Drunken Master II

Drunken Master II (Jui Kuen II) (1994)

Runtime: 102 minutes

Directed by: Lau Kar-leung

Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Ti Lung, Leung, Andy Lau

From: Golden Harvest

This is yet another entry in the “messageboard discussion spurned this viewing” category. There was high praise for this picture; as I enjoy the first film yet had never tackled this before… regrettably the copy available for rental on Prime is the English dub but alas. Even in that form the movie is a delight.

It’s rather loosely based on an actual early 20th century Cantonese hero Wong Fei-hei. To simplify, the British consul is attempting to smuggle Chinese artifacts out of the country. Wong’s dad is a pacifist while mom and Wong himself would rather fight against those foreigners in the country. This is a sequel in name only to the first Drunken Master; the only similarities are that it’s an action-comedy where Chan is a master at drunken boxing when he is intoxicated.

I still enjoy visiting & revisiting Jackie Chan movies. This is despite the hearsay that he’s a “stooge for the Chinese government” and due to reasons best not explained by me here, he’s not someone I would want for a father. As an action star inspired by the silent movies of old, I’ll always be down for viewing many of his Hong Kong movies and some of his Hollywood work. Naturally, what genre fans are interested in: the quality of the action setpieces and the brawls. It’s the typical Chan action, full of creativity and humor; it was masterfully directed & choreographed by Lau Kar-leung.

As Anita Mui was utterly delightful as Wong’s stepmother-a distinction necessary as she is younger than Chan-a menacing fishmonger (probably the only time I’ll utter such a phrase) and the extended action finale is incredible, Drunken Master II was utterly delightful.