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Even with the Shadowless Kick it's important to remember to duck!
Wong Fei Hung’s father, Wong Kei Ying takes on opium dealers and a corrupt official in this made for TV movie from HBO Asia.As with the other HBO Asia offerings, the production values are quite high. And also, as with other HBO offerings there is a lack magnetism from the main star. Having said that, Shadowless Kick has been the best of the lot for me. The fights were better, though more gruesome. Body parts flew and spewing arteries abounded.
Once again, the opium trade is front and center and the main enemy as various factions fought to control the lucrative business. Wong Kei Ying makes friends with an enemy and is tricked by a friend as the dutiful physician is drawn into the drug battle. When all seems lost, he is given a secret manual (there’s always a secret manual!) and learns the Shadowless Kick to supplement his Southern Shaolin style. The final battle against three separate opponents was entertaining, if a bit long, detracted only by his child screaming and crying through the whole thing. I finally muted it, and just watched the action. The story was more coherent in this movie with the overt melodrama dialed back a notch.
Chen Zhi Hui, as the Big Bad, was perfect as a foil for the bland Sun Hao Ran’s Wong. He did everything but twirl his mustache and made for a proper menacing villain. Sun Hao Ran did fine in the fight scenes, but lacked charisma and energy as the protagonist, even when in an attempt to develop a cure for opium addiction Wong became addicted himself. Jiang Ming Yang had potential as a converted good guy, but didn’t have enough screen time. Zhou Xiao Fei, who played another baddie who throws in with Wong after he saved her son, is a martial arts actress and stuntwoman who made the most with her small role.
The fights were well choreographed, but nothing really new. Plenty of wire-fu but not over the top for a wuxia.
Master of the Shadowless Kick is a perfectly fine made for tv wuxia movie, if keep your expectations low, you may find it entertaining.
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