Amazon.com

Look ma, no script! As expected from a movie by Hong Kong action director Hark Tsui, there are many explosive, fast-paced sequences in this Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle. Some are thrilling, others inconsequential. There is also another mumbling, overdone performance by Mickey Rourke, who looks as if he performed his own plastic surgery. Except for an unintentionally humorous ending, the only surprise is Dennis Rodman as Van Damme's partner in exploitation. Rodman has plenty of charisma, but needs someone to weed out those inferior scripts. He plays an eccentric arms dealer coerced by an avenging Van Damme into tracking down the evil and sadistically weird character played by a well-muscled Rourke. It says little for the production that the best sequence of the movie occurs a quarter of the way into the action. It concerns an escape by Van Damme from an island think tank for forcibly retired covert agents. After that, everyone should have gone home. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Such Wit!
This is a witty team that should go in the record books: Van Damme (deity) and Dennis Rodman (no ability). You might think this movie is awful and hideous, but it's truly a comical look about an action star kicking major stern as usual and a basketball player trying to be an action star. No, basketball players should stick to playing basketball or in this case, cross-dressing. Van Damme carries the ball 'n chain in this movie and makes it work, as expected. He fought a buffed out Mickey Rourke, a man with a knife in his toes and a tiger! Heroism! He was an agent who started fresh with a new agency and had to look for Stavros (Rourke). Rodman got in the way too much and actually made an airball. Terrible. Van Damme made fun of him and his hair, 'who does it? Siegfried or Roy?' Pure hilarity. Go Van Damme, don't take any garbage from that creature. Yes! A rare comedic performance from a deity.

Cool movie, but not the best action film, but the mote fun.
Not the best action movie made in the U.S. by a Hong Kong director, but not worst on the other hand. Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a covert agent or wath ever who is set to this top-secret island facility called "the colony" were he escapes, then hunts down a terrorist (Mickey Rourke) with the help of a weapons expert (Dennis Rodman), and the film goes on and on and on. The best scene is with Van Damme fighting Xiong Xin-Xin. This film is does something, but it is too hard to say in words.

1997. RCA. 93 MINS.

Rated R for Nonstop Action Violence.

Rodman? What did he do do throw basketballs?
Naw, Jean-claude could have done this movie by himself. Rodman needs to stick to basketball.

One of Van Damnes best
This was one of Van Damnes best, he joins forces with Dennis Rodman, what a team.Even though he didnt fight in a competition,the movie was really good.Alot of explosives and stunts, my fav part of the movie is when hes hanging from the airplane now that cool.

a slam banging Van Damme..no wait...this aint good at all
one of the worst Van Damme movies of all time, this one and Derailed and Replicant and Knock Off, come of Van Damme baby, make good ones and have good directors too. this one has Van Damme after Mickey Rourke who Rourke ends up killing him or he thinks he killed him, then Van Damme goes to an island of lost dead agents and villians(corny). he escapes retardedly and then goes back to save his wife and his up and coming child(who Van Damme and Rodman almost indanger the poor kid, bastards). Van Damme gets help from puke and choke Rodman and they have awesome adventures and eat lots of candy, no wait, thats what I was thinking and then, no. but there's some, I SAID SOME, good action, but then it dies and sits there. the end with an oiled up shirtless Rourke and the tiger lets the suspense and action down. strickly for fans of the movies Van Damme was crappy in. this is repuked up snot on a seseame seed bun ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jackie Chan resurrects the old Corsican Brothers chestnut of identical twin brothers separated at birth who meet up as adults and discover that they share more than blood ties. Poor boy Chan is a mechanic and race-car driver whose black-market activities have made him the target of some nasty mobsters, while jet-setting Chan is a world-famous conductor back in Hong Kong for a concert. In the same vicinity for the first time in years, they can suddenly feel each other's pain, and more. As one Chan jumps a jet boat for a wild escape, the other becomes a spastic victim of the furious ride, thrown around a posh restaurant while drenching his date with drinking water. Though the American cut has been pared of the worst of Chan's incessant mugging (it's about 12 minutes shorter than the original version), it's still overloaded with silly slapstick and cartoonish mistaken-identity gags as the boys swap girlfriends and dance. But wade through the crude comedy and you're rewarded with a gymnastic free-for-all climax in a car-testing workshop, where Chan leaps over, under, and through cars while taking on an army of gangsters before split-screen brothers team up for a bit of marionette martial arts. Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam codirect, Tsui taking the comedy and Lam handling the action, and John Woo makes a cameo as a priest in the wedding finale. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Twin Stars
I haven't as yet seen this DVD (I fully plan to as Jackie Chan dubbed on this release I am told). The 3 stars are for the movie itself. It is not the best Jackie Chan Hong Kong movie, the Police Story series and Project A 1 & 2 are much better but is definitely worth a look. I have seen an old dubbed version (OK) and the Asian DVD release (better). Before approaching any "old" Jackie Chan film (ie. ones done in Hong Kong before America!) viewers should be aware they are lower budgeted so don't have the capacity for special effects as in US movies. Also, what a Chinese considers funny might not necessarily be what a westerner thinks is funny! Keeping this in mind, I really liked this film. The story is "old" (ie. twins separated at birth and coming together later in life with the expected mix-ups) but with Jackie (twice!) it is a lot of fun. The last action scene in the car factory shows Jackie's amazing acrobatic and martial arts skills to perfection. If you are Hong Kong movie buff, there are a lot of cameo appearances by HK actors and directors. Jackie did not direct this film, so ignore any criticism of bad direction by him! Most of the films Jackie directed himself are superb action pieces, though the acting is not very good in some. Jackie is more interested in action than dialogue, though "Accidental Spy", his latest Asian release, is extremely good in all aspects, both action and action, with a good storyline. Anyway, give Twin Dragons a look - it will be worth it.

Lots of fun - but not one of the best
Just a quick note: I don't think some of the reviewers have paid attention. There are criticisms to Jackie Chan as director. Well, two notes: 1) He did not directed this movie 2) Most of the best Jackie Chan movies have been directed by him. He has been recognized as an excellent director.

Anyway, this movie was done for the construction of some association for directors from Hong Kong, and that explains why the multiple directors. Jackie Chan has said he is not satisfied with the final result of the movie.

But don't be scared. This is an excellent comedy, using the old joke about mixed identities. It is not heavy on the action side, but includes some nice fight scenes, including a final shutdown at a facility for testing cars.

If you are looking for one Chan movie, there are better ones to select for starters (Supercop, Operation Condor, Rumble in the Bronx). But if you are a die hard fan, you will want to take a look at "Twin Dragons".

a good funny movie but not an action one.
I am a cantonese person and I rent this US version dvd. Is some ways it disapointted me because it doesn't provide cantonese audio and they substitute English audio instead. Anyway, this movie is so funny is so ways. I especially like the bathroom scene. It can't help laugh loudly. The action parts are quite boring but I think American people would like to watch them.
I would like to give it a 4 stars if it provides chinese audio.

Stick with an Original
Why American production make HK movies look so cheap? First of all, they cut off so much scene, second of all ruin it by making look acting so dumb by English Dubb. For ANY of HK movies, ALWAYS stick with ORIGINAL LICENSED HK RELEASE. Be careful with cheap imports, boots though.

"I think I got the fighter!!!!"
...If your interested in a REAL Jackie Chan movie, with REAL stunts, REAL comedy, REAL action, and REAL Jackie, look no further than TWIN DRAGONS.
It may not be entiely convincing that the twins are really together inframe (the split screen effects are as corny as they get) and the story may not be entirely original...but TWIN DRAGONS is nevertheless, one of the best Jackie Chan movies ever...

