The Paper Tigers - Wikipedia

The Paper Tigers is a 2020 American martial arts comedy-drama film written and directed by Bao Tran in his feature film directorial debut. ThePaperTigers FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch 2020AmericanmartialartsfilmbyBaoTran ThePaperTigersDirectedbyBaoTran(TranQuocBao)WrittenbyBaoTran(TranQuocBao)ProducedbyAl'nDuongDanGildarkYujiOkumotoTranQuocBaoMichaelVelasquezStarringAlainUyRonYuanMykelShannonJenkinsCinematographyShaunMayorEditedbyKrisKristensenMusicbyDanielL.K.CaldwellProductioncompaniesBeimoFilmsPersistenceofVisionFilmsDistributedbyWellGoUSAEntertainmentReleasedates August 2020 (2020-08)(Fantasia) May 7, 2021 (2021-05-07)(UnitedStates) Runningtime108minutesCountryUnitedStatesLanguageEnglishBoxoffice$118,351[1][2] ThePaperTigersisa2020Americanmartialartscomedy-dramafilmwrittenanddirectedbyBaoTraninhisfeaturefilmdirectorialdebut.[3]ItstarsAlainUy,RonYuanandMykelShannonJenkinsasthreemiddle-agedformerkungfuprodigieswhosetouttoavengethemurderoftheirmaster.[4]YujiOkumoto,anactoronthefilmTheKarateKidPartIIandtheseriesCobraKai,servedasaproducerforthefilm.[5] Contents 1Premise 2Cast 3Production 3.1Development 3.2Pre-production 3.3Filming 4Release 4.1Reception 5Homemedia 6References 7Externallinks Premise[edit] Threechildhoodkungfuprodigieshavegrownintowashed-up,middle-agedmen—nowonekickawayfrompullingtheirhamstrings.Butwhentheirmasterismurdered,theymustjuggletheirdead-endjobs,dadduties,andovercomeoldgrudgestoavengehisdeath. Cast[edit] AlainUyasDanny,alsoknownasDannyEightHandsandleaderofTheThreeTigers. KieranTamondongasYoungDanny YoshiSudarsoasTeenDanny RonYuanasHing,Danny'sbestfriendandoneofTheThreeTigers. BryanKinderasYoungHing PeterAdrianSudarsoasTeenHing MykelShannonJenkinsasJim,akungfutrainerandoneofTheThreeTigers. MalakaiJamesasYoungJim GuiDaSilva-GreeneasTeenJim JaeSuhParkasCaryn,Danny'sex-wifewhowantstokeepthefamilyaliveduetotheirdivorceandcustodybattles. JoziahLagonoyasEd,DannyandCaryn'sson. RogerYuanasSifuCheung,TheTigers'Sensei. La'tevinAlexanderasRay MatthewPageasCarter,TheTigers'jealousrivalwhowantstobebetterthanthem. MarkPolettiasTeenCarter YujiOkumotoasWing KenQuituguaasZhenFan,adisgracedstudentofSifuCheungwhokillshimwithhispoisonfingerstechnique. Production[edit] Development[edit] Thefilmwascreatedduetodirectorandproducers'strongadmirationofmartialartsandoldschool,funmartialartfilms.ThedirectorBaoTranbeganwritingthefilmtreatmentforthisconceptin2011.[6][7][8]Theinspirationforthemoviecamefromhisclassmatesandfriendshipswhenhestudiedmartialarts.[8] Pre-production[edit] TranhadamaleAsian-Americanmaincharacterinmindwithaminorityleadingcast.ThePaperTigersteamknewthatitwouldbechallengingtofindstudiosupportforthefilmastheywantedtocastpeopleofcoloranddiverseactorsintheprojectasopposedtofalltothetrendofwhitewashinginfilm.[9]WhenthefilmprojectwaspitchedtoHollywoodproducers,theywereoffered$4millionwithacaveatthattherewouldbenoAsianleadcharacterandsuggestedawhiteleadcharactertobeplayedbyBruceWillisinstead.[6][10]TheywerealsoaskedtowritearoleforNicolasCage.[11]Theteamdeclinedtheofferandrequest.