When you want to be the ruler of the world (the county in this case) and put the crown on yourself, be sure that you can bear its weight. Be sure that you can pay the sacrifice you are asked for.
The county town is engulfed by hostility between the military. And naturally, ordinary people suffer. In this turmoil, only the Shaolin Monastery tries to stand by and help those in need. Here you must be reserved and righteous. But even among these monks, there are those who, even realizing that they violate the covenants, go on slight misdeeds. What else can they do to watch people die of hunger?
Andy Lau is the one who wanted to take more than he could take. He could not accept the price he was asked for. And in the end, those he despised became his home and brothers. He has redefined his whole life.
Nicholas Tse is a handsome but anti-hero. But how good he is as a villain. But even he hesitates at the end.
Even though they didn’t want to, Shaolin monks became the ones who could protect people and give them hope. And their price was life.
The feud between Chinese military leaders has reached its limit. In an unrestrained desire to conquer neighboring territories, they plunge the country into the abyss of discord.
As is customary in Chinese cinema, one of the military leaders is re-educated in Shaolin, protecting both the family and the monastery from his rival - a maniac. You might ask, what about Jackie Chan? And he is just one of the clergymen of the monastery, but he is responsible for overshadowing the story of rivalry and revenge with funny sketches. It works a little bit, but in fact, he works on the fifth wheel. And the film itself reproduces plots and action films about Shaolin as the guardian of great Chinese traditions, and a much more significant film called Hero in the sense of the unshakable greatness of China. But Shaolin is more important.
After watching “Shaolin”, I discovered a new director-image – Benny Chan. There are often cases when, after thundering success, filmmakers slide into the abyss, pecking at their own glory. I was positively impressed with "Police of the Future" and "Special Forces of the New Generation", shot by Benny Chan at the turn of the millennium, but many years later he did not lose his skill, for which he can be awarded a three-time "Bravo!"
Shaolin is a more serious film than the ones I listed above. There is a philosophy of life and finding a way to yourself, which is combined with numerous fighting scenes in the famous style of kung fu. Surely this is the traits most viewers are ready to assign to the Chinese cinema, and not so wrong. You can't get away from stereotypes. Nevertheless, a film with a very similar theme comes to mind, which in our country was given the green light by cinemas - "Fearless" (2006). There, as in “Shaolin”, the patriotism and courage that the protagonist acquires through training in martial arts are put on the foreground. However, “Fearless” noticeably loses to “Shaolin” in sincerity, since the main purpose of creating the first was to thunder in cinemas around the world. “Shaolin” is also not without stereotypes, as I said, but Benny Chan did not impose anything on his audience, giving them the full right to decide who is to blame. Although Xiao Che is embarking on the path of correction, the reaction of the monks-disciples, who initially resist its adoption, seems fair. This man has done too much evil.
In addition to severe battles and strong drama, to which one cannot remain indifferent, the film also presents comedic moments, for which Chinkan is mainly responsible in the performance of Shina Yuya. This nice guy will prove to everyone that you should not sit idly by if you intend to do good. And how happy it was to see everyone’s favorite Jackie Chan, who at first has a village simplicity, and then delights with an episodic battle. My favorite actor remains in his repertoire!
With the main role perfectly coped Andy Lau, surprisingly transformed from a cruel general into a benevolent man, most of all wishing that the younger brother did not repeat his mistakes. Nicholas Tse plays Cao Mana - for me personally, this hero was the most understandable of his motives. Repeatedly humiliated by a loved one and deprived of any hope of success in the future, he is so indignant that his betrayal seems not only predictable, but even logical. Although in the final of sympathy, he is certainly not worthy. From the abundance of male characters stands out beautiful and talented Bingbing Fan, which is sure to penetrate the entire female audience of the film.
In conclusion, I can not but praise the camerawork. In this respect, Shaolin surpassed many of Benny Chan’s previous works. This is a strong, emotional, sad, but kind film.
10 out of 10
The film for viewing “fitted” the name of Jackie Chan – still it remains some basic standard when choosing a movie that will be understandable to Europeans.
