Nan bei Shao Lin

A good film by Shaw brothers, humor and action are center stage. I would have to say that the writing could've been better, but, it does not kill the movie.

There were some really nice fight sequences, and some really colourful spectacle. I really enjoyed the visuals.

I watched this on amazon prime and they only seemed to have a dubbed copy available, which is unfortunate, cause the English dubbing on martial arts film is always dreadful. Everyone talked like 1930s actors, which made it very difficult to take anyone seriously.

It was pretty draggy at times. I thought at one point, wow, this is a really long movie, only to discover that it is 90 minutes, (The right length!) and that I was 1 hour and 22 minutes in. This could have been an hour instead.

There were some theological inconsistancies that I think were supposed to be a large part of the plot, but fell a bit flat. We can put some of that blame on the dubbing I'm sure.

This great film brings together Jet Li and titan-of-a-martial-arts-director Lau Kar-Leung (Seven Swords, Drunken Master II, among scores of others).

Jet Li plays Zhi Ming, a monk in one of the northern shaolin schools who learns that the man who killed his parents, Lord He Suo, is holding a birthday celebration. He leaves the monastery without permission on a quest for vengeance. During the assassination attempt he joins up with Sima Yan and Chao Wei, also wronged by He Suo and out for revenge.

This film is not only chock full of great fights superbly choreographed, but also has plentiful demonstrations of kung fu as the beautiful martial art form that it is. The traditional Chinese dragon dance and drumming at He Suo's birthday celebration is also captivating.

Another strength is the unparalleled scenes for some of these fights - from the Great Wall, to ancient temples, to green valleys surrounded by breathtaking mountainous panoramas. This movie makes you want to travel to China.

Definitely recommended for fans of the genre.

I saw this movie on the big screen here in boston a few weeks ago. I loved it. this was the jet back then, before he was lassoed down by the hong kong choreographers who are still wondering, 'til today, what to do with a five-time wushu champion of China. Jet got to show off his staff work, his broadsword, mantis fist, bagua zhang (the same kungfu the Evil Jet used in The One), his made up shaolin lohan fist, not to mention the kicks that he'd hardly perform anymore.

Lau Karleung had a lot to do with the fights looking so good as well, the fight scenes in first and second shaolin temple looked too much like live wushu sparring sets, too demo-like, but in this film Lau KarLeung really worked hard on intensifying the fight scenes and stylizing the hand-to-hand combat scenes. There were so many fight scenes, and each one of them looked different, emphasized on a different style/ technique...etc. There was even a fight scene with Jet dressed like a girl, pretending that he didn't know kungfu, and somehow defeating a bunch of soldiers. this was also the charming boyish, charismatic jet li that we hardly get to see anymore (not since Fong Sai Yuk anyways)--he was in drag, he was killing snakes for dinner, he had a crush...etc., and it was cute. The hoaky plot and music only added to it. The sentimental crap in this film wasn't too unbearable, kinda helped the film with its charms in fact.

So yeah, it was a good movie, and the fight scenes were incredible.

As for the other reviews, I think that they all got a point. But as for me, I'm a big fan of any traditional martial arts movies. And the martial arts movies of today got too much computer effects or do I need to say Wire Fu effects? Realistic fights are only viewable in old movies of movies with a low budget. I don't have a clue about the budget of this movie. But I can say that it's certainly entertaining. I can't agree more that a good movie must consist of some great soundtrack, good acting, a decent story etc. But heck, why would you watch this show for the story? Isn't a bit unreasonable to rate this movie for that aspect? None of the movies are perfect, so in this case the movie succeeds with the thing, that he's supposed to do. Yes, show us some realistic Shaolin Kung Fu.

Check it, if you like martial arts fights with a simple story. If not, then please avoid this one and look something similar like "Hero".