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Wong Fei Hung (1980)

Posted by Hementh On 10:37 PM 0 comments


Wong Fei Hung (1980) Review

Story

Wong Fei Hung is the only son of Wong Kei Ying and is thus pampered by his mother since young. Old Wong has problems disciplining him as his wife often protects him. Knowing that his son is interested in learning martial arts, Old Wong wants him to learn healing skills too as an exchange. Fei Hung is reluctant but he has no choice. However, he manages to cultivate an interest later.

Fei Hung is reckless and offends a court official’s nephew, Na Lan Guai Fok. This man is very vengeful and seeks to bully Fei Hung every now and then. Once, he even tried to set a trap to kill Fei Hung. But Fei Hung saw through his act and escaped unscathed. Guai Fok then wants to have a duel with Kei Ying. But Old Wong still hadn't recovered from an old injury (please forgive me as I have forgotten the details – not sure whether it is Guai Fok’s uncle, Na Lan Sai Kin’s doing.) However he still accepts the challenge as he knows that Fei Hung is not his match.

On the day of the duel, both men agree that it will be a friendly match. But when Guai Fok loses, he suddenly attacks Old Wong. The poor man is caught unprepared and faints after vomiting blood. Fei Hung is in tears as he knows that Old Wong will not be able to survive the injury. Kei Ying passes Fei Hung the sword that has been handed down to him by his ancestors. He dies peacefully later.

Fei Hung is adamant not to let the matter rest like this. He seeks Guai Fok out. Surprisingly, he kills him out of rage. Fei Hung is later a fugitive as Sai Kin is hot on his heels. He gets to know the Tam siblings, Tam Chi Tong and his sister, Tam Jing. Tam Chi Tong is a rebel against Qing rule and is a righteous man. Alas, he is a thorn in Sai Kin’s eye too. So he is captured and killed.

Tam Jing is upset over the loss. Fei Hung feels sorry for her and brings her home. In the meantime, Sai Kin pretends to forgive Fei Hung but in fact, he still hates him to the core. Tam Jing decides to continue with her brother’s unfinished plans. She leaves Fei Hung and Fei Hung misses her. His distant cousin, Yuk Yin comes to live at his home and falls for him. However, upon knowing he loves Tam Jing, she keeps her feelings to herself and even tries to persuade Tam Jing to spare a thought for Fei Hung.

Tam Jing refuses and asks her to take care of Fei Hung instead. Fei Hung gets to know a new friend, Bo Ching Wan (please note, he is not Wind in ‘Wind and Cloud’.) Bo doesn’t wish to be a court official but he has no choice as his father is dead and he has to take over. He spars with Fei Hung and is impressed by his skills. Both hit off well and even become sworn brothers although Fei Hung doesn’t like it that he works for the court. He had seen how his father had died miserably and tries in vain to change his mind.

A powerful eunuch, Siu Tak Cheung, is in Canton. Tam Jing plans to kill this wicked official. Alas, she fails in her attempt and is raped by him when he throws poison powder at her to make her unconscious. I still have no idea how a eunuch can do such a thing though. Tam Jing is very traumatized over the ordeal. Fei Hung is so mad with Siu Tak Cheung that he kills him in the end. Bo manages to clear his tracks to makes it look like the murder was done by a thief. However, the intelligent Sai Kin sees through the trick and vows not to let Fei Hung off.

Another wicked court official is present and Tam Jing pretends to be a sword dancer. Bo is also at the feast but he is helpless because Sai Kin recognizes her. He knows what she intends to do – to kill him and the official! Sai Kin quickly takes out a gun and shoots her. Then he gets his man to surround her at a cliff. Tam Jing quietly wishes Fei Hung to take care of himself before she jumps into the water (reminds you of how Duk Gu Fung dies in ‘Reincarnated’, doesn't it?)

Fei Hung is devastated by the news. Yuk Yin tries her best to console him. Through his mother’s advice, he realizes how much she loves him. So he marries her in the end. But their wedding day spells another tragedy. Bo is getting popular with the Emperor and thus a jealous Sai Kin kills him when he attends their wedding. Fei Hung fights hard to control himself as he is now the keeper of ‘Bo Chi Lam’ and doesn’t wish that it be destroyed in his hands.

