Tai Chi Master

• Two martial arts students and best friends are expelled from the legendary temple of Shaolin, only to meet again as mortal enemies on the battlefield one a power-hungry general, the other a freedom-fighting rebel. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE Rating: NR Age: 796019813440 UPC: 796019813440 Manufacturer No: 81344

Action stars Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen are featured in this swordfighting tale starring Joey Wang as "Butterfly." Along with Tony Leung, the foursome all parry and thrust their way through a deliriously-paced yarn.This pinwheeling period-fantasy action film is all over the map--in its plotting, for starters, but also in its action sequences, staged by A Chinese Ghost Story's Ching Siu-tung, which are so frenetic that we can barely keep track of who's skewering whom. Based on a serialized swordplay novel by leading Chinese pulp writer Gu Long, the endless t! wists and turns in the conflict between two rival clans of quasi-magical warriors are all but impossible to follow. The result of this multilayered confusion is a less than completely involving cinematic experience, although the dashing Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies) and soulful Tony Leung Chiu-wai (Hard Boiled) are an unusually classy pair of comrades in arms. Newcomers interested in the distinctive Hong Kong subgenre known as wu hsia pian ("martial chivalry films") should consider beginning their researches elsewhere, with either Raymond Lee's Dragon Inn or Ronny Yu's The Bride with White Hair. --David ChuteYim Wing Chun (Michelle Yeoh) is locally renowned for her fierce kung fu. Scholar Wong Hok Chow (Waise Lee) comes to town for Beach Festival Day; concerned about protecting his assets from bandits, he decides the best way to secure the services of Yim Wing Chun as a bodyguard is to marry her. Wing Chun's aunt, known as Aba! cus Fong, takes a liking to Scholar Wong. On Festival Day, Cha! rmy come s to town looking for medicine for her sick husband; the bandits attack, see the beauty of Charmy and decide to kidnap her for their 2nd Fortress Lord. Later, Leung Pok To (Donnie Yen) comes to town looking for his long-ago fiancee Wing Chun; also looking for Wing Chun is 2nd Fortress Lord's defender, known as Flying Chimpanzee. None of this really matters, since the plot simply and humorously ties together the action scenes, which are spectacular and not to be missed.Michelle Yeoh (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, TOMORROW NEVER DIES), Anita Mui (Jet Li's THE ENFORCER, RUMBLE IN THE BRONX), and Maggie Cheung (SUPERCOP) form an unstoppable combination as three powerful martial arts experts -- each with her own secret superhero identity -- who band together to battle the ultimate evil! Their foe is a demented but powerful wizard who believes that if he kidnaps all the babies in China he can build a demonic ruling class and eventually dominate the world. With everything on ! the line, it's up to the Heroic Trio -- Shadow Fox, Mercy, and Invisible Woman -- to rise up and stop him! A big screen adventure that's like CHARLIE'S ANGELS meets THE TERMINATOR, you're sure to love all the hard-hitting fun in this action-packed martial arts fantasy!A Hong Kong combination of Batman and The Three Musketeers, The Heroic Trio is a winning mix of action, sci-fi, fantasy, and police caper starring three outstanding Hong Kong actresses. Former popular singer Anita Mui is Tung/Wonder Woman, a mysterious crime fighter who aids the police whenever needed. Michelle Yeoh is Ching/Invisible Woman, an unwilling disciple to an age-old Evil Master, and Maggie Cheung is Chat/Thief Catcher, a runaway enlisted by the Evil Master who is now a bounty hunter for hire. When baby boys are being stolen for a horrific plan, Tung assists in the investigation while Chat plans to make some bucks off of catching the culprit. The baby thief is none other than Chi! ng, who is carrying out the kidnappings for the Evil Master wi! th the a id of her lover's invention--an invisible robe. But the good in her wins out, and she joins forces with Tung and Chat. This is a superhero film, to be sure. Fantastic sets and impressive wire-strung fight choreography make The Heroic Trio extremely fun to watch. Wonder Woman enters the picture by running full-tilt atop power lines while Chat rides a motorcycle and wields a shotgun like the Terminator. The outlandish and complicated plot seems right at home here, heightened by the moody lighting and the combined screen presence of Mui, Yeoh, and Cheung. All three give fierce and touching performances in a hyperbolic and enjoyable film. --Shannon GeeSuperstar Jet Li shows off his legendary speed, power, and agility at the peak of his martial arts prowess in this sweeping action epic. In an age of swordsmen and rebellion, two best friends and fellow martial arts students are expelled from the storied temple of Shaolin, only to meet again on the battlefield one a p! ower-hungry general, the other a freedom-fighting rebel, both mortal enemies. Featuring Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon s Michelle Yeoh and directed by the celebrated Yuen Woo-Ping (action choreographer of The Matrix films), Tai Chi Master is a quintessential martial arts classic.Tai Chi Master is the greatest "wire-fu" film from Yuen Woo-ping, best known as the martial-arts choreographer of the Matrix and Kill Bill films. "Wire-fu" films were created during the martial arts film resurgence of the late 80s and early 90s, and in terms of fight choreography, this is arguably the best of the entire genre. Tai Chi Master demonstrated Jet Li’s martial-arts abilities at their most frenetic and fluid, and Li was at the height of his athletic prowess. If that wasn’t enough, it's also one of action queen Michelle Yeoh’s finest performances in a wuxia period piece. Li and Yeoh were supported by an equally athletic cast, led by the remarkable Chin Siu-! hou, who plays the nemesis to Li’s hero. Chin manages to ste! al every scene, even when he is being beaten to a pulp. Li and Chin play best friends Jun and Tien, who grow up in Shaolin Temple during the Manchu Dynasty. Gentle Jun is satisfied with the simple things in life, but hot-tempered Tien craves power and wealth. The film’s exposition pays homage to the 70s Shaw Brothers films (such as The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), and the closing scene in the temple is only the first of a series of spectacular martial arts set pieces. Jun and Tien’s dispositions lead them to two different paths in life; Jun joins the rebellion against the cruel Manchu regime, while Tien joins the army. Here, Yuen treads all-too familiar territory, but the actors still throw themselves into the thin material. The film’s mid-part is weighed down by the usual intrusion of feckless Hong Kong slapstick, but the story quickly recovers when Jun discovers the secrets of tai chi. When Li fires up his tai chi skills, the results are some of the best boxing scenes t! he genre has ever witnessed. Tai Chi Master established Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh as the best martial arts actors in the business, and Yuen the best choreographer. Though elements of the film are dated, Tai Chi Master remains a landmark in the martial arts genre. --Roberto Azula