Kung Fu Hip Hop DVD Review

Street Dance Combine with Martial Arts in Chinese Action Comedy

Sep 12, 2009

Jordan Chan has a dance off with Korean sensation Poppin Hyun Joon. Watch for body popping & commercial street moves. Also stars dishy China actress Fan Bingbing.

Kung Fu Hip Hop is yet another example of how Hong Kong movies can be entertaining despite a trashy storyline. It stars Jordan Chan, who is well-known for playing triad roles in Hong Kong films like Young and Dangerous, though he stems from a dance background, having worked with artists like Alan Tam and Anita Mui. Jordan Chan’s recorded songs have hip hop influences, which explains his role in this film. Now in his 40s, Jordan Chan plays Chu Dong, an older guy who sells imitation handbags on the street. When Chu’s blind sister (Pan Xiaoting) needs an operation, Chu decides to join the national street dance competition to win prize money.

Shallow Storyline Saved by Famous Leads

The plot in Kung Fu Hip Hop is shallow, and like most Asian films it harps a bit on the sentimental side, using stringy Chinese music over hip hop beats. The story is about a kung fu trained kid Chu Dong (Jordan Chan) who decides to buck Chinese tradition and follow his dreams to be a street dancer. This is fuelled by his meeting with gorgeous top China DJ Tina (Fan Bingbing), who feels her fingers ‘resurrected’ when she watches Chu dance. Chu Dong gathers his car mechanic mates to form hip hop group Kung Fu Kids, to partake in China’s Street Dance Competition. Fortunately, the shallow storyline is helped by a mischievous Jordan Chan and a very attractive Fan Bingbing. Donning cute earmuffs, chic bangs and designer wear, Fan Bingbing is the epitome of cool. Competing for her attention is Shaoxiong (Korean dancer Poppin Hyun Joon), Chu’s accomplished dance competitor who has financial backing from crooked Tang (Allan Wu).

Hip Hop Dance Moves

Hong Kong films may be known for its playful characterisation, but that does not mean the films lack substance. Kung Fu Hip Hop is unique because it showcases several commercial dance styles. Viewers who know nothing about street dance will develop a good grasp by the end of this movie. There is no end of body popping, wave, tut and street locking here, with Poppin Hyun Joon taking the spotlight as fluid, amazing dancer Shaoxiong. The all-girl Rabbit Sisters dance group and other ingenious teams show off different styles and exciting new moves. Viewers soon learn how these dance competitions work. Groups must have sparkling chemistry and seamless choreography that evolve from track to track, to succeed.

Kung Fu versus Hip Hop

Kung Fu Hip Hop also makes an interesting comparison between dance and martial arts. Both schools require passion, discipline, gracefulness and inventiveness. There are even cameo appearances by China’s Olympic athletes, who appear to teach Kung Fu Kids new moves. These are later incorporated into their competition dance routines. One of the more touching moments is when Chu Dong’s uncle (Kuan Tai Chen), a kung fu expert, encourages Chu to carry on dancing, as this is “his soul”, and what his late grandfather would have approved of. In the face of Chinese traditions, Kung Fu Hip Hop is a modern statement, and therefore cult classic. This movie ends with an interesting twist and fantastic dance-off between Kung Fu Kids and Shaoxiong’s Tai Mei Tuan.

Being a China-Hong Kong collaboration, Kung Fu Hip Hop features a lot of China’s landscape, especially Beijing’s busy urban skyline. Merging kung fu with the pop scene is a way of observing how traditional China integrates with modernity. This film in spite of its flaws may just about entertain in a light way.

The copyright of the article Kung Fu Hip Hop DVD Review in Asian Films is owned by Lynette S.K. Webster. Permission to republish Kung Fu Hip Hop DVD Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.