If Fearless is indeed Jet Li’s final epic martial arts film, the master goes out with a true masterpiece. From start to finish, Fearless features great fight sequences, brilliant filming, and a solid plot.
Fearless is simply a feast for the eyes and has plenty for Li’s fans to love.
Fearless (also known as Huo Yuan Jia) was directed by Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason and The Bride with White Hair), and produced by Bill Kong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero). The film also features the amazing fight choreography of Yuen Wo Ping (Kill Bill and The Matrix). Everything about this film (from its score to its filming) is epic, and it quickly became one of my favorite Jet Li movies. It even has the ability to give 1994’s Fist of Legend (the American title) a run for its money.
At its core (and in a very simple synopsis of the plot), Fearless is a film inspired by the true life story of Huo Yuanjia (Li) – who became a martial arts icon and was the founder of the Jingwu Sports Federation. I will admit up front that I am unfamiliar with Yuanjia so I am not sure how historically accurate the movie was in telling his life story.
Yuen Wo Ping’s fight choreography is amazing to watch
The movie (which is set at the turn of the 20th Century) pretty much covers his entire life – beginning as a young boy and the son of a famous fighter. As Yuanjia grows into a man, he begins to build a reputation as a fighter and an ego that matches his triumphs. Swarms of people sing his praises and feed his arrogance. He deserves the praise because his fights are truly amazing, but his ego leads to his downfall.
When he falls, it cost him dearly and spins his life out of control. Lost, he finds his way to a simple village and finds a spiritual rebirth – which in turns leads him back to his journey to become the most famous fighter in China. Once he returns, Yuanjia begins to take on foreign fighters to prove China’s worth. This brings him to a single match where he will take on four different fighters (each representing foreign powers in China) in one day - a British boxer, a Spanish swordsman, a Belgian soldier, and a Japanese martial artist. I will stop with the synopsis because I don’t want to give away too much of the plot.
Besides the spectacular fight sequences, the strength of Fearless lies in the performance of Li. Not only does the movie demonstrate his skill as a martial artist, but also proves he is an extremely talented actor. Li’s journey from the cocky young Yuanjia to the spiritually centered older Yuanjia is clear to follow, and at times heartbreaking.
As in Danny the Dog (also known as Unleashed), Li delivers much of his performance in a quiet and subtle style that is a stark contrast to the explosive fight sequences. His scenes with Yueci (his quasi love interest though that is not fully explored in the film) are touching and provide a reason a really care about the character. These scenes really pay off in the final match against the foreign champions.
Li delivers a quiet performance that shows the character’s spiritual journey
The film’s fight sequences are the main reason most people will enjoy the movie. This is an epic martial arts movie, and Yuen Wo Ping’s fights live up to that description in every frame of the picture. The film combines “wire” work, Li’s (and the other fighters) natural skills and some CGI special effects to give the film some amazing stunts. From fighting on structures high off the ground to an amazing sword fight in a restaurant, Ping and company fill the film with action and make sure the audience never has a chance to get bored. Fearless is simply a feast for the eyes and has plenty for Li’s fans to love.
If the film has any problems, it would be that the plot is a bit hard to follow at first and doesn’t seem to really be headed anywhere until Li’s character finds his way to the village and his spiritual rebirth. Also, I would highly recommend NOT watching the English dubbed version. Like many of Li’s films, it is better to watch them subtitled rather than the dub – which will make the story just seem silly at times.
The DVD comes with a look at the making of the movie called “A Fearless Journey” which features interviews with Li, Yu, and some of the other cast and crew. The featurette discusses how the movie matches Li’s own personal beliefs and how he wanted to craft his final epic martial arts film around those beliefs. He does go on record several times saying this is the last one, but I truly hope he changes his mind.
Fearless is Li’s final martial arts epic and is a masterpiece
Fearless is truly an epic film with a unique visual style, explosive fight scenes, and a strong performance from Jet Li. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys martial arts movies or anyone who wants to watch a really great film. It won’t disappoint.
Fearless is now available at Amazon and AmazonUK . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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