Synopsis: Take a walk down memory lane with some of Hong Kong cinemas biggest stars, action directors, and stuntmen as they discuss their work, their injuries, and how they are still alive to talk about it! (92 Mins)

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Views: I was lucky enough to get a viewing of this brilliant new documentary that gives fans a no-holds-barred insight to the crazy world of Hong Kong stuntmen – the men and women who have risked their lives over the years to entertain cinema goers and fans with unmatched action, death defying stunts, and plenty of painful injuries. Straight up, I have to say that this was somewhat of an emotional watch for me. I've often said that as much as many films entertain and amaze me, they can be equally as cruel in becoming something of a time capsule – tricking viewers into believing that the stars on screen will be forever young, energetic, and unstoppable (and even more so in terms of Hong Kong action cinema) confirmed by repeated viewings and memories of their finest moments. While watching Kung Fu Stuntmen, I was quickly reminded that time waits for no man as the very people I have watched every day for almost 40 years, appeared on screen much, much older, wrinkled, broken, or in need of some help when on the move. These same people have been my heroes my whole life, so the production probably meant a little more to me than most...

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The documentary is neatly made, snappy and well paced as it moves between a host of great names that discuss everything from their early beginnings to the films that put them on the map, and from their favourite memories on set to their most painful stunts. There's a great focus on the amazing Chin Kar Lok, who also serves as one of the producers of the film, as well as the legendary Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo Ping, Stephen Tung Wei, Tsui Siu Ming, Yuen Wah, Yuen Mo, Yuen Tak, Tsui Hark, Stanley Tong, and the wonderful Mars who takes viewers on a small tour through the streets of Hong Kong, reminiscing about the old Golden Harvest studios that have long been demolished to make way for some apartment blocks. And while there is a noticeable lack of participation from Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao (although we do get to see them in action throughout when movie clips are shown), the production offers up an amazing array of names including Donnie Yen, Billy Chan, Hsiao Ho, Sharon Yeung Pan Pan, Yuen Qiu, Bruce Leung, Tony Ching Siu Tung, Ng See Yuen, Tony Leung Siu Hung, Eric Tsang, Chin Siu Ho, Wilson Tong, Lee Hoi Sang, Nicky Li, Chung Fat, Xin Xin Xiong, Yuen Cheung Yan, Dion Lam, Alan Chui, Yue Tau Wan, Lau Kar Wing, and many, many more – even going as far as to introduce a new collection of faces that may just be the next generation of stuntmen and women in Hong Kong cinema!

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The doco is well directed by John Wei (Junzi Wei), who worked as a writer and producer on films like Tracing Shadow, The Thousand Faces Of Dunjia, and The Rookies, with my only gripe being a few odd moments of sound problems when interviews cut or have been shot in busy restaurants and streets. Saying that, it does keep things very candid and doesn't really disrupt the experience overall. What was nice was that Wei still took time (as did the interviewees) to discuss Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Lau Kar Leung as action performers and their impact on the Hong Kong film industry. I did find it interesting to hear how much of an affect Bruce Lee's death had on them all, both personally and career-wise, with many of the stars interviewed discussing how they would then have to find work in laundry mills, work as taxi drivers, and even sell blood just to make some money. It's a fascinating watch on many levels and just amazing to see these incredible people finally getting the attention they most well and truly deserve. As a big fan of the MCU I thought I'd hang about for any mid or post credit scenes, and I'm glad I did as the film cuts back to some final words on the late Lam Ching Ying who was highly praised by all his peers. As much as I loved Kung Fu Stuntmen, the fanboy in me really wanted to see more. Perhaps another 30 minutes would have been suitable – although I would have happily sat through another hour to be honest. Is it the ultimate documentary on Hong Kong filmmaking? Maybe not – but it is an incredible insight to the stunts and the people that grabbed the attention of me from the age of 6 or 7, and for that I can only praise Junzi Wei and Chin Kar Lok for making such a great production.

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Overall: Emotional, fascinating, and eye-opening, Kung Fu Stuntmen is a must for any fan of Hong Kong cinema and a great insight to the greatest action film makers in the world!