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Kung Fu Hustle

  • 2004
  • R
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
157K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,052
326
Stephen Chow, Siu-Lung Leung, Qiu Yuen, and Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan in Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Trailer 1
Play trailer1:44
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Kung FuMartial ArtsParodySlapstickWuxiaActionComedyFantasy

In Shanghai, China in the 1940s, a wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.In Shanghai, China in the 1940s, a wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.In Shanghai, China in the 1940s, a wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.

  • Director
    • Stephen Chow
  • Writers
    • Stephen Chow
    • Kan-Cheung Tsang
    • Xin Huo
  • Stars
    • Stephen Chow
    • Wah Yuen
    • Qiu Yuen
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    157K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,052
    326
    • Director
      • Stephen Chow
    • Writers
      • Stephen Chow
      • Kan-Cheung Tsang
      • Xin Huo
    • Stars
      • Stephen Chow
      • Wah Yuen
      • Qiu Yuen
    • 490User reviews
    • 337Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 25 wins & 47 nominations total

    Videos2

    Kung Fu Hustle
    Trailer 1:44
    Kung Fu Hustle
    Streaming Passport to China
    Clip 4:35
    Streaming Passport to China
    Streaming Passport to China
    Clip 4:35
    Streaming Passport to China

    Photos172

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    + 166
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    Top cast31

    Edit
    Stephen Chow
    Stephen Chow
    • Sing
    Wah Yuen
    Wah Yuen
    • Landlord
    Qiu Yuen
    Qiu Yuen
    • Landlady
    Siu-Lung Leung
    Siu-Lung Leung
    • The Beast
    Xiaogang Feng
    Xiaogang Feng
    • Crocodile Gang Boss
    • (as Feng Xiao Gang)
    Zhihua Dong
    Zhihua Dong
    • Donut
    • (as Zhi Hua Dong)
    Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan
    Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan
    • Brother Sum
    • (as Danny Chan)
    Tze-Chung Lam
    Tze-Chung Lam
    • Bone (Sing's Sidekick)
    • (as Lam Tze Chung)
    Kai-Man Tin
    Kai-Man Tin
    • Axe Gang Advisor
    Kang Xi Jia
    • Harpist #1
    Fung Hak-On
    Fung Hak-On
    • Harpist #2
    • (as Hark-On Fung)
    Shengyi Huang
    Shengyi Huang
    • Fong
    Suet Lam
    Suet Lam
    • Axe Gang Vice General
    Cheung-Yan Yuen
    Cheung-Yan Yuen
    • Beggar
    • (as Cheng Yan Yuen)
    Chi Ling Chiu
    Chi Ling Chiu
    • Tailor
    Xing Yu
    Xing Yu
    • Coolie
    Yibai Zhang
    • Inspector Chan
    • (as Zhang Yi Bai)
    Si Lu Ren
    • Suzie
    • Director
      • Stephen Chow
    • Writers
      • Stephen Chow
      • Kan-Cheung Tsang
      • Xin Huo
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews490

    7.7157.1K
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    Featured reviews

    9kamwingp

    Potential Cult Film

    I liked Shaolin Soccer, it was full of laughs and Stephen Chow has done it again with Kung Fu Hustle. It's not in the same vein as Shaolin Soccer and it is not a belly full of laughs, but it certainly emphasised his love of action movies especially Martial Art movies. The film pays homage to all those Hong Kong Martial Arts Serials, Bruce Lee and the action genre in general. I would even say that Kung Fu Hustle is a more refined Shoalin Soccer in terms of storyline, action sequences and acting.

    The setting is great with some nice scenes of old Hong Kong and the way people used to live. The fight scenes were pretty good, especially at the start with the three masters fighting the Axe Gang. Okay, the story was predictable but that didn't take away the enjoyment one bit.

    Overall, it is a highly recommended movie to watch and I can't wait for his next film.
    9baboos

    Fantastic

    This is one of the most richly imaginative, creative, downright enjoyable movies I've ever seen. I haven't enjoyed myself this much since Pulp Fiction.

