Last Hero in China (1993) User Reviews

New entry of ¨Last hero in China¨ with the mythical figure ¨ Wong Fei-hung¨, well performed by Jet Li

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 30 October 2007]

This film produced by mythic Golden Harvest is based on a legendary Chinese character : Wong Fei-hung, basic figure in the Chinese folklore. He was a famous practicing of ¨Hung gar Kung Fu¨and ¨Tai Chi¨ and his character served as starring in various film from art martial history. Here is well played by Jet Li, Wong has changed his art- martial school in Canton but results he has just moved near a brothel. Wong is worried and a prostitutes attempt to lure him. Soon he's fighting exaggerated nasties, corrupts authorities, judge and a monks from a weird temple dedicated to slave-trading where are kidnapped beautiful girls for human traffic. Meanwhile, Wong is poisoned and turned deaf but is healed by acupuncture by a traveling artists. Ultimately, there take place the parade the lion against centipede dance-fight with a spectacular and breathtaking struggle with hyperbolic Kung Fu, plenty of kicks, bounds and leaps.

The Wong character, both a doctor and professor of martial art, served as starring in various movies from arts-martial cinema history. Wong figure reflects the Chinese cultural identity facing foreigner invasion that submitted China, especially during XIX century (Boxers war, Opium war). Wong was played by Jet Li in six occasions, and appears in the Jackie Chan's ¨Drunken master¨films, besides appears as secondary character in the new version of ¨Iron Monkey¨ also titled ¨Wong Fei Hung¨ with Donnie Yen. Here, Jet Li reprise splendidly his role who became him as a real star in Asian markets . Li is the biggest Asian movie star after Jackie Chan, he won Chinese national championship in the acrobatic martial art, Wushu. Jet Li, lights in his fighting , using Kung Fu special slicks : drunken boxing, tiger or crane technical though many confronting are filmed with goofy humor and silly comedy. The fights are choreographed by means of cables by Woo- Yuen Ping, author of choreography of hits as Fearless, Kunfu hustle, Danny the dog, Kill Bill and Matrix, among others.

You will BELIEVE a centipede can somersault sideways!!

[sarastro7 · 8/10 · 5 January 2005]

My introduction to kung fu movies was Jet Li's "Fong Sai Yuk", which blew me away, and I'm happy to say that "The Last Hero In China" is every bit as great as the former. Lots of good jokes (incl. bad guys with infectious fits of hysterical laughter), lots of impressive fighting - even if it's wire-aided -, lots of enjoyable acting, and an uproarious climactic fight scene at the end; rooster vs. centipede!

The story, starring the legendary kung fu doctor, Wong Fei-Hung, is an old-fashioned romp which is perfectly suited to Jet Li's acting talent and charisma. The rooster costume he dons at the end, and the fighting style he invents, are hilariously entertaining, and he pulls it off with flying colors. This is the sort of thing Jet Li does best.

8 out of 10.

Jet Li plays a comic Wong Fei-Hung

[el_nickster · 8/10 · 27 February 2004]

There are two reasons to see this movie: (1) the fighting is quite good, and (2) the translation is good enough that English-speakers will get the jokes.

This is a comic digression from the "Once Upon a Time in China" series. Jet Li again plays Master Wong. He is down on his luck, and so moves to Hong Kong to open a school in a run-down neighborhood. The austere and dignified Master Wong tries to protect his randy students from the corrupting influence of the brothel next-door, while investigating a gang of perverted Shoalin monks who have been abducting young women. In one great fighting scene, Master Wong is so disdainful of a convict with whom he is fighting that he refuses to stand up from his chair to defend himself (instead he conducts the whole fight with his butt in the chair).

A hilarious and fun movie, if about 10% too long.

Up there with Fist of Legend

[shuban · 16 December 2000]

This film is amazing. The choreography work by Yuen Woo Ping is simply breath taking. Gnong Kau Chai as Legate Officer Lui in my view steals the film as possibly the best bad guy ever. His maniacal laughter and dialogue is but one of many good things in this film, another of which is Jet Li's gracious and best performance as Wong Fei Hung. Tak-Hing Kwan who for so many films had played the same character could feel as if he has successfully passed on his mantle to Li. The comic aspects of the film elevate this from Li's other films as Wong Fei Hung. The use of Wong's theme song ("Under the General's Orders") is my favourite thing about the film, especially when used by the hookers whose brothel is nest to Po Chee Lam (Wong Fei Hung's martial arts school). In a year in which Li made Fong Sai Yuk 1 and 2, Tai Chi Master. If Jet Li was a fine wine people would say 1993 was en excellent year.

