Written by Joe Chien, Chi-kin Kwok, Henri Wong, Pak-wing Yan & Ka Yee Yim
Directed by Chi-kin Kwok & Henri Wong
Hong Kong, 2015
Full Strike is a wacky sports comedy from directors Chi-kin Kwok and Henri Wong. In Full Strike, a group of society’s cast-offs come together to seek redemption through the sport of badminton. Bursting at the seams with obscenities and zany comedic performances, Full Strike is the perfect film for fans of filthy, over the top humor.
Disgraced badminton champion Ng Kau-sau (Josie Ho), was banned from the sport after her Hulk-like temper tantrums transformed her into a public menace; when the film begins, she has spent the past 10-years toiling away in obscurity. One stormy night, Kau-sau encounters a mysterious object falling out of the sky, which leads her to cross paths with three ex-cons (led by Ekin Cheng) looking to redeem themselves for their criminal pasts. Taking the unexplained object as a sign to give badminton another shot (she perceives it as a shuttlecock), she agrees to help train the ex-cons so that they can become champions together and repent for their past ways. Meanwhile, Kau-sau’s cousin, Suck Nipple Cheung (Ronald Cheng), is also fielding a team, and he’s willing to go to any length (on or off the court) to bring down his opposition.
Full Strike’s rapid-fire approach to shooting off vulgarities will turn many viewers off, but those who enjoy raunchy comedies will be right in their comfort zone. The film makes multiple references to bodily fluids, drops a ridiculous amount of c-bombs, and features a sequence where a drunk man projectile vomits with the force of a volcanic eruption. Those who get past the off-color humor will find a film that actually packs an earnest message for underachievers everywhere.
The “sad-sack team of lovable losers” sports movie has been done ad nauseam, and Full Strike fails to leave a significant mark on the genre. However, the film still manages to tell a satisfying and surprisingly inspirational story. Anyone that exists in the portion of the Venn diagram where underdog sports films and movies laced with dirty jokes intersect should go out of their way to watch Full Strike.
