MOVIE REVIEW: Don’t be afraid of Fearless
Some people say that you can’t have it all. They say you can’t have your cake and eat it too or that you can’t have a movie with great action and a good story.
Jet Li would kick those people in the face.
After sustaining an injury, Jet Li gave up competitive martial arts and started making movies. The world of kung fu films would never be the same. Today “Fearless,” touted as Li’s final kung fu epic, is released to American audiences. It’s the perfect way for Li to go out.
“Fearless” tells the story of Hou Yaunjia, a real historic figure from the turn of the 20th century. The story follows him as Hou grows from a man driven solely by pride until – after losing it all – he learns what is truly important to him and what is really worth fighting for.
The story may sound a little cheesy but it’s pulled off very well. The music and cinematography work together to build the emotion and draw viewers into the moment. Li creates a very likable character who the audience want to see overcome his weaknesses.
Hou goes on to fight for the honor of all of China against the foreign powers that were making their way into the country at the time.
The film was originally released in China earlier this year where it did well in theaters.
Whenever I speak to people about Chinese movies coming to the States, they usually express concern about the translation. I haven’t seen the English version so I can’t put any fears to rest, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. The Chinese version was just fine.
Translation from Chinese to English keeps getting better and besides, when you see Li flip-kick a British boxer in the head, you won’t be too concerned about dialogue.
As with any Jet Li movie, the real attraction here is the action scenes. The fighting is quick, brutal and beautiful all at the same time. Besides Li, director Ronnie Yu (“Warriors of Virtue”) brought in many professional martial artists to make sure the many fights came across as real-looking as possible.
People interested in martial arts will enjoy watching Li go against experts in the many different styles that appear in the movie.
The fights are mostly at the beginning and end of the movie with a little bit of a love story in the middle.
“Fearless” is rated PG-13 for martial arts violence throughout. These fights get really intense and made me cringe a few times. Of course, that’s why I watched the movie in the first place.
I hope this movie does well here. There are a lot of films from around the world that Americans would enjoy if they gave them a chance. Don’t be afraid of “Fearless,” give it a chance.
Steve Shinney is the Diversions editor at the Utah Statesman and an occasional movie critic. Comments, questions and requests to borrow the Chinese version on DVD can be sent to steveshinney@cc.usu.edu.