Man of Tai Chi
| Man of Tai Chi | |
|---|---|
 China poster | |
| Directed by | Keanu Reeves |
| Produced by |
Lemore Syvan Daxing Zhang |
| Written by | Michael G. Cooney |
| Starring |
Keanu Reeves Tiger Chen Iko Uwais Karen Mok Simon Yam |
| Music by | Chan Kwong-wing |
| Cinematography | Elliot Davis |
| Edited by | Derek Hui |
Production company | |
| Distributed by |
United States: RADiUS-TWC Canada: Entertainment One Australia/New Zealand/Singapore: Roadshow Entertainment China: China Film Group Wanda Media International: Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country |
China United States |
| Language |
Mandarin Cantonese English[1] |
| Budget | US$25 million[2] |
| Box office | US$5.5 million[3] |
Man of Tai Chi is a 2013 Chinese-American martial arts film directed by and starring Keanu Reeves in his directorial debut, and co-stars Tiger Chen, Iko Uwais, Karen Mok and Simon Yam.[4][5][6] Man of Tai Chi is a multilingual narrative, partly inspired by the life of Reeves' friend, stuntman Tiger Chen.
Plot
Tiger Chen is the sole student of his elderly master's Ling Kong Tai Chi style. While Tiger excels in the physical aspects of his training, Master Yang struggles to instill in Tiger the philosophical aspects, and fears for his character. Tiger harbors a determined ambition to prove the martial effectiveness of the style, as he competes in the local Wulin (武林) contest. In the meantime, HKPD officer Sun-Jing Shi has been leading an investigation into Security System Alliance (SSA), a private security firm owned by the mysterious Donaka Mark. Suspected of hosting an illegal fighting operation, Sun-Jing turns one of Donaka's fighters into a mole, but he is discovered and personally killed by Donaka. Despite the setbacks, Sun-Jing wants to continue investigating, but without any evidence Superintendent Wong has the case closed. Believing the evidence would eventually come through, Sun-Jing secretly continues investigating Donaka and things change with Tiger's involvement.
Short of a fighter, Donaka searches for his next great fighter and espies Tiger during the Wulin Competition. Seeing Tai Chi as something different and noticing an innocence within Tiger's eyes, he sends an invitation to Tiger for a job opportunity at the SSA. Tired of his menial courier job, Tiger decides to take a chance and is flown over to Hong Kong for the job interview. However, soon after he arrives for the interview, he is attacked but subdues his opponent. It is a test of his combat ability. Donaka welcomes him and offers him great financial rewards for joining his underground fighting ring. Tiger, however, refuses as it would compromise his honor by fighting for money. Donaka however has other means of persuasion.
The following day, investigators arrive and have the temple declared structurally unsafe with Master Yang to be evicted and the temple demolished for real estate development. Unclear on the legal system, Tiger seeks help from Qing Sha, a paralegal friend and his love interest. With Qing-Sha's help, he finds a means to save the temple through historic preservation and government protection. However, even though the law prevails on their side, the temple's dilapidated status requires emergency repairs within a month's time and a lot of money. Tiger finally relents to Donaka's offer and decides to fight to preserve the temple.
Tiger excels in all his combat challenges. With every match he wins large sums of money. He also evolves and enhances his own combat abilities. His path allows him to repair the Ling Kong Temple, quit his courier job, lavish his parents with presents, and quickly rise in the Wulin Competition. His budding romantic relationship with Qing Sha also appears to be doing well. However, with every battle, the challenges became more brutal and darkens Tiger's spirit. Master Yang notices the change in Tiger's combat abilities and warns him of the dangers of not mending his ways. Unfortunately, Tiger doesn't see a problem with his situation and continues to enjoy life. Little does he realize Donaka has corrupted him.
In a two-against-one fight, Tiger wins but develops a ruthless attitude and brings that mentality into the Wulin Competition. Breaking the rules of friendly and honorable competition he viciously injures his opponent, which results in him being disqualified from the competition. Master Yang witnesses this on TV and is shocked at his pupil's ruthlessness. When Tiger comes to train with Master Yang, they have an intense fight rather than a respectful spar. Despite his advanced age, Master Yang holds his own and is finally forced to use his internal chi energies to palm-strike Tiger, repelling him away. Still loving his student, though, he continues to advise Tiger to return to the path of peace, but Tiger rejects his master's good intentions and leaves him saddened. Things worsen when he finds that his petition to gain historical protection for his temple has been rejected. A disappointed Qing-Sha reveals that Tiger's vicious actions at the Wulin Competition swayed her director's decision. Enraged, he demands that the director explain herself and she reasons that his actions don't reflect the claimed honor and nobility of his temple's philosophy. She therefore favours real estate development instead.
Still raging from what happened, Tiger demands a fight and Donaka has Tiger face the killer mercenary, Uri Romanov. Using his rage, he quickly defeats Uri and is at the point of killing him, but refuses. Donaka appears in a black mask to finish off Uri. Tiger had had enough of underworld combat and wants to leave, but Donaka laughs at Tiger's belief that quitting was a choice he had. Realizing he's trapped, Tiger decides to reach out to the police. However, unknown to Tiger, Donaka has had every aspect of Tiger's life recorded and has Donaka's cameraman Gong report on Tiger's plan to defect. Donaka decides to implement a contingency plan.
