The Chinese Mack

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"It's like sitting through an alternate reality version of Magnificent Butcher where there's no reason for the film to continue..."

- Ningen


The Chinese Mack (1974)

Director: Herman Hsu

Cast: Chan Wai Man, Travador Ramos

Running Time: 97 min.

Plot: Michael Chan (Wai Man) plays a man who works his way to the top of the ladder. But once there, he gets corrupted and his family must show him the error of his ways. Chan Wai Man is fantastic as the fighter who takes the wrong path.

Availability: This title is available at HKflix.com

Reviews

NINGEN'S REVIEW: I saw this turkey dubbed at that Grindhouse screening "presented by" Quentin, and I was wondering why he'd want to be associated with it, even if it were subbed. The Chinese Mack is about a martial arts student who fights gangsters in a local village, and rises to the top as a gangster himself. However, he gets too thick-headed for his own good, and loses it all to his rivals.

The plot is muddled by slow pacing, while the fights are clearly not done by professionals. The characters are one-dimensional, and are just thrown in to pad the time, while the action scenes lack any sense of choreography or urgency. It's like sitting through an alternate reality version of "Magnificent Butcher" where there's no reason for the film to continue other than to make a quick buck from some "chop-socky" nut who can't tell the difference. You can't even appreciate The Chinese Mack in an ironic sense, since it's more unintentionally sad than funny.

NINGEN'S RATING: 3/10