Legend of the Fist (2010) Online

The best thing about "Legend of the Fist" is that it features some of the most spectacular acrobatic prowess to come from the great Donnie Yen. Unfortunately, these moments of awe inspiring nirvana appear in fits and starts after long, long moments of exposition.

If this movie had a strong story, like Donnie Yen's "Kill Zone" with it's engaging plot about police corruption and the consequences of pursuing vengeance, all this exposition could be forgiven. However, the story is about Yen playing a Zorro-like folk hero, who dresses like Bruce Lee in 'The Green Hornet'. What should be a rollicking adventure instead becomes a violent drama about China's occupation by the Japanese. Granted, Donnie Yen's best film, "Ip Man" was also about the Chinese occupation; but that film managed a perfect balance between drama and spectacular action.

I would almost dismiss "Legend of the Fist" altogether; but then Yen does a flip, a jump, a punch, a kick and my jaw hits the floor.

Chen Zhen's first big-screen incarnation was the Bruce Lee classic "Fist of Legend" and forty years since then, the part of the fictional martial arts hero most famous for resisting the Japanese occupation of Shanghai has been played by many actors including Jet Li and Donnie Yen himself. The return of Donnie to the role since playing it in a 1995 ATV series shouldn't be surprising- after all, with both the Ip Man films and Bodyguards and Assassins, Donnie has been at the forefront of a recent wave of Hong Kong-China big-budget co-productions with strong Chinese nationalistic sentiment.

True to the character's origins, this latest entry into the Chen Zhen mythology trades heavily in chest-thumping patriotism. Chen Zhen/ Donnie Yen's enemies are once again the Japanese- this time in glitzy 1920s Shanghai, an era when the city was divided along the lines of different expatriate factions. The Japanese though were the most ambitious and aggressive, eager to take advantage of a disunited China to conquer the motherland. While an offshore and offscreen naval campaign was ongoing, their strategy in Shanghai was to target locals and foreigners opposed to their plan of expansion.

Donning a black suit and mask, Chen Zhen takes it upon himself to stop the wave of assassinations sweeping the city. Comparisons to Jet Li's Black Mask (1996) and The Green Hornet are inevitable, but Andrew Lau's story of the avenging hero bears even more resemblance to Batman, seeing as how Chen Zhen gets help from Huang Bo's local police constable (a la Commissioner Gordon). Lau's film however refuses to rest easy on one genre, eager to exploit its historical backdrop to deliver an old- fashioned thriller.

And so his Shanghai is one abound with Japanese spies, even in wealthy businessman Liu Yiutian's (Anthony Wong) flashy nightclub Casablanca where Chen Zhen hangs out to observe the politicking among the Westerners and the Japanese. Lau uses the tension between the various camps to keep up a fair amount of intrigue throughout the film, especially as Chen Zhen's underground resistance movement struggles to keep ahead of the stronger and more organised Japanese forces.

Amidst the suspense, the script by no less than four writers (including producer Gordon Chan) also throws in a love story between Chen Zhen and nightclub singer Kiki (Shu Qi), but the addition that was supposed to provide emotional payoff falls far short. So too the relationships between the other characters in the film- whether Chen Zhen's bond with his sister and his compatriots, or his friendship with Liu Yutian. Indeed, these interactions are given short shrift, and Lau fails to delineate them as much as he fails in fleshing out the various characters.

That is a problem especially for Chen Zhen, whose motivations for leading the resistance- other than teaching the Japanese that "Chinese are not the sick men of Asia"- aren't exactly clear. It is also tricky because the audience is not led to feel the level of indignation as Chen Zhen is supposed to, the kind of indignation that made the Ip Man films so satisfying to watch at the end- so the climax between Chen Zhen and an entire dojo of Japanese students and their master just doesn't turn out as emotionally rewarding as one would expect it to.

Those looking for Donnie Yen to kick ass should also lower their expectations. Unlike the Ip Man films, Donnie doesn't get much time here to show off his agility and prowess- thanks to Lau's frenetic efforts to develop a script chock full of undercooked subplots. That is a pity, because one would certainly like to see more of the fast, furious and lethal action that Donnie has on display during the breathtaking opening sequence (to whet your appetite, Chen Zhen uses bayonet knives to take out a section of enemy soldiers on the second floor of a building, running at a 30-degree angle up a pole, and then using the knives to scale up the wall). There are just two more big action setpieces after this before the finale, but what visceral excitement Donnie generates in both is extinguished far too quickly.

