Shaolin Soccer (2001)

Director: Stephen Chow

Starring: Stephen Chow

More Info: IMDB

Tagline: Kick some grass!

Plot: A young Shaolin follower reunites with his discouraged brothers to form a soccer team using their martial art skills to their advantage.

My Rating: 8/10

Would I watch it again? Yeah, in like about two weeks!


I remember seeing Chow's KUNG FU HUSTLE during its theatrical release in 2005 and having an absolute blast. It was funny in so many different ways and it was loaded with action with some great kung fu. That was my, like many, introduction to Stephen Chow. I soon heard that SHAOLIN SOCCER had come before it and was even better. It's been 4 years since KFH, and I've forgotten some of it, but I can say that SS is definitely as good or better.


I don't care for sports movies. They've been done to death. A shitty team of misfits or has-beens train to beat their rival in the "big game" and usually win. The kids over at SOUTH PARK nailed it with the 2006, season 10 episode called, 'Stanley's Cup'. Go to www.southparkstudios.com and watch it for free. That stale formula kept me from seeing this all these years. HOLYFUCKINGSHIT! What a great movie!!!


It's funny as hell. It's dorky as hell. The CGI is painfully obvious but it doesn't matter. It's got heart without beating you over the head with it. You care about the characters. They're really likable. It covers some of the conventions of underdog sports films but then it does so many different and refreshing things with them that you don't care about it.


DO NOT WATCH THE DUBBED VERSION. I've heard it's horrible in comparison.


I could go on gushing about this all day long. Beware of the Miramax release. It's only 85 minutes. I didn't know this was a cut version. That's the one I watched. The non-Miramax bastards release runs 112 minutes. I'll have my hands on a copy very soon and I will definitely be watching this again, catching every little thing that gets thrown at me and this time, there'll be an extra 27 minutes to savor. I'm sure it'll blow my pants off...again!