Shaolin Temple (4 Stars)

This is Jet Li's first film, made when he was only 19, maybe 18. It already shows off his considerable martial arts talents. It was one of the most succesful films in Chinese history. Over 50 million people bought tickets to see the film in China alone.

Jet Li plays Cheh Yuan, a young boy who takes refuge in a Shaolin temple after escaping captivity. He becomes a monk, but his aims aren't spiritual. He wants to learn kung fu so that he can take revenge on the warlord who killed his father.

The film seems to make fun of the monks in a light-hearted way. They eat meat when they get the chance, saying that if they have Buddha in their hearts everything is holy. That's a good excuse to do anything that Buddhism forbids. They also rejoice when the king tells them that monks should be allowed to drink alcohol. Oh, and the amazing fighting style called "Drunken Stick Kung Fu"? That's so silly, and yet funny at the same time.