The Essential Films of Jet Li
Jet Li began training in Wushu at the age of eight and quickly rose through the ranks in Chinese competition. Over the course of nine years, Li joined the Beijing Wushu team and racked up metals everywhere he went. At seventeen, Li called it an early retirement and began looking for work as a Kung Fu star. Forty years later and Jet Li is one of the most famous Kung Fu stars around the globe. His filmography is layered with dozens of classics, and not everyone knows where to start. So, here are the five films for everyone to watch. These are the essential film of Jet Li.
1. Martial Arts of Shaolin (1983, Dir: Lau Kar-Leung)
Martial Arts of Shaolin was directed by Lau Kar-Leung and stars Jet Li, and Yu Hai. Jet Li plays Zhi Ming, a young monk training at the northern Shaolin temple. When he learns of the magistrate who killed his father, he joins forces with two southern Shaolin fighters to take revenge.
This is an excellent introduction film because you get young Jet Li, traditional Kung Fu, and that classic Shaw Brothers/Lau Kar-Leung style. Accompanying the excellent Kung Fu is that classic Hong Kong comedy. Martial Arts of Shaolin masterfully builds to a glorious climax which sees the northern and southern Shaolin temples joining forces against evil. Every moment of action is perfectly crafted but the finale is one of the most exciting you’re going to find in Kung Fu cinema. Jet Li’s first two movies are good, but Lau Kar-Leung and Shaw Brothers gave Jet Li his true introduction with Martial Arts of Shaolin.
2. Once Upon a Time in China (1991, Dir: Tsui Hark)
Directed by Tsui Hark, Once Upon a Time in China stars Jet Li, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan, Jackie Cheung, and Kent Cheng. Jet Li plays Chinese folk hero and martial artist Wong Fei Hung. Fei Hung defends his city against northern martial artists terrorizing the area as well as foreign powers who are abusing said power over the local government.
Once Upon a Time in China goes to a place that most Hong Kong Kung Fu Films set in this era do not typically go. Shocking moments of darkness do a lot for what would otherwise feel like your standard Kung Fu movie. This is a perfect second essential pick because it does feel like the next step in a Kung Fu movie dive. Martial Arts of Shaolin is a lot of straight forward, grounded choreography. But Once Upon a Time in China is far more kinetic and hyper in almost every possible way. The action is sped up and once you think you have a handle on the action, the film incorporates more Wu Xia elements as heavy doses of wirework are mixed in with fast paced kung fu. Jet Li was obviously a leading man by this point but this film is so huge from the cast, the setting, and even the excellent score that Once Upon a Time in China feels like the Hong Kong film industry seriously recognizing Jet Li as a name up there with the likes of Jackie Chan and Gordon Liu.
3. Fist of Legend (1994, Dir: Gordon Chan)
Directed by Gordon Chan and starring Jet Li, Billy Chow, Siu-Ho Chin, Yasuaki Kurata, and lots of other excellent people. Fist of Legend serves as a remake to the Bruce Lee classic Fist of Fury. Jet Li plays Chen Zhen returning to Shanghai after his master (Huo Yuan Jia) passes away. If you’ve seen Fist of Fury you know that, it was murder. Jet Li is also returning from his studies abroad in Japan with his Japanese girlfriend. So, his friends and acquaintances back in China struggle to accept him back. This of course leads to excellent conflict with his own people and the Japanese who murdered his master.
While this is a remake, there are several differences in the story and action to give it its own feel. A mistake this movie could have made was Jet Li trying to emulate Bruce Lee in his movements. But Jet Li brilliantly maintains Bruce’s deviations in Kung Fu and Martial arts without simply copying Bruce’s posing. Jet Li essentially follows Bruce’s philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, style of no style, but in his own way. Yuen Woo-Ping was the martial arts director and he intensely crafted every single fight scene. There are times where the fights are sped up but it’s so invigorating that I can easily look past it. His fight scene with Siu Ho Chin, the blindfold fight with Kurata, Billy Chow’s terminator-esque general, or Jet Li fighting Japanese students and henchman they’re all classic scenes. Chen Zhen is a very popular character that has been played by Donnie Yen and Bruce Lee. Somehow, Jet Li’s take could arguably be the best.
4. Kiss of the Dragon (2001, Dir: Chris Nahon)
Directed by Chris Nahon and starring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, Tcheky Karyo, and Cyrill Rafaelli; Kiss of the Dragon follows Jet Li’s Liu Jian as a Chinese cop sent to France to help the local police. After witnessing a dirty cop in action, Jet Li is framed for murder and goes on the run with the evidence to clear his name. He also meets a prostitute with a heart of gold who has been forced into her life of sex work by the dirty cop who is keeping her daughter from her.
Admittedly, Jet Li is not given much to work with in his character, a lot of the heart is put into the Bridget Fonda character. But Jet Li’s charisma is kind of all he needs in this movie. Kiss of the Dragon to me feels like the number one, defining western Jet Li film. He only made about seven western movies where he is a lead or the lead and of the batch, Kiss of the Dragon stands above the rest. An argument could be made for the blistering action of Unleashed, but Kiss of the Dragon lends itself more to Jet Li’s style of action. Kiss of the Dragon is packed with epic fight scenes, but we’re here for the final moments of the film. Jet Li storms the police station finding himself in a dojo training room against fifteen or so cops. Followed by an epic fight against Cyril Rafaelli and his huge twin character. Hong Kong film veteran Corey Yuen worked as the action director and the film is all the better for it. Jet Li has a dozen or so Hong Kong classics and these fights hold up against any of his eastern films.
5. Fearless (2006, Dir: Ronny Yu)
Fearless was directed by Ronny Yu and stars Jet Li, Li Sun, Collin Chou, Shido Nakamura, Jacky Heung, and Zhi-Hui Chen. Jet Li plays real life martial artist Huo Yuanjia from his cocky, loud mouthed days to the mature founder of the Chin Woo Athletic Association. If the name Huo Yuanjia sounds familiar that is because Huo Yuanjia is the deceased master in Fist of Legend and Fist of Fury. So, Jet Li has played both the real-life master and fictional student.
This is Jet Li’s salute and goodbye to the hardcore Kung Fu movie and it’s a beautiful salute at that. This was certainly the last movie where Jet Li put in 150% for the fight scenes. And one of my favorite things about that was the storytelling through the Kung Fu. As Huo Yuanjia grows in maturity, his style becomes more defensive. When he’s younger he is hot headed and aggressively offensive. When he develops, he’s clearly more centered in his style, not going out of his way to hurt his opponent. This character progression through choreography is beautifully portrayed. Jet Li’s career really slowed down only making 14 movies from 2006 to now. Compare 14 movies in 14 years to 20 movies in the 90s alone. But none of those 14 movies hold up to Fearless as an overall Kung Fu movie.
What Are Your Essential Films?
Those are my five essential Jet Li movies. The movies to help get acquainted to Jet Li and introduced to the wonders of the Kung Fu genre. Tell me what you think in the comment section down below. If you haven’t seen these films, are you going to check them out? If you have seen them, then what are your five essential Jet Li films? Tell me what you think in the comments and check out the other Kung Fu Essential articles. Then head over the my Youtube channel where I review films and even do in depth Kung Fu Essential videos.
Check out my Youtube channel where I review and discuss martial arts films.
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