Home :: DVD :: Art House & International :: General  

Asian Cinema
British Cinema
European Cinema
General

Latin American Cinema
The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son

List Price: $34.95
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Real Deal
Review: I gotta agree with everyone. This movie is really good, and the fights are fantastic(ranking right along side Fist of Legend for pure brutality). The fighters perform their moves fast and realistic, like they're really trying to hit each other. It's not like other movies where it seems they are being too flashy showing off moves rather than actually fighting. You'll need the slo-mo feature on your dvd to capture all the cool choreography in this one. Also, i don't think people are stressing this enough; besides Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, and Lam Ching Ying, there is another great reason to see this...the incredible Frankie Chan! He makes a great and formidable villain(although he's not quite the bad guy that one would expect...he has respect for his opponents, which makes him a very cool antagonist in the film). ANY kung fu film worth its salt has a formidable villain(otherwise, how would the hero be able to show off his skills?). Also, if you're price conscious(as in cheap) and think all of us who are giving rave reviews are exaggerating, there is a new version that costs less than $10! For that price, surely you can't pass up a chance to see what may become your next favorite kung fu film can you? Highly recommended!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Real Deal
Review: I gotta agree with everyone. This movie is really good, and the fights are fantastic(ranking right along side Fist of Legend for pure brutality). The fighters perform their moves fast and realistic, like they're really trying to hit each other. It's not like other movies where it seems they are being too flashy showing off moves rather than actually fighting. You'll need the slo-mo feature on your dvd to capture all the cool choreography in this one. Also, i don't think people are stressing this enough; besides Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, and Lam Ching Ying, there is another great reason to see this...the incredible Frankie Chan! He makes a great and formidable villain(although he's not quite the bad guy that one would expect...he has respect for his opponents, which makes him a very cool antagonist in the film). ANY kung fu film worth its salt has a formidable villain(otherwise, how would the hero be able to show off his skills?). Also, if you're price conscious(as in cheap) and think all of us who are giving rave reviews are exaggerating, there is a new version that costs less than $10! For that price, surely you can't pass up a chance to see what may become your next favorite kung fu film can you? Highly recommended!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An excellent Wing Chun, Gung-Fu movie
Review: I have had this video for almost fourteen years and I have worn it out, that's why I just ordered a new copy of it. It has some(if not the most) realistic fight scenes I have ever seen. The skills of the Martial art actors, the Choreography, the fight scenes, level of skills, movement, techniques, and the use of internal power are all some of the best I've ever seen. I have over eighty-five Gung-Fu movies including most of the best ones ever made and this one ranks right up there with the best of them. Some of the movies I have include "Mad Monkey Gung-Fu, The Victim, The Eight Diagram Pole, Warriors Two, The Magnificent Butcher, Shaolin Vs. WuDang, Fearless Hyena, Drunken Master, Shaolin Vs. Lama, Etc". Hopefully this will give you an idea of what movies I am ranking "Prodigal Son" With. I have been seriously into REAL Shaolin Gung-Fu, Wu-Su for fifteen years and this is a serious, very well done Gung-Fu movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Kung Fu King
Review: I have seen this movie also as Kung Fu King. As you know, many of the old 2 beaters were released under several names.

In this film, a young man is beating everyone in town. However, one night at an opera he is easily beaten by one of the cast who is feminine acting and realizes that his opponents were all paid to lose by his father. Thereafter, he embarks on a mission to convince this reluctant female impersonator to teach him kung fu. Though I have never seen a movie where the master was referred to as a queer and a girl by his own brother, I found the master's sensibilities and manner quite elegant. For instance, there is another character in the film, a lord, who challenges anyone he sees who is good at kung fu. He happens to see the actor one day fighting and holds a dinner at which he challenges the actor relentlessly. The actor finally states, "I believe I'll have to oblige him." Not to give anything away but there is a final vengeful showdown as in most of these flicks.

There is a lot of good fighting and teaching sequences of wing chun in this movie. A must for any collection.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The man with no eyebrows will not be your Master!!!!!!
Review: I must say, that despite the love affair I see w/Yuen Biao, I feel it was Lam Chi Ying who stole the show. Lam Chi Ying plays the eyebrow less actor, who breaks it to Yuen Biao that he has piss poor kung fu, and anyone who knows anything about kung fu would easily defeat him. Then, after Lam Chi Ying easily disposes of him, Yuen Biao goes and tests Lam Chi Ying theory about his poor kung fu. Nevertheless, lets just say he finds out the hard way Lam Chi Ying was right.

Yuen Biao wants Lam Chi Ying to be his master, but Lam Chi Ying wants no part of it, and then takes off the adventure of the extremes Yuen Biao must go through to get Lam Chi Ying to teach him the style of wing chun.

