Star Runner (re-titled to The Kumite for its' recent US DVD release) is the starring debut for Vaness Wu, a singer in the popular Taiwanese pop group F4. If the results here are any indication of his acting talent, then it's probably for the best that he hasn't returned much to the big screen in the years since Star Runner's 2003 release.

Wu plays Bond, a troubled student whose only solace is his father's (Gordon Liu) kickboxing gym. Bond wants to get into the "Star Runner" tournament, both to fight the current champion, Tank (Andy On), and to impress his pretty new teacher, Kim (played by Korean star Kim Huyn Joo). After pops refuses to sponsor him in the tournament, Bond turns to a disgraced fighter named Bullshit Bill to give him the training he needs to take on Tank.

Well, sure, the plot's nothing much, except perhaps for the creepiness factor that a love story is built around a teacher and a student. But then, these sorts of movies don't necessarily need a heavy (or even coherent) story. Star Runner's big problem is that it tries to take itself way too seriously, and its' starring actors are simply not up to the task of holding up the picture via their performances.

While its' not the worst acting this reviewer has ever seen -- that particular "honor" currently goes to "American Idol" reject William Hung in Where is Mama's Boy? -- both Vaness Wu and Kim Huyn Joo are in dire need of help if they ever want to be taken seriously as actors. There are times it seems like the two are reading off of cue cards ala the Michael Wong school of acting.

The film-makers try to give the matters more weight with appearances by veteran stars like Ti Lung and David Chiang. But with so many un-necessary sub-plots and slow-moving exposition scenes already being thrown at the viewer, the luster of their roles becomes dim, as it becomes more of an obvious cameo rather than a real role.

However, there are a few elements which save Star Runner from becoming a total B-movie heap. The movie does look very nice. Even though the movie obviously didn't have much of a budget to work with, the set design is well-done and the film is shot and edited together very well.

The fights, as you might expect, especially since they were directed by Chin Kar-Lok (who also has a small role in the movie) are the best part of the picture. In fact, they almost totally save it. That is, until the final confrontation between Bond and Tank.

A note to film-makers: when you're staging a climatic final fight, do not have the combatants look deep into each other's eyes in slow motion while a ballad plays. It, like a lot of other things in Star Runner, just doesn't feel right.

RATING: 4