Dir. Jackie Chan; Pro. Leonard Ho Koon-cheung; Scr. Louis Sit Chi-hung, Edward Tang King-chan, Barry Wong Ping-yiu; Action Dir. Jackie Chan, Fung Hark-on, Corey Yuen Kwai; Cast Jackie Chan, Mars, Whang Ing-sik, Michael Chan Wai-man.
92 min.
Out of all Jackie Chan’s self-directed films, this is the most incoherent. Originally devised as a sequel to The Young Master, what sense there is sees Jackie Chan lust over a local girl and uncover a masterful plan by a bunch of mean-looking baddies to smuggle sacred Chinese artefacts out of the country. The nationalism is laid on with a heavy trowel, as subtle as a kick in the teeth. But the film’s best bits include a climactic brawl between Chan and superkicker Whang Ing-sik – showcasing Chan’s tactful departure from traditional kung fu fighting in favour of stunt based frenzies – and a couple of pointless sporting events which are truly mind boggling. The shuttlecock sequence still holds a Guinness World Record for an almighty 2900 takes. Thankfully, the outtake montage has been somewhat abbreviated.
AKA: Dragon Strike; Young Master in Love
