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Review #254 of 365
Film: Fearless (2006) [PG-13] 104 minutes
Mandarin Chinese Title: Huo Yuan Jia
WIP™ Scale: $14.25
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 22 September 2006
Time: 5:40 p.m.
Review Dedicated to: Nigel W. of Montgomery, IL
Directed by: Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason)
Written by: Chris Chow
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Jet Li (Rise to Honor & Lethal Weapon 4) • Nathan Jones (The Protector)
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Billed as Jet Li's final martial arts performance, the new Ronny Yu film, Fearless, stands as a most triumphant way to 'retire'. The story is that of Chinese hero super fighter, Huo Yuan Jia (Jet Li), who brings the nation to its feet as he defeats the fighters of the occupying foreign powers that control Shanghai, China. Many westerners, surprisingly enough, do not know that there was a time when Shanghai was heavily controlled by British, French, German, and USA interests giving the city today regions that bear strong resemblance to western European capital cities. The film focuses on the time in the region when China was no a united country and had been at the losing end of numerous battles with Japan, Korea, and the west. Treaties gave much of the valuable coastal territories to other powers. It was during this time, just after the Opium Wars, that the story takes place. Using a clever story device, the film starts at near the end of the story with Huo Yuan Jia in the middle of a four-round fight between four great fighters brought in by the western powers to prove superiority over the Chinese fighters, and then zips back in time to his childhood in the region known as Jin Tian. Yuan Jia was a rambunctious little child. His father (Collin Chou) was a great master of martial arts and trained many fighters in his style. He did not, however, wish to train his own son. At least, not until he understood that fighting was not about winning or revenge, it is about learning one's one defects and then working to improve upon them. It is in this simple notion, that the great contrast between all of western and eastern thinking comes to a head. Unfortunately, Yuan Jia has to bear witness to the slaughter of his entire family before even he will come to realize the delicate wisdom in his father's thinking. As a child, Yuan Jia grows close to Nong Jinsun (Yong Dong). He has Jinsun doing his homework while he practices his fighting moves. When he gets in a fight and is soundly defeated by the son of a rival master, it so infuriates him that he vows never to lose another fight. The film then fast-forwards to his adulthood. His wife has died, but he has a beautiful little daughter named Jade. Jinsun has grown up to become a powerful businessman with one of the largest and most successful restaurants in the region. Yuan Jia has become a master fighter taking on challengers all the time and defeating them in classic form. He has not lost a fight since the day of his declaration though many cunning fighters have come from all over the region to try to defeat him. More and more young men pledge their allegiance to him so they might be trained by such a master fighter. These men all celebrate with Yuan Jia in lavish dinners at Jinsun's restaurant, all the while running up huge tabs for which Yuan Jia has little income to reimburse his best friend. In a tragedy unequalled in films beside that of The Gladiator, Yuan Jia endures a terrible circumstance that ends with the death of his entire family and the master of a rival family. When the truth comes out as to the cause, he is so mentally distraught that he flees the town and wanders aimlessly for weeks. Eventually, he is rescued from near death by drowning by the residents of a small family farm run by Grandmother and her beautiful, blind grand daughter named Moon (Betty Sun). Not knowing who he was, the children of the family name him "Ox" because he sleeps as much as their lazy Ox. Over the next few years, he grows to adore this peaceful, simple, and serene lifestyle of tending rice paddies, and living in harmony with the wind.
"… nothing like what we've seen from Jet Li in the past where the star of the film was his martial arts abilities, this is a film where his full scale acting talents are showcased in a story that's as powerful and significant as any historical film about a national hero that has ever been filmed."
