Director: Kenji Tanigaki
Year: 2020
Country: Hong Kong
Alternate Titles: Fei lung gwoh gong
Genre: Kung-Fu; Action Comedy
Plot:
After foiling a bank robbery, a decorated cop is demoted from his job to a lowly desk clerk after doing so infuriated his boss and caused tons of damage around the city. When the opportunity arises to transfer a Japanese citizen injured in the accident back to Japan several months later, he uses it as a chance to reunite with his long-lost estranged wife who’s also appearing as an actress at a local market. When he learns that the entire trip was a trap by the local yakuza to knock off the witness he’s escorting and are also responsible for targeting a local group of immigrants he’s become friends with, he puts his skills to use to stop the clan and win back his beloved.
Review:
There was a lot to like with this one. Most notably is the comedy present which is quite prominent and really generates a fantastic lighthearted atmosphere throughout here. The hen-pecked nature of their relationship at the very beginning makes for a nice dynamic as his people-pleasing attitude against her fury adds some levity to the situation despite them breaking up, while the tons of jokes about his newfound appearance in the time since is quite funny. Moreover, the disastrously unlucky luck he has while dealing with the ineffectual local police, the handlers he has on the assignment or the couple he meets while trying to help out with the yakuza gang tormenting them adds a special level of comedic flair here in addition to the slapstick gags and put-downs that fly continuously throughout here.
As well, there’s a lot of enjoyable action within this one. By focusing on the comedy within the human scenes and adding a seriousness to the action it makes it stand out all the more. The opening fight through the back of the fleeing van which is careening wildly through the city streets packs in plenty of impressive hand-to-hand fighting as well as the stunts featured. Other fights, from a brawl along the shops of a small shopping center to a big battle in a fish market, add to the excitement as well as set the stage for the grand fight at the top of Tokyo Tower at the end. While it’s a tad unrealistic that his newfound rotund physique would enable him to produce those athletic feats with no strain at all, the choreography is impressive nonetheless and helps to hold this one up altogether as a fun, enjoyable effort.
Where the film fails somewhat is in the unrealistic storyline setup for everything he goes through here. The fact that he’s busted down to a lower rank despite being right the entire time is just a storyline contrivance and not explained thoroughly since he was right, much like the scenes with him helping the two out around their shop with their troubles against the gangsters which doesn’t have a logical reasoning as for why they disagree with him which comes across quite rampantly throughout the film. As well, the film’s finale feels somewhat stretched out and way too convolutedly, featuring the unnecessary addition of a helicopter spotlighting the action but comes in too early, provides nothing and is responsible for some of the films’ ludicrous CGI.attempts that don’t do much for this one. Overall, these aren’t too detrimental but knock this down slightly.
Overview: ***.5/5
A solid old-school action/comedy that manages to get a lot right with the mixing together of hard-hitting action with some goofy slapstick comedy, this one has a lot to like even with a few minor hiccups here and there. Give it a shot if you’re into Yen’s previous films or this broadly comedic style of action/kung-fu effort while those who aren’t into this style should heed mild caution.
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