Kar Lau Leung (or however the thousand ways you want to
spell it) is hit or miss with some of his movies. The idea of a kung fu film
based on Monkey Fist kung fu though was more than enough to garner my attention
and when Dragon Dynasty finally pulled “Mad Monkey Kung Fu” out I simply had to
see it. The results of this 1979 film are mixed.
After being framed for a crime while intoxicated Master
Chan, a proficient Monkey Fist kung fu performer finds himself with crippled
hands and his sister indebted to a conniving businessman. He earns his living
performing a street show with his pet monkey, but when a down and out young man
befriends him he begins to find his courage again to stand up against
injustice.
Despite the trickery of its silly title, there is actually
quite the drama buried in this film. A great lead character battles alcoholism,
social shame, and being crippled while he finds renewed faith in training a
young wayward man with potential. It almost sounds like an ABC Family original
movie when you look at it that way! The acting is well done, the characters (at
least the major ones) are well built and the writing is surprisingly strong
with talk about monetary injustice and finding one’s place in the world. In
many ways, this one separates itself from other Shaw films by having some legit
writing to build itself on.
Believe it or not considering it’s the great Kar Lau Leung
behind this film both onscreen and off, one of the weaker points of the film
happen to be the fight sequences. Until the final throw down where teacher and
student must team together the film mostly focuses on only using the
choreography and fighting to further the plot. The training sequences are
clever and well executed (did I mention it’s a Kar Lau Leung film?), but the
general fighting can be a little weak until the final act which is somewhat
disappointing considering how fun the Monkey Fist style is.
“Mad Monkey Kung Fu” might not be what was expected
initially, but its solid story and characters sold the film beyond its rather
gimmicky premise. Something that only one in a handful of Shaw Bros movies can
say they accomplished. It makes for a rather intriguing watch and one that
should impress most kung fu fanatics.
Written By Matt Reifschneider
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