Surprisingly, his role here is absolutely not the main, you can even say third-rate, although on the poster he is declared as the main character.
Nevertheless, the picture itself, despite the sometimes rather naive plot and the play of actors (about this a little later), strikes something that you will not consider in the flashing of frames before your eyes.
After all, it is not just a piece of history or a plot about how cool it is to be a Shaolin monk and wave your arms and legs to the right and left.
This film is primarily about the unity of people, about mercy to each other.
There is something in it that remains a sediment after watching. It makes you feel better.
Why did I mention naivety above? I think it’s obvious that some actors’ performances left much to be desired.
A mother fiercely defending her child is the only scene where you can see all the sincerity and strength of the actress’ feelings.
On the Europeans with stone faces, do not express any emotions at all (the moment when the “general” laughed, it seemed too far-fetched) to look was ridiculous.
There was a certain amount of tension in the main antagonist. That is why at the end of the film it does not feel particularly that he repented and realized what he did.
As always pleased and amused Jackie Chan - his role from film to film is unchanged: "Stop fighting!" and he waving a shovel (was it a shovel?) is no worse than fighting monks.
And, although I never really felt any changes in the main character, except that he became kinder and stopped killing people without critical necessity, but this is more the fault of the limited screen time: it is difficult to convey that these were not just pieces, cuts from the life of monks, but, obviously, several years passed in the study of Buddhism and acceptance of it in himself, when human thoughts are completely transformed and revealed to meet the beauty of the world.
Overall, the film is really amazing. For all its seemingly lightness and “typical”, it catches and makes you think.
Isn’t that what cinema should do?
To be honest, in my opinion, the Chinese have almost never been famous for masterpieces of cinema. This film confirms that the Chinese film industry does not like to change traditions. Cinemas can be distinguished by a hotel line. Take at least the last battle of the abbot with the soldiers. The old man in old age has enough strength heroic throw enemies of the people left and right, and after the battle they are all methodically laid out at the closed gates of the temple behind his back, and falling from the roof of the burning temple on the main character treacherous log, manages to slap the latter first vertically almost on the cheek, and after a split second to fall on the poor guy just flat. However, in this film there are so many blunders that even an unsophisticated viewer they will cornen their eyes almost from the beginning of the tape to its last meters.
As far as I was able to understand, the cast is mostly debutants on the wide screen, but even they have already had time to rest on their laurels and play half the power from the right. The film is simply full of gross mistakes both in the acting and in the dialogue of the characters. The sincerity of the play of most actors is perceived only in dramatic scenes, where they willy-nilly have to let down a tear in certain circumstances, the fake-sweet laugh of a stupid American general at the shooting of a temple somehow would be more appropriate in a film about super-heroes from the X-men bloodline; every monk who dies and turns out to be a mentor; most of the monks who are planted from 2 to 5 bullets at a time, contrary to all the laws of medicine, have the strength before death to take a Buddhist posture and say the cherished “amitopho”.
And of course, kung fu. In fact, if it hadn’t been in the movie, it would have been watched once in ... fifteen fewer viewers. However, in fact: the laws of physics in the production of fighting scenes are not known to either one filmmaker, or to everyone who is engaged in kung fu in general. In general, the staging of battle scenes will disappoint almost anyone who is more or less familiar with hand-to-hand combat. It turns out that falling from a decimated horse you can scroll in the air several times around your axis and become whole and unharmed to the ground, you can silently roll down a steep wall and stand on your feet, you can take in your hands a dead pot for rice at least 30-40 souls, put a person in it and lightly so, playing toss in the air, and then wave all the good driving away the damned (involuntarily, a scene with “Alesha Popovich” comes to mind, where he threw a bussuman in the air). And you can also slash the offender with a blade on the cheek and he will fly away as scalded for 3 meters, a stick can methodically make a linear cut on the legs of opponents and no one else will not stand up, do not move! Man, if kung fu is half as good as that, you should drop everything and go to a monastery. To them, to the mountains...
