![]() Plot: Wong Fei-hung faces off against the White Lotus Cult, a dangerous xenophobic group seeking to drive all European influence out of China, as well as a corrupt military officer, played by Donnie Yen in his breakthrough role. Overall, Once Upon a Time in China is a classic martial arts film with Jet Li at his best when the action comes it hits hard and is profoundly satisfying. There is a great supporting cast including Jacky Cheung and Kent Cheng making this a must-see for kung fu fans. Yuen Biao also stars as Leung Foon who is looking for a master but turns to a newcomer who ends up working with a local gang. It takes a little while for the action to kick in but t’s worth the wait and the final 45 minutes is practically one prolonged epic fight scene. Yes, there is a little wirework (and you even see wires at one scene) but it doesn’t bother me in the slightest as this is more of a fable (as Scott Adkins said a while back) so it’s not exactly going for a documentary. Another great fight is Hung using an umbrella as a weapon and the choreography is simply breathtaking. He is incredible in this where the camera can barely keep up with his movements and there are so many great fights it’s difficult to choose just one however, the final battle between Wong-Fei Hung and another master using ladders as weapons (amongst many other things) is a definite highlight. Facing betrayal from allies and constant harassment from the local police Hung tries to be a man of piece but his “militia” keep getting into fights and bringing the law after them.Īs with so many of these movies every Western character is pretty much the Devil himself and all rather one note villains but the main selling point is of course the martial arts and when Jet li was young there were few who could compete. Wong-Fei Hug sees that the future of martial arts is in danger as guns are becoming the weapon of choice for the military and criminals. Several actors have played Wong-Fei Hung over the years but Jet Li has very much made the character his own and in this first movie he portrays him as a man struggling to see a future in the modern world as his family/friends have been to America and are boasting about the new technologies from the West. Jet Li stars in one of his most iconic roles as Wong-Fei Hung the now legendary Chinese folk hero. Plot: In 19th century Canton, Wong Fei-hung battles ruthless imperialist forces determined to subjugate his country and enslave his people, leading to a climactic fight sequence still regarded as one of the best ever filmed. So let’s begin with the first movie… which makes sense. ![]() I recently picked up the Once Upon a Time in China Eureka Blu-ray box set and I admit that I had only ever seen the first movie previously so I figured it was about time I reviewed the series as we haven’t covered it before. I may not love the third entry in the Once Upon a Time in China series but for the first 2 movies alone and the added bonus of Once Upon a Time in China and America as well as an abundance of special features then Eureka’s Blu-ray collection is a must-have! ![]()
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