Author: Geoffrey D. Edwards
gdedwards11
Movie: Kung Fu (The Movie)
10-02-12
WGAW#: 1609184
Synopsis
"Someday Grasshopper, you will understand!"
From the Shaolin Temple to the end of the American Civil war. Qui Chang Caine battles injustice everywhere he goes.
In the process he is shot. And that... is how the movie begins.
He dreams of his days in the Shaolin Temple from boyhood to Priesthood. (Or these visions are disbursed throughout the movie as like the visions in the old TV series). As in the old TV series, Caine, (A Chinese native) watches as his friend and mentor, Master Po, is gunned down. Caine is shunned from China for killing the emperor's nephew. During a battle the Temple is burned to the ground. Only a few Shaolin remain and go into hiding.
Caine flees to America. Aboard ship, he defends a Chinese Family and befriends the captain and crew of The Beacon. He proceeds to America to find his only brother (Doi or Danny Caine) not knowing whether his brother is alive or dead.
Now in New York, Caine joins the Union Army to fight against the Tyranny of the South. He befriends a Lieutenant (Eventually a Captain) by the name of Collins. Caine fights with Lt Collins and his unit, the 3rd Infantry. They fight many battles. Caine trains what's left of the 3rd Infantry and the 133rd Cavalry in some of the Kung Fu arts. With that, they survive countless battles. The word is spread throughout the Union. The tide of the war is turned. Throughout the movie, as in the old TV series, Caine has visions of his past that materialize as lessons before almost every situation, also culminating in his life growing up in the Shaolin Temple
Coming to the end of Caine's travels he and the unit come upon a fort. Not just any fort. A Chinese refugee fort. The Chinese refugees have held their own against the confederates but a larger battle is yet to come. There Caine meets up with the woman of his dreams once again and the enemy of his past. Through his enemy he finds out that his brother has been captured and taken back to China. Caine knows that this is to trick him into returning to China to free his brother. The Civil war finally ends.
Caine does indeed return to China. They meet up with a small, hidden group of Shaolin Priests. Caine convinces them that in order to save his brother and overthrow the emperor, they would need the help of the Chinese people. Some disagree but Caine's idea is put to paper and disseminated around the country.
Just as the small group of fighters and Shaolin are about to be overwhelmed by the emperors soldiers, the people of China show up. They quickly overrun three units of the emperor's soldiers and eventually the rest of the emperor's soldiers. Citizens numbering in the millions.
Caine and those with him enter the temple. They go after the emperor. They give chase, Caine's brother Danny is found, the eventual Chinese emperor (the guy with Caine) and the current emperor go to battle. The new leader is victorious. Caine is given the position of Temple Master of the new Shaolin Temple. He marries his love, they have children. The movie ends.
Much Kung Fu, many battles, guns, cannons, history, romance, victory and defeat make Kung Fu (The Movie) one of the best pictures of the year. It's been too long since we've heard from Grasshopper but the time has come!