FIST OF LEGEND is one of my favorite Jet Li movies. Jet Li wanted to produce his own films, so FIST OF LEGEND was the first one (a remake of FISTS OF FURY which starred Bruce Lee). This film is one of the many Hong Kong productions starring jet Li which still outshine most of the English Language films that Jet Li has done in the United States or France. FIST OF LEGEND is also notable for it's storyline. It adds another layer beyond the great martial arts fights. Chen Zhen (Jet LI) comes from school in Japan to return home to Shanghai, China (just before World War 2) after he learned his master is dead. He learns it was poison that did his master in. Chen Zhen is framed for the murder of a Japanese martial arts master he beats, but he is saved by the lie of the Japanese woman he loves. It deals with racism between the Japanese and Chinese at the time while showing both sides have good and bad people. One of the good Japanese is the Japanese martial arts uncle (of the woman Chen Zhen loves) played by Kurata Yasuaki. The villainous Japanese General is played by a Hong Kong martial arts champion (who thanked the director for getting the chance to act and not just fight).

SPECIAL FEATURES:
On disc one is an informative and never boring audio comment with Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan.

Disc two has five featurettes (three which are interviews), five deleted scenes (which were gratefully cut because they slow down the film or over complicate things), and two trailers (original and US promo).

THE MAN BEHIND THE LEGEND- Director Gordon Chan talks about making FIST OF LEGEND. He says it is back in the days when productions ran 120 days and not 60 days (like now). He had faith in his action director Yuen Wo-ping to choreograph the action scenes. he strove to make the film's fights realistic and use no wires (or tables that break easy).
BROTHERS IN ARMS- an interview with Chin Siu-ho
THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR- an interview with Japanese action Legend Kurata Yasuki. It is great to hear about his career from China (playing bad guys and meeting Bruce Lee) to Japan (where he started his own action school) and back to China again.
A LOOK AT FIST OF LEGEND WITH DIRECTOR BRETT RATNER AND CRITIC ELVIS MITCHELL- Brett and Elvis discuss and praise the film.
THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS- a screen fighting seminar at the Kurata Action Club. one of my favorite featurettes.

FINAL ANALYSIS: FIST OF LEGEND still stands out as one of the best pictures Jet Li has ever been in. The martial arts action is fantastic. The featurettes on the second disc are great (except for the one with Ratner and Mitchell)

this DVD review is (c)9-22-2008 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  

look for additional content at http://enterline2.tripod.com  and