Legend of the Drunken Master ('94, U.S. 2K)

[Drunk Monk]

I saw Drunken Master II when it came out in '94 or soon after, however long it took to make it to SF Chinatown. I never saw the U.S. dubbed release Legend of the Drunken Master because it was half a decade later. Now it's on Netflix and I had some time to kill. It's still great. I usually hate dubbed versions but this one isn't that bad. Or maybe I've just softened up to it now. It's Jackie at the top of his wire-work game, when he and his stunt team really figured out how to use wires and not make it look too cheesey or fake. Still a great flick. No one choreographs like Jackie. Also, those fire stunts, pre-CGI, that stuff was so smoking hot (fire pun, sorry). The fights with the mighty Lau Kar Leung are just awesome - seeing those two giants cross fists and blades is a real treat (yes! sword fights!). Ti Lung, still my fav Shaw Brothers actor, comes off perfectly distinguished as Jackie's dad (my biggest criticism is that he doesn't get to fight that much). Anita Mui, who I usually dislike, is quite funny, even dubbed. And the finale Ken Lo fight remains a choreographic masterpiece, still untouchable by anyone, pure Jackie magic. Overall, it's got decent pacing of action, humor and drama, only slowing down for a short bit in the first third or so, but really has that Jackie film style. The final scene of Jackie all messed up was cut from the U.S. version which makes the very end sort of dangle, but that's an odd scene so no matter.