From the theatrical combat in the cinema, the Chinese apparently simply can not get used to. In their blood, this is probably: happy but not... In some moments, the mass synchronous performance of hand-to-hand techniques in both the attacker and the defender cannot be observed without a smile.
For myself positive moments in the picture highlighted not much, but there is. A separate column would like to note the amusing translation into Russian of the person of the American general and the Buddhist cook performed by Jackie Chan, who, apparently, in Hollywood has receded into the background, once he decided to return to the native origins of patriotic cinema. I have to recognize professionalism in camera work. Dynamic plans please the eye almost all the time, and the movement of the camera during combat scenes deserves special praise.
The film was recommended to watch comrade. Said the soundtrack at the end of the movie was cool. Indeed, in the last 10 minutes of the film, you can just roll the screen and enjoy beautiful Chinese songs. But it is not worth spending two hours just for this.
What the film really claims to do is to increase patriotism among the Chinese masses and to revive a partially lost internal culture. But what about us?
It's a historical film. And to look for super-muper fights and tricks in it is simply pointless!
The uniqueness of this film, besides the story, is that not only famous actors, but also real Shaolin monks play here! The film shows many times the real courtyards of the Shaolin Monastery. Moments where the monks train or where at night the boy with the main character work out the complex - they train the real technique of the traditional Shaolin Wushu - Qi Xing Quan (fist of seven stars), there is a moment where a piece of technique Xiao Hong Quan (small red fist) is shown. Before this film, traditional techniques had never been shown in the cinema, only sports complexes! And the fights are staged at the monks in the technique of Shaolin.
Also here plays the famous Yu Hai (plays the abbot) is not just a movie actor, but a real martial arts legend! This is a true master of the mantis style. Once he created his style of mantis and defended it for the right of existence, in fights in the ring. This man is first a master and then an actor.
Again, for fans, the film is not interesting. But for those who are engaged in martial arts - this is a good film, because we no longer notice the screens from the flights of heroes - we look at the plot and how people move and what they do. Fans only see the exterior of the film. And martial arts practitioners see the depth from the inside and see the essence. To see a plate of soup and understand what kind of soup is on the plate and how it is prepared - none of the same!
One day the disciples asked the Buddha to show them wisdom. The Buddha showed the singing. All the disciples were astonished, and only one person raised his head and saw a big beautiful moon in the sky and smiled. Someone sees a finger in life, without delving into the essence of what is happening. Someone sees what that finger is pointing at. Learn to see the point!
Not being a fan of Chinese cinema, there is only one opportunity to notice this film - a certain Jackie Chan. It does not matter that the latest paintings with his participation, to put it mildly, did not live up to expectations. Childhood, filled with comedic action films with his participation, still makes itself felt, and therefore pass by for a grown-up on "Police history", "Drunk master" and "Armor of God" - an unheard-of crime.
The Chinese people have gone through many wars, and it seems that Shaolin participated in almost every one of them in one way or another (at least, judging by Asian cinema). Here the monastery had to join in a local skirmish of several clans. And as in any epic, the ruler, being initially a cruel usurper, goes through a series of severe trials that fall on the head of our hero, because of his own short-sightedness and stupid rage.
The plot, as has already become clear, is a rather mundane, if not banal, thing that manages well to lull its viewer. Unexpected turns cause only a crooked grin - so they are unpredictable. And here comes the already mentioned lyceum, designed to dispel the impending despondency.
But that raises another problem. The picture cannot be determined: what is it? Pseudo-historical drama or comedy? A full-fledged drama does not pull because of Jackie's funny inserts, it is also not suitable for comedy - deaths exceed the permissible value, even tragicomedy it does not pull, since there are no smooth glues of such diverse genres. The result is an incomprehensible vinaigrette, combining everything together in some indigestible proportion.
It's hard to say anything about Shaolin after watching. There's just nothing left in my head. Sumburny minting of limbs, tormenting of the protagonist and grinding of good old Chan - all that is extracted from memory. Perhaps the word “good” best describes the situation. Do you need another good movie when there are so many interesting things around?
6 out of 10
