Fan fave and superstar Chen Kuan Tai returns to the role of restaurant manager Cheng, in this sequel to the highly successful and fantastic Shaw Brothers hit, The Tea House. Of course, at the end of that, Cheng and his wife (Karen Yip) had left the city to find some peace in the New Territories. But life in the country soon comes to a stop, as is friends back in Hong Kong call upon him to help sort out some sticky situations they have gotten themselves in to!
Also returning is director Kuei Chih Hung, famed for many of Shaw's hits including Bewitched, Hex, Killer Constable, and of course, The Tea House. Kuei delivers an exciting, modern day thriller full of gritty fight scenes and violence, and while it has its flaws in terms of the overall story-telling, still gives fans a highly entertaining picture...
Its definitely one of the darker Shaw Brothers productions with its rape, suicide, violence and murder. Chen Kuan Tai is as fantastic as always and once again, brings a great presence to the role of Cheng, getting plenty of chances to kick and punch his way for justice - like some kind of 70's Hong Kong Death Wish or Equalizer, obviously dishing out justice his way, but not supported by the cops for his actions.
While the film plays as a serious flick for the most of the time, it still offers some funny and comedic scenario's. One such scene is courtesy of the returning Wong Yu (Dirty Ho), who, along with his gang, catch 3 rapists and get them to strip-down completely. Yu proceeds to have each of them tie a string to each of their penises, that of which is attached to a bundle of heavy oil cans, bottles and bricks. They're then made to run around the room as the gang of vigilantes laugh and point!
Chen is supported by a great cast, both main and background players such as the aforementioned Wong Yu, his screen wife Karen Yip, Ha Ping, Chin Yuet Sang, Fung Hak On, Lee Hoi Sang, Ricky Hui, Dick Wei, Bruce Le and even Yuen Cheung Yan appears along the way. Ther are many more recognisable faces of course, which makes for a fun who's-who while watching...
I also loved how Big Brother Cheng was filmed, full of energy and great cinematography that often made you a part of the scene. This is down to Yau Kei who also worked on The Tea House, as well as classics such as The 14 Amazons, Zen Kwan Do Strikes In Paris, and Dragon On Fire. Along with direction from Kuei, we get some fantastic shots, especially during the action that really work well.
With a lengthy running time of 1 hour 48 minutes, Big Brother Cheng keeps a steady pace and has enough going on as he sets out to clean up the city. The action director is Tong Gaai, the same man behind classics like Opium And The Kung Fu Master, Avenging Eagle, and The Magic Blade, with almost 200 films to his name who rarely disappoints. And while the film takes a bit of a breather just after the halfway mark, things pick up again quick for a dark last 30 minutes of murder and revenge, with an action-packed and violent finale complete with a neat twist!
Overall: With some great moments, and a top performance from Chen Kuan Tai, Big Brother Cheng is well worth the watch!
