Just like Michelle Pfeiffer's Dangerous Minds, this is a story about a person who wants to bring change in a school. The only difference is Donnie Yen can fight. The movie also address the typical asian school system and how asian students deal with it. Although the general plot is very predictable, the issues are real.
52 Reviews
Touching & Heart-Warming
jeymatt16 August 2018
The story line was repeated by many similar movies before and also very predictable but nevertheless, it's still a good movie worth watching at home over a bluray or DVD. There are a few very touching scenes which would make you shed some tears as well. But if you are expecting lots of kungfu or martial art movie, then this is not the one as actions are secondary in this movie.
A very generic and bland Hong Kong movie...
paul_haakonsen16 March 2019
I sat down to watch "Big Brother" (aka "Dai si hing") because I am a big fan of Hong Kong cinema and usually Donnie Yen is in some pretty entertaining and action-filled movies.
Well, "Big Brother" was not your average Donnie Yen martial arts action movie. Sure there was fighting and martial arts in the movie, but it is nothing like his usual movies. He is trying to mature and branch out here with more dramatic acting and taking on a more wholehearted character that does more than just kick butt.
While "Big Brother" certainly was an entertaining movie, it just felt a little bit too forced and too sugar-coated. A former military man turning teacher and making it his sole mission to individually and personally see to it that each of his students pass class by any means necessary, even taking on MMA fighters in a locker room, just felt a little bit too cliché.
The martial arts and fighting in the movie was very nicely choreographed and equally so executed on the screen. This is a Donnie Yen movie after all, and he is usually spot on with these things. And so he is in "Big Brother" too.
It should be said that the acting performances in the movie were generally quite good all round for each performer in the movie, both main cast and supporting cast. One thing that was missing though, was more familiar and famous faces in the crowd.
"Big Brother" is by no means a redefining movie in the Hong Kong cinema. Actually it is a rather bland and generic movie, to be honest. And though it pains me to say, I think this movie will quietly fade into oblivion just as quietly as it managed to appear. Sure, fans of Donnie Yen will be familiar with its existence, but the rest of the audience might never know about it unless stumbling upon it by sheer, random luck.
Well, "Big Brother" was not your average Donnie Yen martial arts action movie. Sure there was fighting and martial arts in the movie, but it is nothing like his usual movies. He is trying to mature and branch out here with more dramatic acting and taking on a more wholehearted character that does more than just kick butt.
While "Big Brother" certainly was an entertaining movie, it just felt a little bit too forced and too sugar-coated. A former military man turning teacher and making it his sole mission to individually and personally see to it that each of his students pass class by any means necessary, even taking on MMA fighters in a locker room, just felt a little bit too cliché.
The martial arts and fighting in the movie was very nicely choreographed and equally so executed on the screen. This is a Donnie Yen movie after all, and he is usually spot on with these things. And so he is in "Big Brother" too.
It should be said that the acting performances in the movie were generally quite good all round for each performer in the movie, both main cast and supporting cast. One thing that was missing though, was more familiar and famous faces in the crowd.
"Big Brother" is by no means a redefining movie in the Hong Kong cinema. Actually it is a rather bland and generic movie, to be honest. And though it pains me to say, I think this movie will quietly fade into oblivion just as quietly as it managed to appear. Sure, fans of Donnie Yen will be familiar with its existence, but the rest of the audience might never know about it unless stumbling upon it by sheer, random luck.
10/10?
picklewind15 September 2018
ANGEL EDUCATOR
kirbylee70-599-52617925 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It's hard to think of a martial arts star with the lasting power and sheer magnitude of films to their credit as Donnie Yen. The name might not be all that familiar to some but to fans of the genre he's a legend. He's starred or been involved in films like IRON MONKEY, BLADE 2, SHANGHAI KNIGHTS, HERO, XXX:THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE and the IP MAN movies. He's not only an amazing martial artists but an amazing actor as well. All of that comes together in BIG BROTHER.
Yen plays Henry Chen, an ex-military man who signs up to be a teacher at a school in trouble. Teaching a liberal studies class he arrives on his first day to find that his students are among the worst the school has to offer. They ignore his call to class, cook and sell food in the classroom, play music instead of listening and more. Chen knows that standard teaching disciplines won't work with this group. He needs an in.
To do so he begins to learn about each of the students in his group. He reads up their files, goes to their homes and we watch as he gathers information about a few of these supposed malcontents. What he finds is hardship in their lives from financial problems to family issues. Using the information he forms a method of reaching out to the kids to help them develop an interest in learning.
All of this may sound like the standard formula film about troubled youths and accessible teachers and in some ways it is. But this isn't a normal teacher or scholar. We learn that Chen has a past with the school having once been a troubled student there himself. Couple that with his background after he left the school and joined the military and this is no normal teacher.
