Film: Jet Li's Fearless
Genre: Action/Martial Arts
Release Date: September 22nd, 2006
Distributor: Focus Features
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hrs. 43 min.
Review by Sirus

Starring:
Jet Li
Anthony De Longis

Jet Li’s Fearless is a martial arts movie that is ultimately about self discovery and strength from within. At the beginning of the movie, Jet Li’s character, Huo Yuanjia, is a young boy watching his father train his fighters. He dreams to be a fighter himself one day but his mother wont let him because he has asthma. After his own training, the asthma goes away and Huo is ready to challenge the rest of his home town.

While fighting to be known as the greatest in Tianjin, Huo becomes arrogant. In a drunken match one day, Huo fights, defeats, and kills the master of another style in his town. This thoughtless killing on his part causes him great pain and anguish eventually leading him to leave Tianjin.

Huo finds himself in a small farming village and lives there for a few years where he learns the truth behind Wushu. Huo, now a changed man, realizes the error of his ways from before. Huo returns to Tianjin to set things straight and right the wrongs that he has done.

Although Fearless is a martial arts movie, and has a good number of fight scenes, there is much more to this movie then the action. The movie takes its time to give Chinese wisdom on the meaning and value of life, family, and national pride. Those going to the movie just for action will find quite a lot of it boring, but those who are able to enjoy the basic truths the movie gives will find a good movie with some quality fights. Fans of Chinese cinema will probably go see this anyway. The movie was worth watching for the slow thoughtful parts.

Final Score: 4/5 stars