Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- kinetic
- tense
- old-fashioned
- martial arts movie night
- action movie marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film's grounded, immediate martial arts action effective while viewing its conventional story as familiar rather than groundbreaking.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tiger Chen studies Tai Chi under Master Yang while deliberately applying it in underground fights.
Donaka Mark recruits Tiger into illegal matches while pursuing motives beyond the money offered.
Critics specifically praised the immediate, kinetic fights and the sense of watching performers execute the combat directly.
Tiger enters the fight circuit to raise money when the temple where he trains is threatened by modern redevelopment.
Films like Man of Tai Chi, and why
Bloodsport
shared old-school martial arts choreography, tournament combat, and a morally pressured fighter confronting a corrupt underground circuit
Warrior
shared underground fight-club structure, escalating physical competition, and a protagonist resisting exploitation by powerful handlers
The Raid: Redemption
shared grounded hand-to-hand combat, spiritual discipline, and a young fighter navigating criminal violence
Ip Man
shared martial arts tradition, mentor student tension, and streamlined genre storytelling centered on physical performance
Movie Details
- Director
- Keanu Reeves
- Release Date
- 2013-07-04
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (1023)
Cast
- Tiger Chen Hu
- Keanu Reeves
- Karen Mok Man-Wai
- Yu Hai
- Julia Ye
- Simon Yam
- Yasuyuki Hirata
- Julius Brian Siswojo
- Hélène Siwan Leclerc
- Tong Man-lung
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, Howdy 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 Man of Tai Chi about?
- A rebellious Tai Chi practitioner enters a corrupt underground fight circuit to protect his temple and discovers that his patron's agenda is far darker than promised.
- What is Man of Tai Chi like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Man of Tai Chi as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Man of Tai Chi violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Man of Tai Chi as brutal.
- What did critics think of Man of Tai Chi?
- Critics generally found the film's grounded, immediate martial arts action effective while viewing its conventional story as familiar rather than groundbreaking.
- Which films are like Man of Tai Chi?
- Films with a similar feel include Bloodsport, Warrior, The Raid: Redemption, and Ip Man.
- How long is Man of Tai Chi?
- Man of Tai Chi runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Man of Tai Chi?
- In United States, Man of Tai Chi streams on MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
