Imagine a Jackie Chan movie on amphetamines and steroids with an LSD chaser, and you get some idea of what Stephen Chow’s new movie “Kung Fu Hustle” is like.Combining a breakneck pace with a series of endlessly inventive gags, this new comedy makes a vice of subtlety. The film’s energy is so overwhelming that taking a breath and blinking seem like needless luxuries.
Following the theory of more is more, Chow and his army of co-writers follows the fortunes of a Chinese neighborhood dubbed Pig Sty Alley. The working class section is so run down that gangsters, lacking anything to gain, avoid it.
Pig Sty Alley quickly loses its tranquility when a pair of winnable gangsters named Sing (Chow) and “Sing’s sidekick” (Chi Chung Lam) attempt to intimidate the locals by claiming to be members of the deadly Axe Gang. The two quickly discover there is a another reason that career criminals avoid the area. The locals can fight back and inflict serious damage on would be assailants.
Sensing impending doom, Sing summons the real Axe gang, who quickly learn that even they are no match for the residents. Soon even the gangsters find themselves outsourcing more ferocious and exotic assassins to subdue the neighborhood and keep their grip on the rest of the city.
This sums up the story but little of the charm of “Kung Fu Hustle.” Chow’s imagination flies everywhere. You never know who is a civilian in this battle or who is secretly a powerful warrior. For example, two deadly assassins are blind musicians whose harps hurl sharp but semi-visible projectiles at their victims.
The battles are a dazzling blend of real martial arts acrobatics (supervised by Yuen Woo-Ping and the great Sammo Hung) and computer generated effects that turn ordinary foot chases into cartoon zips.
At the same time, Chow creates likable if not terribly deep characters. While he may be the nominal lead, he has no aversion to sharing the spotlight with eccentric characters actors like Wah Yuen as the Landlord and Qiu Yuen as the Landlady. The two steal just about every scene they are in.With his uniquely violent silliness, Chow has created a flick that masterfully blends serious martial arts and pure insanity.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Toronto Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Toronto Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2005 Sundance Film Festival. For more in the 2005 Sundance Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2005 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. For more in the 2005 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2005 SXSW Film Festival. For more in the 2005 South By Southwest Film Festival series, click here.
User Comments
4/02/13
Atari TwentySixHundred
Flaxman, totally missed the mark. This film is beautiful, fun, and exciting!
1/05/10
stephan chow fan forever
ok.. if you want to get the full effects of the movie, then learn chinese (puns and stuff)
12/23/09
Cody
This movie is one of the best I've ever seen and I am waiting for the 2010 sequel
8/01/09
VISHNU SHARMA
I LOVE SUCH MOVIE
8/30/08
Shaun Wallner
The Action was Amazing!
3/13/08
ako
excellent film by Chow with indepth understanding of the 3 level of Kung Fu.
6/06/07
tracey chambers
great movie. funny as hell.
5/06/07
fools♫gold
Die?! In this racket?
4/18/07
David Pollastrini
pretty silly!
2/07/07
AJ Muller
Drops laughs and ass-whuppins our way in old school WB style. Awesome.
1/09/07
Drew Galletti
As a kung-fu nerd, a well done, humorous homage to the genre
12/08/06
UGB
Definately worth a look - I thought it pretty funny
7/06/06
drydock54321
just like a live action cartoon. Love that lion roar.
5/05/06
Jason
Terrible, unfunny movie. I'd rather watch a Tony Jaa movie
3/31/06
Steb
A kung fu comedy! What more could you ask for?
2/12/06
brewt
hustle me good
1/01/06
metalhead
Kung Fu Hustle is Freakin Sweet! One of the greatest movies ever made.
11/16/05
Adrian
Unique in every aspect...and thats what makes it so damn good and fun to watch.
10/14/05
eddiejohns
Funny and action-packed. I liked this combo.
10/14/05
Indrid Cold
A cross between "Crouching Tiger" and "Kung Pao"; dumb but entertaining.
9/24/05
Mark Radburn
A Kick-Ass Asian movie, A must-see
9/22/05
Fritz
Kind of amusing, but not as funny as it thinks it is.
9/17/05
millersxing
riki tiki tembo no sa rembo chari bari ruchi pip peri pembo
9/11/05
Rever_Bear-Trap
This RATING says it all!
9/11/05
Alex
Robert Rodriguez died
9/09/05
Phil M. Aficionado
The more I think about it, the better I like it; stunningly chaotic and funny and lively
9/02/05
Zack
it pretty sweet
9/02/05
JFK
great asian comedy.
