Jackie Chan made a lot of really fun kung fu films. However, Mr. Chan also made a lot of mediocre films in the process. The Legend of Drunken Master has a few standout moments of kung fu action, but overall it’s not amongst his best. However, for Jackie Chan created comedy alone, it’s easily one of his funniest. The final decision of purchasing The Legend of Drunken Master isn’t going to come down to the quality of the picture or sound, because they received no bump at all in the transfer. No, instead you’ll have to decide whether or not you value the comedy of the Chan man enough to make up for his lesser action scenes.
One of the basic conventions of kung fu (and especially film kung fu) is the numerous different forms. Crane. Tiger. Praying Mantis. The titles are endless and their styles distinctly unique. So what happens when you take a ridiculous notion like the wild aimless swings of a drunken brawler and dare to call them “technique”? Hilarity ensues. Sometimes.
Wong Fei-hung (Chan) shoulders a large responsibility despite being an irresponsible hooligan who frequently indulges in prideful fights and any opportunity to make a buck. Wong’s father (Lung Ti) does his best to keep the academy of drunken boxing afloat, but the competition is fierce and their funding very poor. Eventually Wong’s actions bring so much trouble for his father that their establishment shuts down – but just in time for Wong to go off on a mission to prevent an international hoarder of Chinese history from shipping out highly valuable ancient artifacts to museums around the world.
It’s an incredibly loose plot, moreso than normal, and obviously has little purpose other than showcasing Chan’s incredible talent and sense of humor. Watching him sway unevenly and lean awkwardly against other things for support during a fight provides enough laughs, but Chan’s performance gets an extra little nudge from the many different things he drinks to maintain his buzz. The strength of liquor gradually increases until Wong is drinking gasoline and offering hiccups between each bout.
Okay, it may not be much in terms of a great kung fu film, but one scene reminds us of what makes Chinese cinema so awesome. At one point, Wong falls into a pit of burning coals and then quickly gets up and fights his way out. Now, in a Hollywood film he would have fallen onto a green mat and coals and flames would have been added later. Not in China. In China Jackie Chan falls into a pit of flaming coals. It’s that simple. It’s that awesome. Hollywood has lost its way.
Blu-ray is supposed to mean a new level of resolution and audio clarity. Typically, that definition stands, but The Legend of Drunken Master was given a simple port-job and taken directly from its DVD copy with little upscaling treatment to speak of. The picture flickers and even warps at some moments. This isn’t the next generation of movie watching, this is an instance where if you’ve bought the DVD you needn’t bother with a Blu-ray copy until they’ve gone back to the negatives. If you don’t own the movie yet and want to complete your Jackie Chan collection, buy it on DVD for $5 from a bargain bin.
It’s almost criminal to release a film like this in the condition that it’s in. The Blu-ray technology boasts a reputation that Disney knows for a fact isn’t fulfilled on this disc. They want you to buy and placate your hi-def cravings with a placebo effect. If the movie’s case is blue then it must just be you.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
There’s a single extra feature and it’s an interview with Jackie Chan. Interviews with Jackie Chan are always fun to watch. The man has a great sense of humor and loves talking about his experiences in film. So try it out.
"The Legend of Drunken Master" is on sale September 15, 2009 and is rated R. Action, Comedy, Foreign, Martial-Arts. Directed by Lau Ka Leung. Written by Edward Tang, Tong Man Ming, Yuen Chieh Chi. Starring Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Ti Lung, Lau Ka Leung, Andy Lau.
