Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1985)

I feel like I should have seen this movie already but I don't remember it. As a kid, I was a huge kung fu fan and the center of the fandom was the great Jackie Chan.Though this movie does not showcase the acrobatic stunts that would be a trademark of the superstar, this early rendition of his leading man stasis does showcase his comedy and playfulness.The movie is a stereotypical movie in the kung fu genre of the 1970's. Jackie plays a con man pretending to know kung fu who comes across a master who teaches him the real deal. Adding to the generic plot is Jackie's wiliness to help find a treasure before evil bandits get their hands on it using his newly required skills in kung fu in a standard all-out battle that happens before the common abrupt ending.There is a few moments where Jackie Chan shows off his acrobatic skills that made him so much different than the other kung fu stars of the time, but it was the little moments in when Jackie showed comedy that really stood out in this particular feature, which would lead up to what was coming.Otherwise if you have seen Jackie Chan in his prime this movie may come as a bit of a letdown.

This one is set in old China, and we follow Chan's character as he tries to achieve something that I never worked out. It's a fairly confusing Kung-fu movie with few highlights. However, it has a certain charm or naivety that others in this class lack.Jackie Chan is severely under-used, and his character is inconsistent. However, he is the most interesting in the film (except maybe for the mysterious beggar who tries to help him between relieving himself). His Kung-fu is obviously under direction from somebody else, as there is little of the intelligent choreography that he so often employs.The historical accuracy is forgotten in favour of any action it tries to serve up, which is a respectable amount. but a lot of it is hampered by poor camera direction and editing.All that said, there is still something quite appealing about this one, and I know I'll have the urge to put in on again sometime. The lo-fidelity (once you've acquired a taste) is almost complimentary to the film.

Jackie is finally given creative control under the constraints of Lo Wei and here's the result: an early key to the new direction which sees Chan clowning about in his own distinct fashion, less Bruce Lee and more Charlie Chaplin, ridiculing the stifling pictures that were forced onto him at the same time as sending up the genre as a whole. Straight from the slapstick titles we know what we're in for; Chan perfecting his underdog happy-go-lucky character that would later make him such a huge star. Yet like all beginnings, HALOKF isn't a polished piece, certainly dragging in places with the Lo Wei influence still clearly evident (namely in the souped-up story concerning the transportation of sacred treasures the Evergreen Jade and the Soul Pill, much in demand by nasty bandits). Lo Wei's reaction was open detest resulting in the picture being shelved, only to be given a successful theatrical release after Chan had finally re-defined the kung fu movie.

Aside from the presence of Chan, this film has almost nothing of merit. Even if Chan wasn't in it, it wouldn't make much difference - it's just one of those typical "period" kung fu movies like the ones that play on late-night television. Chan is pretty much wasted - although he shows talent, the director refuses to really shot it, until the climax - and even then, the director restrains him somewhat. I'm shocked that Chan himself doesn't seem to think this movie is bad.