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Reviews
The Matrix (1999)
Derived, but fun.
Before I begin bagging the film, let me first say that I've seen it twice in the past two days. It is fun to watch. Period. Well worth seeing on the big screen, and well worth the price of admission.
Ok, with that out of the way, every aspect of this film is completely derived.
The plot is a piecemeal of just about every scifi flick made this decade. The set design is straight out of the Alien 101 textbook, chapter 1. The dry, ambiguous dialogue smells like Stan Lee on valium writing the screenplay for The Crow VII. And the acting? The acting is just plain bad. Believe it or not, Lawrence Fishburn is even worse than Keanu Reeves.
But Carrie-Anne Moss sure does look good in leather.
The action is what makes the movie fun, and ultimately worth seeing. It is visually gripping, sonically riveting and maintains a pitch and stylistic swagger not found in many American action films. Well choreographed, well placed, well shot and also completely recycled.
Every action scene containing guns you've seen in a John Woo movie. An example: A man in black, wearing very cool sunglasses, silently and stylishly enters a room full of baddies. Casually, he opens his trenchcoat, revealing an arsenal. Guns are strapped to every part of his body. Never speaking a word, he and his similarly cool partner stylishly clear the room of an army of armed guards. Slow motion close ups of bullet casings raining from semiautomatic weapons -- one in each hand. Acrobatic leaps through torrents of enemy bullets. Lots of noise, lots of ammunition. As the last baddie is dispatched, the duo casually throws their empty weapons to the ground and silently enter the elevator. Sound familiar?
What surprised me was that, while no Chow Yun Fat, Keanu pulls of these scenes well -- with style. Maybe it's because he's not talking.
And, again, Carrie-Anne Moss sure does look good in leather.
Every action scene not containing guns you've seen in any number of Jet Li flicks -- the climatic subway station battle is nearly move for move the fight between Chen Zhen and the Japanese General in Fist of Legend. So much so that after my first viewing, I waited through the credits to see who had choreographed the fight scenes. Sure enough, it was Yuen Wo Ping, who also choreographed Fist of Legend (and Drunken Master 2 and the Iron Monkey and Tai Chi Master and ...). While responsible for some of the best kung fu fight scenes ever filmed, old boy seemed to think American audiences wouldn't notice if he threw it on autopilot for this one.
Again, nothing new here, but the Matrix is a fun and exciting ride. I would recommend you see it on the big screen while you still can. I'll probably go see it at least once more, if only to see Carrie-Anne Moss in leather again. I mentioned that she looks good in it, right?
Jing wu ying xiong (1994)
Must see film for any Martial Arts movie fan.
Fist of Legend, IMHO, is the best Jet Li movie to date, and among the best martial arts movies ever made. A darker, more serious film than the bulk of Li's work, it shines in both story and action. Reminiscent of OOIC in tempo and, to a lesser degree, tone, Fist of Legend surpasses its better known predecessor in intensity and elegance.
Using minimal wires, the fight scenes are absolutely breathtaking. What they lack in wire-fu acrobatics and superhuman theatrics, they more than make up for in precision, creativity, believability and plotline relevance. Three of my all time favorite kung fu fight scenes are in this single movie. While still a well told story, there is more than enough kung fu for even the most die hard. We simply don't get to see Jet Li fight like this anymore.
Jet Li, as always, is phenomenal, and his opponents are both skilled and artfully characterized. His serious portrayal of Chen Zhen far surpasses his Jackie Chan-esque comedic roles, yet retains a vulnerability not found in Wong Fei Hung. While originated by Bruce Lee, Chen Zhen was a role made for Jet Li.
The plot (as I'm sure you know) is derived from the classic Fists of Fury, but the depth and characterization of this rendition far surpasses the original. The political and racial turmoil surrounding the characters is more capably written and tastefully portrayed, never subtracting from the action.
All in all, a top notch effort, and the best blend of storytelling and kung fu I've encountered.