Huo Yuan Jia (2006)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Ronny Yu

Writers:

Chris Chow (written by)
Chi-long To (writer)

Release Date:

22 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Sport

Tagline:

"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself makes you fearless." - Lao Tzu

Plot:

This film tells the story of Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia (1869-1910). Huo Yuanjia was the founder and spiritual guru of the Jin Wu Sports Federation.

Plot Keywords:

Martial Arts | Redemption | Chinese | Revenge | Tragedy

Awards:

3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Jet Li	...	Huo Yuanjia
Shido Nakamura	...	Anno Tanaka
Betty Sun	...	Moon (as Li Sun)
Yong Dong	...	Nong Jinsun
Hee Ching Paw	...	Yuanjia's Mother
Yun Qu	...	Grandma
Nathan Jones	...	Hercules O'Brien
Brandon Rhea	...	Belgian Fighter
Anthony De Longis	...	Spanish Swordman
Jean Claude Leuyer	...	English Boxer
Mike Leeder	...	Fight Referee
Jon T. Benn	...	American Businessman
John Paisley	...	English Businessman
Collin Chou	...	Yuanjia's Father
Masato Harada	...	Mita

Also Known As:

Fearless (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Jet Li's Fearless (USA) (complete title)
Legend of a Fighter (Hong Kong: English title)
Untitled Jet Li Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and martial arts action throughout.

Runtime:

USA:103 min | Hong Kong:141 min (Director's Cut DVD) | Philippines:105 min | UK:104 min | Thailand:111 min | Argentina:104 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong | USA

Language:

Japanese | English | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Philippines:PG-13 | Malaysia:U | Hong Kong:IIB | UK:15 | South Korea:12 | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | Germany:12 | Finland:K-15 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | France:U (with warning) | Peru:14 | USA:PG-13 (cut) | USA:Unrated (uncut version) | Australia:MA (2008) (director's cut) | New Zealand:M | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company:

Beijing Film Studio

Trivia:

Anthony De Longis gave Jet Li a genuine Spanish sword the day after filming was finished.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Though the film takes place in 1910 and before, the western fencer Li faces in the beginning of the film uses a cavalry sword designed by George S. Patton in 1913. While very similar in design to earlier British cavalry swords, the Patton saber is readily recognizable by the lack painted hilt.

Quotes:

Moon: because, "If you're sad", my Grandma told me "then cry", "After you cry, you still have to live life"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Troldspejlet: (#37.10)" (2007)

Jet Li's best film in years!

Let's get to the point. This is Jet Li's best movie in years. Not because of the fight scenes, but because the plot is engaging throughout and the emotional tension of the movie works, even though it was a bit tangled with a bit of preach.

The plot is simple. I think everyone here knows about it, so I won't spent time talking too much about it. Jet Li plays Huo Yuan Jia, an arrogant young man that has no regard for human life so to speak, and in one brash move, he indirectly caused the death of his family. He journey to a remote village to learn humility. This is probably the weakest part of the film. Mainly because a large part of it was cut out from the theatrical release. Huo had a few dialogues with Betty Sun, who played a blind girl. Their relationship was very underdeveloped. And Huo's return to Shanghai to fight was with brevity, and hardly explained. He returns to Shanghai and defends his country's honor.

I thought Jet Li did a great job acting both as the arrogant man and as the wiser wushu master. But people of course, came to see Jet Li fight. And to me, the earlier fight scenes are good, but have too much computer effects and slow motion. Still, it was refreshing to see Jet Li return to using Chinese Kung Fu.

The best fight scenes in the movie are definitely the battle between Huo and Nathan Jones, the hulking giant and the weapons fight between the Japanese Samurai and Jet Li using the sword against the three sectional staff. The ending was very emotional, and it was refreshing to see a different take unlike most endings of old Jet Li movies.

The movie could have been better of course, but I was very satisfied with it, both the plot and the action sequences.

9/10