Reviewed by: Beat TG Date: 04/09/2025 Summary: Exceptional Mix of Kung Fu, Thriller & Crime Movies To think profoundly of similar Hong Kong movies, I believe there's a few gems that equals the unique genre meshing seen in KUNG FU JUNGLE -- also known in some countries by the alternative title KUNG FU KILLER. One such movie is Peter Chan's WU XIA (DRAGON in international territories), where the Yunnan village setting during late 1910s Republican China meets modern science of western human anatomy and crime investigation. This movie is not 100% identical to the aforementioned movie but employs the exact same concept but in reverse: The story centering around traditional kung fu practitioners in a contemporary setting, and the murders being explained through the mind and expertise of the investigator. It's nothing but brilliance in how it's pulled off. The story is as simple as it gets. Donnie Yen plays kung fu master and convict Hahou Mo, who is temporarily released from prison to work for the cops -- led by Charlie Yeung -- to catch a serial killer (Wang Baoqiang). The serial killer is targeting kung fu masters of various fighting styles such as boxing, kicking, weapons etc, and the cops are looking for clues about the killer and the reason for the killer's motive. The premise may sound super thin but thanks to a fascinating story narrative, things are told and executed in a fresh way. The cast is great and includes pretty much any familiar face you can think of from golden age Hong Kong cinema. The icing on the cake is the action scenes, and they won't disappoint -- Unless you only want Donnie Yen to be included in all of the action set-pieces which is not happening here. Wang Baoqiang does the honor of being the lead in the action department, but when Donnie does unleash his stuff you're in for a great treat! Donnie along with Stephen Tung Wai and Yuen Bun are responsible for the action choreography, and each brings their own flavor and style in staging the fight scenes. It's among the best stuff you can witness from Hong Kong cinema in the 2010s. KUNG FU JUNGLE can be regarded as a genre-meshing exercise but one that excels it to great effect here. Rating: 8.5/10 Reviewer Score: 8

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