The Last Airbender

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Permalink Reply by Universal Guardian on July 4, 2009 at 12:58am

Yeah, but I can honestly point out that it is shit from the get-go when you have a Chinese character played by a Caucasian/half-Asian. I'm sure there are plenty of Chinese actresses in particular, and Asian actresses in general, that could have played the role.

Liu Yifel, from Forbidden Kingdom, for example:

To me, there's a big difference between a film being shit for story reasons or what have you, and a film being shit because it's vastly different from the subject matter.

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Permalink Reply by Timmy Cupcakes on July 4, 2009 at 1:28am

Now you are getting ridiculous. If this was the case than only actors that are 100% a certain nationality should play characters from that country (let's not keep this to asian actors/actresses). Please, if everyone had that perspective, Bruce Lee would have never been allowed to play one his most iconic roles, Kato from the Green Hornet, because the character was supposed to be either Japanese or Filipino in the comics. The girl looks Chinese (because she is), then she can play a Chinese character. AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY Al Pacino would have never been cast in Scarface.

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Permalink Reply by Universal Guardian on July 5, 2009 at 11:48pm

Of course, the flipside here is...why not?

In Chun-Li's movie's case, the story and character herself was changed, from a Chinese character to half-chinese for Kreunk, which is pointless when one considers, as I have demonstrated, that there are capable Chinese actresses that could have easily played the role, whether or not the film itself was good or bad. That's ridiculous.

As for Bruce Lee playing Kato: surely there is a difference between Bruce Lee, an Asian in ethnicity, Chinese in national origin, playing the role, and Jim Kelly, from Black Belt Jones, playing it. While the character is meant to be Japanese or Filipino, Bruce Lee could still play the role because, because, simple as it is, he "looked the part."

This is not saying that all Asians are alike, BUT there is a degree of belivability that would have been lost if a white actor or a black actor played the part of Kato.

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Permalink Reply by Timmy Cupcakes on July 6, 2009 at 4:06pm

You just agreed with my point though with the Bruce Lee bit. If a person looks the part, they shouldn't be frowned upon for playing the role. If a person looks Chinese (because they are half chinese) then they can play a chinese character, just like how Bruce Lee played a Filipino character in The Green Hornet (in all honesty also, Bruce Lee doesn't look Filipino what-so-ever). Just be thankful that they won't cast Lindsey Lohan to play Chun-Li in the sequel (or at least they probably won't).

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Permalink Reply by rokrok on July 6, 2009 at 4:36pm

I don't think Bruce Lee should have played Kato to begin with.
Bruce Lee is no one's sidekick.

also, I know a few filipinos that look like Bruce Lee.

Permalink Reply by Universal Guardian on July 6, 2009 at 9:33pm

No, I did not agree. Kristy Kreuk does not look Asian to me, and I've watched her for years on Smallville. Also, again, to reflect this, they CHANGED THE CHARACTER to fit her profile, making her half-Chinese, etc. That's the eqivalent of making Superman black and raised in Boston.

Again, this was pointless. There are countless Asian thespians from various Asian countries. Hell, I pointed out the perfect Chinese actress! So, Hollywood...what's the problem?

I don't think even the Bruce Lee example fits here. Were there any Filipino actors with martial art skills to fill the role back then, and did they have any exposure to the American audience?

Crystal Liu had exposure in Forbidden Kingdom, and she is a suitable Chinese actress in the same age as Chun-Li, and have some martial art skills. So, all i see here is racism.

Permalink Reply by Timmy Cupcakes on July 8, 2009 at 10:09am

So someone half Chinese doesn't look Chinese enough for you? What the hell is up with that? When you don't want to look down on those who aren't full bred Asian, you'll see that the problems you have with the movie are more about the writing and not about the casting. And yes I am sure there were plenty of unknown Filipino actors with a shit ton of martial arts experience back during the Green Hornet. But you know what? I love Bruce Lee and loved Kato because of it (who is now definitely the most bad-ass side kick of all times). The real reason why they cast Kreuk as Chun-Li is because she IS Chinese, and the movie was going to be a steaming pile of shit from the get-go and she was most likely the highest profile actress that would take the role. I'm sick of this stupid fucking elitist conversation, get the fuck over it. No matter who they cast in that goddamn movie, it was going to fail miserably.

You know what; Go watch the previous Street Fighter movie where Chun-Li was played by a fully Chinese actress (to satisfy elitists like yourself). Oh wait that movie fucking blew monkey balls as well despite such amazingly accurate casting.

That's it Universal Guardian, you are the first person on this forum, since I joined spill, that has managed to anger me. Congratulations.

Permalink Reply by Universal Guardian on July 14, 2009 at 11:56pm

"So someone half Chinese doesn't look Chinese enough for you? What the hell is up with that? When you don't want to look down on those who aren't full bred Asian, you'll see that the problems you have with the movie are more about the writing and not about the casting. And yes I am sure there were plenty of unknown Filipino actors with a shit ton of martial arts experience back during the Green Hornet. But you know what? I love Bruce Lee and loved Kato because of it (who is now definitely the most bad-ass side kick of all times). The real reason why they cast Kreuk as Chun-Li is because she IS Chinese, and the movie was going to be a steaming pile of shit from the get-go and she was most likely the highest profile actress that would take the role. I'm sick of this stupid fucking elitist conversation, get the fuck over it. No matter who they cast in that goddamn movie, it was going to fail miserably."

*Hand claps*
Congratulations for missing the whole fucking point. You not only missed the point, but you went beyond.

In small words, man: They changed the character FOR the actress. Chun-Li is fucking Chinese, not half-Chinese, not-full-fucking-quarter. I just gave you an actress that could have filled the role, WHETHER THE MOVIE WOULD SUCK OR NOT. Ironically, the movie simply complicated things with the change of the character.

Why not Chinese, LIKE THE FUCKING FICTIONAL CHARACTER? Answer that. Why the pointless change?

It's a very simple point, Cupcakes. You're overcomplicating it, as well as insulting me with falsehoods.


"You know what; Go watch the previous Street Fighter movie where Chun-Li was played by a fully Chinese actress (to satisfy elitists like yourself). Oh wait that movie fucking blew monkey balls as well despite such amazingly accurate casting."


I'm an elitist, now? Because I simply point out how stupid and insulting it was to CHANGE THE CHARACTER, when there was no need to? We have Chinese actresses that could have played Chinese heroine, but WE CHANGE THE CHARACTER FROM ORIGINAL CREATION for a particular actress?

Whatever. That's one major reason why the movie sucked, and it will extend to Avatar, as it did to Dragonball.

"That's it Universal Guardian, you are the first person on this forum, since I joined spill, that has managed to anger me. Congratulations."

Because you won't accept a simple truth, or because I've pulled those rosy-colored glasses away from your eyes?

Permalink Reply by rokrok on July 4, 2009 at 2:20am

I didn't mind that Kruek was half Chinese.
My only problem was that her thighs weren't thick enough.

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Permalink Reply by Timmy Cupcakes on July 8, 2009 at 10:10am

Lol, Chun-Li most certainly was of the child bearing variety of women.

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Permalink Reply by J. Judson Wright on July 1, 2009 at 11:40pm

Say what you want but that score sounds amazing

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Permalink Reply by Mr Hatake on July 2, 2009 at 3:29am

thats if you like the curse of the black pearl

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