Unpopular opinion thread

[Drunken Monk]

Inspired by another thread on here, what kung fu movie opinions do you have that go against the grain? Do you have a point of view that people never agree with when it comes to martial arts films? Do you think Hwang Jang Lee was a terrible kicker? Do you think Jackie Chan has always been a hack?

What are some of your less-than-popular opinions?

Oh and let's keep it civil, ladies and gents. This is just a bit of fun.

Since I'm starting the thread, it;s only fair I post one: Bruce Lee only has two good films ("Fist of Fury" and "Enter the Dragon"). The rest go from mediocre ("Way of the Dragon") to unfortunate ("Game of Death") to damn near unwatchable ("The Big Boss").

[Secret Executioner]

A couple I have in mind right now:

I agree with you that Way of the Dragon is mediocre. Only reason to watch it IMO is the fight with Chuck Norris.

I don't think Once upon a Time in China is as great as people make it out to be - actually, most of Jet Li's movies are very overrated IMO. Hero is pretty much the only movie of his I've enjoyed so far.

[DragonClaws]

1 hour ago, Drunken Monk said:

Inspired by another thread on here, what kung fu movie opinions do you have that go against the grain? Do you have a point of view that people never agree with when it comes to martial arts films? Do you think Hwang Jang Lee was a terrible kicker? Do you think Jackie Chan has always been a hack?

What are some of your less-than-popular opinions?

Oh and let's keep it civil, ladies and gents. This is just a bit of fun.

Since I'm starting the thread, it;s only fair I post one: Bruce Lee only has two good films ("Fist of Fury" and "Enter the Dragon"). The rest go from mediocre ("Way of the Dragon") to unfortunate ("Game of Death") to damn near unwatchable ("The Big Boss").

Great idea for a thread but now I'm trying to think of something to add my minds gone blank. There are many times Ive had thoughts or feelings about a film that goes against what the majority feel about something. I'm sure I'll have more to add at some point in future.

 

[masterofoneinchpunch]

I can stand Dean Shek.  Wait I've said that.

I think Rob-B-Hood (aka Robin-B-Hood) is a good film.

I think Donnie Yen's newer MA films are quite good.

I am a libertarian capitalist (wait wrong thread.)

I don't think Jet Li is overrated :).

[paimeifist]

Five Fingers of Death is the best movie of all time.

Drunken Master and SITES are both not great, but just pretty good.. Young Master and Dance of the Drunk Mantis blow them out of the water.

I feel the same way you do about Bruce's films DM.

[Bus]

I feel the same way about Bruce Lee films. 

I'm not that big on most of the Ti Lung/David Chiang films. I'd rather watch the venoms. With that said they did make some good movies I just think most are just alright.

I like Jimmy Wang Yu's screen presence but didn't like most of his movies other than Master of the Flying guillotine. I think Lo Lieh made most of his earlier movies watchable. Not big on the one armed movies.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Bus

[Tosh]

5 hours ago, Secret Executioner said:

 

 

5 hours ago, Secret Executioner said:

I don't think Once upon a Time in China is as great as people make it out to be - actually, most of Jet Li's movies are very overrated IMO. Hero is pretty much the only movie of his I've enjoyed so far.

I agree, and I'm not the biggest fan of Fearless, that definitely goes against the grain. Also agree about the Bruce Lee movies not being that good.

I think Phantom KF is a great movie.

Not KF but I've always found the original Halloween pretty boring.

[Secret Executioner]

7 hours ago, Tosh said:

I think Phantom KF is a great movie.

Not KF but I've always found the original Halloween pretty boring.

I agree with both - actually I think Phantom Kung Fu is overall well liked, so I'd say it's not really an opinion that goes against the grain.

[lungfei]

the matrix films would have been alot better with master robert tai as the fight choreographer.

 

 

 

[ShawAngela]

I didn't really like Hero with Jet Li, but maybe a second watch would change my mind...

[chenzen]

I think crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,House of Flying daggers, and Hero are boring....