For what he falls short in the martial arts sequences, Andrew Lau tries to make up for in flashy visuals and lush cinematography. As with his other films, the director who started out as an acclaimed cinematographer takes up lensing duties here and his photography of 1920s Shanghai is grand and opulent. Nevertheless, most audiences would probably prefer to see Donnie Yen's fighting than Lau's gorgeous cinematography, and will find the latter inadequate compensation for the former.

Fans of Donnie Yen however should still find reason to rejoice. Chen Zhen sees Donnie Yen at his most suave and charismatic (even looking convincingly like he can play a piano). He is also a much better actor now, and the dramatic scenes possess none of the awkwardness that used to dwarf his earlier films. Perhaps most importantly, the exhilarating action sequences show that he has lost none of his mettle as the best martial arts star in Chinese cinema right now. For a younger generation who may not have seen Bruce Lee and his nanchucks in the original "Fist of Legend", Donnie Yen's take on Chen Zhen is iconic enough to leave a lasting impression.

This year marks the 70th year of Bruce Lee's birth, arguably the best martial artist the cinematic world has ever seen, with his short filmography still continuing to wow audiences young and old. With tribute screenings at the Hong Kong International Film Festival earlier this year, and at the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month, director Andrew Lau, writer Gordan Chan and leading kung-fu icon of the moment Donnie Yen pay their collective tribute with Legend of the Fist, taking one of the most memorable of Bruce Lee's characters Chen Zhen and imagining a follow up story.

But wait, wasn't the final shot in Fist of Fury quite definitive? But as movie rules are concerned, nothing's canon if you don't see it, so a slew of gunshots count for nothing, passing it off as one of many rumours to discount his death, when in actual fact Chen Zhen (now with Yen picking up the mantle) is still alive and kicking, and sent packing to the WWI front in France to fight alongside his Chinese labourer compatriots against the Axis forces. It's an unsatisfactory explanation I know, but one of the rare blips in what I thought was a riveting story concocted that alas was let down by a clichéd ending that was too abrupt to be satisfying, leaving doors open for another film if it does happen.

Other than that, Legend of the Fist continues how Bruce Lee films were steeped in Chinese nationalism, only here it went with trumpets blaring with any given opportunity. Chen Zhen assumes a dead comrade's identity to return to Shanghai keeping jolly well under the Japanese's radar, where now the city in the early 20s gets carved up into settlements, with a microscopic representation of the internal chaos existing within the nightclub of influential Shanghainese businessman Liu Yiutian (Anthony Wong), with whom Chen Zhen befriends, for an ulterior motive of course, since he's now with the resistance, and the Casablanca club providing a hotbed of information as they plot and counterplot moves against the Japanese's brewing aggression.

Of late there's been a wave of such nationalistic movies that Donnie Yen tend to get involved in, such as Bodyguards and Assassins, and his more recent and successful Ip Man films, where Chinese people gather around a representative hero of their time to defeat foreign aggressors, where even in Ip Man 1, we see and expect the same mano-a-mano against a Japanese general who shows off his fair share of kung-fu knowhow. Like how many caricatures would be crafted in many more films that deal with that difficult period in Chinese history. While Yen had portrayed historical characters in those films, this one he continues with a fictional one made famous by a historical martial artist in Lee.

As a film steeped in paying homage to Lee, there are times where you feel the characters and action get shackled from freedom of expression, but this is not always a bad thing. I had followed Donnie Yen's career pretty early when he was still doing television serials for Hong Kong's ATV, where he played Chen Zhen in a storyline that had to mimic Fist of Fury, but expanded to include a romance with a Japanese woman. Like some television dramas that gets new lease of life on the big screen, it helped that Yen has experience in portraying the role other than a few others like Jet Li in another feature film that was a remake, but this one had the guts to continue where the film / series left off with a new spin.

While aspects of the Chen Zhen character were toned down probably because the character has to continue staying under the radar, gone are the high shrieks when he fights in the beginning (purists, please don't worry, you'll hear that toward the end), and got replaced by plenty of what I thought was MMA executed in brilliantly brutal fashion, starting with the prologue action sequence which had Chen Zhen being that one man soldier, followed by yet another nod in Bruce Lee's direction when dressed in a deliberate Kato costume. I'd say if not for his age, I'd give my vote to Yen if he were to be casted as Kato in the upcoming Green Hornet film in lieu of Jay Chou.

