Acting as a true, unapologetically enthusiastic celebration of Hong Kong action icon Jackie Chan, Kung Fu Rookie (or Timuchin), is a fun homage to a significant figure in martial arts cinema. With Chan’s Karate Kid: Legends releasing in a few months and his classic Rumble in the Bronx celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, it’s the perfect time for a Jackie Chan-centric story, even if it doesn’t feature the actor himself.
Kung Fu Rookie Plot
Timuchin (Timur Baktybayev) is a simple man visiting his uncle to help out around the house and assist with the operation of his local produce booth. He aspires to joining the police force, but following a run in with local thugs, Timuchin finds himself hunted and tormented by the gang. As the violence escalates, he’s forced to put his Kung Fu skills to use and fight to protect himself and his family.
Embodying Jackie Chan
From set designs to outfits, Kung Fu Rookie seeks to fully embody 90’s era Jackie Chan. I’d rewatched Rumble in the Bronx recently (a staple of my childhood), and the references to that film specifically stood out the strongest. The story itself is ripped directly from the 1995 internationally co-produced actioner, and one of this movie’s most enjoyable scenes, set within the lair of the local gang, directly mirrors an iconic moment from Bronx. Unlike Rumble in the Bronx, which was set in New York, Kung Fu Rookie is a story set in Kazakhstan. Now, I have no idea how popular Kung Fu is in Kazakhstan, but it’s fascinating to see that Jackie Chan’s influence extends to countries all across the globe.
Star Timur Baktybayev delivers a solidly charming performance, but falls short of matching Jackie’s overpowering magnetism. Despite his numerous controversies over the years — including an affair and an ignored child — Jackie Chan has maintained his popularity with audiences. He possesses a sort of “every man” quality, bumbling and stumbling through set pieces with an awkward elegance that’s rivaled only by his incredible acrobatics and martial arts prowess. It’s a rare combination that made Chan a star and it’s one that Baktybayev fails to accurately mimic.
The chaotic energy of a Jackie Chan movie is among its most significant features, but the action in Kung Fu Rookie is slow, staged and methodical. It never feels as if Timuchin is frantically fighting for his life, and instead each fight sequence plays out in slow, clear movements that feel rehearsed and carefully executed. It was a flaw that initially irked me, but I quickly moved past it. Kung Fu Rookie isn’t setting out to be a Jackie Chan movie, it’s setting out to celebrate them. In that regard, it’s a resounding success.
A Wildly Fun and Enjoyable Time
The cast and crew are clearly enjoying themselves and that enjoyment is infectious. By the time the film had concluded with an impressive climactic sequence, I found myself smiling and reminiscing on the significant impact that Jackie Chan had on my childhood. I would rent every film of his that was released on VHS and I’d watch them back-to-back, over and over. Kung Fu Rookie is a film that plays to those nostalgic memories. There’s a fine line between homage and plagiarism, and though Aman Ergaziyev’s film sometimes blurs those lines, it predominantly stays on the right side of things.
It’s at its weakest during its moments of action, but I suspect that a stronger and sharper edit of those sequences would help them immensely. Besides, when your action sequences are being compared to Jackie Chan’s, it’s an impossibly high standard to achieve. 90’s kids and fans of Hong Kong martial arts cinema will appreciate what Baktybayev and Ergaziyev have accomplished, even if it does feel unpolished and unfinished.
RATING: 7/10
Kung Fu Rookie will be available on digital and on demand on March 14th.
Learn more about the film, including how to watch, on the Film Movement Plus website for the title.
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