Background Info
Right after the filming of Once Upon a Time in China III, Jet tackled the task of playing another folk hero, Fong Sai Yuk. He teams up with Corey Yuen, who serves as the director and choreographer for the film. Would the two be able to strike the same level of success that Wong Fei Hong did, or were they just wishing for too much?
Story/Characters
The story of the Legend is something that starts out simple enough, but ends up throwing a lot of other sub-plots that make it lose focus. The main story has to do with the finding of a secret list, but you’ll quickly find a quirky love story, sad “love” story, and drama all rolled into one. I think that it would be fine if the tone of the film stayed the same, but there are moments that are really depressing and then transition to something that is just too silly to comprehend. Given what it is, the story isn’t bad, it just needed to be a bit more consistent.
The characters typically fall into the “silly” category I mentioned earlier. Jet’s character is a far departure from Wong Fei Hong (which is a good thing) and the dynamic between him and his mother is great. The more “serious” tone comes from the characters who are the parents for each family, though they get goofy from time to time as well. If you just look at Jet, his character is pretty consistent and rather likeable, but there isn’t too much depth to him either.
Action/Choreography
I don’t think there are too many fights I’ve seen that are more interesting than fighting on peoples heads and trying not to hit the ground. What makes each sequence great are the situations that the characters find themselves in. I liked the situation at the end, and Jet’s speed is really something to admire. I don’t think the fights are truly fabulous, but they are fun to watch and keep you hooked. It’s more because of the situations than the choreography, though.
Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?
The Legend is a movie that will be entertaining for everyone that watches it. I don’t think it sets a new standard, but that doesn’t make it any lesser of a film. If you are a Jet Li fan, you’ve probably already seen thins, but everyone else should give it a look too. It’s a great film that goes off track sometimes, but it’s a great action film and something that shouldn’t be missed.
Watch it
It’s been a crazy, crazy week for me. Thankfully, I think those times have come and gone, and I’ll be back to my regular schedule by tomorrow night.
Finishing Blow Episode 49 Part 2
Sorry Jennifer Tse, I left you out.
And it appears true that Jackie is retiring, so I’ll try to get my thoughts all sorted out by tomorrow for an article we can all comment and write on.
Anthony Wong Prepares for his Role as Ip Man
Black and White Part 1 Hits China in June
The conclusion to the “Naked” trilogy is finally here. Marco Mak directs this film, which stars Jennifer Tse, Andy On, Philip Ng, and Sammo Hung. Those that have seen the other films (Naked Killer and Naked Weapon) will probably know what to expect.
A trailer has been released, which can be seen here:
I’m not too crazy for this movie, and I don’t know if Corey Yuen will have anything really stand out for the fights. Course, I don’t want to judge something before I watch it myself. You never know what surprises will be waiting for you.
Wu Dang will be opening debut at the 65th Annual Cannes International Film Festival. I doubt there would be a better time to get promotional work going so people start talking about the movie, right? Which is why I’m puzzled why the promotional posters for Wu Dang look like….this:
To me, this just doesn’t promote anything. First of all, most of the poster is blank, and what is filled is just a rainbow stream across the top. I don’t think this has anything to do with the movie itself (which is a treasure-hunting martial arts film) and looks more like a lazily done project. To be honest, these stills from the film sell the movie better than the posters do.
While I may be coming down pretty hard on Wu Dang, I am still curious to see how it does. You have Vincent Zhao, Min Yang, and Fan Siu-wong in the cast, so it could be pretty good. I’m hoping for a better trailer so that I can see more action, as what they have shown so far is mostly wirework.
With the July 17th release date approaching, I honestly hope that a better poster comes out, cause these are just sad.
The RZA has been working on a project known as the Man with the Iron Fists. He wrote the script along with Eli Roth, who is serving as a producer of the film along with Quentin Tarentino. The RZA will be playing the lead role, but has a plethora of supporting members including Gordon Liu, Leung Kar-yen, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu, Daniel Wu, Celina Jade, and Rick Yune (just to name a few.)
The choreography for the film will be done by Corey Yuen, while Marrese Crump and Ian Powers will be providing the doubling work in the film. It seems like the RZA has all the cards in his hand, but I can’t help but feel a little worried about the film. Of course, that’s probably more of a personal thing than anything else.
Those of you that have been around me know that I don’t like the RZA, but I’m also aware that there are fans of his work. I can’t say that I’m excited for the project, but I’m eager to see if I’m proven wrong. I have no problem with admitting being wrong if the trailer blows me away, and I haven’t seen any images or footage from the film. While having a strong cast and choreographer is a great start, it all depends on the vision of the team and where they go.
I’ll keep you guys posted on any new info I find.
Source: Impact Online
Louis Fan, recently known for his roles in Ip Man 1 and 2, has signed on to star in Patrick Leung’s Big Wudang Clan film. (more…)
Benny Chan’s Shaolin now has a poster and trailer, thanks to EMP. The movie has a host of stars including Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Wu Jing, Fan Bing Bing, Yu Hai, Xing Yu, Xiong Xin Xin, Yu Shao Qun, Liang Jing Ke, Sang Wei Lin, with cameo by Jackie Chan. Wow, that’s a mouthful. (more…)
Eastern Condors is one of those movies where the plot isn’t really that great, but it has a fight scene that stays in your mind for years to come. Sammo lost 30 pounds to look more like a soldier for this film, but man can he fight! (more…)
