Tai Chi Zero (2012)
Tai Chi Zero is a 2012 Chinese martial arts film directed by Stephen Fung. It is a fictitious retelling of how the Chen style of the martial art tai chi, that for generations was kept within the Chen family of Chenjiagou, was taught to the first outsider, Yang Luchan, by Chen Changxing. This is the first film to be produced by Stephen Fung’s and Daniel Wu’s new production company, Diversion Pictures and also marks the acting debut of Jayden Yuan, who plays the lead role. This film was shot back-to-back with its sequel, Tai Chi Hero. They are to be followed by a third as-of-yet undeveloped movie named Tai Chi Summit.
Plot
Lu Chan is the protagonist of Tai Chi Zero and its sequel. He is something of an idiot throughout the first and most of the second movie. Lu Chan was born into a wealthy family with a father who did not participate much with his upbringing. His mother, however, saw great potential in him swore to herself that she would do whatever it took to raise Lu Chan well, even if it means stealing from her wealthy husband. Lu Chan was born with a serious ailment known as the “Three Blossoms on the Crown,” which takes the form of a large growth on his head.
Whenever this growth is dealt a large blow, Lu Chan’s eyes turn completely white as he enters a berserk mode where he attacks everything completely based on instinct with unbelievable strength. This power was discovered at a fair during a fight with some rowdy kids by a supposed martial arts entertainer named Zhao. That same day his father found out that his wife had been stealing money from him to raise Lu Chan and ordered his servants to beat her to death.
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Instead, his mother, finding it unreasonable that he order servants to beat her, ran head-first into a post so hard that it left her on the verge of death. She was thrown out of the house as soon as Lu Chan returned with Zhao following close behind.
As she was breathing her last breaths, Zhao informed his wife of Lu Chan’s potential. Right before she died, she told Lu Chan that he only had to do one thing well: kung fu.