Jackie plays Boomer, womanizing, karate choppin' mechanic living in Hong Kong, and the brother he never kenw he had, reknown condutor John Ma. Ma arrives in Hong Kong to give a concert and things go completely cattewumpus. Ma knows kung fu about as well as Boomer knows how to conduct a concert
Boomer:P>Before long, bad guys have kidnapped Boomer's smart-...buddy Tyson (Teddy Robin, who also produced)...with all that to worry about, there's even girl trouble, when Ma's lady Tammy (Nina Li Chi) winds up in the sack with Boomer, believing him to be Ma, and lovely lounge singer Barbara (lovely Maggie Cheung) falls for Ma believing him to be Boomer.

The summary of TWIN DRAGONS plot simply does not do it justice. From the moment Boomer gets in a fight with an entire night club full of mobsters, the movie has already hit take off velocity. Fans of the sexy Maggie Cheung...will find she doesn't have much to do, but looks fabulous not doing it. This is only one of the movie's she's done with Jackie. off the the top of my head, I can name many others, but let it suffice to say that for action, comedy, and Maggie Cheung, Jackie Chan's TWIN DRAGONS can't lose. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Not the best in the series
What happens when you take Yuen Wo Ping out of the mix? You get a mediocre kung fu movie. There is almost no martial arts in this movie only lion dancing and ridiculous plot that made no sense at all. You have rival kung fu schools fighting each other so that foreigners could move into china? Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan and Max Mok put in good performances, however, without the Yuen Kung fu stamp on this movie it falls very flat. The most disapointing in the Columbia/TriStar released series.

A Decent Installment to the Franchise
In the third film in this series, martial arts film legend Jet Li stars as Dr. Wong Fei-Hung, a real life folk hero of 19th century China. Combining solid martial arts action (as you'd expect from a Jet Li movie) with decent storyline which delves into some historical elements, this movie is a decent flick all-around. While not quite as captivating in terms of action or story as the previous films, III still delivers an acceptable performance.

THE STORY:

It is 19th century China and Western influence is growing. The Empress Dowager, in an attempt to showcase Chinese power to the foreigners, hosts a martial arts tournament, the Lion King competition, pitting the finest martial arts schools against one another. Wong's family's cultural society becomes caught in the middle of the martial arts wars.

In the midst of staving off the attacks of their rivals, Wong is also caught in a personal dilemma as he and his secret-lover, his cousin (through marriage) Yee, decide to marry and try to find ways to announce it to their family. Added to this is the arrival of a Russian friend from Yee's past who is infatuated with her himself, showering her with great Western gifts such as the motion-picture camera.

Throughout all of this turmoil, things become a bit more interesting as foreign interests decide to use the tournament as a backdrop to a political assassination plot...

THE COOL STUFF:

If you love martial arts action you've got a good portion of it here. The fight scenes are NUMEROUS as you'll be treated to tons of fighting set in 19th century China in tons of marketplace settings as well as vintage Chinese dwellings and buildings. The sets and costumes are just awesome, particularly all of the Lion dresses. The fight scenes between Wong and the rival martial artists are just awesome. In addition this film does incorporate some humorous moments into it.

THE DVD FEATURES:

The features of the DVD, while not extensive as most new DVDs are, are perfectly acceptable. Included on this DVD are the following:

1. Bonus Movie Trailers for the following:

a. Once Upon a Time in China II

b. Once Upon a Time in China Trilogy

c. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

d. Miracles by Jackie Chan

2. Filmographies for Director Tsui Hark, Jet Li and Rosamund Kwan.

THE VERDICT:

The most common criticism for most martial arts/action flicks are that the stories [stink]. The redeeming quality for them is, of course, the action. Like its predecessor, Once Upon a Time in China III overcomes these criticisms by delivering solid action and (lo and behold) a decent story. In addition, the film, besides having an awesome story and action sequences also incorporates just the right amount of humor to make it a nice package all around. While not quite as captivating in terms of action or story as its two predecessors, Once Upon a Time in China III still delivers an acceptable performance.

Overall, besides oohing and aahing to cool fight scenes you'll also be treated to a great look at a crucial period in Chinese history.

Recommended

Poor editing and voice overs don't kill this movie entirely
Wong Fei Hung is an important figure, not only to Chinese history, but also to me as a student of the style, which he helped make famous. The Hung Gar Style is traced back to Hung Tsi Kwan (there are lots of debates over the spelling of his name) who taught Luk Ah Choy, and Wong Tai (Wong Fei Hung's grand father) who taught Wong Kei Ying (Fei Hung's father) who refused to teach Fei Hung, forcing him to turn to Luk Ah Choy for lessons. Fei Hung then went on to teach Lam Sai Wing who wrote the book that more or less made the style famous. Hung Gar is a very common style in Southern China, but is very rare stateside with only a small number of schools teaching it. Wong Fei Hung is therefore a matter of great interest to me, which is why I bought this film without actually seeing it first. Sadly I was disappointed.
The voice-overs for the English dub of OUATIC 1 and 2 were decent, and I liked the voice actor behind Jet Li in the first two films. Sadly he was replaced with a less appropriate voice actor. I didn't really notice if any of the other mainstays of the series had different voices, but Fei Hung's voice was very different and not as good as the previous installments. Granted bad voice-overs are to be expected with Kung Fu movies, but why fix what isn't broken?
The editing in this movie also leaves a lot to be desired as it is the worst editing I have seen in a modern Kung Fu movie, period. Story line wise the movie is very good with a story that sets the stage for the Boxer Rebellion, which shook the very foundations of the Qing (or Ching depending of your spelling preference) Dynasty. In that time frame the Empress decided to use the anti-foreign attitudes of China to what was supposed to be her advantage. The idea was inspire the Martial Artists to revolt against them; she never anticipated that the Martial Artists (many of them Ming Dynasty patriots) would not only violently revolt against the foreigners, but also the Ching themselves. This movie is kind of a precursor to that bloody massacre, with the empress trying to inspire the revolt by hosting a Lion Head (King) competition. Parts of this story are indeed based on actual history, which make this story perhaps the most intriguing of the trilogy. However, now Wong Fei Hung and Cousin Yee are discussing marriage, and while Wong Fei Hung was married three times it was never to his cousin-by-marriage. The bizarre and arguably incestuous relationship gets even more interesting when Lilly Lee meets up with an old flame that has now turned into a Russian-Japanese double agent who is plotting to kill China's President Li. Also in this film is a poorly portrayed Wong Kei Ying, who was in his prime one of the Ten Tigers of Canton (China's greatest fighters at the time). Here the one fight scene he has he looses... and I am sorry, but seeing such a legendary fighter get beaten was kind of an eye roller. I'm as much of a fan of Wong Kei Ying as I am of Wong Fei Hung... I wasn't happy with how the elder Wong was portrayed. On the plus side while the action sequences failed to meet expectations set by the first two the Lion Head sequences are simply breathtaking. I have always loved Lion head dances and hope that one day my SiFu will allow me to participate in one myself. This movie did a fantastic job or portraying the multiple sides of the Lion Head tradition. On the one side, its fascinating to watch, amazing to participate on, and can be a lot of fun over all. On the dark side, they were used to pass messages around during various revolts, and in many cases Lion Heads were used as vehicles of assault, or assassination. This move does a superb job of focusing on both aspects.
Although the movie is still good I only recommend it over all for fans, or completists as this is sadly not the OUATIC series' finer moment, and the casual movie goer may not get into it as much.

me love movie
it a very good movies, especially if u have the new dvd you can acutally see two different movies, everything is the same but some on the dub version are really not on the original one, have fun if you have this movies, i have seen it 10 times since i got is and i still like it.

The Lions get in the way
I have never found a Jet Li movie I haven't truly enjoyed until this one. Like a lot of his movies, there are a lot of martial art sequences and some are terrific. But later on the lion dance competion is hectic. There are lion costumers everywhere and it's hard to tell what is going on. However, it is probably something you won't see in another movie so if you want to see a different kind of martial arts competition, try this but it may not be for everyone. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

How did this movie flop?
This was a really cool movie with great stunts, great comedy, and great camera views. This was plain and simply one of the best JCVD movies ever. I find amazing how this film, Leigonaire, and Universal Soldier:The Return all did not revive his career. It is a total mind F*** to figure this out. The plot was a little confusing at first but if you really pay attention you will get the idea of the movie.