More Lee homages were to come, with the necessity to go shirtless in highlighting the chiseled physique that has its fair share of punishment, and what would be defining of Lee in Fist of Fury with the use of the nunchaks, although with all due respect to Yen, Lee is quite indomitable in this area, and the filmmakers here can only up the ante by throwing in a lot more goons to dispatch of in the same dojo from the earlier film. Yen took the action choreographer reins, and skillfully designed some spectacular fight sequences for action junkies to go wow over, balancing the homage aspects as well as coming up with some really violent, finishing moves to rid opponents. Watch this in a cinema with a proper sound system decked out will heighten that sense surround of being within the all round action.

The story's pretty much plain sailing with little surprises thrown in other than to present shifting loyalties in a tumultuous time, where Anthony Wong lends gravitas, Chinese actor Huang Bo providing comic relief as a corrupt policeman, and Shu Qi lending her vocals yet again as a club hostess already seen in films like Blood Brothers. While the story wouldn't be as iconic as Fist of Fury's, the fight action sequences lived up to its billing, and celebrated manifold the legend of Bruce Lee's instead.

Although the narrative gets convoluted at times, the historical setting of the Chinese labor corps sent to aid the allied war effort during world war 1 is historically factual ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Labour_Corps ), though it has been largely forgotten.

the Chinese intelligentsia also successfully mounted pressure to cause Japan to delay full scale aggression until the 30s ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-One_Demands )

this movie is essentially a big budget hong kong action movie produced as a homage to Bruce Lee. At times it strives to be too many homages at once with Donnie Yen resurrecting both Kato AND Chen Zhen ( Fist of Fury).

It shouldn't be conceived as Chinese propaganda (anymore than any of the Bruce Lee movies were) or anti-Japanese, as long as you understand that the Chinese truly were the underdogs back then.

in fact, the young Japanese actor playing the colonel totally stole the show.

High-production values here. They spent some money on this one. The action starts in 1917 along the front-lines where Chen Zen(Donnie) makes a name for himself. The action sequences in the opening moments of the film are absolutely jaw-dropping. I really thought I was in for a treat.

Then LOTF(heehee) dives into the plot which is overdrawn, dull, and boring. There is very little character development, very little in terms of subplots, and very little action for the middle hour of this film. It's a shame too, because from the choreography to the effects, the action sequences might be some of the best ever put to film.

I could make a film about walking my dog around the block with more depth than this, and while that's not what I should expect from an action flick, I SHOULD expect a lot of action. If you take out the first and last ten minutes of the film there is 5 minutes of action(also incredible). Unfortunately, the wait is so long that it's not worth the wait.

I would watch the opening and ending till the DVD stops working, but I won't ever sit through this whole movie again.

54/100

Saw this at London preview.

This is a loose sequel to Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury. Its not important to know that but if you are a fan of Bruce Lee, you will enjoy Donny Yen's sometimes blatant impression of Bruce Lee's nuances and war cries. If you aren't familiar with Bruce Lee, than a certain fight sequence may look a bit bewildering! There is a fascinating story to be told here with some interesting sub plots and bizarrely evolving into a comic book superhero flick. Unfortunately, it makes for a complete mess. I wont totally blame the director for that, that's an editor's job to maintain a narrative flow. The potential is there for this to work but unfortunately it just seems to me that couldn't bind it all together, or they were in a hurry to complete the film because it all seemed rushed.

However, the film is sumptuous to watch in its period settings, and the 2 leads are charismatic enough to carry the film. There is a sprinkle of humour that gave me chuckles though some were unintentional.

But the real star of the film is Donny Yen. As he gets older, he has even more star presence than ever before and when he fights, you can always feel his punches and awesome kicks. The action scenes are adrenaline pumping, visceral, with a stylish visual flair. These alone are worth the price of admission.

I would watch this again, and maybe next time I can piece a few more pieces of the story together.

Overall, see it for the brilliance of Donny Yen action and if you actually followed the story and enjoyed it, then good for you!

The good parts of this movie include using Shangahi in the 20's as the backdrop for the romance between sultry lounge singer Shu Qi and world weary veteran Donnie Yen at the Casablanca Club.

Targeted at the Chinese market however, the movie marches very quickly into mindless homages to Bruce Lee and the all consuming xenophobia & victimization themes we've become familiar with in modern Chinese movies.

The numerous racial epithets ("white skinned dogs", "f****g Japanese pigs) and Communist slogans about the Chinese people make for a tiresome soundtrack to the wire-fu and political conflict.

Jet Li's version of the story "Fist of Legend" is said to be far better.

