why ask wai?

Posted by walker from 38.152.176.170 on January 15, 1999 at 06:42:24:

In Reply to: Dr Wai ? posted by Rik Duel on January 14, 1999 at 18:58:22:

Rik,
I picked up a copy of this flick last year with great anticipation. I had heard about it in Asian Cinema magazine back in '96 and it sounded very cool.

So, is it? Well, that depends. You'll have to have an open mind as it's actually one of Jet Li's lesser efforts in terms of fight choreography.
Lots of speeded up action and wire work out of a 1970's kung fu movie. However, the sets are pretty cool and the story is interesting. I've heard there are two versions circulating. One, cut for western distribution, truncates the original source material so that it appears to be a standard 1930's adventure and nothing more.

The cut for release in Asia actually rebounds the story between the past and the present. See, the adventures of Dr. Wai (actually only referred to as the "King of Adventurers" in this version) are part of a series of modern day pulp novels written by an author at a Hong Kong publishing firm (also played by Jet Li). That story also has a plot, mainly concerning Jet and his girlfriend and his inability to express his passions (which he mainly does through his work). Anyway, as the story goes on, others in the publishing house contribute to the story and actually appear in the 1930's adventure. His girlfriend gets written into it as well. In the end, both the contemporary love story and the pulp adventure are resolved successfully.

Overall, not a bad experience, but it will leave you hungry for the real thing. Let us know which version you end up seeing.
walker

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Dr. wai (the Chinese Indy) sophiec@ms10.hinet.net 11:53:26 1/15/99 (0)

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: Rik,
: I picked up a copy of this flick last year with great anticipation.  I had heard about it in Asian Cinema magazine back in '96 and it sounded very cool.

: So, is it?  Well, that depends.  You'll have to have an open mind as it's actually one of Jet Li's lesser efforts in terms of fight choreography.
: Lots of speeded up action and wire work out of a 1970's kung fu movie.  However, the sets are pretty cool and the story is interesting.  I've heard there are two versions circulating.  One, cut for western distribution, truncates the original source material so that it appears to be a standard 1930's adventure and nothing more.

: The cut for release in Asia actually rebounds the story between the past and the present.  See, the adventures of Dr. Wai (actually only referred to as the "King of Adventurers" in this version) are part of a series of modern day pulp novels written by an author at a Hong Kong publishing firm (also played by Jet Li).  That story also has a plot, mainly concerning Jet and his girlfriend and his inability to express his passions (which he mainly does through his work).  Anyway, as the story goes on, others in the publishing house contribute to the story and actually appear in the 1930's adventure.  His girlfriend gets written into it as well.  In the end, both the contemporary love story and the pulp adventure are resolved successfully.

: Overall, not a bad experience, but it will leave you hungry for the real thing.  Let us know which version you end up seeing.
: walker

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