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An old and disillusioned martial arts instructor bites the dust at the start of the Asian-American martial arts family comedy “The Paper Tigers.” And as Sifu Cheung ( Roger Yuan ) lays dying, his killer makes a suggestive hand gesture, as if he were somehow in tune with Cheung’s ebbing life force. Now it’s here, now it’s gone.

The plot then kicks in, and we follow a trio of Cheung’s estranged students as they reunite with each other—and themselves. They’re out of shape, out of practice, and out of original ideas, but still basically charming. That’s thanks in no small part to a strong ensemble cast, led by character actors Alain Uy , Ron Yuan , and Mykel Shannon Jenkins , but also because of the sheer indestructibility of the family and martial arts movies clichés that writer/director/editor Tran Quoc Bao uses throughout “The Paper Tigers.” Many jokes are driven into the ground and a few complex human emotions are steamrolled into brittle sitcom-style dialogue and attendant punchlines.

But the fight scenes, which were choreographed by action director Ken Quitugua, are good enough to make up for a lot of one-note jokes and oft-recycled platitudes. “The Paper Tigers” isn’t exactly the most challenging action movie, but it is comforting whenever it most needs to be.

The best way to enjoy “The Paper Tigers” is to ignore most of its belabored setup, and focus on how character (and mood) are established through on-screen chemistry. Mostly because Bao’s characters are only so interesting unto themselves. Danny (Uy) is a cocky divorcee who answers work calls instead of spending time with his pouty son Ed ( Joziah Lagonoy ). Hing (Yuan) is overweight and ... well, that’s mostly it for Hing. And Jim (Jenkins) is in shape, but has forgotten his master’s lessons. Together, this trio—formerly known as the “three tigers”—reunite to find Cheung’s killer. Their quest for answers doesn’t go as planned since, as you might imagine, Cheung’s killer isn’t who Danny and his friends think it is.

Still, Danny and his buddies take their time getting to wherever they inevitably need to get. They begin by sparring with a trio of uncouth, but athletic young “punk-asses” who claim to be Sifu Cheung’s students. But how can that be, Danny and his over-the-hill buddies protest: Sifu Cheung only had three students. (“We might be a disgrace, but Sifu had only three disciples”) Times change, even if certain contrivances die hard.

So Danny and his friends reunite, fight among themselves, and even confront their adolescent rival Carter ( Matthew Page ), who has grown up to be a stereotypically territorial white guy who also knows kung fu. Danny and his guys also fight Carter, but only after exchanging some weak trash talk (we get it, Hing is overweight). Though even those back-and-forths are more satisfying than Danny’s rote and drawn out conversations with his standoffish ex Caryn ( Jae Suh Park ). She scolds him in an early scene—“When you say you're going to do something, do it"—so you can imagine how Danny’s domestic sub-plot concludes.

Thankfully, life lessons are most often learned during the movie’s action scenes, which all have a satisfying mini-narrative, and even a few surprising twists. Bao’s characters are allowed to be flawed and entertaining during these set pieces in ways that their posturing dialogue often doesn’t permit. Even though Danny and his friends’ canned sparring matches still basically go down the way you might expect them to, especially when Jim takes on a young Asian-American who’s a little too eager to use the “n” word.

There are also a few scenes where characters—especially Hing—prove to be (a little) more than just a good-natured means to a stuffy, talking-points-friendly end. Hing’s got a great, though brief character moment when he, sitting with Jim at a diner counter, summarizes how he feels about Sifu Cheung. That brief speech is the centerpiece of one of the movie’s most visually dynamic scenes, right alongside the final round of Danny’s climactic fight with Sifu Cheung’s killer.

Bao’s got good instincts as an image-maker, even if his script isn’t often as compelling. In a later scene, he delivers a great payoff to a concept that’s introduced early on, about the sound of good martial arts. Hing argues that you can always tell when somebody is doing good “gung fu” just by listening to them work a heavy bag. Several scenes later, Bao tests that theory—and for a moment, there’s something to Danny and his buddies’ frustrated quest to jumpstart their waning mojos. Enough to get you past the next Caryn scene, which is typically well-intended, but dramatically inert.

“The Paper Tigers” is still very much a martial arts movie that ends with a late-night rooftop fight, and then a celebratory dim sum meal. But if you already like this sort of lightweight crowdpleaser, you’re bound to find something worthwhile here.

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Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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The Paper Tigers (2021)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language, offensive slurs, and violence.

108 minutes

Alain Uy as Danny

Ron Yuan as Hing

Mykel Shannon Jenkins as Jim

Yuji Okumoto as Wing

Yoshi Sudarso as Teen Danny

Jae Suh Park as Caryn

• Tran Quoc Bao

Cinematographer

• Shaun Mayor
• Kris Kristensen
• Daniel L.K. Caldwell

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‘The Paper Tigers’ Review: Reliving the Glory Days

A trio of aging martial artists reunite in this fresh, if uneven, debut by the director Tran Quoc Bao.

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By Beatrice Loayza

Midway through “The Paper Tigers,” there’s a brawl in an empty pool: on the left, a trio of arrogant youngsters with serious moves; on the right, three middle-aged men who tout their seniority. The Tigers were once Seattle’s greatest kung fu fighters. Key word: “Once.”

Danny (Alain Uy), a divorced dad, gets the wind knocked out him; Hing (Ron Yuan) hobbles around on a bad knee; Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) runs a boxing studio but doesn’t remember what to do with his hands. Somehow, the Tigers emerge victorious. But their methods are, uh, not flattering.

Funded by a Kickstarter campaign, this charming debut from the writer and director Tran Quoc Bao reworks the kung fu comedy through the lens of his experience growing up as a Bruce Lee-loving Asian-American on the West Coast.

In the opening, home video-style footage depicts our heroes as sprightly teenagers training under their beloved Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan). Twenty-five years later, the estranged grumps reunite to avenge their master’s death. Unfortunately, the distended, sometimes clichéd plot detracts from the snappiness of the comedy, which otherwise brims with snort-inducing one-liners. Particularly funny is a Chinese-speaking white guy (Matthew Page), who fancies himself more Asian than the actual Asians.

Bao’s lighthearted, refreshing approach neither succumbs to whitewashing nor the model-minority myth. The film sticks to the action-comedy basics, which is just fine.

The Paper Tigers Rated PG-13 for some strong language, offensive slurs and violence. Running time: 1 hour 48 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on Apple TV , FandangoNow and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators. Please consult the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before watching movies inside theaters.

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The paper tigers, common sense media reviewers.

Ragtag but lovable martial arts comedy; language, fighting.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Messages include importance of learning how to spe

The heroes are likable. They demonstrate teamwork,

Frequent/intense martial arts fighting. Characters

Shirtless males. One teen flirts with and "picks u

Strong language includes one use of "motherf----r,

Adult friends drink beers in bar.

Parents need to know that The Paper Tigers is a martial arts comedy about three middle-aged disciples looking to avenge their murdered mentor/master, despite the fact that they're now quite rusty. Expect lots of martial arts fighting, with punching and kicking, deaths, bloody wounds/bruises, and threats…

Positive Messages

Messages include importance of learning how to spend time with your family instead of working too much, learning to not lie, learning that standing up for yourself is sometimes necessary -- but also that violence isn't always a solution. Also lessons about helping or teaching others, but fame is also a reward for this journey. Story touches on idea of cultural appropriation. Some body shaming.

