Pitch: Kung Fu Kid- Part II
Several years after the first movie, Li is teaching a dojo in Hong Kong with the help of his star pupils, Bobby and James, the two share friendly banter, James even referencing the first movie by putting on a bit of a posh accent, we see James is the stronger and more aggressive of the two, while Bobby is more defensive and better with balance and redirection.
Bobby and James meet up with Sue, who has brought along a friend for James, a sweet local girl, James hits it off with her as Sue and Bobby take a minute for themselves. Bobby jokes that she's 'fed another one to James' and Sue states that James 'isn't that bad'.
Overall their lives seem quite idillic and calm, Li is grooming Bobby to open a dojo of his own to spread their teachings of Balance and Self Defence. However Li receives a letter from the mainland and announces he must leave.
Bobby and Sue convince him to take them, Li puts James in charge while he is gone. Li is reluctant to bring Bobby and Sue at first, but he submits, announcing he is going back 'home'. To the village he was born in.
They get to the isolated town in rural China and immediately Li announces he must go see a friend, telling Sue to keep Bobby out of trouble. Sue takes Bobby around the village, telling him about the traditional way of life in rural china.
Seeing someone's wagon break down Bobby goes to help them. Meanwhile a gang of three teenagers led by a young man (played by Jackie Chan) spot Sue and go over to flirt with her, though the young man stays behind, and shakes his head.
Bobby comes back and gets between Sue and the teenagers, when one of them throws a punch, Bobby quickly beats all three of them. The young man sits up startled and approaches, starting a fight too.
Bobby is clearly the better fighter, but the wiles of the young man, using any object he can find, and his sheer randomness stop Bobby from beating him. Eventually Bobby decides to stop going in the offensive and takes the 'Balance stance' from the end of the last movie. Which causes the young man to look at him shocked stating 'you should not be here'. To which Bobby replies in Mandarin 'well too late, I'm here".
He hears a voice respond behind him "And so am I".
We cut to Li sitting down with an elderly man, they share tea together. Li asks about what was in his letter, if Tai truly has returned to the village…the elderly man confirms he has, and that he and his gang have essentially taken over, Li sits up, the letter didn't mention any gang, he realises what this could mean and is horrified.
Meanwhile Bruce stands across from someone slightly older than the young man, who refers to the person Bruce has been fighting as 'Little Brother' and commands 'Hou' leave it up to his big bro. The elder man introduces himself as 'Fengtian', which Bobby mocks him for because that's the 'courtesy name of a character from a history book'.
Fengtian is surprised Bobby knows about the Three Kingdoms, but puts it aside to challenge him. Bobby gets knocked around, finding he can't get past Fengtian's defence with his arms, he tries a flying kick but just bounces off, Fengtian prepares to leap at him, only to be stopped by Li.
Fengtian seems to recognise who Li is, and congratulates his younger brother Hou on finding Li's disciple and helping lure him out. Hou seems uncomfortable with this, but Li tells Fengtian to 'return to his father with a message, there must be peace'. Fengtian scoffs but leaves.
Bobby and Sue demand and explanation, and Li gives it to them.
Li's best friend in his childhood, who fought with him in the army, was a man called Tai Tsung Chang, after the war they became mercenaries together, Tai, known as 'Mount Tai' as a nickname, became a leading member of the Triad in Heinan, however Li, the only man Tai trusted or loved, left Tai after taking his vows due to the deaths of his family. From what he heard, Tai had been forced to flee back to mainland China within the year, and no one had heard from him since. But now he's back, having taken over their old hometown with his two sons and a gang of young men.
We cut to Fengtian and Hou entering a small rustic manor housing the gangsters and Tai, Tai praises his son Fengtian for his victory but ignores and even belittles Hou, despite Fengtian trying to stick up for his younger brother.
Afterwards, we see Hou sneak out of the mansion while the others drink and celebrate. Hou wears a hood, but goes over to help an old lady trying to carry things towards her home, when she turns to thank him, she sees his face, becomes terrified, and slams the door. A disheartened Hou wanders into the forest, he looks up to the moon, and sighs, a woman asks him what he's 'so sad about', 'isn't she here?', this is Mei Lin, the village girl Bobby was helping earlier who introduced herself to him. The two embrace as Hou speaks about his father, and how he's worried now 'that man' is back in the village, the two embrace as they worry over the future.
Meanwhile Li tries to tell Bobby that just 'kicking down the door' won't work. 'No man may crumble Mount Tai'. Tai was his equal, and restrained by his vows, Li cannot defeat him. Li will try to think of a way to approach Tai and make peace
Sue and Bobby go out around the village, and begin to know the villagers, particularly Mei Lin, however they see how the gang members cause fear in the town.
Meanwhile Li goes to meet Tai by a waterfall, Li having known his old friend would come here for clarity. Tai boasts that he survived Li's 'betrayal' and while his 'Kingdom' isn't much, it's a start for his sons to grow out from, village after village, the authorities so far away, an isolated spot for a new triad to grow. He ignores Li's attempts to remind him of their old days, playing by this waterfall, and leaves, angry at Li for abandoning him.
