If you are a fan of Hong Kong martial arts films, you probably already know who Jet Li is. The iconic action star has plenty of great titles in his filmography but the work that shot him to continent-wide stardom was Once Upon a Time in China, and for good reason. His competitive background in wushu lent to fast yet fluid action sequences, and it’s all paired with intuitive cuts, intricate sets, flowy costume designs, and camera work that made him shine. But what made the action stand out is that it’s all in service of retelling a real life Cantonese folk hero’s story, infused with the understanding of the nineteenth-century foreign occupation of China and the then-upcoming concerns over globalization. It made for a thrilling action-comedy-melodrama that eventually garnered a reputation as a wuxia staple.
Synopsis
Set in late 19th century Canton, this martial arts film depicts the stance taken by the legendary martial arts hero Wong Fei-Hung against foreign forces' plundering of China.
Storyline
China, late 19th century. With the country’s ports occupied by foreign invaders and towns exploited by organized crime, Wong Fei-Hung is tasked by his commander to instruct the local militia in martial arts and protect his school from those who come to harm them.
TLDR
How did they do that ladder scene? Incredible!
What stands out
Jet Li, obviously. There’s plenty of sequences to choose from in this film, but the dragon dance scene starts off the film with a (literal) bang and effectively introduces the mistrust the characters held in the time.
