Brenda Song carries 'Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior'The Brenda Song vehicle “Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior” is an entertaining romp with fast paced, well-choreographed fight sequences. The movie is carried by Song’s charisma. Her cute smile and perky attitude and expressive face keep the film likable. Even when she is playing the part as a vapid homecoming queen wannabe, Song gives her character enough warmth so that she does not float into the dislikable territory.
Shin Koyamada plays Shen, the monk sent to train Wu and to teach her about her destiny. His performance is a little stiff, but not any stiffer than Jackie Chan. Shen is also involved in a clothes changing montage. The film is basically a set of clichés that were best portrayed by Sarah Michele Gellar and Kristy Swanson as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” – the reluctant warrior beauty queen who achieves her destiny in her own way – crossed with warrior film clichés best seen in either version of “The Karate Kid”. In this case, Song plays Wu, who wants only to become homecoming queen. When she is confronted with her destiny, she resists, but not long enough to draw out the plot. Shen trains Wu with the help of her teachers/monks, and the battle ensues. The weakest parts of the film are the special effects involving the evil green fog and the portrayal of speed during the leopard training sequence. |
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