Another fest of ass-kicking from Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen, LEGEND OF THE FIST is loosely based on the same legend as Bruce Lee's FIST OF LEGEND and Jet Li's FIST OF LEGEND. Yen plays a masked freedom fighter battling against imperial Japanese forces during their occupation of Shanghai during the 1920s, and the film is a rousing, action-packed slice of superlative entertainment.

Okay, so the action doesn't quite have the edge of the similar IP MAN and its sequel, but generally speaking it's very good indeed. There's a particular viciousness to the scenes involving Yen going around and battling or murdering his beleaguered city's oppressors, and an involved, conspiracy style-storyline means that nobody can truly be trusted. The ending, which builds to one final bout with the enemy, is predictable in the extreme but nonetheless crowd-pleasing and hugely entertaining.

Yen sleepwalks through his role a bit, having played this type of character loads over the years, but he's given strong support in the likes of established names such as Shawn Yue, Anthony Wong and Shu Qi. The fast-paced story is handled well by Andrew Lau's Infernal Affairs, who brings the same kind of twisty, gritty vitality to this story as he did with that hugely influential cops vs. gangsters movie. And, of course, there are lots and lots of scenes of Yen kicking ass as only he knows how, including a spectacular opening that celebrates the little-known Chinese role in WW1.

LEGEND OF THE FIST boasts some topnotch production values: in the opening scenes, Donnie Yen as the superhuman Chen Zhen makes short work of the Germans in France during WWI- with the aid of wirework and cgi. When WWII rolls around, Yen, laying low as a piano player in a Shanghai nightclub, antagonizes the occupying Japanese- and then snatches a chauffeur's black leather outfit and mask from a storefront dummy (part of a display for a movie titled THE MASKED WARRIOR) and kicks some butt. The outfit is, of course, yet another copy of Bruce Lee's costume from THE GREEN HORNET. Jet Li donned same in THE BLACK MASK, another Bruceploitation flick from yesteryear. Going Li one better, LEGEND OF THE FIST also borrows liberally from Li's own FIST OF LEGEND. It's enough to make one's head spin. As is the wonky wirework we see here (again). Far too much time is spent on posturing and partying and talking before this latest Bruceploitation propaganda flick kicks into high gear- and, when it does, it's much too little and it comes much too late to save this one. When Yen does his impression of Bruce Lee during The Big Finale, it's unintentionally hilarious. And I thought these kind of movies had finally run their course. Guess not...

Previously this year, there were "True Legend", "14 Blades", "The Legend is Born: Ip Man" and the breathtaking "Ip Man 2". They have been well- made and enjoyable. September brings up another Donnie Yen flick: "Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen".

The movie was actually not bad at all. The acting was not really bad at all and everything was fine. But, why a 6?

First, unlike "Ip Man 2", the movie didn't get to roam many places as the setting like previous martial art flicks. Instead, most of the movie or at least 85% of the movie took place in a club. That made the movie look pretty dull and boring. I just wanted more locations and explore more of Chen Zhen's world rather than staying in a club doing nothing; in the club, there were only some non-action stuff and they were boring.

Secondly, the climactic moment. What the hell happened to Chen Zhen. It's just so strange if you watch the climactic scene. In other words, you're facing a tough enemy and you didn't even get to hit him once in the first round. Suddenly, you rose and the enemy didn't get to hit you once. So "what the hell happened". It's just perfectly shot in the first part and it just suddenly drops in the second round.

Thirdly, why did Donnie Yen do the signature "haya" noises of Bruce Lee. I didn't hear any of those noises in the first movie. What happened to Chen Zhen? It's just so bizarre and unnecessary.

For the others, they were fine. The music was satisfying enough to raise suspense for the movie and the action scenes were perfectly directed. Nothing wrong with the others.

However, the movie does show quite some semi-nude scenes which were pretty disturbing. Compared to "Ip Man 2", "Chen Zhen" has bloodier action scenes.

Overall, the martial action movie was enjoyable and worth to be watched. Only those three things spoil the enjoyment of the film.

Prince AJB's rating: 6/10 or 60%

Thanks for reading my review and hope it is useful.

First things first, the Martial Arts and action in this movie is quite impressive at times, though all in all you won't see anything you haven't seen before in some other MA movie. Dramaturgically, you get what you expect. Nothing fancy, completely predictable... and that is more or less fine by me, as this movie isn't supposed to be another Tiger&Dragon or some similar high quality movie coming out of China to stun the western audience.