How Fei Hung has mellowed after marriage! He starts wearing a long gown and keeps himself preoccupied in the medical hall to treat the poor. But he can be such a blur person. His wife has been feeling unwell for a few days yet he doesn’t even ask her what is wrong. Only when he sees her face turning pale, he then sets to examine her pulse. He is delighted to find her pregnant.

Alas, the Emperor has heard of Fei Hung’s skills and has grouped together 8 pugilists to deal with Fei Hung. He agrees to hand Sai Kin over to Fei Hung if he manages to defeat all of them. Fei Hung is impressive in his defeat of all the opponents and finally comes face to face with Sai Kin. He eventually kills him. Fei Hung and Yuk Yin have a peaceful life together from then onwards.

Introduction to the characters

  1. Wong Fei Hung – Wong Yuen Sang
    He is undoubtedly the best choice for this role! Who can doubt his agility in the fighting scenes and his powerful acting here! You will shake your head at how rebellious and careless Fei Hung can be at first. He breaks all his father’s antiques, offends so many people and his poor father has to settle all his disputes for him.

    But as time goes by, he becomes mature. In fact, the change is so different that you begin to question whether you are looking at the same man. In the later part of the serial, he wears a long gown that makes him so scholarly. This is so unlike his initial dressing. And he doesn’t get furious easily anymore. He has changed all his rebellious ways and is a lot more wiser.

    His chemistry with both actresses can be said to be matching. However, I preferred the sparks created by him and Cheng. Both are quick-tempered and get into quarrels easily. Yet there is undeniably a concern for each other. Ngai’s character is too quiet. Some may not like her for it seemed she turned our hero into an introvert in the end. But still I welcomed the change – it is rare to see Wong acting cheeky and also mature in the same serial!

  2. Bo Ching Wan – Lai Hon Chi
    He is such a loyal friend – what more one can ask for such a great pal? He is intelligent and helpful. If not for him, Fei Hung would have died countless times. Unfortunately, he is unable to save his own life in the end. Lai is very convincing as the friend whom we all wish to have.
  3. Na Lan Guai Fok – Lo Lap Lam (Ren Wo Xing in 96 State of Divinity)
    Lo makes a pest come to life! I really clenched my fists whenever he appeared. Serves him right when Fei Hung kills him in the end.
  4. Wong Kei Ying – Mak Tien Yan
    He has no choice but to be strict with his son. His teaching methods prove right when he can finally make Fei Hung his successor. This man really has a lot of foresight! However, he is too soft-heartened. If not for him sparing Guai Fok’s life, he will not have been killed. Mak is very impressive in the role – it is a surprise that he is still single in real life. How did he act so well as a father then?
  5. Na Lan Sai Kin – Chu Tiet Wo (now with TVB)
    This is another vicious role that cannot be forgotten. The many evil schemes that he comes up with shock you. Many will simply hate him – this shows that Chu is successful.
  6. Tam Chi Tong – Lau Kong (now with TVB)
    This actor plays his role well as a righteous man who never gives up his ideals. However, he simply lacks luck and is eventually executed. Before he dies, he wishes for Tam Jing to be happy. This scene is a very tragic one.
  7. Tam Jing – Cheng Mun Ngai (ex-Miss Hong Kong winner in 1979)
    She is pretty and also natural in her acting for a newcomer. She can be wild and also gentle. You’ll like all scenes of her with Wong together. Both of them have so much chemistry! What a pity that both could not be together in the end.
  8. Yuk Yin – Ngai Chau Wah
    She is also a newcomer. Her personality with Fei Hung initially causes conflict as both are the exact opposite of each other. However, when Fei Hung matures, their relationship starts to work out. Ngai did fairly well in here. Although not as pretty as Cheng, she is still beautiful.

Most favourite character
Fei Hung – for his multi-faced character – he can be wild and talkative. But later, he can also be quiet and reserved. His acting was formidable.

Most hated character
Sai Kin, because of his evil ways.

Song
The song is sung by Lau Ying Hung. The first 2 lines are originally from a traditional piece which had been rearranged. It is still a nice song that many still like till today.

Interesting scenes
All the scenes where Fei Hong spars with others. It is unbelievable that a common loser can win his stronger opponents in the end. It it because he performs better when in rage?

How Guai Fok cheats to win – all will detest his undermined ways.

The tragic scenes depicting Tam Jing and Tam Chi Tong's deaths.

