I remember seeing the trailer on a DVD about a year ago, and I had forgotten all about it until I was browsing through our TV movie rentals. The trailer showed very little so I looked up the film on IMDb and found an average review of 5.1. Nonetheless, I watched it anyway and I must say I was not disappointed.
Perhaps my expectations were low given the reviews, but I also think that with the type of 'Martial Art' films coming out nowadays, it seems a fight scene that has been adulterated with showoff moves is coming hard to find. Scorpion does not do this. It shows not just the sport, but the powers behind it, as brutal and unforgiving, in and outside the ring.
The film opens up a well for the main protagonist to deal with his personal flaws, which we see head on in an early scene. It really allows us to see a flawed fighter, lacking discipline due to inexplicable rage, despite his love, dedication and respect for the sport.
Fight scenes are not as extravagant as something cooked up in a current Jet Li film. They are raw and closer to something seen on UFC. If anything, I respected the film for this. The scenes made more sense, and they weren't about declaring a winner, or making our protagonist look like a superhero. What was there was pure and a lot more believable that what is seen in movies today.
By the end of the film, the was a real sense of accomplishment for the major characters. Loyalties shifted to where they were of genuine importance, and there was a learnt understanding for the key characters of why those of us need strength through violence to survive through difficult circumstances, whereas others find that violence itself is no substitute for things in life that are more important.
I would urge those who prefer classic fighting movies to watch this, but that wanting another over the top, severely choreographed Jackie Chan show-off ride, should look the other way.
Perhaps my expectations were low given the reviews, but I also think that with the type of 'Martial Art' films coming out nowadays, it seems a fight scene that has been adulterated with showoff moves is coming hard to find. Scorpion does not do this. It shows not just the sport, but the powers behind it, as brutal and unforgiving, in and outside the ring.
The film opens up a well for the main protagonist to deal with his personal flaws, which we see head on in an early scene. It really allows us to see a flawed fighter, lacking discipline due to inexplicable rage, despite his love, dedication and respect for the sport.
Fight scenes are not as extravagant as something cooked up in a current Jet Li film. They are raw and closer to something seen on UFC. If anything, I respected the film for this. The scenes made more sense, and they weren't about declaring a winner, or making our protagonist look like a superhero. What was there was pure and a lot more believable that what is seen in movies today.
By the end of the film, the was a real sense of accomplishment for the major characters. Loyalties shifted to where they were of genuine importance, and there was a learnt understanding for the key characters of why those of us need strength through violence to survive through difficult circumstances, whereas others find that violence itself is no substitute for things in life that are more important.
I would urge those who prefer classic fighting movies to watch this, but that wanting another over the top, severely choreographed Jackie Chan show-off ride, should look the other way.