.gif)
Fearless (2006 film)
Encyclopedia
Fearless, known in Chinese as Huo Yuanjia and Jet Li's Fearless in the United Kingdom and the United States, is a 2006 film directed by Ronny Yu
and starring Jet Li
. It is loosely based on the life of Huo Yuanjia
, a famous Chinese martial artist who challenged foreign fighters in highly publicised events, restoring pride and nationalism
to China at a time when Western imperialism
and Japanese manipulation were eroding the country during the last few years before the birth of the Republic of China
. Li stated in an interview that this film is his last wushu
martial arts epic, a point also made in the film's television promotions and other publicity.
Fearless was released on January 26, 2006 in Hong Kong, on June 23, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and on September 22, 2006 in the United States.
Huo Yuanjia watches his father Huo Endi
teaching students martial arts and wants to participate, but his father is concerned about his asthma and refuses to allow him to practice martial arts. Huo Yuanjia then sees his father in a leitai
match with another martial artist named Zhao, who won the match dishonorably by retaliating when Huo Endi showed mercy on the final blow. Huo Yuanjia felt humiliated by his father's defeat and vowed to regain his family's honor and pride. He practiced martial arts secretly behind his father's back. As the years passed, Huo Yuanjia defeated several opponents in leitai matches and became one of the most famous martial artists in Tianjin
. However, as he became increasingly successful and popular, he also became more arrogant and ruthless towards his opponents. His late father, however, advocated the practice of showing mercy and not doing any serious physical harm to opponents.
When a rival martial arts master named Qin Lei injures one of his followers, Huo feels insulted and confronts Qin at the latter's birthday party. The confrontation escalates into a fight between Huo and Qin, in which Huo emerges as the victor by killing Qin with a fatal blow to the chest. However, Qin's godson seeks vengeance on Huo and kills Huo's mother and daughter in revenge. Guided by fury, Huo goes to Qin's house and Qin's godson admits to the murders before committing suicide. Later, Huo learns that it was his follower who had provoked Qin earlier, which resulted in his beating from Qin.
Overwhelmed with grief and shame, Huo flees Tianjin and wanders aimlessly for many miles. A disheveled, greying wanderer, he nearly drowns in a river, but is saved by Granny Sun and her blind granddaughter Yueci. They bring him back to their village and Huo, guided by their simple acts of kindness, begins to learn the value of kindness and mercy.
In 1907, Huo returns to Tianjin and sees the changes that have taken place in his absence. He apologizes to the family of Qin and reconciles with his businessman friend, Nong Jinsun, whom he offended earlier. He challenges the American wrestler, Hercules O'Brien, who had been making headlines by defeating Chinese martial artists and calling the Chinese "sick men of the East", and defeats O'Brien. He saves O'Brien from being impaled by some nails on the side of the ring that had become exposed during the fight and wins the appreciation of O'Brien, who names Huo the victor. Huo's fame begins to spread with successive challenges with other foreign fighters. In 1909, with funding from Nong Jinsun, he founds Chin Woo Athletic Association
in Shanghai
.
The members of the foreign chamber of commerce fear that Huo's victories might fan anti-foreign sentiments in the Chinese people and thus become a disadvantage to them. They propose a match between Huo and four foreign champions. Huo takes up the challenge, even though it is an unfair one. Before the matches, Huo meets the Japanese champion Tanaka for tea and strikes up a friendship with him.
Back to September 14, 1910, Huo faces Tanaka in a titanic battle. In the first round, they fight with their weapons of choice. Huo uses a three-section staff
and Tanaka uses a katana
. The first round is a draw. Before the next round, Huo drinks from a teacup containing poison, which had replaced his original teacup. In the second round involving unarmed combat, Huo suddenly has difficulty in breathing and loses his strength. He collapses and starts coughing blood, dying from arsenic
poisoning. Tanaka and Huo's supporters immediately demand that the match be halted and postponed, but Huo replies that he wants it to continue since he is going to die soon. Huo is dominated by Tanaka but he manages to deliver a blow to Tanaka's chest, similar to the one he used on Qin. Huo could have killed Tanaka with that blow but he refrained from doing so and collapsed. Tanaka declares Huo the victor moments before Huo's death. A scene then shows Huo training in the field and Yueci runs towards him. The film ends as Huo smiles at her.
and a fight between Jet Li and a Thai boxer, portrayed by Somluck Kamsing
, were removed. A special release of the film in Thailand
in March 2006 reinserted the scenes with Somluck (but not Michelle Yeoh), making its new running time approximately 110 minutes. In January 2007, Ronny Yu's original 140-minute director's cut
was given an official DVD release in Hong Kong, featuring the full Michelle Yeoh subplot as well as the fight with Somluck Kamsing.
