, are badly beaten. The gang leaders and the lady leave, outside the police station doors and windows slam shut as they enter the street and we see from a distance people moving down the street... the ledgendary Axe Gang. A scene of random violence ensues as the Axe Gang destroy the other gang leaders, finally shooting the wife in the back with the shot gun after telling her she was free to go...

We follow the main character Sing as he attempts to join the Axe Gang and make something of his life from the street urchin he currently is. We see him attempt to claim benefits by frauding the people of the Pig Sty only to be stopped by the ultra scary land lady and her husband who eventually turn out to be Kung Fu masters who have sworn never to use their powers again after seeing their son destroyed by KungFu years earlier. Many random battles ensue all with both comic blood and gore and amazing, if a little cheesey at times, special effects.

In the end Sings amazing powers as a Kung Fu master is released as he faces his own mortality only to fight back to save the day ending, as all movies should, by winning back his childhood sweetheart...

A funny movie, badly dubbed but worth the time to watch it... made me laugh lots and cringe in pain. Watch it if you get the chance.



Kung Fu Hustle