Speaking of Hong Kong martial arts movies, it is definitely an inseparable part of memory, from Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, to Donnie Yen, Wu Jing, Zhang Jin, there are local Hong Kong action stars, and Hong Kong drift stars who went to Hong Kong from the mainland. All can speak.
And what we are going to talk about today is the early film of Hong Kong drift star Jet Li - the young Zhang Sanfeng.
In the 1990s, Hong Kong films entered a golden age, and action films were in full bloom. Jet Li also gradually mastered the right to speak in a series of blockbuster martial arts films such as Huang Feihong and Dongfang Invincible.
After filming Huang Feihong's The Lion King's Contest for Hegemony, Jet Li started to set up his own film and television company "Zhengdong" because of his discord with the previous Jiahe and the incident of his agent that no one knew about at that time, while the young Zhang Sanfeng was in Zhengdong. After Dong founding the first film Fang Shiyu was a big hit, it was followed by Yuan Heping, who is known as the first Chinese martial arts instructor.
Yuan Heping, known as Yuan Ba Ye, almost all of the early Hong Kong martial arts films we saw were his martial arts instructors, such as the early Drunken Fist, Qimen Dunjia, Huang Feihong series, as well as Hei Xia, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kung Fu, etc. All from the hands of Yuan Wuzhi.
The young Zhang Sanfeng is also another collaboration between Jet Li and Yuan Heping. The film tells the story of Junbao and Tianbao, a pair of young monks in Shaolin Temple with completely opposite personalities.
In the film, Junbao is kind and calm by nature, while Tianbao is eager to win and impetuous. When Master Jueyuan sent the two down the mountain to leave the temple, the instructions to Tianbao also laid the groundwork for the development of the subsequent plot.
After the two little monks who had no experience in the world went down the mountain, all the rules and precepts were forgotten, and they were greeted by this great world, and Tianbao was even more yearning for the flowery world.
The unspoken rules of being excluded from the monastery since he was a child, and then being treated unfairly for entering the Bodhidharma, all make Tianbao want to change his destiny through his own efforts.
The two saw the officers and soldiers oppressing the common people, and all the money they earned was collected by taxation. They abandoned the scum for wealth and honor. They stayed in the Buddha's Xiaolou and were bullied by tax collectors. They earned money by hard work and were confiscated by officials." This sentence was engraved in Tianbao's heart, Tianbao was moved, and finally parted ways with Junbao.
"When I become a high official, I will come back to you." I think Tian Bao was sincere when he said this.
Junbao and Tianbao are a pair of contradictory entities from beginning to end. Junbao is kind-hearted, and Tianbao has a violent personality. He only wants to pursue prosperity and wealth. He can betray his brothers, friends, and even kill the girl he likes with his own hands.
Looking at this film again, it is a different state of mind. At least now, I don't think Tianbao is a heinous villain. There is nothing wrong with pursuing a better life, but there must be a bottom line of his own.
I am deeply impressed by Tianbao's saying: "My life is up to me." This seems to be the esteem of the Legalists, who regard success as the only goal.
Junbao, on the other hand, pays more attention to life and will not distort himself for power. He seems relatively weak, but he can use wisdom and understanding to gain four or two thousand pounds of power, which is more like Taoism.
In the movie, Jun Bao killed Tian Bao in the end. As for the director's original intention, we are undecided.
Tian Bao in this film is played by Qian Xiaohao. His performance completely subverts the mischievous little apprentice in the early zombie films, which is amazing and impressive.
Qian Xiaohao also has many years of martial arts skills, and the fight scene with Jet Li can't help but make people addicted.
At the beginning of the movie, the two fought from day to night, from the dining table to the bed, and at the end of the movie. In the life-and-death confrontation between the two, they were even more coherent and hearty. Although there were many shortcomings, they were still very satisfying.
One of the funny roles that I have to mention in this film, Taoist Ling - Teacher Yuan Xiangren, when I see many of his pictures, I can't help but think of the one in Zhou Xingchi's kung fu "Look at your exquisite bones, this Tathagata Palm will be sold to you at a cheaper price" that Beggars, and the action director of this film is also Yuan Heping. I don't know if it is in Yuan Director's mind that Mr. Yuan Xiangren is a master of the world.
The female characters in the film are also particularly stunning. The first female Michelle Yeoh and the second female Yuan Jieying, one has been filmed many times in action films, and the fame of the kung fu actress is not inferior to that of Jet Li, and the other debuted as a "girl group", and the screen image has always been lively and pretty. Let the film tell the brotherhood with a little more vague or ambiguous emotional scenes.
As the leading male lead in this film, Jun Bao, after experiencing betrayal and madness, he realized that he was enlightened and founded Tai Chi. Is it also a bit of Jet Li's shadow?
Jet Li studied martial arts in his early years and then moved to the film industry, bringing us a blockbuster action blockbuster of martial arts, which was regarded as "Kung Fu Emperor" by fans. After the tsunami incident, he founded the One Foundation, served as a goodwill ambassador, and began to believe in Buddhism.
And April 26th is Jet Li's birthday, let's wish this Kung Fu emperor a happy birthday.
View more about Tai Chi Master reviews
