Amazon.com: 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 Seagal, 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 Yuen Woo-ping, 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
Awesome Movie, A Must See! This movie is amazing in every way, but you should probably wait for the dragon dynasty release. They do an excellent job with their Martial Arts movie releases.
Great! Read the other reviews but this movie rocks beyond imagination.
Questions we have for Jet Li might be
1. How come your other movies don't have such wonderful martial artistry, presumably the terrible "The Forbidden Kingdom" where it looks like you and Jackie are flailing arms rather than doing art.
2. I'm sleepie but this'll do.
The movie rocks!
Ong bak ect....same stuff here done 15 years earlier. One of the best martial arts movies ever.The stuff tony jaa is doing now that people are making such a big fuss about was done here... There's even some muay thai clinching!.I saw elements of wing chun,chin na,jujustsu,muay thai boxing,aikido and of course kung fu in this. actually an educational film as well as a brutal,hard hitting martial arts movie.The dubbing and acting are above par for this sort of thing.The best thing jet li has ever done by far.
BEST EVER This is the best kung fu movie ever. Don't watch it! If you do, you will be disappointed with every other movie. And not just other kung fu movies, ALL MOVIES.
some of the best fights ever This movie contains two of my favorite fights of all time: Jet Li vs. Chin Siu Ho, and Chin Siu Ho and company vs. a buttload of Japanese fighters. Just astonishing. The film is a remake of Bruce Lee's "Chinese Connection" about Chen Zhen, the fictitious student of the real Huo Yuan Jia, who Jet Li would later portray in "Fearless". This movie differs from Lee's in that some of the Japanese characters are sympathetic to the Chinese, plus the addition of a complicated romance and the school's internal conflict.
The Japanese have set up shop in mainland China. Jet is studying in Japan when he learns of his master's death back in Shanghai from a match with the master of a rival Japanese school. He comes home and immediately sets about getting his school's reputation back and letting the Japanese know who the best really is. The trouble is that Master Huo's son (Chin Siu Ho) is now in charge but everyone wants to follow and learn from Chen Zhen. Complicating things further is a plot to implicate Chen in the death of the instructor who killed his master, and a Japanese woman who is in love with Chen and testifies on his behalf.
This may be Yuen Woo Ping's best choreography, though it is not completely flawless. Too often props and furniture is broken rather ridiculously, and some scenes are a little too heavily edited. It's a minor complaint though and you won't care until you're on about the 22nd or 23rd viewing. If you don't already own it, BUY THIS. 4.5
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
