03-18-2013, 02:25 PM
Across the pond, Chow's latest flick, his first since CJ7, is just a few yuen away from becoming the all-time biggest Box Office domestic film in China. This is a rather distorted stat, as with the massive expansion of China's film market, it's easier to be the biggest because there are more theaters now there than ever.
Chow is returning to JttW, which he tackled twice before with Chinese Odyssey.
Unfortunately, it was a rather uneven retelling. Chow only writes, directs & produces but doesn't personally appear in it and he is sorely missed. He takes a lot of liberties with the tale, and I'm fine with adaptations as that is the nature of JttW, but this version just doesn't go anywhere. Monkey is well depicted. It's not nearly as funny as Chow is usually. There are a few amusing moments, but not that over-the-top mo lei tai humor that is his style. He reunites some of the cast from Kung Fu Hustle, including my personal friends Xingwu and Chiu Chi Ling, but neither has a very large role. He poaches from Jaws, Mr Vampire, and Painted Skin 2, and revisits themes of the Buddha Hand and special magic books. I love Shu Qi, but I think Chow overindulged her because she's not a great comedian. The lead actor who plays monk Xuan Zhang was too weak for to carry the role. He would have been better cast as Oz...from China town (nobody will get that joke but ED and maybe he'll only get half of it).
There aren't any sword fights, but there's magic rings vs. rake, magic boar vs. medieval demon hunting tank, and a few other wacky fights. No bollywood number. Some good blood spitting. The best joke was a blood gag, but I won't spoil it.
All in all, very disappointing.
Chow is returning to JttW, which he tackled twice before with Chinese Odyssey.
Unfortunately, it was a rather uneven retelling. Chow only writes, directs & produces but doesn't personally appear in it and he is sorely missed. He takes a lot of liberties with the tale, and I'm fine with adaptations as that is the nature of JttW, but this version just doesn't go anywhere. Monkey is well depicted. It's not nearly as funny as Chow is usually. There are a few amusing moments, but not that over-the-top mo lei tai humor that is his style. He reunites some of the cast from Kung Fu Hustle, including my personal friends Xingwu and Chiu Chi Ling, but neither has a very large role. He poaches from Jaws, Mr Vampire, and Painted Skin 2, and revisits themes of the Buddha Hand and special magic books. I love Shu Qi, but I think Chow overindulged her because she's not a great comedian. The lead actor who plays monk Xuan Zhang was too weak for to carry the role. He would have been better cast as Oz...from China town (nobody will get that joke but ED and maybe he'll only get half of it).
There aren't any sword fights, but there's magic rings vs. rake, magic boar vs. medieval demon hunting tank, and a few other wacky fights. No bollywood number. Some good blood spitting. The best joke was a blood gag, but I won't spoil it.
All in all, very disappointing.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse