Total Film
3 stars out of 5 -- [A] lavish chronicle with enough mayhem to sate the most ardent chopsocky fan." 06/01/2006 p.44Sight and Sound
"[I]t's Yu's visual flourishes that enable the movie to take flight....With a rich palette of period detail, taking in colourful townscapes and lush rural vignettes." 08/01/2006 p.74 New York Times
"FEARLESS sustains the tradition of ethically inflected Chinese action movies. Physical kinesis is inseparable from spiritual dynamism..." 09/22/2006 p.E8 Rolling Stone
3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Li is simply the most compelling kung-fu hero since a guy named Bruce Lee donned a yellow tracksuit." 01/25/2007 p.82 Variety 7 of 10
Already ballyhooed as Jet Li's final picture featuring traditional Chinese martial arts (wushu), "Fearless" is a rather conventional costume biopic that still manages to pack a satisfying emotional punch by its final reel. A sizable hit since late January in East Asia, where it outgrossed such titles as "Crouching Tiger," "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers" in its opening frame, pic is likely to face a harder battle in the West due to its paucity of really eye-popping action...Yet its almost old-fashioned, low-tech qualities (only a modicum of wire-fu and no flashy visual f/x), married to ultra-smooth production values, give the pic a refreshing sincerity compared with most of today's cynical, CGI-heavy actioners, both East and West...Though Li (now 42) looks far too old in the early scenes, he brings a quiet dignity to the latter half of the pic that's matched by Sun in the (basically cliched but surprisingly effective) Southeast Asian idyll and by Dong, who almost steals the movie as Huo's one-time best friend...Fight choreography by vet Yuen Woo-ping is satisfying without being jaw-dropping and follows the retro trend pioneered by Tony Jaa in "Ong Bak" and "Tom-Yum-Goong." Tech package is highly confident and detailed, especially art director Kenneth Mak's burnished sets. - Derek Elley
Reel.com 9 of 10
Jet Li claims that his latest picture, Fearless, marks his retirement as the star of action-packed, martial arts films. If indeed that is the case, then the 43-year-old actor-athlete is leaving the stage on a high note in this historical drama that boasts a story which captivates, even as its many action sequences excite...The film reunites Li with fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping. It's their eighth collaboration--their collection of movies includes Tai Chi Master, Fist of Legend, Once Upon a Time in China (and its first sequel), and Unleashed. The action master, probably best known in the West for his work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix, and both Kill Bills, does not disappoint here...Li is fabulous in the role. Sure, much of it depends on his athletic prowess, and in early middle age, he appears as graceful and strong as ever. But there is more to Huo than simple ability: His personality undergoes a severe readjustment. The vain, boastful, thoughtless warrior undergoes personal trials that break his heart and his spirit, but he emerges a thoughtful, sensitive man of unshakeable integrity. It's a range of emotions and behaviors that requires a talented actor, and Li acquits himself beautifully...He may be serious about this retirement nonsense...And yet one hopes this is not the case. Fearless represents such an apex that it leaves one wanting more of the same--much more. - Pam Grady
|
