LACKEY AND THE LADY TIGER is very much a Hong Kong action comedy in the same vein as DRUNKEN MASTER and SNAKE IN THE EAGLE'S SHADOW; the similarities are pushed home by the presence of Hwang Jang Lee as the big bad guy and Jackie Chan stuntman Mars as the hero of the piece. I know Mars, have enjoyed his lovably goofy presence in the likes of POLICE STORY for many years, so it was a pleasure seeing him hog the limelight here and he doesn't disappoint.
The plot is very familiar and goes down the expected route, with Mars beaten by superior enemies and training in new styles to beat them. The emphasis is on animal styles here and the cat training sequence is jaw-dropping. Watch out for ENTER THE DRAGON's Shih Kien as one of the masters training our hero. The action isn't quite as spectacular as in a Jackie movie, but the training parts are especially fun and the humour works pretty well throughout.
The plot is very familiar and goes down the expected route, with Mars beaten by superior enemies and training in new styles to beat them. The emphasis is on animal styles here and the cat training sequence is jaw-dropping. Watch out for ENTER THE DRAGON's Shih Kien as one of the masters training our hero. The action isn't quite as spectacular as in a Jackie movie, but the training parts are especially fun and the humour works pretty well throughout.