Hopelessly inane, humorless and under-inspired.
Kung Pow! (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:53
Fresh:6
Rotten:47
Average Rating:2.8/10
Consensus: A short sketch's worth of jokes stretched into a full-length feature.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for comic violence, crude and sexual humor
Runtime: 81 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Jan 25, 2002 Wide
Box Office: $15,943,478
Synopsis: Director Steve Oedekerk (ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS) wrote, produced, and stars in this goofy spoof of martial arts movies, which he created by re-dubbing and digitally inserting himself into a... Director Steve Oedekerk (ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS) wrote, produced, and stars in this goofy spoof of martial arts movies, which he created by re-dubbing and digitally inserting himself into a 1976 Kung Fu film called TIGER AND CRANE FIST. Oedekerk plays The Chosen One (so named because of his magic tongue) who grows up in the wild after his family is murdered by the evil Master Pain--who later changes his name to Betty. Hunted and attacked continuously, The Chosen One eventually finds shelter at the Crane School, where he falls in love with a squealing maiden (Jennifer Tung) and figures out how to avenge his parents' death. He also encounters a woman with a very unusual breast, French aliens, an animated spirit father styled after THE LION KING, a martial arts-expert cow, and other digitally animated wonders. Somehow Oedekerk and Co. manage to wring a lot more funny moments out of the concept than one might think possible, and thanks to amazingly inventive editing and a gleefully juvenile sense of humor, the film never runs out of steam. There's even a threatened sequel: "Tongue of Fury." New exterior shots were filmed in Mexico. KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST! is also known as THE DUBBED ACTION MOVIE. [More]
Starring: Steve Oedekerk, Jennifer Tung, Tad Horino, Philip Tan
Starring: Steve Oedekerk, Jennifer Tung, Tad Horino, Philip Tan
Director: Steve Oedekerk
Director: Steve Oedekerk
Screenwriter: Steve Oedekerk
Producer: Steve Oedekerk, Tom Koranda, Paul Marshal
Composer: Robert Folk
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Get This Movie
Reviews for Kung Pow!
As an entertainment destination for the general public, Kung Pow sets a new benchmark for lameness.
I basically went in expecting garbage, but color me surprised when it actually turned out to be quite funny!
...an early favorite on 2002 top ten "worst" lists. I think I laughed. Once. Maybe not.
We can't accuse Kung Pow for misfiring, since it is exactly what it wants to be: an atrociously, mind-numbingly, indescribably bad movie. Unfortunately, we'd prefer a simple misfire.
Takes a good idea for a seven-minute sketch and stretches it out for an excruciating 105.
To imagine the life of Harry Potter as a martial arts adventure told by a lobotomized Woody Allen is to have some idea of the fate that lies in store for moviegoers lured to the mediocrity that is Kung Pow: Enter the Fist.
It would have made a funny 15 to 20 minute sketch in a format like the very funny short martial arts sketch in "Kentucky Fried Movie.'
Mocking kung fu pictures when they were a staple of exploitation theater programming was witty. Mocking them now is an exercise in pointlessness.
Unless you're as huge a fan of martial-arts classics as Oedekerk, this really long joke about continuity errors and bad voice-overs is simply kung P.U.
The dose is strong and funny, for the first 15 minutes anyway; after that, the potency wanes dramatically.
Latest News for Kung Pow!
December 18, 2006:
Oedekerk Hired to Rehaul Tim Burton's "Ripley," Believe It or Not
When Paramount shelved Tim Burton's "Ripley's Believe It or Not" a few months back, some people thought the project was dead in the water. Well hey, apparently not. More...
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!

Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