    It took me a while to figure out who the hero was. First I thought it was the barber guy who got himself constantly smacked about by the landlady. I suppose it's because he looked so dim, he therefore had to be a kung fu master in disguise. I've read some of the other posts, and everyone seems to think the knife scene was the funniest. I didn't expect to come to this movie for a laugh, but the knife scene almost killed me. Luckily it was just me and my friend in the movie theatre, so I could let it all out.

    If you go to the movies to free your imagination, then this is the movie for you. Stay away from people who say it's far-fetched and unrealistic. If they want realism, they should go to the laundromat.
    peter_K_2001

    Stephen Chow is truly a great director...

    Chaplin, Allen and now actor, writer, producer and director Stephen Chow can join the select few whose remarkable talent as a performer matches his ability behind the lens; Kung Fu Hustle proves it.

    Chow is no stranger to direction. In 1994 Chow co-directed Love on Delivery and since then a number of other self starring projects and many of these projects are considered the best of his acting career. However his skills as a comedian - be it his brash physical comedy (Shaolin Soccer), his manical scenarios (Tricky Brains) or epic historical parodies (A Chinese Oddsey) - have never outshined his talents as a director. Kung Fu Hustle not only reminds us of Chow's terrific comedic timing, it introduces us to his stunning visual eye and exhilarating action direction.

    More importantly this addition to Chow's superb filmography finally allows us a means of defining his technique. A master of blending both comedy and visceral action with artistic integrity and traditional melodrama. It has been awhile since a director has been able to take me from quite serious and intense graphic violence to over the top ridiculous spoofing. The contrast of atmosphere and mood throughout the film is incredible and even more incredible is Chow's ability to make it all work. When the scene is funny you appreciate the comedy, when it switches gears to action you are blown away by the terrific sequences, when it switches to melodrama you are on the edge of your seat awaiting character responses, and when they're all fused together you do exactly what Chow is hoping you'll do. You laugh.

    So I liked the film, but what is the film exactly. Like most Stephen Chow films while the concept is simple to describe, the execution is far more complex. Kung Fu Hustle tells the story of Sing, a wannabe gangster attempting to join the famous Axe Gang (who during some of the early scenes seem to spoof Gangs of New York - look for a firework visual quote), a legion of black suits responsible for a series of gruesome murders and complete dominance over a 1940s Hong Kong. Sing's reasons for wanting to join the gang are simple: bad guys are cooler. His arrogance causes a war to break out between a poor housing complex that secretly holds a number hidden talents and the murderous axe gang. What starts as a relatively small skirmish (and I mean relatively) explodes into a war of Miike's "Dead or Alive" proportions.

    The use of digital effects in this film are extreme. Chow having succumbed to the digital revolutions in Shaolin Soccer, manages once again to use his effects wisely. There are a terrific number of effects shots in this film far more then I've ever seen in a Hong Kong production (save maybe the terrible Wesley's Mysterious File) and while I am disappointed at the lack of practical effects the impressive quality of them more then makes up for it. This film simply does not look like a Hong Kong film. It rivals Hollywood features in every category (set, costumes cinematography), but amazingly enough the CGI is really good! You can notice most of the effects, but that doesn't matter because they are used for laughs and effectively so. Some of the effects not only will have you in stitches, but also in shock and awe at the sheer incredibility of some of the scenes. One scene that sticks out is a terrific spoof of the Road Runner. Its not hilarious, but also a visual feast.

    The impressive action is thanks largely to the great choreography talent including both Sammo Hung and Yuen Wo Ping (each working on the film at spate occasions). Yuen Wo Ping manages to take a scene that appears to be rehash of the Burly Brawl (hundreds of suits against one guy) and manages to make it not only fresh, but a thousand times more exciting and intense. These fight sequences demand the attention of any cinephile who claims themselves a fan of marital art cinema. Wachowski's take not, this is how you direct Yuen Wo Ping to this artistic peak.

