Once Upon a Time in China - Wire Fu Kicks Ass... Literally!

Alright action junkies, MikeCinema back at ya! Just re-watched "Once Upon a Time in China" (the first one, duh) and man, still holds up! Okay, so the story about Wong Fei-Hung (Jet Li at his absolute PEAK!) fighting off those pesky foreigners trying to muscle in on China isn't exactly groundbreaking, but who cares when the fight choreography is this INSANE?! Seriously, Yuen Woo-ping (the action director GOAT, imo) just went nuts. All the wire work is so damn creative. The ladder fight with Iron Rob is legendary, pure and simple. And when Leung Foon (Yuen Biao) is dodging bullets in the theater, jumping from seat to seat - you gotta love it! Some of the stuff is over-the-top even for me (like Wong Fei-Hung's no shadow kick!), but it's all so stylish and energetic that you can't help but grin. I think the director is Tsui Hark? Anyway, respect! It's got some goofy moments, espcially with the comedy relief characters - Bucktooth So is kinda annoying if I'm being honest - but the core action is just so good. Plus, the nationalistic pride vibe is pretty strong, which I usually find kinda corny, but in this case, it mostly works because it's played straight. Yeah, it's a bit dated in some ways, and Jet Li probably needed a nap after all those takes, but if you're a fan of martial arts flicks, practical stunts, or just want to see Jet Li kicking serious butt, give "Once Upon a Time in China" a spin. You won't regret it!