The last scene where Fei Hung pits his skills against the 8 pugilists is really an eye-opener. Although I have forgotten the faces, I can still remember how Wong deals with them using a spear, stick and sword. The only opponent I remembered was Lau Ying Hung and her devilish eyes and how Fei Hung goes into a trance whenever he looks into them. Later, he realizes his mistake so he quickly drinks a lot of wine. He masters drunken fists on the spot, grabs her long ribbons and traps her with it! What an unexpected ending!

Interesting facts
Apparently this serial was very well-received in Hong Kong. Many simply loved Wong in here and even complained that he should have smiled more often so they could see his dimples.

This serial was memorable because this was the last Cantonese drama that I watched on television. Even taxi drivers rushed home to watch this serial when it was aired.

Conclusion
So sorry that this review is so short. I have forgotten the details as I only watched it once and that was a very long time ago. Yuen Sang’s fans shouldn’t miss this at all – he plays the role so well that all attention is focused on him. No special stunts or effects – all natural movements! It is truly Wong’s one man show. He was just so skilful with all the different weapons given to him. ATV should have released this on VCD.

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Twin Warriors (1993)

Posted by Hementh On 10:35 PM 0 comments

Twin Warriors (1993) Movie Review

Tai Chi Master (Chinese: 太极张三丰 is a 1993 Hong Kong martial arts action/adventure film starring Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. It was directed by Yuen Wo Ping and written by Yip Kwong Kim.

A version of the film dubbed into English was released on DVD in the US and UK with the title Twin Warriors in 2000.

Junbao (Jet Li) and Tienbo grow up together in a shaolin temple as monks, studying the martial arts and generally getting into trouble. When they are expelled from the temple after Tienbo almost kills a fellow student who cheats in a fight against him, they go to the town to find food. A gang of henchmen take the money from a local shop owner where a woman called Miss Li steals the money and gives it back to the owner. Having noticed his money gone, the henchmen start to fight with Miss Li where Junbao interferes and defeats all of them. Army reinforcements arrive to break up the fight and so the trio run away to escape capture. At this moment the eunuch governor travels through the town. Tienbo realises that he wants to be as rich as the governor, but Miss Li warns him that he has "a heart of a viper" and wonders if he could handle his power. Miss Li then shows the monks to a pub to get food.

In a pub, they find a woman called Siu Lin. Siu Lin is searching for her husband, and in the pub, she finds him. Her husband became the new husband of the governor's niece. Siu Lin starts a battle with the niece where they both seem equal, but the husband hits Siu Lin on her head causing her to collapse. Junbao helps Siu Lin by defending her against the niece's guards.

The next day, while Junbao and Tienbo are making money with their amazing Kung Fu skills, the governor's second in command spots them and is impressed with Tienbo's abilities and so he offers him to join the army (which he accepts) however, Junbao is more reluctant to do so and declines going with Tienbo and so the two go their separate ways. Later, some soldiers come to the pub to collect taxes (which have increased due to the governors greedy nature) but Junbao and the rebels (who have stolen great valuables from the governor to give back to the poor) fight and kills them one-by-one. But one soldier escapes and he starts off to the army's camp with Junbao following him. But just in front of the army camp, Tienbo kills the soldier. Tienbo says to Junbao to stay clear of the rebels as they'll get him in trouble. Now knowing where the rebels are hiding however, Tienbo takes this unique opportunity to gain a promotion and set up a trap for Junbao and the rebels by telling them that the army is on patrol and it is the best time to attack them.

Junbao and Siu Lin collect all the rebels from the region, and go to the army camp (falling for Tienbo's trap). A big battle occurs where most of the rebels die. Tienbo captures Miss Li and Siu Lin and the only survivors are Junbao and a few rebels.

Because of the trap, the governor promotes Tienbo to lieutenant. With his new authority Tienbo kills Miss Li, and holds Siu Lin as bait so that he can try to convert Junbao to the army's cause. But this is unsuccessful and Junbao rescues her. Because of the fact that his best friend betrayed him, Junbao's mind snaps and he goes crazy for days. After going out in the countryside with Siu lin, studying the art of Tai Chi, he has a sudden epiphany, and regains his mental health.

