Man of Tai Chi (2013)

A young martial artist's unparalleled Tai Chi skills land him in a highly lucrative underworld fight club.

Director:

Keanu Reeves

Writer:

Michael G. Cooney

Stars:

Tiger Hu Chen, Keanu Reeves, Karen Mok

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tiger Hu Chen	...	'Tiger' Chen Lin Hu
Keanu Reeves	...	Donaka Mark
Karen Mok	...	Inspector Suen Jing Si
Hai Yu	...	Master Yang
Qing Ye	...	Ching Sha
Simon Yam	...	Superintendent Wong
Yasuyuki Hirata	...	Thin Man
Brian Siswojo	...	Gong Au Young
Michael Tong	...	Shek Kuan
Sam Lee	...	De-Ming
Jiulong Guo	...	Old Commentator
Huang Jiang Xiang	...	Young Commentator
Zihan Xia	...	Li Hung
Sung-jun Yoo	...	Chi Tak
Iko Uwais	...	Gilang Sunjaya

Storyline

Tiger Chen is a Tai Chi student who is rather rebellious and uses Tai Chi to fight despite his master's concerns. When the temple where he studies get threatened from modern redevelopment, he fights in an underground fight club to get money the temple needs. However he soon realizes that his employer has other negative motives.

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Plot Keywords:

martial arts | tai chi | temple | chinese | martial art | 

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Taglines:

No rules. No mercy. Pure fighting.

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

The correct spelling of Tai Chi is T'ai Chi. T'ai Chi is shortened for T'ai Chi Ch'uan and the meaning of it is "Supreme Ultimate Fist".

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Quotes

Master Yang: You must meditate.
'Tiger' Chen Lin Hu: Why?
Master Yang: To clear your mind, guide your Chi and gain control.
'Tiger' Chen Lin Hu: I have control.
Master Yang: No, you have power not control.
'Tiger' Chen Lin Hu: Power is control.
Master Yang: That is an illusion.
'Tiger' Chen Lin Hu: It is not an illusion... it's reality. I live in it, you don't. What I learn here I can't use out there.
Master Yang: How can you use what you have not yet learned? Only when you've dispelled these illusions, will you find your way again.

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Connections

Referenced in Showreel: Lauren and Toni at the Movies (2013)

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Soundtracks

Respect (RTPK)
Written by Eddie Chung, Ghost Style, Kitt, Phat and SIR JBS
Performed by 24Herbs

User Reviews

Excellent directorial début by Reeves

I liked what I saw in the trailer, but was still not sure what Keanu Reeves would do as a director. I have heard from him in many interviews how he is a 'kung-fu film nut' but you can never be sure if actors are serious in interview or not. Once you see this movie, you can tell just how much of a kung-fu film nut he actually is. He used the camera very well in every single fight scene, none of the shaky-cam stuff we see in most action and kung-fu movies today - where the speed of the camera makes the pacing of the fight. On the contrary in Man of Tai Chi Reeves keeps the camera stationary, or only slowly panning in the fight scenes, he also used a lot fewer quick-camera cuts. Essentially he allowed the impressiveness of the moves and styles themselves to shine through. If you choreograph the fights well enough the camera does not need to be moving fast, in fact it could sit in one place and not move at all and the fight is still impressive. He still need to work a bit on his dramatic direction but he has fight scenes down pat. If he somehow reads this, or someone who knows him does - don't change a thing with your fight direction.

Details

Country:

USA China Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English Mandarin

Release Date:

5 July 2013 (China)

Also Known As:

Man of Tai Chi

Filming Locations:

Beijing, China

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$61,054, 3 November 2013

Gross USA:

$100,144

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,464,885

Company Credits

Production Co:

China Film Group Corporation (CFGC), Company Films, Dalian Wanda Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1