Within the Somluck Kamsing scene, there are two different endings. In the director's cut, the fight ends after Huo Yuanjia stops the Thai boxer from falling head first. In an alternate scene, the Thai boxer continues to fight after this and Huo appears to kill him with the exterminating blow, only to see that he had resisted, in which the boxer realizes this and ends the fight.
on DVD in North America in July 2008. The released DVD, however, contained 2 discs and has been reported to errantly contain both the existing U.S. theatrical version and the existing unrated version and not the actual director's cut on either of the discs. However, many people were able to get replacement copies that had the director's cut after sending a complaint on their website.
On December 2008, Universal released the Blu-ray version of the movie, which contains the three versions (Theatrical, Unrated, and Director's cut) in a single disc.
There are many differences between the theatrical and director's cut.
. The character of Huo Yuanjia is the sifu
of Jet Li's character in Fist of Legend, Chen Zhen; in the earlier film, Chen Zhen returns to China from Japan to avenge Huo, who has been murdered as depicted in Fearless. The films also explore similar thematic material: in Fearless, Huo eventually learns that the true purpose of martial arts is self-improvement and self-development, while combat with others is useful only as a means of testing one's progress, and he teaches this lesson to his Japanese opponent. In Fist of Legend, Chen is told the same lesson by his own samurai opponent, who claims that martial arts are a means of improving one's physical health, but if one wants to kill a man, then the best way is to use a gun.
In an earlier film Fist of Fury
(formerly known as The Chinese Connection), Bruce Lee
portrayed Huo's student Chen Zhen, who seeks revenge for his poisoning. This film was the archetype of Fist of Legend
.
The 1982 Hong Kong film Legend of a Fighter
is also based on the life of Huo.
The weapon fight between Huo, armed with a three-section staff
, and Anno Tanaka, armed with a katana
, is similar to the final showdown in Fist of Fury, where Bruce Lee counters a katana-wielding Riki Hashimoto with a nunchaku
.
or Crouching Tiger
it ain't."
Fearless opened in Hong Kong on January 26, 2006. The film played to blockbuster business, eventually grossed an exceptional $30,201,600 HKD by the end of its run.
On September 22, 2006, Fearless was released in 1,806 North American cinemas under the title Jet Li's Fearless. In its opening weekend, it placed 2nd at the box office to the sequel to Jackass, grossing $10,590,244 USD ($5,863 per screen). It was Jet Li's seventh film in a row to open to over $10 million. The film went on to gross $24,633,730 USD by the end of its North American run - making it the sixth highest grossing non-English language foreign film in the United States to date - and its total worldwide gross is $68,072,848 USD.
.
Taiwanese Asian pop superstar and actor Jay Chou
wrote and sang the theme song to this movie, also named "Huo Yuanjia". In the song, Chou sings in a falsetto
voice for a few segments.
Ronny Yu
Ronny Yu Yan-Tai is a Hong Kong director, producer, and movie writer. Yu was born in Hong Kong and graduated from Ohio University. He has worked on both Hong Kong and American films.- Career :...
and starring Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
. It is loosely based on the life of Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
, a famous Chinese martial artist who challenged foreign fighters in highly publicised events, restoring pride and nationalism
Chinese nationalism
Chinese nationalism , sometimes synonymous with Chinese patriotism refers to cultural, historiographical, and political theories, movements and beliefs that assert the idea of a cohesive, unified Chinese people and culture in a unified country known as China...
to China at a time when Western imperialism
Imperialism
Imperialism, as defined by Dictionary of Human Geography, is "the creation and/or maintenance of an unequal economic, cultural, and territorial relationships, usually between states and often in the form of an empire, based on domination and subordination." The imperialism of the last 500 years,...
and Japanese manipulation were eroding the country during the last few years before the birth of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. Li stated in an interview that this film is his last wushu
Wushu (sport)
The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts...
martial arts epic, a point also made in the film's television promotions and other publicity.
