Search - Drunken Monkey on DVD

Charming

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 12/27/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Drunken Monkey" is a wild action comedy. Some of the humor does not translate from Chinese, but it is evident that the actors are having a great time. The plot is intricate. Two brothers are in business together. Biao, played by Lau Kar Leung (I think I have this right), is the older of the brothers. He discovers that the security business (similar to the wild west Wells Fargo) is being used by his younger brother for opium trade to the west. Biao has principles and insists his brother stop. This leads to an attempted assassination of Biao in what is a long and at times improbable martial arts romp. Although wounded, Biao is rescued from the river by Xiao Min, the ferry lady, played by Shannon Yao.

Meanwhile the story shifts to a different group of characters. Chen Jiaye played by Lau Wing Kin is an artist who is drawing a martial arts manual for all of the poses of the Drunken Monkey kung fu style. Ah De played by Wu Jing is suspended in air on ropes and wiggles like a marionette as his master draws. Wu Jing is a muscular young guy who spends a substantial amount of the film with his shirt off.

They bump into the ferry lady in town and follow her raft to the secluded house where she has been nursing the older brother back to health. Ah De copies a motion he observes from this master, AKA Man Bil (Biao) [I think I have this right]. The constable Hong Yi-Hu played by Gordon Liu reports it to the evil younger brother who now believes his older brother is alive. They follow Ad De & his artist master to the ferry lady's house where the final long confrontation begins.

The film is fast paced. The emphasis is comedic rather than filled with gore. The poses Ah De gets immitating a monkey are hilarious. Watching this from the West, some of the comedy did not translate and the plot is so intricate that it strains believability. However, "Drunken Monkey" is not boring and often quite charming. Enjoy!"

EXCELLENT! "Death means nothing to real heroes."

Karen Shaub | the inner reaches of the outer limits | 03/20/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you have a soft spot for 1970's style kung fu flix where first rate martial artist fought it out on solid ground with little reliance on wires, then DRUNKEN MONKEY is the movie for you!If you've wondered what ever became of stars like Shaw Brothers' greats Chi Kuan-Chun, Liu Chia-Hui (aka Gordon Liu), and master choreographer Liu Chia-Liang now that the youngest of them is well into his 50's, then DRUNKEN MONKEY is the movie for you!If you don't object to some laughs with your martial mayhem and some nostalgia with your kung fu kata, then DRUNKEN MONKEY is the definitely the movie for you!

Directed and choreographed by Liu Chia-Liang ( in pinyin that's Lau Kar-Leung) and starring him as well, DRUNKEN MONKEY is just plain old fun from start to finish, with plenty of great fights and forms thrown into the mix not only by our old favorites mentioned above, but also by the younger generation represented by Wu Jing Jason, Lau Wing-Kin, and Shannon Yao.

The plot centers on opium smuggling within Liu Chia-liang's delivery service, an operation somewhat like Wells Fargo. The smugglers are headed up by the hero's own brother who is in cahoots with the evil Chi Kuan-Chun. Liu Chia- Hui (aka Gordon Liu, in real life Liu Chia Liang's adopted Brother, an honorific title) plays a constable investigating the smuggling. The evil do-ers plot to kill the hero, and think they have succeeded, but his almost lifeless body is pulled from the river by our heroine (Shannon Yao) who becomes his prize student in monkey fist while he recovers from his injuries.Meanwhile elsewhere our two young heroes (played by Wu Jing Jason and Lau Wing-Kin) are obsessing over putting together a book of monkeyfist techniques.Eventually everybody comes together and things get really good!

I simply can't recommend this movie highly enough. See it now!

"

One of Liu Chia Liang Best

Jerry E. Monroe | USA PA | 03/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If your looking for a fast paced excellent Liu Chia Liang movie, then this is the one to get. Its fast and one of their best. The Drunken style in the beginning of the DVD is sweet. You get to see Liu Chia Liang in action even through out the movie. Story line is good to. And the fights are fantastic. You wont be disappointedDrunken Monkey. Gordon Liu has a cameo in here but its very nice. And Liu Chia Liang is awesome as ever. Get this DVD for your Shaw Brother Collection. Its a must have must see DVD."