Once Upon a Time in China V (1994) Review

“Once Upon a Time in China V” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark
Cast: Vincent Chiu, Rosamund Kwan, Jean Wong, Kent Cheng, Hung Yan Yan, Mok Siu Chung, Lau Shun, Elaine Lui, Gwok Chun On, Stephen Tung Wei
Running Time: 101 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Remember that time Tsui Hark decided to make his own version of Project A, but film it in the style of John Woo? If not, then it likely means you’ve never seen Once Upon a Time in China V, the penultimate instalment of the 90’s Wong Fei Hung series, and the final one to be helmed by its original director Tsui Hark. Both Once Upon a Time in China V and its predecessor have somewhat of a strained relationship with the bigger budgeted, genre reigniting trilogy that preceded them, and as a result the fifth instalment in the OUATIC (as I’ll refer to it from here on in) series is a frequently overlooked gem.

It’s easy to forget how fast Hong Kong cinema churned them out in the 90’s, and despite Hark’s series swansong in the director’s chair already being the 5th entry, it’s worth bearing in mind that the original OUATIC only came out 3 years prior. It was Jet Li that stepped into the iconic role of Wong Fei Hung for the original trilogy, and would round off the series by returning to the role for 1997’s Once Upon a Time in China and America. After 1993’s OUATIC III though, contractual problems resulted in Li stepping down, which led to Hark offering the iconic role of Fei Hung to Li’s villainous rival in Fong Sai Yuk, Vincent Zhao. Despite refusing to sign a 3-year contract with Hark, the pair would go on to work together as star and director not only on OUATIC V, but also Green Snake and The Blade, placing Zhao at the centre of the HK auteur’s best work from the 90’s.

Perhaps sensing Zhao’s hesitance around continuing to work in the film industry after his debut in Fong Sai Yuk (for which he’d been head hunted from the Beijing Sport University by Corey Yuen), Hark ushered OUATIC IV into production so fast, it ended up coming out during the same year as OUATIC III. Hark, who was also directing Green Snake at the same time, handed over the directorial reigns for the 4th instalment to OUATIC III’s action director, Yuen Bun, and stepped back into the role of writer and producer. So it was OUATIC V that really returned a sense of stability back to the series, with Hark returning to the director’s chair, Bun sticking to what he knows best with action directing, and the welcome return of Rosamund Kwan as 13th Aunt.

The stamp of Hark is evident from the get-go of OUATIC V, with the blue hues that were so prevalent in many of the early – mid 90’s HK new wave flicks used to light many of the night scenes, as we learn that pirates are pillaging the seas and terrorising a local portside town. Fei Hung and his crew, who are all present and accounted for – Xiong Xin-Xin as Club Foot, Kent Cheng as Butcher Wing, Roger Kwok as Buck Toothed So, Max Mok as Foon, and Lau Shun as Wong Kei Ying – are attempting to take a ship to Hong Kong, however it soon becomes evident that the townspeople could do with some help. Fei Hung and co.’s unwavering righteousness naturally means they can’t say no, so said help is soon being delivered via plentiful wire-work, and a surprising amount of gunplay.

Zhao is a good fit in the role of Wong Fei Hung. He spent most of the mid-90’s being referred to as the next Jet Li, and it’s easy to see why. Both had a wushu background, and much like Jet Li in his early outings, Zhao’s somewhat stern demeanour made him a good fit for role. However as fast as HK was churning out movies, so too were HK cinema goers known for how fast they could fall out of favour with certain cinematic trends. In 1994 audiences were likely beginning to suffer from Wong Fei Hung fatigue – Chin Kar Lok had given his take on the character with Martial Arts Master Wong Fei Hung in 1992, Jet Li himself parodied the genre in 1993’s Last Hero in China, while movies such as Kickboxer and Iron Monkey also took place in the Wong Fei Hung universe. 1994 alone gave us 3 Wong Fei Hung’s – in addition to Zhao we had Jackie Chan reprising the role in Drunken Master 2, and Willie Chi chiming in with Drunken Master 3.

