Hi everyone. Welcome to ANOTHER OF NATE'S ALL-TIME FAVORITE MOVIES.
I missed last month's installment for a very good reason. I was
certain that a mini-mester class was a good idea. How could I go
wrong, completing an entire class in three weeks? Clever as I was, I
didn't fully anticipate the participation that the mountain of work
would involve. It wasn't more work than a person who has to split his
time between education and employment could handle, but so
time-consuming that there wasn't room for anything else.
As promised, This month's review features a sequel. Not simply a
sequel, mind you, but a sequel that is superior to its predecessor. I
don't need to tell you, good readers, that such a thing is truly a
rarity. Most sequels are simply more of the same, and we didn't even
like it the first time. As long and hard as I have pondered this
matter, I could think of only two movie franchises that produced
sequels that I enjoyed more than the original: the Indiana Jones films
(the second was technically a prequel, but you know what I mean) and
Aliens, the sequel to Alien. The Empire Strikes Back and Back to the
Future were also fine, but I feel that those sequels were just as good
as the originals, not better. You get the picture, anyhow; they're
rare. (If you have a sequel that you prefer to its predecessor, feel
free to let me know all about it.)
You might have noticed that I am a man. As a man, I am duty bound by
this society to enjoy manly things. Yes, because of that little y
chromosome, I have sworn to always enjoy violence and sex, no matter
what. I have chosen to enjoy the two only when separate, just as I
have chosen to not partake of the other two duties of the American
Man: watching the sports and eating the meat (at great risk to my
status, I might add). So, I am proud to do my duty as a man, and
declare DRUNKEN MASTER 2 as one of my all-time favorite movies.
DRUNKEN MASTER 2, starring Jackie Chan, is my favorite martial-arts
fighting movie. While DM2 contains elements central to other Jackie
Chan movies, it includes things that, when absent, clearly detract
from his other films.
The movie starts simply, like good movies should. The plot is then set
in motion, and the pace quickens. This is a quality I enjoy in the
original Star Wars movie (which starts with two droids and a
mysterious massacre aboard a spaceship), and I enjoy it here, too. We
are introduced to an herbalist and his mischievous son, the latter of
which gets into some trouble while attempting to avoid import taxes on
ginseng. After the initial bout of action, things settle down, so that
the plot and characters can develop properly.
The costumes and relationships and settings are rich and colorful.
They do a fine job of establishing the society and the time in which
the movie is developed. They are all very realistic; it is clear that
this isn't a low-budget production. The society is just as captivating
as the story itself.
Jackie Chan is known for working wild, crazy, dangerous stunts into
his movie, and this is no exception. However, his stunts take a back
seat to the story and (more importantly) to showing off a spectacular
variety of martial arts, enough to put American action movie stars to
shame. No attempts to pad out the fights by showing one hit over and
over and over from different camera angles here! The choreography is
top-notch; the actors have it down to such a degree that they execute
it with great speed.
The inclusion and importance of the family in this film is vital to
it's quality. The strict father and his disobedient, but loving, family
add wackiness (which thankfully settles down, in order to let the plot
develop properly) and support the wonderful background. Plus, each is
a more fully developed character than any you'd find in most action
films (other Jackie Chan films included).
Finally, you have a satisfactory ending, something that is sorely
lacking in many Jackie Chan films. This one gives viewers a sense that
the hero has faced real challenges, and has really struggled to
achieve this happy ending. While I am thinking of it, I also like
Jackie's character, who, unlike so many modern action heroes, isn't
perfect.
There are some potential problems with the film, and it is only fair
to point them out. The film is in Cantonese and Mandarin (according to
the box) and is subtitled. I don't mind them, but some people don't
like subtitles because they don't want to have to read their way
through a movie; others find them too distracting, they feel that they
have to watch twice to see the action and read the words. Also, the
subtitles are white; that can be a pain. Finally, the movie is
letterboxed, not a problem in movie theatres, but some folks are
annoyed by the negative space above and below the picture.
That reminds me, I probably should explain the title. the "Drunken"
part refers to the Drunken style of boxing, an obscure martial art
that involves swaying around as a drunk might stagger. It looks pretty
cool, especially when applied to four or five guys at once. When used
in moderation, alcohol supplements this strategy. But, as in real
life, there is the risk of overdosing.
I recommend this movie to everyone who is a fan of the action genre.
I recommend the Ax Gang scene to everyone. Drunken Master 2 lacks the
flashy effects that computers can generate . It also lacks easy
accessibility. If anyone knows of a good place that sells import
titles at a reasonable rate, please let me know.
As for links, I recommend The Temple of Jackie Chan
(),
and Jackie Chan InfoCentral ().
Thank goodness that's behind me! Now I can get back to...um, er...
nothing, I guess. Never mind. Next month we peek in on Nathaniel's
dark side, with one of the most popular lame movies ever made.