Great Performance by Van Damne
I rented this movie on video like 4 years ago,my whole family watched it and we were all pleased.And like a year ago i saw it on DVD and i loved watching it again.I think this movie will go in the top 10 of Van Damnes best movie but not the top 5. Im gonna name the top 5 Van Damnes best movies. Kickboxer, Bloodsport,Lionheart,Desert Heat,Hard Target.Im like the biggest Van Damne fan,and this one is worth watching.It deserves****A very good movie.

his funniest of roles!
this is one of my favourite van-damme movies and its definatly his funniest!, his opening scene was classic!. This movie is pure fan martial arts action with plenty of comedy along the way. Van-damme should do more comedy, it suits him excellently.

still awaiting his return to theaters, go van-damme!!

another Van Damme flop
purely for fans of crappy Van Damme movies again like I says. really corny from beginning to end. Paul Sorvino is totally and utterly fat and moronic in this one. Rob Schnider is wasted and WHY THE HELL WAS HE IN THIS I will have no clue. Van Damme kicks more butt and does more corny things then he did in Double Team. with horrible dialouge and a plot that seems like it came from some guy wiping his ass with a piece of toilet paper and then saw it on the piece of paper and said HEY!!!! damnit, lets make a movie about this piece of crap right here.

Fun Van Damme action...
Jean-Claude Van Damme is one of those actors you either are a fan of or you despise. Me? I'm a big fan, so that makes me a little less qualified to rate this film, but I'll review it nonetheless. It takes place in Hong Kong, where the market for "knock offs," or imitations of an original product, is blossoming. Van Damme and Rob Schneider play two business partners who are caught up in a nasty circle with the Chinese mafia, renegade CIA agents, and big bad guys. The action and direction from Tsui Hark is awesome, especially a scene where Van Damme slides around on a boat while beating up bad guys. Rob Schneider is not too annoying in this film, which is a good thing. The bad guy, however, was a bit underwhelming, but his demise works. Van Damme films are never any cinematic accomplishment by any means, but they can be, and usually are, plenty of fun. This is no exception. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Bad Jet, Bad!!
I know this was one of Jet Li's earlier films based on the clothing, music, and hairstyles of the characters in the movie, and Jet Li looked much younger. Anyway I was quite disappointed, I am glad Jet's movies have gotten better because this one was........my mouth hung open through most of it. Asians complain about being stereotyped in other people's movies, but there were stereotypes about everyone in this movie and I know I am just rambling on but,,,,,my goodnes........It was pretty bad. I gave it just one extra start just because it was Jet!!!

Don't de too hard on the film!
Some people had strong criticisms of this film. I thought the film was entertaining though. Yeah sure, I'd agree that there was no wire work, and that the fight scenes wern't quite as spectaculor as his more recent films. But that dos'nt make it a bad film.

It's set in the late eighties and in LA. Why should it have wire work? It would'nt fit. The fight scenes are filmed fairly well and look down to earth. The plot is fun and quite humourous. Especially Jet Li's American counterparts. Jet Li is his usually respectable self looking out for the under dogs.

There's a skilled American villan, Jonny, with a signature late eighties hair cut. He does a good job of playing the over confident jerk. (similar to the cocky kid in the Karate Kid) There's several confrontations between Jet's crew and Jonny's student lackies until the finale at the end.

In the end this film should be viewed as a fun down to earth Kung Fu flick. It was'nt meant to be the next kung fu master piece. If watched in the right light it should be a fun and familiar(if from the US and LA in particular) addition to your Jet Li collection.

Jet's worse film of all time
Jet lee was dorky in this film, and the cholos he was teaching were just as bad. This film was made in a desperate attempt to relaunch his career in America. After seeing the light, Jet returned to Hong Kong and completed the historical Once Upon a Time in China series. The rest is history.

Horrible
Hard as it is to do, this film manages to make Jet Li look very, very bad. I kept having Karate Kid flashbacks! The story is the same old, same old, American martial arts move cliches, fighting for honor and all...in a place that is obviously NOT Los Angeles. The real disappointment is that the martial artists( in come cases obviously just local students for God sake!) are sub par and the choreography suffers for it. The action sequences are slow and awkward. Pass on this one guys.

The Master = Bruce Lee! That's the Key!
This DVD The Master, with Jet Li, is wonderful. Admittedly it may initially disappoint, but this should only happen on first viewing. It is a movie that requires attention to detail (as all masterpieces do) and knowledge of other martial arts movies and legends. Nonetheless, after first viewing (during which time the proverbial penny should drop and deeper understanding commence), there are amazing viewing rewards! In fact, if you should ever want to show off your knowledge to others of the deeper purpose of martial arts and/or Jet Li, well, this is definitely THE movie to have!

First, though, to find the deeper story! So, to help the penny drop and to help find full appreciation of the consummate mastery of this Tsui Hark movie (especially its script), consider the possibility that the Master = Bruce Lee, the first internationally-recognized master of martial arts. On another level, to move closer to the story's higher purpose, consider the Master as the true spirit and/or reason for the practice of martial arts.

Second, consider the possibility that the movie is an extremely respectful criticism of the post-Bruce-Lee commercialism of martial arts (and the resultant use of martial arts in street violence).

Finally, consider the possibility that the martial arts people of the East saw a need to reinforce (via another master: Jet Li) the true spirit and/or reason of martial arts to the people of the West. This last point helps explain why the movie is set in modern-times and why it deliberately avoided the high-wire tricks; the movie is introducing to America the real martial arts mastery of Jet Li. In so doing, it is dealing with real social/cultural issues in a real way with a real and meaningful answer; for that answer watch the non-preaching and non-judgmental corrections to violence in this specific movie!

Now, to match the above viewing suggestions to the movie! The Master opens with the master as a doctor who is physically healing and attempting to mentally heal/warn/correct a macho streetfighter type. In fact, the movie actually links this doctor (via the Po Chi Lum herbal medicine shop) to Wong Fei-Hung. Wong Fei-Hung, you may recall, was the master from Once Upon A Time in China: an all-but-divine hero in Chinese martial arts history who was born in 1849 and who inherited a herbal medicine shop call Po Chi Lum, a shop where he also taught Kung Fu! The dimension and breadth of the movie should now start to tease sensibilities into a state of alertness! Jet Li, of course, had already starred as Wong Fei-Hung in earlier movies (and how!) but, because there is a higher purpose to this story than pure commerce-driven martial arts entertainment, Jet Li does not play the role he immortalized for cinema-goers. Instead, Jet Li plays one of this master's students! Why? Well, in brief, Jet Li is paying homage to the mastering spirits and legacy of martial arts. Why? Well, in brief, that's the lesson the West needs to re-learn; otherwise, the martial arts can be used for violence and destruction, not personal and community peace and safety.

At this point, consider the role that Jet Li plays in this movie: like his master, he is a healer (i.e. of the policemen's ulcers, which also suggests the authorities have not quite learned how to correct and stomach street violence! So, the movie has a social critique at work too! Truly, this story gathers to a giddying greatness the more it is meditated upon! It's great! Then, of course, Jet Li is a man of peace despite, and because of, his great martial arts skills. This is why he won't teach the Latino gang the martial arts (because they will use such skills violently for personal ends, not to help ensure personal and public peace; later in the story, Jet Li teaches them enough to protect themselves. This is a very fine edge of difference; but a critical difference! Jet Li is also a worldly innocent (as beautifully and humorously demonstrated by the one-sided romance).

Of course, all Jet Li's don't-call-me-master positive qualities are in sharp contrast to the call-me-master "bad" student's ego-driven mistakes (including the mistake of never having learned what the true purpose of martial arts actually is i.e. mastery over self and the resultant increasingly-perfected personal path to peace! So, as the bad student very capably shows, to challenge and/or kill a master = to lose directions to the true meaning of martial arts = to not be a master; regardless of physical prowess = to be killed by the self as a martial arts exponent). To become a true master (and, thus, find the invisible hands of non-terrestrial-power making you effortlessly invincible), this movie suggests, requires a full willingness to place martial arts in the service of humanity ....!

