MovieChat Forums > Kung fu (2005) Discussion > actually this is a mediocre movie

actually this is a mediocre movie

posted 14 years ago by whoji
48 replies | jump to latest

First of all. I am a Chinese and understand both Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese.

Let me tell you folks here. Most Chinese people will give this movie a bad score. at most mediocre, like 6 out of 10. Most if not all of my chinese friends (some from HK and some from mainland) will think this moive is a huge let down. Not comparable to some earlier Chow's movies in 90s.

I am surprised to find out that this movie is actually well received in foreign region. maybe it's due to cultural difference.

Another movie actually very bad is also well received is "Red Cliff". Most Chinese ppl will give it a 3/10 score. I noticed some fans in US call Red Cliff epic and compare it to LOTR. actually the dialogues is very cheesy and so modern-feel.

anyway, just to point out. i am glad knowing you people like hong kong or chinese movie

[–] c_demon0 14 years ago

what a strange thing to say... just because you're chinese, doesn't mean you can judge this film more objectively.
i too have seen many of stephen chow's ("djow-shing-chrrr" as you say in china)earlier films. some are good (The Magnificent Scoundrels) and some are plain awful (The Mad Monk). some in the middle (king of comedy).
i can say without a shaddow of a doubt that not only is kung fu hustle the best chow movie, its also probably the best chinese movie i have ever seen, and as i live in china and am a massive movie fan, i've seen a lot.

"I've seen your light. It burns bright forever. No more blue tomorrows... you on high now."

[–] darkmorph 14 years ago

lol, this guy tries way too hard. Get the hell outta here with your "most Chinese people will give it a 3/10". If you are indeed Chinese, sounds like you're just being insecure. Like when a hot girl makes a video saying she's ugly and fishes for compliments.

[–] whoji 14 years ago

I don't actually got what you mean though i definitely sense the negativity and hostility. and by the way 3/10 is for Red Cliff not kung fu.

[–] Vforvendetta200 10 years ago

I've seen other posts, supposedly from China, about similar stuff. Like when we find a Chinese actress attractive, there's always gonna be someone claiming that they're not considered attractive by Chinese standards, and we're supposed to take their opinion as fact because they happen to be from China.

At the edge of our hope, we have chosen to believe in each other

[–] whoji 14 years ago

Hey people,

I (OP) just showed something here I think is an interesting topic (I thought you folks also will find it interesting) that how a same chinese movie perceived/received so differently by chinese and foreigners.

I just find it confusing and interesting. and I just can not keep slience when i saw such a high rate.
I believe you people will do the same thing and say something if you saw godfather or starwar rated very low on a chinese movie site, right ?

[–] darkmorph 14 years ago

The problem with your topic is that you put too much emphasis on yourself being Chinese and your claim that most Chinese people would rate said movies poorly. There are over 1 billion Chinese, what do you know? Does being Chinese give you a mental link with all the other Chinese to know that they would give Kung Fu a 6/10 and Red Cliff a 3/10? Other than that, nobody cares that you don't like the movie. You're not first person to come here to trash the movie and you're certainly not going to be the last person to do so either. If you don't like the movie, so be it, but don't try pass off your judgement as being extra good because your Chinese, and certainly do not claim that your opinion is shared by most Chinese.

I don't know what your getting at by comparing this situation to Chinese reviews of Western movies. Though, I don't see white people making special emphasis on being white to try to convince Chinese people that their movies don't deserve high reviews and at the same time, try to speak for all white people.

[–] balehead74 14 years ago

I suppose you have a point when you say it has to do with cultural differences. Perhaps I would find a tired Disney movie hilariously funny, too, if I wasn't so sick and tired of their clichés. To me, Kung Fu Hustle was completely new, and surprised me so many times that I couldn't help but loving it.

[–] playdoh_please 14 years ago

First of all, I'm also chinese and understand both Mandarin and Cantonese.

Regardless, I still enjoyed this movie to bits.

Thing is, the reception of Shaolin Soccer was pretty incredible in foreign countries. And so it was almost logical for Stephen Chow's second movie to adopt the same stylistics and humour.

His target audience was not China, but everyone else. It sure worked out well in the end anyway.

[–] samuel-84 14 years ago

There are over 1 billion Chinese people and feel you may be generalizing too much. I can't get 20 of my friends to agree on a movie :-) and wouldn't dare comment for a nation.

What I did find interesting is that you commented on his earlier work. Could you point me at some of his other good work.

Thanks

[–] whitemule17 14 years ago

This movie won multiple awards, including Best Picture, at both the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards, both major Chinese cinema awards ceremony. It is a bit of a stretch to say "most" Chinese people don't like this movie.

"Misfits following a misfit, in hopes of rescuing...a misfit."

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Siew86 14 years ago

I am also a chinese. And I think Kung fu Hustle is Stephen Chow best movie. I didn't like it few years ago when I first saw it.

I watched it again yesterday and found that Stephen Chow actually wanted to do something different, something we never seen before in his movie.

He did it. I love the style, the plot, the fighting, his acting in this movie. It's different but better~