Archive for the ‘Shaolin Girl’ Category
Cinema: This Chow Fans Won’t Stomach
You don’t want to mess with them.
OPENS TODAY
SHAOLIN GIRL
Directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro.
Starring Kou Shibasaki, Toru Nakamura, Yosuke Eguichi, Kitty Zhang Yu, Lam Tze Chung, Kai Man Tin, Takashi Okamura.
FIRST, we had Shaolin Soccer. Then came Kung Fu Hustle. And now, there is Shaolin Girl. What do all three movies have in common? Stephen Chow.
In this Japanese movie touted to be a mix between Shaolin Soccer and Japanese TV drama Pride, Chow is a consultant.
Although Chow does not have a direct role in it, his two cronies Lam Chi Chung and Kai Man Tin do - being as ridiculous as ever doing the Stephen Chow-style of comedy proud.
The film centres on a Rin (Kou Shibasaki), a girl who is determined to take over her grandfather’s kung fu dojo (martial arts school). In preparation for this, she spends a gruelling period training at the Shaolin Temple in China.
But upon her return to Japan, Rin finds the dojo (martial arts school) abandoned and in ruins. She tracks down her teacher Kenji Iwai (Yosuke Eguichi) only to find him the owner of a dingy Chinese eatery with no intention of getting involved in kung fu again.
However, Rin is not discouraged and is determined to restore her grandfather’s school to its former glory, but this is easier said than done. She is befriended by Iwai’s workers, Ming (Kitty Zhang Yu), Ting (Kai Man Tin) and Lam (Lam Tze Chung).
Ming decides to take up kung fu under Rin’s tutelage but asks that she joins her university’s lacrosse team in return.
Rin’s exceptional ability is an advantage but her exuberance disrupts the game instead. So, Iwai takes it upon himself to coach the team while teaching Rin the finer points of martial arts.
Just when things are going well, she catches the attention of Yuichiro Oba (Toru Nakamura), the president of the university.
The man was involved in her grandfather’s death and his school’s ruin. Now he is after her.
Shaolin Girl might have the drawing power of Stephen Chow as its consultant, but it sorely lacks the allure of his movies.
Lam and Kai are like fish out of water and even the lead, (Shibasaki) and the Japanese beauties who comprise the lacrosse team fail to impress.
Even the presence of several of Japan’s top actors in the movie cannot save it from mediocrity.
Nakamura’s character is not developed enough. Showing off his perfectly toned abs is not going to do it.
Fortunately, Eguichi’s character has more substance and a pleasure to watch.
The weak plot is further sabotaged by the suggestion that the characters are in possession of supernatural powers. Somehow this spoils it for the movie.
The finale where Shibasaki battles Nakamura is also a let-down.
All in, Shaolin Girl just doesn’t have oomph.
New Straits Times
Shaolin Soccer It Most Certainly Isn’t
SINGAPORE : Here’s a fool-proof formula to film-making: All you have to do is combine some of the most lucrative properties of Asian cinema (also known as gongfu comedy), base your story on a hugely-successful smash hit of similar name (Shaolin Soccer, in this case), throw in some kawaii Japanese girls, and there you go - instant hit!
Unless your movie is Shaolin Girl.
Stephen Chow’s gongfu comedy Shaolin Soccer was an immense success back in 2001, but he famously resisted any direct sequels, choosing to join forces with Japanese producer Chihiro Kameyama (Bayside Shakedown) to make this Japanese spin-off instead.
The set-up is almost the same; the result, unfortunately, vastly different.
Like the original, the story revolves around cutesy Shaolin prodigy Rin, who gets to show off her skills when she joins the university lacrosse team.
Like all other martial arts flicks, the lone warrior with superpower abilities must learn to become a team player.
Thus, the film turns into a strange videogame-esque action film in which our misunderstood heroine must fight through a pagoda of henchmen to save her friend (CJ7’s Kitty Zhang) from the evil university president, whose main hobby seems to be working out topless.
Yes, it is all true, we kid you not.
The film starts off with a couple of easy first laughs at the fun, almost cartoony visuals of super-sonic speeding balls that glow with fire, and the male audience will be satiated by scenes of uniform-clad girls acting all adorable in typical Japanese fashion.
However, not even the inclusion of two of the Shaolin brothers from the original can hide the fact that this convoluted groan-inducing film lacks the punch, or the focus, to do any justice to its Chinese predecessor. -
Channel News Asia