MovieChat Forums > Jung wa ying hong (1999) Discussion > Holy Uber-Chinese nationalism!

Holy Uber-Chinese nationalism!

posted 18 years ago by Inu_Ranma
4 replies | jump to latest

Definitely neither a bad wire-effects movie nor a the worst example I've seen but WOW. A Chinese character, fulfilling classic chinese tragedy defeats the Japanese and American (two long-time non-friends of China) in their prime examples (the cowboy and the ninja) in an oppressed American-Chinese neighborhood in New York, destroying symbols of America and Japan profusely along the way. Wow. :p

This is notwithstanding the 'typical' American and Japanese sayings as well as the general happy goodness of every single Chinese character in the film and the general shortcoming of every non-Chinese character in the film (save, perhaps, Mu, though that's dubious at best).

Either way, enjoyed the film as a whole. Straight 5/10 for certain scenes which were meant to be probably dramatic but just came off as funny.

[–] Aluacard 17 years ago

I'm so glad I'm not the only one to notice this.

A totally racist movie.

[–] megamixx 16 years ago

Yeah, tell me about it. I didn't realize that the stereotypes were so broad, but now I see it. I got quite sick of them saying stuff like "All Chinese stick together" so often...I was like "we get it already!!"

Ekin Cheng is my favorite actor, and the movie as a whole was pretty decent IMO.

[–] Ronin Aquila 16 years ago

Well, IF the Klan DIDN'T lynch the Chinese when we tried to entitle ourselves to the opportunities of America's SUPPOSED equality, we wouldn't have a reason to still be mad, would we?

If the Klan had their way, we Asians would be wiped off the planet. Oh, but not before they take what they need from us. Don't believe me; go down to downtown Melbourne of Australia and you'll lose count of the dizzying number of "Kung Fu Skinheads" who boast white superiority yet still practicing our Warrior Arts.

Overall, an honest and highly realistic portrayal of white racism towards Asians in the Early 20th century.

[–] cliff_niblr031 12 years ago

Agreed Ronin.

It's like people who watch the film Malcolm X and get all pissy about how African Americans are standing up to defend themselves during a very turbulent time. Or watch Dances with Wolves and side with the Union soldiers. Or watch a crappy film like Pearl Harbor (I know, really bad example in this thread) and start hating on the Japanese when many of the viewers weren't even born during that time.

People (mostly whites) are gonna view these films through the lense of their own prejudices and biases. If you're the type of person who can watch a foreign made film and get all upset and bent out of shape when they display some pride in their nationality, then what's the difference when American made films constantly shove people's noses in this whole notion of the U.S. is number one?

Americans love to chant "USA! USA!" with these giant foam hands with the number one on it, but seem to be oblivious to the fact the U.S. is 7th in literacy, 26 in math and science, has one of the highest infant mortality rates of all the industrialized nations on Earth. Nothing to be proud of there.

The things that the U.S. does lead the world: the U.S. has the highest incarcerated persons per capita than all the other industrialized nations, has more gun violence, executes more people, and over 70% of the U.S. population believe in angels.

So, before anyone can criticize this film for being "racist" they need to check their own prejudices at the door.