Positive Role Models

The heroes are likable. They demonstrate teamwork, learn valuable lessons, but they're also flawed people who have lost their way. They can be prone to iffy behavior, including bragging, overconfidence, selfishness, etc. Carter is a prime example of a White man who liberally and shamelessly borrows from Chinese culture for his own benefit.

Violence & Scariness

Frequent/intense martial arts fighting. Characters are killed, as well as hit, kicked, etc. Bloody wounds and bruises shown. Threats of violence.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Shirtless males. One teen flirts with and "picks up" another. Sex-related dialogue and hand gesture (related to how steroid use affects male genitalia).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language includes one use of "motherf----r," plus "s--t," the "N" word, "bitch," "son of a bitch," "ass," "pr--k," "f--got," "hell," "goddamn," "damn," and "anal." Middle-finger gestures. Body shaming language.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Paper Tigers is a martial arts comedy about three middle-aged disciples looking to avenge their murdered mentor/master, despite the fact that they're now quite rusty. Expect lots of martial arts fighting, with punching and kicking, deaths, bloody wounds/bruises, and threats. Language includes a use of "motherf----r," plus several uses of "s--t," "bitch," "damn," etc., as well as racist slurs (the "N" word) and body shaming. Several shirtless males are shown, a young man flirts with and "picks up" a young woman, and there's dialogue about how steroid use can affect male genitalia. The main characters drink beers together in a bar. The movie isn't always funny or successful, but it has clear messages about valuing honesty, time with family, and standing up for yourself, and it's so lovable and winning that it's well worth a look. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

In THE PAPER TIGERS, martial arts master Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan) trains three young disciples who, by 1993, show great promise. But many years later, Danny (Alain Uy) has become an insurance salesperson and a neglectful divorced dad who practices "turn the other cheek," out-of-shape Hing (Ron Yuan) has a lasting knee injury from a construction job, and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) teaches boxing but no longer remembers his training. When their master dies mysteriously, the estranged trio reunites and -- spurred on by their old nemesis, Carter (Matthew Page) -- try to find the potential murderer. The old friends must quickly sharpen their rusty skills to face off against the deadly "poison fingers" technique: a move that only their Sifu knew.

Is It Any Good?

Ragtag to the point of almost feeling homemade, this cheerful, lovable action comedy edges close to creaky martial arts and "old guy" movie clichés but evades them with sheer spirit and gumption. The feature writing and directing debut of Tran Quoc Bao, The Paper Tigers starts out a little shabbily, with a clunky-looking scene of Sifu's murder that doesn't inspire much confidence. A VHS-style flashback showing the trio's training is fun, and then things pick up as the perfectly cast Uy ( True Detective ), Yuan ( Mulan ), and Jenkins ( The Bold and the Beautiful ) advance with their strong, diverse chemistry.

The movie tries to pack in several messages -- e.g., the importance of spending time with family rather than work, not solving problems with violence, etc. -- but it also has some subtler, darker themes about cultural appropriation. Specifically, Carter is a prime example of a White man who liberally and shamelessly borrows from Chinese culture for his own benefit. Otherwise, while the movie's jokes are a little old-fashioned -- such as Hing losing his toupee during a fight -- they're mostly innocuous. The fight scenes, however, are constantly surprising. There's never any telling just how any one fight will turn out. In the end, The Paper Tigers is more of a love tap than a knockout punch, but it works.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about The Paper Tigers ' violence . Is fighting glorified in this movie, or is it used only when necessary? What's the difference?

How are bullies depicted here? How are they and their actions handled or resolved?

Does the movie include positive diverse representations? Did you notice any stereotypes ?

Why does work conflict with family in this story? How is the situation resolved? Does it seem realistic or satisfying? How?

What is "ageism"? Does the movie seem to be making fun of middle-aged people, or supporting them? How? Should older people be represented more often, and more positively? How does body image play into this?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 7, 2021
• On DVD or streaming : May 7, 2021
• Cast : Alain Uy , Ron Yuan , Mykel Shannon Jenkins
• Director : Tran Quoc Bao
• Inclusion Information : Asian directors, Asian actors, Black actors
• Studio : Well Go USA
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts
• Character Strengths : Teamwork
• Run time : 110 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : some strong language, offensive slurs, and violence
• Last updated : April 5, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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‘The Paper Tigers’ Review: Delightful Middle-Aged-Manchild Martial Arts Comedy

Three estranged best friends who were kung fu devotees as kids reunite to investigate their sifu's death. Only now they're in their 40s.

By Jessica Kiang

Jessica Kiang

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With only a couple of clicks of the dial and a little dash of hybrid vigor, the hackneyed can be made fresh again, a point proven by Tran Quoc Bao ‘s silly and special little kung fu comedy “ The Paper Tigers .” Balancing the naive structure of an old Shaw Brothers movie (a vengeance mission with an escalating series of fights en route to the Big Boss showdown) with the kind of male-midlife-comedy schtick that bought Judd Apatow a house or six, Tran’s irresistibly good-humored debut is a diverting blend of Hong Kong and Hollywood that delivers, on a slender, Kickstarter-enhanced budget, a rousing roundhouse hug to both traditions.

Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan) and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) have become estranged in the 25 years since they were “The Three Tigers,” disciples of kung fu master Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan) — scenes that play out with younger actors in lovingly re-created garage VHS footage. The ebullient Hing, trained in the arcane healing arts, now sports extra padding, a toupee and a busted knee. Jim, as a trainer, has remained in peak condition — his rippling biceps are on gratifying display in a selection of sleeveless tees — but has forgotten the specifics of his kung fu training. And Danny, the “undefeated” prodigy and Cheung’s anointed successor, has turned his back on his talents entirely. Now a meek insurance agent who constantly disappoints his son (Joziah Lagonoy) and his ex-wife (Jae Suh Park) by prioritizing work over fatherly hang time, his later-life “walk away” philosophy looks less like nobility and more like defeatism.

Then they learn of their sifu’s questionable death, and, egged on by their steroidally enhanced former nemesis Carter (Matthew Page, bringing excellent deadpan-lummox energy), the trio reunite to investigate. This obviously means having to progress through a whole bunch of beimo challenges against fitter and more vicious opponents, culminating in villain Zhen Fan (Ken Quitugua, also fight choreographer). Somehow, the stakes remain high enough while staying well inside the bounds of PG-13 violence, and if that means the fights are not the most spectacular you’ll ever see, it also gives the wit of their execution — abetted by Kris Kristensen’s nimble editing and Shaun Mayor’s pleasing photography — room to flourish.

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Just as it’s unusual to see martial arts heroes in 40-something men whose biggest battles are with hair loss, creaky joints and divorced co-parenting, so it’s refreshing that this Apatovian threesome is non-white, yet their interactions nonetheless reflect the kind of mainstream-Americana upbringing that ethnic minority characters are rarely depicted as having enjoyed. The collective pool of pop-culture references encompasses “The Karate Kid” and TV’s “Kung Fu” of course, but quips about “Magnum PI” and “Sanford and Son” also zip by, and the early-’90s signifiers in the home-video sequences are spot-on — viz teenage Jim in a Soundgarden T-shirt accessorized with the exact hairdo and chain from The Rock’s infamous bumbag photo.

The three leads summon lovely chemistry, re-creating a dorky-kid dynamic in later life that feels like the perfect summation of the film’s almost Spielbergian belief that at 10 years of age we are our best and truest selves. Only here, it’s given added resonance that these formative friendships are between two Asians and a Black kid, whose racial differences are neither allowed to take center stage nor entirely ignored.

