Those not used to extreme tonal shifts, a mixture of martial arts, comedy, and fantasy in one may be in for a shock watching Yuen Woo-ping’s cult hit The Miracle Fighters (1982). Within the first 10 minutes, we witness a brutally slain wife; a bloodthirsty, vengeful husband; a slick sorcerer; and a fortune clown (or baby demon?) whose core body is stuck in a jar. It’s truly unlike any kung fu fantasy film of any era. In the midst of the Quing dynasty, marriages between Manchu and Han people are forbidden. When high-ranking official Kao Hsiung (Eddy Ko) refuses to kill his wife, a Han woman, he is forced to see his wife slain and is ordered to die by Sorcerer Bat (Yuen Shun-yi). While on the run, Kao Hsiung kidnaps the Crown Prince who unfortunately dies. When forced to make a choice, Kao Hsiung replaces him with an innocent boy. Fast forward into adulthood, that same innocent boy, Shu Gut (Simon Yuen Yat-Choh), is pursued by Sorcerer Bat and joins forces with two quarreling magical priests for protection. With an uneven tone and scattered storyline, the characterizations and impressive choreography are what make The Miracle Fighters an uneven ride worth catching a ticket for.
L-R: Yuen Shun-yi as Sorcerer Bat and Simon Yuen Yat-Choh as Shu Gut in THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
The strength in Miracle Fighters lies more within its characterization than its story. As a hero, Shu Gut is more than unlikely — he’s silly, he doesn’t know how to fight twice as well as his guardian Kao Hsiung, and he is overall just out of his depth. This is what makes him likeable throughout this zany adventure. There’re also the bickering magical priests, Old Man/Kei-moon (Bryan Leung) and Old Woman/Tun-kap (Yuen Cheung-Yan), two characters who vie for the affection of their deceased spirit ancestor. Their hilarious dynamic provides many of the film’s laughs, albeit the banter can get repetitive at times. This combined trio of unlikely hero and allies are what gives The Miracle Fighters its messy soul. You want to see these three win against evil Sorcerer Bat (a solid, malicious performance from Yuen Shun-yi) and proclaim victory. Even though there’s dip in plot and purpose, the quips and funny facial reactions make this journey at least entertaining.
Brandy Yuen Jan-Yeung as Clown in the jar in THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
Even though the film itself is not perfect, Yuen Woo-ping’s energetic direction keeps the entertainment fresh. After his success with the Jackie Chan-led Drunken Master (1978) and before his cult hit Iron Monkey” (1993) starring Donnie Yen (In the Line of Duty IV), Woo-ping directed this interesting blend of kung fu and fantasy. As a concept, The Miracle Fighters swings big for the fences — the great hand-to-hand choreography mixed with high concept gags (two sorcerers battling it out over who can literally make it rain) mixed with backstories with pathos looks great on paper. As an overall whole, however, the pieces don’t always come together. As we see the evil sorcerer plot his next move and as Shu Gut prepares for what may be the fight of his life, the film keeps an unnecessary amount of time focused on the bickering of Old Man and Old Woman. A dynamic that was once hilarious earlier in the film has become tedious and exasperating by this point. However, that’s not to take away from the moments when the film leans into its strong suits (characterization aside) and pulls the focus back to great action and nicely-timed comedy. When it focuses on these strengths, this film still carries a fighting chance to be entertaining.
Eddy Ko as Kao Hsiung in THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS. Photo courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.
Eureka Entertainment has a simple but meaty menu for this release. There’s the option of dual audio — one could watch the film in Cantonese or in English dub (the latter being the nostalgic choice for all of us). There are two audio commentaries — action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema handling the dubbed version & Asian film expert Frank Djeng handling the subtitled version. There’re also three key interviews, two of which are with director Yuen Woo-Ping and assistant director Fish Fong (Kill Bill Vol. 1 & Vol. 2). The Miracle Fighters may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those looking for a gutsy mashup of genres, this is the one for you.
The Miracle Fighters Special Features:
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
- Original Cantonese mono audio and optional classic English dub
- Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
- Brand new audio commentary on the Hong Kong theatrical version by Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Brand new audio commentary on the export version by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- John Kreng on Yuen Woo-ping – brand new documentary featurette by Michael Worth
- Reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork
- Trailer
- Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver
- Limited edition O-Card slipcase featuring new artwork by Darren Wheeling [2000 copies]
- 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray of the original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration
- Original Cantonese mono audio and optional classic English dub
- Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
- Brand new audio commentary by action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- Brand new audio commentary by East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
- Action Master: An Interview with Yuen Woo-ping – archival interview by Frédéric Ambroisine
- At the Service of the Great Magician: An Interview with Fish Fong – interview with assistant director Fish Fong
- The Shakespeare of Yuen Woo-ping: An Interview with John Kreng
- Reversible sleeve featuring original poster artwork
- Stills Gallery
- Trailer
- A limited edition collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by James Oliver [2000 copies]
Available on Blu-Ray June 25th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Eureka Entertainment The Miracle Fighters webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group The Miracle Fighters webpage.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation
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