Shaolin Soccer (2004)

Thanks for the memories!

Admirable film.

Absolutely Fantastic

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

"Golden Leg" Fung was a great Hong Kong soccer star. His teammate Hung deliberately threw a game and hired a mob to break Fung's leg. Hung is now a fabulously rich and powerful chairman of the soccer tournament while Fung is a drunken has-been with a limp. Fung encounters street person "Mighty Steel Leg" Sing (Stephen Chow) who thinks Shaolin kung fu is the answer to everything. Sing meets special-powered street baker Mui with severe acne. Sing tries to promote kung fu by singing in a karaoke club with brother Iron Head. Sing refuses to fight a street gang but turns it into a super soccer demonstration. Fung tells Sing to play soccer and Sing sees an opportunity to promote kung fu with the other Shaolin brothers.I love this most for the moments of deadpan humor and its surreal touches. There are a couple of aspects that I find less funny. The first soccer game with the thugs is great but the subsequent games become less and less funny. It's a function of the same action over and over again. The other minor problem is Mui's makeover. She has emotional flip-flops that are too jarring. It's also a great opportunity for her to join the team. I wish the scene starts with the dejected team and an injured goalkeeper. By the end, they come up with an idea for her to train as the new goalkeeper. Her training could be a fun traditional addition. I love the first half and the second half isn't that bad.

Next time you are in the mood for a laugh out loud action comedy film that's both clean and wicked funny, turn to Shaolin Soccer. This wonderful film starts a rag tag group of brothers that have lost their way in Shaolin and band together to win a soccer tournament. The action and chaos that ensues is hilarious and amusing, as long as you go in knowing that it's supposed to be!Sounds ridiculous, right? That's exactly the point. The whole plot, while it works and is pretty well done, is meant to be taken very lightly. It is an absolutely goofy, absurd and high comedy gag fest that has laughs coming at rapid fire. I can't recommend this movie enough; Shaolin Soccer truly kicks grass!

Shaolin Soccer is, first and foremost, joyous. It's a live-action cartoon overflowing with enthusiasm for its subject matter, its characters, and just about everything else in the world. Plot-wise, it tells the story of a team of kung-fu experts who band together to create a super-powered soccer team and, after a lot of goofy team-building and conflict, do battle with their rivals, the literally-named Team Evil.This might not be the film to introduce people to Hong Kong cinema with -- the cinematography seems cheap in all but the most major scenes, and some of the humour is distinctly odd. Chow's follow-up movie, Kung-Fu Hustle, is a slicker and more accessible picture. But there's a lot to love about Shaolin Soccer, which has plenty of laughs and (at least in my experience) not a single dull second. Not only that, but it has a message I think a lot of people need to take to heart -- whatever you do, whether it be soccer, martial arts, making steamed buns, or singing on street corners, do your best to make it awesome.

This movie traverses the genre spectrum with broad strokes. Based on the title one could say it's a sports related film about the importance of team work, competition or triumph and failure, though this is part action, comedy and kung fu with dabs of dancing and life struggles thrown in if that wasn't enough. Most films can't handle the overload, but "Shaolin Soccer" manages to be a fun, whimsical and downright entertaining and surprising ride because there's just so much going on.The kung fu, of the CGI type, is purposely exaggerated in a fantasy/comedic way, such as high flying jumps, super-human kicks and smashing headbutts that defy logic and plausibility. Steel Leg, Stephen Chow's character, works menial jobs, although he wouldn't know it because he's got a positive outlook on whatever he does. By chance he meets up with a failed soccer player who's long past his due. Chow explains that martial arts can be applied to any way of life that involves movement: first we see a woman about to slip on a banana peel (a backflip would have saved her), next we watch someone trying to parallel park (easy, just thrust your palms to move your car), and, of course, there's soccer (which iron leg, head and shirt techniques from Shaolin temple come in handy). As you might have guessed a partnership is made and then something out of an '80s movie ensues with quick training regimens to get ready for the "big one" that will prove themselves from getting sidetracked in other areas of life."Shaolin Soccer" is overflowing with clichés, such as good vs. evil, boy meets girl, one upping your boss, the weak rise up to be strong, stand up for what you believe, etc. Though this has passion and perseverance that can rub off onto to its viewers even if someone has to go back to the real world afterwards. This is all done in an over-the-top fashion that's wacky and zany enough to fall more in league with "Roger Rabbit" than a kung fu film like "Crouching Tiger" or sports movie such as "Bend It Like Beckham."