One of this student in particular, Jack (Jack Lok), has financial problems and works for a Triad running errands. Knowing this will lead to nothing but heartache for the boy's grandmother who works hard to support the two of them, he tries to get Jack to leave the group. When Jack is caught drugging the water of an MMA fighter at the instruction of his boss, Chen comes to his aid displaying a fighting skill Jack was unaware of. He rescues the boy but incurs the wrath of his boss, a man who has plans to make the school fail so he can tear it down in a real estate deal. The only way to stop this is for the students to succeed.
So the movie may sound like a cliché, it may sound like a half dozen other films using the same themes, but it is entertaining from start to finish. A pure sign of that is the fact I never once felt like I needed the remote in my hand to get past the boring parts. The whole film was a blast.
It was also nice to see Yen moving into a role that required him to do more than just throw fist and jump in the air. Sure, he's been able to show his acting skills in previous films but many movie goers are unwilling to accept the performances displayed in martial arts period dramas. This one places him in a current setting with current problems and he handles the role well.
The movie ends with the potential for a sequel and that would be a good thing. With a nice story, solid acting and a message that delivers it might be a good thing to see this one carry on. It deserves as much attention and the more violent pictures that Yen makes. I'm glad to see him stretching out and making films like this. More power to him.
Yen plays Henry Chen, an ex-military man who signs up to be a teacher at a school in trouble. Teaching a liberal studies class he arrives on his first day to find that his students are among the worst the school has to offer. They ignore his call to class, cook and sell food in the classroom, play music instead of listening and more. Chen knows that standard teaching disciplines won't work with this group. He needs an in.
To do so he begins to learn about each of the students in his group. He reads up their files, goes to their homes and we watch as he gathers information about a few of these supposed malcontents. What he finds is hardship in their lives from financial problems to family issues. Using the information he forms a method of reaching out to the kids to help them develop an interest in learning.
All of this may sound like the standard formula film about troubled youths and accessible teachers and in some ways it is. But this isn't a normal teacher or scholar. We learn that Chen has a past with the school having once been a troubled student there himself. Couple that with his background after he left the school and joined the military and this is no normal teacher.
One of this student in particular, Jack (Jack Lok), has financial problems and works for a Triad running errands. Knowing this will lead to nothing but heartache for the boy's grandmother who works hard to support the two of them, he tries to get Jack to leave the group. When Jack is caught drugging the water of an MMA fighter at the instruction of his boss, Chen comes to his aid displaying a fighting skill Jack was unaware of. He rescues the boy but incurs the wrath of his boss, a man who has plans to make the school fail so he can tear it down in a real estate deal. The only way to stop this is for the students to succeed.
So the movie may sound like a cliché, it may sound like a half dozen other films using the same themes, but it is entertaining from start to finish. A pure sign of that is the fact I never once felt like I needed the remote in my hand to get past the boring parts. The whole film was a blast.
It was also nice to see Yen moving into a role that required him to do more than just throw fist and jump in the air. Sure, he's been able to show his acting skills in previous films but many movie goers are unwilling to accept the performances displayed in martial arts period dramas. This one places him in a current setting with current problems and he handles the role well.
The movie ends with the potential for a sequel and that would be a good thing. With a nice story, solid acting and a message that delivers it might be a good thing to see this one carry on. It deserves as much attention and the more violent pictures that Yen makes. I'm glad to see him stretching out and making films like this. More power to him.
Refreshing Change
chi_town_fed4 March 2022
Overall the movie is predictable and pretty ordinary. But it was also refreshing to see Donnie Yen in this role. I am certain as he ages he can't go around beating up the world.
I liked the family elements in this film, which are universal. I think they did a decent job of exploring various difficulties that many families struggle with.
I found this change of pace to be refreshing versus a never ending conveyor belt of Asian martial arts films.
A favorite of mine is "Eat Drink Man Woman"
Anyway, if all you want is martial arts, you won't find much of it here, some, but not much. If you want to see how we all are the same no matter what language we speak and we face the same challenges, you might enjoy this film.
I liked the family elements in this film, which are universal. I think they did a decent job of exploring various difficulties that many families struggle with.
I found this change of pace to be refreshing versus a never ending conveyor belt of Asian martial arts films.
A favorite of mine is "Eat Drink Man Woman"
Anyway, if all you want is martial arts, you won't find much of it here, some, but not much. If you want to see how we all are the same no matter what language we speak and we face the same challenges, you might enjoy this film.