Meanwhile the gangsters have noted Bobby hanging around the village, Hou meets up with Mei in secret to let her pass on a mess to Bobby and Sue to be more discreet, however Fengtian walks in, Hou rushes to explain but his brother notes that he already knew, and that he'd been covering for Hou with father. He tells his brothers 'little pet' to leave, and Fengtian talks to his brother about a way for him to gain fathers approval.
Bobby, walking through the village, is confronted by by Fengtian. The two get into another public fight, with Bobby falling back to the Balance stance, however Fengtian announces he is bored, and offers Hou a 'turn', a reluctant Hou comes forward.
With Bobby in a defensive mindset, Hou is a lot more free to get inventive, and Bobby finds he cannot redirect or block all of Hou's unorthodox moves, eventually being knocked down. Seeing this as the green light, the rest of the gangsters surge forward to beat Bobby down. Sue rushes to stop them but Fengtian slaps her, Hou looks on horrified, the villagers who Bobby and Sue helped or befriended look away, despite Sue's begging.
Meanwhile a storm starts to roll into the riverside village.
Sue drags Bobby back to where they are staying, Mei joins in to help her. The rain is starting to pour down now.
Li is enraged when he sees how badly Bobby has been beaten. He helps until Bobby is stable, then marches off to the rustic manor the rain drenching him and covering him in mud.
The next scene is of Li defeating all of the gangsters that get in his way using his skills at dodging, redirection and the occasional palm strike alone. Bursting his way into Tai's office.
Meanwhile Mei states she will go out and find Li, stop him from doing anything too risky, Sue asks her not to go, but Mei insists she can weather the storm.
Li and Tai both fight, and surprisingly Tai is more out of shape, Li notes this as he mocks Tai, some cruelty starting to show up as he starts to aim his kicks and palm thrusts to cause pain and humiliation. Eventually Tai is knocked down.
The riverbanks near the village flood, and Mei is swept away, villagers and Sue hear her screams. They watch in horror as she is nearly dragged away by the waters, Sue dives in, and, inspiring the villagers, this time is helped by them instead of ignored, as together they save Mei.
As thunder rolls and rain falls, Li stands over a beaten Tai, he raises back a hand, and clenches his fist, preparing to break his oath and also kill Tai here. Fengtian screams for his father from the doorway, and Li snaps out of it, looking at his clenched fist with horror. Tai uses the distraction to break free, Tai and Fengtian join forces and overwhelm and beat Li down.
Hou witnesses Mei being saved, and openly embraces Mei before thanking Sue for what she did. The village all thank her too, and several people offer to come help her look after Bobby.
A few days later Bobby is more healed, Li still has not been seen, worrying him and Sue and Mei. Mei promises to meet up with Hou and try and find out what happened, since she hasn't seen him since she almost drowned that night.
Sue and Bobby commiserate about how dangerous things are, which shifts into them talking about the future, and their relationship, with Bobby admitting he's thought about then getting married and having kids someday. However a commotion outside draws them both to come and see what's going on.
In the centre of the village Tai, Fengtian and the gangsters all stand. With them is a battered Li and a restrained Mei. Bobby immediately goes in the offensive, and is defeated quickly and viscously by Fengtian, the other gangsters start to beat Bobby once more, as Tai announces that the village is his, Hou arrives and begs his brother to release Mei, but Fengtian will not meet his eyes. Sue comes forward and again asks the villagers for help, and this time they give it, starting to throw food and even gathering some weapons.
Not seeing the fear he saw before Tai starts to become worried. Unwilling to execute them here and now and risk a riot, he instead claims that the 'accused' have four weeks to prepare themselves for a 'trial by combat'. His sons/pupils Vs Li's. Releasing Li and stopping Bobby's beating.
As insurance he takes Mei so that the mob won't turn on him as he essentially flees. He claims to Hou that his son was wrong for 'fraternising with the help', and that as punishment he'll be the one to kill Li's pupils.
Bobby hasn't even been able to beat Fengtian, and knows he can't face both him and Hou. Li points out that Tai mentioned Li's pupils. There is another.
We cut to James arriving in the village, he gets lost without Sue there to help guide him, and eventually runs across a village girl, who he begins to flirt with, Fengtian sees him and confronts him, getting violent, however James is strong enough to make Fengtian feel it through his blocking techniques. Sue interrupts the fight and ushers James away.
Li is angered when he hears about the confrontation, as now Tai will know James has come to fight, and that James may be strong enough to break through Fengtian's blocking techniques. He decides to train James to fight Hou, and Bobby to fight Fengtian.
He takes them to the waterfall he and Tai met at, and relates the story of how he and Tai trained here together. He tells Bobby he must become 'strong enough to sunder a mountain' and that James will never be able to hit Hou, who is faster and unpredictable, so he must learn to defend. The two must essentially swap their techniques.
