Review: If you have ever wondered how Beggar So, the Drunken Master himself, came to live the nomadic life, then all is revealed (kind of) in this moderately entertaining Stephen Chow film.

Billed as a comedy, KING OF BEGGARSis unlikely to raise many laughs, but still holds up as light hearted but solid entertainment, beautifully shot with high production values. Chow’s movies often spin a good yarn, and this follows the common plot arc among his movies - a deeply flawed, often unpleasant person is broken down and rebuilt as a more fulfilled and just person.

The original Chinese legend of Beggar So is that he escaped Shaolin Temple when it was burnt to the ground by the Manchu invaders, but this version of events is entirely different. As director Gordon Chan explains, this was done to add a more uplifting aspect to what is actually a tragic story.

The comedy is more subdued than the usual Chow style of humour, and many of the usual cameos from his comedic ensemble are absent, though Ng Man Tat plays his part well as So’s father. Yeun Cheung Yan makes an appearance as the beggar who awakens So to his kung fu powers. Though he is always a joy to see, it feels like he is underused, and should have been allowed to play his character a little nearer to the style he played a similar character in Taoism Drunkard. He shines behind the camera as fight choreographer, though. The sleeping kung fu is interesting, as is the super-fast style employed by the bad guy.

KING OF BEGGARS is entertaining enough, and fans of Drunken Master should check it out to learn this version of Beggar So’s origins. The most obvious problem with this version of events is that this is a movie about Beggar So, but there is no drunken boxing! Maybe he picked up that particular habit later in his life.