Plot: What’s it about?
Sing (Stephen Chow) is a simple man, one who collects garbage to earn income, but he has some big dreams. As a master of shaolin kung fu, he wants to share his passion for the art by taking to normal people, even those who wouldn’t normally be interested. In order to do so, he must come up with a system in which people could use kung fu in their normal lives, not just to keep in shape or be able to defend themselves. He has tried and tried to find that perfect idea, but his schemes have all fallen apart. His brother Iron Head has pitched on numerous plans, only to see them all end in failure and his own woes. A new plot has the two brothers in a shaolin band, but it too fails and both men are beaten up. But when Sing faces down with the attackers and has to rely on a soccer ball as his weapon, he realizes what must be done. He teams up with a former soccer star who was wronged by the current ringleader of the sport, then takes on the world of soccer. His team consists of his eclectic brothers and some hooligans, not exactly a great start. But when the shaolin arts begin to take hold, the team smokes the competition and starts to rise. The reigning champions haven’t lost in a long while, but Sing’s team is hopeful. Can he lead his band of underdogs against the unbeatable evil team, or will they be crushed in the end?
After immense success elsewhere, Miramax chose to wait on a U.S. release of Shaolin Soccer, which turned to one long hesitation. Now after three years on the shelf, Shaolin Soccer has been released, as a direct to video edition. A few theatrical screenings were held, but its a shame this movie wasn’t given more of a chance. This movie combines all of the cliches of sports movies, the wild martial arts of old school kung fu cinema, and special effects marvels, to conjure up one hell of a fun motion picture. Stephen Chow (God of Cookery, The Tricky Master) not only turns in a solid lead performance, but he also directs with great skill and proves he is one of the foremost talents in the world of comedic cinema. His costars are superb as well, a group perfectly chosen for their roles, especially Vicki Zhao (So Close, The Duel). She shines in her role here, able to bring across the humor in broad strokes. As expected, the special effects are a touch behind the times, but they mesh with the material to perfection. The story is your basic sports movie, a band of misfits who want to be the best, all for their own reasons. But Chow is able to make Shaolin Soccer a cut above the rest, at least in terms of overall fun. The original Cantonese version is included here as a bonus, but don’t even bother with the English language edition. This film deserves a Special Edition, but for fans, the movie alone is reason to snag this release.
Video: How does it look?
Shaolin Soccer is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I wouldn’t call this a reference level presentation, but it does offer a great visual experience. As expected from such a recent release, the print is almost pristine and I detected no softness, at least none that wasn’t part of the intended visual scheme. The detail level here is very, very high and that means crisp, sharp visuals at all times, so the visuals really shine. The colors are bold and bright, with no instances of bleeds or smears, even when the richest hues are on screen. I found no problems with the contrast either, which yields refined and well balanced black levels throughout. A few small flaws keep it from being perfect, but this is still an excellent treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not to be outdone, the audio is also quite remarkable, thanks to an excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. This track is loaded with explosive presence, so the surrounds have to work hard throughout the presentation.You’ll hear stadium sounds from all directions, as if you were there too and of course, that enhances the experience. A ton of creative audio use can be found in this track, so not only do the elements sound good, they are presented in fresh, natural fashion. No dialogue is lost in the mix either, so all the vocals remain clean and clear. This disc also includes an English language version of the movie (which is also heavily cut), a French language track, as well as optional English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Unless you count the original Cantonese version as a supplement, this edition is as bare as Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard.
