I'm really not a fan of these types of movies. The plot was so weak I could barely identify it until the end, and it was just too over-the-top for me to enjoy it much.

This action comedy from Hong Kong is set in the thirties and gangs, particularly the Axe Gang dominate. Usually such gangs ignore the poor as they have nothing worth stealing and no money to extort. That changes when two wannabe gangsters, Sing and his friend Bone, start trying to intimidate the poor inhabitants of Pig Sty Alley while claiming to be members of the Axe Gang. It is immediately obvious that they have picked on the wrong neighbourhood and they are chased off. Soon the real Axe Gang turn up hoping repair damage to their reputation; they don't know there are many old martial arts masters living there and they too are beaten. After that they bring in assassins; including The Beast; reportedly the most dangerous man in the world! By now Sing is with the gang but will he remain with them or will he become the protector of the helpless he dreamt of being as a child?If you like your kung fu action to feel at least a little bit realistic you might be disappointed but if you want a good laugh and really over-the-top action then this film is a delight. The action is a mix of standard, 'slightly exaggerated' martial arts, kung fu that is more like a superpower and a ridiculously sped up chase. The characters are a lot of fun; most notably the landlady and her husband, Sing and The Beast. The cast does a solid job; the situations may be comic and the characters over the top but they are played straighter than one might expect. Most of the comedy worked for me, although I must admit the speeded up chase was a little too silly for my taste. There are also quite a few references to other films such as 'The Shining' and 'The Matrix'. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody who likes good slapstick comedy combined with exciting martial arts action.

A vicious axe-wielding Chinese gang attempts to intimidate the working class residents of a housing complex, but are unprepared for the kung fu skills of not only the residents, but their sullen landlord and landlady in this offbeat action comedy. Not only is the fight choreography impressive, the battles become more insane (in the best possible way) as the movie progresses, with mind-blowing special effects as all concerned perform stunts as if they are Keanu Reeves in 'The Matrix'. It is an incredibly funny film too, with the best moments had by a deadpan Qiu Yuen as the no-nonsense landlady with a gift for speed. Not all of the humour works with some silly stereotype supporting characters, but there is a lot of fun to be had in the wannabe gangster character that director Stephen Chow has written for himself, comically stabbed multiple times by his own knives at one point (!). Throw in a fun reference to 'The Shining' and camera-work that never sits stills and this is a pretty appealing concoction. The character arc of Chow's character leaves a little to be desired, but this a film in which the images reign supreme over the story. There is a delightful weirdness to all the axe-wielding gang members running about in top hats and tuxedos/suits and Qiu Yen's kung fu powers turn her into the very epitome of a moody landlady who you don't want to mess with.

Kung Fu Hustle is pretty much what you'd get if you took the most outlandish martial arts anime and turned it into a live action movie. And it is amazing! Everyone, and I mean everyone knows kung fu, the stunts and powers get crazier and crazier with each fight, the bad guys are sleek beyond believe, the good guys are humble and hardworking, the music accompanies everything perfectly and luckily the special effects can keep up with all this madness.What really makes this film work, though, is the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a comedy at its heart, gently mocking and parodying the kung fu movies and anime series that have so clearly inspired it, yet at the same time it pays homage to them. It respects its genre and it shows. But, in the end, it's here to have some fun, which is great, because it'd be so easy for a movie such as this to be unbearable if it tried to have you buy all of its outlandishness as a straight up action.The actors are also very talented, beautifully straddling the line of being just badass enough to be taken seriously and still lighthearted enough to garner the laughs needed. Special mention to Stephen Chow as Sing, the cowardly main character, and Qiu Yuen as the frumpy landlady that holds the whole block in terror under her dainty slipper shoe.Kung Fu Hustle is over the top, it's ridiculous, it's loud and bombastic, it's unbelievable, it's funny and groan-inducing. And for what it is, it's absolutely perfect.