However, the thing that really bugs me is the not even subtle propaganda depicted in this movie. I was used to the general degree of Chinese propaganda thanks to Ip Man 1&2 as well as Zero. But this beast puts things to a whole new level. Not only are dialogs kept very simple at most times and we get 'interesting' lines like "See, Chinese are much stronger than Japanese" or "Chinese are real man" and similar ridiculous stuff but generally, throughout the whole movie almost every scene that isn't related to actual fighting literally screams "F**k the Japanese, F**k the white man, China uber alles!" But even that, I could accept at some level.

However, what I can absolutely not accept is the falsification of historical truth we can see in the beginning of the movie. Chinese fighting on the western front in WW1? Are you serious? The Chinese did declare war against Germany, correct. But did they send any troops to any actual battlefield? No! No Chinese troops fought outside of Asia during WW1. Just as a short side note, I think the Chinese film makers mixed up WW1 and 2, given the fact that the supposedly German soldiers in the opening scene had the equipment of a Wehrmacht soldier in the late '30s and not that of a German soldier fighting in WW1. Just take a closer look at the helmets and uniforms they're wearing. But that's the historian inside of me speaking. Also the main protagonist claims two or three times that China is a victory power of WW1. That again, is an outright falsification of historical truth. As a historian I simply cannot accept such outrageous propagandistic behavior by the film makers. Legend of the fist is just way to much polemical propaganda and to few actual fighting.

conclusion: A little above average Martial Arts, dramaturgically slightly below average even for a Martial Arts movie, to this point unseen degree of political propaganda and falsification of history...

1 point out of ten.

Where to start….? Watched it on Netflix, and was really excited for the first 10 minutes because for once in my lifetime I finally came across a MA movie that's not telling me the story about how the Chinese being invaded from whomever for whatever reasons.

I was wrong, miserably wrong.

At one point I was still looking at Donne Yan killing German solider in the Western battlefield, minutes later he became Chen Zhen (played by Bruce Lee in the 1972 blockbuster, "Fist of Fury") in a black suit kicking Japanese's asses. Don't get me wrong, the fight scenes are crystal clear, fast, and furious; but for every 5 minutes fight scene comes a 35 minutes "Chinese trying so hard to be united against the Japanese", I just couldn't help but to skip through the so-called "acting" part. I knew what's coming next, you probably knew too, in fact everyone who have ever watched a MA movie would have known exactly what's going to happen next.

This is not about being incredibly stereotypical, this is not about absolutely zero character development; this is not even about being predictable. This is about the epic failure of the Chinese movie industry, the fact that they DO NOT have the brain power to think of anything new that's suitable in a movie to tie with Martial Art.

To conclude this, history is history, we do not need another and another and yet another movie to emphasis the past. We won't be nemesis trying to revenge the Japanese, this is not "glorious bastard", and we do not want to fall back in the same pattern and same routine, that's why we study history.

And Just a side note, never did a single Chinese troop fought outside of Asia during WW1, try harder next time.

COULD this movie be directed by Andrew Lau, the guy who helmed the epic "Infernal Affairs" series? I checked the closing credits just to make sure - and yes, it must be Lau's most disappointing work, his really 'Infernal Effort'. If the mood of the film isn't so serious, I would have thought that 'The Return of Chen Zhen' is a comedy, a spoof of Bruce Lee's character and his Green Hornet role.

The legend of Chen Zhen was born when the late Bruce Lee played him in the 1972 blockbuster, "Fist Of Fury". However, the fictional Chen Zhen was resurrected lots of times including the 1994 "Fist of Legend" where Jet Li played him, and in the 1995 TV series, "Fist of Fury" with Donnie Yen as the hero.

This movie is the continuation of the TV series, taking place seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen who was shot after discovering the guy responsible for his teacher's death in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. Now disguising himself as a playboy businessman (albeit, with just a thin moustache), Chen Zhen (Yen) frequents the Casablanca nightclub owned by a Shanghai mob boss (Anthony Wong), planning to infiltrate the mob when they form an alliance with the Japanese. However, when Chen is not courting sultry singer Kiki (Shu Qi), he dons a black mask and takes out some Japanese hit-men who have been knocking off the Chinese named in a Death List.

The movie opens in spectacular Bruce Lee fashion, with Chen Zhen taking out a battalion of enemy soldiers during the First World War. Next, when we see him at the Casablanca nightclub, ostensibly as a partner of the owner, tons of questions flood our mind, like where does he get the money to play the role of mysterious wealthy stranger? What does he intend to accomplish at the nightclub other than starting an affair with Kiki, who is much more than meets the eye? Then when we see him fighting the Japanese as the Masked Avenger, things start to get comical.

