Fist of Legend

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Fist of Legend

The cover for the 1997 Hong Kong release by Ritek, dubbed in Mandarin but with English subtitles.
Directed by Gordon Chan
Yuen Woo-ping (Martial arts)
Produced by Chui Yin Lam
Jet Li
Written by Gordon Chan
Lan Kay Toa
Kwong Kim Yip
Starring Jet Li
Music by Stephen Edwards
Joseph Koo
Cinematography Derek Wan
Editing by Ki-hop Chan
Distributed by Eastern Productions
Release date(s) Hong Kong December 22, 1994
Running time 103 min. (US)
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese
Japanese
English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Fist of Legend (Chinese: 《精武英雄》; pinyin: Jīng Wǔ Yīngxióng; literally "Hero of Jing Wu") is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts film starring the martial artist Jet Li. It is directed by Gordon Chan and features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping. It is an adaptation of Bruce Lee's 1972 film Fist of Fury (U.S. title The Chinese Connection). The film takes place in Shanghai in 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War as the city is occupied by Japanese forces.

The film follows Chen Zhen (陳真) (Jet Li), in his quest to bring the killers of his master, Huo Yuanjia, to justice.

Contents

[edit] Differences in the US release

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The US release by Miramax and Buena Vista Distribution contains two specific mistranslations that drastically alter the meaning of the film as a whole. The lines below are not exact quotes by any means, but they capture the gist of the two versions. These two changes altered major themes in the movie.

  1. In the US version of the scene where Chen Zhen is fighting Funakochi Fumio, the Japanese Karate master who is also his girlfriend's uncle, Fumio, asks him the most effective way to defeat an enemy. Chen Zhen says that it is most effective to focus your energy and strike, and Fumio agrees with him. In the Hong Kong subtitled version, the two begin by discussing their match. Chen Zhen says that the purpose of kung fu is to defeat your enemy. Fumio says no, if you wish to defeat your enemy, use a gun. Kung fu is about personal development.
  2. At the end of the US version, as Chen Zhen is driving off in the car, his driver asks him where he will go next. He responds: I might as well go to Japan to be with Mitsuko. If I can't have a country, at least I can have my love. At the same point in the Hong Kong subtitled version, his response is: We'll go to wherever the fighting is the fiercest. That's where we belong.

[edit] Fist of Fury vs Fist of Legend

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

At the very least, Fist of Legend has a more favorable portrayal of the Japanese. In the remake, Chen begins the film as a student studying abroad in Japan, and the opening scene features Japanese students protesting the occupation of China. When pro-war Japanese students raid Chen's classroom, Chen's classmates and instructor are quick to defend him. Chen even has a Japanese girlfriend, whose uncle (also a dojo leader) sides with Chen against the corrupt generals heading the occupation. Even the leader of the opposing Japanese clan expresses dismay and anger over the military leadership. Overall, the film makes a point of separating the Japanese military and military leaders from Japan itself, and identifying the military leadership as the true aggressors and occupation force.

[edit] Influence on other films

Fist of Legend inspired the Wachowski Brothers to hire choreographer Yuen Woo-ping for the fight scenes in The Matrix. The style of fighting in both films also bear some resemblance.

Jet Li's later films have also been influenced by Fist of Legend. Hitman also has a scene involving him using a belt as a weapon as seen previously. The more realistic and less wire-driven fight choreography seen in Kiss of the Dragon was a result of fan criticism to Corey Yuen's choreography in Romeo Must Die and preference for the style seen in Fist of Legend.

[edit] Innaccuracies

  • Huo Yuanjia's death is depicted in the film to be around pre-WWII circa 1937, but in reality his death was recorded to be around 1910.
  • The attire of the "Japanese" troops in the movie is not Japanese beige khaki dress, but a green variation of the Chinese mao suit, which is the uniform commonly attributed to the Communist Chinese Forces, and shares similarities with today's People's Liberation Army uniforms. Whether the use of the Chinese dress to symbolize the villains was used as a commentary towards Chinese Communist tyranny, or was used just out of availability and/or laziness, is unknown.
  • During some scenes, the Japanese troops are seen armed with Lee-Enfield rifles (which is odd, considering it is a British manufactured weapon) instead of Arisaka rifles.

[edit] Box Office

Though Fist of Legend is widely considered one of Li's best films, its HK $14,785,382 box office gross was considered a disappointment. By comparison, Li's Fong Sai Yuk grossed over HK $30 million, and Fong Sai Yuk 2 grossed HK $23 million.

[edit] External links

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