Shaolin Soccer [DVD]

highly recommended, this is now available everywhere.

I was a little apprehensive about this movie, after all kung fu football? Even more left field than the average baseball movie! But its a hoot, never a dull moment, even if its obvious what is going to happen at the end. A ragtag team of dreamers, disillusioned drifters and failed entrepreneurs, with an alcoholic crippled ex-footballer as a coach take on the all conquering Team Evil. Now what do you think happens? This is pure escapist fun from Stephen Chow and his team of usual suspects. No great acting on show here, simple one dimensional characters and a hackneyed storyline. Yet carried off with so much verve and panache its impossible not to love. This movie does exactly what it says on the tin. But watch the cantonese version, its longer, makes more sense and the jokes are even better than the stilted english delivery. And thats not even mentioning the incredible action and stunts.............

this film is full of belly laughs right from the opening credits. Stephen Chow's unique style is one not to be missed and here is a film which will delight and bring a smile to even the grumpiest of old men!!! Here we see Chow employ the skills learned in the Shaolin temple to soccer with hilarious results. A film i would certainly recommend and if you liked Kungfu Hustle then you will love this. Surreal and the special effects used to the maximum take nothing away from what is a very very funny film. Can be viewed in both cantonese and english but the english version misses out a few scenes.

Great, not for everyone but then again if you're gonna watch a movie called Shaolin Soccer you're probably pretty open to whatever is gonna happen on screen. Fun and lighthearted, is great for a bit of mindless, utterly ridiculous fun. Plus you actually get involved with the silly characters, and end up rooting for them, even including all the nonsensical stuff happening. Do it, watch it, so ridiculous its great.

As the cliche goes, this is a film of two halves. The first half is funny, witty, ground breaking stuff - a Kung Fu film that you laugh with and not at. I was amazed at the sharpness of the occasionally surreal comedy and of the fast paced and clever script, that surprised and amazed in equal measure. However, the scene where our hero chats up the female lead is the 'Jump the Shark' moment, where the film turns from ground breaking to cliched and predictable. All the special effects in the world can't make the final match work, and the whole enemy-team-on-drugs ploy doesn't explain why they are so much better than the Shaolin monks. Anyways, the film is definitely worth watching as all new experiences are to be cherished and honoured. Just beware that, like Girl Next Door , it is possible for a film to lose it's rhythm half way and seem cut-and shut... P.S. On an unrelated sidenote, Star Wars VI: Return Of The Jedi fans among you may be interested to know that the ideas of the Jedi & 'The Force' were partly derived from the Shaolin Monks of China...

Great movie and good condition of the dvd

The first Steve Chow film, quirky and unlike his contemporaries. If you want to see where Kung Fu Hustle came from, this is worth a viewing.

Got this when I purchased Kung-fu Hustle and watched it first just to keep things chronologically correct. Hugely enjoyable and entertaining film, but sadly the effects are appearing a little bit dated already. There's a moment in Kung-fu hustle where a bit of fancy football footwork is employed quickly followed by the ball being punctured and a voice over "no more football" a direct reference to Shaolin Soccer apparently. Never mind. KF Hustle is head and shoulders above Shaolin Soccer, but as a point of reference to see where Mr Chow is coming from it's essential viewing and great entertainment in its own right. Buy it and enjoy it!

Ho già visto questo film in cinese coi sottotitoli inglesi e volevo guardarlo in italiano. Bello: il doppiaggio è ben fatto, fa ridere e mi è piaciuto molto. Le parlate dialettali italiane, anche se all'inizio sconcertano un poco, non sono poi così male. La storia è comunque tagliata in alcune parti (ma ho scoperto che la versione internazionale è stata accorciata), ma è comprensibile. Lo consiglio a chi vuol vedere un film che tratta con unorismo sia il calcio che il kung fu (Stephen Chow è davvero magnifico nella parte dell'adepto di kung fu che vuol emergere propagandandolo come farebbe Anthony Robbins coi suoi seminari di sviluppo personale).

Vicki Zhao and Stephen Chow head out this wacki comedy that mixes soccer and KungFu on the field of battle -- a soccer field. Innocent Chinese humour is refreshing -- and at times tad odd to Western audiences -- but like Bruce Lee movies, this one has a message about how to live life with the principles of the martial arts. The DVD contains BOTH versions of the movie; the 2001 original Chinese release, and the heavily redone MIRAMAX version intended for theatre release in 2003 -- which features English being added to signs, 20 minutes removed (mostly Vicki Zhao story, and violence) and English dub (Stephen Chow does his own voice, and the others are VERY well done, but not the actors). Surprisingly, the caption versus dub is VERY different, probably due to matching the lips as best as possible. *SPOILER BELOW* The secondary story with Vicki Zhao (Wei Zhao in credits); playing Mui (Moo-ie). Obviously, they lucked out with this actress as her story is VERY effective and touching -- all about surface versus inner beauty; and perception (those who see past their eyes). The edited out part has to do with people making (pretty cruel) fun of her when she unsuccessfully tries makeup and dressing up. Really interesting to watch both versions (outtake footage at the end of the Chinese version), and even turning the dubbing on and off. Shaolin Soccer -- highly recommend. Pretty violent for YOUNG children, and they have scary parts of how "Team Evil" is created by the bad guys.

Absent from streaming and vod platforms, had to buy the dvd. Fun comedy with unusual humour. My 10yo son loved it.

J ai reçu le DVD avec avance c est un plaisir de retrouver ce film qui est un petit bijou du genre

This is a hilarious and heart-warming tale of a group of downtrodden kung fu brothers who find new life in the world of football (soccer). It features the dynamic and hugely entertaining Stephen Chow, a man who makes his comrades in Western success Jackie Chan and Jet Li pale in comparison. Where Li is wooden and dull and Chan tries far too hard, Chow has an indifference that is refreshing. In some ways similar to his later offering, "Kung Fu (Hustle)," although less dark and violent, this movie is suitable for the whole family, particularly when you factor in the poignant lesson of avoiding prejudice. The action is over-the-top CGI magic and makes for many of the belly laughs, but the romantic subplot between Chow's dreamer and the ugly duckling bun maker is a sweet and unique concept. The mere fact that Chow creates a character that sees beauty beneath the scarred exterior of the skilled yet self-doubting street vendor is a testament to all that Hollywood fails to understand about their audience. I could watch this movie over and over and always get a laugh, get a warm feeling in my heart, and get a thrill out of the effortless kung fu magic of the extraordinarily gifted Stephen Chow.