'Tai Chi Hero' Poster Shows Off The Film's Villain

Last year's martial arts/steampunk action/comedy film Tai Chi Zero was explicitly designed to be followed by a sequel — the two films shot back to back — and now that second film, Tai Chi Hero, is almost upon us. (It was released in Hong Kong last fall.) A variety of posters are being revealed today highlighting characters from the film, and we've got the villain.

More than anything else this line in the synopsis for the second film makes me very curious: "that suits Lu Chan just fine, as the mutant horn on his head gives him incredible kung-fu power, but leaves him dumber each time, and closer to death." Lu Chan is the hero of the title, and I love the idea of a trade-off in power represented there. It's a video game concept, and these films embrace such things whole-heartedly. But it's also a classic idea inspired by tales that are centuries old, where the thing that gives a character power also destroys them.

See the poster and a trailer below.

Here's the trailer:

Tai Chi Hero opens on April 26.

Lu Chan (Jayden Yuan) is still trying to find his place in Chen Village, the legendary town where everyone is a martial arts master...and Chen-style Tai Chi is forbidden to outsiders. But since he helped save the town from a frightening steam-powered machine, Yuniang (Angelababy), beautiful daughter of Grandmaster Chen (Tony Leung Ka-Fai), agrees to marry Lu Chan and bring him into the family. It's only a formality, though – she is the teacher, and he is the student – and that suits Lu Chan just fine, as the mutant horn on his head gives him incredible kung-fu power, but leaves him dumber each time, and closer to death.

Chen Village still stands in the shadow of danger. A prodigal brother returns, Lu Chan's presence invokes a curse on the town, and Yuniang's scorned fiancée has an appetite for revenge, as well as some new partners in crime.

The second in a trilogy from the creators of IP MAN and DETECTIVE DEE, and featuring action directed by the legendary Sammo Hung, TAI CHI HERO is a full-on, steampunk-infused, video game-influenced kung fu throwdown that will knock you out of your seat.