Tai Chi Hero (Stephen Fung)

[Stay Puft]

TAI CHI HERO
Dir. Stephen Fung

IMDb page

[Stay Puft]

I can't decide if this is better or worse than the first part. It's the conclusion and yet still pretty much lacking in resolution (or at least anything approaching a satisfying narrative conclusion, the plot threads are just a jumbled mess of nonsense). I suppose the freewheeling nature of these things is supposed to be part of the charm but they're really unfocused. That being said, the curious visual flourishes of the first are employed more sparingly here, perhaps to avoid a sense of repetition, but it's a mixed bag: The fourth-wall busting character intros were a lot more funny in the first, but certain visual effects like split-screen sequences or videogame visual motifs are executed much better this time around (there was one split-screen sequence in the first part that was just terribly amateurish).

Otherwise, it's more of the same. Big Tony is still great and Sammo Hung still delivers the goods. I'll toss a yay over to this one, too, just for the final showdown. It's easily the highlight of both parts.

But on a negative note: While I generally liked Angelababy in this film, her character is ultimately pushed aside so Lu Chan can take all the glory. Yu Niang is supposed to be a Chen style master, and even mentors Lu Chan in the style, but it really comes down to: marry Lu Chan to save his life, learn to love him and teach him Tai Chi, and then watch from the sidelines and make breakfast. Yeah okay.

[Stay Puft]

Oh and I didn't even know if I should mention this because it was an awesome surprise but [

Show Spoiler

Peter Stormare is in the second part, and apparently prepared for the role by going on a diet consisting exclusively of ham. He's probably the most ridiculous thing about these films and that's saying something.

]

[D_Davis]

Would you compare these to Eagle Shooting Heroes, or any of the Wong Jing films of the '90s?

[Stay Puft]

They have similar sensibilities, but Fung is more self-conscious, if that makes sense. A little more polished, a little more vanilla, not as truly go-for-broke. And also just more modern: a lot of Fung's visual flourishes rely on visual effects and breaking the fourth wall (lots of funny stuff with on-screen text, for example, or blending animation), and is lacking in something like the genuinely crazy and inventive camerawork you can find in some of Wong Jing's stuff.

[D_Davis]

Thanks for the info.

Wong Jing has got to be one of the most unusual filmmakers ever. That dude is just insane.