I always love watching movies that pay homage to the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema. Many Hong Kong movies nowadays are being funded by China and are made to appeal to foreign markets. Some may argue that Hong Kong cinema is dying, but I usually don’t mind the Western influence as long as the movie doesn’t suck. But I really appreciate it when filmmakers go the extra mile to represent an old school Hong Kong action movie. Even a few American movies have had a noticeable influence from Hong Kong cinema. There are even a few Hong Kong movies that go back to its roots and try to emulate the Golden Age. One of those movies is a recent film based on the classic story of Ma Yongzhen known as Once Upon a Time in Shanghai.
Philip Ng stars as Ma Yongzhen, who moves to Shanghai in hopes for a more prosperous life. He lives a peaceful life in the slums, but he later starts working at a nightclub owned by a powerful gangster named Long Qi (Andy On) who he later befriends. Despite his attempts to not get involved in the Triads, he eventually does. When the Japanese and an axe fraternity start killing off his friends, he decides to use his strength to get his revenge. Oh yeah, Sammo Hung’s in this movie too.
Philip Ng stars as Ma Yongzhen, who moves to Shanghai in hopes for a more prosperous life. He lives a peaceful life in the slums, but he later starts working at a nightclub owned by a powerful gangster named Long Qi (Andy On) who he later befriends. Despite his attempts to not get involved in the Triads, he eventually does. When the Japanese and an axe fraternity start killing off his friends, he decides to use his strength to get his revenge. Oh yeah, Sammo Hung’s in this movie too.
It should be evident from the first few minutes alone that this movie is trying to pay tribute to some of the classic kung fu movies from the 70’s and 80’s, in particular Boxer From Shantung and The Big Boss. Philip Ng’s portrayal as Ma Yongzhen is inspired by Bruce Lee, not just his hair, but also how he fights as well as his story arc involving his mom not wanting him to fight. Almost everything about this movie recalls other classics including the dialogue, characters, story, and, of course, the fighting. And that makes sense considering that the writer of this movie, Wong Jing, wrote some of those classics. What sets this movie apart though is the style that this movie is filmed in. This movie is just beautiful to look at. It has a very unique look to go along with the not-so unique storytelling. The cinematography and the editing are actually kinda refreshing.
The action in this movie is also excellent. Though the editing is really fast at times, there are a lot of wide shots that allow you to see that the actors are invested in their fight scenes. You can still see all of the moves clearly and it uses a few camera techniques that typically aren't used during a fight scene. And the choreography by Yuen Woo Ping is top notch. The action alone is worth the price of admission. When someone gets hit in this movie, you can feel it. The falls in this movie look painful and the cinematography makes these fights look amazing. They’re intense, exciting, and stylish.
The action in this movie is also excellent. Though the editing is really fast at times, there are a lot of wide shots that allow you to see that the actors are invested in their fight scenes. You can still see all of the moves clearly and it uses a few camera techniques that typically aren't used during a fight scene. And the choreography by Yuen Woo Ping is top notch. The action alone is worth the price of admission. When someone gets hit in this movie, you can feel it. The falls in this movie look painful and the cinematography makes these fights look amazing. They’re intense, exciting, and stylish.
Despite the amazing action and the unique style in this movie, there are some major flaws in this movie. The characters in this movie suck. Ma Yongzhen and Long Qi are both great characters, but I can’t say that about anyone else in this movie. There’s a huge lack of character development from anyone in this movie. I thought that the main female lead played by Michelle Hu was a really bland character. She does have a few moments to shine, but overall the romance between her and Ma Yongzhen isn’t believable because they don’t really have any chemistry. It’s not really a sweet romance; It actually feels kinda forced.
And some of the actors that you were hoping to see in this movie are barely in it. Master Tie played by Sammo Hung is a great character in the making, but he doesn’t do a whole lot in this movie. Besides a cool scene towards the beginning, he doesn’t really do much until about an hour in which is kinda disappointing. Also Yuen Cheung-Yan and Chen Kuan Tai (who played Ma Yongzhen in Boxer from Shantung about 42 years earlier) both have their time to shine, but, again, only at the end of the film. No one really stands out in this movie besides our two main leads which is good because much of the focus is on them and they work really well off each other.
And some of the actors that you were hoping to see in this movie are barely in it. Master Tie played by Sammo Hung is a great character in the making, but he doesn’t do a whole lot in this movie. Besides a cool scene towards the beginning, he doesn’t really do much until about an hour in which is kinda disappointing. Also Yuen Cheung-Yan and Chen Kuan Tai (who played Ma Yongzhen in Boxer from Shantung about 42 years earlier) both have their time to shine, but, again, only at the end of the film. No one really stands out in this movie besides our two main leads which is good because much of the focus is on them and they work really well off each other.
Overall, Once Upon a Time in Shanghai fails to impress with its characters, but a lot of other aspects in this movie recall the vibe of a classic kung fu movie and it really gives this movie a nostalgic feel. And even with the flaws that are found in this movie, the main focus is thankfully put on the two leads, the action, and the way that this movie’s filmed. To be honest the action and the stylish look of the film are both worth the price of admission alone. Once Upon a Time in Shanghai isn’t as engaging as some of the other retellings of the Ma Yongzhen story, but it succeeds in spades as a stylish action romp.
*Believe or not, this is one of the few movies produced by Wong Jing where there are more shirtless men than shirtless women.
Images from HKMDb and HK Cinemagic
*Believe or not, this is one of the few movies produced by Wong Jing where there are more shirtless men than shirtless women.
Images from HKMDb and HK Cinemagic