DanTheMan 2
You know your film is off to a strong start when you aren't even 5 minutes in and it's already staging its own lightsaber fights, albeit with fluorescent bulbs. Marking the end of Sammo Hung's greatest period as both star and director with a mighty bang, Pedicab Driver exemplifies the type of cinema that Hong Kong loved during the 80s. What that means is it's a mismatched series of bizarre comedy, heightened emotions, sudden tragedy and yes, incredible fight scenes. The extended fight between Sammo and Lau Kar-Leung in the gambling den stands as one of the film's most memorable moments, despite its complete irrelevance to the plot. Although it seems a little overambitious at times in its storytelling, with several seemingly unrelated threads running parallel, the film does manage to hold it all together in a way that only Hong Kong cinema can. While the story threads are certainly only diversions from the main spectacle, they do enhance the film somewhat, thanks largely to the cast's terrific performances and great music. It all starts happy-go-lucky but by the end, revenge is the name of the game and it is one Sammo delivers tenfold with some fantastic direction. For its uneven mishmash of genres and tones, Pedicab Driver succeeds wholeheartedly thanks to its easily empathetic and loveable characters and their plights, it's as entertaining as they come and features something for everyone. While not quite a masterpiece it is well worth seeing.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
11/14/24
Full Review
s r
An unusual blend of comedy, romance, martial arts and a look at the pedicab industry. Sammo is something special.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Quite good action and also some romance in the movie. The ending is another of those typical abrupt type. Macau 1954, Sammo Hung lead his group of pedicab drivers (Max Mok, Lowell Lo, Mang Hoi) to negotiate with coolies. They all end upfighting and there's one scene 2 guys use the fluorescent light as light sabre. The old baker Sun Yueh is aiming Nina Li. Other girls play a prank on Sammo and he thought Nina is culprit. Sun defend her and Maria Cordero come to salvage the situation. Max Mok accidentally knock Fennie Yuen and likes her. She go temple and is told she will be lucky in love. Max buy her a new pair of shoe as compensate. John Shum is a gangster. Dick Wei bring his girlfriend who is a prostitute away. He hunt them, Billy Chow fight Dick and he died. John saw Nina and wanna touch her. Sammo save her. They chase them with car and they crash into a gambling den. Her money drop on the floor and the thugs don't let her take. The den boss Lau Kar-Leung fight Sammo and he lose. Lau let them go because he admire his kung fu and even give him some money. Nina go to Sammo room to rub ointment on his bruises. Sun comes in and she hide in his blanket. Sun ask Sammo not to fight over Nina with him and keep insulting him. Sammo lift up the blanket and Sun saw Nina. They are together. Max and Fennie also together. The buddies want the duo to intro their girlfriend. Lowell go to brothel and Fennie is a prostitute. When they meet, Lowell reveal out. Max is very angry and sad. Nina says maybe she is force to do so. Max find her but she know she's not worthy. The bros carry Max to her and bluff he suicide for her. They ask her if he is alive, will she marry him. She say she will and Max stop acting. They sell their pedicab to give Fennie settle her debt with John. He is not happy his whore is freed. Max and Fennie get married. The baddies crash the house. Lowell manage to escape. Sammo bought a jade bracelet for Nina and Lowell came to tell him. Mang wife tells him not to interfere but he couldn't and they were hurt. Max and Fennie is badly hurt and died. Mang join Sammo to avenge. His wife tell Mang not to worry. Sammo fight many thugs and nearly defeated by Billy. Mang is hold hostage. John father beat the thug and Mang push him down. John try to kill his own father and he got push down. Sammo kill John. Nina, Lowell and Sun come to help but all is over. The jade bracelet is broken to bits.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
sarfaraz a
Pedicab Driver directed and c-starring Sammo Hung, Nina Li Chi and Eric Tsang in cameo role
Sammo Hung is a pedicab driver who sleeps at a baker shop where he has fallen in love with charming dough kneading Nina Li - he has circle of loyal friends who are all happy-go-lucky souls - one of his young pedicab drivers falls in love with charming girl, it turns out she is actually sleeping with people to pay off her loans - until one of her client is friends of her lover - Sammo and entire gang sell some of their pedicabs to get her released from chains of loans and get them married - howeer, in the nick of time the owner of brothel sends his goons to terminate the two -
Filled with good fight scenes, and melting scenes; it's plot is solid enough to raise your curiosity till the very end. Few guffaws with romance wars between Sammo and old baker! Film maintains the rhythm of its story!
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This one had a reputation as Sammo Hung's best film and I'd been wanting to see it for about ten years. Finally got around to it, due mainly to its other reputation for being so hard to find. It lived up to the hype though and has some of the absolute best action and comedy from Hong Kong in the 80s. The legendary Lau Kar-leung has maybe the best cameo I've ever seen in an HK film as the boss of a gambling house who picks a fight with Sammo about 30 minutes in. The movie is of course quite uneven in its transition from comedy to drama, though it's quite typical of the style for such films and I would still name drop this as one of the best examples of an HK action-comedy I've ever seen.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
Full Review
Audience Member
One of Sammo Hung's best movies and considered by many to be his masterpiece, it starts out as a comedy, moves into romance before entering heroic bloodshed territory by the time the end credits roll. The plot could have been made tighter but it doesn't matter when you've got a good balance of humour and drama including a funny nod to Star Wars when Sammo has a flourescent light tube fight. However, the mood changes dramatically to the dark side in the 2nd half as Sammo is out for revenge when his friend and his new bride are slaughtered. The fight choreography throughout the movie are outstanding. Even though Sammo may never leave the shadow of his countryman Jackie Chan, he is definitely just as inventive and nimble for a large man in his fights. The fast and furious stick fight between Sammo and Lau Kar Leung is a model of dazzling choreography and sharp, superb direction, and easily one of the best ever of its type.
A seemless and utterly compelling blend of first-class martial arts comedy and truly breathtaking violence, "Pedicab Driver" showcases the master of Hong Kong action at his awesome, bloody best.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/20/23
Full Review
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