I saw this movie in theaters, and it was the funniest movie I've seen in years. It was extremely well done, and I was quite surprised that the humor translated so well form Chinese to English subtitles. The compositing was masterful, and the kung fu was very entertaining. Overall, this was my top movie of 2004/2005.
Unfortunately, the same does not ring true of the recent DVD release. Rife with anticipation, I bought the DVD the day it was released. Sadly enough, it has apparently been re-edited into an inferior version. Several shots were altered or removed completely, and the subtitles were changed into less funny dialogue. It's amazing what a few "tweaks" can do to ruin a great film.
If you can find a copy of the theatrical release, I highly recommend it, but if all you can find is the DVD release, don't bother. It's simply not as enjoyable.
Unfortunately, the same does not ring true of the recent DVD release. Rife with anticipation, I bought the DVD the day it was released. Sadly enough, it has apparently been re-edited into an inferior version. Several shots were altered or removed completely, and the subtitles were changed into less funny dialogue. It's amazing what a few "tweaks" can do to ruin a great film.
If you can find a copy of the theatrical release, I highly recommend it, but if all you can find is the DVD release, don't bother. It's simply not as enjoyable.