The visual histrionics of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon have replaced the quiet meditations of Chinese films such as Raise the Red Lantern and Red Sorghum, and Bruce Lee’s kick, whack and thwack type of entertainments are now more popular with martial arts cultists than the average cinema goer.

Kung Fu Hustle is a refreshing take on both Chinese staples and indicates that there could be a new genre emerging.

Recently, Hollywood has been influenced by some of the more inventive artistry Chinese cinema has to offer. Films like The Matrix opened the floodgates for endless parodies and downright theft of the now over-familiar ‘flying through the trees’ fight scenes.

Writer / director Stephen Chow goes one step further in taking the piss out of the piss takers with Kung Fu Hustle.

He lovingly lampoons the films that have made China the third biggest film producing country in the world - after Hollywood and Bollywood - whilst keeping fans of traditional kung fu happy at the same time.

Jackie Chan movies, The Silence of the Lambs, Gangs of New York, Delicatessen, The Shining and every Spaghetti Western ever made are all fodder for his fun. In fact, it would be easier to list the films he doesn’t spoof. Indeed, one of its most enjoyable aspects of Kung Fu Hustle is playing ‘spot the reference’.

The whole proceedings move at lightning speed and the storyline seems like a minor addition to the visuals. All that’s really needed is to focus on who the bad and good guys are in the 1940s Shanghai slum of Pig Sty Alley. Run by The Landlady (Qiu Yuen), who’s always in her nightie and slippers with huge rollers in her hair and a cigarette glued to her bottom lip, she must surely be one of the greatest female film incarnations of all time.

Pig Sty Alley is under threat from The Axe Gang and when Sing (Chow) tries to join their black suited clan - with bumbling results - the real martial arts masters are forced to reveal themselves.

Chow synthesises the madness expertly. Slapstick, line dancing, kung fu, camp, you name it – everything is thrown into the mix seamlessly. It’s ludicrously violent, but so contrived and nonsensical it’s more akin to a Looney Tunes production.

The illusory destructiveness works well with its vaguely mystical storyline, which keeps tradition with Chinese cinema of old and its use of bold primary colours is strong. The choreography is superb and the editing Oscar worthy.

There are a couple of clichéd gay characters - a hairdresser who’s taken the fashion of low-slung jeans one-step too far and walks around with a full-on builders arse crack on display. And there’s the old man who’s an exaggerated fairy, but is no poof when it come to fisticuffs.

Post-modern, post-ironic, call it want you want, Kung Fu Hustle is one of the funniest films you’ll see this year whether you appreciate martial arts films or not. It doesn’t have a serious bone in its body and a suspension of belief is paramount, but once you let yourself be transported to Chow’s world of trickery you won’t regret it.

Kung Fu Hustle opens in the on 24 June 2005

Buy the DVD of gay summer of love flick Presque Rien online and save yourself some money to put towards Beau Travail, Drole De Felix and  Ma Vie.