Chandni Chowk To China (2009)

Now this is what a martial arts movie should be about! I can't believe Drona was ranked higher than this on the 'best Bollywood martial art movies ever', but I'm glad it was there at least. Apart from Akshay Kumar (main character and super martial-artist in future training), there are a bunch of Asian actors mixed in, such as Chia-Hui Liu and Roger Yuan, which I feel somehow contributes to making this movie much more authentic in its fights. Maybe because they really know their martial arts? Maybe because they're not all that concerned with looking flashy when they fight?

I don't mind the occasional special effects (though the one with the boat, towards the end, was a bit over the top), or the music that seems to kick in every time they're about to have a fight on life and death (very unlike 'traditional' martial art movies, where the fight itself is the soundtrack of each scene) because the fights are brewing with technique and intensity. Akshay Kumar is probably one of few Bollywood action hero celebrities who actually has a martial arts training, and in the latter scenes it really shows.

Before the latter part of the movie, he's the main source of comedy, a regular guy with not-the-best of luck, who somehow gets mixed up in a village feud and taken to China where he's supposed to Kill Hojo as the reincarnation of Liu Shengh that the villagers think he is. It doesn't turn out as planned, but he does get involved with this certain lady, and with another family drama, and eventually gets a chance to practice Kung-Fu with a real master.

Since the movie takes place in CHina (does it actually take place there? I wonder) it's rather different from the regular BOllywood movie, in scenery as well as in characters, and not least in the fights and some of the rigorous (but greatly sped-up) training it takes to get there. The continents clash well! Good movie.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle