The Master (1992) User Reviews

Positively surprised

[oysarl · 6/10 · 11 May 2006]

I noticed there wasn't a lot of information on this movie, along with some low rating and negative reviews. Nonetheless, I vowed to own every Jet Li movie, so I had to buy this and watch it. And I must say, I was positively surprised!

Jet Li plays the student of Uncle Tak (Yuen Wah), who is a kung fu master and has established a shop for traditional Chinese medical treatment in America. Meanwhile there is an "evil" martial arts club that causes trouble, challenging and beating up kung fu masters all over town. Only with the help of Jet can these hooligans be stopped.

You can't enjoy this movie if you over-analyze every detail and point out the goofs, which are rather numerous. "The Master" is probably one of Jet's goofier movies, with a lot of miscommunication jokes and silly sidekicks. If this isn't your deal, try focusing on the great non-wired action scenes with Jet Li and Yuen Wah, who are both excellent fighters. All in all, this movie isn't for everyone, and it's definitely not Jet Li's best by far. HOWEVER, if you consider yourself a true Jet Li fan and can withstand some silly humor, then you should definitely see this movie. The fights were surprisingly good, which made me enjoy "The Master".

A rare Jet Li fight-flick for fans

[chris_stoddard_78 · 7/10 · 2 April 2007]

If you've seen Jet Li beat people down hard with kung-fu in ROMEO MUST DIE, UNLEASHED, CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE and KISS OF THE DRAGON, then you need to check out THE MASTER, a fist-flying kung-fu gem that features loads of realistic fight sequences that unfolds the extraordinary Wu Shu specialties of a then-unknown Jet Li.

Tsui Hark, the visionary director who helmed two Jean-Claude Van Damme-headlined vehicles, DOUBLE TEAM and KNOCK OFF, presented this story about a young Chinese martial artist (Li) from Hong Kong who travels to the United States in hopes of finding his master, Uncle Tak (played by Yuen Wah, the Landlord in KUNG FU HUSTLE). When arriving there, he learns that Tak was badly beaten in a fight by a former student named Johnny (Light Welterweight World Kickboxing Champion, Jerry Trimble), who is responsible for terrorizing martial art dojos across Downtown L.A. While Tak recovers from his injuries, Li tries to settle his differences with him while preparing for an all-out kung fu brawl against Johnny and his group of students in order to regain his master's honor.

Shot on location in L.A., THE MASTER was sort of how RUMBLE IN THE BRONX was with Jackie Chan where a Chinese kung-fu expert travels to a crime ridden area in America to achieve a simple goal while encountering thugs and impressing people with his combat methods. He teaches a Police Force healing secrets as if he was instructing a Tae Bo class, teaches a Latino gang kung fu to help them beat off thugs and faces off against an American martial artist to save his master and other hostages held by Johnny's students. The film's simple plot allowed plenty of space for non-stop martial art fights.

One of the film's greatest achievements was the nicely choreographed fight scenes, courtesy of co-star Yuen Wah who incorporated traditional kung fu and weaponry. The absence of fancy wirework and computer-generated effects allowed the fights to be believable and realistic as possible. Yuen Wah revealed his incredible kung fu specialties against a group of fighters on a building rooftop. He uses close-range takedowns, Wu Shu-oriented butterfly kicks, acrobatics, and other fight moves to show audiences that he is a true master of the art. Jerry Trimble exchanges blows with Jet Li on more than one occasion but the one-on-one finale features Trimble using Tae Kwon Do to execute his cinematic footwork while dealing with Li's counter attacks, fast-flowing jabs, and Wu Shu Kung Fu. In addition to that, fight, Li gets his leg stuck in a circular pipe handle but is still able to pull off kung fu.

Li helps his newly-befriended Latino gangster buddies fight off Johnny's posse (two of them who were played by stuntman and martial artist Steven Ho- Liu Kang's brother in MORTAL KOMBAT and Ju Jitsu expert Stefanos Militsakakis- BEST OF THE BEST 2, MAXIMUM RISK, DAREDEVIL) before facing off against Johnny on top of a car.

