‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Brings New Flavor to a Very Basic Storyline

Launching on The Tiger’s Apprentice’ represents a solid dose of forward momentum for the portrayal of Chinese mythology on screen for more general audiences.

It’s a shame, though, that the film –– which we’d recommend for its entertaining voice cast more than anything in the script itself –– is an entertaining enough romp for younger audiences but seems unlikely to come across as anything other than second tier when truly boundary-pushing animation exists.

Does ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Earn its Stripes?

In development for a long time, and handed off between different filmmakers, ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ has been on one of those journeys where you have to wonder if something happened to it along the way. It was, at one point, being considered as a theatrical release, but is now arriving direct to streaming.

There is less of a negative aura about such shifts these days, in a time when there are truly superb streaming shows and movies, but it’s tough to discount the idea that the finished product here just doesn’t scream “theatrical release”. The animation, while certainly competent, can be a little jerky with its human characters in particular (one scene, a vision for the main character, is much more aesthetically pleasing) and the storyline, as we’ll dig into, is a reheated offering of something we’ve seen many times before.

‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’: Script and Direction

Perhaps the biggest issue with ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ is in its basic structure. Though some stories are trotted out time and again because they’ve proven to work, here you can really feel that the authentic ethnic detailing layered over the exceedingly basic skeleton doesn’t quite cover the seen-it-before aspect at its core.

Adapted from the young adult novel by Laurence Yep by Percy Jackson’ and any number of other, better examples have tackled.

The young target audience, of course, likely won’t mind too much, enjoying the colorful, jokey characters and the rising stakes. But anyone who has seen a movie of this sort will soon find themselves making a mental checklist of what to expect –– the wise mentor (in this case, a grandmother who loses her life to the main villain), the grouchy new guide, the wide-eyed kid who had no idea he possessed magic powers, the goofy sidekick, the noble sidekick, the baddie with an all-purpose idea to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth and rule the darkness that follows, etc., etc.

Directors Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’).

‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’: Performances

If there’s a real saving grace here, it’s the appealing, funny and emotional performances of the voice cast. Though it seems every film (and TV show; witness ‘Michelle Yeoh, she does at least give the underwritten villain role some gravitas.

As Tom, the young man who discovers he has a magical legacy, Wolverine, even down to the muttonchops when in human form.

Elsewhere, the basic scripting is helped by a great ensemble that includes the likes of Bowen Yang, who bring the lines to life and work well against both Golding and Hoo.

‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’: Final Thoughts

Definitely one for the younger crowd, and unlikely to inspire much faith from older audiences, ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ is a mildly diverting animated adventure whose welcome diversity can’t disguise the well-used tropes and narrative at its center.

A fun cast certainly helps, but we’re not sure we see this one launching a franchise any time soon.

‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

What’s the story of ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’?

Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, the movie follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians.

With guidance from a mythical tiger named Hu (Henry Golding), Tom trains to take on Loo (Michelle Yeoh), a force that is as powerful as a Guardian but with evil intentions to use magic to destroy humanity. To have a fighting chance against Loo, Tom must reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers.

Who else is in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’?

The voice cast for ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ also includes Poppy Liu.

Other Movies Similar to ‘The Tiger's Apprentice':

• 'Kung Fu Panda' (2008)
• 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (2011)
• 'Life of Pi' (2012)
• 'Kung Fu Panda 3' (2016)
• 'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018)
• 'Raya and the Last Dragon' (2021)
• 'Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins' (2021)
• 'Turning Red' (2022)
• 'The Tiger Rising' (2022)

Buy Henry Golding Movies On Amazon