Kung Fu: The Movie (1986 TV Movie) User Reviews

Great Martial Arts Flick, With 2 Fantastic Performances From David Carradine And Brandon Lee!

[callanvass · 7/10 · 6 May 2005]

This is a great martial arts flick with 2 fantastic performances from David Carradine and Beandon Lee!. It's got some really cool fights in it, however if your looking for a martial arts film with lots of action look elsewhere, but if you want a Martial Arts film, with a great plot and a great story, with some cool fight scenes, and a bit of action you have come to the right place!. Mako is awesome as the main villain, and i loved the flashback scenes, as well plus, the finale is great and very exciting. The ending was great, however i wished Brandon had more screen time, it was still extremely cool to see David Carradine and Brandon Lee in the same movie together!. This is a great martial arts film,that's smart and intelligent, i am now going to buy the TV series on DVD, and check out, the movie as well!. The Direction is very good. Richard Lang does a very good job here with some cool shots, good camera angles, and he kept the film at a fast pace!. The Acting is WONDERFUL!. David Carradine is amazing here, he is extremely likable, mysterious, had great dialog, kicked that ass, and was tons of fun to watch! (David Rules!). Brandon lee is AMAZING as he always was, however he is quite creepy here, with limited dialog (except at the end),and always had an intense look on his face!, he was wonderful (Brandon Ruled!). Mako is fantastic as the main villain, he is extremely menacing unpredictable and just rocked overall!. Kerrie Keane didn't convince me here, as she was rather annoying and her chemistry with Crradine was off. William Lucking is good as the dirty cop. Rest of the cast are awesome. Overall i highly recommend this great martial Arts flick, i am going buy the TV series on DVD, and see the movie as well!. ***1/2 out of 5

Brandon's first role

[Neo-212 · 5/10 · 22 May 2000]

This was Brandon Lee's first role (he was 21) and is a decent movie. If you like the show then you will like this. I personally think David Carridine is a disgrace to martial arts because well, he sucks. He also once claimed to be possessed by Bruce Lee's spirit. Ummm, yeah O.K. I only watched this to see Brandon Lee. You can tell he had really just started in the martial arts but he was still better than Carridine. Brandon did a good job acting too in kind of a villain role at first who changes his ways in the end. If you're a Brandon Lee fan, check it out grasshopper!

Going through the motions.

[lost-in-limbo · 5/10 · 21 April 2019]

You are on the right path young grasshopper, but still much to learn if you want to hear the grasshopper at your feet. David Carradine a decade later returns to the role of the fugitive Shaolin priest Kwai Chang Caine made famous in the mid 1970's American TV series "Kung Fu". Bringing the ways of ancient east to the old Wild West, his past transgressions comes back to put him a dangerous predicament. He becomes a prime suspect of a murder, which he believes a vindictive Chinese warlord (Mako) is behind. His now-grown up son he left behind years ago (Brandon Lee in his debut) is after his blood, as an assassin under the mysterious trance of this warlord.

This made-for-TV film tries to rekindle the spirit of the TV series (that I saw bits and pieces in reruns), but comes off being a sloppy, and at times dull extended episode. Western and Eastern cultures clash, where it's not only the bounty hunters Caine must confront on his inner quest, but also themes of racism and prejudice. The story is plot focus, a murder mystery with dilemma solving, set-ups, opium smuggling and a few moments of sudden, cheesy kung-fu. Although nothing to write home about. The fun comes from the philosophy laced dialogues of wisdom, footage of Keye Luje as Master Po the venerable blind teacher, window-dressing visual mystic tricks of mind over matter, Mako's flame throwing rifle(?!) and Carradine in slow-motion effortlessly throwing people through glass windows making it into an art-form. Lalo Schifrin's majestic score probably deserved better and Kerrie Kean, Benson Fong, Luke Askew and Martin Landau also appear.

Less than I remembered

[neongen · 6/10 · 22 July 2022]

The 80's and 90's saw a lot of first rate tv movies but just off a rewatch made me feel the film had a cheap 70's feel to it. Carradine is older but film can be seen as a sequel to the 72 pilot ( just saw for the first time ) and series or as a remake of the first film. Brandon Lee is not much of a presence but I liked the ending.

The only followup directly linked to the original series

[kevinolzak · 4/10 · 1 September 2010]

