Kung Fu Movies: Blu-ray Reviews

Fans of Kung Fu movies had reason to celebrate on September 15th as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Miramax Studios combined to offer four of the great action movies classics on Blu-ray for the first time ever.

It’s hard to consider Quentin Tarantino a prominent player in Kung Fu movies, but he was the producer of two of the four films released: Iron Monkey: Unmask the Legend and Jet Li’s Hero. The other two films released on Blu-ray are The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi and Jackie Chan’s The Legend of Drunken Master.

Iron Monkey: Unmask the Legend (1993)

This action-packed movie features the action choreographer of The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so if you are familiar with Kung Fu movies, you know the exaggerated fighting sequences are taken the the max in this film that stars Rongguang Yu, Donnie Yen, Jean Wang, and Tsang Sze Man.

Iron Monkey is a story about one man’s challenge to fight a corrupt and unjust system. In a Robin Hood type Kung Fu manner, he helps the poor and oppressed fight back. No one knows his name, but they know his legend. Some fans of Kung Fu movies and martial arts movies believe this is one of the best ever based on the combination of plot and amazing martial arts action. If you have seen other Tarantino movies like the Kill Bill movies, you can imagine what type of action you get in Iron Monkey.

• Actors: Chan Siu Wah, Yuen Shun-Yi, Wong Tsing-ying, Yam Sai-Kun, Yu Wing-Kwong
• Format: Color, Widescreen
• Language: English, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Miramax Films
• Blu-ray Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Run Time: 86 minutes

Hero (2004)

Jet Li is one of the most prominent players in modern Kung Fu movies. Hero is a very colorful and emotionally captivating film and one of my personal favorites. The amazing visuals in the movie come to light even more in this Hero Blu-ray release.

Jet Li stars as a fearless warrior who must defy an empire to unite a nation. He has supernatural skills and no fear. Once again (as is common for Tarantino movies), Li plays a nameless soldier on a mission for revenge against his massacred people. An Oscar-nominee (Best Foreign Language Film, 2002) and Golden Globe nominee, Hero is a high quality Kung Fu movie.

• Actors: Maggie Cheung, Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Chen Daoming, Donnie Yen
• Directors: Zhang Yimou
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Cantonese
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Miramax Films
• Blu-ray Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Run Time: 99 minutes

The Legend of Drunken Master (2000)

Arguably no star of Kung Fu movies has appealed to fans in the same way as Jackie Chan, since the passing of the legendary Bruce Lee. The Legend of Drunken Master is not my favorite Jackie Chan movie, but it is widely recognized as one of his most classic. There are extremely intense action stunts and scenes and one thing Chan is known for is his willingness to do his own stunts.

In the movie, the British government is found to be smuggling precious Chinese artifacts out of the country. Enter folklore hero Wong Fei Hung (Chan) who uses his unique martial arts style (Drunken Boxing) to fight for the valuables. In a strange twist on martial arts movies, the more Hung drinks, the more agile he becomes (perhaps a wrong message for addictive drinkers). His moves become more unbelievable and exaggerated and he is better equipped to face the challenges before him. You can enjoy the action even more thanks to Blu-ray High Definition.

• Actors: Jackie Chan, Ho-Sung Pak, Lung Ti, Anita Mui, Felix Wong
• Directors: Jackie Chan, Chia-Liang Liu
• Writers: Edward Tang, Gai Chi Yuen, Man-Ming Tong
• Producers: Barbie Tung, Edward Tang, Eric Tsang
• Format: Color, Widescreen
• Language: English, Japanese
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Miramax Films
• Blu-ray Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Run Time: 99 minutes

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)

Zatoichi is a Takeshi Kitano film that might be one of the more unsung Kung Fu movies that remains a popular hit among audiences and fans. It has a classic story line centered on themes of justice and revenge. An empire is ruled by fear until Zatoichi (Kitano), a blind nomadic samurai with a skilled sword steps into invoke his legend.

Zatoichi is determined to help the village. This movie is at least as intense and captivating as any of the other three Blu-ray releases. It is loaded with amazing picture quality that again comes to new heights with Blu-ray High Definition.

• Actors: Ittoku Kishibe, Beat Takeshi Kitano, Akira Emoto, Michiyo Okusa, Yui Natsukawa
• Format: Color, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Miramax Films
• Blu-ray Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Run Time: 116 minutes

Never have fans of Kung Fu movies had the chance to load up on such classics that not only offer great stories, but are delivered in the most advanced picture quality available!

Blu-ray Reviews by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!