D'Wild Wild Weng/Review
From The Grindhouse Cinema Database
< D'Wild Wild Weng
Wanna see something truly bizarre? Then check out the Philippines ‘biggest’ action super star, 2 & ½ foot tall Weng Weng, kicking the crotches of a sombrero wearing bandit gang in this South East Asian Kung Fu Spaghetti Western!
Weng Weng & his towering sidekick Gordon are government agents sent to investigate the disappearance of the mayor of Santa Monica. On route they encounter a native American Indian not much taller than Weng (‘I didn’t know you had relatives here’ Gordon comments to his partner) who informs them that the town has been taken over by a ruthless bandit called Sebastian and his cut-throat gang.
Arriving in Santa Monica Weng & Gordon meet Lupo the cemetery caretaker who tells them in sign language, while making noises like a distressed chimpanzee, that the mayor is dead. In a flashback we discover that Sebastian’s gang cut out Lupo’s tongue after murdering the mayor. Like all good villains Sebastian starts and finishes every sentence with a hearty cackle.
Weng & Gordon set up camp at the Mayor’s old house but their arrival has not gone unnoticed. Sebastian’s goons beat the crap out of Lupo apparently having forgotten that they cut out his tongue so he can’t tell them where Gordon and ‘the small boy’ are hiding. Just when you think that the film’s mash-up of genres can’t get any more crazy some ninjas appear and Gordon and Weng go head to head (or rather head to groin in Weng’s case) with the black-clad assassins.
Before laying his own brand of pint-size justice on Senior Sebastian Weng finds time to serenade local lovely Clara accompanied by Gordon on guitar and Lupo gibbering in the background. I must confess; this scene had me laughing like a lunatic.
When Weng is captured and imprisoned by Sebastian’s bandits Gordon attempts a daring rescue by dressing as a monk and smuggling Weng out under his robe. The explosive finale is a ninjas, gringos & midgets free-for-all with samurai swords, bows and arrows, kung fu fists and feet and an enormous Django-style gatling gun that Weng Weng brings to the party!
In his tiny leather waistcoat and flamenco shirt Weng Weng plays it cool throughout. His acting style is laid-back to say the least but when it counts he opens up a can of whup-ass and launches himself (often literally) into the fight scenes with the abandon that his fans have come to love. The film’s frequent action scenes are awesome and Weng almost rivals the young Jackie Chan in his complete disregard for personal safety when performing his own stunts.
For the uninitiated ‘D’Wild Wild Weng’ may appear to have beamed into your brain from some demented alternate universe but those who know and love the legend that is Weng Weng, and fans of Filipino exploitation films in general, will have a Wild Wild time.
Narcan is the GCDb's esteemed UK contributor. As a youth his earliest exploitation film experience was a My Bloody Valentine/The Funhouse midnight double bill. Grindhouse icons that he holds in highest regards are Christina Lindberg and Frank Henelotter. Two of his favorite exploitation genres include Nunsploitation and Lucha Libre.