This rather pointless TV movie sequel to the 70s series is the only one directly connected to its predecessor, as the 90s revival was a modern day action series shot in Canada. Like the original show, "Kung Fu" is set 100 years before, in California, where Caine is now working as a warehouse laborer alongside The Old One (Benson Fong). He becomes involved in an opium smuggling ring based in China, by way of India and America, and is basically reduced to being a detective, with unimpressive fight scenes and a plot that never really catches fire (nearly everyone winds up dead). There was really no reason for its existence, and Herbie J. Pilato's THE KUNG FU BOOK OF CAINE fails to accurately detail the confusing plot. For one thing, The Manchu played by Mako is not The Emperor, whose nephew was killed by Caine for the senseless murder of his beloved Master Po (Keye Luke), but is actually The Emperor's brother, as he refers to the nephew as his son. Another fact is that Brandon Lee, son of Bruce Lee, was an interesting casting choice to play Chung Wang, son of Caine, but the archive footage depicts not Nancy Kwan's Mayli Ho (from "The Cenotaph") but Adele Yoshioka's Po Li (from "The Forbidden Kingdom"), in establishing the mother of Chung Wang. Scenes depicting Caine 'levitating' contradict his persona in the original series, and the final showdown with the vengeful Manchu, holding Caine's son in his power, ends in ridiculous 'mystical' fashion, a disappointing conclusion. Shockingly, it is also revealed that the Shaolin temple has been destroyed, and all the masters murdered, even Master Kan, who apparently still lived (though the actor who played him, Philip Ahn, had died in 1978). Keye Luke did return as Master Po, seen in three scenes as a simple ghost (since the Shaolin temple sets no longer existed). Also back from the 70s show were Benson Fong (in his final acting performance), Roy Jenson (from the original pilot, plus the episode "Superstition"), Mako (from "The Tide"), and an unbilled Tad Horino (8 separate episodes). Seen in archive footage are Philip Ahn's Master Kan, Richard Loo's Master Sun, John Leoning's Master The, and Radames Pera's Student Caine. A feature that failed to capture the spirit of the original series, a fatal flaw from which it never recovers, its only possible achievement being Caine's being liberated from the long-time persecution of China's Royal Family. That and the teaming of 50 year old David Carradine (also credited as co-producer) with Bruce Lee's 21 year old son Brandon, whose career eerily mirrored his father's by tragically ending at an early age. It is true that Bruce Lee was considered as an actor by the show's producers, but the concept for the series was not Lee's but Ed Friedman's. Lee wanted to do a series that was global in scope, incorporating many concepts of kung fu techniques and philosophy, an idea far more ambitious than the one that resulted. I find myself disappointed in some people's belief that the idea was 'stolen' from Bruce Lee, a notion put forth by his faithful widow, but simply not supported by fact. Loved the show, but found this lone sequel to be most unnecessary. Brandon Lee appeared in another followup in 1987, "Kung Fu: The Next Generation" (turned down by Carradine, who said it looked like "KUNG FU car crashes"), a failed pilot for a series that never came off, with David Darlow cast as a modern day Kwai Chang. The series KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES began in 1993, and lasted 88 episodes, set in the present day, with a different Caine this time played by Carradine, who apparently needed the money. The original series was the only one to combine action and philosophy with the right combination of superb actors, most of whom are no longer with us.

A classic in it's own right.

[carousal · 8/10 · 25 March 2005]

You know one of those movies that no one talks about... it's beyond indie. It's practically unknown... but you see it in the back of some video store, wipe the dust off of it, and it's one of the most well-made movies you've ever seen? That's the case here. This is a classic example of an American adaptation of kung-fu movies. Carradine is the main star, who already had a long run in kung fu movies. He's a great actor, and is one of the top caucasian martial artists of the time. He brings an aura to his character that is consistent with earlier films such as Return of the Dragon and Kung-Fu Vengeance. If you've watched this for Carradine, look at some of his earlier stuff. If you knew him before Kill Bill, then kudos to you.

Another reason you might watch this film is Brandon Lee. Who, if you may not know, is the son of Bruce Lee. This isn't his first appearance on the silver screen, but he tries not to let it show. Brandon is still pretty fresh in Hollywood, so his acting skills need a bit of development. (As seen in The Crow) Yet the aspiration used to live up to his father's standards of acting as well as martial arts punctuality makes him a perfect part for the antagonist.

This film is pretty well-made... nice cinematography, writing, directing... The director is Richard Lang, who retired in 1997. he was already into directing by the time of Kung-Fu, and was already rooted in film due to his mother being an actress in the 20's and 30's. Lang was also a director for Melrose Place and Beverly Hills: 90210. So maybe Kung-Fu was his acme... maybe Melrose Place. Whatever you like. Either way, it's a nice film.

Watch it if you're a kung-fu fan or in the least bit interested in martial arts.

intent: diminish Kung Fu legacy

[zwerg105 · 1/10 · 28 April 2012]

This appears to have been the first calculated step taken towards diminishing the legacy of the incredible Kung Fu TV series. Look at the writer's credits. The Shaolin order has been destroyed! (says you). How much more awful can you get? No more spring of wisdom and center of peace, while the carrier of the flame is wrapped up in family affairs with the man we don't give two farts about (the father of the nephew), and an illegitimate son intent to kill him. Caine was a role model for many that grew up with the TV show. It is such a pleasure to observe the regular folks interact with the thoughtful and humble one. (ok IMDb here's your 10th line)

Not as good as the television series

[rebeljenn · 4/10 · 1 January 2006]

'Kung Fu' was the ultimate martial arts television series that had evolved into a few movies and other adaptions. This movie starred David Carradine, and I saw it on television originally in the 1980s when it was first broadcast. I remember that this film was a little dry and it lacked a really coherent story and the charm that the television series offered. This seemed more modernised and more like a movie that was all about the action and the martial arts. I just thought it did not work very well. Maybe I was prejudiced because I enjoyed the television series a lot more, and I expected something different. This film just did not do it for me, and it was more involved with the action than anything else, so it suffered from a storyline, and I just did not care for the story. I think it had something to do with finding a long lost brother or son or something. Unengaging. Not as good as the series. Watch the series instead!

Pass on This

[shelbythuylinh · 5/10 · 11 November 2021]

As that only the except of Mr. Carradine and that of Brandon Lee's debut to the world. Nothing is on that over in the original show. Except for some original actors in the original "Kung Fu" there.

It has nothing to do with the original as the fugitive thing Caine has been moving on has since been thrown out. Not knowing that Lee is the son Caine never thought he was aware of.

It is about violence the way to win but not about eschewing like the original show has usually done when push came to solve. RIP David and Brandon!