THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE
US, 2024, 83 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Henry Golding, Brendon Soo Hoo, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Leah Lewis, Greta Lee.
Directed by ‘Raman Hui, Yong Duk Jhun, Paul Watling.
An animated adventure for a younger audience – a story from Asia in an American context, novels by author, Laurence Yep, and a voice cast with actors from various Asian countries, led by Henry Golding, with celebrated actresses, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, Greta Lee. The central character, on, is voiced by Brandon Soo Hoo.
Most of the action takes place in Chinatown in San Francisco, with characteristic views, especially of the Golden Gate Bridge. However, the opening of the film, the prologue takes place in Hong Kong. A grandmother is driving her young grandson, a baby, in the back of a car. There is a huge confrontation, an attack on the grandmother by superhuman powers – and, then to the rescue, a variety of creatures who make up the Chinese Zodiac.
Then the timeshift and to San Francisco, to a vividly drawn Chinatown, and to the grandmother’s house, full of signs and statues, carvings, many of the locals thinking she is a witch. Tom, now a teenager, goes to school, is bullied, is involved in a fight and his unsuspected powers sending his opponent to the ceiling. He doesn’t know what happened. His grandmother is about to tell him that she has been a guardian and that he has inherited all the powers. And, a strange character, Mr Hu, a buffed up warrior who can turn into a Tiger appears to explain that he is to be his mentor.
Tom continues to be bewildered, a mysterious creature, Loo, a kind of Asian Maleficent, confronts the grandmother, ultimately destroying her. The tiger then has to protect Tom, take him to his own place – Tom reluctant and not understanding. Then a variety of creatures appear, a sympathetic Dragon, a mischievous rat, goats and horses…
So, Tom begins to understand his destiny, has to rely on the creatures of the Zodiac, has to confront Loo with her superior powers.
The visuals of the film are very striking but even more striking are the action sequences, making one wonder at the drawings, the animation, the editing, the detail and pace of the confrontations.
And, confrontations there are, many. Tom gradually coming into his powers, the Tiger rescuing him, the creatures of the Zodiac also appearing, but their also falling foul of Loo and her controlling them, taking their spirit from them so that they are merely illustrations on her vast umbrella.
Of course, Tom will eventually become the victor, his powers, his role as the Guardian, and his being able to liberate all the Zodiac creatures for any further adventures.
A film for the younger audiences but any of the adults who accompany them will surely be amazed at the versatility and verve of the animation and be impressed by the voice cast.
