Sifu
11-07-2007, 10:25 PM
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/5567/d326zl6.jpg
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Released: 1994
Synopsis:
Wing Chun was directed by Yuen Woo-ping and stars Michelle Yeoh as the titular character Yim Wing-Chun, a tofu maker and martial artist who tries to protect her village's inhabitants from a group of bandits. But Donnie Yen's character, Leung Pok To, has returned to seek the love of Wing Chun, but goes astray in a case of mistaken identity!
Review:
rating: ***1/2 out of *****
Now, for obvious reasons I came into watching this film with high expectations, being a Yuen Woo Ping and all! But, I wasn't quite pleased in all aspects. The film starts off with several action sequences as Wing Chun fights off invading bandits that make for an impressive opening. As the film progresses the plot becomes more and more dilluted and convoluted, no pun intended.
Michelle Yeoh is seriously the best in my book. She is probably the toughest chick cinema has seen. She gives a good performance as always, althought her comedy falls flat at times. And ultimately that's what felt the most contrived in this film, the comedy. The best example of this would be with Donnie Yen. He was born to play a tough guy, in this film he plays a goofy and embarassing character named Pok To who is constantly looking for his childhood love, Wing Chun herself. But along the way he mistakingly falls for and thinks that a young lady named Charmy is Wing Chun and is instantly wooed by her beauty.
Just from reading that, you know that is not a typical Donnie Yen part, not to say he should be typecast but he just isn't good in comedic roles such as that. All the "humorous" scenes he's in feel forced and come across as corny. But, the two characters that are quite funny to watch are Scholar Wong (Waise Lee) and Abacus Fong (hilariously played by King-Tan Yuen), who are two money hungry bug-eyed miscreants who fall into a cash cow wedlock.
But in reality you don't come to a Yuen Woo Ping flick for the plot, you come for the action! And boy, is there alot of that! Maybe not as much as Iron Monkey for example, but enough to keep you wanting to watch and see what amazing stunt will be pulled next.
One of the factors in the film that is quite funny, is the fact that there is almost no Wing Chun used at all! Nearly every shot of fighting in the film uses another form or style. But of course, being choreographed/directed by Yuen Woo Ping those fights are mindblowing. And in effect there are several centerpiece scenes in the film that shine and will stick out in your mind. One, being a fight atop of horses running through a burning landscape. Two, a one-on-one struggle to get a massive spear lodged in the side of a rockface. And three, a climactic fight after Wing Chung has learned a final lesson from her master, Nun Ng Mui, played by guess who? None other than Pei-Pei Cheng herself!
So in the end, people fly, tofu is thrown everywhere, and bandits get their asses handed to them by a woman. This is definately one of Yuen Woo Ping's top 5 directorials for the 90s! And because of the talents involved you can be guaranteed a slightly goofy :D yet still very fun Kung Fu adventure!
Screenshots:
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6853/wingchun1iw6.jpg
Wing Chun (Michelle Yeoh) and Scholar Wong (Waise Lee)
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3898/wingchun5uk2.jpg
Wing Chun fights for the spear!
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Released: 1994
Synopsis:
Wing Chun was directed by Yuen Woo-ping and stars Michelle Yeoh as the titular character Yim Wing-Chun, a tofu maker and martial artist who tries to protect her village's inhabitants from a group of bandits. But Donnie Yen's character, Leung Pok To, has returned to seek the love of Wing Chun, but goes astray in a case of mistaken identity!
Review:
rating: ***1/2 out of *****
Now, for obvious reasons I came into watching this film with high expectations, being a Yuen Woo Ping and all! But, I wasn't quite pleased in all aspects. The film starts off with several action sequences as Wing Chun fights off invading bandits that make for an impressive opening. As the film progresses the plot becomes more and more dilluted and convoluted, no pun intended.
Michelle Yeoh is seriously the best in my book. She is probably the toughest chick cinema has seen. She gives a good performance as always, althought her comedy falls flat at times. And ultimately that's what felt the most contrived in this film, the comedy. The best example of this would be with Donnie Yen. He was born to play a tough guy, in this film he plays a goofy and embarassing character named Pok To who is constantly looking for his childhood love, Wing Chun herself. But along the way he mistakingly falls for and thinks that a young lady named Charmy is Wing Chun and is instantly wooed by her beauty.
Just from reading that, you know that is not a typical Donnie Yen part, not to say he should be typecast but he just isn't good in comedic roles such as that. All the "humorous" scenes he's in feel forced and come across as corny. But, the two characters that are quite funny to watch are Scholar Wong (Waise Lee) and Abacus Fong (hilariously played by King-Tan Yuen), who are two money hungry bug-eyed miscreants who fall into a cash cow wedlock.
But in reality you don't come to a Yuen Woo Ping flick for the plot, you come for the action! And boy, is there alot of that! Maybe not as much as Iron Monkey for example, but enough to keep you wanting to watch and see what amazing stunt will be pulled next.
One of the factors in the film that is quite funny, is the fact that there is almost no Wing Chun used at all! Nearly every shot of fighting in the film uses another form or style. But of course, being choreographed/directed by Yuen Woo Ping those fights are mindblowing. And in effect there are several centerpiece scenes in the film that shine and will stick out in your mind. One, being a fight atop of horses running through a burning landscape. Two, a one-on-one struggle to get a massive spear lodged in the side of a rockface. And three, a climactic fight after Wing Chung has learned a final lesson from her master, Nun Ng Mui, played by guess who? None other than Pei-Pei Cheng herself!
So in the end, people fly, tofu is thrown everywhere, and bandits get their asses handed to them by a woman. This is definately one of Yuen Woo Ping's top 5 directorials for the 90s! And because of the talents involved you can be guaranteed a slightly goofy :D yet still very fun Kung Fu adventure!
Screenshots:
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6853/wingchun1iw6.jpg
Wing Chun (Michelle Yeoh) and Scholar Wong (Waise Lee)
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3898/wingchun5uk2.jpg
Wing Chun fights for the spear!