James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo's taut, engrossing 2004 documentary on Chinese basketball player Yao Ming's first year in the NBA offers insight into the game and its stars.
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03/25/08
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The Year of the Yao (2005)
66 %
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 32
Fresh: 21
Rotten:11
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Consensus: This sports bio documentary is given a few fresh angles, including culture clash issues, and the friendship that develops between Yao and his interpreter.
Runtime: 88 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
Theatrical Release: 2005
Synopsis: This documentary tells a unique story of Eastern and Western cultures merging within the world of professional basketball. Yao Ming, the seven-feet-six-inches-tall athlete who is a star in his native China, was the first pick of the... [More]
DVD Info
Reviews for The Year of the Yao
By playing up the hoopla and glitz, the filmmakers have created a vacuum at its center.
03/01/07
The film is happily as fast paced as the sport of basketball itself: there are no bearded, stuttering academics discussing any aspect of the story.
01/19/07
As bright and shiny as you would imagine something co-produced by NBA Entertainment to be, The Year of the Yao provides little insight beyond hanging out with its super-sized star.
08/04/05
Top Critic There appears to be much more to Yao than is captured here. That's where the movie drops the ball.
07/22/05
A surprisingly layered portrait of a rookie with the hopes of a nation -- a big nation -- riding on his shoulders, and the frustrations and small victories that entails.
07/15/05
The movie's focus on Yao is limited by his lack of narrative abilities.
05/09/05
Sure, it's fun to watch big-screen close-ups of Yao battling with O'Neal, though it feels like another ESPN special.
05/06/05
From language barriers to international political barriers, Yao promises something most documentaries miss entirely -- insight and hope.
05/06/05
...while their subject is amiably charismatic, the filmmakers fail to fully get beneath his skin. Still...it's a sports documentary that can be enjoyed by anyone...
04/29/05
The excitement on the court and the banter and good-natured ribbing in the locker room is handled by the book by the behind the camera crew.
04/28/05
More of a promo than anything else: it sells us on the concept of Yao Ming, but has next to nothing to say about him.
04/21/05
Latest News for The Year of the Yao
September 19, 2006:
Yao Ming Turns Down "Rush Hour 3"
Brett Ratner can cross out yet another celebrity from his dream cast for "Rush Hour 3." In an interview with a sports writer from a Chinese newspaper, it's revealed... More...
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