Unsolicited Reviews

Shaolin Soccer

What a hoot! A very funny movie, taking the mickey out of martial arts staples whilst using them to create a new, unique take on the genre. I suspect it helps if you’ve seen a lot of chop-socky movies, though…

When the superb soccer player Golden Leg misses a crucial goal, he’s mobbed by the crowd who break his “golden leg”. Many years later, he discovers the young kung-fu expert Mighty Steel Leg who seems to be applying his incredible skills to soccer. Golden approaches Steel to form a new team, and Steel ropes in his Shaolin “brothers”. They embark on a quest to win an important soccer tournament…

Writer/director/star Steven Chow has been around Chinese cinema for years… a quick IMDB check says he started around 1982. I’ve seen several of his earlier films and they’re very funny. He seems to specialise in comedy these days.

The film is a great mix of clever martial arts stunts and great special effects—for example, when shots at goal literally scatter the opponents in the path of the ball, throwing them high into the air and all about the pitch. There’s several martial arts staples, such as the “brothers” having to find their skills again after working in dead-end jobs for several years.

There’s also a reasonable love interest in the exceptional steamed bun maker Mui. Her makeover from “ugly” to “modern” has to be seen to be believed! She looks like an 80’s nightmare, all shoulder pads and Adam Ant-style make-up.

If you frequently view and enjoy martial arts flicks, this one’s a great genre comedy and you’ll like it. If you’re not into martial arts, you’ll probably not find it really funny, but give it a try.

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