FEARLESS

FEARLESS: When this Jet Li spiritual epic hit theaters in 2006 it was a headscratcher for American fans used to seeing the star paired with the latest gangster rapper in some hip-hop monosyllabic action flick. Fearless, however, will be very familiar to anyone familiar with Jet Li’s earlier work or even the kung-fu crossover Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Li plays the role of Huo Yuanjia, the real-life founder of the Jin Wu Sports Federation, which united Chinese martial artists at a time when foreign rule ridiculed the native athletes. While this culminates in a four-on-one battle by film’s end, director Ronny Yu breaks the rest of his film into easy to swallow chapters. First, Yuanjia’s arrogant quest to become the top fighter in his province, involving some amazing choreography high atop a wooden structure. Second, his eventual fall from grace and spiritual penance spent farming in the rice fields of a quiet country community. And third, his return to the ring ...not for personal vengeance, but as a martyr for his disciples and his country. Universal’s Blu-ray gathers three different versions of the film – PG-13 theatrical, Unrated, and Director’s Cut – making for the most complete package available. The extended version adds a full 30-minutes and makes for a much more well-rounded film. Visually, this edition is a knock-out as well, beautifully capturing the landscape in high definition. Far from the brutal urban action arena Jet Li has occupied in the States, Fearless is a gorgeous addition to the old-fashioned martial arts epic. Extras include a brief featurettes on the making of film, which was billed at the time as Li’s last historical action pic. Never say never, Jet.