Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- lazy weekend
- action movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an energetic, heartfelt martial arts comedy with strong performances and unusually high genre appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Danny, Hing, and Jim are middle-aged former kung fu prodigies dealing with injuries, stiffness, and diminished ability while pursuing revenge.
The protagonists must balance dead-end employment and fatherly duties against avenging their murdered master.
The film treats kung fu conventions, old grudges, and its aging heroes with playful humor rather than detached parody.
The three former teammates must confront old resentments and cooperate again after their master's death.
Films like The Paper Tigers, and why
Kung Fu Hustle
martial arts comedy, aging heroes, and affectionate nostalgia for genre traditions
The World's End
action comedy driven by friendship, family obligations, and middle-aged protagonists rediscovering purpose
Grosse Pointe Blank
warm ensemble comedy about old friends confronting past failures and unfinished conflicts
The Nice Guys
stylized martial arts action balanced with humor, character relationships, and revenge themes
Movie Details
- Director
- Quoc Bao Tran
- Release Date
- 2020-08-30
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (138)
Cast
- Alain Uy
- Ron Yuan
- Mykel Shannon Jenkins
- Jae Suh Park
- Matthew Page
- Joziah Lagonoy
- Ken Quitugua
- Yoshi Sudarso
- Peter Sudarso
- Gui DaSilva-Greene
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hi-YAH, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Paper Tigers about?
- Three aging kung fu prodigies reunite to avenge their murdered master while their battered bodies and complicated adult lives turn revenge into an unexpectedly tender action comedy.
- What is The Paper Tigers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Paper Tigers as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Paper Tigers violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Paper Tigers as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Paper Tigers?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an energetic, heartfelt martial arts comedy with strong performances and unusually high genre appeal.
- Which films are like The Paper Tigers?
- Films with a similar feel include Kung Fu Hustle, The World's End, Grosse Pointe Blank, and The Nice Guys.
- How long is The Paper Tigers?
- The Paper Tigers runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Paper Tigers?
- In United States, The Paper Tigers streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hi-YAH, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Hi-YAH Amazon Channel.