Well, the scriptwriters have provided some comic relief characters - in the form of bungling cops played by Huang Bo and company, but we have to take that one-man-whacks-dozens 'schtick' with more than a pinch of salt. If you expect to see Donnie Yen flaunt more of his "Ip Man" stuff here, forget it. Director Lau spends more time on flashy visuals, opulent sets and lame and under-developed subplots, while Donnie Yen keeps repeating "the Chinese are not the sick men of Asia". The climactic ending recalls Bruce Lee's "Fist of Fury" - by now a mandatory finale of almost every effort involving Chen Zhen (so don't go spoiling for spoilers).

On the acting front, Shu Qi helps to provide some sparks and emotional resonance to the proceedings while Anthony Wong does his usual Anthony Wong stuff. As for Donnie Yen, I get the feeling that he is playing Bruce Lee more than portraying his version of 'Chen Zhen'. The others are just forgettable. - by LIM CHANG MOH

This film tries to be more than just an action movie but fails because of this. The plot is complex with a lot of main characters and a lot of relationships. But the story itself is absolutely boring. Another "bad Japan, good China" blabla from the Hongkong studios. After the "historical" introduction, which is as correct as the propaganda of the third Reich, you know everything about the plot you need to know. The rest is only added to make the plot more than a side-dish in a action movie. But the try to make a mixture of a action movie and a kind of a Drama or Thriller fails. The plot is boring and unnecessary and the Action is cut for the plot.

So in the end there is neither a classical Actionmovie than a Thriller.

Long story short i end: Boring movie, even for (eastern)Actionmovie fans.

Return of Chen Zhen, to shorten the title for review, tells the tale of the character portrayed by Bruce Lee in his 1972 hit "Fist of Fury", who seemingly died at the end of the movie. Here he returns to Hong Kong to take on those dastardly Japanese who are infiltrating the city and assassinating community leaders. A strong supporting cast consisting of Anthony Wong, Shu Qi and Huang Bo can't save this exercise in Kung Fu special effects. After Chen can stand no more, he decides to strike back at the Japanese, attacking with Kung Fu, and donning a disguise to protect his cover, in which he looks almost exactly like Kato from the Green Hornet! Maybe this was meant as tribute, but it looks silly to anyone who remembers Lee's role. Additionally, rather than reproducing the charisma of Lee, Donnie Yen's character seems more like Spider Man, catapulting high into the air, swinging through the streets on ropes, and single handedly punching out 100 men at once. In short, this is Hollywood comic book fair, not classic Hong Kong Kung Fu. A paper thin plot, involving betrayal and espionage, can't save the flick from mediocrity.

Ip Man was an uplifting movie that showed how the spirit of martial arts and national pride overcame oppression from the Japanese military. Legend of The Fist on the other hand is an ugly, mean spirited mess.

A historical drama like Farewell My Concubine or John Rabe is suited for dealing with heavy subject matter like the Japanese occupation of China. Not a movie marketed as a martial arts extravaganza. Especially when the first action scene shows Donnie Yen defeating German Soldiers with the precision of Spider-Man and Daredevil. He pretty much demonstrates that he could end World War I by himself.

I would have been fine with more of that. But the focus of the movie is not on the action scenes or Donnie's crusade against the Japanese military. The main focus is how evil the Japanese military is, and what atrocities they commit. Thankfully it's not as detailed as say Schindler's List, but it's shoved in the viewers face nonetheless.

There are a ton of subplots which also get in the way and ruin the narrative.

Certain characters are also poorly written despite the best efforts of the actors portraying them. They exhibit traitorous behavior but then go back and fourth in their alignment, so it's hard to sympathize with or hate them.

One of the characters even gets raped just to tastelessly move the plot forward and motivate revenge. It comes across as very cheap and does not make the viewer want the hero to beat the bad guys.

If Ip Man could be a good drama with appropriately placed action scenes, why not this movie?

On a 1 to 5 scale, it deserves a 1.

Lesson: directors should never allow a sub-standard plot and cast to be salvaged by an action star. Many times, that won't work. This is an example.