Witty and full of action! 6/10

[leonblackwood · 6/10 · 6 December 2014]

Review: I quite enjoyed this funny authentic movie about a monk whose investigating the mysterious disappearance of girls in his village. With the help of some of the people in his Kung Fu class and a brothel owner, don't ask, they find out that there is much more going on in there village then they expected. For a person that doesn't like subtitles, I actually didn't mind reading the well put together script which was witty and full of twists and turns. It's not very often that you see Buddha monks living next to a brothel in a authentic oriental movie and the different characters made the film funny and a joy to watch. Once again, the flying fighting scenes spoil the action, but after watching a few Jet Li movies, I'm kind of getting use to it now. Enjoyable!

Round-Up: One of the things that made me laugh in this film was when they were fighting and naming the styles that they were using. It really reminded me of the old Kung Fu movies that I used to watch when I was young. I didn't get the point of the corrupt police officer who kept on laughing all of the time or why they were feeding people a deaf drug but maybe I missed some of the plot whilst reading the subtitles. Anyway, it's definitely worth a watch if your into movies in this genre.

Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: HK$18million

I recommend this movie to people who are into their Jet Li movies about a Buddha monk whose investigating the mysterious disappearance of girls in his village. 6/10

Idiosyncratic spin on a legend

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 8 December 2018]

LAST HERO IN CHINA is Wong Jing's typically idiosyncratic spin on the Wong Fei Hung legend. Once again Jet Li returns to the role which he's most famous for - and he must have played the guy seemingly dozens of times in the 1990s - but the plot is broader than ever, drawing together disparate elements including a discreet brothel, the Boxer Rebellion, rebellious kung fu masters, sidekicks, conspiracy, kung fu students, competitions, and hot-headed young women. The film is a wirework-heavy frenzy of broad comedy and frenetic action sequences in which the characters rarely obey the laws of physics in order to pull off their next crazy move. A wealth of martial arts talent keeps this constantly entertaining, with supporting roles for the beloved 'Beardy' and comedian Natalis Chan, alongside the legendary Gordon Liu in a guest role as a villain. The dragon dance material is very well shot and the climactic chicken vs. centipede battle is something you'll never have seen before.

Wong Jing makes a Wong Fei Hung movie

[dworldeater · 7/10 · 25 November 2018]

The Last Hero In China is a movie vehicle for Jet Li. He once again returns as Chinese folk hero Dr. Wong Fei Hung, but does so with in a Wong Jing production, which means this won't be taken too seriously as a film and there will be lots of dumb jokes and slapstick. However, The Last Hero In China will not qualify as a highbrow , artistic martial arts film, I still found this to be quite enjoyable for what it is and I found the film as a whole to quite hilarious and insane. This kung fu romp has our good doctor move his school to a poor neighborhood, which Wong Fei Hung later learns is now next door neighbors to a brothel. However, he has bigger problems as he must contend with corrupt officials and rogue Shaolin monks kidnapping local girls and forcing them into prostitution abroad. This sect is led by Gordon Lui and has awesome fights between him and Jet Li. The fight chroeography is top notch and no joke and staged by Yuen Woo Ping. The action is top tier and there is a whole lot of it. At this point Jet Li has played Wong Fei Hung several times and did really well both grounding and carrying the film. While Jet Li played it mostly straight, this is the only film you can see him in a chicken suit fighting guys in a centipede suit. While this lacks the class and artistry of Tsui Hark's Once Upon In China series, this is a lighter turn in the other direction and is good, off the wall entertainment with some 1st rate kung fu fight sequences.

Wong Jing's Once Upon a Time in China Spoof

[hayabusa-1 · 7/10 · 27 September 2006]

To completely understand what a comedic gem "the Last Hero in China" is you must first see Tsui Hark's "Once Upon a Time in China" series.

Wong Jing's version of the Wong Fei-Hung story takes everything from Tsui Hark's adaptation and turns it on its head in the most amusing of ways. A stark contrast to the somber and serious tones of OUATIC, "The Last Hero in China" is whimsical, farcical, and downright funny at times all without wasting the Kung Fu genius that is Yuen Woo Ping. If ever there was a movie that showcased the warped insane comedic mind of Wong Jing and the technical Kung Fu wizardry of Yuen Woo ping "The Last Hero in China" is the prototype example.

There are SO many reasons not to miss this film!