Weak screenplay with childish senarios
MovieIQTest4 October 2018
This is such a pretentious film that has copied a lot of Hollywood films from the 80s', 90s' up till recent ones related to the "High School" genre. The storyline is so weak and laughable. Donnie Yen's teacher role was absolutely ridiculous as other characters, from the thugs to those students in this film, all of them were dramatized and exaggerated so badly. The director couldn't do anything better since the weak and pretentious screenplay. I just couldn't understand why and how after so many years since the mainland Chinese filmmakers took over the Hong Kong movie industries, the productions have been deteriorating to a degree so pathetic and so hollow, almost every movie looked like adapted from children's books, so naive, so pretentious and so distant from the reality. Characters and roles in almost every movie just looked so stereotyped and one-directional predictable.
What???
tiefirst28 January 2022
I generally like Donnie Yen's work, but I'm not sure what's going on here.
I know there's a little bit of a cultural gap between Chinese and US filmmaking. This movie goes beyond those gaps.
Within a standard run time, Big Brother attempts to be a martial arts movie, inspirational underdog story, war story, man against organized crime movie, comedy, drama, second chance story, and what else....
The dialogue is clunky. There are seear words that don't work within the seemingly intended tone.
There are scenes of nudity that are awkward and out of place.
Performances by the struggling students are rushed and don't really have realized conclusions.
Donnie is supposed to be an inspirational teacher, but never teaches class. Instead he acts more as a guardian angel for the students.
The plot lines set around combat are way out of place.
I'm all for seeing Donnie Yen doing what he does best, but just commit to that in a fluid story line.
If they want to flex Donnie's muscle within a dramatic performance, then commit to that instead.
This movie just tries to do way too many things.
Oh, and what's with the soundtrack? Is that China's version of K pop on display? If so......just don't.
I know there's a little bit of a cultural gap between Chinese and US filmmaking. This movie goes beyond those gaps.
Within a standard run time, Big Brother attempts to be a martial arts movie, inspirational underdog story, war story, man against organized crime movie, comedy, drama, second chance story, and what else....
The dialogue is clunky. There are seear words that don't work within the seemingly intended tone.
There are scenes of nudity that are awkward and out of place.
Performances by the struggling students are rushed and don't really have realized conclusions.
Donnie is supposed to be an inspirational teacher, but never teaches class. Instead he acts more as a guardian angel for the students.
The plot lines set around combat are way out of place.
I'm all for seeing Donnie Yen doing what he does best, but just commit to that in a fluid story line.
If they want to flex Donnie's muscle within a dramatic performance, then commit to that instead.
This movie just tries to do way too many things.
Oh, and what's with the soundtrack? Is that China's version of K pop on display? If so......just don't.
Touching and Inspiring - a movie with a lot of heart and positive messages!
tigercanyons18 August 2018
I went into the theatres expecting a full fledge martial arts movie, but I got more than that. The movie totally blew my expectations away, as Big Brother touches on gender equality, racism and more importantly the flaws in today's education system. The role a teacher plays in his/her students' lives, to inspire and motivate.
Reminds me of the hit Bollywood film, 3 idiots, but with more action scenes.
Have not seen a movie that brings out so many positive messages for a Long time.
Also was not expecting to go into the cinema to see so many people wiping their tears during the movie - a very touching movie with comedic elements and incredible action sequences. A movie with a lot of heart and effort, and deserves to be applauded.
Definitely recommended to be watched in theatres! :)
Reminds me of the hit Bollywood film, 3 idiots, but with more action scenes.
Have not seen a movie that brings out so many positive messages for a Long time.
Also was not expecting to go into the cinema to see so many people wiping their tears during the movie - a very touching movie with comedic elements and incredible action sequences. A movie with a lot of heart and effort, and deserves to be applauded.
Definitely recommended to be watched in theatres! :)
Good ideas that you seen before but meshed a bit awkwardly
destroyerwod11 December 2021
The main plot of this movie, you seen many times before. Group of hard to deal with misfit students get a new teacher with out of the box methods to try to bring them back in the right path. You could even say that doing this trough karate/martial arts has also be done before, so its nothing new. But having a guy like Donnie Yen could really make it fun and if lacking in originality, it could be just entertaining.
But the reality is ... it turn out not to be really about this. Donnie's character Mister Chen does teach to these kids and help them solve their problems and everything, but the martial art parts seem to be completely on the side. What i mean is that yes there is some VERY well done martial arts choreography like you would expect from Donnie Yen, but not only they happen not that often but they also seem to be added on the side to justify having Donnie in the movie.
He never actually teach martial arts to the kids. What you got is a movie about students with problems and Donnie helping them fix them and making them better students. And in some ocasions an action scenes occur. The problem is the fighting seem completely disjoincted from the rest of the movie, and the "vilains" are completely underdeveloped and appear as an aftertaught.
