Search - Once Upon a Time in China & America on DVD

Forget plot, the fighting makes this movie worth watching!

06/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My only criticisms are that the american actors are sometimes a little cheesy and that a little "flying kung-fu" appears thanks to wires. But who cares?, that's not why you watch the movie! The movie's filled with energetic, often cool, fight scenes featuring Jet. His side kick, Seven, makes the film though. His tough, ass-kicking personality makes his scenes worth watching over and over again. The athleticism the actors display is mind-boggling, some moves are hard to follow even in slow motion. When Seven fights Jet, hold onto your butts!!"

Once Upon a Time for an Average Sequel

Eric R. Lim | California | 07/14/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Well, on the outside, it would appear that Jet Li had made a triumphant return to the series that made his career. In reality, this sequel falls short of the glory of the past titles. You should know that Jet Li was replaced for Once Upon a Time in China 4 and 5. (This being the sixth) Those movies were also very much below the quality of the first two. I suppose this movie does a better job than the Vincent Zhao vehicles that are OUATIC 4 and 5, but not by much. I must say these movies are very similar. I can tell you this, the storyline deals with the whole fish out of water ordeal. The big twist in this movie is that Jet Li bangs his head on a rock and thinks he is a native american indian. Then with some coaxing from his friend, Clubfoot, (read: fighting) he goes back to normal. In my opinion the romance between Jet Li and Roseamund Kwan has never been a strong point in the series. Much like Shanghai Noon, this movie goes out with a whimper, not a bang when Jet Li fights some evil looking goth cowboyesque character on top of a platform. I have to say, the fina fight scene is sub par for any Kung Fu Film and especially Jet Li. So in the end, go enjoy Once Upon a Time in China one and two. Go enjoy the gangster masterpiece Once Upon a Time in America, but be weary of the sub-par Kung Fu/Westerner that is Once Upon a Time in China and America. I recommend "Rikki-Oh" cause as far as Kung Fu movies, it's the poorest produced flick i have ever seen, but it's also the funniest. Check it out now."

If this movie sounds familiar.....

Lonnie Turner II | Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada | 10/26/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li) comes to the states with his ever present love interest Auntie Yee (the delectable Rosamund Kwan) only to be lost in some white water rapids, rendering him an amnesiac and adopted by Indians. His entourage begin searching for him but are limited by the fact that they're Asians in the old West. Sammo Hung returned to directing after a long, unsuccessful period with this film. If upon viewing the film seems familiar, it's because it was actually an early version of the recent Jackie Chan film "Shanghai Noon." I'm not calling Hung a rip off artist, as he's one of the most prolific, successful, and highly regarded Hong Kong directors of all time, but story has it that Hung, after a long streak of unsuccessful films, took the basic story as his own when Jackie Chan told him of his long time desire to make a modern Western. Perhaps Hung did this due to the fact that he and Jackie had a falling out in the mid 80's which was only recently mended (the proof is the Sammo Hung directed MR. NICE GUY). But even though Hung may have gotten the idea from Chan, you can't deny he did a good job with it. Hung is a much better and capable director, in my opinion, than Chan, and has been for a long time, but for some reason Chan has managed to outshine not only Hung, but also Hong Kong superstars like Yuen Biao. For those of you not in the know, Chan, Biao and Hung were all "brothers" at the Peking Opera School, all were trained torturously in martial arts, acrobats, acting, and stunt work. As for Once...in America, it's not the best Jet Li movie, but it is a lot less sillier, and the fights more intricate, than most Jet Li films which are mainly period pieces and involve an embarrasingly large amount of wire work (as witness Tai Chi Master and most of the other Once upon a time films). Hung proves himself once again to be a very talented director, as well as fight choreographer, but if you really want to see a great Sammo Hung film, check out PEDICAB DRIVER, MILLIONAIRE'S EXPRESS, or WHEELS ON MEALS, all with Sammo's special brand of razor sharp, intricate martial artistry."

Par for the course.

Eric R. Lim | 02/26/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not the best in the series, but worth buying if you want to complete the set. I thought the series started to wane with OUATIC III, but it actually picks up a bit with this one.ClubFoot reappears (now known as "Seven") puts on a fantastic display of martial arts. In fact the scenes of Jet Li and Seven fighting Native Americans, Cowboys and each other make this film worth watching. What is a bit disappointing is the end fight; rather corny and very predictable."