In all his films, the weak overcome the strong, the soft overcome the strong, and the righteous heart will always overcome the evil thoughts, which has become the main tone of almost all his films. Although all kinds of tricks, techniques, and fighting scenes are constantly being introduced and changed by the martial arts instructors on the set, in Jet Li's films, Chinese martial arts will always have the color of mysterious power, even some unknowable. symbolic meaning. This kind of meaning is far more real and more ingenious than the exaggerated and excessive martial arts power.
Jet Li's early films are all like a kind of growth. From the image of a little monk, to the growth of each year, the characters gradually mature and steady, and they begin to pursue another image of martial arts. These topics can be seen in some of his interviews. Of course, rumors about some Buddhism and even monkhood added to his mystery.
"What is high? What is low? High below is low, low below is high."
This is what he said in an interview with "Huo Yuanjia". This kind of deep and shallow discourse, like his role, gradually becomes less sharp and less angular. The portrayal of characters has gradually become multi-faceted, and it is no longer a simple personality conflict.
"Huo Yuanjia" is exactly that.
The subject matter of this character has been performed many times in the early stage, and I had watched the series when I was a child. At that time, I was really bewildered by the dazzling Huo family's lost track for a while. At that time, Huo Yuanjia was interpreted as a symbol. Even for entertainment, some exaggerated elements were added out of thin air. And this "Huo Yuanjia" is not so much seen as a kung fu film, but as a biography of a character.
At that time in Jinmen, fighting became a common practice, and martial arts practitioners often used this to make their name and recruit disciples. Whether it was a name or a fortune, a martial artist did not have too much awareness, but it was just a tailwind. Although Huo Yuanjia has a family heritage, his father also made a living by opening a martial arts hall and teaching apprentices, and he maintained a heart of tolerance. Even so, he still showed his skills in the ring. In this environment, Huo Yuanjia naturally became aggressive and ruthless, and took pleasure in defeating his opponents. The scars on his face when he was beaten by his opponents when he was a teenager prompted him to practice martial arts ruthlessly and vowed never to fail. When he grew up, he won many times in the ring, which added to his pampering heart. Every time he wins, he holds a big celebration feast in the restaurant, drinking in big bowls, surrounded by people who admire him, and more and more people worship the teacher. But this only added confidence to his desire to be the number one in Tianjin. Even though his mother had given admonitions at the highest level of martial arts, he had no intention of reflecting at all.
Huo Yuanjia is portrayed like this in the film, which is the true face of a martial artist. For a person who grows up in such an environment, there will be no higher consciousness. It was not until a sudden change happened that Huo Yuanjia would break away from his original environment.
Careless acceptance of apprentices, and even more aggressive and ruthless hearts, these are one of the reasons why he suffered the tragic changes in his family. When he easily listened to the one-sided words of his disciple, he then triggered a long-standing desire to win with another master. The game of life and death in the restaurant, although he was lucky in the end, his opponent died not long after. When the opponent's apprentice killed his mother and young daughter for revenge, he woke up to the consequences of the battle. This consequence is not so much that he bears it himself, it is better to say that all its evil consequences are imposed on his relatives.
Huo Yuanjia walked at night with a knife and went to the enemy's house. He wanted to take revenge, but when he saw the dead body of the person who was killed by him parked in the enemy's house, he also had a mother and a young daughter in the enemy's house. Like this. Eventually, he dropped the knife and stumbled away.
In the setting sun, a river appeared in front of the mountain. Huo Yuanjia threw himself into the water. In the water curtain, he seemed to see his mother and daughter who died because of him. Perhaps, this is the only way to reunite with his relatives. .
In the first half of the film, the life of a martial artist is deduced. In that era, most of the martial arts practitioners who became famous all at once ended up like this. Either he was killed, or he forged a grudge, and he was avenged by the enemy day and night.