Now "secretly" working with the police, Donaka sets up a private tournament for a death match. Sun-Jing secretly trails Tiger's escort to reach the secret tournament, but her car is violently knocked off the road by a garbage truck. Sun-Jing survives the attack and contacts her squad for assistance and discovered Superintendent Wong commanded Communications to prevent anyone from investigating the particular frequencies that may lead to Donaka. She realizes that Wong works for Donaka. Several hours before the tournament, a brief video reveals the private life of Tiger, shamefully revealing how exposed his life is and how Donaka manipulated him into underground combat, corrupting him as a person. Enraged, Tiger tries to attack Donaka, but is subdued by a taser. It is then that Donaka revealed his vision for Tiger: exposing his life as he slowly corrupted and made Tiger a killer before a live audience.
In the death match, Tiger is to face Gilang Sanjaya. Now fully awakened to his reality, Tiger refuses to fight, but challenges Donaka to a match instead. The match is cut short when the HKPD storm the compound and arrest everyone, including Wong. Donaka escapes capture. Back at home, Tiger is visiting the temple when he comes across Donaka. They have their own private death match when Donaka declares that Tiger owes him a life and taunts him to reveal his true nature. Tiger starts losing at first, but then re-embraces his Tai Chi training and manages to hang on. However, it still isn't enough to gain an upper hand. Donaka then forces Tiger's hand as he pulls out a knife and stabs him in the stomach. It is then that Tiger uses his internal powers to repel Donaka. Suffering from internal damage, Donaka tells Tiger he is pleased to know Tiger did have it in him to be a killer after all, and then Donaka dies on the temple grounds from the injuries inflicted by Tiger. Ironically, after the long hand-to-hand combat, Tiger wins by applying the short-distanced chi technique.
Some time later, Tiger repairs his relationship with his master. Sun-Jing has been promoted to Superintendent. Tiger reaches out to both Qing Sha's law firm and the real estate developers and all three parties reach a compromise. The temple will be part of a historical cultural village. Not only will the government protect the village, but tourists can come and visit to learn more about the 600-year history of the Ling Kong Temple. Finally putting that chapter of his life behind him, Tiger tells Qing-Sha that he intends to return to the city and open his own Tai Chi school to continue the legacy of the Ling Kong Tai Chi.
Cast
- Keanu Reeves as Donaka Mark
- Tiger Chen as Tiger Chen Linhu
- Karen Mok as Sun Jing Shi
- Simon Yam as Superintendent Wong
- Ye Qing as Qing Sha
- Yu Hai as Master Yang
- Sam Lee as Tak Ming
- Michael Tong as Policeman Yuan
- Iko Uwais as Gilang Sanjaya
- Silvio Simac as Uri Romanov
Production
Pre-production began in 2008 with years-long script refinements. During the film's five years of scripting and production, Reeves acted in several B movies with lead roles as Henry in 2010's Henry's Crime and John in 2012's Generation Um.... When the project eventually moved into the production phase, principal photography occurred on mainland China and Hong Kong.
The film originally planned to use a camera rig dubbed the "Cam-Fu". Due to technical limitations, handheld cameras were used to film the fight scenes.
Release
The film premiered in 2013 with showings at the Beijing Film Festival[7] and Cannes Film Festival.[8] It was also scheduled to be shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[9] It became available for purchase on 27 September via the iTunes Store (VOD) video on demand, and had its theatrical release in the US on November 1.
Reception
The work was awarded in Beijing and praised by action film director John Woo. It has a rating of 70% on Rotten Tomatoes.[10]
References
- ↑ Weintraub, Steve 'Frosty' (23 August 2012). "Keanu Reeves Talks SIDE BY SIDE, 47 RONIN, His Directorial Debut MAN OF TAI CHI, BILL & TED 3, and POINT BREAK LIVE". collider.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
- ↑ "Out in Theaters: MAN OF TAI CHI". Silverscreenriot.com.
- ↑ "Man of Tai Chi (2013) - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo".
- ↑ Liz Shackleton (7 June 2012). "China's new global strategy". Screen Daily. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- ↑ Al Young (2011-12-19). "Karen Mok Joins Keanu Reeves' MAN OF TAI CHI". Twitch. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
- ↑ Gavin Lower (29 June 2012). "Village Roadshow Unit Puts IPO Plans on Hold". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
- ↑ Mike Davidson (20 May 2013). "Keanu Reeves spent five years on his latest film: Why?". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ↑ Mike Davidson (20 May 2013). "Keanu Reeves makes director debut with Kung Fu film". Reuters. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ↑ "Toronto film festival 2013: the full line-up". The Guardian. London. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ↑ "Man of Tai Chi". Rotten Tomatoes. 1 November 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Man of Tai Chi. |