The Story Of Drunken Master (HK 1979)

Rating: **
Review Date: 2/24/19
Cast: Sharon Yeung (Yeung Pan Pan), Casanova Wong, Yuen Siu Tin, Yen Shi Kwan, Yuen Lung Chu, cameo by Dean Shek

Another tedious and tiresome riff on the "Drunken Master" (1978) formula, featuring Yuen Siu Tin as Beggar So, the drunken master. He's living a peaceful and happy life with his students Kam Fa (Sharon Yeung), Chi Wai (Casanova Wong), and Ah Chong (Yuen Lung Chu), until an old rival of his (Yen Shi Kwan), comes to town looking for revenge. There's also a side plot to force Kam Fa into marriage with the villain, which adds some extra drama. Sharon Yeung gives an excellent physical performance, and when she's not crying and pouting, she's rigorously training and beating people up. She's extremely flexible and her movements are quick, precise, and full of fluid grace. Casanova Wong has some great fight scenes and the sly Yen Shi Kwan makes an excellent bad guy, but the requisite humor can be hard to sit through. Yuen Siu Tin has little to do other than laugh and stagger about, and his fight scenes are clearly doubled by his son, Yuen Lung Chu. In fact, all of the drunken fighting in the film is done by him. Kung fu buffs will get a kick out of the film for historical and cultural reasons, and it features Sharon Yeung at her physical peak. But otherwise, it's not particularly memorable.