    So everything seems great, right? This has to be Chow's best, right? Actually not everything works and is not at all Chow's best film. It is not his funniest film, but that is because it takes the risk of exploring the action genre. It also relies a bit too much on CGI, and while its use is effective, it can occasionally bring you out of the film. Compared to his other films this film ranks #1 for its visuals and action, but in terms of laughs and writing it cannot surpass the classics. That being said Kung Fu Hustle is absolute blast. See it if you can at the Toronto Film Festival, import it on DVD and catch in theaters when Sony Classics brings it here (in Febuary I believe). It is action comedy at its finest.

    Three cheers for Chow Sing Chi!
    9BraveHawk

    Visually Stunning & Just Plain Funny!

    Kung Fu Hustle was one of the most visually imaginative and unique movies I have seen in quite some time. Upon first viewing the trailer, I thought we would have another Kung Pow: Enter The Fist on our hands but, boy, was I wrong. Unlike Kung Pow, the jokes did not grow tired on me and the special effects were definitely top notch. The scene with the two assassins playing that stringed instrument (don't know the name of it) in such a way that it kills was incredible.

    Although there was not much to the story, it was not non-existent, either. There was a simple story happening which made sense for what we were watching. Even the jokes with the subtitles came across as funny, and from my experience, humor does not translate as easily as this movie would have you believe. It borrowed or spoofed a bit from Spider-Man and The Matrix as well, which was a bit unexpected for this film, initially. At least for me.

    To be honest, I could enjoy this movie without sound or subtitles, too. It was that appealing to the eye. It would be a good background movie for a party or poker game which could catch your eye at any moment and still hold your attention. It could also be great if you feel like a good comedy. I was entertained throughout and even though I was dead tired when I saw it in the theater, it held my interest all the way to the end. 9/10
    8FilmOtaku

    Insanely entertaining

    Being a complete sourpuss when it comes to most comedic film offerings from the last three decades (though I attribute a lot of that to inanity rather than taking full credit for being a wet blanket), I find that when there is a film that makes me laugh so hard that I am concerned about the possibility of a stroke, I have no choice but to rave about it. So having said that, consider this a rave review of Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle".

    While the film itself was entertaining, the prospect of summarizing the scattered plot is not. Set in 1940's Shanghai, "Kung Fu Hustle" basically centers on a tenement ruled over by a mean, chain-smoking landlady (Qiu Yuen) and her whipped husband (Wah Yuen). When someone deigns to complain about the fact that they don't have enough water to take a quick shower, she pounds them senseless, with everyone standing by completely helpless. Flip to another part of town, where the notorious "Axe Gang", a deadly bunch of dancing, axe wielding guys are wreaking havoc on a city that can't even be protected by the police. The two areas of town don't concern themselves with one another until a wannabe member of the Axe Gang, Sing (Stephen Chow) and his sidekick (Chi Chung Lam) poses as a member in the tenement to extort money, causing a series of events to occur in the tenement that wind up with most of the Axe Gang either killed or injured and Brother Sum (Kwok Kuen Chan), the leader of the gang, to do everything in his power to wreak revenge on both the tenement and its occupants, particularly those who act as its safeguards.

    As I mentioned earlier, there were a lot of parts that I found so funny that I was either finding myself almost lightheaded from laughing so hard, or finding myself obnoxious because I would struggle to recoup in order to read the subtitles in time to not miss anything. While there are several movie "in jokes" (even one dedicated to Chow's prior film "Shaolin Soccer") it was the sight gags that really did it for me. The chase between Landlady and Sing and especially the knife scene with Sing and his sidekick were brilliant slapstick. A lot of the action was extremely over the top, and complimented by some pretty decent CGI work.

