Kung Fury is Nostalgic '80s Action/Comedy Done Right
It's common to hear about Kickstarter campaigns gone awry for a multitude of reasons, especially in regards to independent films. However, a year and a half after its own campaign ended, Kung Fury was finally publicly released yesterday afternoon. Kung Fury gained popularity during its funding period thanks to its dedication to an over-exaggerated '80s aesthetic and enthusiasm you can only find by the most passionate artists.
Kung Fury could have been a mess. Many similar films sometimes focus too much on the "gimmick" and lose sight of creating an entertaining, fully-realized film in lieu of being as ridiculous as possible. Kung Fury has such moments, like a CGI T-Rex play fighting with a mecha golden eagle. However, Kung Fury is greater than the sum of its parts. Finally, a well-made Kickstarter film that actually lives up to the hype!
It's not everyday that a Kickstarter-funded film premieres at Cannes, yet that's what Kung Fury did earlier this month, paving the way for the next wave of indie films. There've been talks and discussion of adapting Kung Fury into a feature-length film, and while I don't think the short alone would be able to sustain a 90-minute film, it would nevertheless be a great opportunity to director/actor David Sandberg and his production team.
Watch Kung Fury below and let us know what you think! If you can't get enough from Kung Fury, you can check out the special Kung Fury-inspired video for David Hasselhoff's "True Survivor."
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[Trailer] Kung Fury
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There's been a noted love for all things '80s recently. From a small scale (ShowYouSuck's Dude Bro is a love letter to the synth-heavy decade) to a larger scale (Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Miami Connection's re-release, etc.), our growing obsession with the '80s vibe has pervaded pop culture sensibilities. Art is cyclical, and oftentimes only appreciated after the fact with nostalgia also playing a huge role in our "newfound" obsessions. I'm not the biggest fan of the '80s, but I can't deny how cool some of the art was.
Kung Fury is an independent, low-budget '80s-inspired action film directed by Swedish director David Sandberg that brings together everything stereotypically '80s from the Miami setting, the renegade cop archetype, typical'80s garb and accessories, et al. However, the spin on the film involves the protagonist, the titular Kung Fury, traveling back in time (thanks to a Nintendo Power Glove, no less) to kill Adolf Hitler (who is known for his nickname, Kung Fuhrer). However, he's sent too far back in time, with scenes showing him and a Viking lady riding a dinosaur.
There's no qualms to it: Kung Fury is a through and through B-movie, and it may not be for everybody. However, if you enjoy films that don't take themselves too seriously and allow them to be made entirely out of fun and passion, this is the film for you. With Sandberg's background in commercials and music videos, he has the know-how to create a proper project.
Currently, Kung Fury has a Kickstarter campaign for the film to be released in its 30-minute entirety. The plan is for the 30-minute short to serve as a concept for Sandberg and his production team to pitch it to potential distributors in hopes of expanding on the concept for a feature-length film. I've already put my money where my mouth is, so hopefully others will find something to like in Kung Fury (and really, what's not to love?) and donate some scratch.