Screen/Society -- "Drunken Master II" (Lau Kar-leung, 1994)

DRUNKEN MASTER II
(Lau Kar-leung, 1994, 102 min, Hong Kong, Cantonese with English subtitles, DCP)

In turn-of-the-century China, a turbulent time between the collapse of the Manchu dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China, young Wong Fei-hung is trained in the obscure "drunken boxing" martial art. When he drinks alcohol, he untaps amazing strength and agility that allows him to fight dozens of men simultaneously. While en route to Canton with his father, the legendary martial artist finds himself embroiled in a plot by British imperialists and insidious locals to rob the country of its valuable cultural artifacts, including an imperial jade seal.

"Chan turns drunken boxing-an alcohol-fuelled, seemingly free-form type of fighting, as circular as it is angular-into elating displays of physical comedy." - New Yorker

"The fight scenes are masterpieces of choreography, kineticism at its most sublime." - Dallas Morning News

"Chan's most impressive achievement." - New York Post

"One of the best martial-arts movies ever made." - Seattle Times