Shaolin Soccer
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Movie Reviews of Shaolin Soccer
Movie Review: Don't Bother With The Miramaxe Version
Summary: 5 Stars
One in a long list of films that have been butchered by Miramax in an effort to make Hong Kong films more palatable, SHAOLIN SOCCER suffered doubly due to shifting release dates (it was pushed back for over a year and a half). In its native country, SHAOLIN SOCCER was one of the most successful films and for good reason. It takes the typical "ragtag underdogs teaming up to fight against insurmountable odds" adding Shaolin kung fu and special effects to the mix for a perfect combination.
When the formerly formidable soccer star Golden Leg Fung (Man Tat Ng)--now a limping lackey thanks to his teammate Hung (Patrick Tse)--loses his job, he hopes to start his own soccer team. He happens upon Sing (Stephen Chow), a cleaner who has been charged by his former master with spreading the techniques of Shaolin kung fu. Sing has been searching for a way to repackage Shaolin in a new, exciting, and socially viable form. It takes a bit but Sing finally realizes that his "Iron Leg" technique would be a perfect fit in Golden Leg's dream soccer team.
Golden Leg and Iron Leg set out to convince Sing's five other brothers to join in their venture. They discover that Iron Head (Yut Fei Wong), Empty Hand (Kwok Kuen Chan), Weight Vest (Lam Chi Chung), Hooking Leg (Chi-Sing Lam), and Iron Shirt (Kai Man Tin) have let their confidence and skills lapse. Can they regain the spirit from their idealistic days of youth? You better believe it! After some hilarious training sequences, the brothers come together as a team and begin to make their way through the ranks of the soccer championships until their showdown with Hung's appropriately named "Evil Team."
Along the way, Sing meets Mui (Vicki Zhao), a master of Tai Chi and bread making. When the two meet, Sing's infectious optimism and singing create chaos in the streets and results in a dance sequence highly inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. This moment is typical of the uproarious tone of Chow's film. As much as it took from other "losers banding together" films like THE BAD NEWS BEARS, REVENGE OF THE NERDS, and THE REPLACEMENTS, Chow's film helped pave the way for other Asian "extreme sport" films such as Fumihiko Sori's PING PONG and Yudai Yamaguchi's BATTLEFIELD BASEBALL.
A word of warning: in all, nearly twenty-two minutes of the film were eliminated for the long-delayed, limited US release. Things missing include the backstory between Fung and Hung. Avoid this version at all costs. Region free NTSC versions with English subtitles are readily available via innumerable web vendors. Shun this (and any other) Miramax re-cuts like the plague.
Movie Review: Surprisingly Amazed Me (Chinese Version)
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, the movie is about an ex-soccer player--who was permanently wounded when he was younger--that wants to coach his own soccer team. He finds an enthusiastic guy who's alias is Steel Leg; this guy is one of five Shaolin Kung Fu students who really wants to incorporate what they learned with a popular thing in order to make it popular. The main plot focuses on getting the team together then entering a championship that's worth $1 million to them if they win.
What was so great about Shaolin Soccer is that the story was captivating. You just are pulled into it. There's humor, drama, and even a drop of romance. The special effects were amazing--not in a new way, but how uniquely they used it (Imagine using The Matrix type of FX in a comedy). The comedy was varied: satirical, physical, stupid, etc. There's even a few short song numbers and one dance number (copied, respectively, from MJ's "Thriller"). There are wonderful camera angles and such, too.
Of course, it wasn't perfect. Some of the editing was bad, and a few gags were repetitious. The US version seemed to do well for those parts, but they also took out some very wonderful gags that only make the Chinese version better. Since I mention the US version I'd like to say this: the dubbing is like usual dubbed Chinese films (you won't like it as much). Also, only watch it if you're in the mood to compare the two versions--I watched both versions back to back. Another thing, and it's more to do with the dvd, is that the Chinese version's sections that are cut out of the US version aren't dubbed (i.e. scene of "explosion" to dance where the guy talks, but no words are up to hear it).
Overall, I loved this movie.
+ Wonderful special effects and action
+ Encapturing story
+ Awesome variety of humor
+ Beautiful cinematography
- A few unneeded repetitious gags
- Chinese version edited too little (US's edited too much)
? Where are the captions?
? What, no extras besides both editions?
Closing thoughts: If you enjoyed the creativity of Hero or Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but thought either the story lacked or the action was uninteresting, you'll definitely find an interest in Shaolin Soccer. You should at least view it once whenever you get the chance. It's definitely worth buying even if there are no extras on it. 4.9/5__(Movie) 4.6/5__(Dvd)
Movie Review: This game IS WAR!
Summary: 5 Stars
And that's exaclty what this game of soccer is. in any other parts of the world, you'd see people fight hard with whistles blowing if hostility is present. But here it's agenst the rules to be a class A chump. Well on third thought they don't care, they'll let you find out the hard way by letting the other team give you a humiliating beatdown.
