MY REBELLIOUS SON is the Shaw Brothers answer to the success of the Jackie Chan films of the late 1970s such as DRUNKEN MASTER or SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW. It stars screen heart throb Alexander Fu Sheng who plays a young apprentice to his father in his father's bone setting business. The film's backdrop is especially interesting as it shows Hong Kong in a process of modernisation in which it was falling prey to the machinations of external foreign influences.
The plot is a bit of a hodge podge of themes and ideas but given that the overall emphasis is on comedy that doesn't matter too much. The storyline about a Buddhist statue being stolen from a temple reminded me of DRUNKEN MASTER II and ONG BAK a little. Fu Sheng is a likable everyman hero and I'm always impressed by his athleticism and ability in the fight scenes; he never looks particularly muscular or agile but once the action starts he doesn't disappoint. The film takes time out to spoof the likes of the ROCKY films as well as the vampire genre but is at its best when it offers more unique spectacle like the dance floor stand-off. There's also some traditionally bloody Shaw action like Fu Sheng's encounter with the Japanese kendo fighters and the exciting, tournament-style climax.
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