Item #: 3988 Category: LI, JET Format: VHS MPAA Rating: PG

Woolly Rating: 5/10 (159 votes)

MEMBER COMMENTS ON THIS VIDEO

Matt	Aug 17, 2001 @ 13:8:31

Jet's first movie
Come one, Come all - see a very young and bright Jet Li 'kick' his career off with a flying head start! Shaolin Temple (circa 1983) was one of a series of three Shaolin movies. I haven't seen the other two yet, though I will see no. 2 because it also has (I've heard) the irresistible delight of the kung-fu world, Polly Shang Kwan! But I won't digress for the worthy Ms. Kwan just right now. Shaolin Temple is a great movie with simply excellent choreography, and nasty villains. The shots of the Temple and the monks are excellent. Great training sequences and scenery. I've seen only about 12 of Jet's movies at this time, but this one, his first, is even better than some of his latter ones. 1983 seems significant because the last of the old-skool chop-sockys were pretty much done and the next generation was emerging. Jackie Chan had been around of course, and would survive the transition well, but Jet is visibly 'the One' who would get the modern era of [non-silly] martial arts underway. There are always touches of levity and comedy in his movies of course (well, except for Kiss of the Dragon, that was a pretty grim movie), none as funny as Last Hero of China, a Fong Sai Yuk parody and a real scream! The following synopsis of Shaolin Temple is from http://www.taiwanese.com/home/jf/kngfundx.htm: "At the end of the Sui dynasty (581 - 618 A. D.), civil rebellions were every where. The traitor, General Wang Shi-Cong, controlled mass army in the city of Dong Du, and called himself Zheng Wang, the King of Zheng. Wang heavily taxed his people and forced them to repair the shore of the Yellow River for defense. Wang appointed his nephew, Wang Ren-Ze, to be in charge of the repair. At this time, Qin Wang, the King of Qin (who was later the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty), Li Shi-Ming, already arrived to the north shore of the Yellow River with his army. Wang Ren-Ze was very unhappy with the speed the forced laborers were working, "When can we finish the repairing with these old and weak laborers?!" He ordered the captain of the guards, Bald Eagle to bring the prisoners from the rebel battles to work on the shoreline. "Little Tiger" Zhang (played by Jet Li) was in cuffs and chains, and arrived with his father "Magic Kick" Zhang to the river. Bald Eagle [a great wu-shu fighter!]complained that those people were working too slow, and before he was ready to whip to workers with his arm high, Magic Kick Zhang gave him a scissor kick, and knocked him to the ground. Bald Eagle was angry and embarrassed, he screamed with a terrifying voice, and jumped toward Zhang. Zhang used his chain cuffs as weapon, blocked, whipped, jumped, dodged, and started to fight with Bald Eagle. Suddenly, Wang Ren-Ze grabbed Zhang's foot chain from behind. Losing his balanced, Magic Kick fell on the ground, and were dragged by Wang. " And so the story begins with a pulse pounding fight! My favorite thing about this movie is the monks- they are a real treat. One of them is a 'drunken kung fu' stylist who became a monk after his wife was killed, and drinks to sooth his misery. He also drinks to kick butt! Overall, despite great kung fu, this is ultimately a light hearted affair, as are the others in the series. Well worth seeing. 7 and a half out of 10. Matt

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