    While anyone who has seen "Shaolin Soccer" knows that Chow does not employ a normal cast of "heroes", it was still interesting to see that for the most part, almost anyone who could have heroic qualities attributed to them did not fit the "normal" model. As a matter of fact, several of the major players in the film were middle aged or even elderly, a notion that is both funny and refreshing for anyone who looks for something a little different in their heroes. Surprisingly, there was also a very well conceived scene in the middle of the film involving two professional assassins who are trying to kill the main defenders of the tenement that I found to actually be a pretty kick-ass action sequence. Despite a couple of gags here and there, until the end when the Landlady got involved, the scene was playing off like something I would say "cooool" in an awed tone about in a Tarantino film or something. So while the film was overall one of the funniest I've seen in recent memory, there were a couple of great moments of highly stylized action.

    "Kung Fu Hustle" wasn't a perfect film by any means, but the criticisms I have about it are completely nitpicky. For instance, the romance between Sing and the mute girl was just kind of thrown in, though some of it was necessary for background on his character. And a purely aesthetic complaint; I wanted more dancing by the Axe Gang. Chow shouldn't have teased us with the little bit that they danced and then abruptly take it away for the rest of the film. Hey, it's a review – I've got to air the good and the bad.

    But since the good outweighs the bad exponentially, I highly recommend "Kung Fu Hustle" to just about anyone because of both its action and comedic elements. For making me laugh to the point of near-aneurysm, "Kung Fu Hustle" gets a solid 8/10.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Bruce Lee Tribute: When the Landlady is seated between the Boss and his assistant, she faces the boss, and mimics the gestures Bruce Lee used while also facing a crime boss in Return of the Dragon. She wags her finger at him, then closes both fists, then just the right (while knuckles cracking can be heard), she jerks her head up, and the boss nods he understands, then she thumbs her nose, exactly like Bruce Lee.
    • Goofs
      When Coolie takes on the Axe Gang alone, before the tailor joins in, an Axe Gang member takes a perfect unblocked swing at Coolie's back, realizes that Coolie can't block it, and runs away.
    • Quotes

      Barber: Why don't you train us to be top fighters... and we'll avenge them!

      Landlady: Becoming a top fighter takes time, unless you're a natural-born kung-fu genius, and they're 1 in a million.

      Barber: [Does martial arts routine] It's obvious I'm the one.

      Landlady: [immediately punches him in the face] Don't think so.

    • Alternate versions
      The version released in Spain took a few artistic licenses when it was dubbed. Giving each character a different accent from each region of Spain or from other parts of the world.
      • Sing has a Madrid accent and also the street slang.
      • His partner has Catalan accent.
      • The landlord and his wife have an Andalusian accent.
      • The Ax Gang Vice General has an Argentine accent.
      • The Crocodile Gang Boss has a Mexican accent.
      • Donut has the accent of a Chinese person trying to speak in Spanish.
      • The Two Harpist have a French accent.
      • The Beast has an Italian accent.
      • And some neighbors of "Pig Sty Alley" have a Galician accent.
      After its theatrical release in Spain, the dubbing turned the film into a cult classic, among some groups thanks to the funny dubbing that, although it varied some jokes or added of its own, did not change the story. However, he also obtained his group of detractors who consider that the dubbing completely ruined the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Sahara/Eros/Kung Fu Hustle/Winter Solstice/Mondovino (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      Zhi Yao Wei Ni Huo Yi Tian
      Composed by Liu Jie Chang

      Lyrics by Lin Huang Kun

      Performed by Huang Sheng Yi

      Arranged by Ying-Wah Wong (as Raymond Wong)

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Kung Fu Hustle?Powered by Alexa
    • What are the differences between the US-DVD (Rated R) and the uncut Hongkong version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 22, 2005 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Hong Kong
      • China
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Pictures (United States)
    • Languages
      • Mandarin
      • Cantonese
    • Also known as
      • Kung Fusión
    • Filming locations
      • Shanghai, China
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia
      • Huayi Brothers Media
      • Taihe Film Investment Co. Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $17,108,591
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $269,225
      • Apr 10, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $104,882,445
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1
      • 2.35 : 1

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