‘African Kung-Fu Nazis’ Blu-ray Review
Stars: Sebastian Stein, Yoshito Akimoto, Samuel Asante, Ntul Andrew, Kwaku Adu, Boateng Walker Bentil, Boateng Walker Bentil, Marsuel Hoppe, Elisha Okyere | Written and Directed by Sebastian Stein
Sometimes a film comes along and all you can say is what the actual f*ck?! African Kung-Fu Nazis is one such film… The plot of which goes something like this:
Unlike history books tell us, Adolf Hitler did not commit suicide in his bunker, but instead fled to the African continent in his submarine. Teaming up with his new right hand, infamous Japanese military leader Hideki Tojo and the brutal Horse-Man Göring, he plans on conquering the world once again – starting in Ghana. With the might of his loyal (although brainwashed) Ghan-Aryans and his superhuman Karate-Powers, Hitler destroys the African Kung-Fu school of the shadow snake, killing its leader. Grieving for his master, Kung-Fu disciple Addae seeks revenge by participating in Hitler’s martial arts tournament. Will he find the strength of body and mind to defeat the evil dictator?
So… sounds like we’ve essentially got the plot of Enter the Dragon set in Ghana, with the evil Mr. Han replaced by the even more evil Adolf Hitler!
Apparently (and this is the only thing I could find about this movie) writer and director Sebastien Stein – whose only previous work includes a documentary on the Yakuza – conceived this bizarre tale one night while totally sh*t-faced. And given the end product, audiences should probably be equally as steaming-drunk when they watch it.
To be fair Stein’s film is actually a whole heap of ridiculous, dumb, stupid fun. And if that title – African Kung-Fu Nazis – doesn’t scream that at you then I don’t know what you’re expecting from this film. Honestly. This film is the filmic equivalent of the old British Cuprinol adverts, it does EXACTLY what it says on the tin… or in this case poster.
We’ve got African’s practising kung-fu, Nazi’s practicing kung-fu and Hitler raising yet another army. That’s it. But along the way we do get some rather racist, near-the-knuckle gags about Asian’s having tiny penises; Hitler’s Ghanian army in white face (apparently their faces turn white when they’re totally brainwashed – as far as I can gather!); a ridiculous “rape” scene; and enough general exploitation-movie cliches to please even the most jaded of exploitation film fan. Oh, and Japanese military leader Hideki Tojo also seems to have a martial arts power very similar to Marvel’s Iron Fist!
Though nothing, absolutely nothing, about African Kung-Fu Nazis is to be taken seriously – even the more controversial stuff! This film makes a mockery of absolutely everything, in what is ultimately a solid piece of satire.
The only thing this film does take seriously is the kung-fu, which – surprisingly – is rather good; taking on the more outrageous nature of Enter the Dragon‘s fights, over the top foley work, bloody kills (though rendered in poor CGI) and all. We even get a Drunken Master-inspired training montage too! If anything African Kung-Fu Nazis should really, and I mean this in all honesty, be commended on just how well it’s martial arts scenes are both staged and filmed, some of the fights even putting Hollywood to shame!
Filmed entirely in Africa, with the involvement of well-known Ghanian director Samuel K. Nkansah aka Ninja-Man and 23-year-old producer Danny Boy aka Producer-Man and – apart from a few roles – and entirely Ghanian and Nigerian cast, African Kung-Fu Nazis is a surprisingly fantastic slice of satirical exploitation and one I had a great time with. More craziness like this please Mr. Stein!
African Kung-Fu Nazis is available, of all places, on Blu-ray in Germany!
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