Stephen Chow had a decent career before he directed Shaolin Soccer but there's no denying that it was this film that "made" his name well-known to film fans worldwide and viewing the final result shows just why he gained that recognition.
Shaolin Soccer is a fairly simple tale of a wronged man with the chance to regain some self-respect and maybe even a little revenge along the way. It involves soccer, of course. And kung fu.
Chow, who also co-wrote the thing, plays a young man who has a dream of a world where everyone uses kung fu to improve their lives. That dream looks one step closer to becoming a reality when an older, crippled man asks if he can train him and his "brothers" to make them into a soccer team. And so the doors are open for some of the most amusing, craziest, ridiculously entertaining soccer/kung fu antics ever seen in modern cinema.
This film has a bit of everything. The special effects are decent enough for the most part but even when they're far from perfect that doesn't detract from the sheer spirit of enjoyment that the movie has. The jokes are very funny and come pretty thick and fast, there's a little bit of romance and the incorporation of kung fu into everyday activities is well done and fun to watch.
The cast all do well, defined more by their character's main skills than any other acting criteria, and Chow makes for an immensely likable leading man, bubbling over with his enthusiasm for kung fu and always maintaining the moral high ground when faced with increasingly evil opponents on the soccer pitch.
Some fans may prefer Kung Fu Hustle, which is also a fantastic movie, but Shaolin Soccer is every inch the equal of that movie and should be enjoyed by as many people as possible. It also happens to feature my favourite ever Bruce Lee homage, despite stiff competition.
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