Actually, enough ... it is time to stop! It will take a book or two to explain this movie ... it is great! There are problems for viewers, certainly, because both before and after this specific movie, Jet Li starred in some of the most sublime action/martial arts movies in the history of world cinema; nevertheless, The Master is also an awesome achievement once the deeper story starts to become visible! Be patient with this movie, it will reward ... a masterpiece is patiently and respectfully waiting to speak to you! Be warned: when the glory of the story starts to gather momentum, your eyes will widen and smiles will arrive like a thousand chuckling sunrises! A masterpiece of reverence for life and community spirit has been scripted here and, as is clear from the fact that he doesn't play Wong Fei-Hung (the master), Jet Li clearly demonstrates his accord with the spiritual values offered by the infinitely disciplined, fully loving immortal heart of martial arts! ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Nothing Special Weak on the Action !
I know that this movie seems great to all the people who are reading these reviews, but trust me, this dvd is not worth it. The action scenes weren't that great. The plot was a little weak. The guy who played Foon didn't fight well. Don't get me wrong, I loooovvvveeeeeeee Yuen Woo-Ping movies. I lovvvvvvveeeeeeeeee Donnie Yen and Jet Li. I expected this to be a non-stop action ride. But in fact, it was greatly lacking all of the above. Yuen Woo-Ping has done some of the greatest fight sequences I have ever seen. But something happened here because nothing was original or unique. It was plain and boring. Don't get me wrong, I've seen Tai-chi master, Wing Chun, Deadly China Hero, Legend of the Drunken Master, Iron Monkey, Fist of Legend, etc, and thought they were the best movies i have ever seen for Kung-Fu. I thought Ouatic 1 was also original and moving. The way Tsui Hark directed the last fighting scene and all the rest was amazing. In this movie you had to wait for 3/4 of the movie to finally see some serious action. Crouching Tiger's action was much better and even more unique. In fact, in Hong Kong and Mainland China they criticized Crouching Tiger as being boring and having no action, while Ouatic 2 was a classic there and had absolutely no action or plot. I know the other reviews sound appealing and I stick out like a sour apple, but please try to understand. I love Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, etc, but this movie was a big disappointment. I watched this in great pain. How could this movie be so ordinary and medicro. I, like you, read the reviews and said to myself, hey this movie is going to be great. I even saw a trailor of Donnie Yen and Jet Li fighting with bows in a enclosed area and said out loud, this is going to be a great movie. I will say this, the action between Donnie Yen and Jet Li was amazing but that amazing part only lasted 10 minutes. Jet Li never fights hand to hand with Donnie Yen. Donnie Yen doesn't fight at all with his hands. Please put this DVD away. Trust me, writing this review hurts me more than it hurts the people who are reading this. I'm a great admirer of Yuen, Donnie and Jet and even Tsui Hark. But this movie didn't do it for me.

In my opionion, the best of the series that I have seen
Wong Fei Hung is an important figure, not only to Chinese history, but also to me as a student of the style, which he helped make famous. The Hung Gar Style is traced back to Hung Tsi Kwan (there are lots of debates over the spelling of his name) who taught Luk Ah Choy, and Wong Tai (Wong Fei Hung's grand father) who taught Wong Kei Ying (Fei Hung's father) who refused to teach Fei Hung, forcing him to turn to Luk Ah Choy for lessons. Fei Hung then went on to teach Lam Sai Wing who wrote the book that more or less made the style famous. Hung Gar is a very common style in Southern China, but is very rare stateside with only a small number of schools teaching it. Wong Fei Hung is therefore a matter of great interest to me, which is why I bought this film without actually seeing it first. Lucky for me it ended up being a very worthwhile purchase.
Although the film continues the bizarre and fictional relationship between Wong Fei Hung and his Cousin Yee this film is the most enjoyable of the three that I have seen. There is a lot of comedy in this film that works brilliantly along side the action and the drama for this film, which fully recognizes itself as being a work of fiction despite its use of historical figures.
Wong Fei Hung and his student Foon (Now played by a different actor) set off on an adventure with Cousin Yee that bring them up against the Sinister White Lotus Society who are determined to rid China of the foreigners using a mystical power that makes them invincible. But is this power real? The film's story is more intriguing than the previous film, and the action scenes are twice as good. I highly recommend this title as it, like its predecessor is one of the finest Kung Fu films out there. Even the English dub on this film is halfway decent!

Better than the first! (by a lot!)
I've saw the first and second one and I must say that the second one was soooo much better than the first one. If you liked the first one or any other martial arts movie with Jet Li in it, then don't pass out on this one!
The second movie (in my opinion)is not nearly as violent as the first one; they don't cuss as much; and the storyline was just great! There are less fighting scenes (not too much, so don't worry) but when they do appear, they are better than all the fighting scenes in the first one combined!
What else can I say? Get this film or at least rent it!

A bad sequel to Once Upon a Time in China
This film does not come close to the quality of Once Upon a Time in China. First of all, the plot is weak, it does not have the kind of power that the original of this series did. The characters in this film seem like they are out of a comic book, while the characters in the first film were interesting and complex. The kungfu is mostly unrealistic wirework, and while Once Upon a Time in China had some of this, the emphasis was on realistic martial arts. In the original, the main characters were trying to resist the influence of the West which was destroying their culture, but in this version, the main characters are actually on the side of the Westerners and they are fighting their own people! There is no explanation of why Wong Fei Hung and his crew would side with the people who were their enemies in the last film. One of the reasons the original film was so good, was because it was about brave Chinese patriots trying to protect their culture, but in this film is seems as though they have switched sides.

Arguably the best of the series....
I picked this one up as I heard that it's the best movie in the series, as well as one of Jet Li's best movies in general; that statement is really only half right. It is most likely the best in the series, essentially due to the intricate fight scenes choreographed by none other than "The Man" Yuen Woo Ping. Unfortunately, all of the movies in this series suffer in the same manner as the build-up to the fights is rather boring and extensive; i.e. the stories are nothing to write home about. In actuality, my favorite movie with Jet Li depicting Wong Fei Hung would be "Last Hero in China", which is officially not even a part of the OUATIC series. Watch this flick for Donnie Yen; if you want to see more entertaining work by Jet Li check out "Fist of Legend" or "Kung fu Cult Master". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tsui Hark is the definitive moviemaker of the Hong Kong New Wave, and it could be argued that The Blade (1995) is his best film to date, a visually dense and morally muscular martial arts epic that just about reinvents the genre from the ground up. Loosely based on the picture that launched the entire kung fu cycle, Chang Cheh's 1967 classic The One-Armed Swordsman, the movie goes beyond the visceral rush of conflict to question the basic assumptions of the form. The central character, Ding On (boyish Chiu Man-cheuk, who took over the Wong Fei-hung role from Jet Li in the Once Upon a Time in China series), is a skilled swordsmith who begins to wonder if craftsmanship alone is all that matters. Perhaps it is also worth considering how the finished weapon is going to be used? A theme that seems more timely every day! In a dusty, noisy, cluttered landscape reminiscent of Wong Kar-wei's Ashes of Time, Ding seeks to avenge the death of a selfless martial monk who was murdered after thwarting the rape of a young girl. In the process the hero loses a limb, struggles to learn new skills to compensate, and comes back stronger than ever--with the implication that mental dexterity trumps brute force every time. The long final showdown, which makes judicious use of slow motion to turn battling bodies into heroic sculptural forms, ranks with the best work of masters like King Hu and Akira Kurosawa--that is, with the greatest martial fight footage ever filmed. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (17)

It's the Hong Kong movie not the Wesley Snipes one!
Just to set the record straight. Some reviewers confused this movie with the Hollywood movie "Blade." This is one of Tsui Hark's masterpieces. An extremely brutal yet beautiful film. It resembles Wong Kar-Wai's "Ashes of Time" in style. But Tsui eschewes all the sentimentality (not that it's a bad thing)of the latter. The plot summary would not do much good here. The movie is not about the story, but how the story is presented. If you want an "action" movie that will make you think, try this one.

