香港金像奖最佳影片《打擂台》

    Produced by Andy Lau’s Focus Films with actor Lam Ka-tung on board as producer, this comedic kung fu movie is directed by Clement Cheng and Derek Kwok.

    As the story goes, we follow the adventures of Cheung (Wong You-nam), a soft touch sent by his real-estate company to a faraway town to help collect leases* from the townsfolk so that redevelopment* work can start.

    Naturally he gets bullied*, and gets rescued by the mysterious Tiger (Leung Siu-lung), a disciple* of the once great master Ben Law (Teddy Robin) of the Gate of Law martial arts* school, who has been in a coma* for the last 30 years.

    And it seems, like in Stephen Chow’s “Kung Fu,” this small town hides a lot more martial arts masters, such as Law’s other disciple Dragon (Chen Kuan-tai), who together with Tiger had tried their best to keep their master’s place alive by making it a teahouse, while waiting for their master’s recovery*.

    Then there’s Kwai (JJ Jia), the pretty girl who also hangs out* at Law’s teahouse. Their collective backstory is delivered through a fantastic* animated sequence.

    Since the film has in its plot the coming of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Open to seemingly promote the spirit of martial arts, as announced by rival and owner of a flashier* sports club Master Pong (Chan Wai-man), one will expect some spectacular* kung fu action.

    The film does a great job, with the action choreographed by Yuen Tak, who offers sessions which are realistic and very exciting to watch.

    If you do not buy the first act, then wait for Teddy Robin, who single-handedly stole the show.

    His comic and witty lines, coupled with his character’s disorientation* after being out of action for so many years, offer rip-roaring* laughter.

    The directors, who co-wrote the story with Frankie Tam, breathe so much life into Law, that you can’t help but wonder at his crazy philosophy* and also laugh at it, such as his laws of fighting in the order of courage, power and skill, the rules in how to choose his disciples, and chiefly, that the reason to learn kung fu is to fight, not exercise — which has other, better choices.

    As the film explains early on, the boxing ring is a symbol of dignity* and fame, and there can be only one victor and one loser. Clearly, “Gallants” is a winner, which delivers knockout blow after knockout blow. (SD-Agencies)