The storyline of Legend of the Fist feels like an on-screen version of the script writer's scrap book. Everything comes together in a rather untidy and haphazard fashion. There wasn't at least a brief explanation of Chen Zhen's escape from death under the Japanese soldiers 7 years ago and no one knows why he ended up in France fighting the Nazis. With Donnie being the action choreographer, I have expected much more. Donnie, IMO, failed to introduce any unique and memorable elements in the epic fighting sequence in the dojo scene. Bruce Lee started it all. Then came Jet Li. Jet's most memorable moves in the dojo scene are how he outpaced his opponents and even had time to stare down on his Japanese opponent before delivering his blows. In contrast, Donnie's sequence showed very little imagination (other than mirroring his signature moves in Ip Man and Dragon's Gate). It feels flat even. Ironically, Donnie Yen acted as Chen Zhen in a mini serial about 10 years ago. Back then, he handled the dojo scene much better - by fleshing out two (instead of one) nanchuckus! The final fight sequence with the Japanese general is quite letdown and far from being realistic. After Chen picked himself up and a few feints and parries later, he stepped on his opponent's foot before raining a series of 3 consecutive punches on a martial arts expert who seems to be immobilized for no reasons. The fatal fight was over in less than 2 minutes. This is just not convincing enough.

Back then, Bruce Lee handled his fighting sequences with an outspoken respect for his opponents - in that he gave them ample opportunities to showcase their martial arts skills, even after the textbook moment when the hero picked himself up and went in for the final sequence of fist duel. Donnie's style seemed very different. He seemed to opt for a fight sequence that in some ways highlight his ability to "over-power" and even "humiliate" his opponents into defeat. The price to pay is the lack of realism.

Well, there is only one Bruce Lee after all. This may explain why Bruce Lee is still THE man.

Imagine that an amateur screenwriter shat out a vomit draft and said, "That's Oscar-worthy!" Well, that pretty much describes this mumbled action flick.

In fairness, the script - or final cut - could have been messed up by anyone, so I won't blame the writer, but as an espionage-cum-action thriller, the film is a total dud.

If you're a fan of Donnie Yen (like me!), you'll watch this regardless of how bad anyone tells you it is, and where the big fight at the end nets it an extra star, please don't let the 4/10 fool you into believing that this is half-way decent, because it really is one of the worst Donnie films I've sat through. Which is a shame, because Shu Qi looks as gorgeous as ever and really pours a lot of emotion into her role... which only further highlights how badly the final film lets down both of its main stars.

I've seen it done by Bruce lee (Fist of Fury) I've seen it by Jet Li (Fist of Legend) and now this. For the people that have seen the old two movies, you don't need to read this. You will now what i mean. The first one is a classic, Bruce never where a talented actor..But he is and was a legend. And when it came the concept was quite new in the west. (China-Japanese war) Then in 1994 "Fist of legend" came. But Jet Li as the angry master. For some reason i love that to. Many amazing fights, and Li actually does a quite good acting job in it. And now this, i love Donny yen. After the "Ip man" movies his one of my favorite action stars. But this what a complete load of ****. lost half my respect for Donny, The fights are not even half good. People say that its only the first 10 and last 10 minutes that is good in this, NO they ain't they are rubbish as every other minute in this complete load of crap.

First of Donnie Yen is a REALLY good fighter, they don't need ropes and weird moves to make his fights look cool, just a good choreographer.(and i think you can find a load of those in China^^) The concept "Evil Japanese against pore Chinese" (i know it its history and the Japanese really where beast against China) But for crying out load at least 1 of every 3 movies China makes are about that. The concept is so old that i think a part in the old testament is about it...wow did i just do a so old joke. And the acting is terrible Donnie can do so much better. (and i know it should feel like Bruce lee in both "fist and fury" and "The green hornet - Kato" But no there is a limit.

I give it a 2 because they tried to make it in respect for Bruce..

But really he probably turns in the grave by it.

Right where do I start with this one?

Watched thus on Netflix and I thought great thus is going to be an excellent film, WRONG. the tiresome story- how many times has this been done, the okay fight scenes - watch Ip Man, a brilliant film displaying awesome acting and the fight scenes are one of the best ever seen on screen. the STUPID Bruce Lee noises in the final fight - come on Donnie your much better than this., Jet Li done this character in Fist Of Legend and did a much better job.

Do yourself a favour and don't watch this, you will be disappointed, go and watch Ip Man.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with the large selection of kung fu movies available and unsure of what to watch first, then you can safely pass on this film knowing you aren't missing much.

Donnie Yen is a very versatile martial artist and choreographer. The fight scenes in his films alternate from realistic brawls to graceful wuxia pieces. Given his vast experience in the genre it's baffling as to why this film's action sequences are so mismatched and mundane.

