Z/Web

This is a wild fantasy of a film. It appears to have been created by a kindergarten kid on LSD. It bears no resemblance to reality, everything is stereotypical and exaggerated, and it has a number of bizare twists, like characters breaking into musical dance numbers for no apparent reason at all. To give you some idea of what the movie is like, the enemy team our heros must beat in the grand finale soccer match is called “Team Evil.” And you know what? I liked it! It’s great. Hilariously campy, fun, and so silly you can’t help laughing and enjoying it. The special effects are amazing: not because they are cheesy (though some of them are), but because they are so over-the-top and non-stop you just can’t help but admire them. For instance, a kicked soccer ball picks up so much speed flames burst around it like a meteorite coming through earth’s atmosphere… and then the flames turn into the shape of a dragon! The whole film is filled with such craziness. It’s great. Granted, there isn’t much soccer here. Probably only about 20 minutes in the whole film. There’s some soccer ball kicking, but the first “game” is more like a pub brawl than a match. The series of games at the climax bear little resemblance to anything in the soccer world, so soccer purists aren’t going to be exactly overjoyed, but the film’s not really about soccer: it’s about fun. Soccer’s just the excuse. The thread-bare plot’s just a frame for all the cool martial arts special effects.

What makes the film work is that it is consistent. It’s over-the-top from the beginning and never shies away from that all the way to the end. Too many American movies that try for a similar feel end up an awkward mess because they try to include some degree of realism that ruins the fantasy.

This is a creative gem, fun for adults and kids alike, regardless of whether you like soccer or martial arts. The digital special effects are like scenery painted with colorful candy, the characters so stereotypical they are parodies of themselves, and the wild camera angles so much fun you just have to smile. Go and have a good time. It’s harmless. Relax and enjoy it. Be a kid again. Let your imagination rule. Color outside the lines.