Tai Chi Master (film)
| Tai Chi Master | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Yuen Woo Ping |
| Written by | Yip Kwong Kim |
| Produced by | Jet Li |
| Starring | Jet Li Michelle Yeoh Chin Siu Ho |
| Cinematography | Tom Lau |
| Edited by | Angie Lam |
| Music by | Wu Wai Lap (HK version) Stephen Edwards (US version) |
| Distributed by | Dimension Films |
Release date | November 18, 1993 |
Running time | 96 min |
| Country |  Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
Tai Chi Master (Chinese: 太極張三豐, aka "Twin Warriors") is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts action/adventure film starring Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. It was directed by Yuen Woo Ping.
Plot
Junbao (Jet Li) and Tienbo grow up together in a Shaolin Temple as monks, studying the martial arts and generally getting into trouble. When they are expelled from the temple after Tienbo almost kills a fellow student who cheats in a fight against him, they go to the town to find food. A gang of henchmen take the money from a local shop owner where a woman called Miss Li steals the money and gives it back to the owner. Having noticed his money gone, the henchmen start to fight with Miss Li where Junbao interferes and defeats all of them. Army reinforcements arrive to break up the fight and so the trio run away to escape capture. At this moment the eunuch governor travels through the town. Tienbo realizes that he wants to be as rich as the governor, but Miss Li warns him that he has "a heart of a viper" and wonders if he could handle his power. Miss Li then shows the monks to a pub to get food.
In a pub, they find a woman called Siu Lin. Siu Lin is searching for her husband, and in the pub, she finds him. Her husband became the new husband of the governor's niece. Siu Lin starts a battle with the niece where they both seem equal, but the husband hits Siu Lin on her head causing her to collapse. Junbao helps Siu Lin by defending her against the niece's guards.
The next day, while Junbao and Tienbo are making money with their amazing Kung Fu skills, the governor's second in command spots them and is impressed with Tienbo's abilities and so he offers him to join the army (which he accepts) however, Junbao is more reluctant to do so and declines going with Tienbo and so the two go their separate ways. Later, some soldiers come to the pub to collect taxes (which have increased due to the governors greedy nature) but Junbao and the rebels (who have stolen great valuables from the governor to give back to the poor) fight and kills them one-by-one. But one soldier escapes and he starts off to the army's camp with Junbao following him. But just in front of the army camp, Tienbo kills the soldier. Tienbo says to Junbao to stay clear of the rebels as they'll get him in trouble. Now knowing where the rebels are hiding however, Tienbo takes this unique opportunity to gain a promotion and set up a trap for Junbao and the rebels by telling them that the army is on patrol and it is the best time to attack them.
Junbao and Siu Lin collect all the rebels from the region, and go to the army camp (falling for Tienbo's trap). A big battle occurs where most of the rebels die. Tienbo captures Miss Li and Siu Lin and the only survivors are Junbao and a few rebels.
Because of the trap, the governor promotes Tienbo to lieutenant. With his new authority Tienbo kills Miss Li, and holds Siu Lin as bait so that he can try to convert Junbao to the army's cause. But this is unsuccessful and Junbao rescues her. Because of the fact that his best friend betrayed him, Junbao's mind snaps and he goes crazy for days. After going out in the countryside with Siu Lin, studying the art of Tai Chi, he has a sudden epiphany, and regains his mental health.
While the governor is traveling to Beijing to see the emperor with his sister, they encounter Junbao and Siu Lin who kill the soldiers guarding them and also kills the niece. With the governor captured (also using him as a hostage) they go to the army camp and demand Tienbo to surrender his wealth and his power. Due to his arrogance Tienbo declines and starts to fight Junbao thinking that he is inferior. To Tienbo's surprise, however, Junbao is a lot more talented than he originally thought and cannot be beaten. Knowing this he kills the governor to gain complete control over the troops surrounding them but Siu Lin intervenes and tells them to back off and to not listen to him as he just betrayed their leader. Knowing this to be true, the troops back off and leaves Tienbo's fate to Junbao. After a stunning series of blows, Tienbo is defeated and killed.
After the fight Siu Lin and Junbao go their separate ways, with Junbao returning Tienbo's body to the Shaolin temple, and establishing his own school to teach Tai Chi Chuan.
Cast
- Jet Li - Junbao
- Michelle Yeoh - Siu Lin
- Chin Siu Ho - Tienbo
- Fennie Yuen - Miss Li
- Yuen Cheung Yan - Reverend Ling
- Lau Shun - Master Jueyuan
Media
- Universe Laser released their DVD in a nearly-uncut state in a Cantonese soundtrack with English subtitles.
- The initial Western release was entitled Twin Warriors. It was released by Dimension Films on DVD in the US on June 20, 2000 and by Hollywood Pictures Home Video in the UK on April 8, 2002. A new English dub was commissioned with a new musical score and some cuts were applied.
- On July 29, 2008, Dragon Dynasty released their DVD which consisted of the export version's video, but attached a Cantonese soundtrack and the Dimension English dub (using the 1993 dub to fill in the previously cut sections). However, the Cantonese "mono" is a downmix of the 5.1 remix.
- An Indian VCD by Diskovery contains the 1993 export English version entitled "Twice Deadly".
Sequels
Tai Chi 2 (aka Tai Chi Boxer) was made in 1996, starring Wu Jing in place of Jet Li, and directed by Yuen Woo-Ping, with Yuen Woo-Ping also serving as stunt coordinator.