Twin Warriors

Rating:
Summary: A mesmerizing and breath taking movie.
Review: This is a totally awesome movie with Jet Li at his best since Swordsman and Once Upon A Time in China. Silky smooth moves and fast-paced actions will make any Chinese martial art aficianados quirm in their seats. I had the privilage of watching this movie on the first day of its theatrical release and it just blew my mind away. A definite must for any Chinese movies buffs. END

Rating:
Summary: Shaolin Kung Fu Epic
Review: Tai Chi Master is set in ancient China and follows 2 Shaolin monks through their training and eventual expulsion from the monastary. It is here where the real story begins as the two friends slowly drift apart following two paths, one a rebel and the other a cold iron fisted military leader. Paths cross, sparks fly and only the best Kung Fu survives. This is a great movie chocked full of Chi Gung Shaolin techniques and Tai Chi mastery. Grasshopper would have got his butt kicked. END

Rating:
Summary: Jet Li's BEST MOVIE!
Review: 'Tai Chi Master'(1993) stars Jet Li (Junbao), Chin Sui Ho (Tienbao) & Michelle Yeoh (007's Tomorrow Never Dies). Great, great film! Incredible fight scenes! Swordsplay, Pole, Spear & Tai-Chi! Awesome stuff from Jet Li & Michelle Yeoh in their only film together. Li and Chin play young shaolin monks, inseperable from each other. One (Li as Junbao) is kind-hearted & content, the other (Chin as Tienbao) is self centered and ambitous. Tienbao's ambition leads to their expulsion from the Temple & their drastically altered fates in the new society. This is a story of friendship and betrayal, with a factual basis in the history of Zhang San Feng - the founder of TAI-CHI. Li and Chin take different paths, seperated by their values & beliefs. Chin hooks up with the local eunuch's militia and rises to power. Li joins a rebel group fighting the government. Their fate is now sealed, leading to an ultimate battle of good vs evil. Michelle Yeoh plays a rebel, who is great in limited action. Great story, cast & powerful action. A MUST BUY!

Rating:
Summary: good movie
Review: this movie is very good but like most of Jet Li's flicks the plot and continuity are strange. Worth owning if you are a die hard martial arts fan but, if you are selective, you might want to pass on it. And, Michelle's performance is nothing compared to what she did in Crouching Tiger.

Rating:
Summary: great kung fu "western"
Review: This is the movie that started me off on kung fu movies, and it remains one of my favorites. The cinematography is great, beautiful settings, especially the temple scenes. But above & beyond that, it is just a good movie, with enough humor to keep it from getting as heavy-handed as the "Once Upon A Time" movies. It is a wire-work extravaganza, with some frankly unbelievable stunts, but, hey... why not? Jet Li is great as the good guy, and we get to see the development of the bad guy from Jet Li's best friend into a power hungry archfiend. Lots of extras, literally a "cast of thousands" effect & very a interesting (although I have no idea how accurate) display of historic Chinese uniforms & dress styles. Definately worth buying if you have the least interest in kung fu/historic adventure flicks.

Rating:
Summary: to me, an excellent movie, note the dubbing
Review: To me, this is one of the best Jet Li movies. Or, may as well call it one of the best movies. It has a lot of humor and wisdom in it. However, as someone jokes that dubbing is the eighth sin, the dubbing in this movie, possibly to match the lip movement, has the script modified. The humor was lost, as well as the wisdom. I compared an Asian release with the US release: the script as well as the English subtitle are modified in the US release. I highly recommend this movie to you, except that it may be best to find the Asian release. I also checked that my Asian release has the English subtitle which is very close to what the actors and actresses say in Chinese. Also one thing about the US release is that the song is taken out from the movie. We usually accept a French song or Italian song in a foreign movie. How come we don't accept a Chinese song in a Chinese movie? The original Chinese song is very suited to the events of the movie. My advice remains: the Asian release of this movie probably can give you more enjoyment than the modified one.


Rating:
Summary: Tai Chi Master
Review: This was a fantastic movie, probably Jet Li's 3rd best in my opinion. I would only put this movie behind Fong Sai Yuk, and Fist of Legend. I saw some reviews that said the movie starts off too slow; I thought the story was set up perfectly.