8/29/05
Quigley
doesn't deliver what it promises. the CG wasn't great and neither were the fight scenes.
8/28/05
Tom Burns
This movie was amazing.
8/25/05
Kat
Scrumtrilacent with a hint of stellar.
8/23/05
Nick
Great movie.Up there with Spiderman.
8/15/05
John
Kung Fu Hustle R1 DvD is edited. Blood has been taken out and a scene has been shortened
8/15/05
Ebru Germeyan
Not even a Cartoon movie could top this movie
8/14/05
othree
next level. solid story, cast, imagery, believable cheeziness
8/13/05
Justin Kline
Funnier Than Heck
7/17/05
Kathy terPlugg
Not as good as KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST.
7/05/05
jim
even better than Revenge of the Sith
6/25/05
Sean Poon
It has more depth than it appears to be
6/14/05
jameth burketh
Absolutely hillarious-gets better with repeated viewing. A very clever film
6/09/05
Gray
It was fun
6/07/05
captain craig
the more I see it, the more I like it
5/27/05
juli
Matrix fights ripped off Hong Kong movies to begin with
5/22/05
Cham
Like watching a live-action violent cartoon.
5/21/05
kemalx78
very funy when i watching this i amnt boring
5/17/05
Shawn Borucki
Excellent film, Stephen Chow tops "Shaolin Soccer" with mixing gangs and land ladies..
5/10/05
Morrigan
Matrix Ripoffs? You sir are an idiot.
5/09/05
Ka-Poon Chan
Its a very good film, a different outlook from this genre of film making!
5/05/05
Koitus
Was the urination scene REALLY necessary??? Also, MANY scenes were "Matrix" rip-offs...
5/03/05
michaelb14
"I did'nt know The Lion's Roar could be done with a speaker!"
5/02/05
your worst goddamn nightmare
Take a bit of Loony Toons and Jackie Chan and you've got this. Sounds terrible, BUT........
5/02/05
Dorothy Malm
quite entertaining, a lot of fun
4/30/05
Chris Stephens
This is one cool movie
4/29/05
Titus
Way cool.
4/28/05
Uncle Salty
See it. Love it.
4/28/05
Colleen Godlrick
unique
4/27/05
Jeff Anderson
A high energy, hysterical & full-throttle BLAST! More fun than all 3 MATRIX films combined!
4/27/05
Naka
God, YES!!!
4/26/05
Whatevr
Oh, dizzamn!
4/25/05
KingNeutron
Fkg awesome, wacky, goofy, sometimes disturbing, and oddly... moving. See twice!
4/24/05
jeff
not as good as house of flying daggers but still funny and awsome
4/23/05
jakob
it rocked hard.
4/20/05
jordan
can you give kung fu hustle movie 0n dvd 2004
4/19/05
Al Guy
I love it! Watch out for the Hollywood "remake".
4/14/05
Gray
this movie was great fun!
4/13/05
Junior LaRoche
Great! Sony Classics know how to release films, unlike Miramax.
4/13/05
visual
A must-see!!!!
4/12/05
Mr. Majestyk
If you can't enjoy this movie, you need a blowjob.
4/11/05
Dan Olson
Good, but not Chow's best and not worth the acclaim
4/10/05
Vince
Not overly hilarious, but fun.
4/09/05
mahn
erfa
4/08/05
Lina Correa
everyone should borrow this from their friend with the large DVD collection
4/02/05
kran
must watch
3/26/05
Greg Ursic
Outstanding!! Never have I seen that many reviewers mock fighting in a lobby.
3/09/05
vu
Awesome
3/03/05
michael weber
gwaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
2/25/05
jandro
Great and Side-Splitting funny, Chow sure knows how to tickle the funny bone
2/12/05
anthony
hilarious and energetic fun! but the script couldve used more work
2/08/05
KEVIN TRINH
A MUST SEE MOVIE
2/07/05
Zach
a must-watch!
1/30/05
Ery
amazingly beautiful and funny
1/29/05
buddy garrett
same old formula
1/29/05
keith james
CHOW (GETS) DOWN!
1/13/05
Maya
gut-busting funny, way cool fight scenes, and unpredictable. i'm now a huge fan.
1/12/05
Josh
Funniest film i've seen for ages - very stylish too
1/11/05
Miles Bader
Hits every note just right, silly and affectionate
1/09/05
Francis Ayock
Stephen Chow homage to the Cantonese Martial Arts films of the last few decades.
1/01/05
Dominique
Incredibly hilarious - far better than Shaolin Soccer!
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