Yet despite this critics i can't say i was bored or disliked the movie. There is a few parts that are the product of where the movie happen and seem a bit strange for us North Americans, but in general i still found some interest in these kids and Mr Chen. And the action scenes/fights there was were a lot of fun. So i would say i had decent fun with the movie.
Be warned tough that unless i am unaware of it, this movie is only available in chinese language with subtitles. Couldn't find a french dubbed version or even an english dub. Chinese speak fast and the movie is heavy on plot, so prepare yourself to read a lot.
But the reality is ... it turn out not to be really about this. Donnie's character Mister Chen does teach to these kids and help them solve their problems and everything, but the martial art parts seem to be completely on the side. What i mean is that yes there is some VERY well done martial arts choreography like you would expect from Donnie Yen, but not only they happen not that often but they also seem to be added on the side to justify having Donnie in the movie.
He never actually teach martial arts to the kids. What you got is a movie about students with problems and Donnie helping them fix them and making them better students. And in some ocasions an action scenes occur. The problem is the fighting seem completely disjoincted from the rest of the movie, and the "vilains" are completely underdeveloped and appear as an aftertaught.
Yet despite this critics i can't say i was bored or disliked the movie. There is a few parts that are the product of where the movie happen and seem a bit strange for us North Americans, but in general i still found some interest in these kids and Mr Chen. And the action scenes/fights there was were a lot of fun. So i would say i had decent fun with the movie.
Be warned tough that unless i am unaware of it, this movie is only available in chinese language with subtitles. Couldn't find a french dubbed version or even an english dub. Chinese speak fast and the movie is heavy on plot, so prepare yourself to read a lot.
I'm not sure what they were going for. They may not have been sure either.
kyla-7230212 October 2021
There were a lot of elements here that could have been used to make a pretty good movie, but it was so unfocused and non-sensical that it really just kind of fell flat. I think they were going for some kind of feel good thing, but it came off really schlocky. It seemed like the writers were not able to agree on what the source of the drama would be so they just included everyone's suggestions.
Donnie Yen was very enjoyable as always, and I did quite enjoy the two action sequences in this movie. This movie that would have made much more sense without action sequences.
Donnie Yen was very enjoyable as always, and I did quite enjoy the two action sequences in this movie. This movie that would have made much more sense without action sequences.
A film for your body, brain and heart
kluseba6 September 2018
Big Brother is a highly entertaining movie that mixes social drama with some martial arts action elements. The movie tells the story of a veteran with a troubled past who comes back to his former Hong Kong high school to work there as a social science teacher. The school faces several problems such as reduced funds, obsolete infrastructures and difficult students. The protagonist uses quite unusual strategies to help his students and invests a lot of energy and time to solve their individual problems. While he soon gets along with his students, his colleagues and the principal are quick to criticize him and Henry Chen soon realizes that being a teacher might become his biggest challenge yet.
Donnie Yen's latest movie is so efficient because it combines social drama and action scenes in a very balanced way. The plot is quite mature, profound and serious. The occasional fight scenes offer welcome breaks from the intense content. The film convinces with intriguing characters that have troubled pasts. Viewers will connect with the war veteran who was everything but an obedient student, his former friend and antagonist who wasn't given the chance to realize his dreams and especially the students who have serious problems such as poverty, criminality and addictions. The film comes around with life-affirming, optimistic and positive message that are truly inspiring, especially if you are a student or teacher yourself.
Some people might criticize that this film features less spectacular fights than other movies starring Donnie Yen but this reduced and realistic approach suits the film very well. Other people might argue that such an intense social drama would be better off without any big fights at all but the serious content is much easier to digest with these vivid sequences. Big Brother leaves the trodden path, tries out an unusual combination of genres and succeeds almost perfectly to my very positive surprise.
If you like social dramas and martial arts films, you will adore this movie that turns out being one of the best in Donnie Yen's impressive career. The content, messages and vibe of the movie will make you think even long after the movie is over. Big Brother is a film for your body, brain and heart and one of the most positive surprises of the year.
Donnie Yen's latest movie is so efficient because it combines social drama and action scenes in a very balanced way. The plot is quite mature, profound and serious. The occasional fight scenes offer welcome breaks from the intense content. The film convinces with intriguing characters that have troubled pasts. Viewers will connect with the war veteran who was everything but an obedient student, his former friend and antagonist who wasn't given the chance to realize his dreams and especially the students who have serious problems such as poverty, criminality and addictions. The film comes around with life-affirming, optimistic and positive message that are truly inspiring, especially if you are a student or teacher yourself.
Some people might criticize that this film features less spectacular fights than other movies starring Donnie Yen but this reduced and realistic approach suits the film very well. Other people might argue that such an intense social drama would be better off without any big fights at all but the serious content is much easier to digest with these vivid sequences. Big Brother leaves the trodden path, tries out an unusual combination of genres and succeeds almost perfectly to my very positive surprise.