Bobby must stand below the waterfall and perform an extra high kick with the water pushing him down. James must catch a marble Li drops from the top of the waterfall from a random position.
Bobby is barely able to stand under the water, and James is unable to see the marble. Let alone fast enough to catch it. Li explains that James must 'feel' and 'react' in the same instance, Hou is too fast and unpredictable to formulate a proper response, it must be instinct. James eventually succeeds.
Bobby meanwhile finds his injuries and the weight of the waterfall too much, he collapses again and again from pain, Sue and James try to convince Li to let James fight Fengtian, but Li states Fengtian and Hou will be training to fight James and Bobby respectively, they need to change the script.
Despite the agony, Bobby tries again and again, Li tells him pain is a state of mind, that it can be overcome, and displays this by, despite his greater age and his own injuries, performing a perfect Kata under the waterfall, ending with a high split kick. Bobby continues trying to accomplish it, eventually overcoming his pain, but being unable to perform the waterfall high kick.
The night before the match, Hou attempts to smuggle Mei Lin away, but is stopped by Fengtian, the elder brother allows Mei Lin to escape, but refuses to let Hou follow her, instead guilting him into fighting tomorrow.
Li visits Tai again, except this time he comes in peace, Tai begins to mock him, only to grow silent when Li kneels and Kowtows thrice, ending with his forehead pressed to the ground, Li apologises for abandoning his friend.
Tai grows tearful, and then angry. He loved Li's family too, they should've been there for each other, but Li left without a word. He was the only man Tai trusted, and because Li abandoned him everything he built was destroyed, he was forced to hide away like a rat for decades, he found someone who supported him, helped him heal, and then she died, birthing a failure of a second son. And Li wasn't there.
Li rises and it looks like the two may embrace, but Tai turns away, unwilling to look at his fiend, he announces that he will retake everything Li made him lose, but only after he takes everything Li has built.
The next day the whole village turns out to see the fight by the riverbank. Tai is angered when he sees Mei Lin in the crowd, and promises Hou will be punished later.
James fights Hou, but neither can overcome the other, James defence too fast and perfect, despite all Hou's improvising, meanwhile Hou is too random and quick for James to pin down.
Bobby finds himself still too weak to overcome Fengtian, his kicks blocked he is forced back into the river, where in the waters he tries to use his balancing defence technique, only for Fengtian to overwhelm it. Being beaten badly his ribs get broken and he's left spitting blood, the villagers become rowdy, and the gangsters start to realise they're outnumbered.
Despite his ribs, Bobby continues fighting, overcoming the pain, he lands a good hit in Fengtian, who is shown to be far more vulnerable to pain then Bobby, gaining an idea, Bobby hooks a rock on his foot, and slams the stone and his foot into one of Fengtian's arm blocks.
Bobby's foot is broken and bleeding, but Fengtian's arm is also broken. Overwhelmed by pain while Bobby has mastered his, Bobby uses his broken foot to enact heel strikes and thrusts, avoiding the more damaged part of his foot while also ignoring the pain.
Fengtian is driven out of the river and is knocked onto the riverbank, a wounded Bobby grabs him and pulls him up, hand raised to strike him down. He turns to Tai, "Live or Die man!"
Tai watches stony faced. Hou ceases his fight with James to cry out for his father "Live!" Begging his father to give up and let Fengtian be spared. The crowd grows increasingly rowdy and aggressive towards the gangsters, several of them slipping away.
Fengtian states "Die". Choosing to die rather than make his father surrender. But before Bobby can land the blow, Tai shouts "live". Bobby drops Fengtian and is embraced by the crowd of villagers, while Hou and Tai go to look over Fengtian's body. Most of the gang has started to sneak away.
Li comes forward and offers to help heal Fengtian, Tai looks at him for a moment, and then accepts. He calls forward his men to help move his son…only for them to mostly be gone. They've abandoned him.
The villagers see this and start to surge forward, only to be stopped by Li, who states revenge and violence are not the answer, Mei Lin joins in with him, and asks the villagers about all the times Hou tried to help them, and asks if they remember Fengtian ever hurting anyone, or if it was the other gang members. The crowd starts to calm, but they still want Tai punished.
Tai and Fengtian are put in a prison cell while Fengtian recovers. Hou meanwhile is allowed to be with Mei Lin. Bobby, Li and James are treated like heroes.
At the end of the movie Li and Hou help Fengtian and Tai escape their prison at night. Fengtian begs his brother to come with him, but Hou declines. He will stay here, teach martial arts, and create his own group, one which will protect the villages from the gang members that fled. Li states to Tai this is his fresh start, he can build a better life, with the son who remains with him.
Tai bows to Li, as does Fengtian, Tai making the same oath, word for word, that Li did when his family died.
Li states to Bobby and James later on he might stick around for a while, and says that one of them will have to look after the gym for him. Bobby and James can't decide with words, and so the movie ends with them about to fight, in the same poses they had during their display match at the start of the film.
