Director: Sammo Hung
Year: 1984
Country: Hong Kong
Alternate Titles: Kuai can che; Spanish Connection; Million Dollar Heiress
Genre: Kung-Fu
Plot:
Working together in Barcelona, a pair of friends working a mobile fast-food restaurant try to stay out of trouble with the law being Chinese in a Spanish country. When one becomes smitten with a beautiful local woman, the three continually meeting up together brings the trio into contact with a bumbling private investigator who’s also looking for the girl. When they realize that the series of attacks against her are the result of a local aristocrat’s desire to remove her from possibly getting her hands on an inheritance he wants for himself and forces them to band together to protect her from the henchmen.
Review:
This is certainly one of the finest entries by this celebrated team. The fact that the team is as comfortable with each other in that the comedy here, both physical and Chan’s traditional wordplay, manages to produce some truly hysterical pieces. The scene in the courtyard, focusing on Chan’s skateboard skills to maneuver through the crowd and then deliver the orders with an incredible display of smoothness and dexterity that he usually accomplishes in other films. Likewise, the constant misunderstandings with the girl and how they continually fall for her shenanigans has plenty to like, and with their exploits with the private investigator generating plenty of laughs as well this aspect of the film is truly enjoyable.
On top of the great comedy, the arrival of the action scenes into the film provides the film with stellar jaw-dropping fight scenes. Starting with the random encounters with the henchmen after the girl on the streets outside the nightclub or in their apartment complex, these scenes are certainly fun and lively which sets the stage for the exciting and thrilling final where they split up to engage in several fights with the remaining henchmen to save her. Rightfully considered some of the all-time greatest martial arts fights in history with their hard-hitting maneuvers, inventive choreography and plenty of theatricality with the fights as each performer gets a chance to shine with these one-on-one brawls. This part of the film is exceptionally enjoyable offering up the majority of its positive aspects.
There are a few minor flaws with this one. The main factor against this one is the overlong running time that doesn’t really justify it. The continuous visits to the insane asylum to visit his father serve only to bring about cameos for their friends in order to portray the various inmates which are rather confusing in their inclusion. While providing comedic relief, this aspect of the storyline providing the introduction of her mother could've been handled in a different manner without requiring the trips there that serve nothing other than to pad out the running time. The fights at the end also conclude shockingly early, in some cases without even offering conclusive proof of a winner, leaving this one somewhat inconclusive and really highlight the only flaws within here.
Overview: ****1/2/5
There's really only niggling flaws with this one as the vast majority of the film works in regards to providing action and comedy which is not only hysterically funny but also incredibly impressive. Worthwhile for any fan of martial arts cinema, fanatics of this style or those looking for the early works of the creative side while those who don't appreciate this style at all should heed caution.
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