Jet Li's Fearless

This movie is being promoted as Jet Li’s final martial arts picture, and while it’s certainly not as good as the actor’s more famous films—such as Hero, Fist of Legend, or Once Upon a Time in China—it is definitely a worthy film with which to cap out the genre. Li stars as Huo Yuanjia, a wushu master that has excelled in combat for so many years that he has nobody left to defeat. Arrogant and filled with emotion, he soon develops a following of disciples from around the city. A mistake by one of them leads our hero to commit an act of violence that has dire consequences. Stripped of everything he holds dear, he wanders out into the country and spends the next several years trying to slow down his life. This is where Fearless departs from many of Jet Li’s other films. It has lengthy moments of silence and calm, during which our hero attempts to reorient himself. Needless to say, he returns home a changed man, and perhaps even stronger than before. The themes that the film deals with are very simple, but they’re the right themes. This, coupled with the amazing fight sequences, is enough to recommend it.

Directed by Ronny Yu.
Written by Chris Chow.
Starring Jet Li, Shido Nakamura, Sun Li and Collin Chou.

Rated PG-13 for violence and martial arts action throughout. 103 min.

***½ so says The Fish