 | Kung Fu Hustle Director: Stephen Chow Rated: M Now screening  If there was ever a film that deserves the title 'Kicks Ass!' this is it: 'Kung Fu Hustle' is a fast paced plethora of shamelessly choreographed hyperbolic hilarity that's deliberately driven by over-the-top special effects and served with a side-dish of profound traditional Chinese 'good versus bad' morals.In short, it's a masterpiece of Broadway musical motivated mayhem and mystical martial arts, and a mighty fine send-up on all those all too serious classic Chinese revenge thrillers. Written and directed by Stephen Chow, who's other credits include 'Shaolin Soccer', it's Chow's haphazard filmmaking style which can be seen as the main star here; the actual story and the central character Sing (played by Chow) become consumed by a bombardment of visceral visual trickery and the constant in-your-face tangential involvement of all the other players. Sing is a gangster wannabe who's not only inept as a baddie, due to the fact that he's actually just a misguided nice guy, but on the surface he's not very good at fighting. So in a moment of badly timed bravado when he manages to cross the most notorious of mob of them all (the hatchet bearing and top hat and tuxedo attired Axe Gang) Sing is given one chance to redeem himself and to join the gang - by killing someone. Anyone. Here, Sing chooses to slay whom he sees as an easy target: the irritating dressing gown wearing with permanent hair rollers and chain smoking, Landlady (Yuen Qiu), who is the wife of a wealthy womanising and lecherous landlord (Wah Yuen) in the impoverished province of Pig Sty Alley. The Axe Gang continue to terrorise the village where, unbeknownst to them, three of the unassuming residents were long ago the most respected of warriors. In the meantime, along with his easily lead and hapless sidekick (played by Chi Chung Lam), Sing fails in each attempt at taking out his mark - as well as every other effort at petty crime; including an unsuccessful try at robbery. His target, a pretty young blind and mute street vendor holds the key to all Sing's inner-goodness and magical ancient warrior powers. This is without doubt the busiest, yet most perfectly well balanced and funniest cinematic rollercoaster ride you're ever likely to experience, so be prepared to sit down and strap yourself in and have a heck of a lot of fun.  | |
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