It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

The first must-see film of the year.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The first hour of this movie is great and brings out a solid emotional story mixed with kung-fu. But the second half it starts to become pretty darn ridiculous with poor development. And loses the emotional value it started out with. The story is basically about a warlord Hao Jie(Andy Lau) that starts off as a man that angry full with ambitions of power and wealth but also lacks compassion. And don't blink an eye even when taking lives. And his right hand man is Cao Man(Nicholas Tse). Hao Jie chooses his ambition and tries to wipe out his own sworn brother in war. And Cao Man uses it as an opportunity to overthrow Hao Jie. And Hao Jie becomes a wanted man and ends up in a shaolin temple. And Hao Jie starts to learn the ways of the shaolin temple. Hao Jie also meets one of the head monk by the name of Jing Neng played by jacky wu who looks like the Korean actor Chun Jung-Myung a lot. Andy Lau did a good job of playing the cold character and also a sympathetic one. Nicholas Tse tries to pull off that drunk don't give a crap looking like high all the time type of villain. But he doesn't quite seem to pull it off like how Lee Byung-hun is able to pull off. The problem is with this movie is that there just isn't enough development where it's needed. Hao Jie makes a 180 degree change way too drastically and some of the characters you don't get attached to at all. Although they take up some screen time. This is mainly do to a lot of the deleted scenes that is added on to extras for the DVD. In fact I think some deleted scenes should have been added onto the movie. Cause some parts has some character development so it adds to the value of those characters. So when they die it actually leaves a bit of an impact. But that isn't the case for this movie, I honestly didn't care who lives or who dies just which side wins as the end. I usually always like Jackie Chan in movies but his over the top kung-fu takes away from this movie. Since this is a serious kung-fu flick and not a fantasy one. If this carried the flare it had for the first half with the second half it would have been a great film but as it is. It's a pretty mediocre flick.6.6/10

The movie is great when it comes to life values. the story line is to redundant. It is used to many times in other Chinese movies. The actors did well. The special effects is good but not great. on a budget of 29 million that was not bad. This morons who did not understand why Andy Lau became a monk did not get the story. They did not understand that the Shaolin is the purest place on the planet. That is why he went there for protection as well as atonement. After he understood the Shaolin way he needed to protect it. Jacki Chan makes a cameo in the movie. He plays a ex monk who can't be pacifistic. He in the end is the one who must continue with the traditions and teach the future monks somewhere else. Budda Bless All of You

Wow, what a great movie. To me this movie is as good as or better than Jet Li's Fearless and what a great movie that was. This movie is a movie with a good message, that sticks in the hart. The martial art, the way the monks protected themselves or fighting a righteous fight was sooooo beautiful and magnificent just as the IP Man movies where. What a beautiful story, not a cliché movie but a story with a surprising ending. I can't understand why this movie is rated 6.7, I rated this movie for the full 10 cause it's worth it!!! I can recommend this to everyone who likes the styles of martial arts and good plots. You will really enjoy this. I did and I cannot get enough of these kind of movies!

It's a martial arts movie with impressive special effects but the plot and dialog of a cartoon, which is just fine so long as you remember this is a Jackie Chan movie and suspend your disbelief. You will be invited to believe this film has depth but that's just window dressing played up by convincing actors. I felt like I was watching a grammar school production of King Lear since the directing kept on insisting it be taken seriously.Relax it's just a flick so eat your popcorn and have fun. I had to give it a 5 because of its inability to decide what kind of movie it wanted to be, a Kurosawa or a Jackie Chan with high production values.