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A martial arts instructor from the police force gets imprisoned after killing a man by accident. But when a vicious killer starts targeting martial arts masters, the instructor offers to help the police in return for his freedom.
Donnie Yen is fast becoming one of film’s most fascinating martial artists. Granted, he’s been making movies since the mid 80s but only in the last ten years or so has he started making a name for himself in the West, alongside some of his contemporaries like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and of course, Bruce Lee. His fighting abilities are more akin to that of a street fighter although he has trained in a variety of different martial arts, including, but not limited to, tai chi, taekwondo, judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing. Like many martial artists before him, he utilized his skills to break into the film industry and hasn’t looked back.
With “Kung Fu Killer,” or “Kung Fu Jungle” as it’s also known in China, Mr. Yen plays Hahou Mo, a self-defense instructor who accidentally kills another man when he is challenged to a fight and is charged with involuntary manslaughter. Three years later, adjusting to his life behind bars, he hears news on the TV about the killing of retired martial arts masters that he knows and immediately requests to speak to the lead inspector on the case. When he informs her that he knows who is going to die next, they laugh him off until it inevitably happens. He then offers to help them with their case in exchange for his freedom.
As the bodies begin to pile up, Hahou’s love, Sinn Ying (Michelle Bai), is attacked by the killer, Fung Yu-Sau (Wang Baoqiang) and thus, the inescapable showdown is set between the two, Fung believing that Hahou is the number one remaining martial artist left in the world and once he kills him, he will take his place, and his prominence. “Kung Fu Killer” never pretends to be anything more than what it really is, an action-packed extravaganza filled with ferocious fighting and jaw-dropping martial arts choreography. Donnie Yen fans will be delighted.
“Kung Fu Killer” debuts on Blu-ray and DVD July 21st
