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Fist of Legend was my introduction to the martial arts films of Jet Li, given to me by a friend shortly before the Asian action star began to garner notice stateside. That film, along with the gun-fu work of director John Woo, hooked me on the hyper-stylized, hyper-adrenalized action thrillers coming to us from the far side of the Pacific Ocean. Ten years later, I still consider it one of the best martial arts films ever made.
The story is set in Shanghai in 1937, during the Japanese occupation. Chen Zhen (Li) returns to the Jing Wu martial arts school after spending a few years at a Japanese university, and he learns that his former master has been killed in a duel. The death of Huo Yuanjia—a real-life Chinese martial artist and a character Li has portrayed since Fearless—at the hands of a somewhat inept Japanese dojo leader exacerbates the already tense situation between the two nationalities.
Chen Zhen’s quest to protect his former school and avenge his master is complicated by the current master of the school, an old friend who resents Zhen’s greater abilities. The rift between them finally ruptures completely when Zhen’s Japanese love interest arrives in Shanghai—a development that’s less than welcomed by the other students. Before long, Zhen finds himself at odds with everyone as the rivalry between the Chinese and Japanese schools comes to a violent conclusion.
If the plot seems familiar to fans of the genre, that’s because it’s a remake of the 1972 Bruce Lee film, Fist of Fury, a film that was known in the United States as The Chinese Connection until 2005. Though saying so might be considered sacrilege by some, Fist of Legend is a marked improvement over that earlier film.
Li is stunning in the lead, both for the quality of his kung-fu and for his quiet, intense screen presence. His fighting style in this film is tighter and more controlled, considerably less reliant on wires and acrobatic flourishes. And as a nice call-out, he occasionally breaks out Bruce Lee’s iconic boxing stance, dancing around an opponent with all the quickness, if not the glee, of the genre’s reigning superstar. Two battles in particular stand out—one with his girlfriend’s uncle, a highly-respected Japanese martial artist, and the climactic showdown with a ferocious Japanese general, an absolutely terrifying Billy Chau.
But what really lifts this film above so many like it is the depth and sensitivity it displays toward its subject. Unlike Fist of Fury, Fist of Legend doesn’t tell a story of heroic native Chinese rising up against the entirely wicked Japanese occupiers. Here, there are heroes and villains of both nationalities. Zhen’s journey is largely one of reconciling his identity as Chinese with his love of a Japanese woman and his respect for the culture that produced her. It’s worth noting that a major plot point requires that he flex and adapt his martial arts skills, an idea that was a major project for Bruce Lee in his lifetime.
As with many previous Dragon Dynasty re-releases, Fist of Legend comes with a handful of excellent extra features, including three in-depth interviews, a couple of mini-documentaries, and an information-packed commentary by resident expert Bey Logan.
Fist of Legend really is one of those classic films that can provide an entry point for those unfamiliar with the genre. The action is more grounded. The themes are timeless. And it’s also a showcase for one of the true masters of his craft, putting on what may prove to be the performance of his life.
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