Near the end of Qing Dynasty, the Japanese invaded China, but initially steered clear of Tianjin, which was the home of martial arts and the Wushu Association. But when Emperor Guangxu approved the Regulations of the Imperial University of Peking, Colonel Takeda (Naomen Eerdeni) sees this as an opportunity to invade Tianjin, and introduce a Japanese martial arts school, Red Flower. However, the overzealous Major Yoshida Masaichi is eager to show the Chinese how superior their Japanese Akido is, and has his prized fighter Anbei (Zhuang Han) challenge all of the local Masters to a fight, but the no-holds-barred fight quickly gets out of hand and takes an unfortunate turn.
With the Japanese poised to shut down all of the Chinese martial arts schools and take over their city, “it’s time for the lion to wake up” and stand up against this enemy. And the unlikely leader of this rebellion is porter Huo Yuanjia (Dennis To). Yuanjia doesn’t have a school of his own, but he is still a master in his own right. He even has an eager young handyman, Chen Zhen, constantly asking to be his disciple in his Mizong boxing style of fighting. Yuanjia is seeming the only one with the skills to take on the Japanese. It is a very dangerous and possibly deadly prospect, but he’s had enough and it’s time to fight back.
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu tells a tale we’ve seen many times on the big (and small) screen, where an invading foreigner comes in with their own martial arts style/school to challenge the locals, and there’s a big, possibly deadly, contest arranged to find out whose style is better, with the future of the village riding on the line. The film pits the more aggressive attack style of the competitor up against the more calm, fluid and defensive style of the hometown hero, and usually it’s our Zen hero who saves the day. While the formula is well known, it’s one that still always seems to work. I found the film to be quite entertaining with lots of fast-paced martial arts action, as well as some interesting character drama, and a great, emotional lead performance by Dennis To.
In this film, our hero at appears to be this country bumpkin when he first arrives at the competition the Wushu Association is holding to select the organization’s new president. Even though Master Huo may appear to be a rube, it quickly becomes clear that he has tremendous skills, blocking and dodging whatever kicks and punches come his way. He’s very Ip Man-like in his demeanor and primarily-defensive fighting style. However, there is more to this man than fighting. He has a wife and son at home, and has no interest in running his own school. He sees martial arts skills more as a tool to bring out the best in a person, and not as a weapon or to be used to achieve fame. However, as the Japanese start to occupy Tianjin, and threaten his family and culture, he sees that it’s finally time to unleash the beast and fight back. Meanwhile, Japanese Colonel Takeda was initially looking at his new school as a sort of cultural exchange, and a way to help boost the declining martial arts practice in the area. However, his Major has ideas of his own, and often goes off with reckless abandon, stirring up trouble and making the situation worse in his quest for power and control.
Well Go’s Blu-ray release only includes the original Mandarin soundtrack this time around, with no English dub option. However, the English subtitles are generally well-written. The audio track does an excellent job at capturing the excitement of the fight sequences and matches, surrounding the viewer in the roar of the crowd, and capturing every forceful kick, punch and sword clash. The video quality is nearly flawless, with a very crisp, clean and detailed image, especially in close-ups of faces. The film also makes use of a beautiful color palette throughout.
Well Go’s Blu-ray release is bare-bones. There is no bonus material except for the film’s trailer and some previews for three other Well Go releases. The disc comes packed in a locking HD keepcase, and doesn’t include a digital copy. Our review copy did not include a cardboard slipcover.
What’s Included:
Film: (1:14:17)
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Blu-ray:
- 1080p / Widescreen 2.35:1
- Audio: Mandarin DTS-HDMA 5.1, Mandarin Stereo
- Subtitles: English
Extras:
- Trailer (1:17)
- Previews
- Hansan: Rising Dragon (1:34)
- Project Wolf Hunting (1:04)
- The Ambush (1:55)
Final Thoughts:
While the story of The Grandmaster of Kung Fu is a common one, that doesn’t make it any less entertaining to watch. Dennis To is always great, and this film gives him a chance to once again show off his skills. The film has some excellent martial arts fight sequences as well as some interesting characters and drama. Well Go’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds fantastic, but unfortunately is barebones when it comes to bonus material. That said, the release is an easy recommendation for fans of these types of martial arts films.
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu
$13.99 $12.99 (as of November 25, 2024 21:25 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
The Grandmaster of Kung Fu
$14.78 (as of November 25, 2024 21:25 GMT -05:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