Yuen Wah is famous for his recent role as the Landlord in KUNG FU HUSTLE and remembered by fans as the man one who caught the apple in ENTER THE DRAGON and doubled for Bruce Lee in some of the sequences. He also had a small role in Chinese CONNECTION (aka FIST OF FURY) as the Japanese who taunts Lee by telling him to walk like a dog. He was a regular in old-school kung fu flicks produced by the legendary Shaw Brothers (recently saluted by Quentin Tarrantino in KILL BILL VOL. 1's opening).

World Karate Champion and Tae Bo exercise founder Billy Blanks made a quick-second cameo as a gang thug but unfortunately, he did not do any fighting which was a disappointment. The reason why the filmmakers did not let him fight will be a mystery but with his martial arts skill (shown in countless B-grade Hollywood movies), he should have fought someone but instead, he is depicted as an unknown extra.

Originally filmed in 1989, THE MASTER would not earn the 5-time National Wushu Champion his crown to superstardom. The film was delayed until 1992 because Li and Tsui Hark were unaware of what was to come that year when they collaborated again to make ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA, which was a box-office success and Li's ticket to superstardom (in Asia).

To help capitalize on Li's fame in America, the generally unknown film, THE MASTER finally got an international DVD release in 2002 by Miramax Films to give viewers the chance to witness the stunning talents of this kung fu master.

Overall, THE MASTER was a bad movie with good fight scenes. It suffered form poor acting and bad antics but it still deserves a full view because it was one of a few modern kung-fu movies to feature lightning-fast, raw and street-effective kung fu to make it comparable to fight-films like ONG-BAK and THE PROTECTOR.

Jet Li is awesome w/o wires

[drngor · 7/10 · 25 November 2000]

Before I begin, let me get across everyone's complaint: the acting is horrible...from the white actors. It is far worse than the dubbing of old school kung fu movies (although I prefer the dubbed dialogue of old kung fu movies to many movies made today, the dialogue is more quotable). But come on, what type of person would watch a low-budget kung fu movie and expect good acting?

The plot is right out of an old kung fu movie: Rival kung fu masters duking it out to see who is better. Jet is a fish-out-of-water who gets involved.

The fights are why we see this movie...right? The fights are well-choreographed. Very little (if any) wires are used. Jet Li, Yuen Wah, and Jerry Trimble look very impressive. He actually is better in this movie than in stuff like Romeo Must Die, Hitman, Swordsman II, and Dr. Wai. The last fight is very cool, one of his best overall. Overall, a pretty good movie...just don't expect much.

This one's hilarious!

[arielle222 · 9 March 2003]

OK obviously if you're expecting something smooth and seamless, you ain't gonna find it here. But it's a low-budget kung fu flick - You love it because You Love It! So, that said I am amazed no one has mentioned how funny this one really is. If you love the cheesiness of kung fu this is a must-see. Fight scenes are excellent but what really got me through it was the terrible 80s stereotypes everywhere. The hairstyles, the background music, the Mexican guys who befriend Li's character. It's great just alone for its "schtick" appeal. We all remember the 80s and this one shows us why they were so darn funny.

Could've been better

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 4 April 2007]

Although Jet Li is in it and as a viewer you are aware that you are watching an action (Eastern) movie, it doesn't mean that the movie doesn't have to meet a standard! Unfortunately it doesn't reach the heights of the Li flicks.

I'd even say that Jet Li is the best thing in it. And I don't mean it in any way as a disrespect to Tsui Hark (director). The thing is though, that if you're not a Li fan, than there is high possibility that you won't enjoy the movie at all.

I am a fan and can say for certain, that Li has done better pictures than this. Though this is not a complete stinker, you might want to watch other Li flicks for your viewing pleasure ...

harking back to chop-socky

[winner55 · 7/10 · 10 September 2006]

this is tsui hark's tribute to the 'golden age' of hong Kong chop-socky kung-fu films. although set in los Angeles, tsui makes sure he has most of the better known clichés at work here - the 'school-against-school' clash, the reluctant fighter who wants to avoid violence, the training sequence, questions of loyalty between masters and students, etc.

the film, to be properly appreciated, has to be seen in this light. it is not intended to be a typical jet Li film or typical tsui hark film; it's intended to be a Bruce-lee-clone-film of the later '70s.

in fact in some ways this reminds one of 'Ta e kou' aka 'the godfather from hong Kong' aka 'the godfather squad' starring Bruce Liang, a little known - but surprisingly effective - chop-socky effort to cash in on lee's 'return of the dragon'.

given that, the Li-tsui movie has to be given credit as both amusing and entertaining for fight fans - the kung-fu here is really top-notch.

one word of caution - the violence here goes over the top once or twice, and the film really needs to be seen by mature audiences, especially those familiar with the genre it pays tribute to.

