Long hang tian xia

Before I begin, let me get across everyone's complaint: the acting is horrible...from the white actors. It is far worse than the dubbing of old school kung fu movies (although I prefer the dubbed dialogue of old kung fu movies to many movies made today, the dialogue is more quotable). But come on, what type of person would watch a low-budget kung fu movie and expect good acting?

The plot is right out of an old kung fu movie: Rival kung fu masters duking it out to see who is better. Jet is a fish-out-of-water who gets involved.

The fights are why we see this movie...right? The fights are well-choreographed. Very little (if any) wires are used. Jet Li, Yuen Wah, and Jerry Trimble look very impressive. He actually is better in this movie than in stuff like Romeo Must Die, Hitman, Swordsman II, and Dr. Wai. The last fight is very cool, one of his best overall. Overall, a pretty good movie...just don't expect much.

In "The Master", one of his earliest and relatively little-seen flicks, Jet Li is basically placed in a fish-out-of-water situation: he comes from Hong Kong to America (knowing only a few words of English) to visit his old kung fu teacher, is followed everywhere by three Mexican small-time crooks who want him to teach them the martial arts, and tries to protect his teacher's shop from a gang led by a rival kung fu master. The main problem with the film is that it lacks urgency: much like the bad guy in Jackie Chan's "Thunderbolt", the villain has no real motive for his actions apart from wanting to prove that he is "the best". To put it in his own words: "When I finish with you, I'll go to China and beat all the kung fu teachers there!". But it has some pretty funny moments (watch Jet describing his experiences on his first day in America), great (if sometimes brief) fight sequences, and even a warm message about interracial friendship and acceptance: those Mexicans may seem like silly stereotypes at first, but if you think about it, the movie shows how people can overcome the barriers of their different races and languages to work together and help each other. (**1/2)

Although Jet Li is in it and as a viewer you are aware that you are watching an action (Eastern) movie, it doesn't mean that the movie doesn't have to meet a standard! Unfortunately it doesn't reach the heights of the Li flicks.

I'd even say that Jet Li is the best thing in it. And I don't mean it in any way as a disrespect to Tsui Hark (director). The thing is though, that if you're not a Li fan, than there is high possibility that you won't enjoy the movie at all.

I am a fan and can say for certain, that Li has done better pictures than this. Though this is not a complete stinker, you might want to watch other Li flicks for your viewing pleasure ...

I checked this out because I wanted to see Jet Li and Jerry Trimble go at it. And for the first hour of the movie, I was disappointed with a slow-moving, mediocre action film. But, man, was I in for a treat that last half hour or so - specifically the final fight scene (where Li and Trimble REALLY square off) which delivered all the goods I was expecting, and then more. Viewed on one of the old "Jet Li Collection" DVDs that Dimension released in the early 2000s, so poor video quality and an awful dub were expected and didn't detract from, what turned out to be, an overall above average martial-arts films, solidified by the engaging final act and a powerhouse fight scene.

Also, Trimble's mullet must be noted. That thing was mighty.

While "The Master" (aka "Lung hang tin haa") is not the best of all the Jet Li movies, then it is a fairly entertaining movie in itself. The mixture of Asian and Western film-making isn't something that speaks to just everyone. I wonder if Jackie Chan took influence from this movie for the 1995 "Rumble in the Bronx" movie as there are so many similarities.

Personally, I found "The Master" to have a bit too much comedy, as it is not something that is usually associated with Jet Li movies. And the dialogue was also quite bad at times.

The action and martial arts was well-choreographed and executed, which was as expected. And this is what keeps the movie interesting.

If you enjoy Jet Li movies then there are far better movies available. But at least it should be seen once if you enjoy his movies and martial arts skills.

"The Master" is entertaining enough for what it is, but don't expect anything extraordinary.