Kung Fu Games is a gritty, action-packed adrenaline fueled action thriller that makes the audience a part of a dystopian world in which famous fighters are kidnapped and taken hostage by an unnamed and ruthless martial arts competition. The matches are arranged by the sadistic billionaire Calvin Prince and hosted in themed settings based on the classic martial arts movies, one that combines the nostalgic aesthetics with the modern fight choreography. The movie dwells upon the ugly foundations of entertainment, namely how human distress can be processed into a show that can be consumed by a crowd. As the warriors fight to survive, they are set with the vicious reality that they must kill their opponents in order to move through and this generates the viewers with the tense atmosphere of kill or be killed which has kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
The aesthetics of the film is exceptional by offering energetic camera work to capture the action of every fight, a combination of visceral choreography with a sense of light and immersion through the set designs. The sequences of the action are beautifully performed, reminding both traditional and modern martial arts movies iconic fight scenes and the driving score increases the adrenaline. The characters are written with an underlying feeling of grit and depth, each having their own fighting style and emotional back story that makes their plights believable. The director manages to provide an ideal mix of unceasing pace with the scenes of emotional frailty, and the viewers feel not only interested in the fights but also in the inner life of the fighters and their life stories.
The most striking element was the commentary on power, entertainment and resilience that was provocative in the film. It also makes the audience wonder how wrong it may be to transform violence into entertainment, but also glorifies the spirit of fighters. The action of the film, the driving themes, and the moral intricacy make the film leave an impact even with the fact that some of the character backgrounds could have been more developed. In its turn, Kung Fu Games is a thrilling, mind-blowing adventure that makes us challenge the dark side of entertainment and human nature.