If you like social dramas and martial arts films, you will adore this movie that turns out being one of the best in Donnie Yen's impressive career. The content, messages and vibe of the movie will make you think even long after the movie is over. Big Brother is a film for your body, brain and heart and one of the most positive surprises of the year.
Maybe too unrealistic, but still a warm movie
ryanmo-3517816 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
My wife told me about this movie which is acted by Donnie. Oh, how come I miss it? This movie is about a former US soldier but went back to HK to be a teacher as to repay the faith of the principal. His class has a few bad students ( a girl who is inferior to her young genius brother, a Pakistan who can talk fluent Cantonese, a boy who lives with his grandma, and twins where one is playing game all the time and another without concentration easily). Donnie used different kinds of method to guide them to a good way, although it's unrealistic, it's still happy seeing them return. It's also strange that they all appreciate him much after knowing he is a good fighter. Anyway the ending is happy as the school can be retained, and most surprising is that the big boss is the one he hurt when young! Warm movie....
Chinese propaganda
Incinera-9-93904827 December 2021
So, I have one star for the main character. He got skills. We all watched this because of him. Having said that, this movie is just Chinese propaganda. No even critics review lmao. Can't criticiZe the party right? Enjoy the freebies $$$ because what the commies give, they take. Even your life. Cowards.
I wish
Tradniam15 September 2018
1. Kang Yu's role is more calm but still evil, to show all of his avenging heart. Not such a rough thug. I have seen a lot of that kind of character and I believe I am all through
2. Go-kart race scene, entering city street, end up in traditional market is way too impossible and deleted.
3. First Yen and Yu fight in Taekwondo rules or style as their martial art backround for how the feud started, then Yu becomes dirty, what's next is street rumble and Yen may show his grappling skill.
Donnie Yen can do better than this.
holyshiteverynamehasbeentaken4 December 2020
This film has good intentions, but alas, fails in rightfully executing so.
Now, this film isn't a total disaster, thanks to a few things- the acting is quite enjoyable, even if it fails to excel its predecessors, the action is fine, though again, not exceptional in any way. The light, fun tone also helps the film from being something unredeemable(on the other hand, the film does have a problem with serious scenes). Unfortunately, there are more flaws than its positive traits. For instance, it has a severe issue with cliches. Or, to clarify, a dependency on cliches. The whole film is over cliched.
Honestly, the stars did quite a good job here. Donnie Yen is perfect in this role, as a unique teacher with an unorthodox teaching method, while his co-stars are good enough for the film.
Now, let's start with the characters-sorry-stereotypes. Now, tropes aren't bad, but when you use too many of them, it leaves a very, very bad taste in one's mouth(or eye). Now, the characters are far too unoriginal and ungenuine. Their arcs don't fare well either, as they're equally familiar. The plot? You get it. Honestly, I loved the feeling the film gives after the credits roll(this is a perfect example of a "feel-good" film), but the more I think about it, the more flawed does the film seems, with problems like CGI failure or cringy dialogue littered throughout the film.
Overall, this film would do fare better if the writers put a little more creativity into the script(or more Donnie Yen fighting, perhaps).
Not a typical Donnie Yen movie but good (not perfect) nonetheless
quietprofessional6 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is my first official review post so I am glad to review this. I like to note that this review is from the Well Go USA release of the film and not the Hong Kong release you may find in specialty shops that contain "official" releases of the film (if you don't get the quotation marks, it just means the "straight from the cinema" release rather than the home movie/streaming releases from the master films).
I've been a great fan of Donnie Yen since I first saw him in "Wing Chun" (also starring Michelle Yeoh as the titular character) back when the Montreal Fantasia festival started 23 years ago originally to showcase exclusively East Asian cinema (hence the original name Fant-Asia). His charismatic approach to martial arts heroes in television and film along with innovations in action and fight choreography renders the man to legendary status.
"Big Brother" is not a typical actioner. Actually, it is a dramedy, a departure of the films Yen does but I give him credit for exploring his filmographic range in the same vein as Jackie Chan (decades-long visibility of critically and commercially successful films that allows flexibility for participating in films against type). To tell the synopsis briefly, Yen portrays Henry Chan (Hap Chan by his Cantonese name), a war veteran turned teacher who was hired to teach a homeroom liberal studies class of "delinquents" at the underfunded Tak Chin High School with a low number of graduates leaving with an HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education). These "delinquents" in question are not the born-to-be-bad types whose sole purpose is to cause trouble for a self-gratifying high. As Chan soon discovers, they were in circumstances that hinder their progress due to their social-economic status (growing up poor), the ethno-racial prejudices they experienced (being a member of an ethnic group different from the rest), patriarchal nepotism (father favoring the son over the daughter, prevalent in some Asian cultures), alcohol abuse in a single parent home, and drug use for academic performance (using Ritalin to increase concentration only to return diminishing results after prolonged use). Further complicating matters, are the education board whose plan is to close the school in an effort to curb the turnover as well as Triad-affiliated real-estate moguls (Trump and Helmsley come to mind) with an eye on gentrifying the land the high school sits on. Consider this as "Dead Poets Society" and "Dangerous Minds" had a baby with a talent for the five fists of Hung Gar.
