Warriors of Virtue (1997)

A young man, Ryan, suffering from a disability, wishes to join the other kids from his schools football team. During an initiation rite, Ryan is swept away through a whirlpool to the land ... See full summary »

Director:

Ronny Yu

Writers:

Michael Vickerman (screenplay), Hugh Kelley (screenplay),

Stars:

Angus Macfadyen, Mario Yedidia, Marley Shelton

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Angus Macfadyen	...	Komodo
Mario Yedidia	...	Ryan Jeffers
Marley Shelton	...	Elysia
Chao Li Chi	...	Master Chung (as Chao-Li Chi)
Jack Tate	...	Yun
Doug Jones	...	Yee
Don Lewis	...	Lai / Mayor Keena (as Don W. Lewis)
J. Todd Adams	...	Chi
Adrienne Corcoran	...	Tsun
Michael J. Anderson	...	Mudlap (as Michael John Anderson)
Tom Towles	...	Grillo
Lee Arenberg	...	Mantose
Dennis Dun	...	Ming
Roy Ceballos	...	Willy Beest
Jason Hamer	...	Mosely

Storyline

A young man, Ryan, suffering from a disability, wishes to join the other kids from his schools football team. During an initiation rite, Ryan is swept away through a whirlpool to the land of Tao. There he is hunted by the evil Lord Komodo, who desires the boy as a key to enter the real world. Ryan is rescued by the protectors of Tao, five humanoid kangaroos, each embued with the five elements and virtues. Ryan learns his valuable lesson while saving the land of Tao.

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Plot Keywords:

football | based on toy | martial arts | hollywood taoism | superhero | 

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Taglines:

In a world beyond your imagination a battle for the universe has begun.

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Genres:

Action | Fantasy | Adventure

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for fantasy action violence and some language

Details

Country:

USA China

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

2 May 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

A tao harcosai

Filming Locations:

Beijing, China

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,277,084 (USA) (2 May 1997)

Gross:

$6,448,817 (USA) (6 June 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

China Film Co-Production Corporation, IJL Creations, Law Brothers Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At the beginning of the scene where we're introduced to Tsun, a safetly line (to pull her up) is visible shortly before she emerges from underground.

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Quotes

Kimodo: Still nothing to say, Yee? Then I will be your voice! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

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Connections

Followed by Warriors of Virtue 2: Return to Tao (2005)

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Soundtracks

"You Can Fly"
Performed by Wade Hubbard
Written by Wade Hubbard
Produced by Wade Hubbard
Executive Producer: Barry Levine & Art Ford
Wade Hubbard Appears Courtesy of Wade Hubbard Inc.
Published by Jenny D. Music (ASCAP) & BMG Songs, Inc. (ASCAP)
All Rights Administrated by BMG Songs, Inc. (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Ninja Kangaroos?

This movie is like the little girl with the curl - when it's good it's very very good, when it's bad it's horrid. The sets are great and there are some neat effects, but for some reason whoever produced this decided to use five Ninja KANGAROOS as the heroes. I can just see the production meeting: "Hedgehogs? Noo. How about beavers? Noo. Kangaroos? Yeah, kangaroos!!".

The guy who plays Komodo (the head baddie) seems to have some talent and presence, but the director has him alternately mumbling, whining and screaming in a random pattern. The rest of the actors are an odd mix of caricatures and straight acting.

The plot and "message" are good but have been done before many times. Mr. Miyagi, oops I mean Yoda, er Obi-wan Kenobi, no I mean Master Chung keeps cropping up to spew some platitudes and even comes back after death to encourage Luke Skywalker, oops I mean Ryan, the boy hero.

This movie is not all bad and there's worse ways to waste an evening. The viewer ends up wishing, however, that the producers would have shifted some of their money away from sets and special effects and into a script and direction.