[sym8]

I agree that Fist Of Fury and Enter The Dragon are his only good films(although if Game Of Death was finished that may be up there)and im not a fan of Donnie Yen,now don't get me wrong when he is good he is good(ip man,tiger cage 2,s.p.l)but when hes bad he is bad(legend of the wolf,bodyguards and assassins,iron monkey 2).Not a fan of Fu Sheng either.

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

I have no patience for most current Martial Arts films, actors and wu xia (There are exceptions like Michael Jai White.) 

I am old school with just about everything I enjoy any way so that's really no surprise. 

I haven't been too fond of the majority of Sammo Hung's post 80s choreography (Blade of Fury etc.) 

 

[Secret Executioner]

3 hours ago, lungfei said:

the matrix films would have been alot better with master robert tai as the fight choreographer.

 

 

 

Would have been crazy fun then - imagine Keanu Reeves fighting the Seven Elements Ninja (or training to become one ?).  

 

 

 

3 hours ago, chenzen said:

I think crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon,House of Flying daggers, and Hero are boring....

Thanks for reminding me I feel CTHD is so overrated... This movie is terrible, and IMO Ang Lee is a terribly overrated director.

 

1 hour ago, Lady Jin Szu-Yi said:

I have no patience for most current Martial Arts films, actors and wu xia (There are exceptions like Michael Jai White.) 

I am old school with just about everything I enjoy any way so that's really no surprise. 

 

Same here actually. I tend not to be able to get into more recent (1990s and 2000s) movies while I can watch pretty much anything from the 70s or 80s. But much like you, I'm more of a 1970s/1980s fan overall (music, movies...)

[Drunken Monk]

Michael Jai White's filmography is weak and I think he's terribly overrated. He's nowhere near the likes of Scott Adkins.

"True Legend" isn't a bad film. It's a fun, slice of silly that's highly entertaining, bar the last twenty minutes.

The same goes for "The Protector 2". I didn't hate it.

And "Wudang".

"The Young Master" is Jackie's best film and, without the action, would make a great comedy.

Scott Adkins would make a great Bruce Wayne/Batman.

[DragonClaws]

11 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

Michael Jai White's filmography is weak and I think he's terribly overrated. He's nowhere near the likes of Scott Adkins.

"True Legend" isn't a bad film. It's a fun, slice of silly that's highly entertaining, bar the last twenty minutes.

The same goes for "The Protector 2". I didn't hate it.

And "Wudang".

"The Young Master" is Jackie's best film and, without the action, would make a great comedy.

Scott Adkins would make a great Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Never thought about Adkins as Batman but I think that's a great idea. Trying to convince a Hollywood studio to cast him in the role would be a big task. Did they even acknowledge his work on X-Men Origins Wolverine? . On his IMDB page it says he was uncredited.

[masterofoneinchpunch]

14 minutes ago, Drunken Monk said:

"True Legend" isn't a bad film. It's a fun, slice of silly that's highly entertaining, bar the last twenty minutes.

I'm with you on this one.  I think there are some beautiful scenes.  I just wish they did not add that unnecessary last act.

I'm a huge fan of Zhang Yimou which until this thread I was not thinking was going to be an unpopular opinion.

I think Donnie Yen would make a great Batman.

I think Drunken Monk is actually Scott Adkins (more of an unknown fact than an unpopular one).

Kareem Abdul Jabbar could have beat Bruce Lee in a street fight (Kareem actually does talk about this in his autobiography.)

I like Ti Lung more than David Chiang.

1 hour ago, Lady Jin Szu-Yi said:

...I haven't been too fond of the majority of Sammo Hung's post 80s choreography (Blade of Fury etc.) 

I don't think this is an unpopular opinion.

[lungfei]

58 minutes ago, Secret Executioner said:

Would have been crazy fun then - imagine Keanu Reeves fighting the Seven Elements Ninja (or training to become one ?).  

 

 

very true shame rza did not use master tai for man with the iron fists, perhaps his insane style would have been too much for western audiences.

