Review of Kung Fu: The Movie (1986) by Shawn W — 11 Jul 2014

I feel like I should've watched the Kung Fu television series before watching this one. The film does show flashbacks to old episodes, but I still didn't feel as filled in on certain details. Didn't matter much anyway, I only watched this cause it was Brandon Lee's first film debut hence as a supporting character (not to be confused with Legacy Of Rage which was his first large role) and the film wasn't really good.

David Carradine does have a certain presence to his character, I'll admit, but it's really a standard Western age film about corruption and the good guy being framed while the good-turned-bad rule in power.

One of the arcs that does come into play is Carradine getting his son back, who Brandon Lee plays, and you get some decent fighting I guess. Brandon Lee was better than this, and the film doesn't do him much justice for his fighting, but you do get some okay acting from him turning villainous under spell and he does what he can given his smaller role.

It's a standard story made a little confusing with its constant referrals to past events off-screen (both to my own fault and the film's fault) filled with action that's rather dull to say.

I'd totally be interested in watching the Kung Fu series, but I doubt this TV film does much.