As good as it gets!
Said to be Tsui Harks answer to Wong Kar-wais Ashes of Time, The Blade is a dark and brutal film, even by the standards of Hong Kong Cinema. Based loosely on the King Hu film, The One Armed Swordsman, it's shot with a tough, stone hard realism one seldom sees in Hong Kong Cinema, and while the plot is the usual revenge story, this movie is anything but typical. On, played by Chiu Man-Cheuk (Mandarin Zhao Wen-zhou), sets out to avenge his father who died at the hands of a bandit/mercenary/assasin named Lung, whose seemingly invincible skill in martial arts is trancended only by his sadistic and degenerate ferocity (he not only killed On's father, he skinned and gutted him too-this is not a guy you want living next door to you). Before he can meet Lung, On looses his right arm in a fight with bandits, which leads him to give up his quest until he finds an old martial arts manual from which he learns a one armed sword technique that not only allows him to pursue his revenge, but is appparently also superior than any existing technique. Other sub-plots flow through the film, but all converge on the apocolyptic ending where On finally confronts Lung. The martial arts are not as sophisticated or theatrical as other films in Hong Kong Cinema, but the fights themselves have a much more realistic texture that makes them resemble an actual fight more than almost anything else I've personally seen on the screen. They also use real swords in this film instead of those rediculous floppy rubber swords one usually sees in other films; On's sifu/foster father (who was my favorite character in the film) uses a nine-ring broadsword that must weigh at least 25 lbs and which he handles as easily as if were a broomstick. And for once the blood is actually the color of blood and not tomato soup. Lung is also a massive presence on the screen, with his shaved head and tatooed body, figting with a saber in each hand while verbally taunting and mocking his opponents. If you see no other martial arts films this year, see this one.

One of the greatest movies ever made
The Blade has some of the best action ever put to film, but to point that out is almost to do the film an injustice. Deeply emotional, wildly poetic, this is an altogether extraordinary piece of work that debunks the stereotypes of kung-fu cinema. If all art tends toward the condition of music, then this is Tsui Hark's requiem, rising and falling between moments of dread and moments of reflection, where even the lighthearted notes carry the stench of death and the weight of loss.

Excellent drama ,acting and shooting
This film is not about martial-arts. You wont see Jet Li or Jackie Chan flip in the air twice before a kick ,or wonderfully choreographed fighting scenes. It is the best HK drama I've ever seen.

About feelings ,and what they can make us do ,or achive. Ofcourse ,there are fights ,the protagonist must avenge his father ,but it's more about the revenge itself ,the drive ,than about how it's done. A story of human beings in a time and place so extreme ,that they are driven to the extreme themselves. great tale ,shot with more sensativity (and brutality) than any other film I saw.

A film above all in it's genre!
I have never seen anything like it. Beautiful camera, settings, story line, everything. The action is unmatched, and the fighting was so intense you would almost believe it was all real. This movie definately is a must see for any film lover, not just martial arts films. My all time favorite on screen hero, and im sure he'll be yours after you see this film. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Not the best in the series
What happens when you take Yuen Wo Ping out of the mix? You get a mediocre kung fu movie. There is almost no martial arts in this movie only lion dancing and ridiculous plot that made no sense at all. You have rival kung fu schools fighting each other so that foreigners could move into china? Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan and Max Mok put in good performances, however, without the Yuen Kung fu stamp on this movie it falls very flat. The most disapointing in the Columbia/TriStar released series.

A Decent Installment to the Franchise
In the third film in this series, martial arts film legend Jet Li stars as Dr. Wong Fei-Hung, a real life folk hero of 19th century China. Combining solid martial arts action (as you'd expect from a Jet Li movie) with decent storyline which delves into some historical elements, this movie is a decent flick all-around. While not quite as captivating in terms of action or story as the previous films, III still delivers an acceptable performance.

THE STORY:

It is 19th century China and Western influence is growing. The Empress Dowager, in an attempt to showcase Chinese power to the foreigners, hosts a martial arts tournament, the Lion King competition, pitting the finest martial arts schools against one another. Wong's family's cultural society becomes caught in the middle of the martial arts wars.

In the midst of staving off the attacks of their rivals, Wong is also caught in a personal dilemma as he and his secret-lover, his cousin (through marriage) Yee, decide to marry and try to find ways to announce it to their family. Added to this is the arrival of a Russian friend from Yee's past who is infatuated with her himself, showering her with great Western gifts such as the motion-picture camera.

Throughout all of this turmoil, things become a bit more interesting as foreign interests decide to use the tournament as a backdrop to a political assassination plot...

THE COOL STUFF:

If you love martial arts action you've got a good portion of it here. The fight scenes are NUMEROUS as you'll be treated to tons of fighting set in 19th century China in tons of marketplace settings as well as vintage Chinese dwellings and buildings. The sets and costumes are just awesome, particularly all of the Lion dresses. The fight scenes between Wong and the rival martial artists are just awesome. In addition this film does incorporate some humorous moments into it.

THE DVD FEATURES:

The features of the DVD, while not extensive as most new DVDs are, are perfectly acceptable. Included on this DVD are the following:

1. Bonus Movie Trailers for the following:

a. Once Upon a Time in China II

b. Once Upon a Time in China Trilogy

c. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

d. Miracles by Jackie Chan

2. Filmographies for Director Tsui Hark, Jet Li and Rosamund Kwan.

THE VERDICT:

The most common criticism for most martial arts/action flicks are that the stories [stink]. The redeeming quality for them is, of course, the action. Like its predecessor, Once Upon a Time in China III overcomes these criticisms by delivering solid action and (lo and behold) a decent story. In addition, the film, besides having an awesome story and action sequences also incorporates just the right amount of humor to make it a nice package all around. While not quite as captivating in terms of action or story as its two predecessors, Once Upon a Time in China III still delivers an acceptable performance.

Overall, besides oohing and aahing to cool fight scenes you'll also be treated to a great look at a crucial period in Chinese history.

Recommended

Poor editing and voice overs don't kill this movie entirely
Wong Fei Hung is an important figure, not only to Chinese history, but also to me as a student of the style, which he helped make famous. The Hung Gar Style is traced back to Hung Tsi Kwan (there are lots of debates over the spelling of his name) who taught Luk Ah Choy, and Wong Tai (Wong Fei Hung's grand father) who taught Wong Kei Ying (Fei Hung's father) who refused to teach Fei Hung, forcing him to turn to Luk Ah Choy for lessons. Fei Hung then went on to teach Lam Sai Wing who wrote the book that more or less made the style famous. Hung Gar is a very common style in Southern China, but is very rare stateside with only a small number of schools teaching it. Wong Fei Hung is therefore a matter of great interest to me, which is why I bought this film without actually seeing it first. Sadly I was disappointed.
The voice-overs for the English dub of OUATIC 1 and 2 were decent, and I liked the voice actor behind Jet Li in the first two films. Sadly he was replaced with a less appropriate voice actor. I didn't really notice if any of the other mainstays of the series had different voices, but Fei Hung's voice was very different and not as good as the previous installments. Granted bad voice-overs are to be expected with Kung Fu movies, but why fix what isn't broken?
The editing in this movie also leaves a lot to be desired as it is the worst editing I have seen in a modern Kung Fu movie, period. Story line wise the movie is very good with a story that sets the stage for the Boxer Rebellion, which shook the very foundations of the Qing (or Ching depending of your spelling preference) Dynasty. In that time frame the Empress decided to use the anti-foreign attitudes of China to what was supposed to be her advantage. The idea was inspire the Martial Artists to revolt against them; she never anticipated that the Martial Artists (many of them Ming Dynasty patriots) would not only violently revolt against the foreigners, but also the Ching themselves. This movie is kind of a precursor to that bloody massacre, with the empress trying to inspire the revolt by hosting a Lion Head (King) competition. Parts of this story are indeed based on actual history, which make this story perhaps the most intriguing of the trilogy. However, now Wong Fei Hung and Cousin Yee are discussing marriage, and while Wong Fei Hung was married three times it was never to his cousin-by-marriage. The bizarre and arguably incestuous relationship gets even more interesting when Lilly Lee meets up with an old flame that has now turned into a Russian-Japanese double agent who is plotting to kill China's President Li. Also in this film is a poorly portrayed Wong Kei Ying, who was in his prime one of the Ten Tigers of Canton (China's greatest fighters at the time). Here the one fight scene he has he looses... and I am sorry, but seeing such a legendary fighter get beaten was kind of an eye roller. I'm as much of a fan of Wong Kei Ying as I am of Wong Fei Hung... I wasn't happy with how the elder Wong was portrayed. On the plus side while the action sequences failed to meet expectations set by the first two the Lion Head sequences are simply breathtaking. I have always loved Lion head dances and hope that one day my SiFu will allow me to participate in one myself. This movie did a fantastic job or portraying the multiple sides of the Lion Head tradition. On the one side, its fascinating to watch, amazing to participate on, and can be a lot of fun over all. On the dark side, they were used to pass messages around during various revolts, and in many cases Lion Heads were used as vehicles of assault, or assassination. This move does a superb job of focusing on both aspects.
Although the movie is still good I only recommend it over all for fans, or completists as this is sadly not the OUATIC series' finer moment, and the casual movie goer may not get into it as much.

