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Like compatriot Jackie Chan, martial arts champion Jet Li has long been revered in his native country and enjoys a cult following in the States among aficionados of Hong Kong cinema. After two decades, it took his villainous turn in
Lethal Weapon 4 to put him on the Hollywood map, paving the way for the release of his earlier films.
Fist of Legend is a 1994 production and a remake of
The Chinese Connection (also known as
Fists of Fury, which starred the greatest martial arts legend of them all, Bruce Lee). This film is set in 1937, when Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese and racial tensions were high. Li stars as Chen Zhen, who returns to Shanghai to avenge the death of his master, whom he learns was poisoned. His popular freestyle fighting technique and Japanese girlfriend do not endear him to his former friend, now his master's successor at the martial arts school. If Jackie Chan is inspired by Buster Keaton, Li seems to be channeling Steve McQueen. He speaks softly and carries a big kick. And like Steven Seagall, even when he is under siege by a horde of attackers, no one can lay a finger on this guy. The dialogue and dubbing are atrocious, but the fight sequences are incredible (they were choreographed by Woo-ping Yuen, who lent his expertise to
The Matrix). Perhaps most memorable is a bout between Chen and his girlfriend's uncle during which the combatants wear blindfolds. This is essential viewing for martial arts buffs and Li's growing legion of fans. --
Donald Liebenson
Review
Considered by connoisseurs of the genre one of the finest martial arts films ever made, this remake of Bruce Lee's classic Fist of Fury is a star vehicle through and through. With his intense glower and purposeful cool, Jet Li is a commanding presence; his charisma almost eclipses the movie's standard-issue plot and perfunctory direction. As with most martial arts films, the highlight is the action, and there's a lot of it. Boasting a style that's closer to sinuous than acrobatic (though he's that too), Li breaks bones and flips bodies with stylish aplomb. The climactic fight scene alone, a lengthy, spectacularly choreographed
tour de force, is worth the price of admission. Though it was co-directed by Hong Kong wire-fighting master Yuen Woo-ping, who has since gained U.S. acclaim with his fight choreography for The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the movie doesn't spend a lot of time in the air. With a minimum of wire work, the movie leaves the rules of gravity alone for the most part, giving audiences the chance to see Jet Li in his purest fighting form. Packed with awesome fight scenes and some of Li's coolest moves, the movie is as good as martial arts movies get. ~ Elbert Ventura, All Movie Guide
