Jackie puts too many Wongs to right

FIFTEEN years ago a kung-fu actor named Jackie Chan starred in Drunken Master, which not only went on to be the number two box office hit of 1978 but marked the beginning of one of the longest super-stellar careers in recent Hong Kong cinema history. In an era where it's usually a matter of months between a hit film and the inevitable sequel, it must be something of a record that a decade and a half has elapsed before Drunken Master II (Category II) has made it to the screen. The action comedy shows just how far Jackie has come since the late 1970s. Sumptuously and shot on locations as far-flung as Manchuria and Shanghai, the glossy spectacle is marred by a script that is too-reminiscent of 70s era kung-fu.

Chan is back as martial arts master Wong Fei-hung, a legendary figure who has experienced something of a rebirth in the 1990s, having been portrayed by no less than five actors in 1993 alone. Chan's interpretation of Master Wong is far enough removed from the others as to not invite unfavourable comparisons, but - legend or not - the audience may be growing a bit tired of so many Wongs in the space of one year.

From the opening scene, though, it is clear that Drunken Master II is different from the rest. This is a lavish sequence set at the Changchun Train Station in Northeastern China more than a half-century ago. Thousands of extras jam the depot as Wong and his father (Ti Lung) board the locomotive, where they are accosted by pickpockets. Jackie demonstrates that his acrobatic skills are still intact as he gives chase, including an athletic lunge through the train window.

The plot itself is not nearly as graceful. Stereotypically sinister foreigners and their ''running dog'' Chinese henchmen are stealing national treasures, exploiting workers, and just being plain nasty. It is up to Wong to battle the bad guys and save China, which he does with humour and flair.

A lot of the fun involves Wong's young step-mother (Anita Mui), a role similar to Josephine Siao's comic turn as Jet Li's energetic mum in Fong Sai Yuk. Mui is delightful as she tries to shield her stepson from both the bad guys and his stern papa, and her scenes with Chan are among the movie's highlights.

Of course, for kung-fu aficionados, the real peaks are the action scenes. These are well choreographed, not the usual choppy MTV-style fast cuts and close-ups that have become standard in recent years, but shot in a sustained manner that reveal Jackie intop form. There's a grand finale in a steel foundry that shows Chan in balletic conflict with action star Lo Wai-kwong, an exciting and dangerous sequence in which Jackie is literally raked over hot coals. It's among the best work he's ever done, and Lo deserves special mention for his consummate dexterity. If only half as much skill had gone into the script! OF this year's Chinese New Year releases, the one most tailor-made for the holiday season is It's A Wonderful Life (Category I) - no relation at all to the Frank Capra classic. It's a typical Clifton Ko all-star holiday comedy, along the lines of All's Well Ends Well; and as such will provide slight-but-pleasant family fare for those seeking an hour and 45-minute escape from the New York hustle and bustle.