Kung Fu Zombie

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).

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.

Like other reviewers said, Kung Fu Zombie lives up to its title, but other than the character of the vampire, it doesn't go beyond expectations. A rating of a 5 is usually used in the case of a boring and mediocre film, but Kung Fu Zombie is not. It goes insanely back and forth from being a genuinely bizarre (and entertaining) zombie story and kung fu movie, to a pathetic attempt at film-making. The production of the dubbed version is way below kung-fu-film average, with numerous jumps in the plot (which is so ridiculous it's almost dull), hopeless attempts at vaudeville-style humor, and problems in pacing which sometimes makes it hard to sit through. Many of the attempts at humor fail completely, and most of the laughs will come from what is meant to be scary or strange. At the same time, though, Kung Fu Zombie has that insanity and originality that makes it a "good bad film". For example, a drawing on the outside of a jail shoots lasers out of its eyes at a zombie- because, of course, zombies can't enter jails.

The fighting in Kung Fu Zombie is surprisingly good. Billy Chong is a terrible actor, but a great athlete. The editing throughout the film is confusing and convoluted enough to ruin several scenes, and although it's noticeable in fight scenes, it somehow doesn't manage to ruin them.

It's hard to pin down an audience for Kung Fu Zombie. It might not be best for kung fu fanatics; those who prefer the serious type of kung fu film will abhor it. Probably many of its viewers are people looking for a fun zombie movie (The mainstream 70's zombie flicks had little or no influence on Kung Fu Zombie- 100% Hong Kong horror), or those who are amused by the title- these are the people who are most likely to enjoy it.

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.

Kung Fu Zombie is a charming flick loaded with fast paced martial arts fighting. The story is too over the top to try to explain here, but it's worth mentioning that this film has zombies, ghosts, a vampire, a wizard, possessions, an exorcism, paintings that shoot lasers out of their eyes and a healthy does of well executed kung fu! All of this is packed into a film on the short side of 80 minutes. Intentionally funny, Kung Fu Zombie is a hilarious, tightly edited, romp of a film. The big pay off is at the end of the film when Billy Chong fights an undead vampire martial arts master. The energy and absurdity of this scene is magnificent. If you're expecting a lot of zombies, you may be disappointed, but if you're looking for an entertaining ride on the wonderful roller-coaster of crazy kung fu films, Kung Fu Zombie won't disappoint!