[5]TranmentionedthatHollywoodusuallysenttheirmid-levelexecutiveswhowerealsoPOCtobethemessengersofwhitewashing.[11][12] TheteamalsohadresistancefromsomeotherAsian-Americanswhenseekingfundingoutsideofmajorstudios.ThosewhoopposedwantedtoadvocatefordifferentstoriesforAsian-Americansinsteadofamartialartsfilm,whichisoftenconsideredastereotype.WhileTranisawareofthehistoryofAsiancaricaturesintheU.S.,thisstorywasbasedonhisandtheproducers'personalexperiencesgrowingupaswellastheirloveformartialarts.Tranemphasizedhavingmorerepresentationandnuances,implyingthattherecanbedifferentperspectivesofAsian-Americanstorytelling.Inaddition,therecanbedevelopedAsian-Americancharactersinamartialartsfilm,whichisnottypicallyseeninAmericanmedia.Healsomentionedthat,"attheendoftheday,wewantedtotellafun,entertainingstorythatdepictedourexperiencehonestly.”[6][3][13]TranincludedbothexperiencesinhisDirector'sStatementaspartofthemovie'spresskit,whichcanbefoundontheslideronWellGoUSA'swebsite.[14] Theteamwantedtokeeptheirvisionwithoutchangingthecastorstory.Transaid,"ItisimportantbecauseIthinkit’sultimatelybeingabletohaveyourvoice,andasastoryteller,beabletoexpressyourstoryandyourhistorytotheworld."[15]Ashortconceptvideowascreatedandcrowdfundedover$124,000onKickstarterin2018.[3][16]Theconceptvideofeaturedtheteenversionsofthemaincastthatwouldbelaterputintothefilm2yearslater.[17]Theywerealsoabletodrawinterestfromlocalinvestors,includingadonorwhostudiedunderBruceLee,andwereabletosecureabout$1millionfortheirshootingbudget.Thisallowedtheteammorefreedomincastingthemaincharactersandotherrolesfortheirindependentfilm.[18][17]CastingincludesmartialartistsinmediasuchasOkumoto,MartialClub(YouTube),MatthewPage(EntertheDojo),RogerYuan,KenQuitugua(ZeroGravity),andmore. Filming[edit] FilmingtookplaceinSeattle,Washington,whichisatributetoBruceLee'slegacyandresidencythere.[13]ManyofthesceneswereinChinatown–InternationalDistrict.Severallocalbusinesseswereverysupportiveandthatwasacommunityendeavor.[3][19]Transaid,"JadeGardenprovidedthecrewwithfood.TheDynastyRoomletusshootthere,andtheNiseiVetsHallletususetheirspace."ChinaHarbor'sdiningareawasalsofeaturedinthemovie.[18]Inaddition,theCityofShoreline'sfilmofficeprovidedlocationsforthecrewtofilmlikeRichmondBeachandFircrestResidentialHabilitationCenter.[20] Thedirectorallowedactorstoimproviseinsomeofthescenes.[15][21][22] ThemaincastAlainUy,RonYuan,andMykelShannonJenkinsbecamefriendswhilefilming.RonYuanhadtogain68poundsforhisroleasHing.[23] OnSeptember7,2019,thecrewplannedtoshootthefinalfightonarooftopatnight,butalargethunderstormdelayedfivehoursoffilming.About2,200lightningstrikeswererecordedthatnight,whichaveragedabouteightstrikespersecond.[20][21]Theywereablefilmthesceneafterthestormcleared,finishingtheirfinaldayofshooting.[17] Ittookabout34–35daystoshootallfootage.[24] Release[edit] ThefilmpremieredattheFantasiaInternationalFilmFestivalinAugust2020.[25] InSeptember2020,WellGoUSAEntertainmentacquiredNorthAmericandistributionrightstothefilm.[26]ReleasedatewasonMay7,2021inselecttheatersandvideoondemand.