In the beginning Yen's character, Chen Zhen, is capable of superhuman feats like dodging machine gun fire by sprinting at impossible speeds and propelling over tall buildings in a single somersault. Then for some reason Chen Zhen reverts back to a mortal where he uses Wing Chun that's lifted straight out of Ip Man 1 & 2. I don't mean inspired or improved upon; I mean the punches and kicks are literally copied, almost blow for blow, from his previous movies.

Except none of the fight scenes have the painstakingly created realism and inventiveness of his previous movies. There was the occasional weapon disarm here and deft parry there, but for the most part the fight scenes were lazy and lacklustre. Even the final showdown, the one that you expect will be at least half-decent, was a disappointment. Chen Zhen just repeatedly punches his opposite number in the face and ... well ... that's it really.

If it's not humdrum fight scenes its Donnie Yen striking silly melodramatic poses or poorly impersonating Bruce Lee. It doesn't look cool, just plain corny. The abrupt ending was probably due to Yen himself losing interest of the film half way through and just wanted to get it over and done with. That's certainly how I felt when I was watching it.

The acting was actually not bad, with decent performances by the supporting cast and especially Shu Qi. The set designs and costumes are also worthy of a mention.

But really, who picks up a Donnie Yen movie for anything else besides the action? Hopefully the next action movie about a Chinese hero resisting the tyranny of the British/Japanese will be better, because you can bet there will be more to come.

Don't get me wrong I love Dennis but the story telling is just too bad. Characters only come out for one scene and you qr supposed to understand their role and attached to them because they will be dead next the when they are out. Far too less fighting scene, in the final one Chen Zen was so battered at first, then the next thing he took his shirt off and the won in half a minute..?!?

What this is, is a Chinese superhero movie. Where the Japanese soldiers are the bad guys and the Chinese rebels and fighters are the good guys. Some may view this is a anti-Japanese movie, but it's based on the oppression of the Chinese people by the Japanese in the past. So in a way it's historically true during World War 1. Not the whole Chinese superhero stuff but you know what I mean. Now I personally like Bruce Lee, I think he is a pioneer for these Kung-fu movie and was a legit martial artist and philosopher. So I really liked how this is a homage to him. I also loved "Fist of Legend" which I personally think is one of the best martial arts movie out there. This one however just didn't flow very well when it came to the story. It was just boring babbling with things going all over the place. The cool Donnie Yen fight sequences doesn't really make up for it. Sure, most people don't watch a martial arts movie for a amazing story. But the story was just boring, the build up to the final fight sort of made it worth it...Sort of. But the trust and betrayal elements just wasn't impactful and didn't really seem to go anywhere. I really wanted this movie to at least be entertaining, but it just really wasn't because of the flow of it all. Overall this is a corny Chinese superhero movie that is maybe worth a rental at best.

5/10

excerpt, more at my location - One is an acclaimed director, the other an ever-growing martial arts man-of-the-moment. Their source material is Bruce Lee's finest hour. How does this first collaboration between Andrew Lau and Donnie Yen shape up?

That the film is not especially emotionally involving is a surprise when one considers who is at the helm. Andrew Lau is responsible for some of the more visceral and engaging moments in recent Hong Kong popular cinema (consider his Young And Dangerous movies, or the original Infernal Affairs), but here he shows an oddly clumsy hand with character and emotion.

Given the talent involved, it was not unreasonable to expect something of a classic. This is far from it, but its set-pieces still contain more genuine imagination and excitement than is likely to be found anywhere else - especially in the thrilling prologue sequence, which prompts hope from this reviewer that, someday soon, the conscripted Chinese soldiers in World War One get the cinematic tribute they truly deserve.

This film is not bad, the action is continuous! Acting: Donnie Yen has one serious intense expression all the time. Although you might laugh when he wears that mask, looking like Zorro/Daredevil/Spiderman standing on rooftops. Shuqi looks ugly and unnatural. Huo siyan(she's killed by Shuqi) is so pretty and when she died it was so poignant! Anthony Wong is a veteran and acts as good as ever. The bad guys are all one-dimensional and ugly. Choreography: Awesome. Donnie Yen takes off his shirt. He is really quick at fighting and running. Lots of blood and torture!! Plot: Basically it's a simple "Japanese--Bad. Chinese--Fight". It portrays what China is really like accurately though. Most of the times they are not united as seen from when they start fighting amongst themselves instead of against enemies. I think it's because they're too crowded. Sentimental parts are not bad, like Chen Zhen's parts and Shuiqi's parts.