4 Star

The Golden Trio in Barcelona.

Following on from their great releases of Jackie Chan films, Eureka Classics (Police Story 1 & 2, Project A and Project A Part 2) continues with the restored classic Martial Arts film Wheels on Meals. With director Samo Hung (Blade of Fury, Once Upon a Time in China and America) also starring in this high octane fight comedy feast.

The Chinese have moved to Barcelona and the gags start right there, as Thomas (Jackie Chan, Drunken Master, Police Story: Lockdown, City Hunter) and David (Biao Yuen, Kung Fu Massacre, Project A) live together in a flat above a shop, with an Italian couple Dino (J. Fonoll, Water Easy Reach) and Susana (Amparo Moreno, Year of Grace) across the landing who are always fighting due to Dino’s philandering. The two cousins run a street food van that is pretty successfully in the large plazas of Barcelona, David cooks the food while Thomas scoots round the plaza on a skateboard taking and delivering orders.

Meanwhile across town Moby (Samo Hung, God of War, The Banquet) heads into the Henry Matt detective Agency. The owner Matt (Herb Edelman, On the Right Track) is a really dodgy character as none of the bills have been paid and people are looking for him so he tells Moby he has been promoted to acting detective and he is in charge as Matt makes a hasty retreat. Whilst imagining his new career, a posh man comes in and offers him a job of finding a girl within two weeks for a hefty sum of money that Moby jumps at (there is the story).

Back at the plaza the cousins run into some trouble as a motorcycle gang terrorise their customers, this is where we see the pairs skills as they use them on the thugs. The duo go to visit David’s dad at the San Agapito Mental Institute (this film is definitely not p.c. on mental health issues) where he spends his day fishing in a pot of water, but it is when he goes to meet his girlfriend Gloria (Susanna Sentis, Puzzle) that they first set their eyes on her daughter Sylvia (Lola Forner, Armour of God) and the pair of them are instantly smitten with this Spanish beauty.

But their dreams are shattered when they find her on the streets with the cities prostitutes and she picks up a cowboy, but rather than turning her trick she is a pickpocket/thief and she is soon on the run and the only place to hide is in our duos van.

“David there are so many hookers around here, look, we can’t give money to everyone, can we?”

It is all fun and games as Thomas, David and Moby try to keep their hands on Sylvia the thief whilst trying to dodge Mondale’s (Pepe Sancho, Men Always Lie) Henchmen.

Thrills, spills and a flying van, another great release from Eureka Classics to put on your Jackie Chan shelf. With awesome stunts, crazy car stunts and the obligatory Martial Arts this will set your day off with a bang, especially the fight between Jackie and the brilliant Benny Urquidez (Grosse Pointe Blank).

“Let’s not waste time, which of you, would like me first?

It makes no difference to me.”

 

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

Limited edition slipcase [4000 copies ONLY]
Stunning 1080p presentation from a brand new 2K restoration
Optional English subtitles
Original Cantonese audio track, available in both original mono (LPCM) and newly restored DTS-HD MA 5.1
Optional English audio from the film s international release, featuring an alternate (and much funkier) soundtrack, available in both original mono and 5.1
Alternate English dub track from the films 2006 DVD release (available in 5.1 only)
New and Exclusive audio option – a custom audio option featuring the original Cantonese dialogue track, but mixed with the alternate soundtrack from the international release
On Giant s Shoulders An archival interview with Sammo Hung [7 mins]
An additional archival interview with Sammo Hung [10 mins] | Born to Fight An archival interview with Yuen Biao [15 mins]
Jet Fighter An archival interview with kickboxing champion and martial-artist Benny The Jet Urquidez [28 mins]
King of the Ring An archival interview with martial-artist Keith Vitali [33 mins]
The Inside Track An archival interview with director and action choreographer Stanley Tong [34 mins]
Spartan X Alternate Credits The original Japanese version of Wheels on Meals featured these alternate blooper reel credits which would later become a traditional feature of films starring Jackie Chan (can be viewed isolated or as part of the main feature)
Additional Outtake footage [4 mins]
Original Theatrical Trailer
International Release Trailer
Original Japanese Spartan X trailer
PLUS: A Limited Edition Collector s Booklet featuring a new essay by James Oliver [4000 copies ONLY]

Wheels on Meals is available on Blu-ray.