(WARNING:
SPOILERS!!! You've been warned.)
So,
basically, if you were born somewhere between 1979 and 1982, or
before, then you grew up with some of the best, worst movies ever to
be made.
From
around 1980 to the late 90's, there were certain genres of movies
that took BIG advantage of a certain new technology; the
videocassette player. Today, it is known as the VHS. There's a huge
discussion on the war between the Betamax and VHS format wars, but
for a quick idea watch the “Speak Like a Child” episode from
Cowboy Bebop.
When
the commercial opportunities of the VHS were realized by certain, low
budget studios in the early 80's, scores of straight to tape (that's
right, tape, not DVD) movies
were made. No longer was a movie studio committed to creating a movie
that required expensive equipment, expensive set locations, expensive
set crews, expensive writers, expensive directors or expensive
actors.
The
rise of the VHS basically did two things. First, it allowed already
established studios the ability to make more movies in a year,
concentrating higher budgets on films that could make it on the big
screen, while still making a buck on the BHS tape market with lower
budget movies...like reallly low budgets. Second, it also allowed
fly-by-night-studios to come into existence and start pumping out
movies without having to compete in the theater market with the big
boys.
And
many of these low budget made-for-tape movies, even the ones that
managed to find their way to the big screen if it developed a fan
base (and later a cult following) were of very low quality. We're
not talking B-movies. We're talking, bottom of the barrel stuff.
I'm
trying to say that these movies were incredibly bad.
The
movies genres that benefited the most were action, sci-fi, martial
arts and to a smaller degree, the earliest movies based on video
games. The video game movies, even the ones that made it to the big
screen were horrifically awful. Case in point; the last movie that
the Golden Globe winner and accomplished actor, Raul Julia was
in...Street Fighter, as General Bison.
It's
almost a sacrilege for Julia's last theatrical release to be this
piece of crap.
But
I mention Street Fighter for a reason. And that reason, is why this
review is being written; KungFury!!!
KungFury
is an excellent parody of all of those awful, awful, dreadful,
mindless made-for-tape movies of the 80's and 90's.
Even
watching this movie is supposed to be like watching a VHS tape.
There are moment when the screen blurs and in the corner you see the
TRACKING digital symbols show up. This is actually a clever way to
move the action along and without having to explain certain
things...like how the main character KungFury goes from the street to
somehow dangling from a helicopter.
KungFury
is a meathead, Streetfighter-esque character who is the savior of his
city, complete with ribbon around his head and a buddy-cop, back
story that involves a “NNNOOOOOO!!!!!”. And a great scene where
his partner is cut in half from the side except for his tongue...try
to wrap your head around that visual.
The
movie starts off with street punks straight out of the 80's, boombox
and all, causing over the top mayhem before closing in on and arcade.
That's right, an arcade...as in the 80's arcade full of low-rent
video games. One arcade game in particular gets abused, then turns
into a mecha-arcade game and starts running around shooting people
heads off. KungFury is called in and as he races across a city that
looks like Miami, the mecha-arcade game menaces a puppy with its
built in hand gun as it gives the cops the finger.
The
rest of the movie involves KungFury going through a flashback after
dispatching the malignant, mecha-arcade game. Involving the back
story, how he goes back in time to enlist the help of a couple of
Viking women with Uzis and chain guns, and giant Asgardian god, a
T-Rex, a hacker (with a glorious mullet) and aided by his new
partner, Triceracop to take on, you guessed it, Hitler. Yes...you
read that correctly.
Having
said all of that, the punchline is this: it's hilarious and you need
to watch it. In fact, click the link below...don't think just do
it!!!!
