Fist of Legend
Directed by: Gordon Chan Starring: Jet Li, Shinobu Nakayama, Siu-hou Chin, Billy Chow, Yasuaki Kurata Synopsis: A remake of Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury. After years of study in Japan, Chen Zhen (Li) returns to Shanghai upon hearing the news that his master, Huo Yuanjia, had been killed in a duel. Arriving to find the Jing Wu School in mourning, Chen Zhen immediately challenges the Japanese karateka responsible and when he easily defeats him, surmises that his master had been murdered. While the Japanese occupying troops, led by General Fujita (Chow), work to suppress the local populace, Chen Zhen needs to walk a fine line while uncovering the truth. ReviewFist of Legend wastes very little time in it’s set-up: within a minute of screen-time, Chen Zhen is confronted by a gang of right-wing students who are bullying non-Japanese out of their school. The ensuing fight is amazing, and very much unlike any screen-fight up to that point in time, as Chen uses immense speed and a novel use of bone-joints to decimate the students. The fight only stops when Fumio Funikoshi (Kurata) arrives. Funikoshi is as cool as ice. Chen watches intently as he very casually helps his students re-set their bones that had been pulled from their sockets (!). It is Funikoshi who has to be the bearer of bad news to Chen. The animosity between the residents of Shanghai and the invading Japanese is one of the key themes of Fist of Legend. Even though Chen had done his best to “fit in” with his fellow Japanese students – same style haircut, clothes – he is still ostracised by the bigoted. On the flipside, when Mitsuko comes to Chen’s aid in Shanghai, providing him with an alibi when he’s accused of murder, both she and Chen are ostracised by the very people he’s trying to help. 
In the original Fist of Fury, Bruce Lee’s version of Chen was much darker, and the film largely consisted of him tracking down those responsible for the murder of his master and killing them out of revenge. Although Fist of Legend shares the main plot thread and re-enacts the classic karate dojo fight, Jet Li’s version of Chen Zhen isn’t quite as cold-blooded. Fist of Legend shares its subplot with the classic King of Boxers (aka Five Fingers of Death). Hau Ting Ang, the new leader of the Jing Wu school, angrily exiles Chen for his relationship with Mitsuko. However, Hau in turn is having an illicit affair with a prostitute, much to his own shame. He is humbled when he is discovered and his lover is accepted with open arms by his colleagues.As I mentioned, Fist of Legend re-enacts the classic scene where Chen Zhen has an all-out scrap with a dojo full of katateka who are none-too-pleased at the idea of a Chinese trouncing inside their training hall. It’s an incredibly well-choreographed scene and compares very favourably with the original. Fist of Legend adds its own classic encounter as well. Funikoshi is summoned to Shanghai by General Fujita (Billy Chow) and is told to challenge Chen to a duel. Funikoshi refuses to be a pawn in the General’s affairs but still wishes to test his mettle against the younger fighter, so makes a private arrangement to confront Chen. There is an interesting idiosyncrasy in this scene – when we’re first introduced to Funikoshi in Japan, he is speaking in Japanese. When he arrives in Shanghai to challenge Chen, he is dubbed into Chinese! The scene has a comical, easy-going start as Funikoshi keeps stalling Chen as he gets ready. However, once he is ready…wow. 
Yuen Woo Ping is kind of synonymous with all that is wrong with martial arts scenes in western movies. For the past ten years, we have been “treated” to overly balletic displays of wire-enhances, bullet-time nonsense, and it can all be traced back to Yuen Woo Ping’s stint on the Matrix movies (and the success of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). However Yuen Woo Ping is also responsible for some of the best, hard hitting action in Hong Kong, and Fist of Legend remains one of his greatest achievements as fight co-ordinator. The style of action employed in Fist of Legend can probably be best described as “exaggerated realism” – there is a little bit of wire-work involved, but it isn’t distracting.The climax of the film comes with a challenge by General Fujima to the head of the Jing Wu school and the revelation as to who killed Huo Yuanjia. When Dimension released a dubbed version of Fist of Legend a few years back, it fudged the ending by having Chen suddenly realise he should be more flexible and adapt his fighting style to match his opponent – a philosophy that he’d had throughout the film, so it just didn’t make sense that he’d suddenly have this revelation. Luckily this “extra bit of scripting” is nowhere to be seen in the restored version. Verdict It must have seemed quite an audacious decision to remake a revered Bruce Lee classic, but Fist of Legend is a prime example of a remake done right. Although it shares set pieces with the original, it doesn't slavishly adhere to it, providing a different take on the main character and his motives. It is one of the true classics of the “new wave” kung fu movies and sits very nicely next to Jet Li’s performances in the Once Upon A Time in China series. Not only is it packed to the gills with excellent fight scenes, but the drama and sub-plots are engrossing too. A Must See. 8 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
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