Reviews:My Lucky Stars
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| ALTERNATE SYNOPSIS: "My Lucky Stars" is packed with all the adrenaline pumping action and honest humor that one has come to expect from any movie starring the Big Brothers of Hong Kong action: Jackie Chan ("Police Story", "Rush Hour") and Sammo Hung ("Martial Law", "Magnificent Butcher")--only this time they've brought the irrepressible Yuen BIao and Japanese bodybuilder Michiko Nishiwaki along for the ride. Bullets and fists fly when Muscles (Jackie Chan) and Muscles (Yuen Biao) end up in Japan on the trail of a Japanese master criminal, Mashimoto. When Ricky is kidnapped by the gangsters, Muscles calls home for help and the police send their pal Kidstuff (Sammo Hung) together with tough whip Inspector Woo (Sibelle Hu) and a group of childhood friends to help beat the criminals at their own game. Will the unlikely partnership of cops and robbers bring Ricky his freedom and the criminals to justice? |
| Story: Muscles and Ricky (Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao) are cops chasing a gang of diamond thieves led by Lam Ching Ying. It is decided that the only way to do this is to employ the services of some lovable criminals. Kidstuff (Sammo Hung) and the Lucky Stars (Richard Ng, Eric Tsang, Charlie Chin, Stanley Fung) turn up to lend a hand.
Review: For most Kung Fu fans, there is something special about the few films in which Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao share the screen. However, in the case of ‘My Lucky Stars’, there is some false advertising in effect, because for the most part this movie belongs to the ‘Lucky Stars’, a gang of comedians who fail to amuse. The film kicks off with some promising action. Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao chase Lam Ching Ying through Hong Kong and into a theme park. There is a quick burst of fighting, and it’s easy to fool yourself into thinking that we are in for a treat. We then hand over to Sammo Hung, and just as things seem to be heading in the right direction, the Lucky Stars turn up and the plot grinds to a halt, wallowing in a sticky mess of forced and desperate comedy. Sammo himself is usually on screen, but seems to hide at the back worrying about how to rescue his movie from the hands the Lucky Stars and their farcical cack. They lust after Sibelle Hu, they order food in sign language, and they make the average Westerner reach for the fast forward button. One ‘joke’ involves Eric Tsang losing some money outdoors, but he is searching the floor for it indoors. When asked why, he explains that it’s too dark to look for it outside. Sorry to spoil the joke, but please try and read the rest of this review through your tears of laughter. The box office profits in HK for this film were huge, but maybe that was more to do with the famous names attached to the project. Most of them are cameo roles, but just look at that cast list! Finally, after an eternity, there is some decent action. Jackie finally resurfaces, and chases the bad guys through a spooky funhouse. It’s reminiscent of Sammo’s comedy horror output, but with a modern day setting. The climax of the film is a nice chunk of kung fu action, with Dick Wei showing up for a rumble, and Sibelle facing off against Michiko Nishiwaki, but the fight against Lam Ching Ying that we have waited for lasts seconds. My Lucky stars certainly isn’t as good as it’s sequel, ‘Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars’, which was average at best, and is nothing more than a plotless ‘comedy’ book-ended by some half decent Kung Fu action. The action scenes in ‘My Lucky Stars’ are worth checking out, but to claim that this is a Chan/Biao/Hung movie is simply a lie. For the 20 minutes the trio are on screen, it’s fun, but the antics of the Lucky Stars are irritating rather than funny, and the movie is well below the high standards that Sammo Hung usually sets. |
http://www.kfccinema.com
| Nomination at the Hong Kong Film Awards 1986:
Tit Lik Wai (Jackie Chan) and Ricky (Yuen Biao) on are on a criminal investigation, looking for a bunch of crime lords (one of them being Lam Ching Ying) in Japan but Ricky gets kidnapped in a theme park by a gang of ninjas. Wai goes back to this refuge, angry and furious about his lost. He places a call to HQ to enlist a bunch of criminals to help him solve this case, one of them being his childhood friend Chieh Goo Choi (Sammo Hung). They arrive in Japan with the help of Ba Wah Far (Siebelle Hu from Inspectors Wears Skirts) and the gang enter the unknown... Sammo Hung directs this film, and, as you may well know, when he directs a film, you know the film is going to be slightly dramatic, comedic, fast paced and frantic. Sammo's way of filming is always focusing of mid-shots, and panned out shots. Only when there is an exaggerated/comedic expression on the face or a side-by-side heroic stance, is there a close-up. Sammo's character, Chieh Goo Choi, is a criminal, let out early due to Tit Lik Wai need for help. Sammo's role in this film isn't dramatic like Heart of the Dragon or other films of his and here he plays the role of a criminal with comedy and normality. The actual fighting is pretty much basic, the most complicated being a dropping cresent kick by Chan, but hey, realism is the best way to showcase action, no? Sammo's gang of stunt people never fail to deliver in action, as we can tell by the variation of styles between each character's fighting. There is nothing more I can really say about the action, but expect a funny performance by the non-fighters. Please, do note that this film is really a Sammo and company comedy showcase, with very little action involving Jackie Chan in it, and even less Yuen Biao action! The action in this film is very frantic, as usual, especially with the Chan/Biao/Lam chase at the very beginning, and the last fight involving