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 earless"
has been one of the most talked about martial arts
films in years for a number of reasons, not least
of which was the announcement by Jet Li that it
would be his last 'wushu' outing. Adding to the
ensuing storm of publicity was the editing out of
around forty minutes, which removed Michelle
Yeoh's role entirely, and the fact that the family
of Huo Yuanjia publicly voiced their anger at the
manner in which the legendary figure has been
portrayed in the film. Interestingly,
"Fearless" also marks the return to
Hong Kong
for director Ronny Yu, best known to fans for his
"Bride
with White Hair" films, and who has been
working in
Hollywood
for several years now, mostly on decidedly low
brow horror fare such as "Freddy
vs. Jason".
Beyond this complicated state
of affairs lies a worthwhile film, one which sees
a most welcome move away from the CGI enhanced
flying combat which has become so common of late.
"Fearless" is very much an old fashioned
film, based around honest heroism and
righteousness and largely freed from the
philosophical shoe gazing of Zhang Yimou or the
wacky excess of Tsui Hark which have sadly come to
typify the modern genre.
The film follows the life of
Huo Yuanjia (Jet Li), national hero and founder of
the Jing Wu Sports Federation, beginning with his
early years of training in
Tianjin
and culminating in 1910 with an epic battle
against four fighters who represent the foreign
powers vying for control of
China
at the time. As such, the plot is nothing new, and
plays faithfully to the template set down by
countless Shaw Brothers films -- young, cocky
fighter pursues fame and victory, discovers the
tragic price of glory, hides out in the country,
learns the spiritual side of beating people up,
returns to face his enemies and confront his inner
demons.
Although "Fearless"
does gain some points for being based on actual
events, however loosely, it nevertheless carries
little dramatic weight and has an inherently
predictable narrative which illustrates quite
neatly why Li has chosen to move away from such
roles. This, of course is a criticism which can be
aimed at the vast majority of genre films and,
whilst offering nothing new, "Fearless"
at least tells the traditional tale with a good
amount of heart, and though it gives little
genuine insight into its central protagonist, it
makes for inspirational and unexpectedly moving
viewing. In this way, it is difficult to see
whether the sizable portion of the film which was
removed would actually improve matters, as what
remains is well paced, and certainly serves the
purpose of what is essentially an action packed
crowd pleaser rather than a deep and meaningful
biopic.
Director Yu thankfully shows
a steadier hand here than he has of late, and
manages to balance the different aspects of the
film very well. Although much of the narrative is
concerned with tragedy and oppression, Yu manages
to work in a number of light hearted touches, some
of which are quite amusing. Visually,
"Fearless" is a handsome affair, with
some wonderfully ornate sets and gorgeous scenery
providing a perfect backdrop which imbues the
proceedings with a sure sense of place.
The film's main strength is
its awesome fight scenes, expertly choreographed
by genre master Yuen Woo Ping. The frequent
battles are breathtaking, fast, and strangely
elegant despite being filled with snapping limbs
and spraying blood. Although at times slightly
marred by gimmicky set ups, these moments lend the
film a brutal air of realism which has often been
lacking in the genre. The action scenes dominate
the film and make up for a fair amount of its
running time, which is a definite bonus for
Western viewers worried about the lack of English
subtitles.
Although it may have its
faults, and is at times a little hard to take
seriously, "Fearless" undeniably makes
for great entertainment. Wearing its heart on its
sleeve, with a sincere sense of both national and
personal pride, it makes for a rousing experience
likely to be enjoyed by all viewers.
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