While the governor is traveling to Beijing to see the emperor with his sister, they encounter Junbao and Siu Lin who kill the soldiers guarding them and also kills the niece. With the governor captured (also using him as a hostage) they go to the army camp and demand Tienbo to surrender his wealth and his power. Due to his arrogance Tienbo declines and starts to fight Junbao thinking that he is inferior. To Tienbo's surprise, however, Junbao is a lot more talented than he originally thought and cannot be beaten. Knowing this he kills the governor to gain complete control over the troops surrounding them but Siu Lin intervenes and tells them to back off and to not listen to him as he just betrayed their leader. Knowing this to be true, the troops back off and leaves Tienbo's fate to Junbao. After a stunning series of blows, Tienbo is defeated and killed.

After the fight Siu Lin and Junbao go their separate ways, with Junbao returning Tienbo's body to the Shaolin temple, and establishing his own school to teach Tai Chi Chuan.

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Shaolin Temple 2: Kids From Shaolin (1983)

Posted by Hementh On 10:34 PM 0 comments
If you can imagine such a bizarre thing, Shaolin Temple 2: Kids From Shaolin is more or less a martial arts movie for kids. The only relation this movie has with Shaolin Temple is the title and the star, Jet Li. It's a pretty awful movie, about the rivalry between the Shaolin and Wutang schools of martial arts and the tension that escalates when the head of one school has ten or so sons, while the other has ten or so daughters. Two things are just plain bizarre: a couple of musical numbers and an attempt to pass Jet Li off as a kid. At least those who make it through to the end will be rewarded: the climactic fight scene, the movie's single positive note, ranks with the best in Li's filmography.

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10

Shaolin Temple (1979)

Posted by Hementh On 10:33 PM 0 comments




Shaolin Temple (1979) Review

Story: Yuan and his father work in a labor camp, but one day Yuan father is killer by the warlord. Lucky enough to escape the murder scene and barely alive, Yuan is rescued by shaolin monks. He resides at the temple, living the life of a monk. With his natural talent in martial arts, Yuan begins to start arduously training. It doesn't take very long for him to become one of the best in the whole temple. Yuan's real intention to learn martial arts is to cast vengeance on his father's murderer. The Master Monk doesn't really approve, because violence is not the answer to any situation.

Review: Based on the shaolin folklore and the true story of how shaolin monks saved the Tang emperor, 'Li Shi Min', from imperial troops, Shaolin Temple marks the debut of a young and inexperienced Jet Li. None the less, even if you have an inexperienced but talented young actor and a very basic story, the movie has enough great fighting to please those of you who love Kung Fu movies.

The general premise is very typical and the base concept reflects those of old Shaolin stories. I'm not an expert in Chinese history, so I can't tell you how historically accurate the movie is, but it seemed believable to me (of course they probably altered it to make is more entertaining). Basically the movie is very straight forward and there's no real big twist or surprise even, except for a few classic key scenes (like when the master monk is discussing with Yuan his pass eating habits in front or a cooked dog). All in all, the story was a bit of a disappointment but still the whole story is entertaining enough to please most viewers.

Jet Li plays the lead role of Yuan. His early acting skill could not compete against his martial arts skill of course, but since the role was not very emotionally demanding, he made do with what he could. In my opinion, the best performance was played by Yu Hai (who will play later in a couple of kung fu production by Jet Li side. However, since the plot isn't very character driven, the real forte of the film is the fighting.

Being a Jet Li film, this movie is filled with fights. This movie serves as a positive consecrate to a great martial art demonstration. If you know a bit about Chinese martial arts, you probably know that the most popular style in China is called Wushu (a modern martial art descendent of the shaolin style). It is a lot more visually appealing than traditional Kung Fu. This still stands true now because most movies now use Wushu as their primary bases for fights. The general fighting and performances of the athletes were very impressive. They didn't seem to use a lot of wire because the Wushu style demands many air kicking and jumping skills. There's also a nice demonstration of weapon usage such as rope darts, drunken staffs, and chain whips. (I especially enjoyed the sequence where Jet Li's character peeks at the monks when they are training in the temple).

At the time the movie was made, Jet Li only 16 years old and was already super star in China. After winning 4 first place titles at the Chinese National Martial Competition, he decided to switch focus on cinema and his first attempt was this movie. The movie was so well received from the Chinese public that the government re-opened the old shaolin temples for the public. Shaolin Temple is far from being the best Jet Li movie, but it is a must see if you are a fan of Jet Li or Kung Fu movies in general. This is a rare chance to see Jet Li at the top of his shape and share the screen with other great wushu athletes of that time.

