Fong Sai Yuk
![cover](../pics15/legend.jpg)
AKA: The Legend, The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk
Year of release: 1993
Genre: martial arts
Director: Corey Yuen
Action directors: Corey Yuen, Yuen Tak
Producers: Jet Li, Wong Jing
Writers: Jeff Lau, Tsai Kong-Yung, Jeff Lau
Editor: Peter Cheung
Cinematography: Jingle Ma
Music: Romeo Diaz, Mark Lui, James Wong
Stars: Jet Li, Josephine Siao, Zhao Wen-Zhuo, Michelle Reis, Paul Chu Kong, Sibelle Hu, Chan Chung-Yung, Adam Cheng, Peter Chan
Rated IIB for violence
Movie review index
Main page
|
![The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk](../pics15/legend3.jpg)
![The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk](../pics15/legend5.jpg)
After disputes over money with Once Upon a Time in China producer/director Tsui Hark, Jet Li set forth to complete another take on a Chinese folk hero. With mega-producer Wong Jing supplying some of the funds and Corey Yuen at the helm, Li began work on this film, which is a loose take on the life of Fong Sai Yuk.
Like OUATIC's Wong Fei-Hung, Fong was a reluctant hero forced into action by circumstances around him. However, unlike OUATIC, this movie doesn't really have any broad statements about life or any political symbolism. Like many of the wave of similar movies that came out during this period, it concentrates on action, comedy, and romance.
And that's this film's main problem. Everything in it is done well; it's just that there's really nothing new here. There is one standout scene where Jet takes on Sibelle Hu while having to stay off the ground, which has the duo using people's heads as pedestals. But even this kind of gave me a feeling of deja vu as they also fight on a big wooden tower -- a gag which other movies have used as well.
At any rate, Fong Sai Yuk is worth a look, especially if you're a Jet Li fan. Just don't expect anything earth-shattering or on the level of Jet Li's better movies, most notably Once Upon a Time in China.
RATING: 7
|
Blu-Ray Information
Dragon Dynasty's new Blu-Ray release has the same thin set of extras from the DVD version, which consists of a Bey Logan commentary and an interview with Jeff Lau. The movie is presented in 1.78:1 1080p, with Dolby 5.1 soundtracks in English and Cantonese, looks and sounds fine enough, but it really isn't a big enough improvement to warrant a purchase if you already own the DVD, especially considering that the movie is cut by about five minutes from the original Hong Kong print.
The Blu-Ray and DVD are available at Amazon.
|
|
|