Cert 15
96 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong violence
Since the days of Bruce Lee and beyond there has been a huge fan base for martial arts films.
Teddy Chan's Kung Fu Killer aims at being a homage to those who have kept the genre popular over five decades.
I'm not a devotee but I can appreciate the skill and the speed at which exponents such as Donnie Yen do their work.
However, as a non-specialist movie-goer, I would have praised Kung Fu Killer much more if it hadn't have been strewn with plot holes.
Yen plays a former police martial arts instructor who is in jail after killing a man by accident.
But he is soon out of jail after offering to help track down a serial killer (Baoqiang Wang) who preys on kung fu masters.
Yen's character cuts a deal with the case's lead cop (Charlie Yeung) and is back out, under supervision.
Frankly, not only is that ludicrous in itself but the way he manages to give his supervisors the slip thereafter, is just plain silly.
However, the fighting is robust and lithe and there are some intense chase scenes, including a couple across roof tops, which are pretty spectacular.
My second major gripe is that it is very obvious where the story is going and what the conclusion will be.
But I suspect that those who watch this type of movie will not give a fig. They will be left salivating by the fight scenes which seem to defy physics.
Director Teddy Chan: "There are 80 or 90 kung fu master films in the market so I said to my creative people "what should I do?" They said "why don't we make a serial killer with kung fu?"
Reasons to watch: Its action sequences
Reasons to avoid: Its plot isn't particularly deep.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6/10