Featured TV on DVD Review: Kung Fu Master

October 10, 2010

Kung Fu Master - Buy from Amazon

Kung Fu Master is a movie with a terribly generic name. It's so generic that I haven't been able to narrow down the film's original name. This does mean I wasn't able to find out much in the way of the film's history, but it also means I get to go into the movie with no expectations.

The Movie

At the beginning of Kung Fu Master, the main character, Tan Zong, is attacked by what appears to be a coffin. After defeating his wooden foe, the Kung Fu master that was controlling it appears, but Tan Zong also makes short work of him.

We then switch to the school of Tan Zong, where his master is told that Tan Zong is the greatest Kung Fu master in existence and that the Grand Commandant has requested Tan Zong become the new drillmaster. With a title like "Grand Commandant", you know this was not really a request. When his master politely declines the offer, the Grand Commandant sends a number of other Kung Fu masters to defeat Tan Zong.

That's pretty much it for the plot. There's mention of Kung Fu schools being destroyed and who might be responsible, but for the most part, the film is just a series of martial arts fights after another between Tan Zong and a wide variety of opponents. Some of these are unique enough to be quite cool, like the fight against six bladed umbrellas. Others, like the guy fighting with a Chinese spear while his master plays the Guqin, hardly seem like they are trying to be different. The spiked ball on the end of a long chain is hardly unique, while the scene I like to call "The Massacre of the Benches" is just silly. Also, the fight scenes were hardly top-notch, or even second tier. You see so many attacks that are aimed right at the camera that I thought this movie was supposed to be in 3D. And don't get me started on that attack on the miniature city.

On the other hand, there are fights happening nearly constantly in the movie and depending on your personal tastes, the sheer quantity might be enough to be worth checking out. However, I've seen too many of these movies to recommend this film over the competition.

The Extras

There are no extras on the DVD. You can choose to watch the movie in the original Mandarin or with English dubbing.

The Verdict

Kung Fu Master is a generic name for a generic movie. There are no extras on the DVD, which further hurts the film's value. Unless you are a hardcore fan of the genre and are desperate to watch a movie you haven't seen yet, then there's little reason to pick this film over the average one in the genre.


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