Man Of Tai Chi hits blu-ray & DVD on December 10th from RadiusTWC and Anchor Bay Films.
Man Of Tai Chi is a very spiritual kung fu film, but don’t ask Keanu Reeves to talk to you about it. I can’t deny I have been prepping that first sentence of this review in my brain ever since I asked a question about the spiritual content of the movie during a Q&A session for the film at Fantastic Fest in which Keanu Reeves shut me the hell down. I guess the phrasing of my question allowed him an out, so when I asked, “How important were the spiritual elements of the script when you were on set crafting the film?”, he essentially said “So important, we made a whole movie about it.” He then promptly moved on and I firmly resolved (again) to never ask questions in a Q&A session; a solemn vow I’ve already reneged on. To be honest, getting shut down by Keanu Reeves (while in the same room as both he and Alex Winter of Bill And Ted fame) has made for a much better story than if he had earnestly answered my (totally legitimate) question. And Keanu’s overall presence at Fantastic Fest, not to mention the incredibly fun film he chose to create in his directorial debut, ended up completely impressing me with Keanu Reeves all over again.
Make no mistake, it is an incredibly impressive feat for an actor to branch out into directing. It has happened often enough over the years for some of us to potentially downplay the significance. But it doesn’t happen FAR more often than it does. And even then, it doesn’t always goes well. With Man Of Tai Chi, Keanu Reeves has crafted a genuine kung fu movie in the most classic sense imaginable. And he made a bevy of wise choices which yielded a re-watchable and significant entry in B-kung-fu cinema.
Wise decision number one was to cast his Matrix fight trainer Tiger Chen in the lead role of Tai Chi student Tiger, instead of attempting to force himself into the lead role. Reeves is open about the fact that he does not practice martial arts and only knows “movie martial arts”. Chen isn’t necessarily the most charismatic leading man I’ve ever watched, but his grace and physicality onscreen are undeniable and that is potentially more important in a film like this than dimensionality or range. Reeves DID, however, cast himself as Donaka, the evil underground fighting ring magnate who will stop at nothing in his quest to taint Chen’s innocence and tempt him to use the power of Tai Chi to kill. Reeves is having an absolute blast in this role, going over the top as an almost(?) demonic presence in the physical world. He screams at the camera, judges the living and the dead, he buys Lamborghinis with the point of a finger. Oh, and he fights, too. Gloriously so.
And aside from the smart choice of casting fight/stunt veteran but first time leading man Chen, he also sought out all-time great fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping to orchestrate the action of Man Of Tai Chi, and the results are right there on screen for all to see. Yes, there is a fair amount of evident wire work throughout the film. And while I prefer the mostly “wireless” brand of action proffered by the likes of Scott Adkins and Isaac Florentine, or Iko Uwais and Gareth Evans, once can’t deny that wire work is its own unique art form and a hallmark of Chinese Kung Fu films of the last several decades. One can’t simply dismiss the presence of wires, one must ask whether they are used to great effect. And I’d argue that they very much are here in Man Of Tai Chi. Reeves and cinematographer Elliot Davis (Out Of Sight, Twilight) opt to cover Wo Ping’s choreography with smooth, fluid camera work. Wires offer a certain amount of fluidity naturally, as does the style of Tai Chi. So I’m happy to report that you’ll be able to see these action sequences, and often in long, unbroken takes. The fights vary in location, in lighting, and in style JUST enough to keep things interesting.
The greatest fights in the world can’t compensate for a total lack of story, however, and screenwriter Michael G. Cooney (primarily having written for video games like Resident Evil 6 and Lost Planet up until now) has us covered there. While the story is classical and somewhat minimalist, it is highly effective. Tiger is trained by a traditional master (Hai Yu) in an isolated temple. When the temple is threatened, Tiger is susceptible to Donaka’s temptations to fight for money. You then have a “serving two masters” situation going on where Tiger is potentially gaining the world but losing his soul. Good, spiritual stuff, whether you look at things from a Western perspective or an Eastern one. There is also the simple fact that Tai Chi is not often thought of as a “powerful” martial art, but rather an exercise and a discipline. Donaka scoffs at the art form, but thrills at the concept of subverting, or perverting, this peaceful art. This “A” story offers a framework for some varied and excellent fight sequences that each tell their own story. Through his actions, we see the state of Tiger’s soul. There is also a “B” story involving a female detective on the hunt for Donaka (Karen Mok) and trying to prove herself to her jerk of a boss (Major Chinese Star Simon Yam). This story has a good, efficient quality to it as well, and supports the “A” story nicely.
If there is anything at all to complain about in Man Of Tai Chi, it’d be (aside from Tiger Chen occasionally being a bit of a blank slate) the introduction of Indonesian star Iko Uwais (The Raid) who tantalizes us as Tiger’s ultimate, fight-to-the-death opponent, only to be shunned by the story. Uwais doesn’t really get to fight Chen for reasons I’ll leave vague here. I’d have loved to see Uwais unleash, or maybe not have seen him at all. But beggars can’t be choosers and I’m always happy for dudes I dig to get roles. There’s also some dodgy green screen work, but that has little to do with the fights and MIGHT even add to the fun, B-movie feel of the thing overall. But some might find these visuals distracting and you couldn’t really fault them for feeling that way.
So, when it really comes down to it, there isn’t a whole lot NOT to like in Man Of Tai Chi. Reeves should be praised for crafting a wonderful, classical Kung Fu film and for assembling just the right team to knock it out of the park. The story offers enough to keep you invested, and the whole thing is paced rather impeccably. The third act offers pay off in the way of story and action sequence, both. While a small film that won’t make a ton of waves here in America, it is no less an enjoyable film that knows exactly what it is and delivers what you want from it as a result.
The Package
I felt that the film looked excellent and that this disc provides a superior viewing experience. I’ll forever value the fact that I saw Man Of Tai Chi on the big screen at Fantastic Fest, along with Tiger Chen, Reeves and Alex Winter as audience members. But at home you get a really excellent-looking film that takes advantage of shooting in China to fill your screen with scope and authentic landscape, as well as incredibly fun and well-shot martial arts action. Most of the country didn’t get a chance to see this on the big screen and this blu-ray release will be an excellent way to be introduced to the film.
The bonus features are another matter entirely when talking about this home video release. There is one behind the scenes featurette that is brief and forgettable, and then a commentary track, and that is pretty much it. But I’ve got to note that the commentary track, featuring Tiger Chen and Keanu Reeves, is one of the most bizarrely silent affairs I’ve ever listened to. The guys just kind of sit back and watch the movie, with long stretches of awkward silence throughout. Casual storytelling and production insights do creep out every once in a while, but more often than not Reeves or Chen will simply proclaim an actor’s name when they appear, or offer a city’s name when the skyline shows up on screen. Reeves offers little insight into the production of the film, and while Reeves and Chen have a clear warmth and camaraderie between them, their interplay isn’t particularly dynamic or engaging for the listener. Either way, this was a truly quixotic commentary-listening experience that I wouldn’t really recommend. A great commentary can often be an excellent bonus to an otherwise great disc. This commentary’s oddness fortunately doesn’t diminish the fun of the finished film itself, though, so you can’t really fault it too much.
Here’s a small film that offers big fun. The blu-ray package is nothing to write home about but Man Of Tai Chi is an imminently re-watchable movie for any fight fan.
And I’m Out.