Fearless Hyena II, The | aka Crazy Monkey 2 (1983) Review

"The Fearless Hyena II" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"The Fearless Hyena II" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chan Chuen
Producer: Lo Wei
Cast: Jackie Chan, Dean Shek, Yen Shi Kwan, Kwan Yung Moon, James Tien, Chan Wai Lau, Austin Wai, Hon Gwok Choi, Pearl Lin, Chan Chuen, Gam Man Hei, Ma Cheung, Mai Kei, Peng Kang, Wong Chi Sang, Wong Chi Wai
Running Time: 87 min.

By Numskull

Here we have one of several finalists in the Worst Jackie Chan Movie Of All Time competition. Reasons being: there’s more recycled footage here than in the entire first season of Ren & Stimpy, and very little of the new stuff has the real Jackie Chan in it. Lo Wei must have pissed off a lot of people with this one. There’s an actual story, but it’s so screwed up by the butcher knife editing process that you could easily miss it.

The two villains named Heaven and Earth are the most interesting part of it, because it’s never made clear which is which. Let’s see…The one with black hair wears a white cape, and the one with white hair wears a red cape. The cape colors would suggest to me that the latter is Earth. However, the guy in the white cape tends to stay on the ground during combat, while the other one likes to jump around a lot. That leads me to believe that the guy in red is Heaven instead. And the really interesting thing about the red-cloaked guy is the way his hairstyle keeps changing in the final scene, where the film alternates between new footage with Jackie’s double and the footage from the first Fearless Hyena with the real Jackie.

Another good question is: how the hell does a sword become dull by turning a dial?!? And, was the petty thief’s homoerotic line intentionally put in by the people doing the English dubbing to amuse themselves (after watching “Jackie” kung fu somebody he asks him: “Could you show me a few strokes?”)? The only thing worthwhile about this movie is the last fight scene, where the inventor guy’s parts are actually better than Jackie’s and “Jackie’s”. If you get the Fearless Hyena 2-pack you might as well watch this once, but it’s definitely not what I’d call a great movie (or a good movie, or a decent movie, or a somewhat substandard movie…).

Numskull’s Rating: 3/10


By Clint

Got it free with my “Fearless Hyena” two pack. I own it, so now I must review it. This film should’ve never been made. Once JC left Lo Wei, he should’ve stopped production. Instead, they use old footage, an obvious double, and cut scenes from “Hyena Part 1”. There were actually a couple scenes that Jackie actually filmed that were meant for this film. The scene where him and a buddy gamble on whether they can do what the other person does. So JC does this great trick with his shirt, then wins the money and gets into a great fight using he shoes. I love that scene. Only reason I don’t give it 1/10 is because of that scene. There’s not much else to talk about. So I’m done.

Clint’s Rating: 2/10


By Andrew

Well it started off kind of slow, then it dragged a bit in the middle, and the less said about the ending the better… But seriously, this film was lacking something, let’s call it “fun”. Now we all like to have our “fun” but this film wasn’t very much “fun”, there was one funny scene in a restaurant (which was one of the only scenes with the REAL Jackie Chan in it) but other than that there wasn’t a whole lot to enjoy here. The ending was sort of “fun” but by that time most of the characters we cared about had expired in not-so-funny ways. I hope they re-make this film, and when they do they could westernize it and get Jackie Chan to play the lead. That would make it better.

Andrew’s Rating: 3/10



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