Because this is a Donnie Yen vehicle, "Big Brother" contains a fight scene at the stadium locker room filled with MMA fighters and the climactic battle at Tak Chin grounds set at the same day as the HKDSE exams. The fights scenes are signature Yen, fusing and implementing Hong Kong film fighting with wrestling and submission techniques (ie. Brazilian Jiu Jutsu) as show for his love of MMA (a trend that started with Sha Po Lan). The same MMA-style combat recurs in the climactic battle at Tak Chin. The fight scenes are not just there to make Yen heroic but human as well when he takes the shots and beatings. Again the choreography suits very well to the modern action movies Donnie Yen had been a part of.
The theme of the pressure to do well in school to get into top-tier, Ivy League-type schools does not just hold true in Hong Kong but in other Asian countries as well. This is not a new phenomena with recent reports of suicide among students in secondary and post-secondary schools raise alarm bells with educators and government searching for solutions to break the long-standing rigorous teaching of subjects solely in language, mathematics, and science, stimulating interest in other field subjects that were dismissed due to the social and economic rewards as a medical professional, an attorney, an engineer, and a businessperson would gain in their respective fields. These limitations serve to create so-called "delinquents" and when placing the weight of negative social factors creates a burden from which success is not guaranteed. This will lead down a dark path to criminality and suicide as all options get closed off. This gives our hero a challenge to change minds and attitudes and to get to the sympathetic heart of the matter to encourage success as we see Chan read essays of the "delinquents" background and aspirations and proactively meeting their parents/grandparents. It also furthers Chan's defense of his unconventional methods to help students succeed much to the opposition of the education board.
Another theme explored is the inevitable and never-ending gentrification of Hong Kong's neighborhoods as population and skyscrapers grow higher. The Triad getting into business with the real estate moguls is nothing new seeing as they accelerate the process of buying real estate through illicit means that drives cost down and returns up at the expense of those who live, work, and study in those lands. It also serves to elaborate the effects of said gentrification on the poorest of the student population as apartments for social housing are sparse.
As compelling as the themes are, there are some flaws in the movie as well given the running time of 101 minutes and noticeably holes in the story. Because Donnie Yen is branching into a genre far from the action genre, it would be serving to the movie to see a subplot involving Chan and Ms. Leung, a colleague and potential love interest, to develop further and as well as possibly partnering up in helping the students with their HKDSE preparation and more. Unfortunately, it was set aside and could have served as part of the story. Adding to the missed opportunity is the lack of interaction between Chan and his other colleagues as they could have added a dynamic to liven up the story, be it friendly or antagonistic.
Holes in the development of Chan's journey into the US Marine Corps after military school are apparent when it was not thought with due research or in consultation with a US military advisory (not necessarily an American). Even glaring is the qualifications of being a teacher requires them to have a university degree in education or equivalent. Given the dubious history of how Henry Chan became a Marine and a teacher without a Bachelor's degree, it requires the audience to suspend their belief and rely on the fact that he got the job solely from the reference letter of Tak Chin's former principal who recommended our hero to attend a military school in the US after his expulsion (again a forum topic of interest to open).
There are those who will compare this to "Dead Poets Society" and "Dangerous Minds", both excellent films about teachers who use unconventional methods to help their students achieve success while along the way experienced challenges in reaching their students and opposition from superiors who wish to maintain the status quo. Henry Chan is seemingly an amalgamation of Robin Williams' John Keating and Michelle Pfeiffer's LouAnne Johnson (real-life educator and former US Marine officer) but Donnie Yen managed to do his best to make Chan his own character despite the comparisons.
To sum up, PROS of the movie: -get action sequences despite two set pieces -Donnie Yen, charismatic as he is inspirational -exploration of themes and real life struggles -a view of the Hong Kong education system in parallel to other East Asian countries
CONS of the movie: -gaffes and inconsistencies with the Henry Chan's military background -romantic subplot between two teachers, interaction with other teachers insufficiently explored -if you viewed "Dead Poets Society" and "Dangerous Minds" already, you will be treading on familiar terrritory
I've been a great fan of Donnie Yen since I first saw him in "Wing Chun" (also starring Michelle Yeoh as the titular character) back when the Montreal Fantasia festival started 23 years ago originally to showcase exclusively East Asian cinema (hence the original name Fant-Asia). His charismatic approach to martial arts heroes in television and film along with innovations in action and fight choreography renders the man to legendary status.
