Yuen Biao's first full lead role was a crowning success for him, as Sammo Hung's choreographies took full advantage of his uncanny speed and agility, resulting in a number of more protagonist roles in the 1980's in particular.
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The story revolves around small-time crooks, brothers Little John and Big John, who are always scheming on how to cheat people off their money, although the former is the brains and the latter the “instrument”. Neither of them is particularly bright however, so their shenanigans end up either in failure, or even when they succeed, they end up losing their earnings in casinos or further tricks. During one of their “missions”, they stumble upon Silver Fox, an older man who ends up beating them to a pulp. The two of them beg him to be his students, and after acting like his servants for a number of days, he agrees, with their skills improving significantly after that. A bit later, however, it is revealed that their sifu is a wanted, rather brutal murderer, and tragedy soon occurs. The only hope appears in the face of Fat Beggar and his unusual kung fu technique.
Truth is that “Knockabout” is first and foremost a slapstick comedy, with the majority of the movie focusing on the buffoonery of the two caricature-like brothers, and a number of other characters, including a hilarious as always Karl Maka as a police captain and Sammo Hung in the role of the Fat Beggar. In general, however, this part does not work particularly well, with the shenaniganz becoming somewhat tiring after a point, also because they delay the part where the action and the drama take over.
When the action does start however, both Yuen Biao and the movie truly pick up with him showcasing his amazing technique in a number of stunts that make him look as if made of rubber. Particularly his footwork is completely astonishing, even in the more comedic fights. Although not on the same level, Leung Kar-yan also shows his hands technique, which follows, though, a comedic rather than a skillful path. As soon as Silver Fox is revealed as the villain, we also get to admire Lau Kar-wing's's skills (and the stunt team's I guess), with the movie taking a particularly bloody and brutal path, even if some moments, as the three on two fight and the ones between Little John and Fat Beggar, also contain comedic elements.
The final one however, as is usual the case in martial arts cinema, is the most lengthy and most impressive in the movie, with Biao, Hung and Lau giving a magnificent performance, in a sequence that also highlights Hung's choreography in the best fashion.
“Knockabout” has its issues, and in terms of context, essentially there isn't any, but the action part and particularly Yuen Biao's performance, and a number of gags, definitely compensate, in a title that ends up being quite entertaining.
