Knockabout

Rating:
Summary: Yuen Biao Is Incredible!
Review: Another Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao gem. This one has it all: good story, good comedy(maybe too much, but still good), and some of the most ridiculously awesome fight and training scenes I've ever seen. Yuen Biao gets the leading role and performs amazingly. A brief paraphrase of the story is two brothers, Little John(Yuen Biao) and Big John(Leung Kar Yan), are con men. They run across a man who they try to set up and it backfires on them. Eventually, this man becomes their master and trains them. Then comes the twist in the polt(I won't say what it is). Yuen Biao ends up teaming up with Sammo to take on his master, and what a fight it is. It is probably 10 minutes long and could be the best two on one fight I've ever seen. Just to give you a piece, part of the fight Sammo and Yuen both perform monkey style against the master who does a type of snake style with a pipe. I was in awe.

That is just the cherry on top. Once you get through the first half hour, which is relatively slow(it does have some fighting), the movie is non stop action that just gets better and better as it builds to the final confrontation. There is a lot of comedy in the first half of the film and it is very exaggerated. Some of it is really funny though. For those of you who don't care for the humor, don't worry, it soon goes away and the whoopin's begin and they never stop. Also, there are as many or even more acrobatic moves and manuevers done by Yuen Biao than in any Jackie Chan film. Not stunts so much, more flips and flying around while fighting. It's great.

As for the DVD itself, it has dolby 5.1 sound and the picture is a great restoration and transfer in an anamorphic widescreen format. You can choose subtitles or english dubbed audio. The voice of Yuen Biao is really a good one. There are also four trailers for other movies and two trailers for this one in the special features.

I was so impressed with this movie, aside from some over the top comedy, that it instantly has become one of my favorite kung fu flicks of the era. Another great film that is right there with this one, even a little higher, is Magnificent Butcher starring Sammo Hung. I highly reccommend both of these movies to any kung fu collection. You won't be disappointed.


Rating:
Summary: Knockabout, fact or fiction?
Review: KNOCKABOUT
This DVD owns so much that, when you go to sleep at night, it comes alive and gives your stupid guy DVDs wedgies and sleeps with your girly DVDs. Watching KNOCKABOUT is such a visceral experience, more so than the time I beat Mario 3 in under 11 minutes.
Jackie Chan, as we all know, is the reigning king of Hollywood. But where did he come from? Well, since he's not in KNOCKABOUT, I can't answer this question. But I can try to.
Jackie Chan was born in a small community of stunt people that bordered on the Mekhong Delta, and the hilarious. He grew up doing the usual stunt-child thing until he was discovered. It was discovered that his discoverer was no other than Samo Hung, who also, as we know was in KNOCKABOUT. Coincidence? I think not. Clearly Jackie Chan is pushing his way of life onto mainstream Kung Fu movies, forcing people to do things that "Help them learn English."
So in conclusion, though lovable, the characters in KNOCKABOUT fight a bunch and, in turn, make monkey noises at random intervals. Now get out there, buy KNOCKABOUT, and for Pete's sake, butter that bacon!

Rating:
Summary: Garbage Boxing
Review: Yuen Biao (Deadful Melody, Prodigal Son, Magnificent Butcher, Mr. Vampire 2, Once Upon a Time in China) stars as Yipao. Yuen Biao's character is not "The Beggar, " but is a beggar in his own right. He wonders around looking for trouble, food, and money with his brother Taipao. During his wonderings, he runs into The Master, who is wanted for random killings.

The Master teaches Yuen Biao and his brother Taipoa Kung fu, and help Yuen Biao defeat some individuals from the village who have been bothering them. When Biao discovers his Master is wanted, and Master knows Biao knows he is wanted, his Master turns on him, killing his brother in the process.

Biao turns to a local beggar, played by Sammo Hung, as Sammo Hung always seems to defeat Biao in terms of trying to get food, money, or any other type of advantage. Hung also directs this magnificent movie. Hung's directing credits include Once Upon a Time in China and America, Moon Warriors, Jackie Chan's Project A, Prodigal Son, The Victim, and The Iron-Fisted Monk.

Ka-Yan Leung (Dreadnaught, The Victim, 5 Masters of Death) stars as Biao's brother Taipao. He does a very good job in this role. Biao masters the art of kicking, while Leung masters the art of punching, when teamed together they are very good. The fight scene in the woods where they display their fighting styles together was marvelous.

In all, this is my favorite Biao movie. In movies where he plays a major character, his top three that I have seen (I have not seen Deadly Melody), my favorites are Once Upon a Time in China, Prodigal Son, and Knockabout. Knockabout, by far, is his greatest performance. I can officially list him as the worlds greatest jump roper also. This is a must see, and must own movie in your Martial Arts DVD collection, in my opinion. This movie is extremely underrated.

Grade: A