Kickfighter

`Apart from using his advanced Kung-fu skills, Jet Li demonstrates an incredible US boxing style, a completely different fighting style in this movie.'

The above is a direct quote from the back of the DVD box of `Born to Defence'. It is also a bold faced lie. The closest Jet Li gets to American boxing in this film is when he puts on a pair of boxing gloves and steps into a boxing ring in the middle of a seedy bar. All similarities between American boxing and Jet Li's style end there. The closest you'll see to a boxing style is Jet Li kickboxing, which is much more of a Thai style than an American one.

With the hype the DVD box gave to Jet Li using an American boxing style this was a bit of a letdown. For fans of Jet Li wanting to see him stick, jab, and shuffle, I highly suggest the movie `Fist of Legend', as there's a scene in that movie where Jet Li actually DOES show off a good flyweight style of boxing. `Fist of Legend' also happens to be the best Jet Li movie I've seen to date; and outclasses and outshines `Born to Defence' in just about every aspect of filmmaking.

`Born to Defence' was the directorial debut for Jet Li. It also marks the last time he directed a film. I found it interesting that this film was in Cantonese as opposed to Mandarin. If you watch this movie on DVD I highly recommend watching it in the Original Cantonese with English subtitles as both the Mandarin and English dubbing on the DVD are really, really bad! So bad at times the dubbers completely miss dubbing in lines of dialogue as you're watching the actors lips move in complete silence. As a director Jet Li keeps this film simple, it's Jet Li's character (ironically named Jet in the English dubbing) against the evil bullies of the U.S. Navy. `Jet Li vs. The U.S. Navy Bullies' would be a very apt title for this movie indeed.

The martial arts in this movie are poor as compared to other Jet Li films I've seen. The film also lacked a certain cohesion as well. Several key fight scenes are interrupted by very poor editing. In no fewer than 2 fight scenes the camera cuts away from Jet Li at a critical point in the fight. When the camera cuts back to Jet, we join the fight already in progress; the action picks up in real time, instead of picking up where the cut left off. In a martial arts film, the spotlight should be on your superstar, and any cuts to background actions should not result in the audience missing out on what could have been a great fight scene. For the lack of cohesion in the fight scenes, and my disappointment with the alleged boxing style this movie fails to deliver, I give it 4/10 stars.

At first when I was watching this I began to wonder if the movie was going to be unintentionally venture into the taboo by being geared towards racism. Fortunately it doesn't. The characters' behaviours on the antagonist side may be overemphasised but it still works, and that's what the movies message is geared towards. There is not anything political going on here.

The fight scenes are really what you will be watching this movie for. (if not then you would be watching a drama instead of a "martial arts" movie). The fight scenes are killer and send this movie over the top. There is enough senseless violence to have you jumping on your seat and shouting for sure.

Pride can be an ugly thing... but without it we wouldn't have any martial arts movies.

I stumbled onto this film being shown 5/14/2006 on Spike TV. The stunning production work caught my eye in the opening battle scene. The color photography throughout this film is first rate. The film is entertaining from beginning to end. According to IMDb, this is the only film Jet Li has directed. His direction is first rate. This is a Chinese version of a film of soldiers fighting and coming home from the war, in this case World War 2. The film primarily focuses on the exploits of one soldier returning to a town where his buddy, a lieutenant in the marines, lives. He becomes involved in the life of his friend, the friend's daughter and the goings on in their town. The town is occupied by some American sailors who like to run roughshod over the Chinese occupants. Conflicks take hold. There is a style in this movie of words that I cannot find, but it is entertaining and at a very high level than the few pictures that I have seen out of China. There is a wonderful "gritiness" throughout the movie. Two scenes that demonstrate this is the group of Chinese soldiers playing their little wind instruments marching down the street and the fight scene in the driving rainstorm in the bar. Great movie!(added 05/15/2006-The style of this film for some reason reminds me of GUNGA DIN).

This is not at all a bad film and it is a pity that Jet Li has not directed more because even though the plot is simple and unsurprising the film rattles along in an entertaining way. It looks good, colourful but gritty with the white of the U.S sailor's uniforms intruding everywhere as they do in the film, into Chinese society and into the Jet Li's character's life. Jet stands up to them.

This leads to some great fight scenes including a humungous one in a bar (with the rain pouring in through holes in the roof) that ends up with Jet being thrown out of a window. But does it end there? Nope. Jet is great as usual and acts in his intense mode, full of energy and charisma. The rest of the cast are ordinary.

The film score is particularly good and, as all scores should, enhances the action as well as the dramatic scenes. It is not one of Jet Li's celebrated films but definitely worth seeing, to see a real star in the making.

Version: Some PAL VHS double-pack with 'Kids from Shaolin. English dub, accompanied by the worst quality soundtrack you will ever hear.

In the tradition of nearly every dubbed Jackie Chan movie up to 'First Strike' (and beyond), Jet Li gets to play Jet, a Chinese soldier returning from World War Two only to find that the accomplishments of he and his men are made meaningless when the American navy (the "real war heroes") rolls into town. Naturally, the American servicemen run around being arrogant jerks, and it is up to Jet to kick their collective arses. Woo!

Somehow, 'Born to Defend' is both one of the most dramatical Jet Li movies I've seen, yet at the same time is somehow one of the most plot-less Li movies I've seen. I would like to try and explain that in a convincing way, I really would, but you will just have to settle for this: You'll see people getting beaten up, then some drama, and then someone thrown through a table in a dramatical way. If Jet Li can direct such a perfectly plot-less drama about lots of people getting a good butt-kicking, why hasn't he directed any more movies? Come on, Jet, I know you can create more plot-less dramatical awesomeness.

So, after all the plot-less drama, 'Born to Defend' is just a bunch of fight scenes? Hey, I'm not complaining, and you shouldn't either. Unlike most of his movies in the 80s / early 90s, this is not a wu xia. Sure, he can get hit by a car and be perfectly fine, but most of the time Jet takes on his bearded foes in kick / boxing style fights. The fights are entertaining enough, but nowhere near the level of Li's later movie 'Fist of Legend'. Have I mentioned the beards yet? Basically, the more noticeable beard an American soldier has, the better fighter he is. I swear, I'm serious.

'Born to Defend' is not the finest, nor awesomest, Jet Li movie I have ever seen, but it certainly isn't the worst Li movie around - 6/10