"Big Brother" is not a typical actioner. Actually, it is a dramedy, a departure of the films Yen does but I give him credit for exploring his filmographic range in the same vein as Jackie Chan (decades-long visibility of critically and commercially successful films that allows flexibility for participating in films against type). To tell the synopsis briefly, Yen portrays Henry Chan (Hap Chan by his Cantonese name), a war veteran turned teacher who was hired to teach a homeroom liberal studies class of "delinquents" at the underfunded Tak Chin High School with a low number of graduates leaving with an HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education). These "delinquents" in question are not the born-to-be-bad types whose sole purpose is to cause trouble for a self-gratifying high. As Chan soon discovers, they were in circumstances that hinder their progress due to their social-economic status (growing up poor), the ethno-racial prejudices they experienced (being a member of an ethnic group different from the rest), patriarchal nepotism (father favoring the son over the daughter, prevalent in some Asian cultures), alcohol abuse in a single parent home, and drug use for academic performance (using Ritalin to increase concentration only to return diminishing results after prolonged use). Further complicating matters, are the education board whose plan is to close the school in an effort to curb the turnover as well as Triad-affiliated real-estate moguls (Trump and Helmsley come to mind) with an eye on gentrifying the land the high school sits on. Consider this as "Dead Poets Society" and "Dangerous Minds" had a baby with a talent for the five fists of Hung Gar.
Because this is a Donnie Yen vehicle, "Big Brother" contains a fight scene at the stadium locker room filled with MMA fighters and the climactic battle at Tak Chin grounds set at the same day as the HKDSE exams. The fights scenes are signature Yen, fusing and implementing Hong Kong film fighting with wrestling and submission techniques (ie. Brazilian Jiu Jutsu) as show for his love of MMA (a trend that started with Sha Po Lan). The same MMA-style combat recurs in the climactic battle at Tak Chin. The fight scenes are not just there to make Yen heroic but human as well when he takes the shots and beatings. Again the choreography suits very well to the modern action movies Donnie Yen had been a part of.
The theme of the pressure to do well in school to get into top-tier, Ivy League-type schools does not just hold true in Hong Kong but in other Asian countries as well. This is not a new phenomena with recent reports of suicide among students in secondary and post-secondary schools raise alarm bells with educators and government searching for solutions to break the long-standing rigorous teaching of subjects solely in language, mathematics, and science, stimulating interest in other field subjects that were dismissed due to the social and economic rewards as a medical professional, an attorney, an engineer, and a businessperson would gain in their respective fields. These limitations serve to create so-called "delinquents" and when placing the weight of negative social factors creates a burden from which success is not guaranteed. This will lead down a dark path to criminality and suicide as all options get closed off. This gives our hero a challenge to change minds and attitudes and to get to the sympathetic heart of the matter to encourage success as we see Chan read essays of the "delinquents" background and aspirations and proactively meeting their parents/grandparents. It also furthers Chan's defense of his unconventional methods to help students succeed much to the opposition of the education board.
Another theme explored is the inevitable and never-ending gentrification of Hong Kong's neighborhoods as population and skyscrapers grow higher. The Triad getting into business with the real estate moguls is nothing new seeing as they accelerate the process of buying real estate through illicit means that drives cost down and returns up at the expense of those who live, work, and study in those lands. It also serves to elaborate the effects of said gentrification on the poorest of the student population as apartments for social housing are sparse.
As compelling as the themes are, there are some flaws in the movie as well given the running time of 101 minutes and noticeably holes in the story. Because Donnie Yen is branching into a genre far from the action genre, it would be serving to the movie to see a subplot involving Chan and Ms. Leung, a colleague and potential love interest, to develop further and as well as possibly partnering up in helping the students with their HKDSE preparation and more. Unfortunately, it was set aside and could have served as part of the story. Adding to the missed opportunity is the lack of interaction between Chan and his other colleagues as they could have added a dynamic to liven up the story, be it friendly or antagonistic.
Holes in the development of Chan's journey into the US Marine Corps after military school are apparent when it was not thought with due research or in consultation with a US military advisory (not necessarily an American). Even glaring is the qualifications of being a teacher requires them to have a university degree in education or equivalent. Given the dubious history of how Henry Chan became a Marine and a teacher without a Bachelor's degree, it requires the audience to suspend their belief and rely on the fact that he got the job solely from the reference letter of Tak Chin's former principal who recommended our hero to attend a military school in the US after his expulsion (again a forum topic of interest to open).