In that way OUATIC V can also be viewed as one of the last examples of the early – mid 90’s kung fu revival. It would be Tsui Hark himself that would deconstruct the genre, once more with Zhao as his leading man, the following year with The Blade, exchanging the dynamic new wave aesthetics for a more earthy and dust coated realism. Knowing the historical context of OUATIC V’s place in the kung fu genre cannon only makes it a more interesting watch. Zhao’s introduction to the world of action cinema was somewhat of a trial by fire – during the filming of Green Snake, while suspended high in the air on a pair of steel wires, one of them snapped. Not exactly the best start to someone unfamiliar with making action movies. Then during the filming of OUATIC IV he injured his ankle, which would take several years to heal.

So in many ways you could say that OUATIC V is to Zhao what Thunderbolt is to Jackie Chan, both were filmed while its star was carrying an injury, and both subsequently have as many detractors as they do fans. Having Hark at the helm though is always a cause for celebration. He’s a director that’s able to use limitations as a reason to innovate rather than sacrifice, and that innovation is evident throughout OUATIC V. Indeed for a large amount of its runtime, Zhao takes a backseat to the fisticuffs, stepping in intermittently with a quick flourish here and there. Instead, the heavy lifting goes to his cohorts, with Xiong Xin-Xin letting loose with his formidable repertoire of kicks, delivered both with and without wire assistance (look out for a nice homage to the airborne bamboo pole fight from the original OUATIC). Even Kent Cheng gets in on the action, wielding everything from bamboo poles to folding screens as weapons.

More than any other OUATIC, the action in OUATIC V is best described as bombastic, an early indicator of the 3D collaborations Tsui Hark and Yuen Bun would work on together in the 2010’s. The biggest surprise of all, going back to my opening line, is the use of guns. The discovery of a chest full of armaments is utilised to arm everyone to the teeth, and it allows for some entertainingly acrobatic gunplay to go down once Fei Hung and co. descend on the pirate’s hideout. Even the traditional kung fu training montage is replaced with one of our heroes practicing their shooting skills. A real highlight is the villain’s weapon of choice – a Guandao that also doubles as a gun. Tong Gaai would be proud. Played by Stephen Tung Wai, when he faces off against Zhao it may not be as intricate as kung-fu fans may be hoping for, but it’s still a lot of fun.

That’s not to say that OUATIC V is perfect, as it comes with its fair share of flaws. The return of Rosamund Kwan as 13th Aunt may be a welcome one, but it also means we get an awkward love triangle between her, Jean Wang (who essentially replaced her as Cousin May in OUATIC IV), and Zhao, that arguably has far more screen time dedicated to it than it needs. Also for every comedic beat that hits, there’s at least a handful that don’t. Max Mok was never an ideal replacement for Yuen Biao, but here there’s times when his performance gets particularly grating, none more so than in a rooftop scene which involves him ‘meowing’ to Kent Cheng as a form of discreet communication. Thankfully though, neither the love triangle nor the misplaced comedy stick around long enough to derail proceedings beyond redemption.

If anything, the pulpy nature of 1997’s Once Upon a Time in China and America is foreshadowed in OUATIC V. The whole concept of a finger decapitating pirate, lost treasure, and intrigue on the high seas, harks back to the serial style of Kwan Tak-Hing’s adventures as Wong Fei Hung. We get a fight against a mummified pirate over 100 years old, a villainous femme fatale who’s as seductive as she is deadly (played by Elaine Lui, of Iron Angels and Red Wolf fame), and some hilariously OTT death scenes that can’t help but raise a smile. Sure, OUATIC V may not have as much to say as its predecessors, but there’s a distinct feeling that Hark knows this, and was more interested in creating an old fashioned high seas romp with Wong Fei Hung as its hero. Taken from this perspective, then OUATIC V is a success, even if it’s a slight one.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6.5/10