Of course, Jet Li's interpretation of Huo Yuanjia has another meaning. Although from an entertainment point of view, this interpretation goes far beyond people's legendary image of Huo Yuanjia. Such a realistic interpretation is more suitable for the customs of that era, and it is also the fate of the martial artist of that era.
In this film, it can be seen that Jet Li has embarked on a path of pursuing human nature and the inner changes of the characters when he portrays the characters, which is very different from his previous films. Martial arts moves have even reached an unimportant level. The Huo Yuanjia in front of people is a living person, a young man from a family of martial artists. people.
This change seems to indicate that Jet Li's understanding of martial arts tends to be more in the inner world of people. Of course, interpreting it in this way is a new attempt for Jet Li's film career, and this attempt will inevitably bring some blunt marks. This is more obvious in the second half of "Huo Yuanjia".
After being rescued, Huo Yuanjia lived in an unknown small mountain village for a long time. This quiet life is undoubtedly a kind of purification for the past. It not only purifies his character of being a man by martial arts, but also calms the pain of losing some relatives. Although he lived in a small mountain village, no one asked him about his origin, no one asked about his past, and he himself did not mention it at all. But it seems that deep in his heart he always regrets the loss of his loved ones.
When he reappeared in Jinmen, people had long forgotten him. He went home to pay homage to his relatives, and also went to the home of the martial artist who was killed by him. This revealed some signs of future events. It's like a pie of its own accord. As he said when he left that small mountain village, go home to see his relatives. Otherwise, how to understand the behavior of its leaving?
In this film's interpretation of Huo Yuanjia's participation in the ring competition again, the explanation was a bit rushed, even abrupt. Just a single advertisement can inspire him to revive his heart again? This is the film's biggest flaw. Just imagine that you have just returned from that peaceful mountain village, the grief of your loved ones has not yet completely subsided, how did you suddenly form the idea of fighting for the country?
Of course, this is not to deny the significance of Huo Yuanjia's actions, but to say that the movie was too hasty in depicting this story.
Of course, for a character to leave a name in history, there must be accidental and inevitable factors, and it can even be said to be a coincidence.
At the end of the film, Huo Yuanjia fought against four martial arts masters. Although this move promotes the prestige of our country, why should one fight against four? The film is very reluctant. It was just a prelude to a deal on the poker field, and Huo Yuanjia gladly faced it. But maybe it's true in history, and it's probably why. It's just that since it's a movie, it can be more interesting to interpret, or as a biography of a character, it can also study some more profound possibilities. This is definitely the flaw in this film.
When Huo Yuanjia finally fought against the Japanese samurai, he vomited blood due to poisoning, but he still insisted on fighting. Seeing this time, I felt a little bit of it in my heart. In addition to winning this battle and making a name for himself in the world, Huo Yuanjia may also have some of his life in exchange for the reunion of his relatives. After all, when he was young, he was a The only reason for the loss of a loved one's life. Perhaps, this is also a hint of what the film wants to show.
As an attempt to interpret the life of a character in a kung fu film, Jet Li's film is a rare work compared to his other films. Just like the ultimate understanding of martial arts, it is not to conquer others, but to conquer oneself.
Watching the whole drama, the first half can be called a new work, but the ending of the second half is too hasty, as if the research on Huo Yuanjia's life is too hasty, and it seems that the main scenes are all placed in the first half. Could it be that Jet Li's deep meaning lies in this? Although he has his own opinions on martial arts and unique ideas for the direction of kung fu films, but after all, he still has to pay the box office, so he has the pure figure of the blind girl in the small mountain village, and then he has to fight with one enemy and four in a hurry.
As for the attitude of the Japanese samurai who voluntarily admit defeat at the end of the film, it is a rare description, at least in other "Huo Yuanjia". The Japanese do not have a good person, not even one with their own beliefs. Perhaps this is also a special description of those who practice martial arts.
[A master is a master, not to beat others, but to beat himself...]
View more about Fearless reviews
