Many thanks to Joke for the link!
Vern has posted his review for Man of Tai Chi over at OutLaw. Vern liked MOTC and gave the film a 4.75/5. His review is detailed and for those on the fence about seeing the film, a good read. What struck me particularly was his comments on Keanu Reeves’ directing skills. He said the following:
It looks more like a good Hong Kong movie than an actor vanity project. It looks real nice, has an effective electronical/orchestral hybrid soundtrack, has an intense car crash sequence, and a couple dashes of ONLY GOD FORGIVES type creepiness (something about the emotionless model who introduces some of the fights gave me the willies). More importantly to me, it turns out Neo’s got action chops.
I know alot of people think Reeves is a dummy, but during his time with the Wachowskis and Yuen Wo Ping he was smart enough to pick up on filmatistic lessons that most of current Hollywood flunked out of years ago. The editing (by Derek Hui, BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS) is A+, always holding long enough to show many consecutive moves. The camera (cinematographied by Elliot Davis of OUT OF SIGHT and SHAKES THE CLOWN fame) usually stays back far enough to show the whole bodies of the fighters, except when intentionally using closeups to focus on the movements of the hands or feet. Occasionally there are long, completely static shots for emphasis. I’m giving it a maybe too cautious ACR of 4.75 in recognition that the spinning and flying around of the camera (they used a new rig designed to move the camera deftly in and around fighters) will make some people dizzy, although I was fine with it. It’s fast, but it’s precise, it’s not the same as the shaky handheld stuff we see so often.
The entire review can be posted here.