Kung Pow: Enter the Fist - 01/24/02

Secondly, this is the first film in a long time that has had me in tears. It was so goddamn funny, I'm sure I missed some other funny parts of the movie, from laughing so hard.

This will be a spoiler free review, I don't like to give away gags, that kind of thing, so read on without worry.

First off, Steve Oedekerk. This guy is a wonderful writer/director. He's got a lot of talent in regards to comedy. His record is kind of spotty, in regards to hits and misses...

Some of his first work was on the television show In Living Color where he met and would later work with Jim Carey on Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, which Oedekerk both wrote and directed. The Nutty Professor, Nothing to Lose, Patch Adams, Nutty Professor II and, just recently, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius are his other writing credits since his TV days. The projects are high profile, especially the Professor movies... and things that make money, well, they please executives...

Which brings us to the present.

If you've ever seen What's Up, Tiger Lily?, you will get a sense of what Oedekerk was trying to accomplish, except using more physical comedy, technology... well, hell, using today's resources. With footage from the 1977 film Shao Lin hu ho chen tien hsia (Tiger and Crane Fist), and using other live footage that they shot, green/blue screens... this film is a homage to other great comedies of the past twenty years.

Yes, yes... they got a Matrix joke in there, so what. I'm getting sick of them too, but hey, the Cow fighting was still done well. It was original, and there proved to be more than just the preview let on... so don't go into this film thinking all the funny parts were in the trailer, because there is a ton more that will surely entertain you.

There's not much I can tell you about the cast... a lot of it was voice over, and some of the material was hysterical. Unfortunately, the credits over at IMDB.com are as yet complete, so I cannot give you any of the voice over names, or their other credits... but I will conclude the review with this:

This is a very smart comedy. Comedies these days have become too predictable. They pander to a larger audience, trying to grab a laugh here and there... in essence, blanketing a whole area. Like, say, teenagers or 20-somethings or snowboarders. This type of comedy, well, it doesn't make excuses. It's not out to market itself, it's a comedy written and directed and starring a guy who loves comedy. All types of comedy. There should be more projects like this, with writers and directors who are interested in making people laugh, not trying to hedge their bets.

I see directors like this, who work on large money making projects, and they are given the opportunity to create something they are not only interested in, but passionate about. Sometimes they get it right. Seeing a project through is one thing. Believing in it is something entirely different. From beginning to end, this movie has that good feeling, that feeling that the director was really proud of his work. I know, I'm getting all mushy... but it's about time that directors in Hollywood start producing some worthwhile material. There is some god awful crap out there. Most movie goers aren't interested in the awards that the film will or won't win... they're interested in being entertained for the two hours they've invested, not to mention the ten dollars.

For my money, this is a perfect movie. A no-punches-pulled comedy. And a hell of a lot of fun.

Oh, and stay for all of the credits, all the way until the end.

You can visit the Official Site here.