Diagonaldi Very well executed

SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

CinemaClown Martial arts in cinema often have this tendency to go way over-the-top in its depiction and it pretty much ruins the whole picture for me, especially if this exaggerated action is present in movies that take their drama seriously.It is no secret that I prefer films that display martial arts in a highly realistic & grounded fashion. In short, movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are a big no for me while I'm game for action extravaganzas like The Raid.Even in comedies, this stylised illustration of martial arts doesn't work all the time since majority of them are busy spoofing kung fu instead of weaving a funny tale around it. And that's exactly what separates Shaolin Soccer from the norm.Shaolin Soccer does blow its martial arts aspect out of proportion but it retains the very essence of it. Despite the film's batshit crazy premise and absurd slapstick wit, the film brims with so much heart & warmth that it remains a joyful experience from start to finish.The story of Shaolin Soccer follows a former Shaolin monk who wants to bring kung fu to the masses but has been unable to find a way that works. However, after meeting with an ex-soccer star, he decides to promote kung fu through soccer and gets back in touch with all his brothers to form a superhuman team.Co-written & directed by Stephen Chow, the film is hilarious as hell from beginning to end and qualifies more as a comedy than spoof. Also, thanks to Chow's skillful writing, it packs in a genuinely heartfelt story beneath its utterly ridiculous premise, and even its characters are worthy of emotional investment. Well, at least a couple of them.Visual effects play a key role in realising its most unbelievable moments on screen and while the CGI looks a bit cartoonish, it still adds to the film's overall craziness. Additional momentum is provided by its splendid camera-work, swift pacing & thrilling score, and the maniacal contribution from its entire cast further strengthens its position.On an overall scale, Shaolin Soccer is an absolute bonkers of a movie that promises its viewers an overdose of laughter and effortlessly provides it. A rollicking ride that benefits from its kinetic direction, ebullient screenplay, lively camera-work, stimulating score & outlandish performances, this sports comedy works because its heart is at the right place.

Adam Peters (59%) A very crazy, very childish - but in a good way - effects based comedy. The ideas featured don't always work well (like most comedy), although largely they do, and even the few more subtle comedic elements translate nicely. There's quite a number of strange, and very eastern almost manga style elements that would never make it into a western film such as the really unusual romantic love interest character that comes across as more confusing than anything else. In terms of the actual soccer played it's more likened to an episode of "Wacky races" than the real game itself, but it's still very fun to watch, and fans of Chow will almost certainly like his over-the-top brand of comedy.

nonprofitgnome1 Shaolin Soccer is a very quirky movie. I can't say I have seen anything else like it before. The movie has a very basic premise. An ex-soccer player gathers up a rag tag group of players and coaches them to win a tournament against all odds. It's a premise that has been done to death in many sports movies but this is the first time I have seen it infused with Kung Fu.The Kung Fu adds a lot of fun. As cheesy as the special effects are, it still makes the movie more enjoyable on the whole. I do however think they over did it with the juvenile jokes. There were funny parts but many times I just couldn't understand how they thought they were being funny (women with facial hair for no reason at all).Ultimately its not a bad movie but it's not one I would watch again and again. I wouldn't say you must be a soccer fan to enjoy this movie, but I think it definitely helped me enjoy it.

ChristianUnchained Next time you are in the mood for a laugh out loud action comedy film that's both clean and wicked funny, turn to Shaolin Soccer. This wonderful film starts a rag tag group of brothers that have lost their way in Shaolin and band together to win a soccer tournament. The action and chaos that ensues is hilarious and amusing, as long as you go in knowing that it's supposed to be!Sounds ridiculous, right? That's exactly the point. The whole plot, while it works and is pretty well done, is meant to be taken very lightly. It is an absolutely goofy, absurd and high comedy gag fest that has laughs coming at rapid fire. I can't recommend this movie enough; Shaolin Soccer truly kicks grass!