Shaolin Temple (1982) ½
cast: Jet Li, Ding Lam, Yue Sing-wai, Yue Hoi, Gai Chun-wan, Suen Gin-foi, Woo Gin-keung,
Lau Wai-leung, Gwan Chu-wa, and Wong Kwong-kuen
director: Cheung Yam-yim

This shaolin fish-out-of-water film, featuring a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Jet Li, age 19, in his feature film debut, was actually made with a mainland crew, a Hong Kong director, funded by Taiwanese money, and filmed on historical Shaolin soil in China under special circumstances.

Expectation wise "Shaolin Temple" didn't do much business in Hong Kong, but was embraced by the mainland audiences who had watched Li grow up as a child performing wu shu around the world and even for President Nixon.

Though the Chinese government allowed Hong Kong filmmakers to shoot the film on Chinese soil, "Shaolin Temple" ran with a disclaimer during its mainland release that stated it was unnecessary to learn martial arts. Nevertheless, some audiences described the film as being a benchmark for Jet Li and his popularity that would soon follow.

Li stars in "Shaolin Temple" as a slave who watches his father die at the hands of an evil general. Knowing basic gung fu, he escapes to a shaolin temple under the protection of monks a la San Se.

"Shaolin Temple" actually raises important questions about religion and human nature as Li cloaks himself under the teachings of a monk, but ultimately plans to kill the general with the shaolin style he is being trained.

The martial arts training sequences are some of the best I've seen since the rein of the Shaw Bros. produced chop sockey of days long gone. The script is typical, but the action is classic, and Li does anything but strike out on his first at bat.

Another possible reason "Shaolin Temple" only received mediocre reception in Hong Kong had to do with the fact that audiences were getting burnt out on films set during the dynasty periods. While martial arts have always been the staple of Hong Kong, audiences were turning their attention to comedic theatrics and away from Shaolin temples. Jackie Chan felt a similar burn the same year when his film "Dragon Lord" failed to live up to the hype of some of earlier successes, prompting him to abandon classic gung fu movies until 1994.

Regardless of these drawbacks, "Shaolin Temple" is one big excuse to show off the newest star of Hong Kong cinema, and this time it's an entertaining excuse. However, I could have done without the documentary blurbs that play at the beginning and end of the film.

Refer to Jet Li's official website for a chilling experience during the "Shaolin Temple" shoot. Jet Talks About Shaolin Temple.