"It's not a case of 'Monkey see, monkey do' but 'See monkey, do monkey'!" King Kai, Dragon Ball Z

There are many different styles of martial arts or kungfu, all of which can be traced back to one place - the Shaolin Temple. Over the centuries, various attempts at destroying Shaolin and its martial arts history proved to be futile, for the true spirit of martial arts has refused to die. And now returns, the legendary kungfu master, Lau Kar Leung, the third generation disciple of Wong Fei Hung, bringing his talents into play in Shaw Brothers Film Studio's Drunken Monkey, an old school kungfu movie that stresses martial arts philosophies.

Drunken Monkey is Shaw Brothers' first kungfu movie since their withdrawal from the movie industry 10 years ago. Made with production budget of over HK$10 Million (US$1.3 Million), Drunken Monkey, an action comedy set in China's Republican period of the 1930s, is about two youngsters' pursuit of martial arts from a kungfu master, their experiences and dawning realisation of life, their growth and development, and their love for the same girl. A no-frills martial arts movie with minimal wirework that does not rely on CGIs, it showcases authentic kungfu with full-contact sparring.

Plot Synopsis :

Wen Bao (Zhang Zhen-Huan) and Chief of Zhenyuan Armed Escort Agency, Yu Hai-Yang (Chi Kuan Chun), collude with each other, engaging in opium contraband activities. When Wen Biao (Liu Chia Liang) gets wind of the matter, he confronts his brother, Wen Bao. Wen Bao's wife begs for her husband's mercy. Wen Biao relents to her imploration and instructs Wen Bao to repent and start afresh. Wen Bao is supposed to turn over a new leaf but it turns out that he turns a deaf ear to Wen Biao's advice and plots to turn the tables on him. To silence Wen Biao and to prevent him from throwing a monkey wrench in their monkey business, Wen Bao and Yu Hai Yang conspire to ambush and kill him when he's out on an escort assignment. Wen Biao is injured and falls into the water...

In Chen Village Mansion, there lives a young lord, Chen Jiaye (Lau Wing Kin). Owing to the immense wealth of his family, he wastes his time doing nothing of significance. Growing up together with him is Ah De (Wu Jing). While Ah De is younger than Chen Jiaye, he is in fact of great-uncle seniority to the latter. Despite their generation gap, the two are close as brothers, .

Having nothing better to do, Chen Jia-Ye, a grease monkey, attempts at formulating his own ultimate martial arts. Being eight strokes shy of complete Peerless Rhesus Fist Manual, Chen Jiaye instructs his servants to suspend Ah De in the air, and wants Ah De to strike a monkey pose so that he can add a drawing of the new posture onto his manual. When his father discovers that his son is not studying diligently and is instead making a monkey out of himself (and of his granduncle, especially!), he gets very ruffled, as Papa Monkey would on discovering Sonny Monkey is endeavouring to burrow underground rather than learning the art of negotiating treacherous tree branches. Chen Jiaye has no choice but to sneak away from home with Ah De so that he can fulfill his long-standing dream (or daydream) of creating an unrivalled martial arts manual.

Chen Jiaye and Ah De goes about in search of monkeys to be models for the former's martial arts manual. They run into a ferry lady, Xiao Min (Shannon Yao Yao). Xiao Min directs them to a marketplace by the river where an artiste is role-playing Monkey King Sun Wu Kong on the street. However, Chen Jiaye feels that he can only gain inspirations from real monkeys. Later, they stumble upon a lane offering live animals for sale. Chen Jiaye purchases a monkey. When Chen Jiaye is painting, the monkey behaves - umm, well - like a monkey and escapes, greatly frustrating Chen Jiaye. Then, they notices Xiao Min mimicking the movements done by the monkey without much effort. Just when Chen Jiaye is about to resume his drawing based on Xiaomin's posture, she has already crept away.

Chen Jiaye and Ah De give chase. Chen Jiaye accidentally falls off the bridge. Constable Hong Yi-Hu (Gordon Liu) immediately kicks a raft towards him, saving him from falling into the water. Chen Jiaye tells Ah De to continue his pursuit and to bring Xiao Min back to be his model. Ah De manages to catch up with Xiao Min. Xiao Min carries some fruit and wine onto her bamboo raft. Ah De furtively shadows her along the bank of the river. Xiao Min peels a fruit and feeds the monkey. Suddenly, something resembling an ape's arm snatches away the wine by Xiao Min's side. I'll be a monkey's uncle, exclaimed Ah De incredulously, giving himself away...

Meanwhile, Constable Hong Yi Hu heads for Zhen-Yuan Armed Escort Agency to look for Wen Biao so as to return his horse and to thank him for his kindness. Yu Haiyang tells him that Wen Biao has gone missing since three years ago. Hong Yi Hu regrets not being able to spar with Wen Biao, for both of them are trained in Monkey Fist, though they are from different sects.

Photos: Beijing Global Film

* Notes:

Name variations: Liu Chia Liang is also known as Lau Kar Leung, Liu Yong Jian = Lau Wing Kin, Gordon Liu Chia Fei = Lau Kar Fei, Liu Chia Yung = Lau Kar Wing, Qi Guan Jun = Chi Kuan Chun