Drunken Master

I saw this movie's sequel (which would actually be closer to a reboot if they used that term in the 90s) years ago, and liked it quite a bit. Definitely my favorite of Jackie Chan's movies, simply because it was packed with so many quality fights, and the drunken fighting styles are so entertaining. I was hopeful the original could be as entertaining, but unfortunately there were a number of factors that prevented that.

I will say that I didn't dislike the movie, I just had a lot of issues with it. There were a few good fights throughout, but there was almost too much action, and the movie is really too long. With as little story as there is, there's no need for a nearly two hour running time. You can't go five minutes without some sort of action, and while a lot of it is well choreographed, there are plenty of bland moments that are just padding the length. And the movie's greatest sin is the lack of actual drunken mastery happening. A large part of the movie is Jackie being trained, and the way he's taught the fundamentals of drunken boxing without even realizing it are pretty clever and entertaining. But the actual drunken aspect of it doesn't get introduced until the movie is more than two thirds over, in the last half hour or so. It's really disappointing when a movie is called Drunken Master and only has two real fights using those techniques. It would be like remaking The Karate Kid and having him learn kung fu instead. Oh wait.

Another problem with the movie is that it's just hard to like Jackie's character. There's a certain roguish charm to some of his boorish antics, but mostly he just comes off as a huge, arrogant jerk that I have a hard time sympathizing with. He only starts being respectful after the villain kicks his ass and rubs his nose in the dirt, which I can't deny getting a bit of enjoyment out of. Still, this was Jackie at the peak of his physical ability, and watching him fight at his best can be pretty exciting. Not a great film, but the production is surprisingly solid for a 70s martial arts movie, and it's certainly enjoyable enough for fans of the genre.