Jet Li's Fearless

[Jammrock]

http://www.apple.com/trailers/rogue_pictures/jetlisfearless/trailer/

Since Doc has been posting movie stuff left and right I thought I'd join the fray. The movie bio says this will be Jet Li's final martial arts epic, which if true is very sad. It's based on the true story of Huo Yuanjia (with apparently great amount of artistic liberty) who accepted the challenge by British, French, Russian and Japanese to fight against their best combatants in hand-to-hand and hand weapon combat. Needless to say, the movie looks very kick ass!

Yuen Wo Ping (Crouching Tiger, Iron Monkey, Matric, the list goes on and on) is the fight coreographer and Bill Kong (Hero) is directing. If this truly is Li's martial arts movie, then he's picked a great character to end it with.

Jammrock

[schmosef]

The trailer looks much better than the descriptions I've read on mininova and tpb for months; they made it seem like a documentary of the history of a martial arts school.

[Dr Mordrid]

US release: Aug 4, 2006

RottenTomatos page;

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10006530-fearless/

IMDB lists its title as Huo Yuan Jia;

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446059/

Superstar Jet Li headlines this action-packed film, his final martial arts epic. The film reteams him with producer Bill Kong ("Hero") and action director and choreographer Yuen Wo Ping ("Unleashed"). Li plays real-life martial arts legend Huo Yuanjia, who became the most famous fighter in all of China at the turn of the 20th Century. Huo faced incredible personal tragedy but ultimately fought his way out of darkness and into history, forever defining himself at a tournament for the honor of his country and the true spirit of martial arts.

Also;

Jet Li Named in "Fearless" Lawsuit
RT-News on Monday, Mar. 27, 2006, 01:05 PM

Jen Yamato writes: "Relatives of martial arts master Huo Yuanjia have filed a lawsuit to remove Jet Li's new film "Fearless" from theaters in Asia, claiming the biopic paints an untrue and unflattering picture of the legendary fighter.

According to China's Xinhua News Agency (via the A.P.), family members of the turn-of-the-century figure are suing the producers and distributors of "Huo Yuan Jia" (to be released stateside as "Fearless") and have added star Jet Li into the suit for added measure, just for being a part of the film.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Huo Yuanjia's grandson, Huo Shoujin, claims that the film "contains numerous fabrications about his grandfather's life and besmirches his reputation."

"Huo Yuan Jia" has been in theatrical release in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan since January, and is set to hit the U.S. in August before expanding to the U.K. and Europe in September. The lawsuit seeks to pull the film from its current run in Asia, and prevent it from opening as planned worldwide. The suit also demands a public apology from the filmmakers.

The story follows the life of Huo Yuanjia (1868-1910) as he evolves from a skilled fighter to a spiritual martial arts guru and represents his country in an international tournament, becoming a symbol of Chinese pride.

"Fearless" is directed by Ronny Yu and stars Jet Li, Collin Chou, Nathan "Megaman" Jones, and almost co-starred Michelle Yeoh (scenes deleted); the pic is scheduled for release in the U.S. August 4, 2006."

Dr. Mordrid

[Jessterw]

Saw the trailer a couple weeks back and it looks like it'd be an entertaining watch.

I do wonder what about the movie has so troubled the family of Huo Yuanjia. It's not unusual for a film to take some liberties with the life of the individual(s) it depicts, and given the sort of movie in question here, it's to be expected that the fight and other scenes would be exaggerated a bit. So obviously there's something they found seriously flawed in the depiction.

[schmosef]

Saw the trailer a couple weeks back and it looks like it'd be an entertaining watch.

I do wonder what about the movie has so troubled the family of Huo Yuanjia. It's not unusual for a film to take some liberties with the life of the individual(s) it depicts, and given the sort of movie in question here, it's to be expected that the fight and other scenes would be exaggerated a bit. So obviously there's something they found seriously flawed in the depiction.

from wikipedia.org:

The grandson of Huo Yuanjia, Huo Shoujin, filed a lawsuit March 7, 2006, claiming that the movie dishonored Huo Yuanjia by fabricating information about his life and portraying him as a wealthy man who was childless. Huo Yuan Jia's legacy was carried on by 3 sons and two daughters, and one of his great grand daughters still carries on his legacy as a renowed martial artist.

seems like an unnecessary liberty to me...

[Jessterw]

Yes, that does seem a bit off. Obviously haven't seen the film, but I hardly see how making that alteration could have possibly helped the film out.

[Dr Mordrid]

Nor do I. You would think such basic story elements would be sacrosanct, but obviously not.

Dr. Mordrid

[schmosef]

I just saw the movie and it's really good.

Maybe Jet Li's best.

[Mehen]

If not his best, at least one of em, I saw it a couple months ago, REALLY enjoyed it.

[Elie]

So here's the scoop... All of these movies are in both English and Chinese, the English version always seems to get lost in translation and does not depict exactly what the writers meant it to be.

For example, at the end of the movie Hero where the one asked what he wrote in the sand, in english they said "Our Land" but that was apperantly wrong, it meant "a nation under one Sun" or something like that, so it's something totally different, if you look at it from their perspective.

You have to be one of those who are critical about what the true meaning of the movie is to appreciate it better.

Also in Jet Li's movie Fearless, there is a part where he sits down with a Japanese at a tea ceremony and they talk for a good period. It'll be interesting to see what they talk about before they go out into fighting one another.

And yes Fearless will be his last action movie!

[schmosef]

imdb says he's the star of an "action/thriller" movie called "Rogue" that's currently in post-production.

So what's up with that?

[Elie]

Don't know, will look into it.

[Mehen]

I thought him ending his action career was pure rumour/speculation.

[Jessterw]

It's never been said that it will be his last action film, but rather his last martial arts epic (or something in that regard).

[Mehen]

so possibly more Unleashed types?