The movie starts w/the two main characters as little boys, and their beginnings at the Shaolin temple. The story nicely progresses through the trouble the boys get into when they are young, and continues to the trouble they get into when they are older. Eventually leading to them eventually being kicked out of the Shaolin temple.

Jet Li plays the more passive, more caring and thoughtful of the two boys, Junbao. While Siu-hou Chin (Fist of Legend, Mr. Vampire, Masked Avengers) plays the more aggressive, selfish, always thinking of himself, conceded young man. Nevertheless, the two characters are very close friends (opposites attract I guess) up until the point where they have to make a decision on what direction to go in life.

Jet Li joins a rebellion, and teams w/Michelle Yeoh to form a formidable team against Siu-hou Chin government legion. The action, once it starts, definitely comes at you from all directions, and you can't take your eyes away from the TV for one second, or you'll miss something.

This was a very well done movie and put together by Woo-ping Yuen (Kill Bill 1&2, Matrix, Fist of Legend, Iron Monkey, Once Upon a Time in China I & II, Magnificent Butcher, etc. etc.). He choose the perfect cast for this movie, and this movie should be better recognized as a classic.

Grade: A


Rating:
Summary: This is one of my fav movies.
Review: I know it seems as though the reviews are very mixed. Many have said good about it, and many have said bad about it.

In my experience in watching Kung Fu, and practicing it, this is probably the best kung fu movie out there.

The theory and applications of the art of Tai Chi seem pretty solid.

There are not of movies that go into the essence of an art that this film does. Not only does the art seem to conquer all opponents, but it also seems to have a personal spiritual effect also.

The film seems to carry a lot of weight of the importance of the internal arts. While their old style seemed to conquer many bad guys, the new style seemed to conquer ten times as much.

Now, for those in confusion about what Tai Chi is compared to other older styles of Kung Fu, check out B.K. Frantzis book "The Power of Internal Martial Arts". This book is not a let down for those seeking information of the art.

I've practiced Tai Chi for about 6 months, and I seem to have a small understanding of it. But it is enough understand to say that this movie is good.

Thanks,
Calvin

Rating:
Summary: Impressive artistic film (actually 4.5 stars)
Review: I loved this movie.

The fight scenes are simply incredible. they constitute an art-form in itself, brilliantly choreographed, very fast and furious. Although one criticism would be when they stretch the bounds of reality (eg when he kicks some barrels and they all land neatly one on the top of another). The atmosphere in the film is great too, with the costumes and scenery giving you the feeling you are in some long lost exotic pre-medieval world.

The plot is not as bad as some here are making out. It is not too sophisticated, involving at its heart a simple tale of betrayal corruption ambition and revenge between two former friends. But you dont watch the film to be dazzled by intelligent dialogue and intricate plots and twists, they always are a bonus mind you, but in this film they would probably just use up fighting time. Michelle Yeoh shows once again that she can act fairly well as well as fight.

All in all this is an excellent film for fans of (slightly) over the top martial arts films. Jet li's second best in my opinion.

Rating:
Summary: Jet Li keepin' it simple
Review: If you are looking for an all around good kung fu flick look no further. If you are looking for another Crouching Tiger look away. This is the typical story of betrayal and revenge. Nothing very deep and meaningful, although always fun to see the bad guy get whats comin' to him. Jet Li is fast and furious as usual and is met every step of the way by his soon to not be best friend Chin Siu Ho(Jing Wu master in Fist of Legend). Loaded with weapons fights and fist flyin' brawls, Twin Warriors will feed your violence needs. Adding to the action is Michelle Yeoh who is always ready to lay the smack down on any willing but unfortunate soul.

Superb fight choreography(Yuen Woo Ping), although a bit hard to swallow sometimes because of the high wire acts, keep each scene rolling up to the bloody end. This film does get a bit cheesy during some of the comedic breaks, but if you like chinese made kung fu movies you will be used to it. Some of it is actually funny. Another thing, for a movie that is also known as Tai Chi Master there is not much Tai Chi in it(until the end), but it is made up for with many great fights along the way.

As for the DVD itself, it is widescreen but not anamorphic and the sound is in Dolby Digital 5.1. Twin Warriors is a definite must own for your Jet Li collection and if you just like a good fight movie be sure to check this one out!