[27] Reception[edit] Thefilmhasreceivedgenerallypositivereviewsfromcritics.ThereviewaggregatorwebsiteRottenTomatoessurveyed61criticsand,categorizingthereviewsaspositiveornegative,assessed60aspositiveandoneasnegativefora98%rating.Amongthereviews,itdeterminedanaverageratingof7.1/10.Thecriticsconsensusreads:"ThePaperTigersblendsaction,comedy,andhearttoproduceafreshmartialartsmoviewithplentyofthrowbackcharm."[28]Metacritic,whichusesaweightedaverage,assignedthefilmascoreof68outof100basedon13critics,indicating"generallyfavorablereviews".[29] AlanNgofFilmThreatgavethefilmascoreofeightoutoften.[30]HaleighFoutchofColliderawardeditagradeof"B+".[31]InareviewofthefilmforTaekwondoLifeMagazine,MarcZirogianniscalledit"atestamenttothecreativevisionofitscreatorandtheclear'BuyIn'ofthecastandcrew.ThisisoneofthebestfilmsIhaveseeninyears."[32]JessicaKiangofVarietystatedinareviewthat"Tran'sirresistiblygood-humoreddebutisadivertingblendofHongKongandHollywoodthatdelivers,onaslender,Kickstarter-enhancedbudget,arousingroundhousehugtobothtraditions."[33] InDecember2021,TaekwondoLifeMagazinenamedThePaperTigersthebestmartialartsfilmof2021.[34] Homemedia[edit] ThePaperTigerswasreleasedonDVDandBlu-rayonJune22,2021,fromWellGoUSA.Thereleasescontainbehind-the-scenesmaterial,deletedscenesandbloopers,andtrailers.[35]NetflixUSreleasedthemovieinAugust2021.[36] References[edit] ^"ThePaperTigers(2021)-FinancialInformation".TheNumbers.Retrieved21May2021. ^"ThePaperTigers(2021)".BoxOfficeMojo.Retrieved21May2021. ^abcdMacdonald,Moira(5May2021)."Seattle-basedkungfumovie'ThePaperTigers'debutsthisweekafteralong,winding10-yearproductionjourney".TheSeattleTimes.{{citeweb}}:CS1maint:url-status(link) ^Mack,Andrew(30August2020)."Fantasia2020Review:ThePaperTigers,Feel-GoodMartialArtsComedyFavorablyChoosesStoryAndCharacterOverAction".ScreenAnarchy.Retrieved22November2020. ^abBelle,Rachel(2021-05-04)."'SeattlefilmmakersaysHollywoodwouldn'tmakehisfilmunlesshereplacedhisPOCcastwithwhiteactors".MyNorthwest.Retrieved2021-01-19. ^abc"KungfumeetssoccerdadsinBaoTran'sfeaturefilm"ThePaperTigers"|seattlechannel.org".www.seattlechannel.org.Retrieved2021-03-24. ^"KungFuMovieGuide".Retrieved2021-05-04. ^abChing,Gene(7May2021)."YUJIOKUMOTOANDQUOCBAOTRANONTHEPAPERTIGERS".KungFuMagazine.{{citeweb}}:CS1maint:url-status(link) ^Sigler,Gabriel(2020-08-31).""Wedon'tneedHollywood":How'ThePaperTigers'filmmakerBaoTrandefiedwhitewashingpressureandwentDIYforhisheartwarmingkungfucomedy[Fantasia]".BadFeelingMagazine.Retrieved2021-03-24. ^"InNetflix's'CobraKai,'SeattlerestaurateurYujiOkumotoreprisesarole—andalife—hethoughthe'dleftbehind".TheSeattleTimes.2021-01-04.Retrieved2021-05-09. ^abTran,Bao(2021-05-07)."HollywoodWantedMetoMakeMyMartialArtsCharactersWhite".TheDailyBeast.Retrieved2021-05-07. ^"StorybehindThePaperTigers".NWVietnameseNews.2021-05-16.Retrieved2021-10-13. ^ab"'ThePaperTigers'PlayswithSeattle'sMartialArtsLore".SeattleMet.Retrieved2021-04-27. ^"ThePaperTigers".WellGoUSAEntertainment.Retrieved2021-07-01. ^ab"ThePaperTigers:Avisionworthfightingfor".ColdTeaCollective.2021-05-06.Retrieved2021-05-09. ^"ThisindieKungFumovieisshotentirelyintheSeattlearea".king5.com.Retrieved2021-05-01. ^abc"CheckOutTonsofTipsandTricksfromtheCrewBehind'ThePaperTigers'".NoFilmSchool.2021-05-03.Retrieved2021-05-05. ^abDavis,Brangien;McKnight,MattM."Hollywoodwanted'fewerAsians'inanewkungfufilm.ThisSeattledirectorstucktohisscript|Crosscut".crosscut.com.Retrieved2021-03-24. ^"FilmedinSeattle,'ThePaperTigers'premieresworldwide".NorthwestAsianWeekly.2020-11-05.Retrieved2021-05-09. ^abLee,Jennifer(2020-01-12)."FilmdirectorandwriterBaoTransetshissightsonthe2020filmfestivalcircuitwithhisfilm"ThePaperTigers"".InternationalExaminer.Retrieved2021-05-11. ^ab"BaoTranonFindingHisFootingwith"ThePaperTigers"".TheMoveableFest.2021-05-06.Retrieved2021-05-11. ^DirectorBaoTran"AimsForTheStars"With'ThePaperTigers'Experience,retrieved2021-09-08 ^"Areviewof'ThePaperTigers'".ThePhiladelphiaSundaySun.2021-05-07.Retrieved2021-05-09. ^Mecca,Dan(2021-05-06)."ThePaperTigersTeamonHongKongvs.AmericanFilmmaking,SculptingaFightScene,andKindnessinCinema".TheFilmStage.Retrieved2021-05-07. ^Macdonald,Moira(12October2020)."Getanearlypeekatmade-in-Seattlekungfucomedy'ThePaperTigers'onlinestartingOct.23".TheSeattleTimes.Retrieved22November2020. ^Ramos,Dino-Ray(30September2020)."WellGoUSAAcquiresBaoTran'sActionComedy'ThePaperTigers'".DeadlineHollywood.Retrieved22November2020. ^"Exclusive:'ThePaperTigers'TrailerRevealstheMust-WatchMartialArtsComedyoftheYear".Collider.2021-03-12.Retrieved2021-03-24. ^"ThePaperTigers".RottenTomatoes.Fandango.Retrieved10October2021. ^"ThePaperTigersReviews".Metacritic.RedVentures.RetrievedAugust17,2021. ^Ng,Alan(6October2020)."ThePaperTigers".FilmThreat.Retrieved22November2020. ^Foutch,Haleigh(5September2020)."'ThePaperTigers'IsaFreakin'DelightfulFeel-GoodMartialArtsMovie;FantasiaReview".Collider.Retrieved22November2020. ^Zirogiannis,Marc(26April2021)."ThePaperTigersisaWinner!".TaekwondoLifeMagazine.TaekwondoLifeMagazine.Retrieved26April2021. ^Kiang,Jessica(2021-05-03)."'ThePaperTigers'Review:DelightfulMiddle-Aged-ManchildMartialArtsComedy".Variety.Retrieved2021-05-03. ^Zirogiannis,Marc."TheTop10MartialArtsFilmsof2021".TaekwondoLifeMagazine.KYPAUSA.Retrieved7December2021. ^ThePaperTigersBlu-ray,retrieved2021-05-11 ^"'ThePaperTigers'MakingSVODDebutonNetflixUSinAugust2021".What'sonNetflix.July14,2021. Externallinks[edit] Officialwebsite ThePaperTigers-AmazonPrimeVideo ThePaperTigersatIMDb ThePaperTigersatRottenTomatoes Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Paper_Tigers&oldid=1069200362" Categories:2020filmsEnglish-languagefilmsAmericanfilms2020sactioncomedy-dramafilmsAmericanindependentfilmsAsian-AmericanfilmsAmericanmartialartsfilmsFilmsshotinSeattleAsian-Americancomedy-dramafilmsFilmssetinSeattleKickstarter-fundedfilmsCrowdfundedfilmsAmericanactioncomedy-dramafilms2020independentfilmsHiddencategories:CS1maint:url-statusArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionisdifferentfromWikidataTemplatefilmdatewith2releasedatesWikiProjectFilmarticleswithMetacriticlinksOfficialwebsitenotinWikidata Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk English expanded collapsed Views ReadEditViewhistory More expanded collapsed Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Languages Addlinks