Tran adroitly layers the fight sequences, filmed with fluidity and at least substantially performed by the main actors themselves, between frothy layers of blokey banter.

This is a real solid Kung Fu butt-kicker, except that it's funny in that Karate Kid and Rumble in the Bronx kind of way.

Funniest of all is "Enter the Dojo" star Matthew Page, who seems to have made a whole career out of caricaturing the recognizable phenomenon of the white guy who turns Asian cultural appropriation into a lifestyle.

The Paper Tigers' snappy script and endlessly engaging ensemble cast imbue the film with its own singularly stirring spirit and show that you shouldn't count out the underdog.