Mad Monkey Kung Fu is a simple morality tale teaching one of the most valuable lessons in the entire martial world - don't be a cocky ass, or you might get your hands busted and your kung fu prowess will waver, and then you will spend the rest of your life training a monkey and paying the local thugs to stay off your back. In the film, Lau Kar Leung plays Master Chan, a traveling Peking Opera performer, who gets into some trouble with a gang boss, Duan (Lo Lieh - in typical villain form).

One night after a performance, Chan gets completely plastered on wine, shows off his masterful kung fu skills, insults Duan, and gets framed for rape. Chan's sister takes most of the punishment (she promises herself to Duan), and Chan's hands get smashed into bloody pulps - this being one of the most violent scenes ever filmed by the director. His life then spirals downwards; he becomes a poor street performer down on his luck, and is left barely able to scrape by. He soon befriends a young and hotheaded thief, Little Monkey (Hsiao Ho), and together they embark on a journey to recovery, self-improvement and revenge.

The traditionally structured narrative never veers into the "inventive" territory, nor do any of the characters shine as much as Gordon Liu's portrayal of the monk San Te in the 36th Chamber films. However, Mad Monkey Kung Fu is a shining example of a "pure" kung fu film - and by this I mean that the narrative is mostly concerned with showcasing a certain style of kung fu: the Monkey Fist style. Lau Kar Leung is known for his attention to detail, and for his passion and skill at presenting authentic martial arts in his films. In Mad Monkey Kung Fu, Ho's and Leung's own physical abilities are put to the ultimate test: by mimicking the actual movements of monkeys, the two performers unleash an amazing amount of skillful balance, acrobatic brilliance, and powerful hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Although Hsiao Ho never became a huge movie star, as Lau Kar Leung's real life student, his martial arts skills were indeed second to none. Like Gordon Liu, Ho trained as a real martial artist with the director as his teacher, and this fact shines through with every palm strike, dodge, parry and attack. There are two standout kung fu moments in Mad Monkey; the first takes place after Little Monkey experiences a beat down from Duan and his men, and returns to Master Chan with his head hung in shame. Here, Little Monkey completes his training, and watching the two performers on screen is as meta-fictional as it gets, as they go through a training sequence in tandem that must have mimicked their off screen student-teacher relationship.

The second sequence is of course the final showdown, and like the name of the film suggests, madness doth ensue. Typical to Lau Kar Leung fashion, the final sequence in Mad Monkey does not disappoint, but once again reaches for kung fu grandness on an epic scale. By playing up the comedic fierceness of the Monkey Fist style, Master Chan and Little Monkey roll and jump around like angry simians, as they strike with the 4-thrust palm technique, and grapple their opponents with arm and leg locks. The style of kung fu in the film lends itself to a more comedic tone, and while watching Little Monkey act totally monkey-like in poise and personality, one cannot help but to grin and enjoy the acrobatic and hard-hitting antics.

Through all of the action, humor, acrobatics and display of martial arts techniques, Lau Kar Leung and Hsaio Ho create a shining example of the medium. Although the narrative and characterization may be a bit shallow, it would be nearly impossible to find a better on screen duo than these two in regards to sheer physical prowess. Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung may have been more popular, but in all reality, watching the master and student team in Mad Monkey Kung Fu is like peering through a window in time at the real, and bona fide deal. When Lau Kar Leung is involved, you know the focus will be on authentic kung fu and groundbreaking choreography, all topped off with a bit of martial chivalry. Just add a bit of Hsaio Ho to the mix, and you have the recipe for a true winner.

Liu Chia Liang plays Chen a Chinese opera performer framed for rape by brothel owner Tuen (Lo Lieh) so that he can force Chen's sister, Tsui Hung (Hui Ying Hung), into working for him. Not content to leave it at that Tuen meters out punishment by breaking Chen's hands so that he will never be able to perform kung fu again. Chen is reduced to becoming a street performer with a pet monkey but is unable to escape persecution from Tuen's men who kill the monkey. Chen takes on a student 'Little Monkey' (Hsiao Hou) to whom he teaches monkey style kung fu and the pair develop another street act but Tuen's men continue to harass them. Inevitably this leads to a final confrontation where Chen, with the help of 'Little Monkey', storms the brothel to rescue his sister.

The film contains some of Liu Chia Liang's best work with highly imaginative choreography combined with effective camerawork and editing. Lo Lieh is excellent as the villainous Tuen and Hsiao Hou nearly steals the show with his amazing acrobatics. The final two on one finale is a stunning piece of kung fu cinema.

The standout scene for me though comes where Chen is teaching his student kung fu in the mountains. Its a beautifully filmed piece which builds up in pace and is complemented by a stirring soundtrack. Its not often I say this but this scene blew me away when I first saw it on the big screen.

