Brilliant.
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I've said it before - the spirit of Chuck Jones and Tex Avery live on in the blood of a chinese guy called Stephen Chow. Kung Fu Hustle is a work of total cartoon genius!
OK, OK, I'm getting known to possibly be a bit prone to hyperbole, but I sincerely think this guy is an incredible auteur talent. Following on from the frankly brilliant Shaolin Soccer, Stephen Chow has once again blended slapstick comedy, incredible phsyicality and well-implemented CGI into another great movie. There's not much plot but the characters are sympathetic and well-realised, the lines witty and sharp and the action fast, furious and totally OTT.
What I can't get over is how he appears to do so little yet make the films so effective. They're basically as complex as your average Bugs Bunny episode and yet just as clever. The spirit of that 'toon in particular seems vested into this somehow, although I can't place my finger on how.
There's also some brilliant lampooning of other films, mostly very subtle but with one Kubrick reference being a hilarious standout. One brief sequence is just SO funny I nearly wet myself - an extended chase scene where the characters almost become versions of Roadrunner.
As well as being a standout in comedy, Chow is a great director. The visuals are always splendid and well-framed, making for some really memorable compositions. He also doesn't refrain from violence, using it to set up the characters and divide them between Ying and Yang. Plus he can really build up moments, giving a palpable sense of danger whenever the Axe Gang or a couple of really vicious musicians appear(some brilliant invention on that bit).
It's currently on general release. If you love Looney Tunes, or dammit - if you love visual comedy and invention, then see this movie. It's one of the best cartoons I've seen recently, and its live-action! You can also pick it up on official Columbia Region 3 DVD with a great transfer and sound here.
Watch out for this Chow guy. I hope he stays in HK making these movies, though, Hollywood has a tendency of sapping something from directors from that part of the world... probably the weight of expectation plays too much with them? I don't know, but the quality and verve of this film is worthy of attention.
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(from another forum I visit, can't be bothered to write it all again)
