Kung Fu Hustle

Stephen Chow must have been a nightmare for his parents. I can just imagine him as a kid bouncing off the walls. That's certainly his directing style and it makes for a really entertaining film. Yes, it's very silly and there will be some dunderheads who won't be able to get past this or *shock*, the subtitles. But anyone with the savvy to persist will be rewarded with a hugely, er, rewarding film that has some of the best action and visuals I've seen in the past few years. It's just like a Roadrunner cartoon crossed with The Matrix. And the best parts of both at that (those later Roadrunner toons lost the plot once he started 'Meep-Meeping' with that Architect fella). Above all though it's just bleeding good fun watching a bizarre selection of odd characters (the camp shower ring man being my favourite) in a series of frenetic, 'throw the kitchen sink at each other' battles.

I think that Chow was going to direct the forthcoming 'Green Hornet' comic book adaptation. It's a desperate shame that fell apart as I'd love to see what he could do with a few million dollars of Hollywood's cash. If he keeps on making crazy Hong Kong films though that'll do me. Oh and while the World Cup's still on, you should try and track down 'Shaolin Soccer' too. Kapow.