Fearless was released on January 26, 2006 in Hong Kong, on June 23, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and on September 22, 2006 in the United States.
Plot
The film starts with Huo Yuanjia fighting three Westerners: a British boxer, a Belgian lancer and a Spanish fencer. Huo defeats all three of them and has a flashback before the next fight with Anno Tanaka from Japan.Huo Yuanjia watches his father Huo Endi
Huo Endi
Huo Endi was the father of famous Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia. Huo Endi was a well-known martial artist who served as a bodyguard for caravans travelling to the Northeast...
teaching students martial arts and wants to participate, but his father is concerned about his asthma and refuses to allow him to practice martial arts. Huo Yuanjia then sees his father in a leitai
Leitai
The lèi tái is an elevated fighting arena, without railings, where often fatal weapons and bare-knuckle martial arts tournaments were once held. "Sanctioned" matches were presided over by a referee on the platform and judges on the sides...
match with another martial artist named Zhao, who won the match dishonorably by retaliating when Huo Endi showed mercy on the final blow. Huo Yuanjia felt humiliated by his father's defeat and vowed to regain his family's honor and pride. He practiced martial arts secretly behind his father's back. As the years passed, Huo Yuanjia defeated several opponents in leitai matches and became one of the most famous martial artists in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
. However, as he became increasingly successful and popular, he also became more arrogant and ruthless towards his opponents. His late father, however, advocated the practice of showing mercy and not doing any serious physical harm to opponents.
Overwhelmed with grief and shame, Huo flees Tianjin and wanders aimlessly for many miles. A disheveled, greying wanderer, he nearly drowns in a river, but is saved by Granny Sun and her blind granddaughter Yueci. They bring him back to their village and Huo, guided by their simple acts of kindness, begins to learn the value of kindness and mercy.
In 1907, Huo returns to Tianjin and sees the changes that have taken place in his absence. He apologizes to the family of Qin and reconciles with his businessman friend, Nong Jinsun, whom he offended earlier. He challenges the American wrestler, Hercules O'Brien, who had been making headlines by defeating Chinese martial artists and calling the Chinese "sick men of the East", and defeats O'Brien. He saves O'Brien from being impaled by some nails on the side of the ring that had become exposed during the fight and wins the appreciation of O'Brien, who names Huo the victor. Huo's fame begins to spread with successive challenges with other foreign fighters. In 1909, with funding from Nong Jinsun, he founds Chin Woo Athletic Association
Chin Woo Athletic Association
Chin Woo Athletic Association is a Chinese martial arts association founded in Shanghai on July 7, 1910, but other sources also cite dates in 1909. It can be found spelled in many ways - Jing Mo, Ching Wu, Jing Wo, Jing Wu etc....
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
The members of the foreign chamber of commerce fear that Huo's victories might fan anti-foreign sentiments in the Chinese people and thus become a disadvantage to them. They propose a match between Huo and four foreign champions. Huo takes up the challenge, even though it is an unfair one. Before the matches, Huo meets the Japanese champion Tanaka for tea and strikes up a friendship with him.
Back to September 14, 1910, Huo faces Tanaka in a titanic battle. In the first round, they fight with their weapons of choice. Huo uses a three-section staff
Three-section staff
The Three-Sectional Staff, Triple Staff, Three-part Staff, Sansetsukon in Japanese, or originally Sanjiegun , is a Chinese flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as a "coiling dragon staff," or in Chinese as a "pan long...
and Tanaka uses a katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
. The first round is a draw. Before the next round, Huo drinks from a teacup containing poison, which had replaced his original teacup. In the second round involving unarmed combat, Huo suddenly has difficulty in breathing and loses his strength. He collapses and starts coughing blood, dying from arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
poisoning. Tanaka and Huo's supporters immediately demand that the match be halted and postponed, but Huo replies that he wants it to continue since he is going to die soon. Huo is dominated by Tanaka but he manages to deliver a blow to Tanaka's chest, similar to the one he used on Qin. Huo could have killed Tanaka with that blow but he refrained from doing so and collapsed. Tanaka declares Huo the victor moments before Huo's death. A scene then shows Huo training in the field and Yueci runs towards him. The film ends as Huo smiles at her.
