WFG RATING: A- (film); A+ (Blu-Ray)

Visual Vengeance presents a Three Fools of the Orient production. Directed produced, and edited by Steve Wang. Written by Steve Wang and Johnnie Saiko. Cinematography by Mike Bastings.

Stars Steve Wang, Troy Fromin, Johnnie Saiko, Ted Smith, Les Claypool III, Wyatt Weed, Aaron Simms and Cleve Hall.

From the director of The Guyver live-action films and Drive comes this hilarious homage to martial arts comedies. 

The Bamboo Man, an enigmatic creature, is planning to take over a local village with the help of his minions. However, he has learned the sacred map he needs has been stolen by a thief known as Chen Chow Mein. Chen is one of the villagers and has learned that the map leads to a treasure that is believed to gain power to those who retrieve it. He decides to embark on the quest with the help of two friends and students, Lao Ze and Reepo.

Lao Ze is a Caucasian who longs to be the next Bruce Lee while Reepo is an overbearing and over-the-top student who likes to somehow cause trouble. Along their journey, they will come across useful and useless allies as well as the Bamboo Man’s minions, including the corrupt Sheriff of Ching Wa County, the piggish Raspmutant, the effeminate Dar Ling, and the buffonish Ba Foon. Will our three heroes be able to find the treasure and save their village?

Steve Wang was quite an indie force in the 1990s whether he was directing or working as a special effects make up artist. His known works include the live-action adaptations of Japanese superhero The Guyver and a film considered one of the best American martial arts films ever made, Drive. Shortly after completing the first Guyver film, Wang decided to turn a short super 8 film he made into a feature film and it is a wild and wacky journey.

Wang does so much in the film that this can be considered his “magnus opus” if you will. He directed, produced, wrote, did the special effects, and takes the lead role of the marvelously named “Chen Chow Mein”. Wang is the level-headed leader of the trio of warriors on a quest to save their village from the hands of the evil Bamboo Man and his crew of dastardly villains, Johnnie Saiko brings hysterics in the role of the insane Reepo while Troy Fromin, who at the time was known for his recurring role as Bayside football player Ox on Saved by the Bell, pretends to be something he’s clearly not in the role of Lao Ze. 

Kudos has to go out to Ted Smith, who takes on the dual roles of the evil Bamboo Man and the effeminant Dar Ling. As the former, he is an evil mastermind hellbent on the destruction of Chen’s village while as the latter, he brings some funny riffs as one of the corrupt Sheriff’s goons. Speaking of the Sheriff, Primus bassist and vocalist Les Claypool III (who did the film’s score as well) is actually pretty good in the role while Aaron Simms’ Ba Foon gives us a style of kung fu where he’s clucking and moving around like a chicken. 

Speaking of the action, it’s pretty damn good for its era. Wang is quite proficient in martial arts and does quite well in his fight scenes. The finale though is exciting and pays tribute to the likes of Daimajin and Godzilla where we have an evil and good sand statue fighting each other. Again, Ted Smith doesn’t disappoint in the role of the good Meta Spartan against Ed Yang’s Neo Titan. The film leaves a bit of an open end and will make fans wish they had the sequel stated in the end credits. Maybe Wang could even do a full reboot to the film using some of today’s world of practical and visual effects. 

Kung Fu Rascals is a wild fun homage to martial arts films with Steve Wang at the center of it! A rare gem that must be appreciated by genre fans. 

You can get the film on a Special Collector’s Blu-Ray edition on October 22 from Visual Vengeance. 

While the film itself is a lot of fun, it is the Blu-Ray that will please plenty of cinephiles because the special features are quite exciting. We are treated to a reunion of the three stars of the film, who reminisce about making the film in 1992. Steve Wang, Troy Fromin, and Johnnie Saiko are having a good time in Wang’s business talking about the fun they had bringing the film to life.

There is another reunion, in which Wang and Primus musician Les Claypool III reunite. The reunions are so much fun that all four, along with fellow actor Ted Smith (who has multiple roles in the film) do the audio commentary. There is also alternate commentary by two huge fans of the film, Justin Decloux and Dylan Cheung. 

Wang even treats us to the original Super 8 short film that would inspire the feature film version. An interview with Chris Gore, who helped originally distribute the film on VHS. There are behind the scenes stuff, including a feature length documentary on the film. This edition also features a sticker set, poster, and an official mini comic book by Marc Gras.

There are three trailers worth mentioning that Visual Vengeance is planning on releasing. The first is Chang Cheh’s 1984 dark kung fu film The Nine Demons, starring Ricky Cheng; Tim Everitt and Thomas Sardoni’s 1984 martial arts oddity Furious, starring Simon and Phillip Rhee; and the 1991 Joseph Lai production of Born a Ninja, starring Meng Fei. 

The “Rascals” are back in a big way and it is worth getting Kung Fu Rascals on Visual Vengeance’s Special Collector’s Blu-Ray. 

Special Thanks to the crew at Visual Vengeance and Wild Eye Releasing for making these great Blu-Rays for the fans of old and new!