As with Hero, Jet Li’s last big domestic movie, Fearless’ threadbare storyline is alternately supported and undermined by its ideological subtext. Some of the symbolism is glaringly crass: the bout with a brutish American hulk is like a flipped version of Rocky IV. Some of the film’s other messages are subtle enough to make me wonder if I just imagined them. Was the discussion of tea varieties really an attempt to explain how competition could co-exist with communism? Was the presentation of the Japanese combatant as an honourable fighter manipulated by his Westernised superiors really intended to reflect modern China’s desire for detente with an old enemy? Who can say. Didn’t make for much of a film, though.

when it comes to chinese martial arts, most westerners would probably have bruce lee and jackie chan in mind. to us here in the orient, a name we would never fail to mention is jet li. personally, he’s the true master of the martial arts film, having had real world training and had won chamionships in wushu. watching this him do his thing is watching true wushu skills honed since he was 8.

the ‘fearless’ movie (aka ‘huo yuan jia’)is one that will be a very welcome favourite not only to jet li fans but to chinese martial arts fans and wushu practitioners as well. the story is an hommage to huo yuanjia and his legacy to the martial arts world. the plot of the story is not as complex as crouching tiger nor hero, but the fight scenes (weaponed or open-handed) are a marvel to watch.