Entertaining but not extraordinary...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 24 December 2015]

While "The Master" (aka "Lung hang tin haa") is not the best of all the Jet Li movies, then it is a fairly entertaining movie in itself. The mixture of Asian and Western film-making isn't something that speaks to just everyone. I wonder if Jackie Chan took influence from this movie for the 1995 "Rumble in the Bronx" movie as there are so many similarities.

Personally, I found "The Master" to have a bit too much comedy, as it is not something that is usually associated with Jet Li movies. And the dialogue was also quite bad at times.

The action and martial arts was well-choreographed and executed, which was as expected. And this is what keeps the movie interesting.

If you enjoy Jet Li movies then there are far better movies available. But at least it should be seen once if you enjoy his movies and martial arts skills.

"The Master" is entertaining enough for what it is, but don't expect anything extraordinary.

Occasionally enjoyable Jet Li vehicle

[gridoon · 6/10 · 5 May 2005]

In "The Master", one of his earliest and relatively little-seen flicks, Jet Li is basically placed in a fish-out-of-water situation: he comes from Hong Kong to America (knowing only a few words of English) to visit his old kung fu teacher, is followed everywhere by three Mexican small-time crooks who want him to teach them the martial arts, and tries to protect his teacher's shop from a gang led by a rival kung fu master. The main problem with the film is that it lacks urgency: much like the bad guy in Jackie Chan's "Thunderbolt", the villain has no real motive for his actions apart from wanting to prove that he is "the best". To put it in his own words: "When I finish with you, I'll go to China and beat all the kung fu teachers there!". But it has some pretty funny moments (watch Jet describing his experiences on his first day in America), great (if sometimes brief) fight sequences, and even a warm message about interracial friendship and acceptance: those Mexicans may seem like silly stereotypes at first, but if you think about it, the movie shows how people can overcome the barriers of their different races and languages to work together and help each other. (**1/2)

Awful Awful movie

[krsudars · 1/10 · 28 July 2003]

This movie is just plain awful. Horrid acting, horrid cinematography and rather poor fight scene choreography. And there are hardly any fights in this thing! There are maybe two decent fight scenes in the entire movie. This movie is well below any of Li's American releases and is not in the same universe as his great movies, like Tai-Chi Master and Fist of Legend. And compared to some of his old movies, like Shaolin Temple, it sucks too. It just plain sucks. Bad, bad, bad movie. It would be suitable for Mystery Science Theatre 3000.

Karate Kid story for Jet Li

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 26 August 2016]

This kung fu movie has all the markings of a film from the early 1990s: cheesily dated fashions, cheap music and some really bad hairstyles. What seems really surprising for a film set in America with an American supporting cast (including up-and-coming fighter Billy Blanks in a brief part) is the Chinese involvement: not only does noted director Tsui Hark helm the movie, but soon-to-be action idol Jet Li also stars in the leading part. Sadly, the level of entertainment this film offers is surprisingly low and a long way from most Hong Kong martial arts films, which reaffirms my long-held belief that Tsui Hark is an overrated director who makes more misses than hits.

The plotting is simplistic in the extreme, basically consisting of an old and failed kung fu teacher getting beaten by a gang of thugs until his pupil comes back to set things right again, and the scripting isn't much better, offering up a clichéd gang of Mexicans (who absurdly take Jet Li on as their teacher after failing to rob him!) and characters who have no reason for existing and who aren't explained fully either - just who the heck is the young girl who looks after Uncle Tak anyway?

