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As a young boy, Huo (Jet Li) has long been fascinated with martial arts but his father, a skilled fighter himself, refused
to allow his son to follow his footsteps.
More determined to learn, he steals his father's manual and teaches himself how to fight. As an adult, Huo is a loving son and a doting father to his little girl. He also masters the techniques of martial arts and is able to build himself a reputation as one of the most powerful fighters. But soon his pride catches up with his fame and leads him to arrogance and ill temper. When his young apprentice is beat up by a master named Chin, he is filled with vengeful spite and fury. In their duel, he kills Chin without remorse. When he returns home, he realizes the cost of his revenge—the lives of the two people he loves most. He hibernates for a long time as he reflects on his loss and his transgressions. When he returns to the arena, he brings with him a renewed man with the right reasons for fighting.
The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed and seamlessly put together like a graceful dance on stage.
Camerawork is quite impressive with such fluid movements that heighten every drama and action on the scenes. Although the choice of music is not so outstanding, it still
achieves the desired effect of sustaining suspense, heightening the action and intensifying the drama unfolding. Production design brings out the character of the era
and the mood of the scenes. The storyline is not original and the script a little cliché but the performances of the actors are less cardboard-like compared to other
Asian martial arts films. Over-all, the film is entertaining and well-presented.
Violence begets violence. This has been a perennial issue, most especially with men because they tend to measure their manhood in
terms of their physical prowess and how they can defeat their opponents.
While fighting skills—martial arts, boxing, wrestling, and the like—are exciting, impressive and even noble (to the extent of the discipline and artistry they entail) it is wrong to equate these capabilities with selfish power or use them to dominate. Special skills or talents are given for a purpose: the betterment of society and the glory of God. When one starts to use his God-given talent solely for himself, then problems arise because one starts to become self-centered, selfish, proud, arrogant and greedy. The Oriental martial arts primarily foster discipline, restraint and oneness with self and nature. When one learns the skills, it is imperative that he embrace the way of life it espouses, that is to use that competence not to promote violence and brutality but restraint, discipline and reason—values which really make a male a man.
(Date Reviewed: 24 February 2006)
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