Criterion US Blu-ray Synopsis: One of the pinnacles of Hong Kong cinema's golden age, the Once Upon A Time In China series set a new standard for martial-arts spectacle and launched action star Jet Li to international fame. It brings to vivid life the colourful world of China in the late nineteenth century, an era of immense cultural and technological change, as Western imperialism clashed with tradition and public order was upended by the threats of foreign espionage and rising nationalism. Against this turbulent backdrop, one man – the real-life martial-arts master, physician, and folk hero Wong Fei Hung – emerges as a noble protector of Chinese values as the country hurtles toward modernity. Conceived by Hong Kong New Wave leader Tsui Hark, this epic cycle is not only a dazzling showcase for some of the most astonishing action set pieces ever committed to film but also a rousing celebration of Chinese identity, history, and culture. (100 Mins)

 

Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Tsui Hark's phenomenal Once Upon A Time In China trilogy finally arrives on Blu-ray in the UK from brand new 4K restorations! Starring Jet Li as the real life Cantonese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung, a physical embodiment of traditional Chinese values and moral incorruptibility, this martial-arts epic charts China's transition into the modern-world as it gradually abandons its old traditions and begins to accept the inevitable encroach of Western cultures. In Once Upon A Time In China & America, Jet Li makes a triumphant return to his most famous role after a four year gap, as Wong Fei Hung travels to the Wild West and encounters cowboys, Native American Indians, and Mexican bandits. (100 Mins)

 

Hong Kong Classic UK DVD Synopsis: “Once Upon A Time In China & America” is one of the biggest budget Hong Kong movies of all time, taking over $20 million at the box office, and combines the talents of director Sammo Hung, and producer Tsui Hark, together with a heady mix of gun-play and kung fu action with Jet Li proving that the fastest guns in the west are no match for the fastest hands in the east. Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li) together with his fiancée (Rosamund Kwan) and devoted sidekick, Seven (Yeung Pan Pan) find themselves in the Wild West in search of new horizons. However, an early confrontation with Native American Indians renders Jet unconscious and parted from his group. When he comes to, he finds he has lost his memory, but the one thing that is clear in his mind is the ability to fight with lightning speed. The warriors of the tribe are amazed at his unique abilities and offer him respect and friendship. Unable to communicate, he manages through sign language to persuade them to help him find his true identity leading to countless action packed encounters on his path to be reunited with his friends. (100 Mins)

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Siren Entertainment Australian VHS Synopsis: The Once Upon A Time In China series is one of the most successful in modern Hong Kong cinema with its colourful period settings, tales of heroism, and kick-ass kung-fu. These elements are embodied by martial arts star Jet Li, who plays the real-life historical figure Wong Fei Hung. Lensed by ace director Tsui Hark, this adventure sees Master Wong, and his fiancée Aunt Yee (Rosamund Kwan), travel to the wild west where they find the local Chinese population bullied by the racist sheriff. Before Jet can teach the bad guys a lesson, he is separated from his friends, loses his memory and hangs out with a tribe of American Indians. Master Wong goes native, kicks butt for his adopted tribe, and wins the heart of a pretty squaw... before the big showdown on main street. One of the last Hong Kong films Jet Li made before his successful move to Hollywood, Once Upon A Time In China & America is essential viewing for martial arts fans, and an excellent introduction to Li's extensive work at home before he became a Lethal Weapon. (95 Mins)

 

Views: While I was never a huge fan of Once Upon A Time In China & America, nor would rate as one of my favourite of the series, it was clear that the Hong Kong film audience were excited to see Jet Li back in the role that made him a superstar. This time round, the adventures of Wong Fei Hung and company head West to start a new life in America and open up a clinic there. Along the way, they stop to help a young gun-slinger (Billy the Kid) and find themselves attacked by a Red Indian tribe. The attack sees Wong Fei Hung, Aunt Yee, and Club Foot caught up in the raging torrents of a nearby river, that separates the kung-fu master from them both and leaves him with memory loss after he bangs his head on a rock. While Yee and Club Foot quickly find help with their old friend Bucktooth So who has already set-up their new Po Chi Lam, Wong awakens in the village of a friendlier tribe of natives who soon take him on as one of their own. As the search for their master begins, Aunt Yee, Club Foot and So face their own trials with the local townsfolk as they battle corrupt sheriffs, racism, and more. Eventually, Wong is found by Aunt Yee and strives to regain his memory (known only as Yellow by the tribesmen who took him in). He soon finds his way back to Po Chi Lam where his memory is revived through battle, with the help of Club Foot. At the same time, a corrupt gang of lawmakers rob the town and put the blame on Wong and the Chinese community; a lie that leaves Wong and his party with a noose around their necks. As luck would have it, an attack on the proceedings allows Wong to free himself, and after saving his friends, gets to face-off against the corrupt law-men and the deadly bandit leader known as the Wolf!