Cast
- Jet LiJet LiThe fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
as Huo YuanjiaHuo YuanjiaHuo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
. Lu Yuhao played the younger Huo Yuanjia. - Dong Yong as Nong Jinsun, a businessman and childhood friend of Huo Yuanjia. Zhu Qilong played the younger Nong Jinsun.
- Collin ChouCollin ChouCollin Chou , sometimes credited as Ngai Sing, is a Taiwanese actor and martial artist based in Hong Kong known in the United States for his portrayal of Seraph in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions as well as the Enter the Matrix video game...
as Huo EndiHuo EndiHuo Endi was the father of famous Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia. Huo Endi was a well-known martial artist who served as a bodyguard for caravans travelling to the Northeast...
, Huo Yuanjia's father - Nakamura Shidō II as Anno Tanaka, a Japanese champion
- Betty SunBetty SunBetty Sun Li is a Chinese actress.She first entered show business by participating in 2001's Star Search, held by Singapore's Mediacorp...
as Yueci, a village girl who took care of Huo Yuanjia when he was in a state of depression. She is called Moon in the U.S. release. - Nathan JonesNathan Jones (wrestler)Nathan Boyce Jones is an Australian actor, powerlifting champion, strongman, and retired professional wrestler...
as Hercules O'Brien, the American wrestler - Paw Hee-chingPaw Hee-ChingNina Paw Hee-Ching is a Hong Kong-based actress. She was born on July 20, 1949. Her parents are famous Chinese actor Bao Fong and Liu Su. Her younger brother Peter Pau is Academy Awards-winning and five-times Hong Kong Film Awards-winning cinematographer...
as Huo Yuanjia's mother - Mike LeederMike LeederMike Leeder is a film producer born and raised in the United Kingdom, but based in Hong Kong since 1990. He has built a solid networrk and reputation in the Film and TV industry throughout Hong Kong, China, and the rest of Asia....
as Randall, the match referee - Ian Powers as Dante, the bellboy
- Anthony De LongisAnthony De LongisAnthony Charles De Longis is an American actor, stuntman, and choreographer.-Career:*De Longis is well known for his recurring role during the first two seasons of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager, as First Maje Jal Culluh, leader of the Kazon-Nistrim.*A very experienced swordsman, he is also...
as Anthony Garcia, the Spanish fencer - Brandon Rhea as Colonel Han Herzon, the Belgian lancer
- Jean-Claude LeuyerJean-Claude LeuyerJean-Claude Leuyer is an American former kickboxer who competed in the super heavyweight division.-Biography and career:...
as Peter Smith, the British boxer - Somluck KamsingSomluck KamsingSomluck Kamsing is a Thai boxer. His name is sometimes spelled as Somrak Khamsing.During the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Kamsing lit the torch during the Games' opening ceremony. Kamsing was born in Khon Kaen...
as Beicha, the Thai boxer. He appears only in the director's cut. - Masato HaradaMasato HaradaMasato Harada is a Japanese film director, critic, and sometimes an actor; he is best known to Western audiences as Omura in The Last Samurai and as Mr Mita in Fearless...
as Mr. Mita, the Japanese diplomat - John T. BennJohn T. BennJon T. Benn is an actor, who most notably played the mob boss in Way of the Dragon.He wrote a book in reference to Bruce Lee, "Remembering Bruce Lee" and subsequently opened a restaurant in Hong Kong, called "the Bruce Lee Cafe"....
as the American businessman - Philippe Millieret as the French businessman
- John Paisley as the British businessman
- Michelle YeohMichelle YeohMichelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng is a Hong Kong-based Malaysian Chinese actress, well known for performing her own stunts in the action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s....
as Ms. Yang, the narrator of Huo Yuanjia's story in the opening scene. She appears only in the director's cut. - Hu Xiaoling as Huo Yuanjia's daughter. She is known as Jade in the U.S. release.
