Shaolin Soccer

Note: The version of Shaolin Soccer I watched for this review, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2002, was dubbed. It has come to my attention that Miramax Films is considering releasing a subtitled (not dubbed) version of the film when the movie enters its regular U.S. theatrical run.

Traveling down the road leading from the sublime to the ridiculous, we come to Shaolin Soccer, a Hong Kong blockbuster that was bought by Miramax, reworked in the editing room, and is now being released for North American consumption. Shaolin Soccer doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is - a comedic action movie that often looks like an over-the-top comic book brought to life. Watching this movie in a room full of serious movie-goers who were all laughing as hard as I was, I was reminded that sometimes it's nice just to have fun.

The film's North American release does not come without some minor controversy. Fans of the Hong Kong version are irate that Miramax has gotten out the scissors and done some pruning. The original Shaolin Soccer clocked in at 1:51; Miramax's is about 1:25, which means that one-quarter of the original footage has been cut. However, while one would expect the loss of more than one reel of material to damage the flow, I didn't notice that anything was missing. Then there's the controversial issue of dubbing. Instead of using subtitles, Miramax opted to dub the film into English. And, while dubbing can make a serious film seem silly, it only serves to enhance Shaolin Soccer's lightheartedness.

Stephen Chow's crowd-pleaser follows the efforts of former soccer star Fung (Ng Man Tat) to build a soccer team to compete in the championship game. He is desperate to beat Team Evil, coached by his former employer, Hung. One day, Fung encounters Sing (Stephen Chow), a master of the art of Shaolin Kung Fu. Fung sees how Kung Fu could be applied to soccer and urges Sing to recruit his five brothers. Soon, by using the powers of its members, the team is winning in some very unlikely ways, and is on a collision course with Team Evil.

I suppose there may be a message somewhere in this film, but I didn't feel like thinking hard enough to uncover it. Shaolin Soccer combines the conventions of a sports movie with an avalanche of kitsch and offbeat humor. It's not really about the overachieving underdog - at least not in the conventional sense. The amount of "real" soccer is about equivalent to the amount of "real" kung fu - that is to say, there isn't much. This is more about comedy and cheesy special effects. Visually, the film is interesting. Chow employs familiar wire techniques that allow his actors to appear lighter than air. There's also a heavy CGI component. Although the computer generated effects are not polished, and often look like cartoons drawn into live-action frames, they fit the overall tone.

Leaving the theater at the conclusion of Shaolin Soccer, most of those who had been in the audience were smiling. As long as your expectations are focused in the right direction, it's a sure bet that you'll have a good time watching this infectiously entertaining comedy. (That is, of course, assuming you can find the film. The only Miramax movie to have more delayed releases is Prozac Nation, which is looking like it may never see the light of day. At least Shaolin Soccer is getting something that resembles a "release," even if the print bears only a passing resemblance to the original.)

© 2003 James Berardinelli