Huo Yuan Jia (Fearless)

This film tells the story of Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia (1869-1910). Huo Yuanjia was the founder and spiritual guru of the Jin Wu Sports Federation. During this time of political upheaval and a lack of national identity, there was a huge influx of foreigners into the country as national borders began to crumble and global trade expanded.

China was surrounded by foreign powers taking control of it’s major cities. Huo Yuan Jia was seen by many at this time as a hero. He stood up to the foreign powers by competing and defeating foreign fighting ‘experts’, brought in to brag, insult and humiliate the chinese.

Ronny Yu directs Jet Li in his last martial arts films. Shortly after announcing his involvement with the film, Jet Li stunned his martial arts fans by announcing that this was to be his last martial arts/wushu film. The Director does a stunning job with this his final wushu moment.

The story flows beautifully within the action. The emotion is subtley played and moving. The acting is engaging and compelling. I cannot remember another film in which a martial art has been portrayed in such a realistic, and dynamic way.

The spirtual story of Huo Yuan Jia unfolds, and we are taken through louscious landscapes and ancient scenery. We meet interesting characters, and truly genuinely talented opponents (not just hollywood galmour pusses). The right actors were hired for the right parts.

Jet Li is superb, this is without doubt his best film to date. His wushu action is just breath-taking the flowing movements and the cinematography that captures his technique work together perfectly. This may be one of the definitive moments in martial arts film-making. Jet Li also does really well emoting with his co-stars, taking us with him on the character's life changing journey.

The sound is traditionally Chinese, fierce, atmospheric and deeply moving. The cinematics are straight from the artist’s canvas. The CG effects are well used and only serve to enhance the action rather than draw the audience’s attention away from the story.

Without doubt this is a Red Eye Review Classic. It will appeals to people that enjoy adventure stories that have tragedy and heroics. Martial Art fans will also appreciate the incredible movements and mastery of Jet Li’s Wushu.

In conclusion, this is a story of one man’s journey through tragedy, anger and loss toward a path of redemption. Along the way he finds his true path of spirituality and embraces his art as a dance of the human spirit in combat.