Dick Wei. The girls also get their part of the fighting, featuring Hu and Nishiwawa. Dick Wei and Lam Ching Ying also get the chance to have a knockabout with the stars, and I'll tell you what, it's very entertaining. Of course, the stunts can't compare to let's say Police Story, but hey, this is a light-hearted comedy. Cantonese humour is there in buckets, so if you don't undertand cantonese, many of the speaking jokes won't seem funny. Talking about comedy, this film practically lives and breathes through dirty jokes and Hong Kong cantonese humour/slang. Jokes include a song, ordering food through an 'interesting way' and even bondage! I won't explain more about the latter, just watch it and you'll see. Eric Tsang (from Metade Fumaca) makes a welcome change to the usual guys, and I tell you what, he makes a hell of a lot of difference! He's never afraid to have people make fun of this looks and weight! He plays this dumb retarded guy, and the role perfectly suits the way he looks, basically, like a pig! This is a entertaining film for when you feel stupid and also if you like a blend of comedy and action, you'll love it. You'll loathe it if you wanna see only Jackie Chan kick butt for 1 and a half hours. |
http://www.sogoodreviews.com
ALTERNATE SYNOPSIS:
An HK$30 Million Asian box-office smash-hit, featuring crackerjack comedy and groundbreaking action from three of the greatest martial arts legends of all time: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao. Jackie Chan heads up an all-star cast in this outrageous crime-caper involving two Hong Kong cops sent to Tokyo to apprehend an ex-colleague and recover a fortune in stolen diamonds. When one is captured by the yakuza gang protecting the rogue cop, the other enlists the services of his shady orphanage buddies, including the irrepressible "Fastbuck" (Sammo Hung) to help break the case. Not surprisingly, all hell breaks loose, as the craziest assortment of degenerate misfits ever assembled embarks on a non-stop, "anything goes" action-adventure which will have you reaching for the "rewind" button time and time again!
-Hong Kong Legends
| Chan and Yuen play a pair of HK cops who come to Japan to arrest embezzler Tsang when they are ambushed by a group of ninjas, who manage to capture Yuen. Knowing that other cops would be recognized if they tried to save Yuen, Chan assembles the "Lucky Stars," a group of bumbling criminals led by Hung to save the day.
This is a pretty good movie, though it did go a bit too much into comedy for my taste. I don't think it was a problem of translation; most of the jokes are just lame and they try to milk every bit out of the gag as they can before (thankfully) moving on to another one. This really wouldn't be so much of a problem if there was a bit more action in the movie; it really slows down (at least in terms of action scenes) in the middle, with the bulk of the story going to various falied methods of the Lucky Stars to get into Sibelle Hu's pants. However, there's still plenty of good stuff (including a classic fight between Sibelle Hu and Japanese bodybuilder Michiko Nishiwaki) that warrants a viewing. |
http://www.hkfilm.net
| Muscles and Ricky are two Hong Kong cops in Tokyo looking for a corrupt cop who has stolen a bunch of diamonds. When they find him, Muscles and Ricky fight a gang of Ninjas. Ricky is knocked unconscious and kidnapped by the Ninjas. With Muscles being recognized as a HK cop by the villains, he can only rely one a few good men, or should we say a few bad men: his old orphanage gang, a group of petty criminals. Led by the chubby Fastbuck, the group must help Muscles despite their hatred for him due to his becoming a cop.
The official sequel to the comedy/actioner Winners and Sinners, the Three Kung Fu-Teers are back. Jackie, Sammo, and Yuen lead the Lucky Stars gang (replace John Shum with Eric Tsang) into some hilarious hijinks and kung fu fighting. One of the funny sights to check out is Richard Ng's snake style. It's funny!!! Also replacing Cherie Chung is the kung fu fighting Sibelle Hu. Her fight with Japanese kickboxing/powerlifting champ Michiko Nishiwaki (in her film debut) is a good catfight (with no clothes ripping off - sorry guys). Jackie and Sammo look great in this film and if you want another blend of comedy from those crazy Lucky Stars, this is one to see. |
http://megspace.com/entertainment/highimpact
| More inane silliness from the Lucky Stars gang, spiced up by the amazing fights and stunts that you expect from Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and Yuen Biao. Too bad there just isn't more of them and less of the Lucky Stars. Police officer Yuen Biao gets kidnapped by Japanese gangsters, and Jackie Chan pulls the Lucky Stars in to assist him. A surprisingly sexy Sibelle Hu is in charge of the operation and she of course becomes the victim of pranks at the hands of the perverted Lucky Stars gang. But she does kick ass, especially when she squares off with buffed up Michiko Nishiwaki at the end of the film. Sammo is great as always, and Jackie's brief moments in the film are also brilliant - especially when he's pitted against a pigtailed Dick Wei. Also, some of the music was lifted from "Tron" of all things. Like the other Lucky Stars films, watch the first twenty minutes and the last twenty minutes, and skip all of the ludicrous slapstick in the middle. |
http://www.alex-in-wonderland.com
In terms of martial arts...
One of Jackie's "caper" films, featuring the "Three Amigos" (Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao), who are all opera-trained acrobats with (form) training in many styles. The martial arts in this film are comparable to the following films, which all feature the "Three Amigos" in some capacity: Dragons Forever, Winners and Sinners, Wheels on Meals, and Project A.
MARTIAL ARTS RATING 4/5
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