New Legend of Shaolin by Wong Jing (Review)

What film festival would be complete without a manic kung fu flick? And New Legend of Shaolin is about as manic and crazy as they get. The always wonderful Jet Li stars as Hung Key-Kwan, a Shaolin master who travels, Lone Wolf and Cub-style, with his young son, Man Ting.

While serving as a bodyguard for a wealthy man, Hung gets involved in a plot to recover a cache of gold to fund a rebellion against the corrupt government. He also crosses paths with Red Bean and Notorious Mother, a mother and daughter team who specialize in robbing from rich men, and have come to rob Hung’s current master. And then there’s Hung’s arch-foe, a former enemy who has returned from the dead as an invincible, melting monster who rides around in a silver chariot-like device.

I know there’s stuff I’m leaving out, but there’s so much going on in this film at any one given time that it’s easy to miss some things. At times, it’s too crazy. Li is awesome as the stoic Hung, who’s about as bad a mofo as you’re like to see. Unfortunately, the film delves into crazy Shaolin kid hijinks (which just get stupid after awhile), and Red Bean and Notorious Mother ham up precious screen time that could’ve been devoted to Hung’s bad mofo-ness.

Still, if you’re looking for a kung fu film that will dazzle your senses and blow your mind with it’s insane action sequences, wire stunts, and complete lack of coherence (and obedience to the laws of physics), New Legend of Shaolin is for you.