Forbidden Warrior (2005) Reviews

• Entertaining and enjoyable

  panther4192009-01-12

  I am shocked to read how many other people dis-liked this movie, but perhaps that is only because all the people who enjoyed it weren't as driven to comment. This movie was great as a film for humor and action - as well as exactly the story telling you would expect. No this isn't a blockbuster film, and I wouldn't expect that out of a film I never heard of until I went to the rental store. Forbidden Warrior is a story about a strong woman and it includes the elements of fighting, magic, love, etc. If you aren't into fantasy story-telling, particularly styles like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (but remember Forbidden Warrior is written in English, not a 'foreign' film (if you happen to be American)). It is a bit campy or cheesy if you're looking at it seriously, but if you enjoy good-hearted characters, a strong woman story-line, fantasy and magic, and a movie made by people who seem to have had fun making it (having watched the behind-the-scenes). In conclusion, if you pick up the film to sit down and enjoy a bit of entertainment as a film is meant to be, you'll like it. If you are looking to critique and can't handle watching movies that haven't won an Oscar, then don't pick it up. This film is great for a certain category of audience, if you're not sure that's you, please take into consideration the other comments about this movie - as it is understandable if this isn't your 'cup-of-tea', but it is mine.

  More

• This movie pulled a "Soprano." Very disappointing.

  samuraizack5032008-10-28

  At the start of the movie, it seemed to be a rather entertaining story, full of martial arts and magic--two things I'm very fond of in movies. I was expecting this to be SO much more. I was just getting into the movie and it ENDED. I was like "WTF!?!?!?!?" Seriously, this movie was the most disappointing thing I've ever watched. I could have personally done a better job with the storyline than this pathetic director, script writer, and/or whomever is responsible. This movie had tremendous potential to be a great movie, but it was ruined by it's sudden ending that leaves SO much to be unknown. SUGGESTION TO THE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER IF (S)HE EVER READS THIS: They either need to default and just remake the whole movie and continue the storyline or make a Forbidden Warrior 2 with these actors, provided they're still alive and look relatively similar--maybe they can just say that Seki has been in training for 4 years. Come on people! Let's not let a perfectly good story go to waste!

  More

• Cute & Campy & Consistent

  mwendel2005-12-17

  While many people probably expected this movie to be some kind of great martial arts / sword fighting flick; it only delivers on a juvenile level. The fighting contains very little blood, and that which it does have isn't like what you would see even in a PG-13 movie today, but I can't say it was bad fighting, not can I say it was great fighting. This movie because of the way it was shot reminded me of watching a very long episode of a Hercules style television show. So I'm not sure if this was originally intended for the television or the big screen. I think the story makes a lot of assumptions about what the watcher knows. They don't explain much about the geography used. Characters have little to know background given. The characters in some respects I believe are so proto-typical that they probably didn't feel the need to tell much about them since their appearance could tell you quite a bit. While I like this about the movie, and it makes it very easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, in many ways its what I don't like about the movie too. I like characters, well, to have some more character and depth to them! I don't think anyone who watches this will be left going, ugh what a terrible movie, if they have the right mindset. But if you're looking for a serious martial arts / Asian flavored movie then this isn't the film for you.

  More

• An Unfortunate Display of Opportunism

  gradyharp2006-08-14

  Anytime the urge rises to be entertained with an escapist film the top of the list becomes one of the Asian martial arts films, films of stunning beauty, breathtaking choreography, handsome actors, and enough legend to make the storyline fascinating, e.g. 'The House of Flying Daggers'. This pathetic film is packaged like those wonder movies and so deludes the public into thinking it is in an equal category. Not even close! A child is born to a couple informed that their progeny will be a male warrior who has the secrets to read the codebook that contains the key to the power of the universe. The pregnant mother is stabbed by the evil adversaries but the baby lives, 'disappointingly' a girl! The girl Seki is transported via a leaf boat to a blind wise magician who cares for her and teaches her Taiji and Kung Fu, raising her to return to the world and discover life along with her gifts. A family who wants to maintain dominion over China sends two sons (one evil and the other kind) to capture the girl and steal the code to the sacred book. The evil son is accompanied by warriors: the kind son is accompanied by Caucasian Marx brothers. The rest of the story is too simple-minded to discuss. There are so many errors of judgment in the making of this film, not the least of which is a nebulous and silly script, that disrupt what might have been an honest attempt for Hollywood to make a martial arts film. But the acting is poor, combining Asian actors with non-Asian actors makes both look ridiculous, the special effects are clumsy, and the mood of ancient China is completely destroyed by the computer generated graphics superimposed on the real location of Griffith Park in Los Angeles! The three stooges added to the good warrior's team are so silly that they pass funny into absurd. There is no ending to the movie: instead it feels like the producers just ran out of money. A must miss.

  More

• A fun and magical adventure..

  myflower4you20052005-07-29

  This is the kind of film that the whole family would enjoy seeing. The story is filled with wonder, great special effects, and the martial arts are very exciting to behold. you never find yourself wondering when the movie is going to be over, rather wanting to see what's going to happen next, and hoping that a sequel will be in the works. I liked how much action there was, and it had several lines that made me laugh. It was very enchanting, charming, and full of surprise. the music was also very dramatic, and incredible to listen to. I enjoyed the whole experience. what made it even more wonderful, and very inspiring, was seeing a woman being the hero!

  More