me love movie
it a very good movies, especially if u have the new dvd you can acutally see two different movies, everything is the same but some on the dub version are really not on the original one, have fun if you have this movies, i have seen it 10 times since i got is and i still like it.

The Lions get in the way
I have never found a Jet Li movie I haven't truly enjoyed until this one. Like a lot of his movies, there are a lot of martial art sequences and some are terrific. But later on the lion dance competion is hectic. There are lion costumers everywhere and it's hard to tell what is going on. However, it is probably something you won't see in another movie so if you want to see a different kind of martial arts competition, try this but it may not be for everyone. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The first of a popular series (six in all) starring the charismatic and athletically adept Jet Li.Li plays legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hong, a late 19th century southern Chinese healer and kung fu master. The story begins with Western powers (American, British, and French) encroaching on the city of Canton. Wong is asked by the Black Flag army to safeguard the town by creating his own militia of kung fu experts. His assistants include the butcher "Porky" (Kent Cheng), a Chinese-American named Bucktooth So (Jacky Cheung), and his westernized "Auntie" Yee (Rosamund Kwan), a non-blood-related childhood friend for whom he holds a special affection. But the Westerners aren't the only problem in Canton. The Sha Ho gang terrorizes local businesses and has begun dealing with the Americans in exporting Chinese for slave labor and prostitution. Adown-on-his-luck kung fu master named Iron Vest Yim (Yan Yee Kwan) has decided he needs to defeat Wong to open a school and Leung Fu (Jackie Chan contemporary Yuen Biao), a traveling opera troupe groupie, just keeps getting in the way.This epic martial-arts film showcases Li's amazing fighting and acrobatic skills and established Tsui Hark as a top-notch action film director. The final fight scene between Wong and Yim entails a dizzying orchestration of kicks and punches while teeter-tottering on ladders. The DVD features star bios, filmographies, trailers, and clips from early Wong Fei Hong films that starred veteran actor Kwan Tak Hing. --Shannon Gee ... Read more

Reviews (55)

This is Definitely a Classic
This movie was astounding and a great achievement in Kung-Fu movies. The scenes are definetly new, unique and innovative. There's plenty of action and some of the cast is pretty funny. The quality of picture wasn't that good, but that didn't stop me from giving this film 5 stars. I love the Cantonese music to this movie. I can sing it by heart. The two most innovative scenes were the fight scene in the rain where Wong Fei Hung fights Master Yim and the final fight between Master Yim with the ladders. The action was beautifully well timed and Jet Li's skills really did shine. Obne thing you might find distressing is the anti-foreigner feelings that are shown, which is pretty realistic coming from a Cantonese Family. Both of these scenes were unbelievable. This is a must have for all Jet Li fans. This is Tsui Hark's greatest movie i have seen. If you are into Chinese Kung Fu movies, it is a necessity to watch this. If you don't like flying and fantasy type fights, then don't buy this.

Great.
"Once Upon A Time In China" is perhaps the best all-around martial arts movie you'll ever see. I say all-around because it has both wirework and straightforward fighting. Also, the production value, which was notoriously low for most films in Hong Kong a few years back, is above par here. It's beautifully shot, well acted, and very well written. The story centers around the exploits of Wong Fei-Hung, the most filmed (and the most revered) character in HK cinema history.
This is probably the best of the straightforward Wong Fei-Hung movies, where Fei-Hung is stoic, wise and mature (The Jackie Chan version of Fei-Hung is in a category of its own). Jet Li brings power and authority to the character, and no one can match him in terms of sheer martial arts prowess. Supporting him is the criminally underrated Yuen Biao (Foon), the Peking Opera School "little brother" of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. The action was beyond compare, but what really attracted me once the movie got rolling was the story. Tsui Hark did a great job co-writing the screenplay. And, when you throw in the fact that he also produced and directed, you might just have a new respect for HK cinema.
As for the DVD itself, I was a little disappointed at the picture quality, but I wasn't too surprised since Media Asia retained the rights. The picture appears double frequently on my DVD-ROM. However, this only occurred on the original language version. The English-dubbed version was better quality, but the dubbing was so God-awful. Jet Li sounded like Dudley Do-Right. As long as I can make out the action and follow the story, I'll stick to the Chinese version. If you haven't seen it, and you like--or claim to like--HK cinema, then I can heartily recommend it. If you're not too fond of action, but you like historical dramas or epics, then try it. You might be surprised.

One of the finest Kung Fu Flicks of all time
Wong Fei Hung is an important figure, not only to Chinese history, but also to me as a student of the style, which he helped make famous. The Hung Gar Style is traced back to Hung Tsi Kwan (there are lots of debates over the spelling of his name) who taught Luk Ah Choy, and Wong Tai (Wong Fei Hung's grand father) who taught Wong Kei Ying (Fei Hung's father) who refused to teach Fei Hung, forcing him to turn to Luk Ah Choy for lessons. Fei Hung then went on to teach Lam Sai Wing (who is depicted in this film, albeit inaccurately) who wrote the book that more or less made the style famous. Hung Gar is a very common style in Southern China, but is very rare stateside with only a small number of schools teaching it. Wong Fei Hung is therefore a matter of great interest to me, which is why I bought this film without actually seeing it first. Lucky for me it ended up being a very worthwhile purchase.
While some of the events of the film are based on real history (or legend) much of this story (and its sequels) remains a matter of fictional entertainment. Althogh Wong Fei Hung was married three times in his life, he was never involved with his by-marriage cousin (or 14th aunt if you're not watching the English dub), so introducing an arguably incestuous love interest is a bit odd, but the romance aspects of this film aren't really the reason to see this film, Jet Li and his incredible action scenes are. The action in this film was a landmark in Hong Kong Cinema and may have pioneered the "wire fu" so popular in today's movies. The story is very good as well, dealing with the idea of resisting change, and staying true to one's traditions and heritage. As a Kung Fu student and fan I love this movie through and through, as a critic, however I really wish the writers of this movie could have done something less awkward for a love interest for a man whose memory is revered not just in China, but to any and all students of the Hung Gar style. After all, Wong Fei Hung invented the Tiger Crane set that is now the trademark set for Hung Gar practitioners, and so it is a bit odd to see him portrayed in a potentially incestuous relationship. Still this movie remains at the top of the list for fans wanting to collect Hong Kong flicks, as it is one of the absolute best out there.