The film veers wildly from comedy to hard-knuckle action and back again, a fault which seems to be due to the laughable dubbing which turns most of the dialogue into humorous (or not, as the case may be) wordplay. The actual martial arts sequences are also in short supply, at least until towards the ending where we get a nice big fight on the top of a tower block followed by a great stunt of a man falling for ages from the roof. I also enjoyed a brief battle on a bus, which has a great and gruesome gag involving a shotgun backfiring on the owner which has to be seen to be believed. Sadly the martial arts are never as graceful as in most Hong Kong movies, and in fact even worse than your bog-standard Van Damme flick; they just lack the style and finesse to make them enjoyable, and their lack of appeal is a big blow to the film.

Jet Li fans may also be disappointed by the star's undistinguished appearance here as the young, idiotic baseball cap-wearing 'Jet', a happy yet dumb character closer to the type of good-natured fools that Jackie Chan plays so well than the brooding, hard-as-nails heroes (and villains) he would portray later in his career. Sadly, Li's skills as both a serious actor and a serious martial artist are wasted in the film, as nothing he does is at all memorable.

The only real display of talent from Li is during the final one-on-one against villain Jerry Trimble where he gets to show off a few nifty manoeuvres. Trimble himself is imposing as the villain but overacts a little too much for my liking, although Yuen Wah does good work with his befuddled and flawed teacher and Crystal Kwok is fine as the annoying female buddy - although perhaps sometimes a little too annoying! And no, sadly, the Pamela Anderson created in the cast is not THE Pamela Anderson, but instead a middle-aged woman with glasses!

NB. I've recently had the pleasure of revisiting this movie via the Hong Kong Legends DVD, so in its original language and widescreen format. It turns out to be a heck of a lot better than I remembered. The problems still exist, but the fighting has aged a lot better than I expected and the action more plentiful than it previously seemed. It's basically Jet's version of the KARATE KID story, but the mix of goofy comedy and hard-hitting fights somehow works and Tsui Hark's putting a lot of effort in. It pays off.

Not his best, but not his worst, Jet does his best with a poor script

[trudylyn · 5/10 · 14 May 2006]

The action sequences, particularly those with Jet, are better than many I have seen in American movies. The choreography is marvelous until Jet's character begins to fight the villain, at which point it gets a little Hong-Kongy.

Tsui Hark would do much better, but this is not bad for an early effort.

The best part of this movie are the genuine martial arts elements. The "he wasn't ready yet" bit at the Kung Fu school was just hilarious and reminded me of Bruce Lee's comments about a "classical mess".

Jet's movements even when he is just walking or sitting down, are sheer poetry. It is fun to watch him.

"Jet Li's The Master". Unintentionally Funny At Times, Due To The Dubbing And Dialog, But It's Still A Very Fun Martial Arts Film That I Enjoyed, The Fight Scenes Were Awesome

[callanvass · 8/10 · 27 October 2005]

This is unintentionally funny at times, due to the dubbing and dialog, but it's still a very fun martial arts film, that i enjoyed, the fight scenes were fantastic!. All the characters are cool, and the story, is pretty good as well, plus Jet Li is simply amazing in this!.It's extremely violent at times, and the fight scenes were very brutal and realistic, however it does not take it'self too seriously, plus the opening was great, and very memorable!.Jerry Trimble is way cool!, as the main villain, and is one fantastic martial artist, and i thought the finale was really cool, with some wicked stunts!, plus the ending is very funny!. Some of the humor is quite bizarre but hilarious at the same time, and the dubbing and dialog had me cracking up, plus the main fight between Jet and Jerry Trimble was simply fantastic and very intense!. Jet and Crystal Kwok had great chemistry together, and the scene where Jet's character learns to drive is hilarious, plus the fight choreography was great. This is unintentionally funny at times due to the dubbing and dialog, but it's still a very fun martial arts film that i enjoyed, the fight scenes are awesome, i highly recommend this one!. The Direction is very good. Hark Tsui does a very good job here, with great camera work, fantastic angles, and keeping the film at a very fast pace!. The acting is good. Jet Li is amazing as always, and is amazing here, he is very funny, kicks that ass, had a neat character, had great chemistry with Crystal Kwok, seemed to be having fun, and was lots of fun to watch, however his dubbing is terrible! (Jet Rules!!!!). Wah Yuen is great as the master, he was intense, and is one good martial artist, i liked him a lot. Crystal Kwok is cute, and did fine with what she had to do,and also had great chemistry with Jet!. Jerry Trimble is very menacing as the main villain, and is a great martial artists,and is one scary dude!.Anne Rickets did what she had to adequately and was like ably perky. those 3 dudes, were funny too!. Rest of the cast do okay. Overall i highly recommend this one!, just expects lots of cheese!. ***1/2 out of 5

Fairly average, until that end fight... Man, what an end fight.

