Kung fu zombie

What a masterpiece! I still can't believe what I've seen. This is a classic of eastern cinematography. It belongs in every well sorted movie-collection. The director, the actors, the scenery and the plot are unique. I want to mention especially Billy Chong as Pang. His performance is so outstanding, it's really a thrill watching his acting. And director Hua I-Jung did a hell of a job. He's a brilliant director. Forget John Woo! Forget Tsui Hark! This one is ultimate!

Kung Fu and zombies: two of my favourite things in one film. Surely worth a watch.

Well, only if you're a horror/comedy/kung fu completist.

Just one of countless supernatural martial arts movies to follow in the wake of Sammo Hung's Encounters of the Spooky Kind, Kung Fu Zombie delivers the usual slapstick comedy, spooky silliness and frantic chop socky one expects from the genre, but does little to distinguish itself from the competition.

The film opens as a criminal and his henchmen lay a trap for martial artist Pang (Billy Chong), who foiled the gang's attempt to rob a bank, sending them to prison for five years. With the help of a priest's powerful magic, the bandits plan to kill Pang by luring him into a trap lined with knives. Instead, the leader finds himself falling into the pit, where he is impaled on the blades. A supernatural lightning bolt strikes the dead criminal's body, freeing his spirit to seek out a new body with help from the priest. Meanwhile, a killer from an outlaw clan also seeks to do Pang and his family harm.

After an hour of unexceptional ghoulish comedy and a few reasonable fights, the film does admittedly end on a high with an entertaining showdown between Pang and the killer, now a vampire. With super-fast moves and flaming fists and feet, the bloodsucker makes for a very cool adversary. It's just a shame that the rest of the film wasn't as much fun.

Okay, so the only reason I ever saw this movie to begin with was because I found the used DVD (the Black Belt Theatre version) on sale for $2 in a local video store in the middle of nowhere. I honestly expected it to stink to high heaven, and only bought it for the funny title. To my surprise, I really enjoyed it! I'm pretty confused at most of the reviews I see on the web for this movie calling it a "horror" film, because this is a comedy pure and simple. Everything is so ridiculous that it's absolutely hilarious, from the "wizard's" goofy dancing whenever he casts "spells," to the scene where they're out "shopping" for corpses, to the protagonist's complete indifference as to whether his obnoxious father lives or dies. The dub is absolutely hilarious (I've seen probably over a hundred dubbed movies/shows and this is, no kidding, one of the most effective ones I've ever seen, though it's obviously much easier to dub a goofy comedy than a drama), and it makes excellent use of music at hilarious times. I also have to give a hearty thanks to the editor for the Americanized version, who clearly edited out at least half an hour of what was clearly dull story, leaving absolutely nothing but kung fu and comedy scenes.

If you have the capacity to enjoy goofy, ridiculous movies and slapstick humor, I fully recommend this. The closest thing I can compare it to is a super low-budget version of Kung Fu Hustle. I only wish the DVD transfer were better (it's watchable, but the scenes in dark places can be hard to make out).

This is a pretty entertaining movie, but not nearly the mindwarp that Chong's Kung Fu From Beyond the Grave is. This movie does have its moments, but the plot is not as interesting as it could be. Still, the villain is without a doubt the most butt-whuppinest zombie I have ever seen, and that includes the giant Mombie from Braindead (Dead-Alive). It's particularly fun the way he's always introduced with ripped-off James Bond music. Also the final fight is a doozie once the priest gets into the action. Worth a watch for Fu/Horror fans, but definitely not one to use an introduction to the genre.

Billy Chong has to fight villains, zombies, ghosts and a vampire, who all knows the art of kung fu. All this because some low-life bad guy and a part-time magician wants him out of the way.

As usual there is loads of fighting, slapstick comedy, and we also get some jumping zombies, stupid ghosts and a vampire who´s running around chopping heads. Funny and entertaining, but also quite exhausting. Not as good as the Mr. Vampires series though. Leave your brain in a bucket and enjoy.