28-04-2005, 02:01
Picking the best Jet Li film is almost a parlor game unto itself. You could make a strong argument for Tsui Hark's epic "Once Upon a Time in China" (1991) or my personal favorite, the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink smackdown "The New Legend of Shaolin" (1994). Yet only one movie has given this world-class martial artist a proper showcase: "Fist of Legend." Any doubts that Li was up to the task of playing the iconic Chinese hero Chen Zhen are assuaged during the film's first fight scene against a rival dojo, when Li turns into a whirling dervish of furious fists and feet. By the time you get to the final mano-a-mano between Li and a hulking opponent, you know you've seen a true legend. Forget Li's later roles as an accessory to hip-hop artists in second-rate thrillers; this is the one that confirms he's one of the greats.
There's no stoppin' what can't be stopped, no killin' what can't be killed. You can't see the eyes of the demon, until him come callin'...