Man of Tai Chi

Last updated

Man of Tai Chi
Man of Tai Chi.jpg
Chinese theatrical release poster
Directed by Keanu Reeves
Written byMichael G. Cooney
Produced byLemore Syvan
Starring
Cinematography Elliot Davis
Edited byDerek Hui
Music by Chan Kwong-wing
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • China Film Group
    Wanda Media (China)
  • RADiUS-TWC (United States)
  • Universal Pictures (International)
Release dates
  • 5 July 2013 (2013-07-05)(China)
  • 1 November 2013 (2013-11-01)(United States)
Running time
105 minutes
Countries
  • China
  • United States
Languages
  • Mandarin
  • English
  • Cantonese [1]
BudgetUS$25 million [2]
Box officeUS$5.5 million [3]

Man of Tai Chi is a 2013 Chinese-American martial arts film directed by Keanu Reeves in his directorial debut. It also stars Reeves, Tiger Chen, Iko Uwais, Karen Mok and Simon Yam. [4] [5] [6] The film is multilingual, featuring dialogue in Mandarin, English and Cantonese. In the film, a young martial artist is pushed by the need of money to enter the world of underground fighting.

Contents

The film was released in China on 5 July 2013, and in the United States on 1 November 2013.

Despite the critics praising Reeves's direction and action sequences, the film bombed at the box office. [7]

Plot

Hong Kong police officer Sun-Jing is investigating Donaka Mark, who is hosting an illegal fighting operation. Donaka attempts to recruit Tiger, a young working-class disciple of Tai Chi at a Wu Lin Wang Competition. Donaka offers large sums of money to fight for him but Tiger refuses, as fighting for money would compromise his honor.

Soon after, land inspectors declare Tiger's Tai Chi temple structurally unsafe, intending to demolish the temple. To preserve the temple, Tiger applies for historic protection status, arguing it is a place for cultivating peace and wellbeing; however, he requires a large sum of money to repair the temple and accepts Donaka's offer.

Donaka's fights take the form of modern gladiatorial combat enjoyed by wealthy individuals. Tiger earns enough money to repair the temple and improve his quality of life, but develops a more brutal style. In the Wu Lin Competition, Tiger viciously injures his opponent; the authorities reject his temple petition for historical protection, as his actions at the competition clearly do not represent peace and wellbeing. Tiger nearly kills his next opponent, but relents at the end. Realizing how much he has changed for the worse, Tiger declares his intention to stop fighting for Donaka and contacts officer Sun-Jing. They plan to track the location of the next fight and arrest Donaka.

Donaka prepares a fight to the death for Tiger. Donaka reveals how he engineered the temple's crisis to manipulate Tiger; he wished to transform him from innocent martial arts practitioner to ruthless killer. Tiger refuses to fight his assigned opponent and Sun-Jing's officers storm the compound, but Donaka escapes. Later, Donaka arrives at the temple and begins a fight with Tiger. Donaka initially has the upper hand, but Tiger re-embraces his Tai Chi training and manages to palm-strike Donaka despite getting stabbed. A dying Donaka expresses his pleasure for having pushed Tiger to become a killer.

In the aftermath, Sun-Jing is promoted to Superintendent and Tiger's temple petition succeeds. Tiger intends to open his own Tai Chi school in the city to continue the legacy of the Ling Kong Tai Chi.

Cast

Production

Pre-production began in 2008 with years-long script refinements. When the project eventually moved into the production phase, principal photography occurred on mainland China and Hong Kong.

Release

The film received an R rating from the MPAA, although Reeves said it was shot with the intention of a PG-13 rating. [8] [9] [10]

The film premiered in 2013 with showings at the Beijing Film Festival [11] and Cannes Film Festival. [12] It was also scheduled to be shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. [13] It became available for purchase on 27 September 2013, via the iTunes Store (VOD) video on demand, and had its theatrical release in the US on 1 November 2013.

Reception

The film premiered at the 2013 Beijing International Film Festival, where it received praise from action film director John Woo. [14] Rotten Tomatoes reported that 71% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 68 reviews, with an average rating of 6.10/10. The site's consensus reads, "It may not be groundbreaking, but Man of Tai Chi represents an agreeably old-fashioned picture for martial arts fans – and a solid debut for first-time director Keanu Reeves." [15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100 based on 22 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [16] Since its release, Man of Tai Chi has been regarded as one of the best films in Reeves's filmography. [17] [18] [19] [20]

Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times called it "a movie streamlined to evoke the timeless zip of martial arts movies past" and praised the "refreshingly grounded and old-school kinetic" action. [21] Sheila O'Malley, writing at RogerEbert.com, also praised the "thrilling immediacy" of the fight scenes: "you realize you are actually seeing these guys actually do this, as opposed to watching something pieced together later in the editing room". [22] Dave McGinn of the Globe and Mail, in contrast, called the film "ambitious but generic" and filled with "stale conventions". [23]

Despite the favorable reviews, the movie was a box office bomb, having grossed US$5.5 million against a budget of US$25 million. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jet Li</span> Chinese-born martial artist and actor (born 1963)

