Man of Tai Chi

Director: Keanu Reeves Keanu Reeves

Overview

China's last remaining tai chi student gets lured into the deadly world of underground fighting in this martial arts film that marks the feature directorial debut of Keanu Reeves, who also co-stars. An apparent relic in the world of martial arts, Tiger Chen (played by the actor of the same name) is the last living student of tai chi. Despite the obvious mastery on display as he quickly defeats his hulking rival in Beijing's Wu Lin Wing Championships, he seems to have a particularly difficult time harnessing his chi, and that lack of control serves him well when he decides to earn some extra money fighting for the mysterious Donaka Mark (Reeves) in a lucrative underground fighting tournament. Chen needs the cash to support his parents and to save his temple from being demolished by an eager squad of real-estate developers. At first the money comes easy: Even the larger opponents are no match for Chen, whose formidable fighting style seems to evolve with each successive match. Later, when he discovers that his efforts to save the temple may have been in vain, his uncontrollable rage plunges him deeper into the dangerous competition than ever before. Meanwhile, the elusive Mark has already slipped away from Hong Kong police inspector Suen Jing-Si (Karen Mok) once, and she'll do whatever it takes to ensure that it doesn't happen again.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/10/2013
UPC:	0013132612812
Original Release:	2013
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:45:00
Sales rank:	30,870

Special Features

Feature commentary with director/actor Keanu Reeves and Tiger Chen; The making of Man Of Tai Chi

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Keanu Reeves	Donaka Mark
Tiger Hu Chen	Chen Lin-Hu - Man of Tai Chi,Actor
Karen Mok	Sun Jingshi (Captain of Hongkong Police Officer)
Iko Uwais	Gilang Sanjaya
Simon Yam-Wong	Actor
Silvio Simac	Uri Romanov
Oing Ye	Oingsha
Jeremy Marinas	MMA Fighter
Helene Leclerc	Female Announcer
Sun-jung Yoo	Chi-Tak
Steven Dasz	VIP Audience
Michael Paul Chan	Voice of Police Officer #1,Voices,Police Officer #1,Composer
Yu Hai-Yang	Actor
Brahime Achabbakhe	Taekwondo Fighter
Ocean Hou	Hard Style Fighter
Michael Tong	Yuan
Ni Haifeng	Dragon Shape
Alain Ngalani	Boxer
Li Xingping	Zi-An
Ju Kun	Chou Ping (Southern Fist)
Wang Xiao	Lawyer
Wolfgang Bern	Helicopter Pilot
Chen Chao	Zi-Hou
Zhao Xiao Dong	New Delivery Guy
Han Feixing	Mongolian
Xia Zi Han	Li Hung
Liu Wen Huan	Courier Co. Manager
He Jun	Liu Gi (Crane)
Guo Jiu Long	Old Commentator
Zhou Min	Landlady
Wu Ming	Actor
Yu Na	Mrs. chen
Gong Cheng Qi	Coach
Troy Sandford	Chi Tak Opponent
Brian Siswojo	Gong Au Young,Gong Au Young
Wu Yong Tai	Shopkeeper
Jiang Wei	Referee #2
Huang Jiang Xiang	Young Commentator
Yin Chun Xiong	Zi-Long (San Shou)
Tan Wei Ya	Mr. Chen
Hao Yang	UPCS Director
Hirata Yasuyuki	Thin Man
Simon Yam	Wong
Brahim Chab	Taekwondo Fighter
Zha Ka	Mongolian
Sam Lee	Tak Ming

Technical Credits

Keanu Reeves

Michael G. Cooney

Keanu Reeves	Director,Screenwriter
Michael G. Cooney	Screenwriter,Screenwriter
Lemore Syvan	Producer
Daxing Zhang	Producer,Executive Producer
Noah Weinzweig	Producer
Poping Auyeung	Casting
Allison Lok Kam Yuen	Production Manager
Jason Pomerantz	Production Manager
Brahime Achabbakhe	Stunts
Sharon Miller	Producer
Bruce Law	Stunts
Woo Ping Yuan	Action Director
Zhao Fang	Executive Producer
Han San Ping	Executive Producer
Ellen Eliasoph	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

Screenwriter Michael G. Cooney takes a surprisingly philosophical approach to the standard underground-fight flick, and first-time director Keanu Reeves balances it with some impressively staged action scenes in Man of Tai Chi -- a solid martial-arts film that injects just enough fresh material into the mix to keep us guessing exactly where this violent tale is going. With some unique aesthetic approaches to distinguish his debut feature from the rest of the pack, Reeves displays a welcome willingness to play with the parameters of the standard structure; in addition, he compliments his writer's strengths with some dazzling, supernaturally fluid fight choreography by the great Yuen Woo Ping. After a brief underground fight in which we see a contestant killed for refusing to finish his opponent, we find talented young tai chi student Tiger Chen (played by the actor of the same name) training with his wise and powerful master. An apparent relic in the world of martial arts, Chen is the last living student of tai chi. Despite the obvious mastery on display as he quickly defeats his hulking rival in Beijing's Wu Lin Wing Championships, he seems to have a particularly difficult time harnessing his chi, and that lack of control serves him well when he decides to earn some extra money fighting for the mysterious Donaka Mark (Reeves) in a lucrative underground fighting tournament. Chen needs the cash to support his parents and to save his temple from being demolished by an eager squad of real-estate developers. At first the money comes easy: Even the larger opponents are no match for Chen, whose formidable fighting style seems to evolve with each successive match. Later, when he discovers that his efforts to save the temple may have been in vain, his uncontrollable rage plunges him deeper into the dangerous competition than ever before. Meanwhile, the elusive Mark has already slipped away from Hong Kong police inspector Suen Jing-Si (Karen Mok) once, and she'll do whatever it takes to ensure that it doesn't happen again. Man of Tai Chi isn't likely to have a major impact on the world of action cinema, but given his history in the genre, Reeves seems to know instinctively what his audience wants and serves it up with the sure hand of a perceptive pro who's worked with the best in the business. The fight scenes in Man of Tai Chi are energetic and exciting, and Cooney does an impressive job of balancing them with the surprisingly meditative story of the film, which refreshingly doesn't hinge on revenge or a rescue mission for momentum. Cooney has bigger things on his mind, and he isn't afraid to tackle some topics that aren't addressed in the standard action movie. Still, the philosophical musings of the plot never detract from the action, which repeatedly gives the deceptively slight Chen an opportunity to earn his status as a total badass and a capable leading man. Chen the character is an impassioned yet likable everyman, and Chen the actor does a good job of making us root for him -- even after we sense that he has become hopelessly corrupted. Conversely, Reeves is surprisingly loathsome following a brutal introduction that echoes throughout the film. Lamentably, talented Hong Kong veterans Mok and Simon Yam get somewhat lost in the mix, as they do their best with what little the screenplay has to offer them; the less said about the underutilization of tae kwon do champion Silvio Simac and The Raid star Iko Uwais, the better. As much as Man of Tai Chi might disappoint in minor respects, however, overall it proves to be a surprisingly thoughtful tale of struggle and redemption. So even when the conflicted character at the center of the story seems to lose his way, the director telling that story maintains a steady stance and proves that the patience it took to learn from the masters was time well spent.