Jackie Chan has mass international appeal; he’s instantly recognizable and deserves all the success he’s achieved. The only thing that’s a shame is that some equally talented people were successful in the Hong Kong film industry but have never crossed over into international fame. The people I’m referring to are guys Chan attended the China Drama Academy with several other children who would grow up to be forces in the film business there. Guys like Corey Yuen would become an accomplished director with films like The Transporter, Sammo Hung had a successful show on CBS for two seasons called Martial Law, but the rest aren’t really known outside their country.
The one guy I always thought should have broken out was Yuen Biao. He had several high-profile roles in films like Dragons Forever, Project A, and many more. It’s exciting to see several boutique labels bringing some of his most acclaimed work to North American shores. The latest is a martial arts film called Knockabout (1979), which Biao stars in, and Sammo Hung directs and co-stars. It’s a terrific action piece that helps to bridge the gap between the traditional Shaw Brothers-style film and modern action cinema.
Yipao (Yuen Biao) and Taipao (Ka-Yan Leung) are a couple of rambunctious brothers who eventually find a master to teach them martial arts. They learn that he isn’t who he appears to be but is really Silver Fox, a criminal wanted for numerous crimes. Yipao goes into battle with his former mentor only to have Taipao jump in to save his life. With the death of his brother on his conscience and revenge in the works, he meets a beggar (Sammo Hung) who happens to be a master of monkey kung-fu. He convinces him to teach him, and the two will battle Silver Fox once and for all.
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Knockabout starts a bit slow but ends on a brilliant note. The film’s pace is its strongest asset since it builds excitement from fight to fight. The opening action scenes are pretty cookie-cutter but entertaining; nothing really stands out. Once you make it to the final act, you’ll be in awe of what these performers have crafted, laying the groundwork for their seminal films, which would only be a few years away.
While I was only sent a disc-only promo copy, it’s loaded with special features, including two versions of the film, multiple commentary tracks, archival interview footage, and more. The film has had 2K restorations on both versions, and it shows. Knockabout may not be my favorite from this group of artists, but it foreshadows what’s to come and is an excellent showcase for Yuen Biao.