Liu Chia Liang plays Chen, a skilled stage performer who is also noted for his expertise in Monkey style kung fu. One night Chen is invited for dinner by a secretly jealous rival Tuen (Lieh) and so the well-respected performer accepts this invite, attending the function with his sister. Tuen plies Chen with wine until he is drunk and tricks his guest into thinking that he has attacked Tuen's concubine. Repaying this supposed action, Tuen takes the innocent rival's sister as a concubine and orders Chen's hands to be broken. Thinking that he is guilty and therefore deserving of punishment, Chen agrees to these measures and, after the blows are dealt, he is thrown out onto the street. Now a dishevelled street entertainer, Chen is forced to perform for scraps and sinks lower and lower into the depths of depression. The gloom is slightly lifted when he meets a boisterous, yet well-meaning petty thief named Monkey who uses his wiles to steal what he can from the affluent. The pair are still on the receiving end of countless hardships with local bullies beating Monkey severely and destroying what little self-respect Chen has for himself by ruining his chances to perform. When Monkey discovers his new-friend's real identity though, he asks to be taught Monkey style kung fu to protect himself. Although Chen is reluctant due to the trouble he believes he has caused, he eventually agrees and puts the aptly named Monkey through suitably torturous training routines. Monkey soon becomes a capable fighter and defeats the local bullies who've oppressed him for years, finally proving himself more than just the town joke. Unfortunately, Monkey is captured by Tuen who now resides as the corrupt and powerful gang leader of the town; while being held prisoner, Monkey discovers his master's innocence and Tuen's devious plans. Chen's sister manages to free Monkey, but she herself is killed when she attempts to escape from Tuen's wicked intentions. With vengeance in mind, Monkey and Chen march to their enemy's home for the inevitable showdown where the truth is finally revealed.

As director, Liu Chia Liang takes a common theme and adds depth to the film, further enhancing his glowing reputation. This is achieved by his concentration on the master/student dynamic and the gradual relationship the two form; the chemistry and three-dimensional friendship between the two is a strong line of this fine film. As leading man Liu Chia Liang gives a very polished performance, making the tortured aspects of the character come to life. The real discovery of the film though is Hsiao Hou as Monkey. The talented performer is an appealing actor and also among the most gifted acrobats to appear on the screen making his Monkey kung fu style a stunning feature of the film. Simply put then, 'Mad Monkey Kung Fu' features an excellent cast, first-rate action, an absorbing plot and a powerful soundtrack - more than enough reasons to recommend this to any true film fan.

First and foremost, Hsiao Hou delivers an incredible performance - possibly his finest ever. The fighting and stunts that he pulls off are simply unbelievable! Liu Chia Liang's deft direction and choreography take excellent advantage of all of the players, and the action scenes are pure genius - he is truly the undisputed master. Although he takes a back seat to Hou, Liang's performance is fabulous and seeing the two of them train is fascinating. A spectacular and delightful film, and a true kung fu classic.

Review: Monkey Fist kung fu has appeared in a number of films but never shown as more entertaining or as masterfully executed as in Mad Monkey Kung Fu. Not only that, but ample humor and top notch choreography makes this film a joy to behold. Director, choreographer, and leading man Lau Kar-leung, also the leading master of the genre, is at the peek of his creative prowess here.

A Chinese opera performer named Chan (Lau Kar-leung) finds his life ruined overnight. In order to gain possession of Chan's sister (Kara Hui), brothel owners Duan (Lo Lieh) and his wife make it appear that Chan has made sexual advances on Duan's wife. To spare him, Miss Chan becomes Duan's concubine and Chan's hands are crippled. Several years later Chan meets a petty thief named Little Monkey (Hsiao Ho) who ends up learning Chan's Monkey Fist in order to defend himself from local gang members. When its discovered that the gang works for Duan, Chan joins Little Monkey in seeking revenge on Duan and saving his sister.

Within director Lau Kar-Leung's many films, he has always striven to retain the traditions of kung fu by portraying the styles in an authentic fashion. Mad Monkey Kung Fu features meticulously choreographed scenes depicting the unusual and dynamic style of Monkey Fist amid incredibly entertaining fight sequences. The real treat is seeing Lau Kar-leung in his first leading role. The man was already an established master of kung fu choreography behind the camera, but he proved himself capable of acting and fantastic kung fu displays to rival any of the performances provided by his star protégés. The opening fight is Lau's opportunity to really show off his stuff. As he becomes increasingly drunk, his style becomes more fluid in contrast to his opponent's "hard" styles.

Looking at Lau's pupils and co-stars, Kara is impressive in a short match with Lo Lieh, but her role is short. The acrobatic Hsiao Ho, who never really took off as a leading man, still offers an incredible performance on par with Yuen Biao and Chiang Sheng. Later in the film, Hsiao delivers an outstanding performance as a character who naturally apes the movements and gestures of a monkey. His master is also well known for setting up complex fights involving large numbers of opponents and doesn't disappoint here either. Hsiao's two battles in the brothel are pure genius. Its all fast-paced with props such as tables and nets being put to good use. While its nice to see Shaw Brothers veteran Lo Lieh going at it with Lau, this isn't one of his better performances overall. His kung fu is no match for the rest of the leads, but he holds his own.

While having the standard revenge angle along with a few deaths, mangling of hands, and drama, the film is actually quite intentionally funny. Hsiao Ho sparkles as the mischievous thief who is constantly getting into trouble. The choreography is often playful, but always intense and intricate. The dialogue features a mom joke and other comic gems (best presented by the original English-dubbed version).

Old school kung fu fans should not miss out on seeing this film. With brilliant choreography and loads of humor, Mad Monkey Kung Fu is a genre classic with superb kung fu.