The Chinese Feast

The food comedy is one of those strange Hong Kong phenomena that occasionally enjoy a small burst of popularity. There are some pretty cool films in this little niche, sadly, Hark's The Chinese Feast isn't one of them. It's passable niche filler, but I was really hoping for something with a little extra, and it's simply not here.

Kit is a small-time gangster who moves to Canada to start his life anew. As an added bonus, he can spend more time with his girlfriend. He wants to become a cook, but Kit won't get much time to learn the tricks of the trade. In Canada, he meets a woman who enters him into an ultimate cook-off, and Kit is forced to seek out the help of a renowned chef to uphold his honor.

While a cook-off doesn't sound too cinematic, Hong Kong directors tend to get quite crafty when it's time to spice up the battle. The dishes are pretty gross, and films like God of Cookery did a much better job pimping the food-based fights. It's still somewhat entertaining and there are some funny moments, but we all know Hark can do a lot better.