The Paper Tigers – A Dull Feel-Good Kung Fu Film (Early Review)

The filmmakers behind The Paper Tigers certainly had their hearts in the right place. It is yet another sentimental sob fest that is meant to conjure up nostalgia for the Kung Fu craze of the 1970s. It also wants to tell the story of old codgers looking to prove that they’ve still got it. These are all familiar elements of the same old feel good story subgenre about people having value and worth at any age. In the end, one can’t help but wonder whether poorly constructed films such as this one truly make a difference when it comes to those important issues. 

The Paper Tigers starts with a fairly shocking revelation which haunts several of his former students. Danny (Yu) has become disconnected from his roots and fails to properly engage with his family members. He is still proud of what he achieved when he was a young martial arts star. This is what draws him back to his former partners in crime, Hing (Yuan) and Jim (Jenkins). They all fought together as young men and had a fearsome reputation in the Kung Fu community. From there, their plan was to investigate what happened to their mentor while returning to their former glory. 

The biggest drawback when it comes to watching The Paper Tigers is that it’s basically dull. It doesn’t bring anything new whatsoever to the table, it’s incredibly saccharine and none of the lines that are clearly meant to be catchphrases, end up leaving a lasting impression. This doesn’t have the goods to become a favorite of undemanding fathers who are looking for something to entertain their sons. They will end up rifling through the same old classics and their child will be forced to sit through The Karate Kid  for the hundredth time. It is merely something that one can watch while also focusing on other tasks and that’s just not enough. It isn’t diverting enough to tear the eyes of a twelve-year-old away from their computer screen. 

The visuals are also disappointingly lacking in pizzazz or any sense of specificity. There is a Clint Eastwood-esque grey tone that hangs over everything and adds a certain scruffiness to the production design. Now, all of this could have been a deliberate choice, meant to communicate some deeper message, but it just made the film look stodgy. This might as well have been set in any relatively large American city at any point after the 1940s. There are a few references to modern technology thrown in but it never really feels like this old story has been updated for the 2020s. If filmmakers are not putting their own spin on this story, what is the point of even telling it in the first place? 

Those looking to entertain younger viewers are better served turning to some of the classic films that were consistently pumped out back in the 1970s and 1980s. If only The Paper Tigers could have been a film that was as daringly weird and wonderful as some of those films then it may very well have been one that could have been viewed more favorably by this reviewer.

still courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

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Zita Short

I am passionate about screwball comedies from the 1930s and certain actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I’ll aim to review new Netflix releases and write features, so expect a lot of romantic comedies and cult favourites.