Another £1 purchase, this quirky kung fu comedy is pretty much a rip-off (or homage) to Jackie Chan's classic Drunken Master and Fearless Hyena...
Even the star, Siu Lung Chan - adopting the international name of Jacky Chen - tries his hardest to look and act like the King of Hong Kong cinema, pulling off some incredible kung fu and acrobatic moves while playing the clown. And he pretty much does it, minus the same on-screen charisma we get from Chan the man!
But that's certainly not enough to make this a bad film. Although its pretty much a case of having seen it all before, Of Cooks And Kung Fu offers plenty of old-school comedy, a host of recognisable faces, and plenty of fantastic Jackie Chan-esque kung fu fighting with choreography from main star, Chen. The end battle alone between himself and the main villain is just a good as Chan's traditional flicks closing scenes.
There's also a supporting role by the hilarious Lee Kwan, star of over 140 films such as Drunken Tai Chi, Fantasy Mission Force, and Fearless Hyena to name but a few, playing the same smart-ass character he always does - complete with comical dub...
Of Cooks And Kung Fu is definitely one of the labels (Hollywood East UK release) best releases in terms of entertainment value and in showcasing some of the best fighting and training scenes. It would be nice to see a widescreen HD version some day but I doubt that'll happen anytime soon!
Overall: Fast n furious kung fu comedy that deserves to have a bigger audience.
