Full Strike (2015) (Blu-ray) (Hong Kong Version) Blu-ray Region All

Josie Ho (Dream Home) stars as Ng Kau Sau, a former women's badminton champion who was banned for life from the courts after her violent behaviour towards her opponents and team mates alike earned her the nickname 'the beast'. Now working in her brother's lowly restaurant, Kau Sau has long since left behind any dreams of playing again, until one night she sees a shuttlecock-shaped meteorite falling from the sky, which leads her to an old school where three former criminals are hiding out. Recently released from prison, Dan (Ekin Cheng, Horseplay), Chiu (Edmond Leung, Chase our Love) and Kun (Wilfred Lau, 12 Golden Ducks) have taken up badminton in an effort to better themselves, aided by a drunken ex-champion called Chik (Andrew Lam), and though initially distrustful, Kau Sau decides to join them. Training for a coming tournament, the misfit crew come up against Kau Sau's cousin Suck Nipple Cheung (Ronald Cheng, Vulgaria), who will stop at nothing to try and ruin their plans and to defeat them on the courts.

In terms of its basic plot, Full Strike clearly sticks closely to the time-honoured sports underdog story, with a ragtag team having to overcome problems and personal differences en route to a big match showdown against evil rivals. However, this is only one side of the coin, as Derek Kwok and Henri Wong's film is a deeply eccentric and oddball offering which not only subverts expectations, but which heads off on bizarre tangents at the drop of a hat, venturing into different genres and wilfully refusing to play entirely to type. It's a chaotic affair narratively speaking as a result, with characters that make little sense – although effort has obviously gone into writing its roles in an attempt to give each of them depth, motivation and backstory, they all seem to have been pasted in from a variety of other films. There's a strange, shifting tone to the proceedings, which on the plus side does make the film unpredictable and rather refreshing, at least for those viewers used to the kind of randomness Hong Kong cinema used to be known for. To their credit, Kwok and Wong do manage to keep a handle on things to an extent, and while baffling at times the film is engaging enough to hold the interest through to its pleasingly unconventional conclusion.

For those in tune with it, Full Strike is very funny, and an excellent example of modern mo lei tau nonsense comedy, the gags coming thick and fast throughout its running time. It’s a mad, manic affair, with the wackiness cranked up to the max, and though a fair number of the jokes fall flat or simply confuse, the slapstick and verbal sparring are for the most part very amusing, with a good few genuine laugh out loud moments here and there. Kwok and Wong successfully combine the foolishness with some high impact sports sequences, achieving the impressive feat of making badminton look intense and sweaty. As with Shaolin Soccer, which the film does resemble in places, the sports scenes come with a martial arts flavour, and thanks to some creative choreography this works well, helping to ensure that the film makes up for in fun what it might lack in actual big match tension.

The cast are all on great form, and this really makes a big difference, giving the material a considerable boost. Whilst the script lumbers her with a bit of a blank role, the always likeable Josie Ho adds spark to Kau Sau, and Ekin Chen turns in a vaguely charming performance as the alternately bumbling and violent Dan. It's Ronald Cheng and Andrew Lam who come off best however, Suck Nipple Cheung being exactly as daft and over the top as his name suggests, and the constantly drunk Chik having some great moments, including an epic puking scene.

There's certainly a lot here for the right audience to enjoy, and while Full Strike may prove a bit much for anyone looking for something more straightforward, it's an entertaining throwback to the days when Hong Kong cinema rarely made sense. Undeniably rough around the edge and not up to the high standard set by Gallants, Derek Kwok and Henri Wong's film does at least stand out amongst the crowd of safer and more Mainland-friendly comedies coming from HK of late.

James Mudge - EasternKicks.com