--- title: "Shaolin Soccer: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/shaolin-soccer/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/shaolin-soccer" critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Shaolin Soccer (2001): what the critics said Critics' score 76 from 9 reviews: 8 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like Shaolin Soccer, and they like it for the same reason: the football sequences, in which Stephen Chow’s kung-fu players bend the ball and the laws of physics. The praise clusters on the effects and the acrobatic stunts, with more than one review pointing to the care in the gags, including ones planted early that pay off much later. Chow himself is credited as the main draw, his playful approach holding the comedy and the action together. A few critics also warm to the film’s gentler side, noting how the team is built from socially isolated misfits. The reservations are mild and the spread is narrow, from the low sixties to around ninety. Slant finds the antics crude as often as inspired, and points out that the American release is substantially cut. The Guardian suspects it will delight schoolboys more than football fans, and Radio Times, the coolest of the nine, treats it as a cartoonish underdog comedy whose action is its one real attraction. ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 April 2004. Phipps finds the film ridiculously entertaining and expects only the joyless to resist it. He praises its playful, physics-defying mix of kung-fu and soccer, including its pinball-like sound effects. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/shaolin-soccer-1798199518) ## Variety — Derek Elley Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 27 September 2001. The critic gives the film a strongly positive verdict, praising its assured blend of character comedy and physical action. He especially singles out the carefully planted gags that pay off much later. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/shaolin-soccer-1200469743/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2004. Thomas calls the film a zesty, lively entertainment, suitable for older children. He praises its strong kung fu action, especially the dazzling effects and acrobatic stunts. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-apr-02-et-shaolin2-story.html) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 76/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic finds the film silly and empty-headed, but ultimately deliriously entertaining. The spectacular, balletic football sequences are singled out as the film’s great strength. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/shaolin-soccer-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 3/4. 24 August 2003. Gonzalez finds the film a delirious, hysterical genre fusion, though its antics are often crude rather than seamless. He praises its audacious mix of kung fu, soccer, and comedy, while noting that the U.S. release was substantially trimmed. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/shaolin-soccer/) ## The New York Times — Elvis Mitchell Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2004. Mitchell’s review is positive about the film’s exuberant, comic mix of martial arts and soccer. It singles out Stephen Chow’s playful, inventive approach as the film’s main appeal. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/02/movies/film-review-legs-of-fury-chop-socky-thy-name-is-stephen-chow.html) ## The Guardian — Rob Mackie Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 March 2005. Mackie finds the film gleefully demented and likely to delight schoolboys, though its appeal may be limited for football fans. He praises its sweet touches, especially the girlfriend’s salty buns made from tears of rejection. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/mar/11/dvdreviews2) ## Radio Times — David Parkinson Rating 3/5. The critic finds the cartoonish underdog comedy’s action its main attraction. Ingenious effects and movie parodies also add to its appeal. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-c4434c/shaolin-soccer/) ## Eye for Film — David Stanners Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2004. Stanners finds the film a quirky, feel-good comedy that blends kung-fu fantasy with football. He praises its inclusive spirit, especially the way the socially isolated characters find a place on the team. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/shaolin-soccer-film-review-by-david-stanners) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/shaolin-soccer.md