Wing Chun 2

Sporting maybe the third most memorable name in kung fu cinema history, this enjoyable potboiler from 1992 spins the 16th-century yarn of a young Japanese martial artist (Yu Rongguang) who wishes to learn the fighting styles of other cultures. Hitching a ride with pirates to see the world (cheap fare, I guess), he is appalled when his shipmates act like, well, pirates. The hero then nobly takes it upon himself to protect the indigenous population of a small Chinese island, and winds up battling both sides–one that sees him as an invader, the other that sees him as a betrayer. The script layers on the standard subplotting of love interests, cute-kid sidekicks, and frame jobs–but all that’s mere filler between butt-kickings (even if the fish-out-of-Japanese-waters story has its moments). What stands out most is the “you’ll put your eye out!” stunts, and a series of swordplay-heavy action sequences that make refreshingly little use of wire work. (In other words, the usual rooftop acrobatics have been replaced by a dozen varieties of ground combat.) With his tongue taking up long-term residence in his cheek, director Cheung Siu Wai gives the movie a hammy, late-night kung fu theater charm.