Kung Fu Hustle (Hong Kong and film satire)

     

    This film truly opened my eyes to the comedy world of Hong Kong film. Every action was taken to an extreme, from a simple haircut to a beautifully and hilariously choreographed fight scene. In many of the Asian fighting movies I've seen the fights have been exaggerated for the audience, using wires to make them fly farther or make the punches hit harder, but this film pushed exaggeration to another level. The use of CGI made the film hilarious and dramatic, often reminding me of cartoons like road runner or the movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988). Every move and hit was intense and it kept me both intrigued and laughing.

    One of the most interesting aspects of the film was its relationship to film industries around the world. The film immediately opens with a individual fighting mob bosses with a fedora on his head, slowly lifting his head to show his face. I immediately recognized this as a nod to Indiana Jones, and I knew from then on that this film would be making fun of films from other industries. They also mirrored classic Bollywood style group dances when the Axe Gang dances in unison while holding their axes. Every nod to these films surprised me and then had me laughing. 

    Every absurd move or hilarious use of CGI displayed how the director wanted tell this story. It was very enjoyable, but I wonder if other people found this use of storytelling crude or over-the-top. This film was different from many of the movies I'm usually used to, and once you allow yourself to accept that this is a crazy and unpredictable world, this film is truly a masterpiece.