XiaoYu   01-31-2008, 10:40 PM
#1
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/

Trailers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/trai...e706502451
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE7ny2bfXF0

I just found out about this movie and I'm psyched not only because it'll have Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same movie, but it's apparently also starring two Chinese actresses currently very popular in China that I've admired for awhile: Li Bing Bing and Liu Yi Fei (who's only 20!). I'm really happy that they're making it to an international stage, regardless of how well the movie does.

From what I can tell, the plot is that an American kid somehow comes across the (in)famous staff of the Monkey King, a legendary Chinese folk superhero from a famous and really fun old myth called Journey to the West. The written novel Journey to the West is considered one of China's 4 literary masterpieces and the Monkey King is known throughout China, if not most of East Asia.

On the down side, Hollywood has to pick one of the most beloved Chinese legends and heroes to bastardize. They have enough trouble just bringing American superheroes to life on the big screen, so I can imagine the butcheration that's going to happen here. Even to me, having the kid there feels strange, as it always does when Hollywood inserts modern Americans into ancient, and often cherished, ethnic legends or cultures. Then again, it could be really interesting to see what they do to the original plot.

I'm also disappointed that they don't seem to speak any Chinese at all in the trailer, but I guess Chinese people speaking Chinese in an ancient Chinese setting would've been too much to ask... :p

Anyway, I'm still very much looking forward to this movie despite hating to see the original plotline majorly messed with. I'm excited to see Jackie, Jet and especially the two actresses. Plus, if this movie'll bring more attention to the fabulous Monkey King, it'll be worth the pain. Cool

[SIZE="1"]To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." -- Sun Zi
===========================
[COLOR="Green"]Django: This is the way things are; you can't change nature.
Remy: Change IS nature, Dad. The part that we can influence. And it starts when we decide.
Django: Where are you going?
Remy: With luck, forward.[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
[SIZE="1"]"The thing I treasure most in life / Cannot be taken away..."[/SIZE]
Kenji   02-02-2008, 10:53 PM
#2
XiaoYu Wrote:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/

Trailers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/trai...e706502451
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE7ny2bfXF0

I just found out about this movie and I'm psyched not only because it'll have Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same movie, but it's apparently also starring two Chinese actresses currently very popular in China that I've admired for awhile: Li Bing Bing and Liu Yi Fei (who's only 20!). I'm really happy that they're making it to an international stage, regardless of how well the movie does.

From what I can tell, the plot is that an American kid somehow comes across the (in)famous staff of the Monkey King, a legendary Chinese folk superhero from a famous and really fun old myth called Journey to the West. The written novel Journey to the West is considered one of China's 4 literary masterpieces and the Monkey King is known throughout China, if not most of East Asia.

On the down side, Hollywood has to pick one of the most beloved Chinese legends and heroes to bastardize. They have enough trouble just bringing American superheroes to life on the big screen, so I can imagine the butcheration that's going to happen here. Even to me, having the kid there feels strange, as it always does when Hollywood inserts modern Americans into ancient, and often cherished, ethnic legends or cultures. Then again, it could be really interesting to see what they do to the original plot.

I'm also disappointed that they don't seem to speak any Chinese at all in the trailer, but I guess Chinese people speaking Chinese in an ancient Chinese setting would've been too much to ask... :p

Anyway, I'm still very much looking forward to this movie despite hating to see the original plotline majorly messed with. I'm excited to see Jackie, Jet and especially the two actresses. Plus, if this movie'll bring more attention to the fabulous Monkey King, it'll be worth the pain. Cool


Recently I saw the trailer in Apple-movie trailers. Jackie Chan and Jet Li? Wow... Cool

I still wish Bruce Lee is alive....
XiaoYu   02-03-2008, 02:40 AM
#3
Kenji Wrote:I still wish Bruce Lee is alive....
Ditto that... At least his legacy of bringing attention to martial arts lives on.

[SIZE="1"]To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." -- Sun Zi
===========================
[COLOR="Green"]Django: This is the way things are; you can't change nature.
Remy: Change IS nature, Dad. The part that we can influence. And it starts when we decide.
Django: Where are you going?
Remy: With luck, forward.[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
[SIZE="1"]"The thing I treasure most in life / Cannot be taken away..."[/SIZE]
Anders Monsen   02-09-2008, 03:16 AM
#4
I've heard about this movie for a couple of years now. Usually if you see a trailer for a foreign film in America there never is any dialog if the movie is in the original tongue and contains subtitles. Check the trailers for these movies: The Curse of the Golden Flower, The House of Flying Daggers, Hero, The Brotherhood of the Wolf, Amelie.

