The Victim

The Victim (Chinese: 身不由已) is a 1980 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Sammo Hung and starring Hung and Bryan Leung. It was released in the US as Lightning Kung Fu in June 1982. Although he had only a very small role in The Victim, former China Drama Academy student Yuen Biao played a key part in the making of this film. He was one of four action choreographers on the film, and doubled several of the stars for martial arts and acrobatics. Karl Maka, a frequent co-star with Hung in such films as Skinny Tiger, Fatty Dragon and Odd Couple, has an unusual deadpan role as a Shaolin abbot. Plot Chun-yau (Bryan Leung) was adopted as a little orphan boy by a humble rich man under one rainy-night who already had a mean young son. Chun-yau has developed into a fine kung fu fighter who is on the run with his newly-wedded wife Yuet-yee (Fanny Wang) from his step-brother Cho-wing (Chang Yi), whom is madly after his sister-in-law. The jealous son holds a grudge against his stepbrother because he blames Chun-yau for the loss of his eye (and now wears a jade patch over the eye). Now, Cho-wing has made it his goal to hunt down Chun-yau and his bride, prompting the newlyweds to spend their lives together running in fear from the gang leader. One fine day, Fatty (Sammo Hung) spots Chun-yau helping an old man from being crushed by a loaded-cart. Fatty challenges Chun-yau but is ultimately defeated. However, Chun-yau is not interested in becoming Fatty's master since he is more worried about his own domestic problems. Apparently Fatty has promised his ancestors that he shall learn proper kung fu by training under the man who beats him (and Chun-yau is the first to do so.). However, Chun-yau and his wife are trying to keep a low profile and they want nothing to do with Fatty, as all he does is attract attention. Fatty, meanwhile, can't help but wonder why such a great martial artist lives in fear.