Fist of Legend

A remake of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury, this movie gives us amazing martial arts sequences, with good plot and acting in between.

The fights are spectacular. A lot of martial arts movies incorporate wonderful movements and acrobatics, designed to show off the skill and grace of the fighter. However in a life or death struggle, these sometimes seem out of place. This is a "realistic" martial arts movie. You almost feel yourself cringing with each hit. As the man said: "These lads are out to hurt each other." This is fighting in its purest, taking cue from Bruce Lee's personal style, where the aim is to defeat your opponent in the most efficient manner possible. The opening fight of the movie sets its style right away and continues to its climax.

But what made this movie go above and beyond a martial arts flick is the storyline and plot. This movie deals with themes of racism, tolerance and acceptance not only between the Chinese and Japanese, but within each group as well. Here Jet Li shines in his performance. While events cause him to lose his composure and give in to his feelings, at the core you see that he is a righteous person. When he realizes the correct course of action, either by himself, or when it is pointed out by others, he does what is right. And we see the people around him learn from his behavior and they seek to emulate it.

The movie also tries to present a rather fair view of both the Chinese and Japanese. Neither side is portrayed as good or evil, rather as normal human beings, running the whole spectrum from selfish to noble, from hateful to kind.

As a martial arts movie, this is one of the best ever made, but it stands on its own as a good film, one dealing with a historical subject that has a very strong resonance even today.

"Fist of Legend" is a great movie. Really great. Jet Li plays Chen Zhen, a character played by Bruce Lee in "Chinese Connection", and he does it perfect. Bruce Lee's Chen is a character filled with anger, hate and wish for revenge. Jet Li's Chen is much different. He is cold blooded, there is no anger in him. The difference between Jet Li and Bruce Lee is the same as the difference between "Fist of Legend" and "Chinese Connection". Bruce Lee's character hates Japan and everything Japanese. Jet Li's Chen wishes his revenge but he respects Japanese culture and there isn't hate. If "Chinese Connection" is a movie of the hate and the anger, "Fist of Legend" is a movie of the peace and the respect.

Purely amazing. This is definitely the greatest martial arts movie that I've ever seen. I've seen the English dubbed version, so the acting isn't one hundred percent, but it's just pure action and emotion. It's great.

Jet Li is without a doubt the next Jackie Chan, except cooler. When he faces off against the (evil) General Vegito at the end, it was definitely one of the best fight scenes put on film. Oh, and the Japanese girl was hot.

Great action movie, 8/10.

This movie has excellent choreography and is fairly well put together. The story is simple, classic, and well known since it is based on a Bruce Lee movie. The girl is also quite attractive.

One thing to note is all the different versions floating out there. A lot of the critical reviews here are based on edited and badly dubbed versions. I believe someone even mentioned that there was also 2 endings (not sure how different) depending on the version.

I would have to recommend that no one watches the dubbed version. It is absolutely horrendous.

The uncut subbed version deserves a 8.5/10

Bruce Lee will probably always be remembered and referred to as the greatest Screen martial artist of all time, and his most famous movie probably The Chinese Connection AKA Fist Of Fury, the movie that Fist Of Legend remakes, or the story at least. I would love to have had the chance to see Bruce and Jet square off because im not sure the outcome would be so clear. In this remake Jet surpasses even the Dragon himself, and i say this in all respect to Bruce.

The story is well known, but this remake goes deeper in probing the racial conflict in japanese occupied china. Jet plays folk legend Chen Zen, famously out to avenge the death of his master by seemingly fighting every japanese martial artist in the world, while at the same time battling racism not just from the japanese but his own people.

Yuen Woo Ping is famed for his fight sequences and use of wires, but in this movie wires are used in no more than two or three scenes, while the movie still retains the classic martial arts fights, in barren landscapes and courtyards of kung fu schools. Thus this is probably the greatest showcase yet of the incredible talents of Jet. Without the use of wires jet can move more freely and more realistially and while it cannot be denied that you must have great talent to work a wire to your advantage as jet did in the once upon a time series, this really shows us just what jet is capable of everyday, and boy, what a talent.

The showdown with the japanese karate master in the hills where jet's character comes to live is beautifully choregraphed, packed with skill, gracefull like a deadly ballet and totally natural, the way great martial arts should be, absolutly awe inspiring. The same can be said for every fight sequence in this movie, all left me gasping, all left me full of admiration, not just for jet who i have long believed to be possibly the greatest talent in martial arts today or any other time, but for his opponents.

Great story, amazing fight sequences, fluent direction, smooth cinematography... it might not be as great or as grand in narration as Once Upon a Time in China or Crouching Tiger, but this is one of the greatest martial arts film ever, and accessable to everyone. One of my Jet Li favourites along with OUATIC2 and Tai Chi Master (AKA Twin Warriors)and definetly one of my all time favourites.