Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Tai Chi Master Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 19, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available as part of Jet Li 2 Movie Collection.

Ronin Flix is revisiting two fun films with Jet Li whose initial Blu-ray releases were well over a decade ago, and so long ago that they were released under Vivendi Visual's now probably largely forgotten Dragon Dynasty imprint. These will be Ronin Flix exclusives until January 2023, when they will go into wider retailer availability.

As mentioned above, this film was released well over a decade ago by Vivendi Visual's Dragon Dynasty imprint. Those interested in a plot recap should consult my original Tai Chi Master Blu-ray review of that version. That review is also a good resource for screenshot comparison and for seeing how supplements between the releases stack up.

Tai Chi Master Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Tai Chi Master is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Ronin Flix with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. This is for all intents and purposes very similar to the Dragon Dynasty release in terms of general detail levels and palette reproduction, though both this and Fist of Legend look like they may have been sharpened, if only slightly. You can just make out the barest of halos around edges at times and the grain field in this presentation looks a bit spikier (for want of a better term) than in the Dragon Dynasty release. There is the same minor age related wear and tear that I mentioned with regard to the Dragon Dynasty release on display here as well. I've tried to reproduce some of the screenshots I included with the Dragon Dynasty review so that those interested can do side by side comparisons. The differences are slight in any case.

Tai Chi Master Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ronin Flix has upped the audio ante from the Dragon Dynasty release by offering lossless audio options, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono in either Cantonese or Mandarin, and an English dub in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The two Chinese tracks sounded more or less interchangeable to me, though there were moments when either the Cantonese or Mandarin could sound more full bodied in the midrange or clearer in the high range than the other one in passing. Both of the Chinese tracks deliver dialogue, score and effects without any issues. Rather interestingly, the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offers different music (without attribution, that I noticed, anyway). The surround track opens up the most noticeably in the action sequences, as might be expected. Optional English subtitles are available, which Ronin Flix is touting as "improved".

Tai Chi Master Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, it appears Ronin Flix was unable to license the really excellent Bey Logan commentary that was on the Dragon Dynasty release. Otherwise, it has ported over the previous supplements to this disc.

• Nemesis (SD; 20:18) is an interview with Star Chin Siu-Ho. Subtitled in English.


• The Birthplace of Tai Chi (SD; 14:58) offers a tour of Chen Village. In several languages, including English, with English subtitles.


• Meditations on the Master (SD; 13:42) features Brett Ratner and Elvis Mitchell discussing the film.


• Twin Warriors (SD; 14:34) features Ratner and Mitchell again, discussing the stars of the film.


• Twin Warriors: Trailer (SD; 00:46)

Tai Chi Master Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's kind of interesting to note that while Fist of Legend has some sellers asking pretty steep prices for the Dragon Dynasty Blu-ray, as of the writing of this review, Dragon Dynasty's release of this film is still more or less bargain priced. That may make this a bit harder of a decision, since this presentation comes pretty close to reproducing the old Blu-ray's video side of things, though the audio is definitely improved with lossless offerings. That plus is perhaps offset by the pretty major minus of no Bey Logan commentary, though with all of these caveats noted, Tai Chi Master comes Recommended.