98. Boxer's Omen (1983) - Dir: Kuei Chih-Hung
Boxer's Omen is an unevenly paced film of questionable quality that contains within its 100-minute running time some of the most bizarre, disturbing, and truly jaw dropping sequences ever filmed. If anything, the film is endlessly creative and unique, even if the execution of it all is a bit lacking. It probably misses its marks as many times as it hits them, but when it does hit theme there is absolutely nothing else on the planet like it - I can't even fathom the mind this film was birthed from. As it stands, it is mostly entertaining, highly disgusting, unintentionally hilarious, and downright absurd, even if the execution leaves a bit to be desired.
Boxer's Omen takes the traditional “revenge motif” found in a number of martial arts films, substitutes the kung fu for magic, the martial artists for wizards, and mixes this all together with a twist of the mondo and the supernatural. The narrative focuses on a Buddhist monk who, on the verge of enlightenment, is attacked, and must seek the aid of a Thai kick-boxer. After a series of visions, the kick-boxer learns that he and the monk share a karmic connection, and both of their souls have been cursed. In order to lift the curse, and save their souls, the monk and the kick-boxer must join forces to destroy four evil Taoist wizards in some of the most inventive and absurd conflicts ever seen.
Boxer's Omen is constructed around four or five key sequences - legendary sequences that almost defy description. Within these incredibly messed up “action” set pieces are a number of moments that are so totally bizarre, it is hard to believe that what you are seeing actually exists. Here is just a short list of the sights that'll assault your retinas: a hot naked zombie chick is born from the real corpse of an alligator; three black-magic wizards take turns eating chicken anus, throwing it up, and then eating it again; a man is choked by veins from the neck-stub of a flying decapitated head; a re-animated bat-skeleton embarks on an incredible journey; a man is attacked by an army of animated alligator skulls, and a strange sick little E.T.-like being is born from a steaming pile of, what looks like, green poop.
If, and this is a big if, if only the rest of the film was nearly as entertaining as these key sequences. I was tempted a few times to pick up the controller and hit the fast-forward button, because frankly, some of the film is pretty slow. However, I fought against any such temptation and stuck it out, and now I actually find myself thinking fondly about the entire experience. Sure, some parts of the film don't quite work, but only when viewed as parts, and only when I was merely anticipating the next gross-out moment of outrageous horror or unintentional comedy.
Boxer's Omen is a film that my mind is being constantly drawn back to - I simply cannot forget it, and upon more careful consideration, I think my initial problem with the film was due to my own expectations. I had heard so much about Boxer's Omen, and how utterly insane it was, that I was expecting a two-hour gore-fest of ass kicking proportions, and although there is quite a bit of ass kicking gore, and many WTF-inducing moments, the film actually has something else going for it. I have often seen this film compared to Jodorowsky's El Topo, and while I was watching it, I didn't really understand why. But after it was over, I understood the comparison - both films use bizarre genre conventions to vibrantly illustrate their essoteric, spiritual tinged narratives.
Like El Topo, Boxer's Omen is a film that might never live up to its own legendary status, but this should not be held against it. As it stands, Boxer's Omen offers something so original, and so vastly different from anything else I have ever seen, that I simply must appreciate it and respect it even if I didn't love every single minute of it.
