This is the story of Huo Yuanjia, a true historical figure in Chinese history. Over the years, he has become something of a legendary figure to the point of it being difficult top discern fact from fiction with regards to his life. This film is a fictionalized take on the life of Yuanjia. It strikes me as a film that seeks to hit the notes of why he is an important figure rather than to try and recreate the actuality of his life. The end result is a powerful film that shows the growth of Hup Yuanjia and how his newfound philosophies that he discovered during his exile played a role in helping to unite a country during a time of dire need.
His shame from this devastating loss leads to his self exile. This brings to the middle section of the film which is distinctly lacking in action. This has Huo living on a farm, where he has his discovery of self. He learns more about himself living with these simple people. It is here that he learns his errors and what he must do to redeem himself. This brings us to the third and final act.
Beyond the personal drama that Huo Yuanjia goes through, his cockiness leading to devastating loss and turning to his journey into self, this is a big time action film. The battles are some of the best I have seen on the big screen. There is a reality to the majority of them that has been missing from many martial arts films of late. There is a noticeable lack of wire work and CGI, it is there, but it is relegated to the minimum. The fights are incredible, they do a great job of showing off Jet Li's considerable skills.
Audio/Video. Both of these elements are very good. The colors are nicely defined and the fast action is captured smoothly. The 5.1 audio also is very good, so long as you stay away from the English dub, which is particularly distracting.
Extras. Not much to speak of on this end.
- Deleted Scene. A single scene is here. It is of Huo saving a young boy who made a mistake and was being beaten. I think this would have been fine had it remained in the film. I know there is other deleted footage that hasn't been used anywhere, including a part by Michelle Yeoh, hopefully one day this will come out.
- A Fearless Journey. This is a 16 minute behind the scenes on the making of the film. It includes footage on the making of the fights and interview footage with Jet concerning his retirement from wushu films.
- Unrated. This disk contains the theatrical version as well as an unrated cut. I did not notice much different, except maybe a little more blood in the fights. There is less than a minute difference between the two.
Bottomline. If you are a Jet Li or a martial arts fan, this is definitely a film to see. It does not stray into the wire-fu fantasy of Hero or House of Flying Daggers, nor is it quite as visually breathaking as those films, but it definitely has a flavor all of its own. It also features one of Jet Li's most complete acting performances. This is one of the best.
Highly Recommended.
1 comments:
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