Having
been the first Hong Kong, and Jackie Chan film I ever saw, Wheels
On Meals holds a special place in my heart.
All those years ago, sitting with my Dad, watching a film I knew
nothing about, never realising it would be the start of an obsession
which would last for the rest of my life...
So, when I placed my order for this DVD, I was somewhat apprehensive
- would this film be as good as I remember it being?
I already own the dubbed, Pan & Scan VHS version, but it had
been almost four years since I accidentally erased the Cantonese
version.
Well, I'm pleased to say that it's just as entertaining now, as
it was back then - perhaps even more so!
Featuring the same mixture of comedy, stunts and fights which would
later become a trademark of Jackie Chan, this Sammo Hung directed
movie is pure entertainment from start to finish.
The plot, what there is of it, revolves around Thomas and David
- two fastfood-truck owning cousins (Jackie and Biao) - who become
involved with a curious pickpocket named Sylvia (Lola Forner).
Following Sylvia is Moby (Hung), a wanna-be private detective, and
old friend of Thomas and David, whose reasons for finding Sylvia
are only revealed upon the arrival of a group of local heavies...
From here, the movie goes into overdrive, concluding with one of,
if not, THE best one-on-one modern-day fights ever filmed.
Ever so
slightly disappointing, the picture isn't quite as sharp as I would
have liked.
However, everything else about this transfer is excellent. Strong,
well-contained colours, no compression artifacts,
and little print wear, make this streets ahead of any other version
I've seen to date.
A very
clever re-mix, which adds some nice front separation to the sound
effects, giving much of the movie, and especially the fight scenes,
an extra level of involvement.
Also, no distortion is present in either the dialogue or sound effects,
making this one of the most enjoyable re-mixes to be found on a
Hong Kong disc.
The only thing I wish Universe had included was the English soundtrack,
because the music was so much more enjoyable, and less dated, than
that found on the original Cantonese track.
Still, this is only a minor point, and of no great concern to those
who already own the dubbed version, or are watching this movie for
the first time.
Up to
the usual high standards of most Universe discs, the subtitles contain
barely any grammatical errors, and are clear, well-translated, and
in synch with the dialogue.
"Old
School" Universe menus, containing a very bland layout.
There are some good, clear, pictures dotted around the different
menus, and all of the options are easily selected. However, compared
to other Universe discs this is a disappointingly lacklustre presentation.
A by-the-numbers
selection of extras, which include the Theatrical Trailer, Heart
Of Dragon, Dragons Forever, and The Young Master Trailers, plus
8 animated chapter stops and the usual Biographies for Sammo, Biao,
and Jackie - pretty unimpressive overall.
By
no means high art, Wheels On Meals is still one of the most all-round
entertaining films to come out of Hong Kong, with the end battle
between Jackie and Benny Urquidez being one of those rarities -
a fight scene which is not only superbly choreographed, but also
gets your adrenaline pumping. Compared to today's over-cranked,
wire-work enhanced rubbish,
it feels more exciting than ever .
A superb film and an excellent transfer - Buy It!
| MOVIE |
 |
10/10
|
| PICTURE |
 |
9/10
|
| SOUND |
|
9/10
|
| SUBTITLES |
|
9/10
|
| EXTRAS |
 |
4/10
|
| MENUS |
 |
5/10
|
| PACKAGING |
|
5/10
|
| OVERALL |
 |
9/10
|