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THE LEGEND OF THE SWORDSMAN (1992)

Posted by Hementh On 10:31 PM 0 comments

THE LEGEND OF THE SWORDSMAN (1992) Review

Fennie Yuen returns as Blue Phoenix for this sequel to SWORDSMAN, but almost everything else has changed. Cost overruns which drove the original into the red prompted producer Tsui Hark to scale back production on the sequel as much as possible and replace the cast for the returning characters. Most significantly, Sam Hui was replaced in the lead role of Ling Wu-chung with the much more dynamic Jet Li, who had just become a Hong Kong superstar via his portrayal of the legendary Wong Fei-hung in ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA.

The other great standout role belongs to Brigitte Lin as Master Invincible Asia of the rebellious Sun Moon Sect, who has castrated himself to gain supernatural power from a sacred scroll, and as a result is gradually changing into a woman. Asia recruits Japanese ninjitsu warriors Hattori (Waise Lee) and Saru (Chin Ka-Lok), who have been operating as pirates along the coast of China since being driven out of their homeland by Emperor Toyotomi. Using a combination of bribery, captured firearms, and supernatural swordplay, Asia plans to conquer all of China. He/she crosses paths with Ling on the way to attacking a platoon of Emperor Soon's soldiers, spilling his wine and killing the horse of sidekick Kiddo (Michelle Reis, so much taller than Cecilia Yip in the role that even the other characters comment on it). Ling has decided to retire from the Martial Arts World and live on Ox Mountain, but still dreams of Chief Ying (Rosamund Kwan).

Ying is having her own problem with Asia's ninjas, who have come to challenge her powerful whip and Blue Phoenix' pet snakes to take over leadership of the Sect. Ling and his Wah Mountain Clan comrades find Ying to be missing and her men massacred, and go to look for her. Ling comes upon Asia while he/she is practicing his/her elemental magic, and the he/she shares a flirtatious and anonymous drink of wine with him. Reunited with Ying that night, Ling vows to help her find her father Master Wu (Yam Sai-kwoon), whose disappearance began the Sun Moon power struggle. Sneaking into Asia's camp to look for Wu, Ling finds himself inadvertently defending his enemy from treacherous Saru's invading ninjas. After an evening of odd romance, Ling is captured, but he and Wu team up to escape from the dungeon. But his followers find the returning Wu a changed man, who has become mad for revenge and power, and has secretly secured the sacred scroll. Inevitably, colossal internal and external conflicts erupt when Ling discovers his worst enemy is his dream girl, and his friend's father has become a destructive monster.


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Legend of the Red Dragon (2002)

Posted by Hementh On 10:31 PM 0 comments


Legend of the Red Dragon (2002) Review
Hong Kong superstar Jet Li first came to attention in the West with his role as the villian in Lethal Weapon 4, which without Li's performance left little else to be said for it. In his homeland, Li made his first film at the age of nineteen, The Shaolin Temple, which apparently sparked a martial arts craze. Another in a string of Shaolin-themed martial arts extravaganzas, Hong Xiguan zhi Shaolin wu zu aka New Legend of Shaolin aka The Legend of the Red Dragon pits Li against an army of enemy soldiers out for his head as a spear wielding Shaolin master.

Our lead character, Hung Hey Kwun (Li), returns home to find his family and village slaughtered by the new Manchu government. As he wades through the bodies impaled inside his house, he discovers his infant son Ting has survived. He plants his sword in the floorboards, issuing a challenge to the toddler: if he chooses his favorite toy he will be executed and sent to hell to be with his mother; if he chooses the sword, he will fight alongside his father in a bloody mission of vengeance. Ting chooses the sword, but before the pair can leave on their quest, one of Kwun's schoolmates at the Shaolin Academy arrives to betray Kwun for the bounty on his head. A furious martial arts battle ensues, with Kwun using his trusty spear against his opponent, and of course, just when he looks to be beaten, he delivers the master stroke, impaling his foe and leaving him to die. But he doesn't...

Years have passed as Kwun and his son have been roaming the countryside, just one step ahead of those after them. With spies everywhere, the new government is looking for the map that holds the secret to an ancient Shaolin treasure. In a new town, Kwun and Ting are hired as bodyguards for a local merchant, whose son is one of five boys chosen by the monks at the local Shaolin monastery to have parts of the map tattooed on their backs. The merchant has also just acquired a new bride-to-be, a young woman named Red Bean, who along with her mother—who pretends she is dead to garner sympathy and donations from strangers—are notorious con artists out for his money. Kwun has just become their number one obstacle. If that isn't bad enough, Kwun's long-lost mortal enemy returns, resurrected with the help of a little witchcraft that makes him invincible. However, Kwun and son will not be deterred, and those who oppose them had better be sharp, or they won't survive the ex-spear-ience.

Anyone looking for a serious martial arts film can quit reading right now—this is a farce of epic proportions. The fight sequences are completely over-the-top, with highly accelerated action, copious amounts of wire work, and magnificently choreographed moves. I began cringing when the first line was spoken in English—this is a Cantonese film after all, available in its original language on DVD as New Legend of Shaolin from Tai Seng—but the bad dub only adds to the comedy. Li's dialogue is done to match the lip flaps, which results in it being extremely and unnaturally fragmented, making William Shatner look like a fluid actor! The fact that many of the fight sequences involve the midget brigade of the Shaolin students also lends a great deal of humor, and we have the mother/daughter con team upping the ante. The Legend of the Red Dragon isn't going to win any awards for great scripting or decent acting, but as an insane martial arts flick, it makes for mindless popcorn fare.

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Fist Of Legend (1994)

Posted by Hementh On 10:29 PM 0 comments







Fist Of Legend (1994) Review

In this magnificent reworking of Bruce Lee’s FIST OF FURY, Jet Li plays the revenge-seeking fictional student of real-life Chin Woo Athletic Association founder Huo Yuan-jia. Arriving at the end of Hong Kong’s 1990s-era kung fu cycle, FIST OF LEGEND represents the best the era had to offer in terms of kung fu excellence next to Jackie Chan’s DRUNKEN MASTER 2. With masterfully grounded fighting performances from talented co-stars Chin Siu-ho, Billy Chow and the great Yasuaki Kurata, the film delivers intense and fast-paced action all choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping and the Yuen Clan with an exceptionally fierce physical performance from Li while still in his prime.

Despite its premise, FIST OF LEGEND is not an official remake of FIST OF FURY as the rights to Golden Harvest’s 1972 film had not been acquired by Eastern Productions. This film is the last one produced by Jet Li through Eastern Productions in which Li is the star. Writer-director Gordon Chan, who had previously enjoyed big success directing several action-oriented Stephen Chow films including FIGHT BACK TO SCHOOL and KING OF BEGGARS, used the historical premise of Huo Yuan-jia’s death and the growing Japanese militarism in pre-World War II China as the backdrop to this film in much the same way that writer-director Lo Wei and screenwriter Ni Kuang did in FIST OF FURY. Credit goes to Chan for putting the film together and convincing Li to get on board.

Although the name is taken from one of Huo Yuan-jia’s real-life students, the main character, Chen Zhen (Li), is modeled after a nationalistic creation by Ni Kuang that was transcended by the intense screen charisma and fighting prowess of Bruce Lee. With no knowledge of the real Chen Zhen to base his performance off of, it is amazing that Li would even attempt such a role given that he had already established his own distinct screen persona in films such as ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA and THE TAI-CHI MASTER. Nobody could walk in Bruce Lee’s shoes, not even Jet Li. Thankfully, Li chose not to emulate the late great star as so many lesser genre actors had and instead gave his own unique spin on the character while paying a very subtle homage to Bruce Lee.

Gordon Chan largely follows the main plot of FIST OF FURY while making a number of minor changes that update the politics of the story and flesh out the characters and conflicts a bit more. Chan’s version begins slightly earlier in time with Chen first hearing of his master’s death while studying in Japan. This occurs right after he schools a number of Imperialist martial arts students with a standout action sequence that quickly separates itself from Li’s previous performances in its directness and intensity. Li may not be howling like Bruce Lee or wielding nunchaku but he does capture the spirit of Bruce Lee’s famous one-inch punch and the philosophy that supported it.

What is missing from Li’s portrayal of Chen Zhen is the intensity that Ni Kuang’s script brought to the 1972 version. There may never be another kung fu movie that stirs the Chinese public the way that FIST OF FURY did. Its direct assault on the false image of Chinese people as “sick men of Asia,” coupled with Bruce Lee’s uniquely ferocious performance floored local audiences at the time of its release and still inspires people around the world to this day. Culturally speaking, there is nothing in 1994 that could have matched this and for all the talent that Jet Li has, he is a different man with a different approach to screen fighting and acting. Likewise, Gordon Chan intentionally tried to downplay the anti-Japanese rhetoric so common in martial arts films of the 1970s. Understanding this, I still felt the post-fight, dramatic ending was too weak given the intensity of Li’s physical performance which was evident right from the start.

