One thing that happened to me during the pandemic was discovering Warrior on HBO Max. It was a fantastic show about the inner workings of the Chinese immigrants’ fight to survive and find their place in the American dream… all with mixed results. Alberto Triana pays homage to Warrior with his fan film, Onion Soup.
Joji (Kris Mayeshiro) is a Chinese gangster sent on a mission to assassinate a member of his clan’s rival, Bro (Charlit Dre). After the hit, the conflicted Joji just wants to sit quietly in an alley and eat a bowl of noodles. But, quiet is not on the menu when he encounters Helena (Jackie Gerhardy), who offers a moment of compassion. Though it is quickly interrupted by Feng (Tek Le), who demands Joji leave his clan’s territory.
“…Joji just wants to sit quietly in an alley and eat a bowl of noodles. But, quiet is not on the menu…”
Onion Soup tells a good story. However, a few minor tweaks could have launched it into the great category. The small set limited the ability to create exciting shot compositions. The fights were good, but to be Warrior, the intensity of those fights needed to be cranked up way past eleven. Again, more creative cinematography would help elevate the choreography.
As a fan-made production, Onion Soup successfully captures the spirit of Warrior and the idea of standing together or dying alone. Triana’s short has good fight scenes and recreates the world of the show from production design to costuming. I tend to classify fan movies in one of two categories. Some attempt to produce a side or spin-off episode of the series. Others aim to capture the world and themes of the series. Triana successfully does the latter.
For screening information, visit the Onion Soup official website.
"…captures the spirit of Warrior and the idea of standing together or dying alone."
