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I recently saw the Asian version of Fearless (aka Huo Yuan Jia). This movie is billed to be Jet Li’s last movie. I grew up watching Jet Li portray many legendary Chinese heros from Fong Sai Yuk to Wong Fei Hong. In his final epic, Jet Li is Huo Yuan Jia, the legendary founder and spirited guru of the Jing Wu Martial Arts School.

Wait a second? Doesn’t Jing Wu sound famililar to you martial art movie fanantics out there! Yes, Jing Wu is the name of the school in Bruce Lee’s Chinese Connection and Jet Li’s remix years later in Fist of Legend. Huo Yuan Jia is the master that Bruce and Jet were avenging in their respective movies. Does it tickle your viewing fancy yet to see the historical account of a true master’s life and death?

Jet Li’s once boyish good looks now show the wears of aging. Unfortunately, the version I watch looks to be an edited version, because I heard that Michelle Yeoh was supposed to appear. As well, an encounter with a thai-fighter described on the website was also cut from my version. Huo Yuan Jia reintroduced the Mizong (missing) Fist, a style that was more open to combining different martial arts styles in favour for a lighter, fighting technique. Sounds like an early 1900 Bruce Lee and his Jeet Kune Do to me!

I won’t go into too much of the movie, but I hope to do a Blogcritics review of Fearless in the near future. There’s nothing I like more than watching movies that I enjoy again and again!

But Who’s Next?
For action movie enthusiasts, don’t fret! New bloods are always on the rise in the martial arts movie industry. The brightest of these stars has been Tony Jaa. Many in the western world were stunned after watching Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior, to find out what Asia already knew. Tony Jaa is a phenomenal action star that remains unmatched by any talent in the western hemisphere.

I recently watched another Tony Jaa film that is probably scheduled to arrive on western shores anyday now – Tom Yum Goong. Tony is much more rounded and polished in this movie than Ong Bak and I enjoyed the fight sequences much more. In particular, I wanted to highlight a uncut, unedited scene when Tony goes from ground floor to the top floor of a 4 or 5 storey buildling, fighting every minion in his way without stopping! He looks visibly tired towards the end, but I thought it was a very innovative fight scene. The continous no-edit scene is comparable to a similar fight scene in another favourite movie of mine – Chan-Woo Park’s Oldboy!

Jet Li remains a sentimental favourite of mine. But innovative newcomers like Tony Jaa will keep it interesting for many years to come! What are some of your favourite Jet Li or Tony Jaa moments?