Search - Magnificent Kick/Butcher Wing on DVD

A Jason Pai Paio double feature

morgoth | omaha, NE | 09/17/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"BUTCHER WING-

While there are plenty of Wong Fei Hung movies, this is a story about Wong Fei Hung's most famous disciple, Lam Sai Wing (aka Butcher Wing). It is obvious the lead actor was chosen because he is a little chubby, and he also looks a bit like a pig. He is not much of an actor, but his kung fu skills are decent. He has some good forms and is light on his feet, but his movements are kinda slow. The rest of the actors are good at kung fu and also good at doing comedy, so overall the movie is enjoyable.

Lam Sai Wing (pronounced Au Wing in the movie) is friends with a young man (Han Kwok Choi) and the 2 of them learn from a kung fu teacher (Jason Pai Paio). While Wong Fei Hung is not named, Jason Pai Paio is basically playing the role of Wong Fei Hung. Pai Paio teaches the 2 young men kung fu so they can defend themselves from local goons. When the pair accidentally finds a bunch of opium, they now have to face the evil and powerful Lee Hoi San. The 2 final fights are definitely worth sticking around for. This movie wouldn't be nearly as good if it didn't have the great Lee Hoi San as the villain. He gives one of his better performances and looks nearly invincible. Jason Pai Paio is a dang good kung fu performer, but even he looks like a little boy in his fight against Lee Hoi San. And I love what Mark Pollard says on kungfucinemadotcom about how he is the Christopher Lee of kung fu cinema. Lee Hoi San was in countless movies, and every once in a while he gives an amazing menacing performance like this. He kind of reminded me of Chang Shan in Shaolin Raiders of Death. The good guys do everything they can to beat him, and even after they immobilize him, Lee Hoi San still manages to dish out plenty of final blows before his death.

3/5

Picture quality is decent. The British dubbing is hilarious.


MAGNIFICENT KICK-

This is a simple story of 2 girls out for revenge. Han Ying Chieh (the Big Boss from Bruce Lee's first movie) plays the evil government official the girls are after and 2 students of Wong Fei Hung help the girls defeat their enemy. The kung fu action is a little above average and it is literally non stop. Even though the story is extremely simple the movie is still a lot of fun because there is so much fighting. Kong Do has a great cameo fight. I was a bit disappointed that Kwan Tak Hing, Lau Hok Nin and Cheung Lik (aka Nick Cheung from 10 Magnificent Killers) didn't get more screen time, but there is so much fighting that I can't really complain. The only problem I had was that none of the fights are really great, except maybe the short appearance that Kong Do makes. The final fight is a bit of a letdown.

2.5/5

Picture quality is decent. I don't know if this is the way the movie was intended to be watched, but jazz music accompanies most of the fight scenes.
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