Sammo Hung made his directorial debut with The Iron-Fisted Monk and was ready to show more of who he was with this, his second film. Starring Casanova Wong as Cashier Hua and Hung as his friend Fat Chun, this is what happens when Hua is left for dead after discovering a conspiracy against the mayor. Chun tells his friend that if he wants to stay alive, he must study the fighting style Wing Chun from Master Leung Tsan (Bryan Leung Kar-Yan).
Master Tsan is a doctor and master of Wing Chun who can trace his martial arts lineage all the way back to the style's founder. What's amazing is that Wing Chun has at least eight different distinct lineages and each of those have their own origins. Those eight schools are based on the teachings of Ip Man, Yuen Kay-shan, Gu Lao Village, Nanyang / Cao Dean, Pan Nam, Pao Fa Lien, Hung Suen / Hung Gu Biu, Jee Shim and Weng Chun. We will never know the true origins of the fighting art, as the skills, movements and even history were shared from teacher to student by voice only. Nothing was in writing, as it was connected to anti-Qing rebellion and must remain in the shadows.
Tsan does what we expect from a martial arts movie. He makes Hua go through a series of training sessions to become a fighting expert, but will he learn enough in time, what with the men who tried to kill him before still searching for him?
The final battle proves that yes, he knows enough.
Master Tsan is a doctor and master of Wing Chun who can trace his martial arts lineage all the way back to the style's founder. What's amazing is that Wing Chun has at least eight different distinct lineages and each of those have their own origins. Those eight schools are based on the teachings of Ip Man, Yuen Kay-shan, Gu Lao Village, Nanyang / Cao Dean, Pan Nam, Pao Fa Lien, Hung Suen / Hung Gu Biu, Jee Shim and Weng Chun. We will never know the true origins of the fighting art, as the skills, movements and even history were shared from teacher to student by voice only. Nothing was in writing, as it was connected to anti-Qing rebellion and must remain in the shadows.
Tsan does what we expect from a martial arts movie. He makes Hua go through a series of training sessions to become a fighting expert, but will he learn enough in time, what with the men who tried to kill him before still searching for him?
The final battle proves that yes, he knows enough.