- Chen Zhihui as Qin Lei, a rival martial arts master who was killed by Huo Yuanjia. He is known as Master Chin in the U.S. release.
- He Sirong as Qin's wife
- Ma Yin as Qin's daughter
- Ting Leung as Laifu, the Huo family servant
- Qu Yun as Granny Sun, Yueci's grandmother. She is known as Grandma in the U.S. release.
- Ma Zhongxuan as Zhao Jian, Huo Yuanjia's childhood rival. Shang Yapeng played the younger Zhao Jian.
- Jacky HeungJacky HeungJacky Heung Cho is a Hong Kong actor. He is the son of film producer/presenter Charles Heung, and the nephew of Jimmy Heung.-Filmography:-External links:*...
as Qin's godson, who kills Huo Yuanjia's family to avenge his godfather - Zhao Zhonggang as Zhao Zhiqiang, Zhao Jian's father who defeated Huo Endi in a match at the start of the film
- Zheng Shiming as Xia Xiang
- Chen Fusheng as Xu Dashan
- Wang Qi as Gui
- He Jun as Bang, the town idiot
- Liu Licheng as Qiang
- Qian Yi as the referee at Huo and O'Brien's match
- Sun Yueqiu as accountant
- Yi Shixiong as Liu Zhensheng, Huo Yuanjia's student
- Ma Jing, Wei Binghua, Zhao Tieying, Xu Yonghai and Song Shuo as Huo Yuanjia's students
Alternate versions
The film was originally approximately 140 minutes long, but to fit market demand, it was cut to 105 minutes, and scenes by Michelle YeohMichelle Yeoh
Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng is a Hong Kong-based Malaysian Chinese actress, well known for performing her own stunts in the action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s....
and a fight between Jet Li and a Thai boxer, portrayed by Somluck Kamsing
Somluck Kamsing
Somluck Kamsing is a Thai boxer. His name is sometimes spelled as Somrak Khamsing.During the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Kamsing lit the torch during the Games' opening ceremony. Kamsing was born in Khon Kaen...
, were removed. A special release of the film in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in March 2006 reinserted the scenes with Somluck (but not Michelle Yeoh), making its new running time approximately 110 minutes. In January 2007, Ronny Yu's original 140-minute director's cut
Director's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
was given an official DVD release in Hong Kong, featuring the full Michelle Yeoh subplot as well as the fight with Somluck Kamsing.
Within the Somluck Kamsing scene, there are two different endings. In the director's cut, the fight ends after Huo Yuanjia stops the Thai boxer from falling head first. In an alternate scene, the Thai boxer continues to fight after this and Huo appears to kill him with the exterminating blow, only to see that he had resisted, in which the boxer realizes this and ends the fight.
Director's cut
Universal released the full 140-minute director's cutDirector's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
on DVD in North America in July 2008. The released DVD, however, contained 2 discs and has been reported to errantly contain both the existing U.S. theatrical version and the existing unrated version and not the actual director's cut on either of the discs. However, many people were able to get replacement copies that had the director's cut after sending a complaint on their website.
On December 2008, Universal released the Blu-ray version of the movie, which contains the three versions (Theatrical, Unrated, and Director's cut) in a single disc.
There are many differences between the theatrical and director's cut.
- Instead of the film opening with the fighting competition in Shanghai, 1910, the film opens with Michelle YeohMichelle YeohMichelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng is a Hong Kong-based Malaysian Chinese actress, well known for performing her own stunts in the action films that brought her to fame in the early 1990s....
explaining to International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic CommitteeThe International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
why wushuWushu (sport)The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts...
should be an Olympic sport. She then proceeds to tell the story of Huo YuanjiaHuo YuanjiaHuo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
, the man who helped wushu become a major sport. - Before we see Huo as a child, a scene of him is shown seeking passage on a boat, with the boatman taking a small jade jewel out of a sack as payment from Huo (shown later to be the gift that Huo's daughter intended to give him when he wins his fight). This will also later be shown to be a scene of Huo wandering in despair.
