THE FINAL COMBAT

"The Final Combat" is a series that starred Stephen Chow Sing Chi in a patchwork martial arts story. If you love Stephen Chow and all his funny antics, "The Final Combat" is one of those few full episodes series that TVB had managed to grab him to make in the past that you don't want to miss. Plot-wise, this is just another typical, cliche martial arts flick. I'll state my stance: Stephen Chow is the king of comedy. "Final", like almost all his movies, has a silly plot that is saved in part by the presence of Stephen Chow--mind you, it's more than enough.
Cashing in on a lot of ideas from Jin Yong's (his name seems to come up in all martial arts reviews!) novels, "Final" borrowed a lot of ideas--such as a martial art similiar to "Kwai Fa Bo Deen" in "State of Divinity" that'll make you turn feminine if you are a male who practiced it--but you don't have to castrate. Then we have the main character who has lousy martial arts, doesn't like to fight, only likes to do business and earn money as in Wai Sui Bo's character from "Duke of Mt. Deer". His favorite line for peace is to (translated) "Sit down, drink a cup of tea, eat a bun, and talk slowly".
The background is such: Koo Fung's twin brother Koo Yim Yeung (both played by Ng Mong Dat) had turned evil after practicing a martial arts called "Yuk Liu Sun Gong" that will make a man turn woman-like. So we have all the good clans conspiring to destroy this major evil sect which is headed by Koo Yim Yeung. He's especially annoyed because his male lover has been captured by the clan where his twin brother Koo Fung is a disciple. Koo Fung's teacher (Kwan Hoi San) has decided to learn a martial art, in order to fend against Koo Yim Yeung, that will make the person very powerful but, because of using so much strength, will cause the person to die very soon after. So it's basically a suicidal mission. Koo Fung is adamantly against his master sacrificing himself and plotted with his martial brother, Duen Hoi, to steal the kung-fu manual so that he can learn it instead and kill his twin brother. However, during the attempt, Duen Hoi accidentally kills a fellow martial brother and in trying to hide his own blunder, Duen Hoi accuses Koo Fung of the murder.
Koo Fung is chased down a mountain cliff by his clan and believed to have died. Duen Hoi, in his guilt, confesses under pressure to his master and took in Koo Fung's infant son, Koo Yuk Lau (Ng Chun Yu), to raise as his own. Duen Fei (Chow Sing Chi), his real son, grows up to be a business-wise person but has no interests whatsoever in learning martial arts. He gets into a lot of trouble hanging around in the streets and is admonished by his father all the time. Koo Yuk Lau, on the other hand, is like a male prodigy--great wit, great martial arts, and leadership potential all in a package. Trouble begins to stir of course when he finds out who his real father is and when Koo Yim Yeung returns to cause more ruckus.
The female cast includes Yammie Lam Kit Ying who plays Shuet Kan, an orphan raised by Koo Yim Yeung. Jacqueline Law Wai Kuen plays Lee Chu, who works in her mother's wine shop, and fights all the time with Duen Fei. Mui Siu Wai plays Lee Chu's maid and sidekick.
The star of the show is definitely Stephen Chow who's as funny as ever. The unsung hero award should go to Ng Chun Yu, who always manages to portray his characters well, even though he is often casted out of the limelight. The faults of "Final", however, is as mentioned--a plot that doesn't have too much to offer. For a few laughs though, "Final" is really great in accomplishing--you also get to see Ng Mong Dat and Ng Chun Yu dress up as women.
PS I do not this review.