Let's not beat around the bush: this is an outstanding classic, proving in no time at all why it's held in such high esteem, why Jackie Chan is such a big star, and why Yuen Woo-Ping, Yuen Biao, Yuen Shun-Yee, Corey Yuen, Brandy Yuen, and Hsu Hsia earned such great reputations for their stunts and choreography. True, some scenes of pure comedy are a little too abjectly silly for their own good, and some characters too cartoonishly exaggerated, yet by and large the combination of comedy and action here is fantastic, and superbly entertaining. Even more than that, the action is so sharply executed that even on that basis alone the title stands significantly taller than many of its kin. 'Drunken master' really is a blast, and absolutely remains an exemplar of kung fu cinema.
Unless one also has the misfortune of watching the dubbed version, it's hard to even drum up other critiques just on account of how exquisitely the feature is crafted. We see this in action sequences especially, where all involved illustrate skills more carefully honed than what we get elsewhere. In some like fare the cinematography and editing may be prone to overzealous, overly excitable application, chopping up the best value and reflecting stereotypes about action flicks generally and the genre specifically; between the direction and choreography, fights and stunts may bear a marginal looseness, or appearance of restraint, as if the filmmakers just weren't taking every last step. This is hardly to speak ill of other contemporary works in and of themselves, yet in watching this, the disparity becomes very noteworthy, for all these elements - cinematography, editing, direction, choreography - are tremendously tight, focused, and precise. At all times, and most discretely with any demonstration of martial arts techniques or training, 'Drunken master' is given to a level of careful, intense detail, and detailed intensity, that's immensely gratifying. Even for just this reason the picture holds up as an indelible classic, never mind the inherent supremacy of the stunts and action that are extra varied and dynamic as they blend incredibly fluid movements with a delightful playfulness. In fact, not least for its ingenuity and artistry, the choreography here might be some of the best that I've ever seen, and that's no small feat.
I suppose if one were really looking to pull apart possible flaws one might point to repetition of moments from a scene we just watched, or marginal imbalance in tone as an antagonistic figure is sidelined and only sparingly given prominence. Otherwise, this is terrifically well made in every capacity. It takes awhile for the iconic "drunken kung fu" to make its appearance, but the wait is absolutely worth it - and up until then, we're given a steady stream of action-comedy that's worthy in its own right. The storytelling can boast genuine strength as our kind yet buffoonish protagonist splits his time between making an oaf of himself and training with master Beggar So, with additional narrative elements providing fuel for the plot to come. The story is equally entertaining and compelling, filled with as much flavor as the scene writing, and the characters are penned with splendid personality. Meanwhile, the filming locations are utterly gorgeous, with marvelous production design and art direction to boot. Much the same goes for the costume design, hair, and makeup, and any effects that are employed are just about as swell as the stunts.
Truly, everything here looks and sounds fabulous; even the acting, broadly less important in films of this nature, is pretty great. I'd stop short of saying it's wholly perfect, primarily just because of the excessively ridiculous frivolity of some moments; some jokes and gags are simply cheap. Yet for as remarkably smart, clever, calculated, and nevertheless lighthearted and fun as it is in every way that matters most, the imperfections are forgiven easily enough and are far outweighed by the stellar value. Like other niche genres, martial arts flicks saw a glut of entries over a select period, and the quality ranges all too widely from the stupendous to the awful. This, I'm happy to say, is stupendous, and it's no wonder why it and those involved are regarded so well. By one means or another plenty of movies earn a label as a "must-see," and for how enjoyable it is, how brilliant it is at its best, and how shrewdly it was crafted, I think 'Drunken master' is another. Whether you're just a fan of kung fu or an ardent cinephile, even forty-five years later this is something everyone should check out if they have the chance.
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