Shanghai Express (Special Collector's Edition) [DVD]

This film is a typically wacky caper, more of interest for hardcore fans of The 3 Dragons: Sammo, Yuen Biao, and Jackie Chan. While it features some exceptional fighting in the last reel, any viewer not thoroughly steeped in HK films will have to work pretty hard to make it through the first 2/3rds of the movie.This movie tosses in everything but the kitchen sink. Slapstick and broad physical comedy is the main focus. The filmmakers just went crazy with all the characters, situations, and plot elements: a Wild West town in China, Samurai, Wong Fei Hung, Confederate soldiers, bank robbers, train robbers, jail breaks, fat jokes, a Madam her and prostitutes, a Keystone Cops-style fire fighting caper with Jackie-Chan-esque stunts, and an enormous cast featuring at least half the actors in Hong Kong (including Lau Kar Leung, Jimmy Wang Yu and Corey Yuen Kwai to name three out of dozens!)--and none of it makes any sense whatsoever. A lot of the humor is less than childish and will simply fall flat on most western audiences, unless you are really sensitized to this particular genre.A lot of the humor is lost through the subtitle massacre that is perpetrated here. I'm assuming the producers of the DVD simply re-typed in bolder face the original British-mandated subtitles that every HK movie was required to be released with back when the movie was originally made. You'll have to work really hard to even come close to figuring out what the characters are saying, let alone get the jokes.The plot is almost non-existent, and it doesn't take a genius to guess where it is all headed: a giant battle in which the huge and unwieldy cast comes together to beat the tar out of each other. There is some pretty impressive fighting, including a good showdown between Sammo and Cynthia Rothrock. Unfortunately, this show-stopping melee is over all too quickly, leaving the viewer with an appetite whetted for better movies featuring these same actors.Why did I give this movie 4 stars then? For the true HK film lover, this movie shouldn't be missed. Just seeing all these actors jammed into the same picture is a treat. You can spot about 50 of the best known film people in Hong Kong at the time, and they seen to be having a blast working together. The fight between Rothrock and Sammo, Biao and Sammo, Richard Norton vs 3 samurai, the Lucky Stars gang pulling their usual pranks, the scene with a young Wong Fei Hung and his dad, are all treasures of a particular time and place and an era of film making history that will always have a very special spot in the hearts of the fans. The extras are very well done, including an illuminating interview with Cynthia Rothrock, and typically fascinating commentary by Bey Logan, which alone is of interest to the fans.In short, for the hardcore fans of this era of HK movies, this is a worthwhile and highly amusing artifact. For most normal people, I'd think twice before attempting to make sense of this mess!

Cue this baby up to and hour and fifteen minutes in, and watch the next twelve and a half minutes without having your eyeballs explode from the sheer intensity of the insane, martial arts action... if you can.Sammo Hung directs and choreographs the sh!t out of this thing, and his ability to blend the action with humor is nothing short of amazing. From Australian martial artist Richard Norton's battle with the Japanese samurai, to Okari Oshima holding off an army of swordsmen single-handedly, to Sammo going one-on-one with Cynthia Rothrock, and Yuen Bio's unparalleled acrobatics in a white-knuckled fight on a rooftop balcony, it's a finale unlike any other.In all honesty I've never seen the movie all the way through - the goofy Chinese sense of humor that permeated the Hong Kong action films of the 80's is as difficult for my Western sensibilities to absorb, process, and tolerate as some of the music that ruined otherwise great Japanese anime of the same era. I never would've made it to the end if it hadn't been for a documentary on Hong Kong action films that happened to mention this one and it's rock'em-sock'em finale.I'm sure it's a fun film, and maybe someday I'll see it in its entirety - it's definitely a who's who of martial arts talent - but the finale... I kid you not, those last 12 to 13 minutes... unreal. Check it out just for that, and you can't go wrong.