Li Lianjie, better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a Chinese-born Singaporean martial artist, actor, and philanthropist. After three years of training with acclaimed wushu teacher Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team at age 11. Between 1974 and 1979, he won the title of Men's All-Around National Wushu Champion five times. After retiring from competitive wushu at age 18, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor, making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple (1982), which instantly catapulted him to stardom in East Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keanu Reeves</span> Canadian actor and musician (born 1964)

Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor and musician. He is the recipient of numerous accolades in a career on screen spanning four decades. In 2020, The New York Times ranked him as the fourth-greatest actor of the 21st century, and in 2022 Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Reeves is known for his leading roles in action films, his amiable public image, and his philanthropic efforts.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to martial arts:

<i>Half a Loaf of Kung Fu</i> 1978 film

Half a Loaf of Kung Fu is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chen Chi-hwa, and starring Jackie Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Tang Ming-chi. The film co-stars Dean Shek, James Tien, Doris Lung, and Wu Ma. The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 1 July 1978. Chan plays a bumbling kung fu student who becomes involved in a series of adventures in one of his first forays into the kung fu acrobatic slapstick comedy style that would become his signature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuen Woo-ping</span> Hong Kong film director

Yuen Woo-ping is a Hong Kong martial arts choreographer and film director who worked in Hong Kong action cinema and later Hollywood films. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong. Yuen is also a son of Yuen Siu-tien, a martial arts film actor. He attended the China Drama Academy for one year as a day student of Master Yu Jim-yuen as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Yen</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist (born 1963)

Donnie Yen Chi-tan is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and action director. He is the recipient of various accolades, including three Golden Horse Awards and five Hong Kong Film Awards. He is best known for portraying Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the Ip Man film series, namely Ip Man (2008), Ip Man 2 (2010), Ip Man 3 (2015), and Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019). He also served as co-producer for the spin-off Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018).

<i>The 36th Chamber of Shaolin</i> 1978 Hong Kong film

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is a 1978 Hong Kong kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and produced by Shaw Brothers, starring Gordon Liu. The film follows a highly fictionalized version of San Te, a legendary Shaolin martial arts disciple who trained under the general Chi Shan.

Alexander Fu Sheng, also known as Fu Sing, was a Hong Kong martial arts actor. One of Hong Kong's most talented performers, Fu rose to prominence in the 1970s starring in a string of movies with the Shaw Brothers that accrued him international stardom throughout Asia and parts of North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Adkins</span> British actor and martial artist (born 1976)

Scott Edward Adkins is a British actor and martial artist. He gained prominence with his villainous portrayal of the Russian prison fighter Yuri Boyka in the American martial arts film Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006), a role he reprised in its sequels Undisputed III: Redemption (2010) and Boyka: Undisputed (2017). He has since made films in a variety of genres, such as crime dramas, martial arts movies, war films, action thrillers, sci-fi actioners and action comedies, mostly as the lead.

<i>Drunken Tai Chi</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Drunken Tai Chi is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping. It is notable for being the acting debut of Donnie Yen, who had previously performed as a stuntman. The film showcases Yen's martial arts skills as well as his b-boying abilities, including a scene in which Yen performs a moonwalk.

<i>Ip Man</i> (film) 2008 Hong Kong film directed by Wilson Yip

Ip Man is a 2008 Hong Kong biographical martial arts film based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and teacher of martial artist legend Bruce Lee. The film focuses on events in Ip's life that supposedly took place in the city of Foshan during the Sino-Japanese War. The film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen as the titual character, with martial arts choreography by Sammo Hung. The film co-stars Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Lam Ka-tung, Xing Yu, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, and Tenma Shibuya. The film was a co-production between China and Hong Kong, and was the last film to be distributed by Mandarin Films.

Hung Yan-yan is a Hong Kong martial artist, actor, stuntman and action director originally from Liuzhou, Guangxi, China. He was the stunt double for martial arts superstar Jet Li.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iko Uwais</span> Indonesian actor and martial artist (born 1983)

Uwais Qorny, known professionally as Iko Uwais, is an Indonesian actor, stuntman, fight choreographer, and martial artist. He is best known for acting in the action films Merantau (2009), The Raid (2011), The Raid 2 (2014), Headshot (2016), Mile 22 (2018), The Night Comes for Us (2018), Stuber (2019) and the Netflix series Wu Assassins (2019–22).

<i>Tai Chi 0</i> 2012 Chinese film

Tai Chi 1: 0 (太極之零開始) or Tai Chi Zero (太極：從零開始) is a 2012 Chinese 3D martial arts film directed by Stephen Fung. It is a fictitious account of how the Chen style of the martial art tai chi, that had for generations remained within the Chen family of Chenjiagou, was taught to the first outsider, Yang Luchan, by Chen Changxing. This is the first film to be produced by Stephen Fung's and Daniel Wu's new production company, Diversion Pictures and also marked the acting debut of wushu athlete Jayden Yuan, who plays the lead role. The film was shot back-to-back with its sequel, Tai Chi Hero. They are to be followed by a third as-of-yet undeveloped movie named Tai Chi Summit.

