Review of Kung Fu Hustle (2004) by Riren — 02 Feb 2007
Disjointed and bizarre, this sets itself apart even from kung fu cinema. If you're used to American or European action movies, this is something completely new. Kung Fu Hustle survives on a comical strand, drawing inspiration from martial arts humor as well as old Looney Toons.
Its insistence on empowering the weak, often making superhuman characters out of stereotypes like housewives or browbeaten husbands, is probably its best strength. Its sense of style, of constantly mingling cool (magical guitars, dropkicking mafia badguys through walls, classical or compelling music, etc.
) with the deliberately uncool (old lady in hair curlers, assassin in his underwear, etc.) is something to behold. It's at least a half an hour too long, but it's such an over-the-top and oddball film that if you can let yourself go, this is a great way to kill an evening.
This review of Kung Fu Hustle (2004) was written by Riren on 02 Feb 2007.
Kung Fu Hustle has generally received very positive reviews.
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