Chik geuk siu ji

This remindes me of the Shaw Brothers classics or generally the movies from the 80s. There's a lot of characters a lot of deception, a lot of development ... and a lot of fighting too. Some may seem ridiculous but overall this is just good fun, if you let it to be that is.

I'm surprised by the level of violence or rather the display of blood we see. While there is lightness and fun, there also always consequences. You might find that weird and you may not enjoy that balance act, but overall I would argue it works. And having someone like Johnnie To at the helm helps a lot. He may have turned his back on these Martial Arts movies and gone for movies set in recent times but you can see he knew what he was doing in this one too. Characters may seem to have issues with decision finding (or finding their moral compass/radar) but how would it work otherwise ... also really melodramatic .. but that doesn't have to be a bad thing ...

Although the central themes of the Barefoot Kid are hardly original by kung-fu cinema standards - doomed love, coming of age and redemption - they are delicately and effectively handled to produce a result which is by turns charming, exciting and funny. Similarly, although the structure of the action sequences is rarely ground-breaking, superb choreography, clever camera work and a standout performance from Aaron Kwok elevate them well above the ordinary.

To a veteran of Kung Fu films, The Barefoot Kid would appear rather pedestrian and certainly nothing exceptional, but for a beginner, its simple but strong themes, crisp cinematography and whipcrack action performances make it a uniquely accessible and hugely enjoyable ride.

Highly Recommended!

I wonder why so many people mention only Chow Yun-fat among the actors in [A Better Tomorrow] in talking about the film. I love him, too, but the focus of ABT is Sung Tse-ho played wonderfully by Ti Lung. ABT was my first Ti Lung experience, and since then I wish I had a chance to see the martial art films of 70's in which he had starred. I haven't had such a luck yet, but I found [Barefooted Kid] a good treat. Though Lung plays a supporting role, you can fully taste of his noble warrior appeal in this. Great. And Maggie Cheung is even greater. She portrays a warm-hearted (treats the barefooted kid very kindly), beautiful (yes, Maggie is beautiful), brave (neither surrenders to the greedy local strong man, nor fears loving Lung's character being a widow in those old days), and wise (disperses a bunch of beggars troubling a bride, by scattering the coins) character brilliantly.

Lung and Maggie work beautifully together in the most impressive scenes -- meeting up on a full moon night, collecting the stone dust in rain, walking on a street in the rainy evening. Above all, it's a love story (for me, at least). Aaron Kwok and Wu Chien-lien form a charming couple also. And it is nice surprise to see Kenneth Tsang (who played Danny Lee's sidekick cop in [The Killer] and the taxi company owner in ABT) play a pure villain. Plus, it has good action sequences -- nothing new, but neat, enjoyable movie.

Brilliant kung-fu scenes, loads of melodrama, peculiar footwear symbolism and an unhappy (?) end makes Barefoot Kid an unforgettable film.

One of the silliest subtitles I've seen...

Aaron Kwok is great as the Barefooted Kid. He is a great martial artist, but doesn't know the rules of life. This he will learn from his uncle and a very kind woman who gives him shelter. This uncle is played by Ti Lung, who is even a greater martial artist and has some great scenes where he shows his talents. The story is very melodramatic, which doesn't have to be annoying. I personally like melodrama at some occassions. But if you don't like melodrama you can skip to the action sequences because that is why this movie is made in the first place. The action sequences are divine to watch. They are far superior to the scenes shown in the Matrix. Which prooves, that digital effects are not needed to create explosive wireworks! If there is one typical HK martial arts movie you have to watch then it's this one.