Lucky Stars Go Places

Lucky Stars Go Places
(Lucky Stars #4)
(1986)

Directed by Eric Tsang
Starring Sammo Hung, Andy Lau, Karl Maka, Kent Cheng

Rating: ******
              3/6

The first three Lucky Stars films
Starred Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan,
With Yuen Biao appearing, too,
Giving us three fighting men.

There were intricate fighting scenes,
And mesmerizing stunts,
Including masterful acrobatics,
And booms and bams and punts.

In the next four films, however,
Jackie isn’t seen,
Except for briefly in this movie
When they show a Heart of Dragon scene.

This film is a little strange
For more than just that reason,
For the Lucky Stars are barely in it.
Perhaps they were out of season.

Instead, we meet a new bunch
Of silly, grown men,
All a little immature,
Who repeat the plot again.

Sammo is no longer portrayed
As part of the Lucky Stars team.
Instead he is regarded
As his very own entity.

The police ask him to recruit
The other Lucky guys,
But this time they just tell him no,
And get on with their lives.

That’s the last we see of them,
So Sammo finds new faces
From a completely different series
Called Aces Go Places.

These people are amusing,
But not who we paid to see.
This is basically the last two films,
But neither as good nor funny.

The one saving grace this movie has
Is a subplot with Karl Maka.
He plays a jealous husband cop
Who’s about as dangerous as an alpaca.

Karl’s wife is innocent,
But Karl doesn’t believe her.
He has Sammo committed
In an attempt to relieve her.

The two fight in a padded cell,
And Sammo wins the match.
Eventually he gives their marriage
A much-needed healing patch.

This film’s alright, but not the best,
Though it’s not without its moments.
I give this three stars out of six,
Which I believe is a fair bestowment.