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September 29, 2006 > Arts & Entertainment > Fearless proves thrilling conclusion to Li’s spotted career

Fearless proves thrilling conclusion to Li’s spotted career

By Bryce Gray | Thresher Editorial Staff

In America, Jet Li is famous for underwhelming action films devoid of plot and character development. He broke into Hollywood with Lethal Weapon 4 and continued to milk the martial-arts-buddy-cop angle in throwaways like Cradle 2 The Grave and Romeo Must Die. Li has not starred only in movies of little or no consequence — rent Hero if you need any proof — but audiences have come to expect a certain kind of movie from him, one without much thematic depth. Li’s latest film, Fearless, takes all these preconceptions and destroys them with one well-timed flying kick.

Fearless tells the true story — with a certain degree of embellishment — of Huo Yuanjia (Li), who founded China’s Jing Wu Sports Federation, a famous martial arts academy, in the early 20th century. Yuanjia is a true underdog, and the movie’s plot resonates with viewers because of the values and ideals he comes to represent. In the beginning, Yuanjia is self-centered and preoccupied with fighting. He cares only about becoming the martial arts champion of his city and neglects his family, his friends and his finances. A drunkard with a temper, he crosses the line in a fight with mortal consequences. The true cost of the fight is paid by Yuanjia’s family, and he is forced to leave the city in grief and disgrace.

Yuanjia’s exile and return are beautifully executed — both in the quality of the scripting and Fearless’ visual energy. Director Ronny Yu uses perspective to control the film’s pace, lingering on rural China’s breathtaking scenery in moments of reflection and focusing on details during rapid-fire action sequences. For example, in one scene the viewer sees the reflection of Yuanjia’s sword in the pupil of his opponent. The camera lingers for only a fraction of a second before the action resumes.

The fight scenes in Fearless live up to Li’s reputation. Skillful choreography takes advantage of the suburb athleticism of actors including Shido Nakamura (Be With You) as a fighter named Anno Tanaka and Nathan Jones (Troy) as Hercules O’Brien. The movie’s fights have a sense of beauty despite their violence, and Yu was wise enough to rely on the physicality of his actors instead of overloading the movie with potentially distracting special effects.

Moviegoers will also be impressed with the way action sequences develop the movie’s plot instead of just serving as gratuitous eye candy. Yuanjia struggles to learn the true meaning of honor — and what it really means to win a fight.

Fearless is set in the early 1900s, when Western governments accrued more and more influence in China. Yuanjia’s story inspires because he comes to represent Chinese nationalism and solidarity. As Westerners strip his country of its wealth and autonomy, Yuanjia decides he must fight for his people’s self-respect. He cannot win such an unfair fight, but viewers will not be able to take their eyes off of the screen. The period costumes and buildings lend the film a feeling of authenticity without detracting from the plot.

If Fearless has one weakness, it is that the story is a bit predictable. The movie’s pacing leaves the moviegoer always a half step ahead of the plot. The problem does not lie in the writing, but instead in the fact that Yuanjia’s life fits the mold of the classic hero. He battles pride and faces disgrace, is forced into exile and returns a new and better man. There is not anything wrong with this story, but it is a familiar one.

Fearless also rushes through some exposition. In a minute-long conversation between Yuanjia and his mother, the viewer learns that Yuanjia’s wife has died, that he spoils his only daughter, that his many friends are not to be trusted, that he fights for a living and that he is almost bankrupt. It feels as though Yu was anxious to skip the back-story and jump straight into the action.

Despite these few drawbacks, Fearless does not disappoint. Li has announced this will be his last martial-arts movie. If that turns out to be true then this film is a stunning finale. Twenty years from now, no one will care that Li once starred across from DMX. Li will be remembered for movies like Fearless — films with deep stories, breathtaking action and sincere emotions.

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