Tai Chi Hero
Tai Chi Hero
aka 太極Ⅱ：英雄崛起 aka Tai Chi 2: The Hero Rises
2012
Written by Chang Chia-Lu and Cheng Hsiao-Tse
Directed by Stephen Fung Tak-Lun
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How do I pee in this thing???
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While Tai Chi Zero spent most of it’s running time setting up an Eastern tradition vs. Western modernism dichotomy that clashed with the very editing processes used to make Tai Chi Zero visually entertaining if nothing more than fluff, Tai Chi Hero tries a different tact. A method of uniting the different aspects of not only the film series, but of the culture clashes and personal clashes. The film is all about reconciliation, reunion, and combining into a greater whole. A balanced whole between the yin and yang, which is a part of the philosophy of tai chi.
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Suddenly the movie goes all Forrest Gump!
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There are still lots of plot lines to resolve, since the last film didn’t bother to finish anything up. And don’t expect everything to get resolved this time, either, though at least most of the problems are solved. At the last minute. Tai Chi Hero‘s attempts to have more of a story feels better, but conflicts with the flashy editing and choreography that was the only charm of the first part. So while being a better film on the whole, Tai Chi Hero manages to disappoint in the area that gained it fame, while not making enough up in the other aspects. Instead of the parts balancing together into a better whole, instead we just a big confusing mess, which defeats the whole message of the film! This is where Homer Simpson would say “D’oh!”
If you see one Tai Chi -ero movie, make it Hero, but seriously consider grabbing something else. Make it a balanced viewing where you also watch a decent film.
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Rah rah, ah ah ahh
Roma, Roma ma ah GaGa, Ou lala |
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More clockworks than A Clockwork Orange!
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Categories: Movie Reviews, Ugly Tags: AngelaBaby, Chang Chia-Lu, Cheng Hsiao-Tse, China, Daniel Wu Yin-Cho, Eddie Peng Yu-Yan, Jayden Yuan Xiao-Chao, martial arts, Mickey Yuan Wen-Kang, Nikki Hsieh Hsin-Ying, Patrick Tse Yin, Peter Stormare, Shu Qi, Stephen Fung Tak-Lun, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, William Feng Shaofeng, Xiong Xin-Xin, Yuen Biao
Naked Weapon (Review)
Naked Weapon
aka Chek law dak gung
2002
Starring
Maggie Q as Charlene Ching
Anya Wu as Katherine
Almen Wong Pui-Ha as Madam M
Daniel Wu as Jack Chen
As a big fan of Naked Killer and similar fare, I was initially thrilled when it was announced that they would be remaking it, and that Wong Jing would be involved. Then it was announced it would instead be a “Naked Killer“-type movie, and I began to get a little worried. This formula is hard to do wrong, though, and Jing has been doing it for decades. OR so I thought. Instead, what could have easily been a great movie instead became a shining example of everything WRONG with Hong Kong cinema these days and explains why they are being surpassed by Korea and other places. Some of the many many problems will be addressed when they come up and others at the end.