- Before Huo and his friend, Nong Jinsun, as children, go to see Huo's father fight, there is a scene of Huo showing Nong his father's certificates from winning fights.
- There are scenes of Nong, as a child, copying the Huo family's wushu manual for Huo Yuanjia so he can learn.
- A scene was added of Huo Yuanjia, as a child, getting his revenge and defeating the son of master Zhao.
- After Huo's minor confrontation in the streets with Qin Lei, a scene is added of Huo beating his disciples for not working hard enough.
- An extra scene of Huo's family, waiting for him to come home after his competition.
- The montage of Huo wandering in despair is longer, as well as his time with the villagers.
- A scene was added of a young boy from the village, Gui, getting beaten by members of another neighboring village, for stealing an ox (after his died). The villagers of Huo's village protest to let him go, and when the man of the other village refuses, Huo offers to take Gui's punishment instead. He has to let a Thai boxer beat him until an incense stick burns out. Huo allows the Thai boxer to beat him until members of his village protest. Huo defends himself from the Thai boxer, but does not fight back. When the Thai boxer is about to hit his head on the ground, Huo saves him, and the Thai boxer bows in respect, and agrees to let Gui and the other villagers go.
- In his time with the villagers, Huo has a talk with two village boys about Wushu, and makes them explain why they want to learn it.
- When Huo returns home, the black and white footage of battle shown at the beginning of the theatrical version is now shown right before Huo's return to Tianjin, with subtitles explaining that after the Qing Dynasty, foreign armies invaded China, and made Tianjin a semi-colony. Also added was a scene of Huo giving master Zhao, whom he defeated earlier in the beginning of the film, his copy of the Huo family's wushu manual. He later comes to Jingwu school and joins.
- After the main credits, Michelle Yeoh's character is walking away from the meeting, with a reporter asking her if she thinks she will succeed. She responds saying that she had done her best, and that is what is important. When the reporter asks, "Is it enough?", she smiles and walks away.
- Various scenes in the film are now given their time and place in subtitles. Also subtitled are the names of the three fighters Huo fights with before Tanaka in Shanghai, as well as their fighting styles.
Other names
- Some promotions, including television and AMC TheatresAMC TheatresAMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
billed the film as Jet Li's Fearless. - The film is also known as Spirit in Japan.
- The film is also known as Huo Yuan Jia.
Connections with other films
Comparisons can be drawn between this film and one of Jet Li's earlier films, Fist of LegendFist of Legend
Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Gordon Chan and features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping, and also produced by and starring Jet Li. It is a remake of the 1972 film Fist of Fury, which starred Bruce Lee as the lead character...
. The character of Huo Yuanjia is the sifu
Sifu
Shifu is the identical pronunciation of two Chinese terms for a master. The character 師 means “teacher”. The meaning of 傅 is “tutor”, and of 父, “father”. Both characters are read fu with the same tones in Cantonese and Mandarin, creating some ambiguity...
of Jet Li's character in Fist of Legend, Chen Zhen; in the earlier film, Chen Zhen returns to China from Japan to avenge Huo, who has been murdered as depicted in Fearless. The films also explore similar thematic material: in Fearless, Huo eventually learns that the true purpose of martial arts is self-improvement and self-development, while combat with others is useful only as a means of testing one's progress, and he teaches this lesson to his Japanese opponent. In Fist of Legend, Chen is told the same lesson by his own samurai opponent, who claims that martial arts are a means of improving one's physical health, but if one wants to kill a man, then the best way is to use a gun.
In an earlier film Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
(formerly known as The Chinese Connection), Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
portrayed Huo's student Chen Zhen, who seeks revenge for his poisoning. This film was the archetype of Fist of Legend
Fist of Legend
Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Gordon Chan and features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping, and also produced by and starring Jet Li. It is a remake of the 1972 film Fist of Fury, which starred Bruce Lee as the lead character...
.
The 1982 Hong Kong film Legend of a Fighter
Legend of a Fighter
Legend of a Fighter is a 1982 Hong Kong martial arts film based on the story of Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia...
is also based on the life of Huo.