<i>John Wick</i> (film) 2014 American film directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. Keanu Reeves stars as John Wick, a legendary hitman who comes out of retirement to seek revenge against the men who killed his dog, a final gift from his recently deceased wife. The film also stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger Chen</span> Chinese martial artist and stuntperformer

Tiger Chen is a Chinese martial artist, stuntman and actor. Tiger Chen is Yuen Wo Ping's protege and Keanu Reeves's teacher and friend. He was also Uma Thurman's stunt double.

<i>Opium and the Kung-Fu Master</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Opium and the Kung-Fu Master is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Tang Chia, who also serves as one of the film's action directors, and stars Ti Lung as the titular protagonist.

Chui Chung-San was a Hong Kong actor, director, choreographer, martial artist and stuntman. He was known for being an action director and stuntman. Chui was known for films such as The Rebellious Reign, Kung Fu Vs. Yoga, Two Fists Against the Law and 7 Grandmasters as well as other various Hong Kong and Taiwanese television shows.

<i>Triple Threat</i> (2019 film) 2019 film by Jesse V. Johnson

Triple Threat is a 2019 action thriller film directed by Jesse V. Johnson from a story and screenplay by Joey O'Bryan & Paul Staheli and Dwayne Smith. The film stars Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais and Tiger Chen, alongside Scott Adkins, Michael Jai White, Michael Bisping, Celina Jade and Yanin Vismitananda. The music was composed by Joel J. Richard, while cinematography and editing were handled by Jonathan Hall and Matthew Lorentz.

Mike Leeder is an English casting director, producer and actor based in Hong Kong. Leeder has been responsible for DVD and Blu-ray special features for many Hong Kong productions. He worked on such projects as Fearless (2006), The Raid 2 (2014), The Man with the Iron Fists (2012), Man of Tai Chi (2013), Ultimate Justice (2016), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Chasing the Dragon (2017) and Donnie Yen's Big Brother (2018).

References

  1. ↑ Weintraub, Steve 'Frosty' (23 August 2012). "Keanu Reeves Talks SIDE BY SIDE, 47 RONIN, His Directorial Debut MAN OF TAI CHI, BILL & TED 3, and POINT BREAK LIVE". collider.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "Out in Theaters: MAN OF TAI CHI". Silverscreenriot.com. 30 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Man of Tai Chi (2013) – International Box Office Results – Box Office Mojo".
  4. ↑ Shackleton, Liz (7 June 2012). "China's new global strategy". Screen Daily . Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Young, Al (19 December 2011). "Karen Mok Joins Keanu Reeves' MAN OF TAI CHI". Twitch . Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  6. ↑ Lower, Gavin (29 June 2012). "Village Roadshow Unit Puts IPO Plans on Hold". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "'Man of Tai Chi' Loses Fight for China Box-Office Crown". The Hollywood Reporter . 8 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Keanu Reeves Talks SIDE BY SIDE, 47 RONIN, His Directorial Debut MAN OF TAI CHI, BILL & TED 3, and POINT BREAK LIVE". Collider .
  9. ↑ "Man of Tai Chi aims at a PG-13 rating". Movie-censorship.com.
  10. ↑ "Man of Tai Chi With R-Rating After All". Movie-censorship.com.
  11. ↑ Davidson, Mike (20 May 2013). "Keanu Reeves spent five years on his latest film: Why?". The Christian Science Monitor . Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  12. ↑ Davidson, Mike (20 May 2013). "Keanu Reeves makes director debut with Kung Fu film". Reuters . Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  13. ↑ "Toronto film festival 2013: the full line-up". The Guardian. London. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Man of Tai Chi (2013) – Kung-fu Kingdom". Kung-fu Kingdom. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  15. ↑ "Man of Tai Chi (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  16. ↑ "Man of Tai Chi Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  17. ↑ "Keanu's Best Action Movies, Ranked From The Matrix To John Wick". Syfy Wire . 7 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Timkang, Marijim Dy (24 March 2023). "Best Keanu Reeves Movies of All Time". The Mary Sue . Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  19. ↑ Mathews, Liam (20 March 2023). "9 best Keanu Reeves movies besides John Wick and The Matrix". Polygon . Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  20. ↑ Billson, Anne (5 September 2024). "Keanu Reeves at 60: from surfer dude to action hero, his 20 best films – ranked!". The Guardian . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  21. ↑ "Review: Keanu Reeves, as director, gives 'Man of Tai Chi' zip". Los Angeles Times. 31 October 2013. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  22. ↑ O'Malley, Sheila. "Man of Tai Chi Movie Review & Film Summary (2013) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  23. ↑ "Review: Keanu Reeves, as director, gives 'Man of Tai Chi' zip". Los Angeles Times. 31 October 2013. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  24. ↑ Dominguez, Noah (5 December 2022). "Keanu Reeves Would Love to Direct Again, But Needs a Man of Tai Chi Situation". CBR. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.