Which is not to suggest “The Paper Tigers” is overly concerned with right-on-ness. There’s an elision of Asian cultures throughout — the first group of “punk kids” the oldsters have to fight are put down as both “K-pop rejects” and “sushi lovers.” And while Carter elicits eyerolls every time he delivers some vaguely Confucian aphorism, it’s not wholly clear whether that’s because Danny himself is supposed to be Chinese-American (he does correct the pronunciation of “kung fu” to the more authentic “gung fu”) or whether it’s simply a reaction to the terminally white Carter’s try-hardism.

That vagueness is probably a wise choice, given the writer-director’s Vietnamese background and a cast that is variously Filipino, Korean and so on, and the film generates such goodwill that one can even see a kind of progressivism in so affectionate a portrayal of Asian Americanness, and to a lesser degree African Americanness, as hazily similar, pan-American identities.

Beyond that, “The Paper Tigers” has some gentle insights into the passage of time (though the parallel with Danny’s ability to slow time through meditation could use development) but mostly concerns itself with the question: Do you lose your kung fu when you get old, or do you get old when you lose your kung fu? And the answer comes with a charming dose of optimism that if old dogs can’t learn new tricks, aging “tigers” might still, somewhere deep down, retain all the old ones.

Reviewed online, Berlin, Dec. 27, 2020. Running time: 108 MIN.

• Production: A Well Go USA Entertainment release of a Persistence of Vision Films, Beimo Films, Madmoto, E3 and BNG production (World sales: AMP, London.) Producers: Al'n Duong, Dan Gildark, Yuji Okumoto, Michael Velasquez, Quoc Bao Tran. Co-Producer: Ron Yuan.
• Crew: Director, writer: Tran Quoc Bao. Camera: Shaun Mayor. Editor: Kris Kristensen. Music: Daniel LK Caldwell.
• With: Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Jae Suh Park, Matthew Page, Raymond Ma, Joziah Lagonoy, Roger Yuan.

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The Paper Tigers Reviews

The Paper Tigers' snappy script and endlessly engaging ensemble cast imbue the film with its own singularly stirring spirit and show that you shouldn't count out the underdog.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Jul 14, 2022

“The Paper Tigers” is an entertaining watch — one that is uniquely pan-Asian, but sharply American in character. Though this feature may not keep you on the edge of your seat, it at least will make you laugh — and maybe even cry.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | May 25, 2022

The actors bring The Three Tigers alive in a very convincing way. Their emotional journeys are at the very heart of this film, along with the code of conduct they have sworn to follow.

Full Review | Original Score: B | May 20, 2022

Tran adroitly layers the fight sequences, filmed with fluidity and at least substantially performed by the main actors themselves, between frothy layers of blokey banter.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 13, 2021

The Paper Tigers doesn't stray too far from the conventional, but it delivers the right amount of humour and thrills to entertain even the most sceptical of audiences.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 8, 2021

The Paper Tigers is a wonderful little kung-fu flick, with personal stakes, a fine cast, and a good amount of heart.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Aug 27, 2021

I think this is a movie you'll be happy you gave a chance.

Full Review | Aug 6, 2021

It gets over because its fight scenes are surprisingly very entertaining and unpredictable.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jun 27, 2021

The Paper Tigers weaves back and forth between comedy and drama throughout its runtime, and it does that weaving with grace and skill across multiple tempos.

Full Review | Jun 23, 2021

Tran's film thrives as an infectious love letter to kung-fu cinema.

Full Review | Jun 7, 2021

The Paper Tigers' problem, then, is not really in any of its individual elements, but in its failure to bring them together cohesively.

Full Review | Jun 6, 2021

Ragtag to the point of almost feeling homemade, this cheerful, lovable action comedy edges close to creaky martial arts and "old guy" movie cliches but evades them with sheer spirit and gumption.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 6, 2021

The Paper Tigers won't make the day of Bruce Lee's fans but, if nothing else, has its heart in the right place.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 5, 2021

The Paper Tigers plays with kung fu tropes and upends a lot of these stereotypes with a story that skillfully blends gripping action, emotional authenticity, and the right amount of comic relief.

Full Review | May 16, 2021

This is a real solid Kung Fu butt-kicker, except that it's funny in that Karate Kid and Rumble in the Bronx kind of way.

Full Review | May 13, 2021

Funniest of all is "Enter the Dojo" star Matthew Page, who seems to have made a whole career out of caricaturing the recognizable phenomenon of the white guy who turns Asian cultural appropriation into a lifestyle.

Full Review | Original Score: B | May 12, 2021

The Paper Tigers is an enjoyable action-comedy exploring the different ways people change over time. Tran Quoc Bao creates an exciting and interesting world filled with Kung Fu and friendship.

Full Review | May 12, 2021

Throw in a non-postcard approach to Seattle's Chinatown/International District, and the director's canny sense of comic timing, and you've got a sleeper on your hands.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 7, 2021

Stirs up enough goodwill and positive representation to elicit a recommendation.

Full Review | May 7, 2021

The Paper Tigers is a fun time, full of good fights and good laughs, perfect for people who are getting to that age of feeling washed.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | May 7, 2021

Review: Pass the ibuprofen — ‘The Paper Tigers’ may be over the hill but deliver a good time

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“The Paper Tigers” answers the burning question, “What if the Karate Kid got old and out of shape?” Well, middle-aged, but definitely rusty as hell.

Three teens receive private kung-fu training from bona fide master “Sifu” Cheng (Roger Yuan) and become the kings of the local martial-arts scene. On the brink of attaining widespread recognition, something splinters best friends Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan) and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins), and they part ways for decades. When Cheng is killed, the now-past-it schlubs put their differences aside to solve the crime — only to find that spinning hook kicks ain’t so easy when you’re 45 and haven’t stretched.

Writer-director Tran Quoc Bao is a mentee of kung-fu great Corey Yuen ; his clear love for the genre serves him well here. The action is expertly handled, always stemming from character. That’s one of the vertebrae of the film: Each person fights a certain way, and the deterioration of the main characters’ skills is sometimes hilarious. A fight is lost when a former badass appears to pull his groin on a move that used to be second nature.

That said, the fighting choreographed by Ken Quitugua is better — more compelling, entertaining and imaginative while being realistic — than in most straight action movies. There’s no wire work here, or none that is obvious. No gravity-defying maneuvers. These are moves you might see in actual fights where some cats are as fast as lightning (and it gets a little bit frightening) … and other cats look ready for a nap.

The cast delivers, with Yuan’s physical comedy particularly strong. As the trio’s former nemesis, Matthew Page steals his scenes with ‘roided-out intensity as a white guy much more steeped in Chinese culture than the main characters of Asian descent. Action director Quitugua is also a powerful, dominating presence, playing a deadly martial artist. He has mysteriously few credits but the makings of a star.

The film swings wildly from murder mystery to wacky comedy to family drama. But really, how unlike other action comedies such as “48 Hrs.” or the later “Lethal Weapons” is that? Refreshingly, protagonist Danny is something of an immature jerk, infused with smart-mouth energy and good comic timing by Uy. How much he learns along the way is debatable, as his big message speech, delivered to his son, is essentially, “This is how you punch. Go punch people.” That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s an example of the things that make this indie unique and give it a voice.

The movie’s fun, but it may have received a few too many kicks to the face, as there are massive unexplained gaps. At the end, many viewers will be saying, “That’s it? But what about …? What happened when …?” If you can let that go, “Paper Tigers” may not be a deep comment on aging or friendship, but it has enough humor and action to make it worth a few rounds.