The weapon fight between Huo, armed with a three-section staff
Three-section staff
The Three-Sectional Staff, Triple Staff, Three-part Staff, Sansetsukon in Japanese, or originally Sanjiegun , is a Chinese flail weapon that consists of three wooden or metal staffs connected by metal rings or rope. The weapon is also known as a "coiling dragon staff," or in Chinese as a "pan long...
, and Anno Tanaka, armed with a katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, is similar to the final showdown in Fist of Fury, where Bruce Lee counters a katana-wielding Riki Hashimoto with a nunchaku
Nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
.
Reception
The film holds a rating of 73% on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus being, "Fearless is a brilliantly choreographed, beautifully filmed endcap to Li's quarter decade of epic martial arts glory." Empire gave two stars out of five with a verdict stating, "Despite impressive, CG-light action sequences and an absorbing story which certainly stands another re-telling, director Ronny Yu barely elevates this above the level of a direct-to-video fightfest. HeroHero (2002 film)
Hero is a 2002 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC....
or Crouching Tiger
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a 2000 wuxia film. An American-Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production, the film was directed by Ang Lee and featured an international cast of ethnic Chinese actors, including Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen...
it ain't."
Fearless opened in Hong Kong on January 26, 2006. The film played to blockbuster business, eventually grossed an exceptional $30,201,600 HKD by the end of its run.
On September 22, 2006, Fearless was released in 1,806 North American cinemas under the title Jet Li's Fearless. In its opening weekend, it placed 2nd at the box office to the sequel to Jackass, grossing $10,590,244 USD ($5,863 per screen). It was Jet Li's seventh film in a row to open to over $10 million. The film went on to gross $24,633,730 USD by the end of its North American run - making it the sixth highest grossing non-English language foreign film in the United States to date - and its total worldwide gross is $68,072,848 USD.
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was composed by Shigeru UmebayashiShigeru Umebayashi
is a Japanese composer.Once the leader of Japan's new-wave rock band EX, composer Shigeru Umebayashi began scoring films in 1985 when the band broke up. He has more than 40 Japanese and Chinese films to his credit and is perhaps best known in the West for his score for director Wong Kar-wai's In...
.
Taiwanese Asian pop superstar and actor Jay Chou
Jay Chou
Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
wrote and sang the theme song to this movie, also named "Huo Yuanjia". In the song, Chou sings in a falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
voice for a few segments.
Awards and nominations
- 26th Hong Kong Film Awards26th Hong Kong Film AwardsCeremony for the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards was held on 15 April 2007 in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and hosted by Bowie Tsang, Nick Cheung and Lam Chi-chung. Twenty-six winners in nineteen categories were unveiled, with film After This Our Exile being the year's biggest winner...
- Won: Best Action Choreography (Yuen Woo-pingYuen Woo-pingYuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...
) - Nominated: Best Film
- Nominated: Best Actor (Jet LiJet LiThe fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
) - Nominated: Best New Performer (Betty SunBetty SunBetty Sun Li is a Chinese actress.She first entered show business by participating in 2001's Star Search, held by Singapore's Mediacorp...
) - Nominated: Best Film Editing (Virginia Katz, Richard Learoyd)
- Nominated: Best Original Film Song ("Fearless", Composer: Jay ChouJay ChouJay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
, Lyricist: Vincent FangVincent FangVincent Fang was born on 26 January 1969 in Hualien, Taiwan. He is a Taiwanese multi-Golden Melody Award nominated lyricist, best known for his collaboration with singer-songwriter Jay Chou...
, Singer: Jay Chou) - Nominated: Best Sound Design (Richard Yawn)
- Won: Best Action Choreography (Yuen Woo-ping
- 13th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards
- Won: Best Actor (Jet LiJet LiThe fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
) - Won: Film of Merit
- Won: Best Actor (Jet Li
- 43rd Golden Horse AwardsGolden Horse Film Festival and AwardsThe Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962, by Government Information Office, Republic of China...
- Nominated: Best Action Choreography (Yuen Woo-pingYuen Woo-pingYuen Woo-ping is a Chinese martial arts choreographer and film director, renowned as one of the most successful and influential figures in the world of Hong Kong action cinema. He is one of the inductees on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong...
)
- Nominated: Best Action Choreography (Yuen Woo-ping
External links
- US
- HKMDB Baidu Baike