Tai Chi Master (film)

For other meanings of Tai Chi Master please see Tai Chi Master.

Template:Infobox Chinese Film Tai Chi Master (Chinese: 太極張三豐), (aka Tai Chi and Twin Warriors) is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping and produced by and starring Jet Li.

Plot

Junbao and Tienbo grow up together in a Shaolin Temple as monks, studying the martial arts and generally getting into trouble. When they are both 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 governor’s 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 - Zhang Junbao / Shang Jun Biao / (Zhang Sanfeng)
• Michelle Yeoh - Siu Lin / Qiu Xue / (Falling Snow)
• Chin Siu Ho - Tienbo / Dong Tian Biao
• Fennie Yuen - Miss Li / Xiao Dong Gua (Little Melon)
• Cheung Yan Yuen - Reverend Ling
• Shun Lau - Master Jueyuan
• Hai Yu - Head Master
• Kam Kong Chow - Rebel
• Jian-kui Sun – Royal Eunuch Liu-jin
• Wing-chung Ho - Rascal

Home media

• Universe Laser released DVD in a near uncut state with a Cantonese soundtrack and 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 containing 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, but under the title "Twice Deadly". It is cut, however.
• On April 26, 2010, Cine Asia was released on DVD in the UK, the film title has been changed to Tai Chi Master from Twin Warriors.

Sequels

The two sequels to Tai Chi does continuing with two actors they were: Shun Lau and Hai Yu without Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh.

Tai Chi Boxer (1996 film)

Template:Infobox Chinese Film Tai Chi Boxer (aka Tai Chi II) is a 1996 Hong Kong martial arts action romantic comedy film directed by martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, and directed by Xinyan Zhang, starring Jacky Wu, Christy Chung, Mark Cheng, Chuen-hua Chi, Billy Chow, Sibelle Hu, Shun Lau, Darren Shahlavi, Chiu Tam and Hai Yu. This was Yuen Woo-ping’s final directorial of the film until 14 years in the future.

Cast

• Jacky Wu – Hawkman / Jackie
• Christy Chung – Rose
• Mark Cheng – Lam Wing
• Chuen-hua Chi – Da Bu Liang (Bald Villain)
• Billy Chow – Wong, Great Kick of the North
• Sibelle Hu – Jackie’s Mother
• Shun Lau – Officer Tsao (Rose’s Father)
• Darren Shahlavi – Smith
• Chiu Tam – Sung
• Hai Yu – Yeung Shan Wu (Jackie’s Father)

DVD release

On June 17, 2002, DVD was released in Hong Kong Legends at UK in Region 2.

Three years later, The Epic Action Collection DVD were released on December 26, 2005 at 4 disc set including two martial arts films they were: Wing Chun and 2 disc platinum edition Iron Monkey all three films directed by Yuen Woo-ping.

See also

• List of Dragon Dynasty releases
• Jet Li filmography
• Jacky Wu filmography
• List of Hong Kong Legends releases

External links

• Tai-Chi Master at IMDb
• Twin Warriors at AllMovie