This is the first Dragon Dynasty release that I can't fully recommend. With all the great Sammo Hung films they could have suped up they pick this mixed bag? More interested in individual comedy scenes and fights than any real character development or plot, the movie is altogether too slow much of the way. Comedy and action are normally two great tastes that taste great together in kung fu movies such as Drunken Master and Magnificient Butcher, but here the jokes and slapstick scenes just aren't very funny and after seeing several in a row you'll be yearning for the fast forward button(if not the stop button). But for those that can make it through the first 53 minutes(53 minutes!?!?) the action as choreagraphed by Hung and Biao is top notch. In fact, the 3 star rating is on the films fight scenes alone, which are such a contrast to the film because they are so brutal, realistic, and bone-crunching, yet surrounded by a film that feels as if it was written as they went(and not well)... more fighting in the first half and some good editing could merit another star(the action is THAT good) but as is, 3 may even be too generous.

I wanted to get a copy of this because I was excited to see the film.Samo Hung and Yuen Baio are awesome and I've watched my share of Cynthia Rothrock films.I didn't know that this movie was practically the "Midway" of martial arts films. I don't know how they got all these actors together. Every 5 minutes - it seems - , three or four more guys from some martial arts film group or another show up .... and that pretty much goes on the whole movie. I mean they are from all sorts of film groups. It's crazy how many known actors are running around in this thing.I don't think I have ever seen another movie with this many known martial arts actors.Great stunts. Great Fight scenes. Non-stop something crazy going on. No telling what's going to happen next.

The video is very Funny, light plot, and has excellent martial arts and stunts. Great happy ending and uplifting movie. Went very well with my treadmill.

First I would like to say picture and sound are vary good and the exsta,s are cool . now it is a rush of a movie diffrent story lines all over the place .juat sit back and let it go do not be to judge mental on the film take it at face value. Sammo and Yeun Buio are fantasic they had every major Hong Kong action star in this film and CYNTHIA ROTHROCK is deadly and she fights exstreamly well. look at the intervews with some of the stars at the end you will love it and enjoy the film.

good

I really enjoyed the film. A lot of different, well-known marshal-art fighter showed their extraordinary skill in this kind of fighting. On the other side they are really good actors and actresses. The film is worthy to see.

Pour moi personnellement

Il y a des films qui ne sont toujours pas disponibles en bluray,beaucoups de films asiatiques en font parties,mis à part les nouveautées chez HK-Métropolitan qui sort encore de bons films venant d'Asie.La seule solution est de les retrouvés qu'en DVD.Voila donc un exellent fllm d'aventure asiatique de 1993 réalisé par Sammo Hung avec Yuen Biao,ce film est un grand film d'aventure à gros budget dans la vague venant de Hong-Kong avec le renouveau du cinéma Chinois,Sammo Hung était au départ un grand cascadeur comme Jackie Chan qui est devenue ensuite acteur puis réalisateur,il continue d'ailleur à tourner de nouveaux films mais uniquement en tant qu'acteur comme dans IP Man 2 avec Donnie Yen et SPL,exellent film policier avec qui il a tourné de nombreux films.Si vous aimez le cinéma asiatique de qualité,vous ne serez pas déçu de ce film.

Vu en version intégrale vostfr. Il faut être prévenu : si vous souhaitez voir un film équilibré humour/action ou de la baston non-stop, passez votre chemin.Pour une heure trente-cinq au total, il y a quinze minutes d'action dont onze concentrées à la fin.Attention ! C'est du top niveau que ce soit les cascades ou surtout les combats. L'affrontement entre Sammo Hung et Yuen Biao qui constitue la première scène d'action significative (il vous faudra être patient ainsi que mesurez dans la frustration car il n'intervient qu'au bout de la 50ème minute et ne dure qu'une minute et vingt secondes) et le final sont excellents.Pour ma part, l'humour ne m'a, la plupart du temps pas vraiment fait rire ni sourire (je n'y suis pas refractaire, mais là, c'est trop moyen dans l'ensemble sans être insupportable).Sinon coté casting comique et martial, c'est la folie. Sammo Hung est à la réalisation donc elle est de qualité.Retrouvez d'autres avis sur Cinémasie.com