THE DEFINITION OF KUNG FU MOVIE!!!!!!!!!
Alright, I'll admit that when I first got my order of the first three of Jet Li's ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA series, I was a bit disappointed that the audio tracks wer only Cantonese and Mandarin. True, English subtitles were available on all of them, but I was living under the illusion that htis might comprimise my ability to fully enjoy these masterpieces.
I had seen none of them before, but I had ordered them sight unseen because of the fact that I'm a military kid living in another country, and so copies of the OUATIC series were quite scarce. I had never actually seen any Asian films before in their original languages, so you can see that i felt like ihad might have made a mistake.
Boy was I wrong! I had never seen anything like this before, and I was with the movie every step of the way, carefully following my trusty english subtitles for plot references, although I could absolutely not take my eyes off the screen in any one th fabulous fight scenes, especially the finally, in which good old Wong Fei-Hung (Jet Li, about the umpte-millionth Wong Fei-Hung) engages in a fierce martial arts battle with the sinister Master Yim, whose in cahoots with the bad guys, who are kidnapping Chinese for slave labor and prostitution, and who wants to defeat Wong so that he can be the number one kung fu master.
This particular scene starts out on an elaborate structure of ladders, and then goes to the ground for some more fightin'. True, the OUATIC series is not a wire-fu movie, but the occasional assistance of wires allows some of the more breathtaking stunts to come out.
The point is that ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA holds a spot in the hall of fame of those martial arts movies that have surpassed all standards and expectations, and will no doubt stand the test of time. The other films in this "Kung Fu Hall of Fame" include (but aren't limited to) ENTER THE DRAGON, FIST OF LEGEND, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, the DRUNKEN MASTERs, RAPID FIRE, THE ONE, and loads of others. If you have not seen any of these, ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA is as good place to start with as any. Just sit back, and feast your eyes.

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FILM REVIEW:

At the time of this writing I've seen Once Upon a Time in China parts 1-5, and essentially my feelings on the series can be summed up as such: There's Once Upon a Time in China, and then, there are the sequels. This is not to say that I dislike the sequels; in fact, I have yet to be entirely let down by a Once Upon a Time in China picture. But the original is unquestionably the paramount of the series, a martial arts movie which breaks through and transcends the usual limits of the genre.

The qualities of Once Upon a Time in China are manifold. Its story is sophisticated and densely layered for a martial arts film, its pace unrushed, its action satisfying, its length generous, and its climax genuinely gripping. Once Upon a Time in China is, indeed, the only movie in the series in which I actually felt genuine concern for the fate of any of the characters, or put another way, empathized any real sense of physical, emotional, or spiritual danger. Some will argue that the martial arts choreography of part 2 is superior, but for all their technical strength, part 2's action sequences lack the sense of harmony and resonance with the overall picture which can be readily found here. A strength of the series in general is that the action sequences rarely seem to be entirely arbitrary - but never in the many sequels are they fused this satisfyingly into the overall experience.

Additionally, I've noticed that the Once Upon a Time in China series has gotten more "comic-booky" as its gone along. I have no overt problem with these "comic-booky" aspects in and of themselves: the mysterious cult-leaders and quasi-supervillains of parts 2 and 4, or the pirates and treasures and gunfights of part 5, or the introduction of the Clubfoot character in part 3, are all entertaining in their way. But I do appreciate the slightly more down-to-earth atmosphere of the original, as it seems to have been conducive to the development of more interesting characters. While there are other antagonists I've enjoyed in the series, none have come close to matching the thorough spiritual bankruptcy and cruelty of this film's Shaho gang leader. He has no special powers or tricks - in fact he doesn't even prove to be a particularly formidable fighter - but he's the only villain they ever bothered to develop enough so that you really come to despise him by the end.

And what of Iron Robe Yim's nuanced part in the tale? Not quite a villain proper, more a tragic figure - but an interesting tragic figure, and one successfully interjected (in place of the Shaho boss) as a formidable martial arts antagonist, thus allowing for the film's classic final battle. Above and beyond this he is also nicely interwoven into the greater fabric of the tale's many moral quandaries by his temporary relationship as mentor to Foon. (Incidentally, the mentor/student relationship between these two characters would have been well served by just a bit more development, but when everything comes to a head in that last half-hour, it still manages to pull itself off nicely.) Yim occupies an interesting space as a character in this story, a space unfilled in subsequent Once Upon a Time in China chapters: he is a character who we feel could have been great, could even have been a friend or brother to Wong Fei Hung and his coterie, but who sadly crumbles (under the pressure of poverty) to his darker, greedier side, and pays the price in a bloody and undignified demise - (a scene which proves powerful on several levels.)

Without getting into each in detail, I appreciate this film's well-rounded cast of characters, several of whom disappear and/or are replaced by different actors in subsequent Once Upon a Time in China films. With the exception of the unused Kai, every major character is given his moment(s) in this movie. Even Buck Tooth So - a character I initially found too annoying and zany - manages a convincing emotional and moral complexity by the end (relative to what you'd expect of such a character, at any rate.)

Last but not least, I should probably reaffirm that Jet Li himself is indeed excellent in Once Upon a Time in China. He brings a poise, dignity, style, and romantic vulnerability to the character of Wong Fei Hung which I doubt I'll ever see matched, and his focused and perfectly executed martial arts are a thing to behold.

So when all is said and done, I feel I must insist that Once Upon a Time in China has far more going for it than any of its sequels, and manages not only to juggle everything successfully - action, romance, politics, religion, national identity, melodrama, and brotherhood - but also to bring it together into a climax far more satisfying than anything I've seen from the series since. It boasts competent, artful direction, good production values, a fully realized 19th century environment, and everything in the film radiates with a glow which even the best of the sequels never quite match.

DVD REVIEW:

The Columbia TriStar release of Once Upon a Time in China is, to my mind, the most adequate of their three OUATIC releases. Picture and sound are both reasonably good, format is original widescreen, and the subtitles are clear, well-placed, and well-paced. The Cantonese and Mandarin audio tracks are both included. The English dubbed version is included as a special feature. Other special features include an interesting audio commentary (albeit it from a somewhat annoying and occasionally sarcastic commentator) and a few trailers. Nothing exceptionally mind-blowing, but a worthwhile purchase for sure. See Amazon info for more technical details. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

4-Get contempo american action cinema, & look HERE!!!!
1st off I cannot stand what is considered by Hollywood standards, the "typical summer action movie". Movies that believe themselves to be so cool and suave, but in reality are crap. 2 films come to mind, Tomb Raider and the Matrix. Both of those flix really try to be cool, with their dark glasses, crazy effects, and big guns. What did I see? Garbage. So you want to escape from those types of boredom? Seek out Tsui Harks films, like this one. Plenty of charisma, wonderful action, suspense, bits of comedy tossed in too filled this movie. The firefight/rapelling off the apartment complex was insane, as was the shootout in the mall. Cameras and bullets are all flying about, chaos insues, and I am laughing my butt off in the theatre with like 10 other people who knew we were on to something special. If this comes to your town, please skip everything else and enjoy this film, there is nothing like a strong Hong Kong action film. No filler, no Keanu, no Jolie. Straight up and simple. Easily worth my $7.75.

Don't waste your time
The movie tried but it failed in my eyes. I gave it a chance, tried to follow what was going on and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to turn it off not baring to watch the last 30 minutes of this movie. It started off pretty good but then it get so choppy you have no clue what is going on and I missed the connection with the characters over all because the movie was taking me down a path I didn't enjoy. What was missing is WHY were all these people here? What was up with the one guy speaking english and spanish? Who was he and what was the point of him being there? Now I tend not to think during movies and enjoy them for what they are, just to let myself get swept away into a different place for a great experience but this movie failed to do it for me.

Don't get me wrong, I love movies like this, I loved such brilliant movies as Eat Drink Man Woman, Bangkok Dangerous (2000), The Road Home to name a few. I'm a sucker for asian/foreign films. If I was choosing a movie just based on how beautiful everyone was, then yeah the only reason I'd chose this film, that is all it has to offer anyone. Disapointed. Just seemed a lot of things were cut out and should have been explained so to keep people hooked and wanting to find out what happens. Just this didn't do it for me and is one I wouldn't recomend to anyone. Looking for a better movie? Check out Bangkok Dangerous (2000), the guys are hot, the plot is great and the action is sizzling. I'm still looking for films that will woo me, this one just didn't do it.