‘The Paper Tigers’

Rated: PG-13, for some strong language, offensive slurs and violence Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes Playing: Starts May 7, in limited release where theaters are open; also available on VOD

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This Low-Budget Kung Fu Comedy Gives the Genre a Heartfelt Twist

David ehrlich.

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The first thing you should know about Tran Quoc Bao’s “The Paper Tigers” is that his low-budget kung fu comedy — the heartfelt tale of three arthritic middle-aged Seattle men reuniting to avenge the murdered sifu who mentored them as teenagers — is often just as winning and delightful as you would hope from its premise. Unfolding like a silly-sweet cross between a Shaw Brothers classic and the kind of dad movie that USA Network might air between golf tournaments on a Saturday afternoon (“Wild Hogs” would seem an obvious point of reference, but this is a positive review), Tran’s debut feature delivers a ton of charm for a kung fu throwback, and kicks a lot of ass for a broad comedy about some old guys relearning how to honor each other and fight for themselves.

If “The Paper Tigers” sags around the middle and loses its focus as it limps towards a finale that doesn’t hit with the force that it should, well, perhaps that’s to be expected from a martial arts movie whose heroes can’t throw a punch without pulling a muscle.

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Tran establishes his old-school Kung Fu bonafides right from the jump, as the action kicks off with a shadowy prologue in which the great Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan, whose natural gravitas lends this film some much-needed heft) is killed by an assassin’s deadly palm technique in the alley behind the Chinese restaurant where he works these days. With that ominous threat hanging in the air, “The Paper Tigers” jumps back in time for a camcorder montage of the late sifu’s three sworn disciples training together in the ’90s, and this is where the movie’s charm is honed into a lethal weapon.

Tran flexes so hard during the opening credit sequence that you almost expect him to burst a blood vessel behind the camera; in the span of just a few low-res minutes, the writer-director introduces his three leads, sketches their reverence for sifu (and irreverence towards everything else), implies how their kung fu served as physical and cultural self-defense against whiteness (in a funny way!), and sports a few quick bits of fight choreography that hit harder than the brawls at the end of most Hollywood action films. In fact, “The Paper Tigers” starts on such a high that its record-scratch jump back to the present is even more jarring than intended.

Needless to say, things haven’t really panned out for Sifu Cheung’s three Tigers; they don’t even speak to each other anymore, thanks to an incident of some kind at a kung fu tournament some 25 years ago. Danny (a slippery but endearing Alain Uy), once the leader of the pack, is now a bitterly sarcastic divorcee who drives a minivan, wears a bluetooth earpiece — is there anything less kung fu than that? — and reliably disappoints his young son during their scheduled weekends together. Hing (played by the hugely charismatic “Mulan” star Ron Yuan) was always the big galoot of the group, but even his bones have gone soft now, and he can’t even walk without a serious limp; not that you sense he’s got anywhere to go.

Jim (an earnest but muted Mykel Shannon Jenkins) is the only one of the Tigers who still looks like he’s got some roar left in his lungs. His day job has kept him in good shape — Jim works at a local gym where he trains other Black fighters — but his grudge against Danny is so intense that he might not have his back when the boys start agitating Seattle’s kung fu community for leads about their late master.

That mottled sense of loyalty is the closest thing that “The Paper Tigers” has to a moral core, as all of these characters have failed to show up for each and themselves in some way (“Kung fu without honor is just fighting” becomes a common refrain). Tran’s script is so determined to massage the friction between East and West into the fabric of modern life that it often seems hesitant to put a finer point on things.

That’s most evident in the film’s second half, where Sifu Cheung’s absence is sorely felt and missed opportunities abound to explore why Seattle’s Asian-American community is tearing itself apart. For a kung fu assassin whose deadly fingers can fool the cops into thinking someone died of a heart attack, the target of the Tigers’ search turns out to be kind of a dud.

It sure can be fun trying to watch them find him, though. If the murder-mystery element of “The Paper Tigers” is pretty crumpled stuff, it still provides a few perfect excuses for people to beat the crap out of each other for our amusement. Fight scenes are few and far between (there are only three big ones), but that makes sense in a movie whose leads are less “Jackie Chan in ‘Police Story’” than “Jack Nicholson in ‘Something’s Gotta Give,’” and Tran makes sure that every kick leaves behind a bruising smile.

With the help of choreographer Ken Quitugua and a cast that refuses to break character even when it seems like they might break their necks, Tran delivers a series of grounded stand-offs that would still make Stephen Chow proud. The direction is clear, the kicks are brutal (one even leaves a dusty footprint on someone’s chest), the backdrops are vivid (i.e. an empty pool a gang has converted into their hideout), and the gags land as hard as hard as the body blows. Hing getting hit so hard that it dislodges his toupee might sound hacky on paper, but Yuan sells it so beautifully; if some of the film’s punchlines fall on their face, there are enough laughs packed into the punches themselves to make up for it.

Funniest of all is “Enter the Dojo” star Matthew Page, who seems to have made a whole career out of caricaturing the recognizable phenomenon of the white guy who turns Asian cultural appropriation into a lifestyle. Carter was the kid who the Tigers used to clown on and beat up back in their heyday, but he stuck with it once Danny and the boys lost their way, and now he runs the local kung fu school with big Ed Helms energy and even bigger arms; the fact that he speaks Cantonese better than any of the Tigers do says more about Carter’s respect for Sifu Cheung than it does anything else, as Uy was born in the Philippines and his character’s heritage is left unclear.

Still, there’s plenty of gentle friction to be found in how the film negotiates Carter’s place in this story of immigrants and outsiders, and the chemistry that Tran finds between his cast is combustible enough to keep the movie hobbling along even when no one on screen can stand up straight. Kung fu without honor is just fighting, but “The Paper Tigers” always makes it feel like so much more.

Well Go USA will release “The Paper Tigers” in theaters and on VOD on Friday, May 7

As new movies open in theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic, IndieWire will continue to review them whenever possible. We encourage readers to follow the  safety precautions  provided by CDC and health authorities. Additionally, our coverage will provide alternative viewing options whenever they are available.

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‘The Paper Tigers’ Is a Freakin’ Delightful Feel-Good Martial Arts Movie | Fantasia Review

Fans of 'The Karate Kid' will find lots to love in this joyful Kung Fu riff.

Fallen legends, faded friendships, and a heartwarming homecoming; The Paper Tigers hits a lot of the familiar touchstones for Kung Fu cinema while making them feel fresh, funny, and full of heart. The new underdog martial arts comedy from debut feature filmmaker Quoc Bao Tran follows three former friends who used to be kings of their local Kung Fu scene, known as the unbeatable “Paper Tigers”, and find their way back to each other after the death of their former master. Fueled by a tremendous trio of leads, Tran’s light touch, and tightly choreographed fight scenes, The Paper Tigers is an absolute delight of feel-good fun and a welcome reminder that you’re never too old to “grow up” and fulfill your promise.

Alain Uy stars as Danny, formerly his master’s most promising disciple, who grew up to be an overbooked and inconsiderate workaholic. Far removed from the local legend he used to be in the fighting scene, Danny struggles to make time for his son, lies to his ex-wife, and is obviously failing to teach his son the values he learned in the dojo. But when his old friend Hing ( Ron Yuan , a total scene-stealer with impeccable timing and line delivery) shows up with the bad news that their beloved but estranged former master Sifu Cheung ( Roger Yuan ) has died, they track down Jim ( Mykel Shannon Jenkins ), the third leg of their once-mighty trio, and reunite for the funeral.

