Man of Tai Chi
Reeves is not yet the bridge between east and west moviemaking he’s aspiring to be, but considering this is his first time out of the gate of feature filmmaking, the result is only half-bad.
Man of Tai Chifollows Tiger Chen ( Tiger Hu Chen ) , a student of Tai Chi who has the ambition of proving that his traditionally peaceful style can be a unnerving system of martial arts combat . warn by his original that his ambition may be too great ( in office of symmetry in humility ) , Tiger nonetheless pursue his destination , enlisting in a local soldierlike arts rivalry .
However , when the competition reveals the accomplishment possessed by " The Man of Tai Chi " , it has the unforeseen moment of catch the aid of Donaka Mark ( Keanu Reeves ) , a brawny man of affairs who moonlights by operate a high - stakes illegal fighting circuit . Donaka imagine that in Tiger he has found a soldierlike arts master with the grampus edge - and as Tiger is draw into the entanglement of underground fight , he begins to discover that Donaka ’s instincts about his true nature may indeed be on the mark .
As the directorial introduction of Keanu Reeves , Man of Tai Chiis a somewhat confused mishmash of filmmaking styles and concepts - but thankfully , one of those conception is top - notch fight choreography . The playscript by television plot author Michael G. Cooney ( Resident Evil 6,Devil May Cry 4)is really a moderately well - gestate character dramatic play that offers real advance and ontogeny - albeit , according to some somewhat established martial art movie tropes . But simmpleness and convention prove to be effective , put up a try out - and - truthful roadmap for a pic that is , in many other style , utterly unsure of itself .
Man of Tai Chishines brightest in its middle human activity , when Tiger embarks upon an resister - by - opponent seeking to give up - ass and take name , pitting his Tai Chi elan against various other popular styles of scrap . Those sequence are probably the liberal selling level of the picture show , thanks to legendary action director / fight choreographer Yuen Woo - ping ( The Matrix ) and a combination of hard-core stuntmen and some genuine - life elite paladin . Indeed , as if playing a solo game ofStreet Fighter , Tekken- or any of the other popular engagement - genre video games - the rapid progression of visceral combat between simplistic fighting caricature ( MMA guy , Tiger - trend bozo , etc . ) is the type of introductory payoff that fans of the genre expect .
Beyond that inwardness in the middle , however , there is very little calibre film to be found . Man of Tai Chi(like its theatre director ) is the product of two worlds , but manages to be at odds with itself rather then finding proportionality . When showcasing sequence sport Reeves and his underground fighting domain , the movie looks every moment like a streamlined Hollywood action flick ; however , when it delves into Tiger ’s human beings ( and the accompanying Asian culture write up measure and themes ) the pic take on the budgeted look and overall mode of a Hong Kong martial arts bacillus - flick . It ’s a glaring ( and strange ) disparity - a sign that Reeves is still mess around with various elements of filmmaking in an attempt to find a style and articulation that is uniquely his own .
As for Reeves in front of the camera ? It ’s unreadable whether or not his crocked , deadpan delivery is an attempt at real enactment or unabashed acknowledgment and send - up of his own silver screen persona … but it ’s by all odds strange . stoical psychopath one moment , trigger-happy warrior the next - scattering of Buddhistic musings and interior decorating - the reference is just offbeat and strange down to his very name ( " Donaka Mark " ? ) . And sure , Keanu was a surprise with his warlike art abilities whenThe Matrixcame out in 1999 ; but in a modern , post - Raid : Redemptionworld , his fisticuffs just do n’t cut it on the same level , which is promptly manifest whenactualmartial creative person and stunt expert like Tiger Hu Chen andRaid : Redemptionstar Iko Uwais are resist next to him onscreen . To that goal , the movie ’s climatic fight is anything but …
warlike artist stuntman Tiger Hu Chen manages to give a sound lead man performance . He create the necessary complexness to make Tiger ’s journeying into the heart of Tai Chi duskiness a credible and compelling effect , laced with an amount of subtly and control that is surprising for an player whose trademark is animalism . Other than Chen and Reeves , it ’s only Karen Mok ( Shaolin Soccer ) who stand out from the herd of bruised and bloody athletes , playing chip - on - her - berm detective Sun Jingshi . Though regulated to the picture ’s B - storyline thread , Mok has the charisma to make the deviation into her vista worthwhile .
In the end , Man of Tai Chiis an fine way for lover of the genre to pop an good afternoon , as they morbidly explore the possible action of Keanu Reeves , the legal action movie director . Reeves is not yet the bridge between east and west moviemaking he ’s draw a bead on to be , but considering this is his first prison term out of the logic gate of feature filmmaking , the termination is only half - bad .
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Keanu Reeves directs and stars in ‘Man of Tai Chi’
Man of Tai Chiis now wreak in limited theatrical passing , and is uncommitted through Video On Demand service and digital download . It is 105 hour and is rat R for violence .
Man of Tai Chi is a martial arts film directed by Keanu Reeves in his directorial debut . It star Tiger Hu Chen as a skilled Tai Chi practitioner who is entice into an underground conflict social club . As he ascends through the ranks , he grapples with the moral implications and the potential corruption of his traditional value while combat unpitying opponents . Reeves also stars as the enigmatic organizer of the fight nightclub .
Keanu Reeves directs and stars in ‘Man of Tai Chi’
Tiger Hu Chen in ‘Man of Tai Chi’
