Review of Tai Chi Boxer

Introduction

A little discipline never hurt anyone, at least that is the old platitude. Spare the rod and spoil the child is another one that used to be applied in pre PC eras, and perhaps the current chav phenomenon afflicting the suburbs of the UK is a result of a lack of discipline. Tai Chi Boxer on the other hand shows us what effect 10 years of strictly applied discipline, education and parental influence can have on a braid of hair, let alone a child`s development.

A Tai Chi master announces his retirement from the world of martial arts, to set an example for his young son, and to concentrate on his family. Over the next ten years, he devotes his time to instructing Hok Man, with his own unique form of discipline. His son`s braid is tied to a roof beam to keep him from dropping off during his studies. But for the grown Hok Man, scholarly life is stifling, and he secretly studies martial arts against his father`s wishes. Besides while he may be educated in the classroom, he lacks knowledge of the wider world. It`s when his cousin and he sneak out with his father`s prize lion costume to take part in the town`s festival that he meets Rose, a breathtaking Chinese girl who has just come back with a Western education, and with ideas about freedom and democracy. Hok Man is smitten, but in his efforts to woo Rose, he will have to deal with her jealous fiancé, the authorities that wish to crack down on subversive ideas and deadly opium smugglers. Fortunately he has a unique weapon, as ten years of hanging by his queue has made his hair tougher than iron.

Video

A remastering from Hong Kong Legends usually means stellar image quality, and Tai Chi Boxer is no exception. The image is clear and sharp throughout, and the colours in this 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer are strong and vivid. Print damage is minimal, there`s just a hint of grain, and perhaps the only thing that I really noticed was a flicker in a couple of frames. This is a film that has aged well, and looks fine today.

Audio

Sound on the other hand is less impressive. You get a choice between DD 5.1 English or Cantonese, and my own aversion to non-original language dubs led me to choose the Cantonese track. The dialogue is clear, and the action comes across well, with plenty of impact with the fight sequences. However it is firmly front focussed, and the odd moment that the surrounds are called into use, for an ominous rumble of thunder for instance, actually come as a surprise. Subtitles are available in English and Dutch, and the English subtitles are translations of the Cantonese dialogue rather than mirroring the English dub.

Features

Tai Chi Boxer gets the full HKL treatment, with animated menus and extras galore. You get the usual section advertising other HKL titles, as well as the theatrical trailers for Tai Chi Boxer. There are photo galleries, one for actress Christy Chung and another with behind the scenes stills. There is a behind the scenes montage with about 2 minutes of b-roll footage and two interviews. The first is with Christy Chung and lasts 23 minutes. It`s an enjoyable and entertaining watch as she talks about her role in Tai Chi Boxer and other films, as well as the people she has worked with. The second is with Darren Shahlavi, the villain of Tai Chi Boxer, and over 41 minutes he talks about the experience of making the film. Finally there is the ubiquitous Bey Logan commentary. The first time I encountered one of his commentary tracks, I was quite overwhelmed by the wealth of information he brings to these discs. Now a Hong Kong Legends disc would seem naked without one of his commentary tracks.

Conclusion

Tai Chi Boxer is a great deal of fun, plenty of action and comedy with perhaps the most absurd if original use of a weapon I have seen in quite a while, with Hok Man`s queue almost exhibiting its own character, on occasion even twitching with vexation. The story is a simple one that has been repeated down the ages, that of boy meets girl, falls in love, has to win her heart through the judicious use of kung fu, defeating various enemies along the way. It`s almost timeless.

Tai Chi Boxer`s period setting certainly gives it an added attraction, with social commentary from the introduction of the idea of democracy to a totalitarian state, the corruption of the weak-minded by those annoying evil foreign devils, here the pesky British East India company and their addictive opium, as well as the clash of generations as father and son find plenty to disagree about. It makes a pretty background to frame the action against, and the action is here in great quantity, with brilliantly choreographed and over the top fights. There`s plenty of wirework and bone-crushing combat, intermixed with comedy of the utmost timing and precision.

The film is made all the more enjoyable by the performances, Jacky Wu as Hok Man makes for a charismatic lead, quick to flash a mischievous grin as he plans his next exploit. His relationship with his parents adds greatly to the comedy, as he wilfully defies his father, all the time complicit with his mother as he enlists her aid to woo Rose. Christy Chung plays Rose and she has definite chemistry with Jacky. She`s more than just the standard damsel in distress and it is fun to watch their screen relationship develop. Darren Shahlavi makes for an interesting if rather generic villain. He serves his purpose as providing the menace required to motivate our heroes.

Tai Chi Boxer is simple entertainment, guaranteed to brighten the mood with its 90 minutes of comedy and action. What else can you ask for?