Review: I have a confession to make. Actually, it’s more of a story that involves me tooting my own horn, if you will. I have interviewed Yao Ming. That’s right, Mr. Great Wall of China himself has been interviewed by yours truly. And I’ll be honest, I thought he was extremely boring. The amount of nervous laughter that spewed from fellow reporters straining to try and hear his mumbled jokes was in itself awkward. So it was with this apprehension that I started watching Year of the Yao... and, if I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, the film was hilarious. There are genuinely some really just wonderful moments developed here by directors Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern. It’s not on the same level as a Morgan Spurlock film or King of Kong, but it is funny in its own right. Yao in particular has a sense of humor that seems to transcend his larger than life role and ease the tension of those around him. Of course, you have to take everything about this film with a grain of salt as it is co-produced by the NBA and you know they’re going to make sure only the positives come out. Which is unfortunate, because while I enjoy the lighthearted moments, this documentary could really have used some investigations into the Chinese culture- a mere mention of the fact that Yao had to serve in the army before being able to play here in the U.S., or that fact that a previously well touted Chinese player defected to the U.S. in order to avoid servitude, only to find himself out of a job a few short years later. I’m not saying it should become a serious, depressing work, but I just never felt any real substance here. Technically speaking, Year of the Yao is of a pretty good quality, except for one main sticking point: Del Deo and Stern get too caught up in the first match-up between Shaq and Yao Ming. They spend nearly 30 minutes building it up and it really is the climax of the film. Unfortunately, there was another 30 minutes after this before the documentary ended. The result: an ending that was long and drawn out. They hit such a high note with this one climactic moment, that everything sorta just seemed bland afterwards. If they were to redo it, I’d say cut at least 15-20 minutes off the ending. If you are a basketball fan, I believe you will enjoy this documentary thoroughly. If you’re a fan of Yao Ming (in anyway), then you will certainly enjoy this intimate portrait. If you could care less about either, I’d highly suggest moving on. Year of the Yao is a members only documentary: if you don’t already appreciate it going in, you won’t appreciate it when you leave. Review by Matthew Abshire Informative: 3- Wonderful look at his first year, lacks needed depth though Entertainment: 4- between Yao and his translator, you get plenty of entertaining moments Technical: 3- The film peaks with 30 minutes left, which in turn causes the film to drag horribly Overall: 3- A great marketing film for Yao, the NBA and tall Asian enthusiasts
 
Format: TV Year: 2004 Running Time: 88 Min Distributor: Endgame Entertainment and Fine Line Features Producer: Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern Director: Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern Date Reviewed: 6-13-2008 Story: Even in a sport crowded with hulking giants, NBA player Yao Ming stands tall at 7 feet, 5 inches high. But that's not all: He's also become one of the leading centers in basketball and is fast becoming a legend in Houston, where he's based with the Rockets. This fascinating documentary tracks Yao's rookie year from the first ball toss to the final whistle of the last game of the season, one that's made him an icon here and in his native China (NetFlix).