 

 

 

[Bus]

I like cliff lok more than a majority of the big time MA actors of the 70's and 80's and feel he's underrated 

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

2 hours ago, Secret Executioner said:

 Thanks for reminding me I feel CTHD is so overrated... This movie is terrible, and IMO Ang Lee is a terribly overrated director.

Same here actually. I tend not to be able to get into more recent (1990s and 2000s) movies while I can watch pretty much anything from the 70s or 80s. But much like you, I'm more of a 1970s/1980s fan overall (music, movies...)

Ditto CTHD... I liked Chow and Michelle, but am not a fan of the film. Old school is cool! 

All I know of Scott Atkins is his attempt at playing weapon 11. I'll politely skip everything else. 

I really like Yimou's House of Flying Daggers and The Curse of the Golden Flower. With 1990s-current wu xia which feature older and young couples in the story, I always prefer the older couple (The Bare Footed Kid is the most recent example of this. )

 

Not a fan of Jet Li, Wang Yue or Derek Yee. 

 

I like Donnie Yen as a person and martial artist, less an actor. He’s one of those actors  I always see as the person themselves more than the character. 

 

I think Ti Lung was a better Guan Yu than Donnie Yen (now that I have rewatched 3 Kingdoms... It kills me the Shaws never had Ti play Guan Yu back in the day as his pole weapons work is astounding.) Donnie was good, but Ti immediately made me think of what little I know about Guan Yu. 

 

I dig Ti Lung and David Chiang 

[massa_yoda]

3 hours ago, Lady Jin Szu-Yi said:

All I know of Scott Atkins is his attempt at playing weapon 11. I'll politely skip everything else. 

WWHHHHHAAAAAAAAA???????!!!!!!!!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Hmmm...well, okay then. Here we go...

Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon are Bruce's best films. Enter the Dragon, while a sleeker film with iconic moments, has weaker choreography and a weaker end fight.

I have never seen a Jimmy Wang film worth a flip. Yeah, he has screen presence and is a good actor, but is an atrocious screen fighter. How anyone who hasn't been sufficiently drugged can sit through a movie of his, I don't know. (No, wait, that wouldn't work either. They'd just pass out sooner. Ah, maybe that's the answer then. To pass out sooner so as not to watch the entire film.)

Of the Venoms movies I've seen, I think I've only been impressed with 2 of them, and neither one of them was The 5 Deadly Venoms.

I found Donnie Yen's Wu Xia aka Dragon to be a horribly choreographed mess. After seeing it, I feel this film was severely over-hyped.

I like Fearless Hyena 2. I don't care. Still better than any Jimmy Wang movie.

 

[Drunken Monk]

On 1/28/2016 at 0:19 AM, ShaOW!linDude said:

I have never seen a Jimmy Wang film worth a flip. Yeah, he has screen presence and is a good actor, but is an atrocious screen fighter. How anyone who hasn't been sufficiently drugged can sit through a movie of his, I don't know. (No, wait, that wouldn't work either. They'd just pass out sooner. Ah, maybe that's the answer then. To pass out sooner so as not to watch the entire film.)

While I don't agree with some of your other comments (the Venoms one almost gave me a heart attack), I agree with this one a hundred percent. Jimmy Wang Yu does absolutely nothing for me. Never has, never will.
I've tried watching the original "One-Armed Swordsman" over a dozen times and have never gotten all the way through it. Ironically, I actually enjoy him in "Wu Xia" over most other films I've seen him in.

[DragonClaws]

Jimmy Wang Yu might not be my favorite screen fighter but I still find a lot of his films entertaining. Furious Slaughter is one of my favorite Shaw Brothers films even if the fight choreography isn't elegantly staged.

[AlbertV]

At first, I couldn't stand Hector Echavarria's MMA films, but for one reason or another, I can tolerate them now if I end up watching them again. They're not the best and can do without the Skinemax portions, but I can tolerate them.

Re-watched Tekken 2: Kazuya's Revenge and I actually like it, but don't think of it as a true Tekken film. However, it doesn't take away the fight scenes, especially the final two-on-one which I really liked. 

There, I confessed. My penance should be some old school kung fu