Combining soccer with kung fu, what an odd but yet at the same time logical and humorous idea. It's a combination that works out well for this movie, that you of course shouldn't take serious in any way.
It's a really over-the-top movie with all of its action and humor. It's what makes this movie basically some perfect good, light, entertainment to watch. But it at the same time also makes this a quite simplistic movie, that doesn't has much to offer story-wise and because of its simplicity also never rises above the level of simply good.
But this doesn't really matter when watching this movie, fore no one will of course watch this movie for its story or realism. When watching this movie you'll surely have a good time and you don't necessarily have to be familiar with soccer or Asian cinema or kung fu movies in general because this movie has basically nothing to do with soccer or kung fu. It doesn't follow any rules or logical and makes up its own stuff, which is actually one of the movie its strongest points. It's unlike anything you have ever seen before, in terms of its action and entertainment.
What this movie mostly does is using "The Matrix" techniques for all of its action, applied to the games of soccer that are played throughout this movie. So you could call this a "The Matrix" spoof, though it's more making fun of the entire kung fu movie genre, by using the "The Matrix" techniques and effects. But at the same time the movie still manages to feel like a fresh and original enough movie on its own. All of the soccer games are done quite creatively but even when no games are being played the movie still manages to be a fun and entertaining watch, which is also thanks to some good and likable characters that are all in it.
Biggest mystery of this movie is why there never was a sequel. This movie was an huge success at the time, globally and is still a quite popular movie to watch now days. It's one of the few movies I wouldn't had minded seeing getting a sequel. There is still plenty of stuff to explore and put into a second movie, without becoming a tiresome one or a simple rehash of the first movie. Surely there is still plenty of good and creative stuff to be shown during all of its soccer games.
Perfect, harmless, family entertainment!
7/10
Watch trailer
No comments: