The Paper Tigers is a 2020 martial arts flick about three friends who must reunite in order to avenge the death of their old Kung Fu master.
Martial arts movies are just so fun to watch, and it’s nice that filmmakers want to add something new to this particular genre. They’re made by people who are genuinely passionate in bringing some impressive fight sequences, while also showcasing some interesting and memorable characters. That’s exactly what you’re getting with Tran Quoc Bao’s insanely entertaining feature debut The Paper Tigers. It stars Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, and Mykel Shannon Jenkins in the lead roles, and you can’t help but look forward to seeing what they do next in their acting careers. It’s simply a terrific passion project come to life that wonderfully showcases the talent and skills from the entire cast and crew involved with making such a cool flick.
The Paper Tigers revolves around three inseparable best friends named Danny (Uy), Hing (Yuan) and Jim (Jenkins) who have grown up learning kung fu together during their teenage years. They have always been there for one another. However, they are now middle-aged and washed-up adults who have lost their touch with martial arts, which pretty much means they’re not quite the skilled disciples like they used to be back then. When they find out that their old teacher has been mysteriously killed, our trio of heroes decides to reunite in order to avenge his death, while also facing any obstacle that may come their way. It’s not only a delightful martial arts film, but it’s also a wonderful story about friendship.
There’s a lot to like about The Paper Tigers, so let’s start with the characters. Tran does a great job coming up with some likeable and compelling protagonists, while giving them a ton of development. The movie just has a remarkable amount of heart, which makes you root for our heroes from start to finish. These three guys are very unique and different with their personalities, and the actors have brilliant chemistry with each other. It takes a special bond for the audience to be invested in, but it allows you to be immersed in these characters’ lives and struggles as the premise goes on.
As a kung fu feature, it absolutely delivers. The action sequences are exciting and top-notch, which makes you want to praise the stunt team and fight choreographers for their amazing work. Not one single scene is dull, because the director makes sure to keep the audience interested throughout the narrative. It has the right balance of character development and martial arts, which is actually not an easy thing to do. Tran is a filmmaker who deeply cares about the type of movie he’s making, and he truly honors the legacy of previous martial arts classics.
The Paper Tigers is a fantastic directorial debut from Tran, and you can’t wait to see what else he does next. It’s admittedly a simple and familiar story, but the director elevates it with an impressive script and great performances from the three lead actors. It’s an incredibly heartwarming and fun adventure that anyone will be sure to enjoy.
The Paper Tigers is available to own on Blu-ray and DVD.