YMMV / Shaolin

• Anvilicious: Revenge is an endless cycle that will only result in misery. Also, even the vilest of people have a chance at redemption.
  • The movie can come across as the Buddhist equivalent of a Christian movie. Actually makes sense since the actual Shaolin temple and monastery's administration body had a hand in its production.
• Awesome Music: The theme, Wu 悟 (Enlightenment) is a poignant song that entails the message of the film. The chanting throughout the song is quite haunting and somber which contrasts well with Lau's singing.
• Cry for the Devil: Cao. Before he became the Big Bad, he was blatantly mistreated and abused by Hou, which explains how he's so bent on revenge against him. However, the ending where he finally realizes he's no better than how Hou was in the past after wandering the now ruined Shaolin temple after Hou's death can't help but still make you feel sympathy for him.
• Jerkass Woobie: Hou before his Heel–Face Turn. While he was a despicable man when he was a warlord, losing your only child is still quite a horrible thing no parent should ever go through. After that, he tries to take her to the Shaolin temple and pleads with the monks to save her (though they are rightfully cold towards him sans the Abbott since he killed a man seeking sanctuary from them). When she still dies, his wife then angrily blames him and leaves him. He wanders around the temple before getting stranded in a ditch for a couple of days and is finally saved by Wudao. During his time in the ditch, he was able to reflect and realize the sins of his deeds, making him feel immense guilt for all he had done. When he first joins the monks, even if they still have the right to be angry at him, you still can't help but feel a little pity at how he tries hard to atone. While he does find a peaceful life in the temple eventually, he still has to face Cao, and, in the end, even sacrifices his life to save him while his wife leaves with the survivors to avoid the bloodshed.
  • Cao as well. While he's the Big Bad of the movie and his actions are still inexcusable, he became that way because Hou was quite horrible to him before his Heel–Face Turn.
• Moment of Awesome: Even if they all die, the monks' final stand against the armies invading their temple is nonetheless awesome.
• Signature Scene: Hou falling into the hands of the Buddha just as he dies.
• Tear Jerker: The ending. Big time.