AllMovie

Lau Kar Leung's final entry in the "36th Chamber" film series ends things on a virtuosic -- and very humorous -- note. It uses the story of Fong Sai Yuk, one familiar to most fans of martial arts fare, as the springboard for a fast-paced action narrative that values comedy as much as it does martial arts. Hsiao Ho makes a fine Fong Sai Yuk, embodying the character's go-for-broke, rebellious spirit and showing a stunning mastery of both martial arts and physical-comedy timing. His work is matched nicely by series regular Gordon Liu, who plays the yang to Fong Sai Yuk's fiery yin as cool-headed monk San Te, and by Lily Li as Fong Sai Yuk's good-hearted (and hard-fighting) mom. Lau Kar Leung puts his skills as a choreographer and a director to the test, using them to create a series of ornate, often breathtaking martial arts scenes that culminate in a dazzling finale utilizing dozens of players and plenty of jaw-dropping moves. His work further benefits from a razor-sharp sense of pacing that ensures no moment is wasted during the running time. In short, Enter The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin is a top-shelf comedy kung-fu outing a worthy companion piece to Jackie Chan's early blends of comedy and kung-fu.