The Master (1989 film)

The Master
Poster ad for The Master home video
Directed by	Tsui Hark
Produced by	Tsui Hark
Screenplay by	Lam Kei-to Lau Tai-muk
Story by	Tsui Hark
Starring	Jet Li Yuen Wah Crystal Kwok Jerry Trimble Anne Rickets
Music by	Tang Siu-lam
Cinematography	Joe Chan Paul Edwards
Edited by	Kam Ma Marco Mak
Production company	Golden Harvest Wa Nga Films Film Workshop
Distributed by	Golden Harvest
Release date	28 May 1992 (1992-05-28)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese English
Box office	HK$8,096,542

The Master (traditional Chinese: 龍行天下) is a 1989 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced and directed by Tsui Hark, and starring Jet Li, Yuen Wah, Crystal Kwok and Jerry Trimble. The project was filmed in 1989, but it was not released until 1992 when the success of Once Upon a Time in China made Li a major action star.

The story occurs in Los Angeles, where a fight between Master Tak (Yuen Wah) and Johnny (Jerry Trimble) destroys Tak's herbal medicine store. Johnny is prevented from killing Tak when Anna (Anne Rickets) comes to save him. During his recovery he stays in Anna's camper van.

Jet (Jet Li) arrives from Hong Kong on the airport bus. When he arrives at Tak's store to resume as Tak's Kung Fu student, he finds the store shuttered and three thieves steal his bag. He chases their car on foot through the streets and eventually catches them. The thieves are so impressed with Jet's physical skills they beg him to be their master. They take Jet to their home (an abandoned municipal building) but they're attacked by a larger gang. Jet reluctantly steps in to defend his new friends, but their home is set on fire.

Johnny and his gang are closing down kung fu schools and making a name for themselves. Jet meets May (Crystal Kwok), a bank worker responsible for the loan on Tak's store - but neither knows where Master Tak is. Jet finds himself in the middle of a robbery at a carpark. He finds himself fighting beside Johnny, but Johnny recognizes him from one of Tak's pictures and makes it clear he intends to kill both Jet and Tak. Anna and Jet's friends get beaten up, so Jet trains his friends to defend themselves. Jet is eventually re-united with Tak, but Tak claims he's no longer interested in either teaching Kung Fu or doing herbal medicine.

Jet and his friends go to Tak's store and prepares to deal with Johnny's gang. The three friends put their newfound skills into practice fighting four members of Johnny's gang. Jet and Johnny fight outside the store until the police step in.

Jet and Tak argue, and Jet decides to return to Hong Kong. On the airport bus he's attacked by the dreadlocked man armed with a shotgun who was at the carpark. Jet manages to defeat the man and regain control of the bus despite a shotgun blast killing the driver. May has been following the bus in her car, possibly intending to express romantic interest in Jet. In the meantime, Tak and the three friends make their way to a rooftop where Johnny and his gang are holding Anna hostage.