Kung Fu Stuntmen

For Western fans of Asian cinema, it can be quite challenging to learn more about the people making these films, which is why documentaries like this one are a real treasure trove. As someone who likes to watch the occasional Hong Kong action flick, Kung Fu Stuntmen offers a peak behind a curtain that usually remains closed. It's not a perfect doc, but still very much worth seeing.

The focus here lies on the 80s and early 90s, dominated by people like Jackie Chan, Hark Tsui, Sammo Hung and several other prominent figures. You get a little history lessons first, but the doc quickly zooms in on the stunt teams that would dominate the 80s. I would've liked a more comprehensive look at Hong Kong action cinema, but the past 25 years don't get much attention.

Still, it's nice to see these familiar faces talk about some of the biggest action classics of the 80s. These were golden times for Hong Kong, though also somewhat of a wild west, which makes for some interesting stories. At the end it felt a bit too close to a promo video for a certain age/group of film crews, but it's a must-see if you fancy yourself some Hong Kong martial arts.