Tekken casting call reveals little, still manages to worry fans

2:26 PM on 07.21.2007   |   Nex

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Moviehole.net -- a site whose name seems like Kevin Smith's idea of satire -- seems to have acquired a casting sheet for the upcoming movie based on Namco's Tekken series. Allow me to quote the applicable information:

Rehearsal Dates: September, 2007.
Principal Photography Dates: November, 2007 (in Budapest, Hungary).
STORY: The film is based on the Namco videogame TEKKEN is a near future "Gladiator" style action film. It tells the story of Jin Kazama, a twenty-something street fighter who embarks on a journey to avenge his mother's death at the hands of The TEKKEN Corporation and its CEO Heihachi Mishima. Jin travels a hero's journey into the heart of TEKKEN city and the Ironfist fighting tournament,which is the greatest mixed martial arts competition in the world. He discovers his true identity and fulfils his destiny as the rightful heir to TEKKEN.

Breakdown-- Jin: Early 20s, tough for his age and has a developed physical presence. He is Asian, or Asian/American, a fine actor and also a natural athlete and/or martial arts practitioner. Jin should feel more man than boy and ideally have a bit of an edge, garnered from living his early life on the streets. Jin will have complex emotional scenes to play and must be convincing both as an actor and athlete. Jin Kazama is the star and lead character in TEKKEN.

In an era where the Internet and Harry Knowles' fiery mane have rendered the filmmaking process almost transparent, you can feel the waves of suck already emanating from this project. Forgetting for a moment that Jin "travels a hero's journey into the heart of TEKKEN city" -- home of the WNBA's TEKKEN City Boxing Kangaroos -- the casting call itself seems like a plaintive cry to Robin Shou. Confusingly I once read a world census which claimed there is, in fact, more than one Asian person in existence, but according to Hollywood action films, the Asian is as elusive a creature as the unicorn or the esquilax.