Jet Li as Wong Fei-Hung taking on Gordon Liu as the "perverted monk leader of a heresy". This is one of those fantasy matchups kids dream about like "who would win in a fight Superman or Batman?" and the verbal exchange between the two as the fight concludes is just hilarious.

Postitutes dancing and jiggling while singing their own parody of the Wong Fei-Hung theme song.

Officer Liu and his incessant maniacal laughing!

A pimp named "Mass Tar Wong"

Jet Li in his chicken outfit fighting "chicken style" with real chicken clucks dubbed in as our hero struts and poses like a chicken.

Jet Li's drunken boxing!!!!!!

This isn't another "Once Upon a Time in China" movie, but rather a send up of the series. Having seen that series directed by Tsui Hark, as well as other films directed by "The last Hero in China"'s Wong Jing will help you appreciate the humor in this movie so much more than just having seen it on its own.

"The Last Hero in China" is to "Once Upon a Time in China" as "Men in Tights" is to serious "Robin Hood" movies.

7 stars

Very very funny!!

[InzyWimzy · 10/10 · 2 July 2002]

Man, this has to be up there with Kung Fu Cult Master...

It's Jet Li as Wong Fei Hung with a twist....it's got a lot of laughs. There are a lot of characters in this one and with a guy named "Mr. Pimp", you can't help laughing! The overcrowded training scene in Po Chi Lam is so funny when this poor guy keeps getting accidentally knocked out of the dojo. Wong's students Fu and So (who really earns the name Bucktooth in this one) add levity and do some decent fighting too. The villain is hilarious with that classic evil laugh. Not to be missed, do not forget to see Jet's rooster style. C'mon, you know Jet Li is the man if he can do that scene and still looks hardcore.

Did I forget about the great fight scenes? (thanks to Yuen Woo Ping) See Jet take out a guy while seated in a chair!! Who else can take down three guys at once on only ONE jump?? Definitely watch the battle between Jet and kung fu great Gordon Liu (a passing of the torch). Cheung Man fights as well and is just great to look at.

Director Jing Wong knew what he was doing and this film definitely doesn't take itself too seriously. Add Jet Li, fights done by Yuen Woo Ping, Anita Yuen (whatta babe!), Cheung Man, and a lot of humor and you have one heck of a movie!!

Warning about "Deadly China Hero"

[gridoon · 1/10 · 15 May 2005]

First of all, I'd like to make it clear that I'm commenting on the "Deadly China Hero" version of this movie, which apparently is several minutes shorter than the "Last Hero In China" version. The latter may be a decent movie; the former is just as bad as "Kung Fu Cult Master", if not worse. No self-respecting adult can possibly enjoy this silly trash; no kid can possibly understand it. There is much more wire-fu than kung-fu here: when people are in the air, they either float or they go UP, not down. As for the plot, it's something about evil monks and kidnapped women and a mysterious temple and a lion-dancing vs. centipede-dancing contest...it's totally impossible to follow. Oh, and the picture quality is awful. I don't know about "Last Hero In China", but "Deadly China Hero" is a "zero stars" movie all the way.

Strangely out of line with the other Wong Fei Hong movies.

[EricYu · 8/10 · 18 February 1999]

I was surprised at this movie. It seemed so unlike all the other Wong Fei Hong movies starring Jet Li. There were several hilarious gags in the movie, really funny stuff, but I also had a real problem with the casting for the role of Fu. Why they chose somebody who isn't a young rascal like the character has typically been, instead going for someone who looks much older than Jet Li, is beyond me.

The kung fu in this movie is pretty good, but the movie itself is overly comic. It's good, but not what I was prepared for in a Wong Fei Hong movie.

Overly Complicated, Failed, Jokes, but a Quirky/Strong Final Act

[PartTimeCritic · 5/10 · 12 March 2023]

LAST HERO IN CHINA (C+) comes during an incredibly prolific stretch of films for Jet Li as depending on how you count it, this one of six or seven films he made for 1993 alone! Jet Li continues to play the role of local kung fu master Wong Fei-Hung, but this time outside of the Once Upon a Time in China series. This entry is written by Jing Wong and co-directed by Jing Wong and Yuen Woo-Ping. The basic concept is simple - the local temple is abducting and smuggling women and the corrupt government officials are in on it. Wong Fei-Hung and his students must stop it. The spin this time, and I expect this is from Jing Wong, is that Wong Fei-Hung has accidentally transplanted his growing school next to a brothel. Early in the film they try and mine some comedic set pieces from it but it all falls flat. After an initial run-in with the temple and the government officials, Fei-Hung is rendered deaf and he exiles himself to get better so he can return and defeat the evil powers. Believe it or not, it gets more complicated than that with lion dances and centipede enemies. The fight sequences are hit or miss with a lot of short undercranked sequences early on. The two stand out sequences here are a mid film fight between Jet Li and Gordon Liu that succeeds despite a lot of gimmicks and a strong two-part finale that see's Jet Li take on a centipede as a chicken (yes you read that right) and then get a very good one vs one fight with the film's main villain. A quirky but strong final act Redeems a mediocre film.

