Posted by KB on February 2, 2011
China’s Shaolin Monastery: if you know anything about martial arts then you’ll realise this is a pretty important place. Which is why when it was confirmed that Benny Chan’s new epic, Shaolin, was to be filmed at the monastery itself, ears of martial arts fans all over the world pricked up.
Fans of the 1982 film Shaolin Temple (starring Jet Li) needn't fear the desecration of a classic; this isn't really a remake. The focus has been shifted a little from just martial arts (though the temple itself remains an integral part) and the story moved to the 1920s.
It’s a time of change for China; the early years of the republic and the era of vicious civil wars headed by feuding and equally vicious warlords. Enter Hou Jie (played by Andy Lau) and his sworn brother Cao Man (the emotastic Nicholas Tse) who take great gusto in their part in the war, generally terrorising the population. But as all good fables tell us, it’s important how you treat people on the way up, as you tend to run into them in some rather awkward situation on the way down.
As well as some fine fight scenes, Shaolin has everything you could want from a martial arts film: real Shaolin monks, plenty of bearded wisdom, white devil foreigners, inevitable instances of slapstick comedy and that flap-flap-flapping sound that always accompanies fighters in the movies.
If you’re not au fait with the Hong Kong acting scene, the cameo from Jackie Chan is actually a little distracting at first, as his is the only recognisable face, but Andy Lau (who’s quite the superstar in that part of the world) has an incredible onscreen presence.
Watch it: if it's always bugged you that they don't just pull out a gun in martial arts movies; or if you've ever wanted to see someone wrestle a horse.
by KB
We have five double passes to Shaolin up for grabs (lucky you!). To be in the running simply email us with the subject: Shaolin.
shaolin, andy lau, jackie chan, movies, martial arts, benny chan