[Droid_Gunner · 7/10 · 17 October 2022]

I checked this out because I wanted to see Jet Li and Jerry Trimble go at it. And for the first hour of the movie, I was disappointed with a slow-moving, mediocre action film. But, man, was I in for a treat that last half hour or so - specifically the final fight scene (where Li and Trimble REALLY square off) which delivered all the goods I was expecting, and then more. Viewed on one of the old "Jet Li Collection" DVDs that Dimension released in the early 2000s, so poor video quality and an awful dub were expected and didn't detract from, what turned out to be, an overall above average martial-arts films, solidified by the engaging final act and a powerhouse fight scene.

Also, Trimble's mullet must be noted. That thing was mighty.

A Jet Li movie in its early days...

[Doug-122 · 3/10 · 9 September 1999]

After having been thoroughly impressed with Jet Li's performance in 'Lethal weapon 4' and even more so in 'Once Upon a Time In China', I decided to get into the Li thang and go for a slightly less well known movie. The plot - quite simply is about a Kung Fu master who suffers the evil blows of a rival USA born Kung Fu master. Jet Li then arrives in the USA and helps his old native Chinese master out and puts the world to right.

The plot works quite straightforwardly and one moves through the film at a smooth pace. However the action lacks a certain level of grace and sophistication that is abundantly evident in some of Jet's later films. Although at moments one is able to see the elements of the style emerging - especially in some of the more involving fight scenes towards the end of the movie.

All in all I can only say that I was disappointed with this un-Jet-like movie. It has merit in some places, but it is just too rough a film for me to cherish highly.

Jet's last 80's flick

[Pilsung89 · 7/10 · 27 April 2008]

This is Jet Li's last film of the 80's. That means it's his last film before directors and producers started putting him on wires way, way too much. Of course, the acting is horrible. This is a straightforward martial arts movie of the 80's.

The plot is simple enough. Jet comes to America to find his old teacher, and gets involved in the conflict between the master and another student. Nothing special there. What is special is the fight scenes. Jet Li is awesome in this movie. He shows off his acrobatic talent and agility w/o wires. His abilities are simply amazing. Jerry Trimble is impressive as the American student, and Yuen Wah does well as the master. The choreography is pretty good overall, and the final fight between Jet and Jerry is one of Jet's finest in my opinion.

Jet's career in the early-mid 90's largely involved wire-fu, which is why this film is worth seeing. You can watch a young Jet Li w/o wires in his prime. I give it a 7/10.

Masterstroke.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 6/10 · 21 July 2018]

Whilst having seen a number of his productions,I've never got round to seeing a Hark Tsui-directed flick. After viewing Jet Li's Hitman last night,I got set to witness the "master" team-up of Li and Tsui.

View on the film:

Filmed in 1989 but not put out until 1992, the title is covered with marks from post-production issues. One of the most "unique" elements of the film is none of the soundtrack options (including the stated original) matching the lip movements of the cast in anyway. Bringing "Jet" (bet they spent ages coming up with that character name) across the pond, the writers roll out a speedy fish out of water action flick,with Jet's search for "The Master" leading to wacky encounters with a gang of gangsta rap wannabes,and a boo-hiss group of thugs straight from an end of level boss.

Showing the care put towards his productions, director Hark Tsui allows the neck-breaking action scenes to take centre stage, via not doing jittery jump-cuts,but standing back and letting each fighting move to be cleanly performed,with a well timed use of slow-motion letting the viewer feel the impact from each major stunt. Making his first appearance in a shot in the US film,Jet Li gives a terrific performance as Jet,whose given a wave of excitement by Li over becoming the master.