Eventually, however, he grows to understand the errors of his early life. He comprehends that it was his failing not to truly learn from his father, and that it was this then that led to the demise of his beloved family. He must bid adieu to Moon and Grandma and all the little children and return home. He does so and reconciles his grief with each person he wronged. He finds his home in disrepair as creditors came in his absence to collect on his debts and his house staff had few options but to return most of his possessions. A secret give from Jinsun was the only thing that kept the house from being returned as well. He thanks Jinsun and makes amends with him as well. In the meantime, the foreign powers present in Shanghai, have begun to make a mockery of the Chinese style of fighting, and a tall, US fighter named Hercules O'Brien (Nathan Jones) has made mincemeat out of every person he's fought. With a headline calling the Chinese "Weak men from the east" in hand, Yuan Jia begs Jinsun to loan him money to got to Shanghai and challenge O'Brien. Jinsun is unwilling to continue to support his fighting until he has a change of heart upon reading the headlines. He gives his blessing and his support to Yuan Jia. Yuan Jia travels to Shanghai and challenges Hercules O'Brien in a brilliant and death-defying fight ending with Yuan Jia sparing O'Brien's life. This sets the tone then and begins to restore the Chinese people's faith in their own people. As he continues to defeat the fighters of the West, Yuan Jia realizes the importance of this to the nation itself. He therefore, with the financial support of Jinsun, founds the Jin Wu Sports Federation—which, to date, has branches in 50 countries. Eventually, this takes the film to the climax where it began, and the four-round fight arranged by the foreign powers shown at the beginning of the film.
"…with all due respect to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and The Promise, Fearless stands now as the best Chinese movie ever made."
Well, you will have to see the film to find out what happens next. This is a truly remarkable, beautiful, moving, and wonderful film. Not only does Jet Li deliver an incredible performance as one of the greatest martial artist masters ever to be put on film, but he truly captures the spirit of and brings Yuan Jia to life. He is funny, charming, tender, loving, boisterous, cavalier, and inspirational. The electric tingles the preview trailer conducts also are far outmatched by the film itself. First, there is a gripping story of man's inner struggle to perfect himself as told through the life of Yuan Jia. Every westerner from St. Petersburg, Russia west to the Governor of California should see this film to better understand with great simplicity the fundamental difference between Eastern and Western schools of thought. This is also brought out in an elegant scene where Yuan Jia is invited to drink tea with Anno Tanaka (Shido Nakamura) who is to be his rival from Japan in the fourth round of the big match. In the conversation, which is crudely translated because the words in English do not completely match the ideas, nonetheless Anno Tanaka gains such respect for and understanding of Yuan Jia's thinking, that he finds himself more at one with the nature of life than he has ever before in his entire life. So, this inner struggle for perfecting oneself serves as the backbone of the film's story but also overlaps with the ties between the emerging powers in the world. For, as Yuan Jia continues to build on his winning tradition and urge for Chinese unification, the western powers that have been profiting on Chinese instability seek to stop him at any cost. Second, the film is a beautiful cinematic achievement with stunning settings of the cities and countryside, spectacular mountains, and magnificent architecture. When it comes to an analysis of the film and comparisons to other great Chinese films, with all due respect to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and The Promise, Fearless stands now as the best Chinese movie ever made. This is nothing like what we've seen from Jet Li in the past where the star of the film was his martial arts abilities, this is a film where his full scale acting talents are showcased in a story that's as powerful and significant as any historical film about a national hero that has ever been filmed. If you have $15 to spend this weekend on entertainment at the movies, your choice should be simple, spend it on Fearless and support a truly great and inspirational film that contributes grandly to cross-cultural understanding and will be a contender for honors as the year's best international film.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
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Other Projects Featuring Fearless (2006) Cast Members
Jet Li
• Nathan JonesOther Projects Involving Fearless (2006) Director
Ronny Yu
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Fearless (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
In Jet Li's final martial arts performance, the new Ronny Yu film, Fearless, stands as a most triumphant way to 'retire'. The story of a Chinese fighter, Huo Yuan Jia (Jet Li), who brings China to its feet as he defeats the fighters of foreign powers that financially control Shanghai, pre-1908, Fearless is a beautiful and moving film with spectacular settings. Yuan Jia overcomes his inner weaknesses and the loss of his family at the hands of a rival so that he may unleash the true hero within. Unlike Jet Li's past films where the star was his martial arts abilities, this is a film where his full scale acting talents are showcased in a story that's as powerful as any historical film about a national hero previously filmed. He captures the spirit of and brings Yuan Jia to life with this funny, charming, tender, loving, cavalier, and inspirational portrayal.
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