MOVIE · 2001

Shaolin Soccer

ActionAdventureComedyFantasy113 min

A former Shaolin disciple rounds up his long-scattered brothers to form a soccer team that can turn kung fu into a competitive advantage. Stephen Chow is Sing, determined to spread his master’s teachings beyond the monastery, while Man-Tat Ng’s washed-up coach sees a way back onto the field through Team Shaolin. As they enter a major tournament, ordinary plays give way to flying kicks, impossible saves, and martial-arts technique used as strategy. The film folds together underdog sports stakes, broad comedy, and fantasy action in a contemporary Hong Kong setting.