There are those who will compare this to "Dead Poets Society" and "Dangerous Minds", both excellent films about teachers who use unconventional methods to help their students achieve success while along the way experienced challenges in reaching their students and opposition from superiors who wish to maintain the status quo. Henry Chan is seemingly an amalgamation of Robin Williams' John Keating and Michelle Pfeiffer's LouAnne Johnson (real-life educator and former US Marine officer) but Donnie Yen managed to do his best to make Chan his own character despite the comparisons.
To sum up, PROS of the movie: -get action sequences despite two set pieces -Donnie Yen, charismatic as he is inspirational -exploration of themes and real life struggles -a view of the Hong Kong education system in parallel to other East Asian countries
CONS of the movie: -gaffes and inconsistencies with the Henry Chan's military background -romantic subplot between two teachers, interaction with other teachers insufficiently explored -if you viewed "Dead Poets Society" and "Dangerous Minds" already, you will be treading on familiar terrritory
Badass teacher, unrealistic students
ghostsniperx-323484 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
When I first watched this movie, it was shortly after I graduated highschool, imagining that I could relate to the theme of this very movie. Donnie Yen plays an ex military , teaching and helping the so called "bad kids". Donnie Yen's parts are good, in terms of his action scenes, it's just the students who played the role of the "bad kids." Juvenile delinquency is a common theme in my childhood growing up, as I used to form a gang with my friends before, however, I didn't feel a sense of likeness to the characters, they try way too hard to portray that image, typical "delinquent" behaviour, as you would see most of the students smoking or fighting, which is just a common 21st century perception.
The students are presented as losers compared to being an actual gang, they would always get bullied by the popular kids (so far only fighting twice throughout the whole movie) and doesn't do much throughout the entire movie except only becoming the good students.
In conclusion, Donnie Yen was the main attraction of the show, however, it was the students who brought it down .
The students are presented as losers compared to being an actual gang, they would always get bullied by the popular kids (so far only fighting twice throughout the whole movie) and doesn't do much throughout the entire movie except only becoming the good students.
In conclusion, Donnie Yen was the main attraction of the show, however, it was the students who brought it down .
Great and fun movie
curtiswe18 August 2018
Donnie yen comes back in this film as a teacher. A great and wonderful teacher for certain reasons at that.
He does a wonderful job at potraying someone wise and witty and has gone through a lot of stuff for his age and he shows that he truly wishes to teach his students well.
The film's plot itself might be a little overused and cliche, but it's still a fun and sad film to watch. I would have given the film 9 stars just for Donnie Yen's performance. 8 stars because of the film's plot.
However, the film is still riddled with multiple action scenes, true to Donnie Yen's nature. The fights are exciting and unique as it incorporates modern day popular sports as well as some of Jackie Chan's famous prop fighting that adds to comedy.
Overall, it's 8.5/10 for me. 8 because there's no 8.5 but it's not so good that it deserves a 9.
He does a wonderful job at potraying someone wise and witty and has gone through a lot of stuff for his age and he shows that he truly wishes to teach his students well.
The film's plot itself might be a little overused and cliche, but it's still a fun and sad film to watch. I would have given the film 9 stars just for Donnie Yen's performance. 8 stars because of the film's plot.
However, the film is still riddled with multiple action scenes, true to Donnie Yen's nature. The fights are exciting and unique as it incorporates modern day popular sports as well as some of Jackie Chan's famous prop fighting that adds to comedy.
Overall, it's 8.5/10 for me. 8 because there's no 8.5 but it's not so good that it deserves a 9.
Polemic on Hong Kong's education system
Leofwine_draca2 December 2022
A recent but less well-known Donnie Yen movie in which the martial artist plays a former soldier turned schoolteacher. He takes on an unruly class and in time helps the unlikeliest pupils with all of their personal problems, and there are a lot of them. After a while you realise this is less an action or comedy than a polemic on the state of the Hong Kong education system, so not particularly relevant globally. Saying that, I did enjoy the discussions even though the film lapses into sentimentality at times. Yen excels in a couple of good fight scenes randomly shoehorned into the storyline, and it's rather an effortless watch.
A chill and kinda wholesome movie with a hint of Martial Arts.
zachary-6869028 November 2019
I watched the movie because I am a fan of Donnie Yen, it's a good movie, not much story, just a cool teacher teaching his pupils the ways of life. Also there's a little bit of Martial Arts in the film which is nice. I would recommend the movie it's very chill.
just boring
tizentdigital18 August 2018
This is not a kung fu movie
roselykm18 August 2018
So dun expect this to be a crazy kung fu movie like all the other donnie yen movie. This is a movie about a teacher and all the cliche about teachers that we have watch countless times. For a kung fu movie i give it 1 star. Coz i felt cheated and with high anticipating and then duh.
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