In final thoughts, I would have given this movie 1 star, but I gave this film an extra star for its effort in trying to be good.

A totally amazing film with a myriad of new things
I had to watch this twice to follow the plot, but it is an amazing film. Most directors put in some one new thing in a film (the amazing car chasing an el train in The French Connection, the first going the wrong way on a freeway chase in To Live and Die in LA, and so on), but Tsui Hark puts in some half a dozen new things in this one film instead of parceling them out over several films. A really great film.

Sad, very sad!
What a disapointment! Hark Tsui used to be my favorite HK movie maker. Both the script & the visual part are negligible here. How come a movie made in 2000 is worse than those made 20 years ago? I am giving up Hark Tsui and HK action movies.
Sad, very sad. Farewell, Hark Tsui!

Tsui Hark- What happened man?
Tsui Hark, what happened to you man? You did great action stuff with Jet Li and other famous HK stars. You did a great "Zu (original)".. then you started doing pure gutter junk like the "Legend of Zu" and this garbage.

How the mightly have fallen...

NOT RECOMMENDED. Classic run-of-the-mill drama-action junk. Forgettable in every way possible.

If you like Tsui, check him out in "Police Assassins/Yes Madam". ... Read more

Amazon.com

The third installment in the Aces series, released in 1984, is a labored James Bond spoof, hysterically beating a horse that was already long dead. There are cameos by 007 and Oddjob lookalikes, by Peter Graves, and even by '80s thug icon Richard "Jaws" Kiel. The so-called plot involves thieves posing as British secret agents, in order to trick master cat burglar King Kong (Sam Hui) into stealing the British crown jewels. Director Tsui Hark serves up one elaborate and satisfying high-tech heist sequence, and a lot of strenuous physical comedy, the best of it featuring Sylvia Chang, a wonderfully animated performer. When Tsui cuts loose during the action scenes, the energy level goes through the roof; no filmmaker in HongKong, or just about anywhere else, sets a more infectious breakneck pace. A dubbed version was released by Thorn-EMI in the 1980s under the title Mad Missions III. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A truly funny and innovative bond/mission impossible spoof
I have been trying to get a copy of this movie for at least 15 years now and the fact that it is now coming out on DVD is why I love this format . The movie is a funny spoof of spy movies with amazing action and truly one of a kind gadgets . The series also has a famous villian in every installment , in this one it is sean connery as james bond (or at least a lookalike) . Also Peter Graves (the real one) appears as his mission impossible character . This movie is for kids and adults alike and especially for fans of spys and gadgets . I won't be buying it but only because I am buying the whole collection .

SEE THIS MOVIE NOW!!!!
This is some of the funniest stuff I've ever seen going on in this flick. Tons of surprises and unexpected stuff happens. This ranks up there with Airplane and Naked Gun. If you want a plot skip this but if you want comedy see this. Now if I can only find a copy of the other mad missions... ... Read more

Amazon.com

A prequel, set in Saigon during the fall, and the weakest link in the trilogy, unacceptably restrained in both action and emotion. Chow Yun-fat plays a younger version of Mark, his original character, a hesitant young man digging for his roots in Vietnam, which was also Tsui's birthplace, and we get to watch him assemble his totemic trappings: the duster overcoat, the French shades, the twin .45s. The surprise is that he gets most of them from a torchy dame played by Anita Mui (the seductive singing ghost from Rouge), who's a more-than-worthy high-noir love object. She can perforate miscreants with the best of them. (John Woo wrote the original script, only to be supplanted as director by his boss and supposed pal, Mr. Tsui; much of Woo's original material ended up in his later magnum opus Bullet in the Head.) --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Mediocre Chow.
If you expect another shootout-fest like ABT2, you're in for a big disapointment. Tsui Hark took over from Woo alright, but unfortunately he overdid the family values thing. This overlong film is more Drama than Action. That would be OK for any other film, but definetely *NOT* for the ABT series. If you want to see Yun Fat kick major behind in Vietnam, chose the superior "Bullet In The Head". And btw, Tsui Hark did much better with "Peking Opera Blues". Come to think of it, this is probably his worst movie ever as a director. Still, it is not a bad film, but 25 minutes too long and somewhat overwrought.

BETTER TOMORROW III
I OWN ALL OF THE BETTER TOMORROW SERIES, ANY CHOW YUN FAT FAN WOULD NOT OWN JUST ONE, THEY FIT TOGETHER, BUT BETTER TOMORROW III IS MY FAVORITE OF THE THREE. THERE IS A GREAT LOVE STORY, QUITE UNLIKE 1 AND 2(THOUGH THEY ARE REALLY GREAT MOVIES). ONE OF CHOW'S BEST PERFORMANCES. THE LAST SCENE OF THE MOVIE HAS ME IN TEARS NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I WATCH IT. A MUST HAVE!!

not the best, but a classic none the less
As a fairly big Chow Yun-Fat fan I'd have to say this is my least favorite. I think it's a lack of John Woo. The story never really caught my attention like the first two. Even thought there was more of a love sceen for Chow Yun-Fat, I don't think it showed enough of his passion as did this first one, or even the second one. if you have the first two, or even one you have to buy this movie, just to keep the collection together.

hmmm ??
Now, better tomorrow series made people all over asia bowing down to chow yun fat as he played as mark. a smooth, laid back gangsta cappin everyone...

However, this one was the worst out of the series. unique storylines.....but actions were so weak, it's like chow yun fat's old movies has more actions and better storylines...

but stil...u gota respect better tomorrow series...they are true classics

Exceptional HK gangster film
This is an exceptional HK gangster film, and is far superior to the previous film in the series, part II. It rivals the original film in emotional content and quality.

Tsui Hark is the Steven Spielberg of Hong Kong (equally famous in Asia as a producer, director, and writer -- and quite varied in genre) and this film ranks among his best work. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Such Wit!
This is a witty team that should go in the record books: Van Damme (deity) and Dennis Rodman (no ability). You might think this movie is awful and hideous, but it's truly a comical look about an action star kicking major stern as usual and a basketball player trying to be an action star. No, basketball players should stick to playing basketball or in this case, cross-dressing. Van Damme carries the ball 'n chain in this movie and makes it work, as expected. He fought a buffed out Mickey Rourke, a man with a knife in his toes and a tiger! Heroism! He was an agent who started fresh with a new agency and had to look for Stavros (Rourke). Rodman got in the way too much and actually made an airball. Terrible. Van Damme made fun of him and his hair, 'who does it? Siegfried or Roy?' Pure hilarity. Go Van Damme, don't take any garbage from that creature. Yes! A rare comedic performance from a deity.

Cool movie, but not the best action film, but the mote fun.
Not the best action movie made in the U.S. by a Hong Kong director, but not worst on the other hand. Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a covert agent or wath ever who is set to this top-secret island facility called "the colony" were he escapes, then hunts down a terrorist (Mickey Rourke) with the help of a weapons expert (Dennis Rodman), and the film goes on and on and on. The best scene is with Van Damme fighting Xiong Xin-Xin. This film is does something, but it is too hard to say in words.

1997. RCA. 93 MINS.

Rated R for Nonstop Action Violence.

Rodman? What did he do do throw basketballs?
Naw, Jean-claude could have done this movie by himself. Rodman needs to stick to basketball.

One of Van Damnes best
This was one of Van Damnes best, he joins forces with Dennis Rodman, what a team.Even though he didnt fight in a competition,the movie was really good.Alot of explosives and stunts, my fav part of the movie is when hes hanging from the airplane now that cool.

a slam banging Van Damme..no wait...this aint good at all
one of the worst Van Damme movies of all time, this one and Derailed and Replicant and K