Jackie Chan stands at the edge of a burning pile of steel. He is kicked onto the fire, and crawls across to get out of the flames. The stunt was performed without wires, the only protection given to Chan was some liquid on his clothes to prevent them from catching the brunt of the heat.

However, unsatisfied with how the stunt looked on camera, Chan re-did the take again, this time satisfied with the end result. That is how you master your craft, and while some will consider it dangerously stupid, it is exhilarating to watch.

The end result is what matters, and with limited budgets, Jackie Chan’s output of the 1990s was nothing short of sensational. As his stardom grew, so did his guts. The immense stunt work in Legend of Drunken Master is amongst the best of Chan’s resume. It involves not only himself, but numerous stunt doubles.

During a brawl inside a restaurant, an axe gang assaults Chan and his friend, leading to a hundred-man assault. The choreography is remarkable, the pinnacle being a fall through a straw roof to the ground in which safety is hardly the concern.

Legend of Drunken Master did not receive a US release until 2000, after Jackie Chan became a star thanks to Rush Hour. Even now, the film does not feel dated. Instead, it is refreshing, with proper edits and spectacular angles showcasing the talent of the performers.

Chan is aided by the comedic charm of Anita Mui, playing a supportive stepmother obsessed with Mahjong. Her colorful style and energetic personality add to a film lacking a base. The plot, concerning axe gangs, steel mills, ancient artifacts, and corrupt businessmen, is a convoluted mess saved by the martial arts skills.

If Jackie Chan was born to play any role, it is that of a drunk. His showcase here, a drunken fight in the middle of a market, is spectacular. Chan is capable of incredible motion, and the drunken style on display seems created to let Chan loose. No one can handle a bench like Jackie Chan.

Movie ★★★★☆ 

Drunken Master comes to Blu-ray in what seems to be an older master. This VC-1 encode suffers from a general flatness, lacking a bright contrast or deep blacks. Flesh tones are generally off-color, although tend to be stronger in the second half.

The print suffers from damage including specks and scratches. General softness dominates the film. Grain is rarely fine, but clumpy and unnatural. Some over-processing is evident, although light. High fidelity detail is non-existent.

One bright spot does exist, a mildly sharp brawl in the market as Jackie Chan first becomes drunk. Black levels and contrast spike, some marginal facial detail is evident, and the grain seems in control. It looks acceptable, certainly more so than the rest of the film.

Video ★★☆☆☆ 

Labeled TrueHD in the menu, the audio is actually mixed in DTS-HD. Regardless of the format, this is a clean, crisp audio effort. The surrounds have plenty to do, particularly in the steel mill. Fires flare up and clanging of metal is evident in all channels.

The stereo channels are wide and expansive, capturing action as it moves to the sides wonderfully. Positional dialogue is fun, while bass is provided by powerful punches and hard falls. The axe gang assault on the restaurant is also a wonderful piece of audio design as Chan whips a broken piece of bamboo around the screen. The audio suitably follows.

Sadly, the only available languages are dubbed. The original Cantonese is not included in any form.

Audio ★★★★☆ 

The sole extra is a brief but excellent interview with Chan called Behind the Master. He discusses his style of filmmaking, the work that goes into it, and how Hong Kong filmmaking is different than American.

Extras ★★☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

The Legend of Drunken Master (1994) Review

Both a loving parody and homage to classic Chinese martial arts films, Kung Fu Hustle is brilliant. Every scene contains something memorable, whether it’s original or a spin on a classic fight from another movie. A wonderful soundtrack adds a campy, light-hearted feel that completes Stephen Chow’s certified classic.

Those who fear the R-rating expecting graphic violence have little to worry about. While it does contain some blood and amputating, it’s never overly offensive ala Saw. The violence it intentionally campy, using a variety of effects from cartoony CG, wires, and impressive stunt work. It’s a blast to watch when it blends.

The story, concerning a young, unknown kung-fu master looking to take down the evil Axe Gang, throws some fun left field twists that keep the audience off course. Visual gags are prevalent and constant. None of the gags fall flat, and recurring image of an overly strict apartment manager with a cigarette in her mouth regardless of the situation never gets old.

Numerous fights are unforgettable, ranging from straightforward classic style to a supernatural brawl involving instruments that is amongst the film’s best moments. It’s staggering how long and complex the battles are considering (by modern standards) the modest $20 million budget. Choreography is better than some films meant to be taken seriously, not to mention the amount of originality put forth.