Three are Chinese, two are French. All contain subtitles, and none that I remember had any dialog in the trailers. The reason? Most Americans (and probably other people elsewhere) don't want to see a movie where they have to read and watch the action. I saw several of these on the big screen, and remember in at least two of them that people walked out when they saw it was a "foreign" movie.

That said, I'm looking forward to the movie. To see Jackie Chan in the company of 'actors' other than Chris Rock and Owen Wilson would make me weep for joy.
Kenji   02-09-2008, 09:38 AM
#5
Anders Monsen Wrote:I've heard about this movie for a couple of years now. Usually if you see a trailer for a foreign film in America there never is any dialog if the movie is in the original tongue and contains subtitles. Check the trailers for these movies: The Curse of the Golden Flower, The House of Flying Daggers, Hero, The Brotherhood of the Wolf, Amelie.

Three are Chinese, two are French. All contain subtitles, and none that I remember had any dialog in the trailers. The reason? Most Americans (and probably other people elsewhere) don't want to see a movie where they have to read and watch the action. I saw several of these on the big screen, and remember in at least two of them that people walked out when they saw it was a "foreign" movie.

I saw them with subtitles. No problems at all to me.

I think the problem with subtitles for American people is English subtitles are structured by many words. Once, I saw English subtitles in foreign film, but those were too many words! :eek:

Anders Monsen Wrote:That said, I'm looking forward to the movie. To see Jackie Chan in the company of 'actors' other than Chris Rock and Owen Wilson would make me weep for joy.

Are you Jackie Chan fan? Have you ever seen his old Hong Kong films before? I liked them.
Scott Miller   01-31-2009, 04:28 PM
#6
XiaoYu Wrote:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/

Trailers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0865556/trai...e706502451
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE7ny2bfXF0

I just found out about this movie and I'm psyched not only because it'll have Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same movie, but it's apparently also starring two Chinese actresses currently very popular in China that I've admired for awhile: Li Bing Bing and Liu Yi Fei (who's only 20!). I'm really happy that they're making it to an international stage, regardless of how well the movie does.

From what I can tell, the plot is that an American kid somehow comes across the (in)famous staff of the Monkey King, a legendary Chinese folk superhero from a famous and really fun old myth called Journey to the West. The written novel Journey to the West is considered one of China's 4 literary masterpieces and the Monkey King is known throughout China, if not most of East Asia.

On the down side, Hollywood has to pick one of the most beloved Chinese legends and heroes to bastardize. They have enough trouble just bringing American superheroes to life on the big screen, so I can imagine the butcheration that's going to happen here. Even to me, having the kid there feels strange, as it always does when Hollywood inserts modern Americans into ancient, and often cherished, ethnic legends or cultures. Then again, it could be really interesting to see what they do to the original plot.

I'm also disappointed that they don't seem to speak any Chinese at all in the trailer, but I guess Chinese people speaking Chinese in an ancient Chinese setting would've been too much to ask... :p

Anyway, I'm still very much looking forward to this movie despite hating to see the original plotline majorly messed with. I'm excited to see Jackie, Jet and especially the two actresses. Plus, if this movie'll bring more attention to the fabulous Monkey King, it'll be worth the pain. Cool

Well I knew nothing of The Monkey King before seeing it, but I thought he came across pretty cool, sort of a jolly prankster, in the film which is great fun-has there ever been a fighter more fun to watch than Chan? Both he, Li and the entire cast seem to be enjoying themselves throughout the fightfest. If you're looking for an action flick that you don't need to take seriously, this is the ticket.

BTW, Fei and Bing Bing are excellent as Golden Sparrow and the witch and there are a few subtitles mixed in.
This post was last modified: 01-31-2009, 07:52 PM by Scott Miller.

Scott

Jesus died for your sins, get your money's worth. Chad Daniels
Scott Miller   01-31-2009, 08:00 PM
#7
XiaoYu Wrote:From what I can tell, the plot is that an American kid somehow comes across the (in)famous staff of the Monkey King, a legendary Chinese folk superhero from a famous and really fun old myth called Journey to the West. The written novel Journey to the West is considered one of China's 4 literary masterpieces and the Monkey King is known throughout China, if not most of East Asia.

I ended up watching the special features and during an interview, the writer, Jonathan Fusco, mentioned that book along with a couple of others that he was reading to his son and he wanted to incorporate the philosophies into his script. Li also talked about his desire to see The Monkey King done accurately and came to the set with many ideas that he wanted to use. Again, I have no idea about the story, but it sounds like they at least made an effort to portray the myth justly.

Scott

Jesus died for your sins, get your money's worth. Chad Daniels
Medusa   02-01-2009, 02:01 PM
#8
I loved this movie!

Veronica
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