Despite the cheapness of the production, THE INSTANT KUNG FU MAN is one of the better kung fu films I've seen recently. This Hong Kong production was lensed in the Taiwanese outdoors for the most part and features some impressive locations including a vast quarry and an approximation of the Shaolin Temple. The main plot is about a couple of twins, one good and one evil, and the ways in which their lives diverge and converge as the story progresses. There's a lot of bumbling, mistaken identity type humour to keep viewers watching, and some supporting actors who dominate the proceedings.
The second most familiar of these is the high kicking John Liu, something of a wooden star from the period who nonetheless excelled in his various action scenes by performing gravity-defying kicks with the maximum of flexibility. It says something about the next star that Liu's thunder is stolen from him by somebody who's even better: no less than Hwang Jang Lee as another 'guest villain' who gets a couple of fine fight scenes to contend with. Some bizarre plot ingredients including mondo-style snake fight footage and the use of weapons including knuckle dusters, as well as recurring use of the 'Dixie' whistle, make this an endearing if low budget offering.
The second most familiar of these is the high kicking John Liu, something of a wooden star from the period who nonetheless excelled in his various action scenes by performing gravity-defying kicks with the maximum of flexibility. It says something about the next star that Liu's thunder is stolen from him by somebody who's even better: no less than Hwang Jang Lee as another 'guest villain' who gets a couple of fine fight scenes to contend with. Some bizarre plot ingredients including mondo-style snake fight footage and the use of weapons including knuckle dusters, as well as recurring use of the 'Dixie' whistle, make this an endearing if low budget offering.
