Enter the Fat Dragon (1978)

Enter the Fat Dragon (1978)

 

3/10

Starring

Sammo Hung

Lee Hye-sook

Ankie Lau

 

Directed by Sammo Hung

There’s a reason why you probably haven’t heard of this movie (especially if, like me, you just stumbled upon it): it sucked. I liked the concept, but the execution lacked any real conviction that the producers themselves believed this was a good idea or a potential hit.

The whole thing felt lazy and thrown together, like a cheap B-movie. I’ve grown up watching films starring the legendary old geezers from China, so the era of production isn’t the issue here. The problem is the lack of a solid script to back up the idea they were trying to bring to life. Even with good actors, the poor directing made the entire effort feel like a complete waste of time.

If you compare this movie to classic Jackie Chan films, you’ll clearly see the difference—not just in quality but in budget. The lack of funding is painfully evident and adds to the poor production value.

The settings didn’t help either. What was the deal with all the fight scenes crammed into tight corners?

Another glaring issue was the absence of a solid backstory for how the main character even knew Kung Fu. There was no buildup or explanation, making it hard to buy into his skills. Naturally, you’d expect his first fight to end with him getting a serious beatdown, but no—he somehow knows Kung Fu well enough to take down everyone who challenges him. After that, the charm of the character disappeared, along with any sense of purpose for the movie.

Contains Spoilers
The movie follows a pig farmer named Lung (played by Sammo Hung), who is obsessed with Bruce Lee and dreams of being like him. Lung is sent to the city to live with his uncle and earn some money. His uncle runs a roadside restaurant, and Lung arrives eager to help out.

After an incident where Lung beats up some customers who then trash the restaurant, he loses his job. He moves on to work as a waiter, and when a lady he met on his way to the city is harassed, he shows off his Kung Fu skills again. Later, when his friend is also harassed, Lung jumps into action, only to get both of them fired.

Eventually, they land another job as ushers/waiters at a wedding, where one of the waitresses is about to be kidnapped. Lung must now step up as the hero to save the girl.

In the end, the movie is just a waste of time. They tried too hard to market it as a comedy, but the humor fell flat.