One of the best known films to rise out of the hong kong martial arts movie genre. Once upon a time in China shows why Jet Li can be compared to the likes of Jackie Chan. In this movie Jet Li (or should i say Wong Fei Hung) portrays a martial arts master who is the best at fighting, funny and for the first time in a chinese martial arts movie a love story blooms from begining to end!
Plot summary: Plot: China is in turmoil, with Western influence having an upsetting effect on China's long cultural history. Wong Fei-Hong (Jet Li) must fight dastardly foreigners intent on smudging China with their gweilo presence. Said bastard foreigners are in cahoots with a local band of Chinese who frame Wong's local militia for a series of terrorist acts.
Meanwhile, Leung Fu (Yuen Biao), a member of said evil band of Chinese, gets attracted to Aunt Yee (Rosamund Kwan). Fu hooks up with Master Yim (Yen Shi-Kwan), who wants to supplant Wong's status as the number one kung-fu guy. To accomplish his goal, Master Yim hooks up with the bastard band of Chinese who want to get Wong Fei-Hong.
Eventually, all the evil parties make a deal with the bastard foreigners and try to ship Chinese women to America. Their plan: to entice Chinese workers to head to America as coolies. Aunt Yee is kidnapped as part of this plot, and Leung Fu objects. Now he and Wong Fei-Hong must save Yee AND come to terms with the reality of gweilos in Asia. It's like this: the Chinese have kung-fu, but the foreigners have guns.
A definitly must see movie for chinese martial arts film lover and anyone generally interested in martial arts movies with a touching story.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Martial Arts - Director: Prachya Pinkaew - Original Language: English\Vietnamese\Thai\Mandarin - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Tony Jaa, Bongkoj Khongmalai, Petchtai Wongkamlao
Production Year: 1981 - Martial Arts - Director: Kenji Misumi, Robert Houston - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Ohki, Akiji Kobayashi, Shin Kishida, Masahiro Tomikawa, Tomisaburo Wakayama
Production Year: 1972 - Martial Arts - Director: Bruce Lee - Original Language: English\Cantonese\Chinese - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Chuck Norris, Robert Wall, Jon T. Benn
Jet Li is a fantastic actor! Great review! Janie xx
watkins11 05.03.2008 09:39
Nice review, described well. A bit more info on the price and any special features would secure higher ratings. Let me know if you re-write & I will re-rate. Nicky.
Romeo Must Die star Jet Li heads up an all-star cast, including physical virtuoso Yuen ... more
Biao (Dragons Forever) and 'China rose' Rosamund Kwan (Armour Of God), in this epic big-budget action adventure, heralded by fans and critics alike as one of the fin...
Advantages: Builds on everything great about the 1st movie.. and then some Disadvantages: Again like the 1st movie, cultural/historical significance may not be apparent to all
Advantages: not just great action, but great storytelling and characterisations Disadvantages: not many, though cultural/historical context might be lost on some
Feb 29th, 2008
very helpful by (16%):
helpful by (84%):
