Our take
After years of depicting the sport in film, Jet Li wanted one last shot to cap off his long career in wushu. Fearless is that last attempt. Commemorating real life martial artist Huo Yuanjia, this biopic had everything his fans would expect. The action, of course, was excellent. Each fight sequence has the signature sleek choreography that Li popularized. But what makes Fearless work is how it mirrors the classic hero’s journey with the fate of Huo’s country. Before seeing Huo’s victories, we witness his defeats, his struggles, and his return to the simple country life that gave him the foundation to rise again. While it doesn’t rise to the heights of Li’s other historical epics, Fearless is a worthy swan song to Li’s wushu depictions.
The story
After going through a series of tragic events in his life, martial arts master Huo Yuanjia returns to Tianjin and must fight four international soldiers, in order to safeguard his nation's pride.
Elsewhere
"Fearless is a rather conventional costume biopicbiopic that still manages to pack a satisfying emotional punch by its final reel."
— Derek Elley
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
