DVD Review: Ronny Yu’s ‘Fearless: Director’s Cut’ R3 DVD

Jet Li’s last wushu/martial arts film is a fine tribute to the underlying spirit of Chinese martial arts that Huo Yuanjia fought, and ultimately died for. And now, being able to see this stunning martial arts film in its fullest version, a version Director Ronny Yu never thought would get released, just adds to the richness of the story and further fleshes out one of Chinas great folk heroes. Not content with just adding more action sequences the extra footage also adds more dramatic moments where we witness Yuanjia nurture his pain and suffering from his losses and then emerge with his newfound philosophy about life and martial arts.

The narrative structure of the film is also reworked and scenes are moved around to create a film that flows better. Though, I will admit that I can understand why Michelle Yeoh’s scene was cut from theatrical versions of the film. It pains me to say it. I am madly in love with her but her scene really does nothing more than set up the story as a historical tale rather than a narration. Does that make sense? Her scene takes place in our current day and she is presenting a bid to make wushu an event at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The scene does little except explain the meaning of wushu and then painfully ends with, ‘The answer lies over one hundred years in the past… beginning with one man…’ thus setting up our story. Michelle, I love you, but your scene doesn’t jive with this turkey.

The rest of the additional scenes do more to develop the character of Yuanjia. Especially, I felt, during his stay in the rice farming village with Moon. There are more scenes that emphasize their growing relationship with each other and an additional scene concerning another tribe that begins to display Yuanjia’s sacrifice of self and his growing realization of his new nature and character. Yuanjia has to find peace in his life and here we witness the beginning of that growth.

There were of course questions if Jet could still bring it to the ring in his early 40s. The answer of course is yes. Hell yes. He and Yuen Woo-ping once again prove their formidability with fantastic set pieces that continue to raise the bar. While there wasn’t that moment of mind blowing creativity that makes you yell out, ‘Whaaaaat!?!’ by yourself in front of the screen the action in Fearless is still second to none. It may lack the ferocity and finality of their previous work in Fist of Legend but the sequences still thrill and entertain and only get better as the movie progresses. Over the 100 days of filming 60 were devoted to the action sequences. That is time well spent if you ask me.

This Director’s Cut of Fearless is a much needed upgrade for the Jet Li fan. There is enough action in it to please your bloodlust but there is also an impressive amount of time devoted to character development and equal time for Jet to display his also worthy acting skills. The man is a terrifying set of limbs powered by an enormous heart. And it is this heart that drives Fearless and what raises it above simplistic action movies of the day. And perhaps I am one of the few westerner viewers that despite Fearless’ nationalistic fervor, I was moved to tears at the end of film with Yuanjia’s passing and the swelling of pride in the Chinese people.

Up to this day I had only watched the western domestic release of Fearless. That will forever collect dust on wall of DVDs. The Director’s Cut demands multiple viewings to catch everything that wasn’t in the former mentioned release.

Highly Recommended. Buy it here at YesAsia

• Single disc
• High Definition Remastered
• 20 minutes Deleted Footage
• Journey of the film (making of)
• Photo Gallery
• Format: Anamorphic, Widescreen, Subtitled, Color
• Region: Region 3
• Studio: Edko Video (HK)
• Run Time: 141 minutes