 

After many years of watching Tsui Hark's stories of Wong Fei Hung through his films and series, I always felt that Once Upon A Time In China & America was more of a bolt-on – more of a stand-alone film, if you like – and the only one of the features that doesn't fall under the Golden Harvest banner. The swapping back from Vincent Zhao to Jet Li was clearly effective in the success of the film at the box-office, but I can't help but feel that it was a tad unfair in getting rid of a great actor who had already played Wong Fei Hung more than Jet Li did. Gone is the comedy relief and long-time characters of Max Mok's Leung Foon and Kent Cheng's Porky Wing (Butcher Wing); both of whom are absolutely missed, and although he had stepped away from the duties of director and writer, Tsui Hark still sticks around as the producer of the film. This time, the reigns are handed over to the legendary Sammo Hung who actually does a stellar job in delivering a genuine 'wild west' feel to the movie, as well as innovative camera angles and techniques that make sure this chapter of the series stands out from the rest. Of course, a name like his needs no introduction with the man having starred in, directed, produced, and choreographed hundreds of exciting titles up to this point. However, as with many Hong Kong stars, the mid-90s had proved to be a bit of a slump for him with films like Don't Give A Damn, How To Meet The Lucky Stars, and Ah Kam failing to impress at the box office. In fact, Sammo was making more of an impression behind the scenes as a director and action-choreographer, offering-up impressive works with Blade Of Fury, Kung Fu Cult Master (of which he also had a great role in), Ashes Of Time, Thunderbolt, and more. But it looked like Once Upon A Time In China & America would become somewhat of a turning point for the director (as well as it's main star and producer). In accepting the job as director and action-choreographer on the film, legend has it that Sammo Hung well and truly pissed off his little brother and superstar, Jackie Chan, who had dreamed for years about making a Western that saw him play an amnesiac character. Of course, this would eventually transpire in his Hollywood produced hit, Shanghai Noon – with the amnesia storyline used only a year after this in Who Am I? But regardless, and in Jackie's eyes, it was clear that there was a lack of respect on Sammo's behalf when he took on the project. Thankfully though, it didn't last and, although hurt from the experience, Jackie still had his big brother by his side the very same year to direct him in the super-fun Mr. Nice Guy, of which Sammo featured in a hilarious cameo. As I mentioned, it seemed that the success of Once Upon A Time In China & America open new doors for Sammo, Jet and Tsui in the west, with the former going on to headline his own award winning television show just a year later with Martial Law, and Jet Li making a splash as the much-loved villain of Lethal Weapon 4. That same period would see Tsui Hark make his Hollywood directorial debut with the underrated Double Team; an action-packed adventure film starring Hollywood powerhouse Jean Claude Van Damme, with action-choreography from Sammo Hung and Hung Yan Yan (who also gets a fun scene as an assassin). The same team would stick together to go straight into production for Knock Off, a Hong Kong based action comedy that was originally set to star Jet Li (with that role going to Michael Wong in the end). While both Sammo and Tsui would return to their roots and stick with film-making in Hong Kong and China by the turn-of-the-century, Jet Li would go on to become a megastar soon after – jumping between east and west to deliver action hits such as Romeo Must Die, The One, Fearless, Kiss Of The Dragon, The Warlords, and many more. So it seems that this 6th chapter of the Wong Fei Hung story hinted at the migration of these stars with its western setting, to some degree...

 

