10-10-2025, 09:14 PM
Criterion has a collection of Hong Kong horror, just for Halloween, with the classic franchises of A Chinese Ghost Story (so good in its day), Mr. Vampire (groundbreaking but missing the final greatest installment Crazy Safari), & Close Encounters of the Spooky Kind (arguably the launchpad for the whole Kung Fu Horror genre). Then there’s Evil Cat.
WTH is Evil Cat? It stars the singular Kung Fu master Lau Kar-Leung. It’s written by Wong Jing, known for his irreverent style. It’s on Criterion. I’ll bite.
A demon cat is unearthed and Lau plays an exorcist, the 9th generation of his family that has been battling this cat every 50 years - this is its 9th & final life. The cat possesses people, kills with wanton abandon and can only be killed with magic arrows of which Lau only has 3 left.
It’s silly and cheesy, especially given the state of special effects in HK in the late 80. There’s some funny bits of quirky violence like when the cat bites off the tongue of a victim while having sex (cat got your tongue?) and when it swats the head off a cop. There’s a few moments where people stab their hands through others. Lau does some Kung Fu but nothing outstanding.
Honestly, I don’t know who at Criterion said ‘Let’s include this. It’s a classic!’ It’s not. It’s an average Kung Fu Horror Comedy that hardly stands out in the genre. It had its moments but not enough to earn cult status.
Not particularly D00M recommended.
WTH is Evil Cat? It stars the singular Kung Fu master Lau Kar-Leung. It’s written by Wong Jing, known for his irreverent style. It’s on Criterion. I’ll bite.
A demon cat is unearthed and Lau plays an exorcist, the 9th generation of his family that has been battling this cat every 50 years - this is its 9th & final life. The cat possesses people, kills with wanton abandon and can only be killed with magic arrows of which Lau only has 3 left.
It’s silly and cheesy, especially given the state of special effects in HK in the late 80. There’s some funny bits of quirky violence like when the cat bites off the tongue of a victim while having sex (cat got your tongue?) and when it swats the head off a cop. There’s a few moments where people stab their hands through others. Lau does some Kung Fu but nothing outstanding.
Honestly, I don’t know who at Criterion said ‘Let’s include this. It’s a classic!’ It’s not. It’s an average Kung Fu Horror Comedy that hardly stands out in the genre. It had its moments but not enough to earn cult status.
Not particularly D00M recommended.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse