Who's
In It: Jet Li, Jon T. Benn, Collin Chou, Anthony De Longis, Masato Harada,
Nathan Jones, Mike Leeder, Jean Claude Leuyer Who Directed It: Ronny
Yu
Year of release: 2006
Jet Li's Fearless (2006) - Reviewed by: Paul Heath
Well,
I've just got back from an early afternoon screening of the movie that is being
billed, and advertised as the very last Jet Li martial arts movie. That movie
is FEARLESS, aka JET LI'sS FEARLESS, AKA"Huo Yuan Jia" after the lead
character.
I'm
a fan of the man they call Jet Li, and I'm embarrassed to reveal that the first
movie that I had seen with Li in was LETHAL WEAPON 4. I know, I know, but I'll
back myself up by saying that I went back and saw his earlier films, like ONCE
UPON A TIME IN CHINA etc. I loved what I saw, and I've been a huge fan ever since.
So,
here we have FEARLESS, and for the moment, let's discard the fact that this may
or may not be his last martial arts actioner and concentrate on the material.
The
true story revolves around Li's character, Huo Yuanjia, who was the founder of
the famous Jin Wu Sports Federation. From humble beginnings through to exceptional
achievement, Yuanjia encounters personal tragedy, emotional torment and determination
and unbelievable strength from within.The film charts his rise to becoming the
greatest martial artist of the early twentieth century.
I'm
going to throw this out there and compare this movie to the Batman myth. Li's
Yuanjia suffers huge personal tragedy, leaves his surroundings of Shanghai and
takes exile in a small community where he finds himself once more, only to return
stronger and mightier than before. There's even the 'Alfred' type family figure
in there, who is still around on Yuanjia's return. Of course, being a true story,
FEARLESS goes a lot deep than that, but it shares a lot of themes of the comics
and films of the man they call the 'bat'.
It's
a superb little story, and I really can't believe the same guy that directed THE
51ST STATE and FREDDY VS JASON, helmed this. It's a huge, epic movie and Yu has
managed to draw a superb, emotional but taut performance from Li and his co-stars.
The
fight scenes come thick and fast, right from the off, and although the film drags
a third or so in, fully redeems itself by the third act. The martial arts scenes
are possibly some of the best that I have seen on screen, and if this does indeed
turn out to be Li's swan song, then it's not a bad way to go. The film's climactic
scenes are also very fitting if the rumours are true that we won't see Mr Li kicking
arse in the same way on screen again. Pity.
