Kung Fu Rookie (2023) Review

“Kung Fu Rookie” Theatrical Poster

Director: Aman Ergaziyev
Cast: Timur Baktybayev, Irina Azhmukhamedova, Kuat Khamitov, Erkebulan Toktar, Riskul Konakbaev, Janelle Sergazina, Talgat Duisenov, Kuandyk Shakyrzhanov
Running Time: 79 min.

By Z Ravas

2023’s Kung Fu Rookie (AKA “Timuchin”) has a problem. No, it’s not the production values — the film looks sharp for a low-budget project out of Kazakhstan — nor is it the script necessarily, as this action/comedy has more than a few jokes and gags that land. No, it’s the fact that the whole movie is built around the idea that lead actor Timur Baktybayev is a walking, talking tribute to Jackie Chan… except instead of fighting like Jackie Chan, he moves like your best buddy with the beer paunch who says, “Hey, watch this” and then pretends to do a martial arts kick in your kitchen, nearly splitting his groin in the process.

Okay, okay, maybe I’m being a little harsh: Kung Fu Rookie proves it’s hard to pull off a compelling fight scene on camera, and you can tell the cast and crew here are trying. Let’s not forget that Kazakhstan isn’t exactly known for its thriving international action scene. And the setup is adequate for this kind of movie, as Timur Baktybayev’s character visits his uncle in the big city with the intention of joining the local police force. Before long, his uncle’s fruit stall draws the attention of some local gangsters who demand their share of protection money, leading to Timur having to dish out some beatdowns. While it’s more than a little reminiscent of Rumble in the Bronx, as I said the premise is fine enough for a 90 minute action flick.

But there’s no getting around the fact that a movie that’s constantly name-dropping martial arts icons like Ip Man and Jet Li has fight scenes that feel like they’re being performed at half-speed; all the participants so intently focused on hitting their marks and not hurting themselves that they give the impression of play-fighting. If anything, it makes you appreciate the genuine article even more: not only could Jackie Chan in his prime choreograph some of the most fluid screen combat you’d ever witnessed, but he knew how to humor and entertain us in the process. In comparison, Kung Fu Rookie’s action feels more appropriate for an amateur YouTube video than a big screen production.

Maybe some humility would have helped? Not only does this movie feature actual footage from Jackie Chan’s Who Am I — it’s rarely a smart idea to showcase the genuine article when you’re offering a limp imitation — but Timur Baktybayev has the temerity to point at the screen during a screening of Who Am I and say, “Look, he fights just like me!” Excuse me, sir? Let’s hope this was a flaw in the subtitles; otherwise, one is tempted to pull Timur aside and not-so-gently explain, “No, Jackie doesn’t fight like you. You try to fight like Jackie.”

There’s also not much in the way of originality to be found here: Kung Fu Rookie lifts many of its action beats from Jackie Chan’s heyday, whether it’s the brawl in the gang’s hideout from Rumble in the Bronx the car factory sequence from Twin Dragons, or the ending rooftop fight from the aforementioned Who Am I. Wholesale bits of choreography or signature physical gags are copied here, only they feel half-hearted and like they’re happening in slow motion, closer to the sluggish underwater climax from Thunderball than the ferocity of Jackie Chan in his 90’s era.

The stark gulf between Timur Baktybayev’s ambitions and where he actually lands onscreen is amplified towards the end of the film, when he starts fighting some performers who actually look like they’ve studied martial arts (actors Erkebulan Toktar and Talgat Duisenov). I walked away with the conclusion that either Timur doesn’t have the moves like he thinks he does, or else he does but the movie failed to effectively convey his abilities. Think about Tony Jaa’s debut in Ong-Bak or Iko Uwais in Merantau; even when those movies occasionally played as unpolished or raw due to their low-budget origins, you nevertheless came away feeling like those guys were incredible athletes with genuine screen presence.

It’s hard to say where Timur Baktybayev should go from here: spend some time honing his filmmaking skills and come back with a follow-up to Kung Fu Rookie that genuinely earns its Jackie Chan homage… or be content to kick back with a bowl of popcorn and watch his hero on the big screen like the rest of us?

Kung Fu Rookie does prove one thing: being Jackie Chan is not as easy as it looks. Or, if I can quote the man himself from his 1998 book I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action: “Don’t try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie. Study computers instead.” Even if that sounds a little harsh, almost like Jackie Chan’s answer to Joe Biden’s “Learn to code” moment, those are words Timur might want to take to heart.

Z Ravas’ Rating: 5.5/10