Kungfu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction (2009) (DVD) (Taiwan Version) DVD Region 3

It becomes very clear very quickly that Kung Fu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction is not taking the expected route, and that its odd, convoluted title is a pretty accurate reflection of its wacky content. Despite its potentially action packed premise of a robot joining the police, after some bizarre initial exposition, it throws the viewer straight into a vaguely inappropriate love triangle between K-1, Su Mei and Dachun, without so much as a hint of character back story or motivation. Just as the viewer is settling into this rather odd plot direction, after around an hour or so, out of nowhere the film suddenly explodes into transformation sequences and robot fighting. The CGI effects are actually quite good, and although the bombastic set pieces are still played partly for gags, the choreography by action director Yuen Tak (who worked on such classics as Fong Sai Yuk and Swordsman II) is solid, and they work well enough to inject some thrills and excitement and proceedings.

Unsurprisingly, Lau directs with his usual scattershot style, and the film is characterised by its oddball tonal shifts, leaping from eccentric romance to action and comedy, and, even more unbelievably, to straight drama which sees him trying to comment on the nature of love and what it means to be alive. This is perhaps only to be expected from Lau's everything but the kitchen sink brand of film making, and although the film is pretty incomprehensible at times, it is arguably all the more fun and enjoyable for it. The final act in particular comes with some very leftfield plot developments and an effects heavy cyber rumble that is admirably far out, even by his standards, before capping things off with some entirely undeserved tugs at the heart strings and an amusingly rushed mock-philosophical message. This does make for some very wacky viewing, and whether intentional or not, the comedy is generally funny, if a touch mean spirited at times as Dachun tries his best to undermine K-1. There are a good few surreal jokes, with the robot's head turning into a tin opener, a can of sardines, and finally a giant ass - all very low brow, but humorous enough.

As such, for all its being mooted as a Chinese version of Transformers, Kung Fu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction is basically a Jeffrey Lau film with a bigger budget than usual and an even wilder, looser sense of creativity. This is arguably in its favour, as it delivers something unpredictable and pleasingly different to the norm, and the film is entertaining and lively, particularly for those viewers who don't require too much in the way of logic or sense.

by James Mudge - BeyondHollywood.com