Shaolin Soccer

This is a ride, more than a movie. And well, if it is a movie, it could be many more movies also. It has a story about a soccer tournament, like in a sports movie. It has a story about love, a really good one, like in a romantic movie; and it has a story about friendship, like in many kinds of movies. It surely has some other stories which I won't tell. Here, Stephen Chow took the amazing work of creating a story involving real characters in not so real, but agreeable situations. He has given each character a personality of its own; just to create comedy, with a humor that is sometimes honest and others rough. It has some great comedy moments although, coming from the characters, very peculiar ones.

It basically all comes from the characters. You have different persons, united by one thing: Shaolin Kung-Fu. And then you have one man, with one passion: Soccer. This premise helps to create human emotions in the characters. They all have a past that, for some reason, want to forget. Except one of them, who could be living in the past, and still thinks in the goodness of Shaolin Kung-Fu. He believes in it so much, that he gives speeches to people about the qualities of his culture, and the improvement it could do in society. He is right, and sooner or later, she will remind these things to some people, and they will all remember. They will all be prepared to get together again.

What a good-hearted film this is, and how it is filmed, it's beyond imagination. You will find special effects from other world. In occasions, these will seem slow for you, and you will think they are not well managed or handled; but then you will watch. Watching will make you connect all the elements of the story, to make it one. In elements I include special effects, and say again: they couldn't be done better, especially in a movie like this one.

The actors do a great job, the entire cast. They give their characters, the personal development they need. They are not playing the most complex people in the world, but they still know what characters they're playing.

You will probably find something you've seen before, I can't deny that. You will find the ending you expect, the situations you imagine, the resolutions you anticipate, or not. You'll have the old coach, the person with the dreams and the heart, the girl; it's just that you'll have them differently (you'll realize what I mean).

The truth is, that in a world full of clichés, this is another type of cliché. A very different one. So different that I would say it is not a cliché at all.

I've seen this movie many, many, many, many, many & many times. A friend recommended this to me and unfortunately that's still the only way people in europe know about this movie: from mouth to mouth. Absolutely one of the most brilliant comedies i've ever seen. Must see. Won't tell anything else.

Wow, I was really surprised by this movie. It is totally unique, I've never seen anything else like it. There is a very charming love story, and the effects are really cool. The idea of combining kung fu with soccer is very original.... even though it's so bizarre, you'll find yourself asking why nobody has done anything like this before. I laughed constantly throughout this movie and went out and bought it a few days after I first saw it.

I would recommend it to everyone I know. This is the best Asian comedy since the heyday of Jackie Chan and "Fighting Benny"! Go see it, buy it, whatever, just make sure you do see this film.

I would be surprised if there is not a sequel. This film should have been released theatrically in the US; I've heard Miramax handled it. Sorry guys you lost millions of dollars, this film would have been a smash hit. They probably just didn't think that soccer would sell in America, but word of mouth would have sold this movie very well.

Or: the funniest movie I've seen this decade! I was expecting a moderate little asian comedy worthy about an IMDB 7 TOPS, but at the end, I was forced to give this 9 points! See, no other comedy has actually brought me to tears laughing in recent history! Either mr. Chow is a genius or he's one lucky sonova. See, "Shaolin soccer" just happens to press all the right buttons, and in right places! In the little "relief" spots it's as dramatic as it's supposed to be, and the rest, it's big, big, BIG laughs all the way. HIGHLY recommended! P.S. If you don't like this movie, your heart must be made of stone and you have absolutely NO sense of humour. My condolences.

This film was seen as something of a surprise. Having only heard of Shaolin Soccer on the net, and seen a teaser for the film, I thought nothing more of it until given the opportunity to go and watch the UK release. My initial disappointment with the dubbing (I am a subtitle die-hard) was soon overcome with admiration of how far HK cinema has come. Imagine the FX expertise of the Matrix with the comedy of Jackie Chan fused into a somewhat generic football film. In a word, a brilliantly scripted and often funny film. Many moments are extremely funny, with the over-the-top storyline made famous by HK, and also the very touching moments with the acne-ridden baker girl/love interest as she is only accepted for what she is. It feels as if there is more to the love story in the original cut of the film, as the story occasionally skipped in places, like a bad DVD. But the overall story is not affected, it moves sedately at first, which is good, as the excessive use of Kung-fu and Football are shown in increasingly ridiculous stages. The final goal reminds me of Hot-Shot Hamish, for those that read the comics. Worth seeing, and I can't wait for the DVD - providing it has the original cut, and subtitles.