The paper tigers

Action cinema has always found its place in our cinemas, whether it be films with Jackie Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, but alongside these action filmmakers who have made their presence felt, many other films with a lower budget have nevertheless managed to find their place. In the same way, the cult saga Karate Kid has survived the ages and remains in the memory of many film lovers.

The success of the Cobra Kai series prolonging Karate Kid with actor Ralph Macchio resuming his role in the first three films (we will forget The Next Karate kid and a failed remake) seems to be one of the reasons that led director and screenwriter Bao Tran to populate the film The paper Tigers by showing how three teenagers gifted in Kung-Fu with age have lost their strength but also part of the teaching they received in their childhood. When the Kung Fu master is killed, the three childhood buddies Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan) and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) who lost their way must not only put aside the differences that made them drift apart in the past but also question themselves to find the murderer of the late Kung Fu master.

The paper Tigers is not an action movie that will remain in our memories but it shows that with little means, it is possible to propose an action movie with well filmed scenes reminding us of some old B series of the 80s and 90s. As in the Cobra Kai series, these three Kung Fu prodigies meet stronger and better trained youngsters but also a powerful athlete. We certainly would have liked the film to go straight to the point, even if it meant deleting some overly long dialogues. However, the three main actors do not demerit and allow us to have a good time, if not to revolutionize the genre. The paper tigers is certainly an action movie of series B but has the merit to propose something else than a non-stop succession of fighting scenes...

The paper tigers
Written and Directed by Bao Tran
Produced by Al'n Duon, Daniel Gildark, Yuji Okumoto, Michael Velasquez
Starring Joziah Lagonoy, Matthew Page, Jae Suh Park, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Alain Uy, Ron Yuan
Cinematography: Shaun Mayor
Edited by Kris Kristensen
Running time : 108mns

Viewed on August 20, 2020 (Fantasia Festival)

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