That reunion sends them into investigation mode after their former teenage rival Carter ( Matthew Page , hilariously employed and unexpectedly charismatic as a pompous, appropriative A-hole) tells them he thinks their Sifu’s death might not be as natural as it looks. But the reunion also sets them down a path of long-overdue reckonings that urges them towards becoming the better versions of themselves they strived towards back when they were small kids with big dreams and a chosen family they believed they could count on. They found out the hard way that they couldn’t, and The Paper Tigers introduces us to this once-powerful unit just in time to witness their belated coming-of-age, when they finally learn to fight for what matters.

As for the fighting, there’s plenty of it and always entertaining as their hunt for the truth sends them into conflict with Carter, a new generation of self-trained and internet savvy young fighters who want to take the Paper Tigers’ throne, and a potentially deadly rival who threatens their claim to Sifu Cheung’s legacy. Uy, Yuan, and Jenkins are all tremendous physical performers who bring a unique style to their fight scenes, but it’s the personality they bring to their performances, combined with Tran’s attention to lacing character into his action, that really seals the deal.

The result is that each fight scene feels special and unique because it’s tailor-made to the character and the performers, who bring their distinct performative strengths and physicalities to the staging. Jim, for example, left behind his Kung Fu practice in favor of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu while Hing is out of shape and stuck in a leg brace after an accident at his construction job. Both of those character details are employed and effective in the construct of their fight scenes, whether it’s for a laugh or an unexpected walloping blow.

The character, the comedy, and the choreography all work in tandem, and when The Paper Tigers is firing on all cylinders, it’s a striking reminder that it’s not big budgets and A-list faces that make a set-piece stand out, it’s all about the scripting, orchestration, execution. The Paper Tigers is a low-budget indie (though it rarely looks it), but what it lacks in resources it more than makes up for in technique. Being that I'd like to revisit this gem as soon as possible, I worry that the lack of recognizable names could pose a problem for quick distribution, but streamers, in particular, would do well to keep an eye on this one as it hits a lot of thematic and character beats that have made Cobra Kai  such a hit on Netflix. And yes, as you're likely to hear regularly about  The Paper Tigers , there's a lot of Karate Kid 's DNA in the tone and construct of the film, but by aging up the characters and updating the familiar archetypes, Tran carves out space for a richer, more mature investigation of grief, regret, and redemption.

The result isn’t just an impressive feature debut from Tran, who lovingly ribs and riffs on genre tropes with confident command of the narrative and action alike, it’s an absolutely lovely time at the movies. The cast keeps you laughing out loud, the fights keep you on the edge of your seat, and Tran balances it all with a steady eye for set-up and payoff. Perhaps the biggest letter of recommendation that I can grant this film is that it made me laugh so hard I had to hit pause so I didn’t miss the next scene. That’s a rare treat, which also makes a fine descriptor for The Paper Tigers as a whole.

The film does lose a little bit of its magic in the third act, where pacing takes a gentle tumble, plotting separates the film’s powerhouse trio, and attention turns towards a villain who feels unsatisfyingly one-note compared to the rest of the well-rounded players. But it’s hard to hold a grudge against minor missteps when the effect of the whole is so overwhelmingly joyful and satisfying. A lovely story about making amends, generational lessons, and the sometimes long and winding road to accepting those lessons, The Paper Tigers is a bonafide feel-good crowd-pleaser should check all the right boxes for fans of martial arts movies.

The Paper Tigers premiered at Fantasia International Film Festival 2020 and will next show at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival .

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‘The Paper Tigers’ review: Kung fu film, made in Seattle with a solid cast, packs a fun punch

Movie review.

Three solid performances anchor “The Paper Tigers.”

Alain Uy, Ron Yuan and Mykel Shannon Jenkins, playing three longtime Seattle friends currently on the outs, bring this microbudgeted (Kickstarter!) production to vivid life by virtue of their deeply empathetic performances.

Best buddies as teenagers when they trained as disciples of a revered kung fu master (Roger Yuan), they grew older, slower and apart in the 25 years since those glory days, when they enjoyed a degree of local renown as the Three Tigers.

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Nowadays, Uy’s character, Danny, is a workaholic insurance guy and the divorced father of a young son, Ed (Joziah Lagonoy). Yuan’s Hing is a one-time security guard now on disability and Jenkins’ Jim is a boxing trainer in a gym. This was not the future they envisioned.

When their mentor dies under suspicious circumstances in an alley in the Chinatown International District, they suspect he might have been murdered. So they band together to track down the killer and, in the process, rekindle the bond they lost over the intervening years.

Shot in pre-pandemic Seattle, the picture also stops at the downtown Cherry Street Coffee House, lingers on a view of the Smith Tower and, prominent in the background of the movie’s nighttime final fight scene, is the Seahawks’ lit-up Lumen Field.

The portrait of friendship reestablished is developed in a series of quiet conversational scenes. The writing is nuanced and the actors play off each other with great subtlety. Those moments constitute the true heart of the picture more so than the episodes of well-choreographed kung fu fighting carefully positioned throughout the story by writer-director Bao Tran.

Born in Olympia and making his feature debut, Tran uses the fight scenes to highlight how the passage of time has eroded the trio’s skills. They get walloped a lot in a series of martial arts matches by adversaries ranging from three arrogant kung fu wannabes, who taunt them mercilessly and post their humiliations to social media, to a longtime rival named Carter (Matthew Page), who has taken up the mantle of mentor from their fallen master.

Back in the day, Danny used to literally put Carter’s head through walls in past bouts. Now it’s Carter flattening Danny. Turnabout, don’t you know.

But in the course of the thumpings, the three friends slowly, and painfully, start to shed the rust and regain something approaching their former form. And beyond that, they gain renewed appreciation of the spiritual essence of the martial arts.

“We defend the oppressed,” says Hing, likening the Tigers to the martial arts equivalent of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a claim that raises the eyebrows of his friends as being perhaps a little too over-the-top.

The movie thus has its messaging, but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. Not when Carter zings Hing as “a fat, aging Mr. Rogers” and Hing returns the zing by miming an injection as perhaps being the source of Carter’s massive musculature. Steroids, anyone?

A cynical observer sardonically swipes at Hing as “Kung Fu Panda.” It’s an acknowledgment that the movie is very much in the tradition of everything from that panda picture, with its lineage extending back to “The Karate Kid” and even further back to “Rocky.” Underdogs again must triumph after overcoming adversity.

“Tigers” fits comfortably into the template. It’s a fun, satisfying picture.

What makes it distinctive is the fact that its director and most of its cast are Asian. The quality of its performances (uniformly fine in even the minor roles) and Tran’s writing further make it stand out.

Uy’s Danny is the soft-spoken and sardonically realistic centerpiece of the trio, trying to navigate the difficulties of being a good dad and ex-husband. Yuan’s Hing handles the bulk of the comedy but also offers wistful reminders that, in the years of their separation, the other two never reached out to him to sustain their friendship. Jenkins’ Jim nurses a long-held grudge over Danny having let him down at a critical juncture in their past.

It’s Danny who articulates the essence of the kung fu ethos, as spoken by their late master: “Kung fu without honor is just fighting.” And that’s reinforced by Hing, who reminds them their mentor “taught us kung fu so we could become good, righteous men.” Living up to that is the challenge all three strive mightily to embrace.

The only significant flaw is Tran’s decision to set the climactic fight scene at night. It’s hard to see the action at several points.

