Fist of Fury (1972)



	Fist of Fury		Return to Review Archive - F
	\| review \| notes \| availability \|		You talkin' to me? Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury.
	AKA:	The Chinese Connection (U.S. Title)
	Year:	1972
	Director:	Lo Wei
	Producer:	Raymond Chow
	Action:	Bruce Lee, Han Ying-Chieh
	Cast:	Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, James Tien Chun, Tony Liu, Lo Wei, Wei Ping-Ao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Biao, Jackie Chan, Mars
	The Skinny:	It's a Bruce Lee movie - 'nuff said.
	Review by Sanjuro:	Though The Big Boss was a huge success for Bruce Lee in 1971, it was the 1972 follow-up Fist of Fury that truly catapulted him to the level of superstar - and with good reason. This Lo Wei-directed flick may seem like just another "You killed my master!" revenge yarn, but Bruce Lee's charismatic performance puts Fist of Fury at the very top of the heap. In his only period film, Lee plays Chen Zhen, a young student from the Jing Wu school who returns home to find his venerable sifu dead - most likely the victim of the treacherous rival Japanese academy. Employing a variety of disguises, Chen Zhen eventually uncovers the culprits and takes his revenge on them one by one. After infiltrating the enemy's dojo, Chen Zhen beats the holy hell out of every single one of his adversaries before going out in a proverbial blaze of glory. Though the pro-Chinese fervor of the film is inspiring (especially if you're Chinese or at least a non-Japanese Asian), the stereotypical demonized portrayal of the Japanese is somewhat disheartening. Whether the criticism is warranted or not, the film is imbued with a strong anti-Japanese sentiment. To its credit, the Jet Li update called Fist of Legend complicates the knee-jerk "all Japanese are bad" rhetoric of Fist of Fury by having his Chen Zhen fall in love with a Japanese girl. However, even with its skewed prejudicial leanings, Fist of Fury is still very fun to watch. Though Lee's "empty hands" routine at the end of the movie is perhaps the most famous scene, this reviewer feels that Bruce Lee's meltdown at a public park is a thing of pure beauty - and a much more powerful scene. Provoked by discrimination and a sign that reads "No Dogs or Chinese Allowed," Lee systematically dispenses a bunch of Japanese thugs (Yuen Wah among them) with brutal efficiency just before he kicks the sign into pieces. It was a scene that struck to the heart of the Chinese audiences, and brought cinemagoers throughout Asia to their feet. So, if you're itching to see the raw, unrestrained cinematic prowess of a true master, look no further than Fist of Fury. (Sanjuro 2002).
	Notes:	• Once the highest-grossing HK film of all time Fist of Fury was so successful throughout Asia that some countries cut its theatrical run short to give local films a chance. • Not only does Jackie Chan double for Mr. Suzuki late in the film, but he even makes an appearance at the Jing Wu school as a student. Right before the Japanese attack, you can see him sparring with a young woman in blue.
	Availability:	DVD (Hong Kong) Region 0 NTSC Megastar Cantonese, Mandarin, English English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Bahasa, Thai, Vietnamese, and Spanish subtitles Dolby Digital 5.1s Audio Commentaries by Donnie Yen and Bey Logan Trailers Game Of Death Outtakes
		DVD (United States) Region 1 NTSC 20th Century Fox Widescreen English Dubbed Dolby Digital 2.0 Removable English Subtitles Trailer

		image courtesy of Mega Star Video Distribution, Ltd.
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