Jet Li at his worst! 1/10

[leonblackwood · 1/10 · 9 October 2014]

Review: As I am running out of movies to rent, I thought that I would start to collect Jet Li movies, but this was a really bad start. I have seen some bad Kung Fu movies in my time, but this one is extremely awful. The storyline was completely ridiculous and the acting was poor. Jet Li isn't really known for his acting, but this is a bad attempt at humour and the annoying music throughout the film made it feel dated and a drag to watch. A lot of the scenes were really far fetched and the showdown with the long-haired baddie wasn't that great. Basically, this is complete rubbish and I haven't got a good word to say about it. Terrible!

Round-Up: Jet Li is one of the fastest Kung Fu artist that I've seen but his acting skills haven't really been that great. When he stars in movies from his native country, he isn't that bad but when he crosses over, he's only really good when he isn't playing the leading role. He became a household name with movies like Lethal Weapon 4, Unleashed, The One and Romeo Must Die and with his recent role in the Expendable franchise he's becoming more popular, but he hasn't hit the stardom of someone like Bruce Lee or Jackie Change-up. Personally, I like the way that he fights but that about it. 

I recommend this movie to people who are into there comedic action movies about a Kung Fu expert who visits his relative in America. 1/10

a brief but masterful introduction of the martial arts to the West.

[mjazz1 · 10/10 · 5 March 2006]

This film The Master is wonderful. Admittedly it may initially disappoint, but this should only happen on first viewing. It is a movie that requires attention to detail (as all masterpieces do) and knowledge of other martial arts movies and legends. Nonetheless, after first viewing (during which time the proverbial penny should drop and deeper understanding commence), there are amazing viewing rewards! In fact, if you should ever want to show off your knowledge to others of the deeper purpose of martial arts and/or Jet Li, well, this is definitely THE movie to have! First, though, to find the deeper story! So, to help the penny drop and to help find full appreciation of the consummate mastery of this Tsui Hark movie (especially its script), consider the possibility that the Master = Bruce Lee, the first internationally-recognized master of martial arts. On another level, to move closer to the story's higher purpose, consider the Master as the true spirit and/or reason for the practice of martial arts.

Second, consider the possibility that the movie is an extremely respectful criticism of the post-Bruce-Lee commercialism of martial arts (and the resultant use of martial arts in street violence).

Finally, consider the possibility that the martial arts people of the East saw a need to reinforce (via another master: Jet Li) the true spirit and/or reason of martial arts to the people of the West. This last point helps explain why the movie is set in modern-times and why it deliberately avoided the high-wire tricks; the movie is introducing to America the real martial arts mastery of Jet Li. In so doing, it is dealing with real social/cultural issues in a real way with a real and meaningful answer; for that answer watch the non-preaching and non-judgmental corrections to violence in this specific movie!

Now, to match the above viewing suggestions to the movie! The Master opens with the master as a doctor who is physically healing and attempting to mentally heal/warn/correct a macho streetfighter type. In fact, the movie actually links this doctor (via the Po Chi Lum herbal medicine shop) to Wong Fei-Hung. Wong Fei-Hung, you may recall, was the master from Once Upon A Time in China: an all-but-divine hero in Chinese martial arts history who was born in 1849 and who inherited a herbal medicine shop call Po Chi Lum, a shop where he also taught Kung Fu! The dimension and breadth of the movie should now start to tease sensibilities into a state of alertness! Jet Li, of course, had already starred as Wong Fei-Hung in earlier movies (and how!) but, because there is a higher purpose to this story than pure commerce-driven martial arts entertainment, Jet Li does not play the role he immortalized for cinema-goers. Instead, Jet Li plays one of this master's students! Why? Well, in brief, Jet Li is paying homage to the mastering spirits and legacy of martial arts. Why? Well, in brief, that's the lesson the West needs to re-learn; otherwise, the martial arts can be used for violence and destruction, not personal and community peace and safety.

At this point, consider the role that Jet Li plays in this movie: like his master, he is a healer (i.e. of the policemen's ulcers, which also suggests the authorities have not quite learned how to correct and stomach street violence! So, the movie has a social critique at work too! Truly, this story gathers to a giddying greatness the more it is meditated upon! It's great! Then, of course, Jet Li is a man of peace despite, and because of, his great martial arts skills. This is why he won't teach the Latino gang the martial arts (because they will use such skills violently for personal ends, not to help ensure personal and public peace; later in the story, Jet Li teaches them enough to protect themselves. This is a very fine edge of difference; but a critical difference! Jet Li is also a worldly innocent (as beautifully and humorously demonstrated by the one-sided romance).

