The Movie: Zu Warriors, directed by Hark Tsui
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: "It just looked so awesome on the shelf."
According to Imdb, Miramax picked up three previously released Chinese movies after the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. That sort of makes Zu Warriors the incomprehensible younger sibling to Hero and Shaolin Soccer (yeah, they optioned Shaolin Soccer, Hero and...this). I'm certain that Zu Warriors makes more sense within its cultural context, and certainly the dialogue must be better to those who speak Cantonese.
The movie's heavy on the special effects. It's like a live action Final Fantasy game, complete with shadowy magic effects and death-defying battles against massive evil creatures. In 2005 it would have been pretty impressive, but compared against more seamless productions in recent years, it falls a little short.
It's not a bad movie, just not a great one. It's a forgettable attempt at a wirework epic, probably doomed to fall by the wayside. Even Zhang Ziyi's presence couldn't make it interesting (not that she's much for saving any production she's in).
-177/365 down, 188/365 to go
Showing posts with label martial arts movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martial arts movie. Show all posts
Friday, August 24, 2007
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Musical cues for the win.
The Movie: The One, directed by James Wong
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: I apparently needed to see this martial arts movie, due to overwhelming Jet Li and kicking in the face. Therefore, I acquiesced.
I think Jet Li's underrated as an actor. He's really quite talented, as evidenced by The One and Unleashed in particular. Though I can't see him in some of the roles he's been considered for (Li Mu Bai? Really?), he's good enough that I'd have to give the benefit of the doubt. I'm actually a little excited about the upcoming War, where he's reunited with Jason Statham (whose acting chops have grown considerably since The One. For instance, I can usually understand what he's saying nowadays.).
The One was a sort of midrate sci-fi movie that featured people being kicked in the head a lot. The flexibility of the violence potential of the film can be showcased by the original lead-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I have no problem with The Rock-like Jet Li, he's a very likeable actor with excellent physical capabilities. I don't think he could have done quite the same job that Jet Li did with this movie, elevating it from a relatively silly premise to a workable face-kicker. There was a little more than kiddy-pool depth to the characters in the film.
Technically speaking...yay! Bullet time done right for once! Bullet time's a cliche now, no longer the OHMYGODCOOL thing it was when Trinity leapt into the air and the camera did a 180 around her. When The One was released, it was still fresh, and the technique wasn't too terribly abused. I think (*gasp, horror*) it was actually well done. Sue me. This was a neat timewaster.
-101/365 down, 264/365 to go
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: I apparently needed to see this martial arts movie, due to overwhelming Jet Li and kicking in the face. Therefore, I acquiesced.
I think Jet Li's underrated as an actor. He's really quite talented, as evidenced by The One and Unleashed in particular. Though I can't see him in some of the roles he's been considered for (Li Mu Bai? Really?), he's good enough that I'd have to give the benefit of the doubt. I'm actually a little excited about the upcoming War, where he's reunited with Jason Statham (whose acting chops have grown considerably since The One. For instance, I can usually understand what he's saying nowadays.).
The One was a sort of midrate sci-fi movie that featured people being kicked in the head a lot. The flexibility of the violence potential of the film can be showcased by the original lead-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I have no problem with The Rock-like Jet Li, he's a very likeable actor with excellent physical capabilities. I don't think he could have done quite the same job that Jet Li did with this movie, elevating it from a relatively silly premise to a workable face-kicker. There was a little more than kiddy-pool depth to the characters in the film.
Technically speaking...yay! Bullet time done right for once! Bullet time's a cliche now, no longer the OHMYGODCOOL thing it was when Trinity leapt into the air and the camera did a 180 around her. When The One was released, it was still fresh, and the technique wasn't too terribly abused. I think (*gasp, horror*) it was actually well done. Sue me. This was a neat timewaster.
-101/365 down, 264/365 to go
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
My elephant is fight
The Movie: The Protector, directed by Prachya Pinkaew
Recommendation: Me
Reason: Hey, Ong Bak was fun, right?
Ong Bak was great. It was an eye opener, as martial arts movies go. My jaw dropped so many times while I was watching that movie, I was practically catching flies. I slavered over The Protector, having seen a preview scene featuring the fight with Lateef Crowder, the Capoeira fighter. Watching Tony Jaa fly across the screen and knee some guy in the face was to be the high point of my night.
The movie didn't quite live up to the one fight I'd seen. The editing was shoddy, the camerawork pretty lame. The martial arts choreography was alright, but definitely did not live up to the promise of Ong Bak. Tony Jaa kneed a whole lot more people in the face in that movie. So, without living up to the over-the-top face-imploding action of Dude, Where's My Buddha?, what did The Protector have left?
Your answer may be plot. Ong Bak was a little light on that, in favor of more cartilage crunching and diving through barbed wire. The Protector, being a little lacking in those departments, could have attempted plot, or acting, or possibly not being pretty lame. It succeeded only at being pretty lame. Overall, it was just...not quite right. There was very little plot, with minimal coherency. Oldboy, even the beginning, made more sense.
-40/365 down, 325/365 to go
Recommendation: Me
Reason: Hey, Ong Bak was fun, right?
Ong Bak was great. It was an eye opener, as martial arts movies go. My jaw dropped so many times while I was watching that movie, I was practically catching flies. I slavered over The Protector, having seen a preview scene featuring the fight with Lateef Crowder, the Capoeira fighter. Watching Tony Jaa fly across the screen and knee some guy in the face was to be the high point of my night.
The movie didn't quite live up to the one fight I'd seen. The editing was shoddy, the camerawork pretty lame. The martial arts choreography was alright, but definitely did not live up to the promise of Ong Bak. Tony Jaa kneed a whole lot more people in the face in that movie. So, without living up to the over-the-top face-imploding action of Dude, Where's My Buddha?, what did The Protector have left?
Your answer may be plot. Ong Bak was a little light on that, in favor of more cartilage crunching and diving through barbed wire. The Protector, being a little lacking in those departments, could have attempted plot, or acting, or possibly not being pretty lame. It succeeded only at being pretty lame. Overall, it was just...not quite right. There was very little plot, with minimal coherency. Oldboy, even the beginning, made more sense.
-40/365 down, 325/365 to go
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