Kung Fu Hustle is an incredibly impressive effort that hasn’t aged a day. For genre fans, it should be considered as nothing less than a bona-fide classic, albeit in a different way given its over-the-top antics. Laughs are non-stop, and with a zippy pacing  (only about 90 minutes of screen time), it has endless potential to be viewed countless times.

Movie ★★★★★ 

At times, the film shines on Blu-ray. There are moments of exceptional detail, but this one suffers like many discs from the early releases on the format. Colors are amped up to the point where they bleed out. Long shots are murky and soft. Some light artifacting is noticeable, and the contrast doesn’t offer much pop. That said, there are some impressive sights, and certain scenes done at night are actually more impressive than those during the day. A re-release down the road wouldn’t be surprising.

Video ★★★☆☆ 

Kung Fu Hustle comes with a Linear PCM Cantonese mix, an odd choice. If you don’t have a receiver capable, you’re stuck with an English Dolby Digital dub. This review is based on the PCM language track. That said, the mix sounds overly loud and forced. Yes, the surrounds track incredibly well, but they’re also overpowered to the point where the fronts are drowned out.

Bass is powerful and highs are crisp, but it’s all too obvious the audio has been pumped up to make it sound better than it might have been. It fails. It sounds nice, but also incredibly artificial. It probably won’t bother many, although audiophiles will be disappointed.

Audio ★★★★☆ 

A loaded commentary that includes Stephen Chow, Chan Kwok-kwan, Lam Tze-chung, and Tin Kai-man is fun. Obviously, it’s subtitled. A TV show used to promote the film features much of the cast and crew discussing the movie. It’s nicely detailed and loaded with footage from the set during its 42 minutes of screen time. However, it always feels like you’re being sold on the film instead of the honesty you’ll get from the best features like this.

Two short deleted scenes are followed by a Ric Meyers interview with Stephen Chow. Meyers knows his Asian cinema well, and shows it here with extensive questions. A short collection of bloopers are rounded off by a small selection of trailers.

Extras ★★★☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Kung Fu Hustle Review

Without wires or cheap CG, the fights in Kiss of the Dragon carry a high impact, brutal feel. It saves the rather mundane story from a pit of generic plot points, and lifts the film above other recent martial arts extravaganzas. It’s enjoyable when it delivers on its promises.

A sub-standard revenge script is the basis for this Jet Li action piece set in France. Framed for murder in a confusing opening, Li begins running through the streets looking for a way to clear his name. As expected, he’s caught, but fights his way out using some impressive stunt work and choreography.

A booming, aggravating soundtrack sits behind many of the fights and takes away from their intensity. The mix doesn’t work between the music and the action. Still, the speed at which the punches fly is enough to hold the audience’s attention. When guns are brought into the mix, there are countless missed opportunities to kill the shooter’s target, yet somehow the hero always escapes. It’s frustrating by the third act that no one seems to have any sense to aim, even up close.

Bridget Fonda plays an unwilling prostitute stuck in the middle of this mess. Her daughter is kidnapped by the same man that has framed Li, and through a series of convenient meetings, they team together towards the same goal. The relationship between them can never happen and both know it, creating an interesting dynamic to the characters.

While much of it is standard fare, there’s enough of what the audience came to see to make this an enjoyable if heavily flawed ride. It does tend to drag, and the action set pieces are spaced too far apart, but the down time is easily forgettable when things pick up. This is a solid if forgettable effort compared to Jet Li’s other American-made attempts to date.

Movie ★★★☆☆ 

As one of the earliest Blu-ray releases, Kiss of the Dragon should have delivered. This is a muted, flat presentation. Colors are dulled, and black levels are sub-par. Dark scenes appear muddy and lacking detail. In higher light, close-ups reveal wonderful facial details, and the flesh tones head into the red. The overall look is soft and bland.

Video ★★☆☆☆ 

The soundtrack delivers on low end, providing great punch to drive the action, even if the music itself drowns out the rest of the audio. A few explosions do produce a solid punch when needed. The surrounds are hard to make out during the fights due to the grating music. There is some subtle noticeable rear speaker usage during scenes like those on the subway. Still, like the video, it’s a flat, dull presentation that could have been more.

Audio ★★☆☆☆ 

A commentary from first-time director Chris Nahon, Jet Li, and Bridget Fonda serves as the only extra aside from trailers.

Extras ★☆☆☆☆ 

Blu-ray Movie Review from : DoBlu.com

Kiss of the Dragon Review