Of course, all Jet Li's don't-call-me-master positive qualities are in sharp contrast to the call-me-master "bad" student's ego-driven mistakes (including the mistake of never having learned what the true purpose of martial arts actually is i.e. mastery over self and the resultant increasingly-perfected personal path to peace! So, as the bad student very capably shows, to challenge and/or kill a master = to lose directions to the true meaning of martial arts = to not be a master; regardless of physical prowess = to be killed by the self as a martial arts exponent). To become a true master (and, thus, find the invisible hands of non-terrestrial-power making you effortlessly invincible), this movie suggests, requires a full willingness to place martial arts in the service of humanity ....!

Actually, enough ... it is time to stop! It will take a book or two to explain this movie ... it is great! There are problems for viewers, certainly, because both before and after this specific movie, Jet Li starred in some of the most sublime action/martial arts movies in the history of world cinema; nevertheless, The Master is also an awesome achievement once the deeper story starts to become visible! Be patient with this movie, it will reward ... a masterpiece is patiently and respectfully waiting to speak to you! Be warned: when the glory of the story starts to gather momentum, your eyes will widen and smiles will arrive like a thousand chuckling sunrises! A masterpiece of reverence for life and community spirit has been scripted here and, as is clear from the fact that he doesn't play Wong Fei-Hung (the master), Jet Li clearly demonstrates his accord with the spiritual values offered by the infinitely disciplined, fully loving immortal heart of martial arts!

A Jet Li Original

[The-Sarkologist · 8/10 · 12 October 2013]

My friend told me that this was a brilliant movie but at the time I would have taped it anyway because it was a Hong Kong film and then I was pleasantly surprised to notice that it was a Jet Li film. SBS would show lots of Hong Kong movies but the Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and even John Woo films seem to be few and far between so I knew that I was going to enjoy this. To my added surprise I discovered that this film was made in Los Angeles, even though it is a Hong Kong film so I thought that this was pretty impressive. Most Hong Kong films are either made in Hong Kong or Vancover. This was made in the film making capital of the world.

The plot is pretty simple. A kung-fu expert is becoming quite cocky and beating up all of the masters in Los Angeles to become the strongest in America. He finds his old master and beats him up but the master manages to escape and is nursed back to health. Meanwhile Jet (Jet Li) comes into Los Angeles to find his old master, having obtained a tourist visa. Once he has found his master he must then deal with the American upstart.

This movie is quite funny and full of fancy martial arts. I enjoyed it even though the thought level was low, but that does not make a bad movie. Some of my favourite movies are little more that huge gunfights: but at times I believe a brilliant gunfight can make or break a movie. The Master is a kung-fu movie and for those who love martial arts should come this way. The Chinese make far better kung-fu movies than do the Americans, as we can see when we compare this with something staring Van-Damme. Okay, Bruce Lee annoyed me somewhat in the Big Boss, but as with everything, we must take the good with the bad. The other curious thing is that a friend said that all Tsui Hark films have a magical element to it. Okay, Twin Dragons did, but this movie did not.

I'm not your Sifu

[kiwarrior · 9/10 · 2 October 2006]

Jet Li acts a little dizzy and crazy Chinese man in this movie. His master, Uncle Tak invited him to America. After he got off the bus, some Mexican guys stole his bag. But he was running after them and after he chased them, and got back his case, the Mexican guys wanted him to teach them. Jet didn't want to take them as pupil, so he tried to run away from them. He knew where's Uncle Tak's shop (Po Chi Lum), so he tried to get there.

But when he arrived, the shop was destroyed. Jet tried to find his master, who was beaten up by his formal pupil, who was a great martial arts master in America. Uncle Tak was protected by a blond girl called Anna.

Jet met a Chinese girl called May, and together they tried to find Tak. Finally they found him, but after he saw Jet, he said that he didn't know him and didn't want to speak with him.