Drastic decline in Hong Kong movie's quality?

[chenzen]

I don't know if its just me but ever since i got back into watching martial arts movies from Hong Kong Ive noticed a lot of the newer ones suck really bad compared to what was released through the 60's to the early 2000's. I wonder if it has to do with most of the movies being Hong Kong Chinese productions? I notice that most Hong Kong movies nowadays are co productions with the Mainland of China. Am i just being generalizing too much or is there something to my opinion lol?

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

You are not generalizing, it also the same way in my own country in terms of just action movies. Want proof, check out the Terminator: Genisys thread.

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

Agree. Very few good flicks, most are made to appeal to the mainland market- popstars, etc.

[Cold Bishop]

Is there a decline? Most definitely. Can it be put completely on the preference for Mainland co-productions? I don't know. Partly. I think the main problem is that Hong Kong is still reeling from not being the top dog in the region and they're suffering a genuine identity crisis, of which the trend towards co-productions is as much a symptom as cause. Don't you think that, even without those Mainland dollars calling, that HK wouldn't be turning out CGI crapfests?

[DiP]

Donnie is still putting in work (his last film displayed his best action performance to date). But other than him, there's no one else of A-list quality these days. Most of the veterans are steering away from the scene for various reasons. Jackie's getting old and will eventually convert to other types of action films, Sammo's old too and spends most of the time playing second fiddle to younger actors (most recently in that WFH reboot with Eddie Peng), Bill (Biao) was semi-retired for a while before he returned playing supporting roles in recent films, and Jet has his charity work and is recuperating from a disease that hinders him from making action films at the moment.

Standards in HK films in general have changed alot in the past 15 years, and action films went along with that. To be successful in HK/Chinese films (regardless of genre), you need acting chops to make it. That's the reason for Donnie's late breakthrough: Time and dedication put into actual acting performances in his films. There's plenty of MA talents in China but the problem is that they aren't exceptionally good actors so producers aren't prioritizing them. Fan Siu-Wong, Xing Yu, Wu Jing... The list goes on.

[One Armed Boxer]

There's plenty of MA talents in China but the problem is that they aren't exceptionally good actors so producers aren't prioritizing them. Fan Siu-Wong, Xing Yu, Wu Jing... The list goes on.

I applaud this comment, there seemed to be a time when almost any argument about the decline in kung-fu movie talent seemed to involve certain people stating how China has a huge wealth of MA talent, so the movie industry should use them. However like you've mentioned, a movie involves acting, having screen presence, being likeable, and a whole host of other traits that make a performer successful onscreen, it's not enough to just have the moves.

The real problem has never been a lack of MA talent, it's a lack of everything else.

[Secret Executioner]

Since I only watch what's widely available in my area I've only seen

the Detective Dee movies

the first Ip Man film (got a couple more Ip Man movies to watch)

A Simple Life

The Grandmaster

(I also have stuff like 14 Blades, Little Big Soldier and Legend Of The Fist to watch)

and I would disagree, as these are really good movies. Yet maybe for each of those films, there could be plenty of crap making the really good if not great stuff looks like a minority.

[laagi]

I never quite understood how this could happen but I agree with it 100%. Maybe the problem is that nowadays they want to appeal to a larger and international crowd. Making their movies more like a Hollywood Blockbuster. I wished they would just go back to what they were renowned before in the late 70's to the early 90's. Which was just simple and honest action! No wires, No CGI, No story Seriously though I'm sure you get what I mean.

Than again, I always wondered if they would just go back to their roots... Would there actually be people who'd still enjoy and more importantly support their work ? I mean besides the obvious who grew up or at least have seen some of the HK classics.

I do hope that they at least stop all the ridiculous over use of slowmo, CGI and wire Fu. It's unnecessary and ruins the movie IMHO.

[Lionclaw]

I still hold to my opinion that The Wrath of Vajra is one of the best representations of a classic martial arts movie in modern times. I thought Xing Yu's performance was quite good and he deserves more leading roles. But to answer the OP's question, yes I'd say their is a decline in quality. Most of my recent martial arts buys are from elsewhere. (Donnie can't hold up the industry by himself, hopefully things get better because everyone's getting old.)

[NoKUNGFUforYU]

What made these movies work so well in the past with a focus on the underdog. Most movies coming out now seem to focus more on the Chinese as being innately superior in all aspects. American movies have had the same problem for decades that's why most of the action movies out of here suck as well. People tend to like their heroes modest not smug. Bruce Lee or Sean Connery could pull that off, but most can't. Bruce Willis was able to do it for a while, but it got old fast.

[AbeRudder]

Back in the 70s up till the 90s there were an insane number of films being pumped out by hong kong and that's where the legendary figures of the kung fu genre learned their craft. It took a few films for Jackie to hit his stride creatively, same with LKL, Sammo, YWP etc.

At the moment the studios seem more intent on making a few bigger budget films per year so they are more adverse to hiring new talents and giving them creative freedom. Guys like LKL who completely controlled the way a fight scene was shot can't work like that anymore. At least that's how I see it.