While it seems that everyone loves Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I can certainly see some people being put off by the sheer pretentiousness of it all. Some folks just want an entertaining flick that you don't have to dwell on for awhile to get the full message. A film with some similar elements but much more light-hearted in tone is the 1993 Jet Li flick Fong Sai Yuk (just released on video in the USA as The Legend).
This film follows the adventures of (who else?) Fong Sai Yuk who, like the more well-known Wong Fei Hung, is a legendary Chinese folk hero. Sai Yuk (portrayed by Jet "I use more wires than Dolly Parton's bra" Li) is a mischievous youth who spends his time getting into trouble that his parents often have to pull him out of. His mother (Josephine Siao), who is as excellent at kung-fu as Sai Yuk himself is, tends to cover for him because Sai Yuk's father is a strict, honorable man who disapproves of Sai Yuk's shenanigans.
At this point, kung-fu fans are no doubt thinking "Hey, JavaDevil, this doesn't sound like Crouching Tiger! It sounds like a Drunken Master 2 ripoff!" Okay, you're right. But DM 2 (aka The Legend Of Drunken Master) was made in 1994 whereas Fong Sai Yuk was made in 1993! Josephine Siao's excellent comedic performance here is even echoed by Anita Mui's in the later film.
Back to the story, one day Fong meets a damsel in distress, helps her out, and a spark or two seems to fly between them but they eventually have to part ways and go back to their own busy lives. Later, a government official decides to hold a contest: whoever can beat his wife (Sibelle Hu) in a one-on-one martial arts battle will win the hand of his daughter Ting Ting (Michelle Reis) in marriage. Fong Sai Yuk, more eager to prove his prowess in combat than he is to marry anyone, enters into the game. Although the official's wife is a very formidable opponent, Sai Yuk very nearly wins only to throw the fight when he gets a glimpse of the prize herself. There's also a subplot involving a governor's (Chiu Man-Cheuk from Blacksheep Affair) search for a list containing the names of the members of a revolutionary group known as the Red Lotus Society, who want to overthrow the Emperor. It's not surprising when this tiny thread eventually becomes the main thrust of the plot itself.
Now, Fong Sai Yuk is a refreshing film that doesn't take itself very seriously. Comedy abounds, usually in the form of almost sitcom-esque scenarios such as the one where Fong Sai Yuk's mother crossdresses as a man and fights Ting Ting's mother to bring honor back to the family after Sai Yuk threw his fight. Ting Ting's mom, however, falls in love with Sai Yuk's mom during this new encounter, leading to some silly (and even touching) moments. Once again, Josephine Siao as Sai Yuk's mother is the scene-stealer. She positively shines and hits exactly the right notes. I'd pay to see a movie about her character. And there's one or two Hong Kong film injokes, like when Fong Sai Yuk uses the alias "Wong Jing" to evade guards.
Fong Sai Yuk is also chock full of action. There are 5 or 6 major fight sequences using wire-fu (which makes it appear as if the fighters can hover and even fly through the air). This is used to very good effect. I'm more impressed with the fight scenes in this movie than in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. These are very elaborate hunks of choreography that go on for lengthy periods of time. Kudos go to director Corey Yuen and fight director Tak Yuen. Although there are many moments where you can see the wires suspending the performers themselves, this just fits into the amusing atmosphere of the film. Check out the part where Fong Sai Yuk and Ting Ting's mom actually have to stand on top of other people in the crowd during their battle. That's exhilarating and amusing.
If you're watching the American release of this movie, The Legend, take what I said above and throw in the decent English dubbing and the mediocre synthesized soundtrack (why do they always have to replace the original Chinese music in these official USA releases when it would cost less to simply keep it in???). I should also note that despite the great climactic showdown, the main plot isn't really resolved by the end of the film. That's because they made a sequel, Fong Sai Yuk 2 (aka The Legend 2), that ties things up. It's almost as much fun as this first film is and well-worth hunting down. A cool pair of movies for fans of wuxia-style kung-fu.
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