Starring: Jackie Chan, Baio Yuen, Wei Pei, Li-Li-Li, Kien Shih      Written by: Jackie Chan, King Sang Tang      Directed By: Jackie Chan

The Story:

Jackie Chan is the MAN!

Seriously. Jackie is one cool sumbitch. I really hope that actually reads this, just because I want him to know that I think he's one of the coolest dudes on the planet. I guess you know now that I'm a Jackie Chan fan, huh? Hell, I only took Tae Kwon Do lessons before because I thought he was the funk master of what I call "Clown Fu". If you didn't know, Jackie Chan in his later movies...well, all of his movies, does his own stunts. He's reputedly a perfectionist and the crazy stunts and choreography in his films show it. He's been hurt several times doing his own stunts and he still keeps going. If you ever see rumble in the Bronx, watch the outtakes at the end...Jackie actually had a broken foot and still he kept on doing his own stunts....and they are spectacular. I respect him a lot for that. Even if you don't like martial arts films you've got to appreciate the fact that Chan's movies are fun....and you can see he has fun doing them.

I haven't seen all of his movies, but this one...titled Shi du chu ma (which I guess is translated into "Young Master")  is his directorial debut in 1980. Jackie Chan plays Dragon, a student of a Kung Fu master, who's name I forgot, and probably can't spell, so I'll just call the Master. Dragon has a brother, Tiger, who is supposedly the coolest and baddest of the master's students. Before a big ass competition of Dragon dancing with another school, Tiger falls off of a ladder and hurts his leg, so Dragon takes his place in the dragon's head. the master says they need to win because they need the money to keep the gym running. Well, unbeknownst to Dragon at first, tiger is faking his injury. During the competition he finds out that Tiger is in the opposing team's Dragon Head. He did it for money, of course, betraying the Master, his brother and their friends. Dragon is so loyal to his brother that he doesn't squeal on him, even when they lose and the other students treat him like dirt for it.

It looks like Tiger uses Dragon a lot. He has a girlfriend that sneaks onto the master's property for a roll in the hay every so often. and Dragon usually covers for him. But he gets caught this time and the ugly truth comes out. The Master is naturally Kung Pissed, and kicks Tiger out. There's a scene where the master flips out on all of his students for being losers and Dragon tearfully confronts him. He says that the Master took him and Tiger in when they were orphans and they never repaid him....so Dragon goes off to find tiger and hopefully bring him back and somehow make it up to the Master. Its a powerful scene really. Up until now, the movie has been almost completely serious. But when Dragon's adventures start in full, Jackie Chan's unique physical comedy style comes into play. A case of mistaken identity leads a local police chief, Sang Kung to haul dragon in for crimes he didn't commit. this is the bulk of the middle of the movie and its pretty cool. Lets face it, you could just get down to brass tacks and go straight for the "Gotta find tiger" thing, but the movie would be only 40 minutes long. Tiger has fallen into cahoots with the leader of the opposing Kung Fu school and freed a dangerous criminal called Kam. But before we get into that we see plenty of Dragon and San Kung in light hearted, yet action charged bouts, because Kung thinks Dragon is "The White fan" criminal he's after. You'd think that these two differing plotlines are too different, but they mesh easily, and its a good watch.

Eventually, Dragon learns that Tiger is being set up to take the fall in a bank robbery and intervenes. But Sang Kung wants Tiger arrested. Dragon makes a deal that if he can bring in Kam, tiger will be absolved. At first Kung refuses, but Dragon persuades him by threatening his prized pipe. (You'll understand if you see the movie). This leads to the big fight to the finish  between the evil, but deadly Kam and Dragon.

If you like a little comedy with your Kung Fu, you'll like Young Master. The comedy bits don't degrade the action one bit. You won't even think of it as a comedy, even though Chan' antics will probably make you giggle a bit, or at least smile. The mistaken identity part is particularly funny when Sang Kung and Dragon end up bathing next to each other and don't realize who the other one is. Yeah, its crazy and probably something you'd expect from an old rerun of The Lucy Show, but its effective and entertaining. With this movie Jackie Chan has proved one thing...he is a master at entertaining his fans.

Best Lines:  “I was just checking the width.” -Dragon when he gets caught trying to escape San Kung and his son by scaling a wall.

 Are you kidding me?

1.) I can understand Dragon being very devoted to his brother, but taking the hit for his betrayal seems a bit much. Tiger seems to not even care that his lies and deception are hurting Dragon. Dragon must have the soul of a saint. I sure would have told on him....especially since the Master said he needed the money from the competition just to stay in business.

2.) Tiger's a moron. He should have just snuck away at night to get some nookie, instead of having the girl hide on the Master's property. That way there'd be a smaller chance of getting caught. Besides, unless he just ain't no good in the sack...er, hay....wouldn't someone hear them making the beast with two backs in the barn?

3.) This is a first. I never saw a guy get punched in the ass before.

4.) When the Master goes off on all of his students, he starts randomly beating them up and just generally going berserk. He says "None of you can fight!" and so on. Whoa, slow down on the caffeine, Master. YOU taught 'em, so if they suck isn't it kinda YOUR fault? And I don't see how he can say that anyway. Later in the movie dragon beats up several armed constables and doesn't really break a sweat. I'd say at least some of them can fight.

5.) One thing I love about these kung fu movies is how the Big Bad Evil Guy always turns out to be a master of kicking ass Kung Fu style. The bad guy in this flick, Kam, is apparently an Ultra-Mega Bad-Ass. Once he's freed from his chains he easily kills all of the guards taking him to prison. How'd they catch this guy in the first place? He beats the living daylights out of these guards as if he's brushing off a fly. I hate to admit it, but if I was that crazy-bad-ass at fighting I'd probably be a criminal too. (or at least a really big jerk) Hell, he killed about six armed guys with his bare hands!

6.) Tobacco juice makes you Popeye-strong?

Nudity and Sex: Nada

Huh?:

Everyone thinks the fight in They Live is the ultimate in ridiculous punishment taking./ In they live Roddy Piper and Keith David fight in an alley for what seems like a half hour, doling out punishment that no human could live through. Hell, in the final fight here, Dragon gets his ass handed to him by Kam several times. If a dude kicks you in the chest and you fly backwards for fifteen feet, well, I think some ribs are gonna be broken. At least.

I don't see how San Kyung can call his son a lazy god for nothing. He seems pretty good at kung fu and he stopped everyone of Dragon's admittedly clever escape attempts with ease. If he's a bum, I'd hate to see it if he was a go getter! He'd end up being High Emperor of China!

San Kung's daughter opens a can of kung fu whoopass on dragon. Does everyone in China know Kung Fu? What's next...is the cat gonna bust some moves on him?

The Final Judgment: With lots of good natured action, and skill by all of the players in this flick, Young master is certainly a fun movie to watch. If you're not into this kind of movie you'll still appreciate the stunt work and the fun to be had. The inferno gives this one a Jackie Chan thumbs up.