Tai Chi Master DVD Review

This 1993 martial arts classic features Jet Li in his prime. Unlike many of the martial arts films that jet Li has made since his integration into Hollywood, Tai Chi Master (aka. Twin Warriors) relies nearly entirely upon the skills of the talent. The camera stays far more stationary and there is no rock soundtrack to intensify each moment, so the intensity and spectacle are much more focused.

Jet Li is Junbao, a monk in Shaolin completely loyal to his rule-bending friend, but when this gets the both of them kicked out of the temple, they each go their separate way. While Junbao’s friend chooses to sell his talents with martial arts to the Chinese Government, Junbao ends up living with the rebels and helping them. Junbao thinks that his friend is on his side, but loyalties are dismissed with the promise of more power.

After Junbao is betrayed he spends all of his time learning the art of Tai Chi while his friend rises in power as a general. The methods become crueler as Junbao is hunted down, leading to an inevitable face-off between former friends. Directed by Yuen Wo-ping, who is best known for his action choreography in The Matrix, Tai Chi Master features several fantastic and creative fight scenes. It seems nearly every martial arts film is somehow related to revenge, making the action and the choreography crucial to the originality.

Although the DVD boasts a soundtrack presentation of Dolby 5.1, this primarily only kicks in during the action scenes, where all of the punches sound like two planks of wood hitting each other. This would not be quite so distracting if it weren’t for the low quality of the dialogue, faded and distorted some even though the film is only about fifteen years old.

The DVD has a feature commentary by Bey Logan, Hong Kong cinema expert and regular commentary contributor. There is also an exclusive interview with star Chin Siu Ho . There are also several featurettes, each discussing important elements or key figures for the film. Brett Ratner appears in interviews for several of these, including one about Wo-ping. There is also a featurette about the birthplace of Tai Chi and an original home video trailer.