Susan Granger’s review of “Fearless” (Rogue Pictures)
While it’s certainly no “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Jet Li’s fists and feet fly in this biography of Chinese kung fu master Huo Yuanjia (1868-1910).
The story opens in Shanghai in 1910 as Huo (Jet Li) is participating in a tournament to defend China’s honor against foreign fighters who have labeled his countrymen “the weak men of Asia.” Combining traditional weaponry and hand-to-hand combat, Huo faces three formidable opponents. Just as Huo prepares to face his fourth and final challenger, Tanaka (Nakamura Shidou), there’s a flashback to a pivotal moment in his childhood involving his martial artist father (Collin Chou), a provincial champion.
Determined to prove himself, the teenage Huo becomes an arrogant, self-centered rebel before an inevitable tragedy occurs and enlightenment dawns. Realizing that martial arts are about peace, not violence, he founds the famed Jingwu Sports Federation, the school that Bruce Lee attended in “Fist of Fury.” In the middle of the narrative, there’s a moving interlude where Huo learns humility and respect through his friendship with a blind woman and her beautiful granddaughter (Betty Sun) in a small rice-farming community.
While acknowledgment for the formulaic melodrama, filled with clichŽ platitudes, goes to screenwriters Chris Chow and Christine To, along with director Ronny Yu (“Bride of Chucky,” “Freddy vs. Jason”), credit for providing excitement belongs to assistant director/stunt choreographer Yuen Wo Ping (“The Matrix” trilogy, “Kill Bill”). There’s some occasional CGI and wire work but, primarily, it’s all Jet Li’s skill and expertise. Despite “Hero” and “Unleashed,” Li’s acting ability still doesn’t match his physical prowess and the supporting players are stilted caricatures. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Fearless” is a chop-socky 5 – and 43-year old Jet Li has designated this as his final performance doing Chinese Wu Shu martial arts.
