The Film
Touted as international star Jet Li's last martial arts film ever, Fearless is given the royal treatment on home video with no less than three different cuts, selectable from an über-menu before all others. Li plays Huo Yuajia, a real-life hero who; after learning the hard way the true nature of "wushu," to fight with respect and honor; finds a peace and strength that inspires a fractured Chinese culture in the early 20th century.
The longest of the bunch here is the Director's Cut, with some significant differences in structuring: Whereas the other versions open with clips from the climactic contest, this cut instead begins with a present-day plea to make wushu an Olympic event, imparting an even grander feel to the epic story. Less than a minute distinguishes the Unrated version from the Theatrical, where the graphic nature of the violence has been softened slightly. The fight scenes are a cinematic vision to behold, the most impressive of which showcase the lightning-quick Jet Li himself without the benefit of either a stunt double or any special effects/"wire fu."
Check out Joe Lozito's take on Jet Li's Fearless.
The Picture
Not surprisingly, we encounter some inconsistencies as footage is edited back in. Dark or smoky areas of the 2.35:1 frame are unfortunately mushy, while other shots seem to make the most of all the period detail and sometimes-vibrant colors. Digitally enhanced scenes, long shots of cities or a village square, look believable for the most part. There are instances of mild to moderate video noise later in the film, particularly in hazy shots, and some minor ringing effects, a pity as the scenery is at times beautiful. Character close-ups are sharp enough, so at least the dramatic scenes work well.
As we've come to expect from recent Chinese martial arts epics, traditional music is mixed powerfully to help drive the action, with an emphasis on percussion. The crowd scenes offer ample cheering, which is big and full. Another staple of the genre is the exaggerated sound effects of combat, the whooshing and impact of fists, the little touches added to make it all feel bigger than life. There's an occasional spiffy edge to shouted voices or crossed swords to make us sit up and take notice, some bold thunder in the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, the moan of a dying ox and plenty of dragonflies flitting about, all expressed in creative fashion.
The Extras
The sole extra is accessible from the menus of all three versions: "A Fearless Journey," a 16-minute "making of" featurette in standard definition. We learn of the filmmakers' passion to make this movie, particularly that Jet Li, who felt that this representation of the true nature of the wushu could probably not be topped.
Final Thoughts
While perhaps dramatically heavy-handed by American standards, Fearless is nonetheless a sweeping historical biography and a thrilling action epic to boot. While lean on bonuses and somewhat lacking in video quality, the disc offers different ways to watch a highly enjoyable film. You're bound to find a favorite.
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