Time is catching up with Jackie Chan. In “Shaolin,” the 57-year-old star forgoes his action-hero persona for a minor role as a wild-eyed monk who insists, “I don’t know kung fu.”
Fortunately, the director, Benny Chan (no relation), and the lead, Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau, know a thing or two about the subject.
It’s the 1920s in the mountains of China. Warlords such as Hao Chieh (Lau) do battle for land and riches. Most of the action takes place at a replica of the real-life, 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple in central China, where Chan’s character cooks for his fellow holy men.
It’s there that Hao seeks protection after being betrayed by his second-in-command, Tsao Man (Nicholas Tse). Hao’s daughter dies during a chase in horse-drawn carriages, and his wife (the underused Fan Bingbing) abandons him.
The monks are steeped in Buddhist nonviolence, but when Tsao and his gang besiege the temple, they fight back in robust style.
Inspired by the 1982 Jet Li actioner “The Shaolin Temple,” this new movie features stylishly filmed and choreographed battles. But in between the set pieces is a lot of sentimental blather that slows down the film. More action, less talk should be the order of the day, but it isn’t.