According to Bey Logan in his 2008 commentary to the film, the opening fight scene was inspired by a sequence in Akira Kurosawa’s RED BEARD as performed by Toshiro Mifune. It’s clear that Gordon Chan was determined to distance the action in his film from some of Yuen Woo-ping’s previous exaggerated wirework in films like IRON MONKEY while not becoming too closely tied to Bruce Lee’s style either. Following this sequence, the film finds a happy medium where Li is still able to use his northern wushu training but also evoke the direct effectiveness and close-range fighting strengths of traditional southern fist forms. This is further balanced out with Li’s infrequent use of Western boxing techniques and grappling locks. FIST OF LEGEND definitely provides Jet Li with his most dynamic and varied physical performance in any film and on this count has yet to be topped, although he did revisit similar forms to a lesser degree in THE ONE and KISS OF THE DRAGON.

Yasuaki Kurata, one of the most dynamic and talented screen fighters in martial arts cinema history enjoys his last great performance in this film as a Japanese martial arts master who mentors Chen Zhen. It’s a remix of his outstanding role in LEGEND OF A FIGHTER and it also visually taps into his memorable clash with Gordon Liu in HEROES OF THE EAST. Kurata’s character did not exist in Lo Wei’s film. Gordon Chan uses him to effectively draw a distinction between the passing militarism of Imperial Japan and the timeless moral character of the truly devoted martial artist. Although quite a few years older, Kurata provides Li with one of his finest onscreen match-ups, in part because of what the underlying message of the fight is about. It’s essentially a training exercise for Li’s character. Chan uses the scene to suggest that the spirit of martial arts is more important that nationalism or revenge. It’s a more substantive message, albeit less dramatically stated than the nationalism within Lo Wei’s FIST OF FURY as evidenced by the smashing of the “no Chinese allowed” sign.

The fighting in FIST OF LEGEND is notable for the dynamic use of small integrated sets, breakaway props and power powder. Yuen Woo-ping is well known for pioneering wirework use in the kung fu movie genre but he also mastered the use of other tricks as well that greatly enhanced the style and perceived effectiveness of kung fu moves on screen. Breakaway props have been around for years and were used in Hollywood back when bar-fighting in Westerns was popular. At its simplest level all it involves is sawing the legs of a table or railing so that when a stuntman hits the object it safely breaks apart. Over the years this technique led to the creation of movie props that were designed to be easily destroyed when connecting with the human body from chairs to beer bottles. Chan’s production design team takes this to new levels in FIST OF LEGEND with breakaway beams, boulders, windows, rails. In the film’s climax where Li faces off against superkicker Billy Chow, the room they fight in as well as the exterior has been rigged for destruction. It’s quite obvious where the Wachowskis got their inspiration for the vivid structural destruction wrought in THE MATRIX when looking at what Yuen first achieved in FIST OF LEGEND. Yuen crafted a more matured fight incorporating elaborate set destruction, again with Jet Li, in FEARLESS.

Two aspects of Yuen’s action choreography that have not aged as well include his over-use of power powder and undercranking, which is the act of speeding up the action by slowing down the frame capture rate. Power powder was a gimmick mostly used in the early 1990s as a way to visually enhance the power of strikes. White talcum powder, or something similar, would be liberally sprinkled on actors or objects so that when a strike is made it creates a dramatic white cloud. It’s the Hong Kong equivalent of arterial blood sprays found in Japanese chambara movies, except that it never quite looks as good. A good reason is that the powder ends up covering clothing and objects which creates continuity problems and unnecessary distractions. This, of course, occurs in FIST OF LEGEND, as does rampant undercranking which sadly diminishes otherwise outstanding fighting form on the part of Li, Chow, Kurata and co-star Chin Siu-ho who previously worked with Li and Yuen Woo-ping in THE TAI-CHI MASTER.

Chin’s role is a reworking of the one played by James Tien in FIST OF FURY. The character was previously little more than a wallflower and this time is given more dramatic and fighting relevance. As successor to Huo Yuan-jia’s martial arts club and as the master’s son, Huo Ting-an (Chin) is faced with the greatest challenge of standing up to rivals and living up to his father’s legacy. He’s off to a poor start due to his involvement with a prostitute and opium. Although it’s greatly understated, it is these vices that weaken him and cause friction between the more popular Chen Zhen. A now discarded print of FIST OF LEGEND includes an extra three minutes depicting the opium use by Ting-an. For dramatic reasons it is unfortunate that this scene has been left out of all but an out-of-print Ritek DVD release but it’s not surprising as it understandably causes the real Huo family to lose face. Nevertheless, it’s a great role for the talented Chin Siu-ho and allows him to show off his dramatic and screen fighting chops.

It’s worth briefly mentioning a sub-plot in the film where Ting-an comes into conflict with Chen Zhen. In spite of his vices, Ting-an represents the traditional, old way of teaching and using kung fu and Chen represents a more modern approach to Chinese martial arts, something that Bruce Lee was very active in endorsing in his films and in his life. This plot reveals that Gordon Chan really understood the genre and how to display martial arts culture even though he was not a martial artist himself, nor had ever made a kung fu movie before. This conflict, although kept in check by the larger struggle with Billy Chow and his students, added a layer of depth to the interactions between Chen and his club mates that did not exist in Bruce Lee’s film.

Another interesting change in this update to FIST OF FURY is the role of Chen Zhen’s girlfriend, originally played by Nora Miao. She is reworked in FIST OF LEGEND into a Japanese woman as played by the attractive Shinobu Nakayama, a non-fighting newcomer who was brought in by Yasuaki Kurata. This was yet another opportunity for Chan to update the tired old Japanese vs. Chinese convention of so many past kung fu movies beginning with Jimmy Wang Yu’s THE CHINESE BOXER in 1970. It provides an excellent dramatic angle where Chen’s friends, all victims of Japanese racism are forced to examine their own prejudges against others. This aspect of the film could have been handled with even more sophistication but for a genre movie that is chiefly about kung fu, it’s not bad at all.

Production designer Horace Ma, who had previously worked with Chan on FIGHT BACK TO SCHOOL puts together very appealing sets and costumes with a complimentary color palette. Colors played an important role in FIST OF FURY when one thinks of Bruce Lee’s distinctive white uniform and the red umbrella he first appears with and they are just as important here. Considerable effort was put forth to reproduce 1930s-era Shanghai, as well as bits of Japan. In an era when period art direction was generally in decline following the demise of Shaw Brothers’ film production division and the rise of cheaply constructed TV sets, this film stands up to the best including ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA and DRUNKEN MASTER 2.

Of special note, Joseph Koo, the composer for the score to FIST OF FURY serves as composer to this film as well. It’s an adequate score with lots of Asian-themed riffs and a little bit of unusual elements such as electric guitars. As a synth track, like most soundtracks to Hong Kong films during the 1980s and ’90s, it’s above average but is notably missing a rousing theme like Jet Li’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA films.

There is little dispute among fans or critics that FIST OF LEGEND is one of Jet Li’s best movies, whether we’re talking about purely kung fu/wushu or general action, of which there is a distinction. It has great performances from everyone, a great look, a solid story that actually builds on Lo Wei’s original script, and Jet Li ably does the impossible by stepping into a role made famous by Bruce Lee and makes it his own. Not even Jackie Chan can claim that after his early starring role in Lo Wei’s horrible NEW FIST OF FURY. Yuen Woo-ping has directed a lot of great kung fu movies up to this point but none of them apart from DRUNKEN MASTER quite measure up to the well-rounded quality of this collaboration with director Gordon Chan. It’s also true that Yuen’s best pure kung fu work since DRUNKEN MASTER has been with Jet Li, beginning with OUATIC in 1991 and ending with FEARLESS.

It’s a shame that the film didn’t fare well at the local box office nor gain enough international attention for more overseas distribution. FIST OF LEGEND came out at a time when Hong Kong’s film industry had become oversaturated with martial arts movies with dozens being released within a few short years. This boom had been preceded only a few years before by the classic kung fu era. Even as some of the decade’s best martial arts films were being released, Asian audiences were losing interest and Western audiences were only beginning to rediscover the genre.

Despite its ill-timed release and in spite of a few minor detracting factors, Gordon Chan’s FIST OF LEGEND is a brilliant kung fu masterpiece that gets right to the point by displaying grounded, yet stylized fight choreography that is in a class of its own. As a result, the film has had a big influence on world action cinema since and still represents the best the genre has to offer in the post-Shaw Brothers era.


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