Kung Fu Zombie (1981) Review

Rating: 4 out of 5

Director: Shan Hua

Year: 1981

Plot:

“Kung Fu Zombie” is a movie that mixes genres of kung fu and horror. There’s a little comedy thrown in to the mix as well, but the majority is serious. The plot surrounds a criminal seeking to kill our hero Billly Chong, but he doesn’t want to do it  himself so  he gets a wizard to get zombies to do it for him. Then there’s a subplot for reincarnation of the fallen villain, and trying to find a body that they can use. When Billy’s father gets caught up with a past dispute collection, Billy must jump into action and attack. Then, if that wasn’t enough, the story moves forward to having a vampire, I kid you not. So, there’s a vampire, zombies, and of course kung fu all rolled into one movie.

Thoughts:

The first thing I noticed when watching “Kung Fu Zombie” was the transfer. The DVD transfer isn’t too bad, but there some moments where there’s dark spots so it’s like a VHS upgraded to DVD. The dub isn’t too bad, and it features a good sense of timing.

The premise of the film is fascinating to me, zombies and kung fu? Yes please! Though that’s the main focus, there’s some brawling without that, including several normal fist fights. I found the brawling to be good overall, and the mix of the paranormal only made it more fascinating. The plot moves a little slowly, but once it gets going, it showcases some interesting moments from paranormal activities to fighting straight up. There’s a solid mix of macabre and kung fu, so don’t think it’s just one handed. Oh, and of course, there’s a bit of comedy involved too, so it’s not just purely kung fu, macabre, or anything like that.

Focusing on the plot, there’s a lot going on, but it makes sense. There are villains that are seeking revenge, and our hero has to defend himself. However, the villains aren’t just marauders or anything, they send the undead, and of course when you think that’s enough, a vampire subplot comes through as well. This may seem convoluted at first glance, but when you see the movie, it makes sense. It’s interesting, and it had me glued to the screen. The zombies are awesome, and they jump too. There’s a good amount of practical effects to animate them, and it’s a cool thing to see. I liked it a great deal. With all that in mind, the mix of macabre and kung fu really is awesome to me. I give this movie a rating of 4 out of 5.

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