The Shaolin Temple

Now the story is decent. I laughed a few times but the drama didn't exactly stick with me. Jet Li starts out the movie as a young kid who has just had his father murdered by an evil Manchu general or something and Jet has been injured fighting with him trying to save his dad. So the monks find him and care for him in the temple and against some of the monks better judgement they make Jet a monk. When these evil guys end up storming the temple, all of the training scenes are very worthwhile. It was not the most coherent of stories but it didn't need to be. Watching Jet doing his solo training was amazing. Drunken style gets pulled out and there are some really cool moves in this fights. They did make a few of the shots look supernatural but it is still pretty good for all of these peoples first movie ever. Jet has talked about before how there was no martial arts choreographer for this movie and how everyone had to provide input and come up with the fights themselves. Jet's sifu in this movie can also be seen as his master in shaolin tepmle 2 and Twin Warriors(aka Tai Chi Master). So don't buy this movie for a gripping story abotu teh Shaolin Temple btu buy it for the sweet martial arts being displayed in Jet Li's first ever movie.

You've seen me complain about Westerners who portray the Chinese solely as stick figures and stereotypes. But guess what? Some Chinese are equally guilty of this crime. Including those behind this modern film.

Three outsiders kneel outside the temple for five days. One "must become Shaolin to have his revenge," which we know is wrong, and he will pay a heavy price. The temple has never let in outsiders, but finally the Grand Master ends his lengthy meditation and decides they must, lest they perish. So we get three new Shaolin kids with awesome sideburns. I think Chinese films mirror American films in this respect. Sideburns are naughty. Just ask Elvis. Thank you very much.

Meanwhile some soldiers come to the temple. They need help repelling those nasty Qing conquerors, which sounds like something I read somewhere. They're allowed in immediately, whereas those other guys who'd been kneeling for three days are not.

It's a test of their dedication. Well, 20 minutes of stereotypes, over-the-top unfunny physical humor, and babbling lunacy tested my dedication, and I failed. I didn't watch the whole DVD.

In minute 20, two guys demonstrated the five styles, same as the very first episode of KUNG FU, the TV series, that's about 25 years older, and which is itself far from original in this respect. Fine wushu, but this isn't new. Next, a bit of sparring. Admonishments not to be lazy. Old guy breaking firewood with his bare hands to overblown brass music. Oooooh.

I can predict the rest. We'll have a big fight, some guys will mature, some guys will die, and good will triumph. Or not. Nobody cares. I'm stopping now. We found this in the flat when we moved in, it's 120 minutes, I watched 23, life's short. Zaijian.

P.S. I just learned there is a sequel. Huh?

I'm not a Jet Li fan,,except in Leathal Weapon 4. However, I really enjoyed his performance in this flick,,,,,I though his performance was brilliant,,,he was simply outstanding. To keep it simple,,check this one out,,,you will not be dissapointed!!

I do not like the part where people eat dogs. So it getes one star. How can you eat a dog? Are you ..... ???

Downloaded this movie, its fire. The scenes are mad nice. The fighting is crazy if you like kung fu movies this is one you HAVE to have now. Its really good and will keep you watching for sure.

I liked it