Starring: Brenda Song (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai), Tsai Chin (Memoirs of a Geisha), Justin Chon, Michael David Cheng, Susan Chuang, Sally Martin and Anna Hutchinson
Writers: Vince Cheung, Ben Montanio, Lydia Look, and Marc Seabrook
Director: John Laing
Producers: Ralph Farquhar and Janine Dickens
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior tells the story of a popular Chinese-American teenager who gets the startling news that she is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit from destroying the world. But Wendy's already locked in a battle - for Homecoming Queen with her high school archrival.
According to the Disney Channel, Brenda Song and Shin Koyamada worked with veteran stunt coordinator and visual effects unit director Koichi Sakamoto who choreographed the movie using what he calls a "modern traditional" style of kung fu based on five different animals: snake, dragon, tiger, crane and leopard. "It's a very traditional style that was popular in 1970s kung fu movies," he says. "It made me happy to do it, because I was a big fan of this style and it's the first time I got to show those moves in a film."
As the movie unfolds, Wendy Wu's life is turned upside down by a visit from a young Chinese monk named Shen who claims she is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit, Yan-Lo, from destroying the world. But Wendy is too busy campaigning for Homecoming Queen to be bothered with rescuing civilization. And faced with the choice between fighting evil and going shopping, Wendy is off to the mall in a heartbeat with her best friends Tory and Lisa. So Shen enlists the help of Wendy's grandmother to convince her to embrace her ancient birthright and embark on the martial arts training that she must have in order to defeat the evil spirit. Once Wendy accepts her warrior destiny, she learns the true value of her heritage.
The movie puts forth strong themes about the importance of heritage, finding one’s true self, and the value of physical fitness (through Wendy’s example and discipline).