With Alain Uy, Mykel Shannon Jenkins, Ron Yuan, Joziah Lagonoy, Roger Yuan, Matthew Page, Yuji Okumoto. Written and directed by Bao Tran. 108 minutes. Rated PG-13 for some strong language, offensive slurs and violence. Opens May 7 at Cinemark Lincoln Square and streams at Northwest Film Forum ( nwfilmforum.org/films/paper-tigers-online ) and other VOD platforms. 

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Paper Tigers Review: Not Quite Too Old For This

When watching almost any film primarily concerned with depicting the beauty and brutality of martial arts, witnessing the skill and intensity of the lead performers tends to rank highly as one of the purest cinematic joys. There's something to be said for displaying such artful precision and proficiency within the medium. It's truly something to behold. But that's what makes Quoc Bao Tran's feature debut "The Paper Tigers" so special. It's not a film about a fighter in his prime kicking ass and taking names to the reptilian delight of its bloodthirsty audience, but instead a heartfelt story of middle-aged men whose bodies can no longer perform the tasks their minds were trained for.

The film follows three former best friends, Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan), and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins), each disciples of Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan), a martial arts master who has recently died from a heart attack. Though devoted to his school and teachings in their youth up to adulthood, each of the men abandoned their Sifu and his lessons, and are now shuffling through lives as shells of the legends they once were.

In their youth, the "Three Tigers" were undefeated and untouchable fighters bonded by friendship and brotherhood, but when they reunite after decades of silence between them, it's because they believe their Sifu wasn't felled by natural causes, but something more sinister.

Tran's film splits the distance between mining the most comedy possible from watching three guys past their prime struggling to perform martial arts without their brittle bodies falling apart and telling a meaningful, personal story about growing older and losing the spark that makes life worth living. At times, it leans a little too hard in one of those diverging directions, but for the most part, it strikes a smart balance, overcoming crowdfunded budget constraints and a lack of brand-name stars to result in something as touching as it is genuinely entertaining.

No country for old men

When we first meet the "Three Tigers," it's as young children being tested by their chain-smoking Sifu, with Danny "8 Hands," the trio's ostensible leader, struggling to hold position over an injured ankle. He has to confess to his master that he was hurt from a schoolyard fight while defending their school's honor. But Sifu disabuses him of this skewed notion of what honor truly means, instilling in him the difference between fighting because you must and fighting for the sake of fighting. It's the first of many instances of the film showcasing the psychology and philosophy of martial arts as being as important, if not more so, than the ability to kick someone really hard. 

But on the other side of the film's brilliant opening credits sequence, a VHS camcorder shot montage of the Tigers as elder teens wrecking house and showing off for their entire community, we find a Danny who couldn't be more different than that fiery child or that impressive young adult. Now in his mid-forties, Danny works in insurance, regularly disappoints his young son and his estranged ex-wife, and avoids all conflict, not just the ones honor dictates he should let slide. But the other two men have experienced their own falls from grace.

Hing has put on weight, wears a noticeably fake hairpiece, and suffered a leg injury that keeps him from being his former self. Of the three, he's the one who has maintained his love for kung fu the longest, the one who stuck around with Sifu the most, and the one who puts the most effort into masking his sadness with bravado. Hing is the one who brings them back together, as Danny and Jim had a falling out immediately after the opening credits that has made them bitter towards one another. 

Jim stuck to combat sports, but is now an MMA instructor whose obsession with a good ground game has dulled his striking ability. Of the three, he seems to be the most physically fit but also the one who has lost the most pep in his step for their art. 

Once the film has firmly established how not cut out for this investigation and revenge quest the men are, it repeatedly puts them in situations where they have to match up with people they could have absolutely destroyed in their youth, giving the audiences the desire to see even an inkling of the young men we fell for in the opening credits.

Instead, Tran stages each of the film's carefully orchestrated fight scenes as cruel rope-a-dopes, displaying scant flashes of that old fire in each man to get the viewer's hopes up for a comeback before dashing away any chance that could conceivably occur. It's set up in a way to get laughs at first, but the hits keep coming until the audience begins to feel the bruises and the shame themselves, feeling every failed block, every missed strike, as painful metaphors for the myriad ways life has of getting you down the further you get from your early twenties.

It isn't easy to take a relatively goofy conceit, of pointing at old men failing at kung fu and laughing, and wring genuine emotion from it, such that anyone who has ever felt older than their years, whose body cannot keep up with their mind, will feel such phantom pain through the screen. Much of the credit for that rests on the film's three leads, men who exhibit the right kind of chemistry with one another while each painting their own unique portrait of grief and regret.

Well, not EVERYONE was kung fu fighting...

But as fun as the film's more comedic hijinks are, the real special sauce is in the execution of its hand-to-hand combat. Tran, himself a disciple of famed choreographer/director Corey Yuen, does a brilliant job wringing maximum drama from the film's key physical conflicts. 

In the film's first major fight scene, the Tigers have to face off against a trio of young bucks who want to take their undefeated crown, and without having to verbalize each of the older men's handicaps, the fights themselves display their weaknesses. Hing's fight is intense and shows he still has the verve and panache to keep up with these kids, but his bum leg and his weak conditioning make it impossible for him to win without crossing some lines. Danny, once avowed for his preternatural speed and focus, is so out of sync with himself he can't even get his footing. But Jim, the one the film suggests, up to this point, to be the most viable contender, has become so beholden to Brazilian jiu-jitsu that he doesn't know what to do in a fight if not immediately go for some variation of a blood choke.

Between that skirmish and a truly demoralizing three-on-one battle with Carter (Matthew Page) a dude they used to crush regularly as teens who has lived his entire adult life in their shadow, the movie repeatedly reinforces that these men have no business squaring up against misguided children or their former peers. So when it finally reveals the mysterious fighter who was strong and skilled enough to kill their master, the audience knows, deep down, none of these men, together or separate, stand a chance against him.

Tran does such a fine job building up this final threat, paying off an earlier throwaway gag about Hing mocking the sound one of Jim's students kicks make on a heavy bag by introducing this villain through the cacophonous ring his blows land from across a dimly lit gym. Martial arts films often share a structural kinship with the psychology of professional wrestling or the promotional tactics of boxing exhibitions. In that regard, "Paper Tigers" stacks the deck against some serious underdogs in such a way that victory seems absolutely impossible, while still framing this tale of redemption in such a way that the audience never gives up hope or tunes out.

It would be easy to just recommend this film for fans of "Cobra Kai" or anyone looking for some low-stakes action fun, but it would be a disservice to this impressive and warm little debut to discount its profound heart. There is a scene near the climax of "Paper Tigers" that features Danny on the phone teaching his young son the proper way to ball his fingers into a fist that has more dramatic power than a handful of films that were nominated for Oscars at last month's Academy Awards ceremony.

It's a testament to the love Tran put into this film and the serious effort all his collaborators returned in kind.

THE PAPER TIGERS Movie Review

Kung Fu, redemption, honor, and a nice bit of comedy and humanity is what gives The Paper Tigers the heart of a great film.

I watched Kung Fu Theater every weekend on Sunday. Sometimes my dad would join me which made it even more special. I’ve been a fan of martial arts since then.

My wife and I have been watching Cobra Kai, which has many of the same elements as the film.

I mentioned redemption. The Paper Tigers have not followed the path of honor and that their teacher had engrained into them.

After 25 years of not practicing Kung Fu, The Paper Tigers come together to defend their master’s legacy after he has been murdered by a hitman. It’s a fun road that the story takes audiences on, building up to the final fight.

I felt such great energy while watching this movie. It’s as if I’m motivated to be better in my life. I may not know Kung Fu, but the principles of the art are ones that everyone should follow.

