Diagonaldi Very well executed

TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Inadvands Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Tweekums This Hong Kong action film follows the lives of Junbao and Chin Bo who grow up learning Kung Fu in a Shaolin temple. They are eventually expelled when Chin Bo goes too far and nearly kills a fellow student who cheated in a fight. In the outside world the two initially stick together; they get into a number of fights as they help people but eventually they go their separate ways; Chin Bo joins the army of the oppressive local governor and Junbao helps the local rebels. Inevitably they will ultimately have to face each other.Those looking for lots of action and spectacular over-the-top fight scenes should enjoy this. The story is simple but effective and the characters are fun. Jet Li is on great form as Junbao and he is ably supported by Michelle Yeoh as a fellow rebel. Siu-Ho Chin is also impressive as Chin Bo; making the character likable in the earlier part of the film but believably despicable when he joins the army and becomes more and more brutal. The fights aren't exactly realistic but that is part of their charm. As well as plenty of action there are lots of genuinely funny moments. There are quite a few deaths and a fair amount of blood but this isn't too disturbing as the blood is unrealistically orange tinted! Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting plenty of martial arts action and lots of laughs.This comments are based on watching the 'Tai-Chi Master' version of the film in Cantonese with English subtitles.

ebiros2 This movie's other title "Twin Warriors" might be more appropriate title for this movie, as two ex-disciples goes separate ways one becoming the military general, and the other a rebel.The story takes place in Shaolin temple where two disciples Jun bao (Jet Li) and Tian Bo (Siu- Ho Chin) joins as a child apprentice monk. They have a massive falling out at the temple and each goes their separate ways. Tien Bo becomes an ambitious military lord bent on conquest, and Jun Bao a rebel fending for the people. The two inevitably meet in the end to settle their differences.The story is very well formulated, with lives of common Chinese people of the time interwoven between the scenes. Michelle Yeo stars as the lute player who's lover is now the governor's sister's husband. The governor is a tyrant that requests exorbitant amount of tax from everyone. The situation culminating in Jun Bao and Tien Bo having to meet as enemies.This is one of the better martial arts movie from the '90s. Format is somewhat old school, but the story is modern. Which makes this an entertaining movie.

wynonasbigbrownbeaver This film, along with Jet Li's other hit Fist of Legend, helped to mark a new genre of fighting films, (along with Jackie Chan of course).Choreography is nearly unparalleled by other martial arts films during this decade. The action is awe inspiring and revolutionary. Also, many of these stunts are amazing.While there are many serious fight scenes, there are some comical moments to break the ice when there is very little action. There is also some interesting pivots in the story line.Obviously this is not a westernized Jet Li film and shall remain untouched by Hollywood. So there is no hip-hop for background music, nor clichéd car chases, nor is there a typical rapper as a co-star. The directing and settings are both successful in their classical Chinese form. The only thing western is the English dubbing, which is cheesy yet funny to listen to.I cannot give enough praise on this movie as it is but you will have to see Tai ji: Zhang San Feng (a.k.a. Twin Warriors) for yourself, even if you are not into Kung Fu movies or even if you don't like foreign films. One of my favorite movies all time!

Nedmilly Hong Kong kung fu cinema is a complicated genre to navigate for the uninitiated. People's opinions differ so wildly from movie to movie that what you consider a gem may be a relatively obscure movie. In other words, everyone has their own favorite kung fu movie, whether it's Crouching Tiger, the 36th Chamber, 5 Fingers of Death, or - in my case - this one.I just watched this movie for the second time, and I'm even more impressed. There's something about its energy that's just completely unflagging, ferocious. The meaning and the lethal glare with which Chin Siu-ho (criminally under-billed: what a performance!) lowers his hands after performing the Buddhist Palm on his superior. The impossible fight in the temple; the legions of talented extras! The endearing innocence which Jet Li brings to his character, and the fluidity of his "Taoist boxing", real or assisted (remember when he acted like the punching bag, swinging around and knocking his weight into his opponent as if he had concentrated all his weight in his feet?) The picture and sound are much lower quality than other Yuen Woo-ping movies within a year's radius (Iron Monkey, Wing Chun), but it's difficult to notice such superficial markers of quality when the pacing, emotional power and action of the movie so surpass the era's other offerings.Another of the movie's fine points is the natural flow of its few comic sections. I often find the comic relief in "serious" kung fu movies to be stilted and awkward. Slapstick can be done ingeniously (Stephen Chow movies), but when it's stuck randomly in a movie that otherwise portrays itself as serious, it can be disastrous. The humor in the Tai Chi Master is applied with a light touch, so you can laugh instead of frowning and looking uncomfortable.But what really separates the Tai Chi Master from other excellent kung fu movies with direction and energy is its firm moral compass. When was the last time you saw a movie that knew right from wrong, but didn't make a big deal out of it? Note the distinction between right/wrong and good/evil: If Hollywood made this movie, it would be a movie about good and evil. Instead, we know that Tianbao was not intrinsically evil - he was just "wrong" ("We were wrong, Master!") A movie has little to do with real life if its characters are one-dimensional incarnations of the primeval forces of good and evil. Yet in spite of all this, the Tai Chi Master is not a heavy-handed movie "about" right and wrong - it just contains the answers."My hands do not have strength and power. My heart embraces peace and calm. Resigning myself to adversity. Seeing richness out of the void. Violence be turned to peace. There are always guiding fate. Dynamic or still. Divide or multiple. Follow fate to go in and out of mortal world." The theme song is poorly translated in the subtitles, as it should be. What is verbalized knowledge but something vague and suggestive of personal revelation? In the words of a character: "I've studied Taoism all my life, but you realize its truth all in a blink. You'll be the master of masters. I should probably retire."