Aside from offering up a neatly directed adventure film, Sammo Hung delivers plenty of great fight scenes that are evenly spread throughout. From the opening attack by the Mohican tribe to Clubfoot's showdown with the gunslingers in the bar, Sammo creates some powerful battles that are expertly choreographed and a joy to watch. I especially loved the fight between Wong and Clubfoot as his student pretends to be his master's past enemies, in a bid to revive his memory. These include Iron Vest from the first film (as played by Yen Shi Kwan) and Commander Lan from the second (as played by Donnie Yen) – both of which Clubfoot plays very well. I must also take this time to state how, since revisiting the series, I have found Hung Yan Yan's character of Clubfoot to be the most interesting of them all since his journey from the 3rd film – as well as having the most solid story arc of any long term character, going from a savage enemy of Wong's to becoming his most valuable student (as well as proving to be the strongest fighter of the followers). As well as that, I think it's only fair to point out that Hung Yan Yan himself has been the one and only actor that has appeared in all of Hark's Wong Fei Hung productions; mostly as Clubfoot, but also as the leader of the White Lotus Cult in the second film and a gang member in the first (not to mention the stunt-double for Jet Li numerous times). Having made his debut opposite Jet Li in Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Hung would go on to appear in films such as Tiger On The Beat 1 & 2, Aces Go Places 5, City Cops, God Of Gamblers, and Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon before joining Tsui for his run in the Once Upon A Time In China series – going on to get his own time in Hollywood with cameos and choreography work on films such as Double Team, Knock Off, Simon Sez, and The Musketeer. Sammo even works in explosions among the action in a great scene that sees Wong and his friends hanging by the neck until the gallows are blown to pieces. This leads to their freedom and the start of a massive showdown between some nasty bandits and corrupt sheriffs, with Wong Fei Hung taking on their leader; a hot headed gun-slinger with some slick martial-arts skills. This slimy looking guy is played by Joseph Sayah, an Australian martial-artist who also went on to play a small role in Mr. Nice Guy (which was, incidently, shot in his home city of Melbourne).

 

As per usual, Jet Li does a wonderful job in the role of Wong Fei Hung – although I must admit, I felt he was quite a different one to that from the first three movies. Rosamund Kwan returns as Aunt Yee, and is an enjoyable as always in one of her final roles of the 90s. She would sparsely follow this with only 4 more films through to 2005 which included Feng Xiao Gang's comedy, Big Shot's Funeral, alongside Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland, and in Andrew Lau's sci-fi Wesley's Mysterious Files with Andy Lau. Chan Kwok Bong returns to play Bucktooth So after being cast in the role for Wong's adventures on the small screen. This is the third iteration of So in Tsui's tales, and he doesn't do too bad a job once again. Character actor Patrick Lung, who made his debut in the 1958 film, Crime Of Passion In The Hotel, joins the cast as Uncle Lone – returning to star alongside Jet Li once again after taking him on in the previous years exciting superhero flick, Black Mask, of which Tsui Hark produced. He spends most of his time on-screen with the late-great Richard Ng who offers a little comedy element to things but ultimately, is a little quieter than usual. American-Chinese actor and martial-artist, Roger Yuan, makes his Hong Kong film debut as Dick – a Chinese immigrant who does the dirt on his brothers and helps to frame them for the robbery. Interestingly enough, Yuan would go on to play a similar role opposite Jackie Chan in Shanghai Noon. The brilliant Lau Kar Wing and Mars cameo briefly in the lion-dance scene, with the latter helping Sammo with stunt-work and Kar Wing working as assistant director. And finally, American martial-artist and stuntman Jeff Wolfe impresses as the happy-go-lucky Billy The Kid who is saved by Wong Fei Hung and a dedicated friend to the Chinese. Having started as a bit player in films like Mission Of Mercy, Bloodsport 2, and Mortal Kombat, Wolfe made quite the impression in his role here that saw Tsui and Sammo bring him back for Van Damme's Knock Off as well as a guest appearance in Hung's television show, Martial Law soon after. Since then, this young Robert De Niro lookalike has went on to appear in a long list of TV shows and movies, as well as becoming a stunt co-ordinator and director in his own right.

 

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I was never a huge fan of Once Upon A Time In China & America; but seeing now in it's 2K restoration as part of the Criterion (and Eureka) collection has definitely changed my mind on it. I'd say this particular viewing has been my most enjoyable yet and highlights Sammo's work as a director, as well as the stunning cinematography on offer from Raymond Lam, Johnny Koo, and American cinematographer Walter Gregg which really helped capture the unique feeling of its intended period. While still far from perfect, I have a new found respect for the final chapter of Tsui Hark's Wong Fei Hung collection and thoroughly enjoyed this little gem for what it was!

 

Overall: While it may have its flaws, Sammo Hung's direction and fight sequences make Once Upon A Time In China & America well worth checking out!

 

Criterion Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Making Of Featurette, Behind The Scenes, Trailer

 

Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Making Of Featurette, Trailers

 

Hong Kong Classics DVD Extras: Making Of Featurette, The Legend Of Wong Fei Hung Featurette, Extensive Photo Gallery, Trailers

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Watch my unboxing video of the Criterion release HERE