The Paper Tigers stars Alain Uy (True Detective), Ron Yuan (Mulan), Mykel Shannon Jenkins (Undisputed III), Matthew Page (“Enter the Dojo” – Master Ken), Andy Le (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Yuji Okumoto (“Cobra Kai” & Karate Kid II)

As teenagers, kung fu disciples Danny (Alain Uy), Hing (Ron Yuan) and Jim (Mykel Shannon Jenkins) were inseparable. Fast forward 25 years, and each has grown into a washed-up middle-aged man seemingly one kick away from pulling a hamstring—and not at all preoccupied with thoughts of martial arts or childhood best friends. But when their old master is murdered, the trio reunites, soon learning that avenging their sifu will require conquering old grudges (and a dangerous hitman still armed with ample knee cartilage) if they are to honorably defend his legacy.

Watch the trailer for The Paper Tigers:

The Paper Tigers arrives in Theaters & On Demand May 7th.

THE TOMORROW WAR - Watch the First Teaser Trailer

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The Paper Tigers Parent Guide

This typical martial arts film delivers fun fight scenes in a predictable but entertaining storyline..

Digital on Demand: Although they started as Kung-Fu prodigies, Hing, Danny, and Jim have grown up and grown apart. When their former master is killed, they embark on a quest for revenge, while brushing up their rusty skills and managing their kids, jobs, and each other.

Release date May 7, 2021

Run Time: 108 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by keith hawkes.

Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan) is a great kung fu master, even though he only teaches three students: prodigies Danny (played as a teenager by Yoshi Sudarso, later by Alain Uy), Hing (Peter Adrian Sudarso, Ron Yuan), and Jim (Gui DaSilva-Green, Mykel Shannon Jenkins). As they mature and learn more of the martial art, they come to be known as The Three Tigers, some of the fiercest fighters anywhere. Life has other plans, however, and the Tigers and their teacher are estranged for nearly fifteen years. The erstwhile fighters only find each other again after Sifu Cheung’s death from an apparent heart attack. Danny knows better: he believes Sifu was killed by a secret kung fu technique. Determined to uncover the truth, the former Tigers set out to avenge their teacher. But time has taken its toll, and none of the fighters are what they used to be…hopefully, the skills they still possess will be enough to complete their quest.

I have a hard time organizing my thoughts on this movie. On one hand, it’s very, very clichéd. If you’re familiar with basic storytelling, you’ll be more than equipped to guess every beat of this story after the first ten minutes. On the other hand, it is very focused on themes of personal responsibility, honor, and learning how to apologize. Added to which, it has some fun fight scenes.

Content in this film is pretty much limited to violence and profanity. Obviously, the plot demands a certain amount of fighting – there isn’t much point to a kung fu movie without any kung fu. So you get the usual beatings, in which some people are seriously injured and knocked out. There’s also a healthy amount of cussing going on, which isn’t a surprise in context, but which also prevents it from being kid friendly. Teenagers shouldn’t have much trouble with this one, though most of the jokes are aimed at people closer to middle age. If your kids are prone to trying things for themselves at home, you might want to give this a miss. You don’t need your teenagers trying to figure out how to use “Poison Finger” technique on each other.

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Keith hawkes, watch the trailer for the paper tigers.

The Paper Tigers Rating & Content Info

Why is The Paper Tigers rated PG-13? The Paper Tigers is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some strong language, offensive slurs, and violence.

Violence: Many scenes depict martial arts violence which results in broken bones, unconsciousness, and in one case, death. An individual is seen ritualistically branding himself. Sexual Content: None. Profanity: There are two sexual expletives, 23 scatological curses, and frequent use of mild profanity and terms of deity. Alcohol / Drug Use: Adult characters are briefly shown drinking socially and two people are shown smoking cigarettes.

Page last updated October 2, 2021

The Paper Tigers Parents' Guide

Danny comes to realize that with or without kung fu, honor matters. What do you think drives that realization? What does honor mean to you? How can you try to live honorably?

Related home video titles:

Obviously, the classic martial arts film for kids is The Karate Kid . Other youth-friendly entries include the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid , Kung Fu Panda , and The Spy Next Door .

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Paper Tigers review – moving documentary portrait of troubled students

James Redford chronicles the attempt by one US high-school to implement a ‘trauma-sensitive’ approach to education

I t’s no disparagement to say that one highlight of this moving, cautiously optimistic film is the freak show staged by the problem students at its centre. “Tremble in fear at the terrible nature of this horrible, twisted little girl,” loudhails ringmaster Aron, an elvish-featured, once-withdrawn teenager who has recovered his vim to introduce fellow pupil Eternity, who has cerebral palsy. Capering and gurning in the face of adversity, their performance is an affirmation of difference; in lockstep is James Redford’s 2015 documentary, which shadows the pupils’ progress through the alternative, “trauma-sensitive” education method being roadtested at Lincoln high school in Walla Walla, Washington state.

Redford concentrates on six pupils, all of whom have chalked up a fistful of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as verbal, physical and sexual abuse and parental abandonment. Established in the late 1990s, this metric says that chronic trauma at a young age causes permanent and detrimental changes in brain structure. And dangerous susceptibility to emo side partings, if Lincoln high is anything to go by – but the school’s revolutionary gambit is to mostly ditch censure and punishment, and replace it with scrupulous emotional care. “Steven know this above all else,” texts the science teacher to one pupil freaking out over the prospect of leaving the school behind, “I value you unconditionally.”

If that sounds high-minded, sequences like the one in which staff and students enjoy the healing power of a jam session unshowily sell a different vision of education. “I like the fact we don’t have to talk. There’s still that communication going on,” says the teacher (on bass); a blunt rebuttal of the idea that schooling must be goals-orientated, an extension of the consumer society it increasingly prepares young people for. What Paper Tigers doesn’t do, though, is address how Lincoln high’s approach could be scaled up into the mainstream system. Apart from a few expressive touches, like the strange opening cacophony of classroom sturm und drang, Redford cleaves to the documentary textbook, serving up clear confessional space for the kids. Eye-opening for the layman, vital for anyone pedagogic.

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Movie Review: “Paper Tigers” Documentary

Eric Anderson and Martina Pansze December 10, 2015

The documentary “Paper Tigers” focuses on a topic most people agree upon; would anyone explicitly suggest that it’s a bad thing for teens suffering from toxic stress to receive help instead of punishment?

The danger, then, with this kind of documentary filmmaking is not creating a product with disagreeable aims, but not probing them with enough depth or nuance to gain a solid appreciation for its subject. Fortunately, director James Redford’s film avoids this trap with skill and craft, using a wide variety of techniques to create a sharp and powerful product that expertly tells the story of Lincoln High School’s transition into trauma-sensitive teaching.

Over the course of the film, we are introduced to Lincoln students Steven, Dianna, Kelsey, Eternity, Aron and Gustavo, all of whom experience firsthand the difference the new policies make. Like their teachers, the audience is slowly exposed to the details of the students’ personal circumstances. The challenges the students face vary from individual to individual–some of the teams come from broken homes and encounter family illness, abuse, physical disabilities and custody battles. In turn, the film whittles away at the “delinquent” image the audience might have mistakenly perscribed to the Lincoln students at the film’s beginning.

Helping audiences to observe the students at a more personal level, the filmmakers provided the students with cameras to record their own experiences. The result is a look not only at the school, but also its reach into the larger world its students occupy. The focus of the school’s program, as a number of teachers suggest, is not simply to educate the students but to help them in their everyday lives and prepare them for a life outside of school.