Humour adds spice to the too-serious violence

[pghenrik · 9/10 · 11 December 2004]

Refreshing Chinese style humour, new to me, worth dozens of predictable Hollywood "blockbusters", because this is something we don' see everyday. I'm ignorant about kung-fu movies, but happy to see something new. I read a review that criticised the ending. That is very strange because at the end the good fighting scenes and the refreshing absurdities are married.

Compared with recent Jackie Chan movies, the makers of this movie seem to have some pride. The choreography is artistic and both the added music and the music that comes with the plot work well. I don't think the producers said "Let's make another Jet Li movie."

very good comic/grotesque kung-fu movie wire-moves extravaganza

[r-c-s · 8/10 · 6 October 2007]

this movie is very easy & nice to watch, bringing the parody/comic moments to the forefront, reaching grotesque levels at times. Won Fei Hung, the level headed virtuous master, is entrusted the leadership of some civic group on the ground of his unbridled virtue. While running his kung-fu school & medical practice he runs out of money and is evicted from his premises. A goofy fellow comes along offering them ample room for the school in exchange for kung-fu training. The only problem is the goofy fellow's "nieces" keep distracting kung-fu practitioners...and soon we learn the school shares its premises with a...brothel. Wong fei Hung is outraged but must defeat a gang trafficking women, and deal with his goofy disciples and evil martial artists, besides trying a poisonous drink on himself. This movie made me laugh. It isn't rocket science or award-winning stuff, but I liked this comic take. Plot is paper thin and garbled at times. Action moves are good, but of the moves-on-wires extravaganza kind. Recommended for unpretentious fun, taken for what it is.

Wong Fei Hung with a funny twist.

[OllieSuave-007 · 8/10 · 11 November 2014]

Jet Li reprises his role as martial arts legend Wong Fei-Hung in this movie that is not part of the original series featuring Li, but a film that gives a comedic twist to the story where Fei-Hung stumbles upon a kidnapping scheme after unknowingly opening a martial arts school next to a brothel.

Like previous Fei-Hung movies, this film has plenty of martial arts action and breathtaking battles, including the fight between the lion dancers and the giant human-controlled centipede. While Jet Li stays true to form as the serious, wise and powerful Wong Fei-Hung, this film also has a good dose of humor, courtesy of actor Chan Pak-Cheung, who plays pimp-turned martial arts wannabe Mass Tar Cheung, and actress Kingdom Yuen, who plays the brothel madam. A host of other all-star actors can be seen included Sharla Cheung, Anita Yuen, Dicky Cheng, Gordon Liu and members of Sammo Hung/Jackie Chan's stunt team - all giving us some top-notch acting performances.

The plot is pretty solid and gains momentum as the movie progresses, with a captivating story and classic good guy vs. bad guy elements. Just about everything is thrown in this movie - action, adventure, drama (which the story could use a little more of), comedy and period costumes/settings - all resulting in pure entertainment.

Grade B+

didn't seem like Wong-Fei Hong to me !

[wesle827 · 17 March 2000]

The movie over all was good besides the fact you had to read. It was lacking something it had fei-hong as a sort of priest. It didn't have him as one who would easily get into trouble. his drunken style lack any of his original forms for instance no miss or angel Ho, he use tiger and crane. Not what SEED taught him.

a comedy take on the Once upon a time in china

[gorytus-20672 · 10/10 · 22 April 2021]

Apr 2021

Jet Li in last Hero in china, also starring the lovely Man Cheung and we get Nat Chan too.

Definitely played for laughs, but the martial arts is good too, Jet Li is Wong Fei Hung as he is in the Once Upon a time in china films.

Its a great film and watch out for Gordon Liu.

10 out of 10.

Not bad, but could have been better...

[Phantom_Stranger · 29 October 2003]

It was an amusing movie, Jet Li's pretty much the same as he is in all his movies, but I don't think he's suited to a comedy that might be best for a Jackie Chan-style actor... all the same, his "Rooster Style" is really funny to watch!