There's "old school" and then there's "OLD SCHOOL", and this is pure chop-socky Spaghetti Eastern film making at its best. Fans of the old Golden Harvest/Shaw Brothers films will find all the proper clichés included, but there is enough original plotting, fight choreography and actual acting going on here to distinguish it from the 999 other films the Shaws released during the same period. Add the charm, humor, and likability of Jackie Chan into the mix, and you've got the perfect "Kung Fu Theater" experience.
I've watched a reasonable number of kung fu flicks (enough to qualify as a fan, not enough to qualify as a devoted fanatic), and the plot to this one strikes me as reasonably fresh; instead of using classic "vengeance", "rebellion" or "gangster" motifs, "Snake" revolves around Jackie's growth as a man and as a fighter as he tries to help and protect a friend who Jackie doesn't know is the last master of a nearly extinct style of Kung Fu. It's a nice change of pace that allows elements of humor and friendship into the relationship between Chan's character and his teacher. And somehow the humor in this one works even for a Western sensibility - the director, fight director and the stunt men and the actors manage to include some involving, funny, moments in Chan's training that nevertheless impress.
Plus, you've can't have an old school Kung Fu film without montages of the hero training in the secret forms and techniques of his style accompanied by the Chinese equivalent to the theme music from "Rocky", and "Snake" delivers these. Newer viewers may dismiss Chan (now in his 40-50s) in favor of someone like Jaa or Li, and because of the emphasis nowadays on humor and acrobatics; but "Snake" shows that Chan in his prime was in AWESOME shape. It's a real pleasure to watch him go at it. There is genuine artistry at work here. And the scene where Chan discovers/invents the missing application that fixes the weakness in the Snake style is well done (for this kind of movie).
So if you like old school Kung Fu movies, seek this one out; and if you are a fan of Jackie Chan, seek this one out. I liked it a lot, and bought it on VHS - if I can find it somewhere on DVD for a reasonable price, I will probably buy it again.
I've watched a reasonable number of kung fu flicks (enough to qualify as a fan, not enough to qualify as a devoted fanatic), and the plot to this one strikes me as reasonably fresh; instead of using classic "vengeance", "rebellion" or "gangster" motifs, "Snake" revolves around Jackie's growth as a man and as a fighter as he tries to help and protect a friend who Jackie doesn't know is the last master of a nearly extinct style of Kung Fu. It's a nice change of pace that allows elements of humor and friendship into the relationship between Chan's character and his teacher. And somehow the humor in this one works even for a Western sensibility - the director, fight director and the stunt men and the actors manage to include some involving, funny, moments in Chan's training that nevertheless impress.
Plus, you've can't have an old school Kung Fu film without montages of the hero training in the secret forms and techniques of his style accompanied by the Chinese equivalent to the theme music from "Rocky", and "Snake" delivers these. Newer viewers may dismiss Chan (now in his 40-50s) in favor of someone like Jaa or Li, and because of the emphasis nowadays on humor and acrobatics; but "Snake" shows that Chan in his prime was in AWESOME shape. It's a real pleasure to watch him go at it. There is genuine artistry at work here. And the scene where Chan discovers/invents the missing application that fixes the weakness in the Snake style is well done (for this kind of movie).
So if you like old school Kung Fu movies, seek this one out; and if you are a fan of Jackie Chan, seek this one out. I liked it a lot, and bought it on VHS - if I can find it somewhere on DVD for a reasonable price, I will probably buy it again.