Kung Fu Deadly (Fantastic Fest 2026)

Ireland and Hong Kong meet in Kung Fu Deadly, directed by Fergal Costello from a screenplay by Paul Markey and Paddy McDonald. Opening with a storybook sequence detailing its backstory, it’s elegantly presented, classically Chinese, and very tasteful. While it doesn’t quite set the tone for the irreverence ahead, it efficiently sets out a mythological stall. Then it jump cuts to Stephen He, speaking with his natural Irish accent. The “Emotional Damage” videos and his social media success really put his name on the map, and I remember when he revealed he was Irish — he blew people’s minds, especially when he spoke in this natural voice. He did move to America to become an actor, after all, and that he’s finally finding his way in that world and doing so in a project that equally values his Chinese and Irish heritage will be inspirational to many second and third generation “ex pats”.

The film follows Danny (He) and Frank (Michael Tient), two bumbling pest exterminators who cross paths with the enigmatic Lien (Gemma Chua-Tran), a Taoist guardian hunting an ancient Chinese jiangshi (typically depicted as hopping vampires) who has been freed after centuries, and now it’s now in Dublin. Frank is a lazy guy with no ambition – “a spice bag and a pint will do me” is his mantra – and Danny lives the same way, perfectly content but he cannot shake the feeling there’s more for him out there. All three are thrown together after the pest exterminators are hired to find out what all the rats are running from in a seedy back alley, there they meet Lien, the second guardian, and together they reluctantly set out to deal with this undead menace.

That theme of shirked responsibility runs throughout, on both a personal level and in terms of the familial role bestowed upon Danny’s ancestors. There’s some destiny baked in too. Lien is at home with her inherited obligations: she’s accomplished, cool, and everything Danny is not. “She” and He are contrasts in every notable way, and getting them to the overcome their differences to work together and save the day is the heroic core of Kung Fu Deadly.

The idea of something ancient in modern Ireland (in this case, the jiangshi) feels akin to the very underrated comedy horror from Ireland, (the) Boys from County Hell, crossed with Mr Vampire, right down to the latter’s paper seals and goofy magical powers. There’s even a gag about being sent to buy huge amounts of different types of rice that feels like a nod to the Lam Ching-ying-fronted franchise. But all that taking place on the Emerald Isle? It’s a combination that shouldn’t work on paper, yet it does, the Irish setting lends a real fresh energy to proceedings.

FOR MORE ON KUNG FU DEADLY AND FANTASTIC FEST, CLICK THE POSTER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REVIEW

That contrast of Ireland and China is why it works. This is a style of story we haven’t seen since the early 90s in Hong Kong cinema, and while it doesn’t do anything particularly new on that front, it is a joy to see again. The choreography is serviceable, the stakes are clear, but don’t expect the genre to be reinvented. All of these are positives, by the way, as a fan of the likes of the aforementioned Mr Vampire saga or the Sammo Hung-fronted Encounters of the Spooky Kind — those movies can only really be described as nuts, and next to incomprehensible for the uninitiated — so a clear pathway through that is a pleasure. What’s more interesting is its position as an Irish film. Merging the mythical Chinese with an Irish slacker comedy is an inspired way to get a very traditional story in front of new eyes, eyes that would never see it without some factor that minimises the otherness of it all. It’s a fascinating culture clash, one that yields some genuine laughs and a surprising amount of heart.

Stephen He, despite being an accomplished and beloved comedian in the social media space, doesn’t really play a comic character here. Outside of a few bits where his character leans into his Irishness, his role is far more humble. What’s more, he’s a good actor and a likeable screen presence without taking himself super seriously, unlike some comedians-turned-actors I could name. He understands the assignment without overselling it. As for comedy that comes from the fish-out-of-water elements, the contrasts between Irish mundanity and Chinese fantasy (such as an ancient being of avarice and evil getting picked up by a local cabbie), elsewhere there’s Frank’s profound laziness and Lien’s endless, justifiable protestations. And while the makeup for the jiangshi is excellent, I can’t say I’ve ever seen one singing karaoke belters before — it’s also a moment that perfectly encapsulates Kung Fu Deadly‘s allure.

The action is pretty good for what’s clearly a low-budget movie and does the job without ever overreaching, especially when half of the cast is covered by the editing process and doubles. That being said, the fantastical elements all reference the array of powers depicted throughout the Taoist priest micro-genre with a modernist lo-fi glee. A less generous reading would be: “no one embarrasses themselves,” and that may sound like a low bar, but once you hear or see a named actor shouting “hi-yah” in the most tone-deaf way, well, anything better than that is a considerable and notable uptick.

If I were going to complain anywhere, Frank doesn’t grow or change as a character (even after all he goes through), especially when his best friend and Lien’s antagonistic ally come out the other side all the better for it.

The title Kung Fu Deadly has straight-to-DVD vibes of the 2010s; in fact, there may be a Donnie Yen movie from that era with the very same name. And yet, despite the connotations of the title, it’s a one-of-a-kind movie in the modern movie world. To the audience that will see this because it’s an Irish horror comedy, it will feel like the most unique thing in years. To the more well-travelled fans of Hong Kong action cinema, it’s a lovely and faithful reminder of what we used to have. Yet to look at this with a broader gaze, we are talking about a perfect late festival movie — and while it’s not the greatest thing ever, it is the sort of movie that will put a smile on your face, and in a lot of ways, that’s even more valuable.

ROB’S ARCHIVE – KUNG FU DEADLY