The teens’ recordings are integrated into the professional footage to create a comprehensive narrative.

In addition to following the students, the film also looks closely at the staff as they work to adopt a new system, replacing the old, indiscriminately punitive measures with more beneficial systems. Principal Jim Sporleder, Medical Director Dr. Alison Kirby and science teacher Erik Gordon work closely with the students both in their academic endeavors and in the larger community.

While some students’ stories are featured more prominently than others, no story is neglected or forgotten. While interviews are prevalent, “Tigers” is not hamstrung by the documentary format and provides the experience of a full-feature film; even documentary novices would find “Paper Tigers” engaging. The film balances the right amount of tension with emotion. In addition to facing unique difficulties at home, the students are affected by the normal challenges of the teenage experience, from  poor self-confidence and relationships to family separations and the looming inevitability of college.

Ultimately, through a combination of compelling storytelling, powerful characters and uniquely engaging filming techniques, “Paper Tigers” proves a triumph for Mr. Redford, and, more importantly, probes into the inner workings of Lincoln High School, its administration, and its students. By the end, all audiences should walk away convinced of the trauma-centered teaching program’s merits. Recommended for any audience interested in Walla Walla, education, mental health or good filmmaking in general.

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• About The Film
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More than two decades ago, two respected researchers, clinical physician Dr. Vincent Felitti and CDC epidemiologist Robert Anda, published the game-changing  Adverse Childhood Experiences Study . It revealed a troubling but irrefutable phenomenon: the more traumatic experiences the respondents had as children (such as physical and emotional abuse and neglect), the more likely they were to develop health problems later in life—problems such as cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. To complicate matters, there was also a troubling correlation between adverse childhood experiences and prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse, unprotected sex, and poor diet. Combined, the results of the study painted a staggering portrait of the price our children are paying for growing up in unsafe environments, all the while adding fuel to the fire of some of society’s greatest challenges.

However, this very same study contains the seed of hope: all of the above-mentioned risk factors—behavioral as well as physiological—can be offset by the presence of one dependable and caring adult. It doesn’t need to be the mother or the father. It doesn’t even need to be a close or distant relative.

More often than not, that stable, caring adult is a teacher.

It is here, at the crossroads of at-risk teens and trauma-informed care, that  Paper Tigers  takes root. Set within and around the campus of Lincoln Alternative High School in the rural community of Walla Walla, Washington,  Paper Tigers  asks the following questions: What does it mean to be a trauma-informed school? And how do you educate teens whose childhood experiences have left them with a brain and body ill-suited to learn?

In search of clear and honest answers,  Paper Tigers  hinges on a remarkable collaboration between subject and filmmaker. Armed with their own cameras and their own voices, the teens of  Paper Tigers  offer raw but valuable insight into the hearts and minds of teens pushing back against the specter of a hard childhood.

Against the harsh reality of truancy, poor grades, emotional pain, and physical violence, answers begin to emerge. The answers do not come easily. Nor can one simply deduce a one-size-fits-all solution to a trauma-informed education. But there is no denying something both subtle and powerful at work between teacher and student alike: the quiet persistence of love.

HOW LONG IS THE FILM?

Is the film rated, if we host a community screening, can we charge admission, how do we publicize our screening, can a  paper tigers  representative attend the screening, what type of technology is needed to screen  paper tigers  , can i screen  paper tigers  more than once, i’m hosting a screening when will i receive the film, when will the  paper tigers   educational purchase license be available.

James Redford

Jim Sporleder

Dr. Nadine Harris

Dr. Alice Forrester

Dr. Robert F. Anda

Dr. David Johnson

Organizations, promoter resources for screening hosts, ace interface, aces connection, aces too high, american academy of pediatrics, america’s promise alliance, the california endowment, center for youth wellness, center on the developing child, harvard university, child trauma academy, clifford beers, fostering resilience, futures without violence, nadine burke harris ted talk, prevent child abuse america, ptsd center, new haven ct, sanctuary institute, yale police response toolkit.

The film is 102 minutes long.

The film is not rated. It does contain some profanity.

Yes,  Paper Tigers   community and theatrical screenings can be used as a fundraiser for any local nonprofit organization, subject to the filmmakers’ approval.

On our  RESOURCES  page, you will find a link to our promoter resources that include sample emails, Facebook posts, press releases, tips, digital fliers, and all the info you’ll need to successfully promote your screening. We’ll also publicize your event on the  Paper Tigers   website if you send us your event details. You can also create an RSVP page for free on the Tugg website if you are not charging admission – contact your Tugg rep for details.

Depending on the location and timing of the screening, a  Paper Tigers   representative may be able to attend your screening, for a speaking fee. However, we encourage hosts to bring in local experts and/or lead a postshow dialogue using the discussion guide located on our  RESOURCES  page.

If you are hosting a theatrical screening, all tech details will be handled by the theater. If you are hosting a community screening,  Paper Tigers   can be delivered in Blu-ray, DVD, or DCP format depending on your needs. The film should be screened in an auditorium-type setting that can be suitably dimmed and projected via a high-quality projector. The cinematography is spectacular and is best showcased in a dark room with quality technology.

Of course! You can promote  Paper Tigers   in the movie theater as many times as you want. If you would like to host a community screening, you will need to purchase a separate license for each screening.

Our partners at  Tugg  will ship the film to you a week in advance of the screening. We ask that you return it within a week of your screening via the prepaid envelope they provide.

The  Paper Tigers   Educational Purchase License will be available to ship starting on March 15th, 2016 for K-12, University, Public Library and non-profit institutions. This license will allow your institution to keep  Paper Tigers   and host multiple screenings of it in the future.  Read more about screenings.

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The Paper Tigers

Three Kung Fu prodigies have grown into washed-up, middle-aged men, now one kick away from pulling their hamstrings. But when their master is murdered, they must juggle their dead-end jobs, ... Read all Three Kung Fu prodigies have grown into washed-up, middle-aged men, now one kick away from pulling their hamstrings. But when their master is murdered, they must juggle their dead-end jobs, dad duties, and old grudges to avenge his death. Three Kung Fu prodigies have grown into washed-up, middle-aged men, now one kick away from pulling their hamstrings. But when their master is murdered, they must juggle their dead-end jobs, dad duties, and old grudges to avenge his death.

• Quoc Bao Tran
• Yuji Okumoto
• 91 User reviews
• 76 Critic reviews
• 67 Metascore
• 3 wins & 3 nominations

• Sifu Cheung

• Young Danny

• Teen Carter
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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia When pitching the story to Hollywood studios, Hollywood wanted a white lead character to be played by Bruce Willis for $4 million dollars. They also wanted a role written for Nicolas Cage. The director and producers declined the offer and request because the script is originally about an Asian-American main character with a leading cast who are people of color. The team did not want to whitewash film, so they ended up going to Kickstarter to raise over $124,000 and had a few other investors to fund their independent film instead. (Source: The Daily Beast Op-Ed by Bao Tran; Seattle Channel Bao Tran interview)
• Goofs One of home movies in the opening scenes is dated February 29, 1991. Indicating a leap year. But 1991 wasn't a leap year.
• Connections Referenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 814: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

User reviews 91

• May 11, 2021
• How long is The Paper Tigers? Powered by Alexa
• May 7, 2021 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Canton Alley S, Seattle, Washington, USA (Alley behind restaurant)
• Beimo Films
• Persistence of Vision Films (I)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• May 9, 2021

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 48 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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