Frankie Chan was also awesome in this movie, and his two fight scenes were done so well. I also loved the make-up/realism of the last fight sequence. I knew his head should swell up, but the swelling was done to perfection. That last fight sequence was marvelous.

Also, Sammo Hungs relationship w/his brother and daughter was done so well. His character was fabulous, and really added to the movie. This is definitely a movie that is safe to purchase before seeing. No need to rent this movie, just purchase it and add it to your collection.

Grade: A

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Another excellent Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao Kung-Fu Flick
Review: I was surprised when I saw The Prodigal Son. It was a lot different than I thought it would be. Although Sammo's scenes are great, they're small. Yuen Biao's final fighting scene is fun to watch. The big problem was that you spend most of the film wondering whether you should hate Ching-Ying Lam for not teaching Yuen, or hate Yuen for being such a pest. An original plot, loads of Kung-Fu, and some interesting characters, make The Prodigal Son a film to see.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Another Sammo masterpiece!
Review: Many people call this the greatest Wing Chun film ever made. It certainly is, but it's also one of the best kung-fu films ever. Sammo ranks as my all time second favourite film star (after Chan the Man) and this film gives evidence why. A strong plot is fleshed out by good characterisation and exceptional performances. However, it's in the action that this film really excels. Featuring the all time classic finale between the superb Yuen Biao and the underrated Frankie Chan, this is a real crowd pleaser.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great classical wing chun movie!!
Review: Newly remastered film that brings a fresh new look once again to the classic movie. Picture is clear for the most part like most remastered films except for slight tears in the original film that probably couldn't be repaired further. DVD contains the basic actor profiles on Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung. Plot-wise it is a story of a spoiled young man who wants to become a top kung fu fighter. However, his rich father, not wanting his only son to be hurt, pays off potential challengers. Eventually, he meets up with his future sifu, or teacher, of the wing chun style thru a travelling opera troupe. Later, the sifu is killed by the henchmen of a government official's son which in turn forces a fight between the two young men. Overall, the training scenes and fight scenes of the wing chun style in this movie are great although true wc practitioners will see that its been modified a bit for filming purposes. The philosphies and teachings though are for the most part true to the wing chun credo.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the BEST!
Review: No frills, no wires,no fancy film editing,just some of the flat out best hand to hand martial arts that you'll ever witness period.I just viewed this movie afer reading all the various reviews saying that this movie was so good even for being produced in 81' and was it ever.I must admit that I was a little sceptic myself,but after seeing it all doubt in my mind has been erased and then some.Never before or never again will such a movie be produced,so much work must have been put into the cheoreography that it would take an encyclopedia to remember all the various moves presented throughout the fight scenes(they get that intricate) this is definitley Sammo Hungs' absoulute best directorial edtion and can not be touched,while I must admit that I have already fallen too deep into the Jet Li "wire-fu" era(I've seen them all) to call this one of my favorite movies,it still brings me to owe more respect to this movie than just about all others production wise.For the time it was created this movie can definitley hang with the big boys of the 90s',do not write this one off as another "old school movie" and not get it,it must be in every serious Kung-fu collection out there.If you enjoyed Drunken Master 2,or Fist of Legend this one will amaze you as well with on the ground Kung-fu straight Wing Chun style that is as fast and furious as those two flicks(and made in 81',wow!)As for video transfer it was equally amazing,with the VHS transfer as good as I expected the DVD to be,and the DVD transfer beyond my imagination.This is also probably the only kung-fu movie that I ever learned anything from with some great training sequences.A classic forever and ever more,buy it today!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ever enjoyed a fight scene? GO BUY IT.......
Review: Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I will begin by stating my #1 kung fu movie of all time is "Fist of Legend".(Jet Li. If you haven't seen this title....Please do, it is a remake of Bruces' classic "Fist of Fury" and it surpassess it...Majorly, and don't question me, it's the best ever.) This is #3 in my top 10..
Yep, it's amazing. I just hope you go get it, for your sake.

Th story is deep, (Revenge is only a fraction of the plot.)and it has very likable characters. Lam Ching Ying is the best in this film. Biao is awsome, but it's all about the Wing Chun master. This exciting form, just about never caught on film,(It's the first time I've seen it besides the fantasy title "Wing Chun" with Michelle Yoeh[Also great]) has juiced me up to try to find a school of Wing Chun. I've always wanted to take up a style, and I've found one. Exhilarating!!

The action direction won an award in China. This choreography can be compared to Yuen Woo Ping's brilliance because it shows just the right angle you need to see at just the right time. The editing is delicious! Slow motion shots, hard hitting realism, and tons of it. Sammo moves like a limber gymnast here, definately in top form. Lam Ching Ying will entertain you with his awe-inspiring technique, while the popcorn flies in your mouth and your eyes bug out at the screen.

Pure action and adventure for any adult!....Wow.


<< 1 2 3 4 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates