Netflix regularly updates its movie catalog. Among all the categories, the martial arts film remains a separate genre, but one that arouses interest. And that’s good, since a film featuringand the illustrious Keanu Reeves just landed on the platform. Better, it meets such a success that it is placed at the top of the ranking of the most viewed films, less than a week after it was posted.
A separate genre?
The martial arts film can be considered as a class apart. If some consider many of its representatives as turnips, for connoisseurs, each film (or almost) is to be seen at least once. Among the most illustrious films, let us quote the license Ip-Man (Ip-Man 3 is currently available on the platform), Dragon’s Fury, The Raid, Tiger & Dragon, Kill Bill – Volume 1 (in a way), Ong-bak, or Hero.
For his part, if Karate Kid has found its audience on the side of fans of Jackie Chan, the series Cobra-Kaiwhich resurrects its characters, is a huge success on Netflix. Continually trusting the top of the basket, Cobra-Kai was able to find its salvation on YouTube premium at its beginnings, then thanks to Netflix when acquiring the rights from season 3. In addition, the series enjoys a very diversified audience, guarantor of his popularity.
Keanu Reeves directing
Martial art is on the rise. And when you add a much-loved personality like Keanu Reeves, the mayonnaise definitely takes hold. This explosive cocktail is called Man of Tai Chi (Where The Tai Chi Man in VF) and is currently placed in the top 5 most viewed movies on the platform (according to a method still used as vague and sometimes decried).
In this film directed in 2013 by Keanu Reeves (yes), Tiger Chen, a young delivery boy from Beijing and a fan of tai chi, is spotted during a competition by the enigmatic Donaka Mark. This one offers him to participate in clandestine and highly lucrative fights in Hong Kong. Little by little, Donaka Mark takes the upper hand over Tiger and diverts him from the values that he has nevertheless instilled in him his martial arts master.
If the synopsis does not shine by its ingenuity, the extravagance of its fight scenes, it is nonetheless interesting for lovers of Keanu Reeves and films of the genre. It should also be noted that the character of Tiger Chen is particularly endearing.
genre follower
Keanu Reeves therefore makes us dream again (or will make us nostalgic again, it depends), with this film newly highlighted by Netflix. We know Keanu Reeves’ attraction to fighting and the martial arts, whether through his role as Neo in Matrix, his intense training sessions to give credibility to his John Wick in the eponymous license (he did almost all the stunts himself), or his character in 47 Ronins. When we know that young Keanu devoured kung-fu films made in Hong Kong between two episodes of Star Warswe understand better why we find this actor in as many films of the genre.