There are few martial artists that can kick butt the way Jet Li does. Unfortunately for him, "Fearless" is the finale to his lively career. Fortunately for us, however, people who say farewell to their fans usually don't mean it (i.e. Cher and the Rolling Stones).
As few opportunities as there are to compare Jet Li to Cher, there are even fewer chances to make a fantastic kung fu movie. Jet Li's "farewell" film does justice to decades of kung fu cinema forged out of Chinese innovation.
Many American filmmakers have attempted to replicate such films and failed, (with the exception of director Robert Clouse in movies like 1973's "Enter the Dragon"). "Fearless" achieves much of its dazzling choreography and poignancy because director Ronny Yu filmed it with appropriate mindfulness in the heartland of China.
Li plays Huo Yuanjia, the son of a martial arts master. At the beginning of the film, we see Yuanjia fighting as a representative of the unified China amidst that country's civil war of the early 20th century. With many Chinese states in unrest, European colonists seek to take advantage of the rivaling factions. "Fearless" then moves to follow Yuanjia's long journey from child to liberator of Chinese principles as Yuanjia seeks to unify China through his fearless image.
Wushu, Chinese for "martial arts," plays a significant role in Yuanjia's ambitious journey. Yuanjia's father refuses to let him learn the art of wushu, but the rebellious youngster pursues his goal of mastering the skill. Yuanjia loses a fight to a rival and vows never to fail again. The movie continues with Yuanjia as an adult as he battles his way to become the "Champion of Tianjin," a region in northeastern China.
Yuanjia's mastery of wushu propels him to the top of the martial arts hierarchy, leading to several enthralling fight scenes with dispensable foes. Yuanjia's victories earn him fame and the adoration of Tianjin. He spends much of his time indulging in the luxuries of being one of the best fighters in his city, but ultimately has to face the consequences.
Yu creates a magnificent realm of street fighting, the brawls for which were choreographed by Yuen Woo Ping, who has orchestrated the grandest battles of "The Matrix" trilogy (1999, 2003) and Quentin Tarantino's two "Kill Bill" movies (2003, 2004). Yu has surprisingly directed such pieces as "Freddy vs. Jason" (2003) and "Bride of Chucky" (1998), yet Jet Li had the insight to bring these two together for his "last" masterpiece despite Yu's mixed history.
That history, however, is exclusive to American filmmaking. Yu is at the top of his game when filming in Chinese and in Chinese locales. With Ping's help, he does not suffer the dreadful clich?©s and miseries of another horror movie. Instead, he focuses half the movie on the mental and intangible aspects of wushu, something Yu was not expected to include in the film due to his previous work.
The script, written by Chris Chow, reveals a deft understanding of what goes through a fighter's head, a fighter who stops at nothing to achieve what he truly wants but has to first overcome his own ego, a major theme of the film and one that can be assimilated into anyone's daily philosophy.
There are few current movies that instill lessons of self-awareness alongside engaging moments of mortal combat. Few filmmakers can say they achieved a balance of style and substance without usurping the attention from Li's impressive action sequences. For instance, Andrzej Bartkowiak, who directed Li in "Romeo Must Die" (2000) and "Cradle 2 the Grave" (2003), may have emulated a certain amount of style, but any semblance of plot was clearly lacking.
Li's performances in Bartkowiak's films were somewhat suspicious as well, since many hailed his arrival to America as the next Jackie Chan. He, too, is at his prime when performing within Chinese boundaries, as in "Hero" (2002).
Here, ironically in his farewell film, Li delivers a seminal performance. His facial expressions are at once captivating and painful, as his rise and downfall mystify the audience to the point of happiness and disappointment. He embodies the soul of the true Huo Yuanjia, feeling every moment of his life within this knowledgeable film.
"Fearless" is everything a Chinese martial arts film should be. It achieves poignancy and jaw-dropping action, both of which are sprinkled with a sense of realism. It was both an enlightening and captivating tale of a man whose rise to the top demonstrates that there is always a price to pay for glory and fearlessness, and that a great martial artist can still have many tricks up his sleeve.