The story starts with Golden Leg(Man Tat Ng) Who was famus until he made a big mistake. While depressed he ran into Sing(Stephen Chow) who told him how useful Shaolin is in multiple ways. This guy loves sholin so much, he falls for a not-so attractive employee for a steam bun store(Vicki Zhao Wei, who in reality isn't ugly(dang makeup) but very very cute). And when it is interjected that Shaolin can be used for soccer, that's when the parterner ship between Golden Leg, and Sing expandes to more friends, to go to the prestigious tournament, shoot for $1,000,000, and to revive the Golden Legs name, and get the right word of Shaolin around. But in order to acomplish this, they must man up to hand out whoopings, or get stomped.
This movie has very creative ways of making comedy. Some things start a laugh by making you say what the fudge?(Like when everyone was dancing at the steam-bun stand, and when Sing was visualizing a Saving Private Ryan theeme while in the test game) They have so much comedy in this film, from horrible Chareokee singers, to a bald girl getting called E.T.(Well what was she thinking) The special effects are fake looking but the way it's used is just for-jorkin' hillarious.(Like when guys fly around after getting hit)
Shaolin Soccer is an exellent film by Stephen Chow, the directer, wrtiter and the star.(Alot, but not to much for one man) This film is well done, and thank God there was the oringinal Chinese unrated version on the DVD. Man America cut the crap out of this movie when I saw it on starz. Anywho, this should be watched by people who enjoy soccer, comedy, or Asian cinema. Fans of Stephen Chow, and Vicki Zhao Wei would definitly love this comedy for the family.
Movie Review: An extremely enjoyable and impressive film!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Shaolin Soccer is your typical Bad News Bears type story. It involves six masters of kung fu that have broken apart from each other and are working dead end jobs. The Walter Mathau type role of the broken down has been turned coach, goes to a washed up soccer star from twenty years ago that agreed to throw a championship game, and then had his leg permanently injued by an angry mob of fans. One of the masters, who has nicknamed himself Steel Leg, showcases what he can do, and convinces the coach to agree to form a team with him. Steel Leg then goes to his other five "brothers" as he calls them, and convinces them to quit their jobs and form a team. The masters go from knowing nothing about soccer, to becoming masters of it by using their knowledge of kung fu towards the game.
Shaolin Soccer is probably one of the best movies I have seen in the last couple of years. It involves a very nice mix of comedy, great special effects, and action sequences. I am not a big fan of soccer at all, but I must say that it came off quite well in this movie. It was very entertaining and interesting to see kung fu mixed together with it. Perhaps the film's best feature is the unbelieveable special effects that were used. Although some of the sequences used are over the top, the special effects are so good, that the sequences come off looking realistic.
Unfortunately Shaolin Soccer had a limited release in theaters. However, I highly recommend it. The DVD includes both the original Chinese version of the film with all the footage included, and the version that was released in U.S. theaters. Although I prefer watching the original version with subtitles, it is nice to be able to watch the theatrical version with the english language track when you don't feel like reading The extras for the DVD are somewhat limited. But, with how low the price is, and with how good the film is, there is no way you can pass this one up.
A solid 5 stars!!
Movie Review: WHAT A HILARIOUS TREAT!
Summary: 5 Stars
I caught this one on cable just a few nights ago and I have to admit I laughed my you know what off. I think my teenaged son laughed harder than I did. This is like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Meets the Mighty Ducks. A former soccer great called Golden Leg Funghad his career ruined after a gangster caused him to break his legendary leg. years later, Fung meets a Kung Fu Master named Sing whose steel leg can do wonders on a soccer ball. Sing is a Bruce Lee look-alike and even wears the yellow jump suit that Lee wore in Game of Death. Fung reunites Sing with his former Shaolin brothers and puts their remarkable Kung Fu skills to work on the soccer field. The brothers all have names which are clues to their Kung Fu Skills such as Iron Head, Lighting Hands, Iron Shirt Tin, and hooking leg.
Together they form one outrageous teams complimented by Matrix like special effects as balls are kicked and scream like rockets, trailing fire and tearing up the field as they fly towards the opponents goal. Or Hooking Leg demonstrates the most incredible degree of hook ever seen as his kicks turn 90 degrees. Fung sets them up for a run in a bis soccer tournament and a show down with the team of the mob leader who caused his injury years earlier. His team is called the dastardly "Team Evil" just in case their black uniforms and scowls didn't tip you off.
The formula works like any of those American films such as Mighty Ducks, Bad News Bears or the like. Shaolin Soccer is like watching a live action cartoon with the wild, slap-stick action and special effects. The cast is hilarious with brilliant one-liners and facial expressions. The film is dubbed in English. Star Steven Chow directed the film and Chow also directed the highly successful Kung Fu Hustle that came out in 2005.