‘Actually Proper Up There’ With Bruce Lee Unique

Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury is such an iconic martial arts film that it is spawned a protracted checklist of unofficial sequels and remakes. Just like the overwhelming majority of unofficial martial arts film sequels that do not embrace their authentic star, most are usually deemed forgettable movies that pale compared to the unique. That is why Quentin Tarantino’s opinion of 1 sequel specifically is so placing.

Launched in 1971, Fist of Fury was the second of Bruce Lee’s 5 kung fu films. Directed by Lo Wei, Fist of Fury advised the story of Chen Zhen, a Chinese language martial arts skilled who returns dwelling to China for his grasp’s funeral and will get embroiled in a struggle with a Japanese karate dojo.

Chen Zhen’s heroic stand towards the Japanese and ensuing sacrifice on the finish of the movie made Fist of Fury an emblem of Chinese language delight, to not point out the most effective martial arts films of the Nineteen Seventies. That naturally set a excessive bar for any future adaptation, and surprisingly, one which Quentin Tarantino believes was met simply six years later.

Quentin Tarantino Says Fist Of Fury Half II Is “Actually Proper Up There” With Fist Of Fury

After Fist of Fury, a number of filmmakers tried to capitalize on its recognition, making films like New Fist of Fury with Jackie Chan in 1976. Only a yr later, director Lee Tso-nam pumped out one other unofficial sequel, Fist of Fury Half II, which starred Bruceploitation actor Bruce Li as a brand new fighter who takes up Chen Zhen’s battle towards the Japanese after the insurgent’s loss of life.

Due largely to being a low-budget knock-off of a Bruce Lee traditional, the film at the moment holds a 42% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is not inaccurate to the way it’s usually perceived compared to the unique. Nevertheless, Quentin Tarantino has sung a wholly completely different tune, describing it as a “terrific” movie.

When showing as a visitor on the Pure Cinema Podcast to debate his ideas on old-school kung fu films, the topic of Fist of Fury Half II was broached, with Tarantino going so far as to argue that it is “actually proper up there” with Bruce Lee’s film.

Fist Of Fury Could Not Be As Good As The Unique, However It Is An Underrated Martial Arts Film

The director was effusive in his reward of Fist of Fury Half II; Lo Lieh, whom Tarantino has referred to as “the best actor” within the martial arts style, delivered – in his phrases – a “magnificent” efficiency because the movie’s villain. Tarantino had even kinder phrases for the star, saying that Bruce Li was “wonderful” in Fist of Fury Half II and a fair higher actor than Bruce Lee himself.

Tarantino elaborated on why he holds Fist of Fury Half II in such excessive regard by explaining that it consists of a few of his favourite dialogue ever to seem in a martial arts movie. As he factors out, it consists of some innocuous interactions between the hero and the villain on the finish, with the previous innocently complimenting the antagonist’s calligraphy earlier than their inevitable showdown.

These types of mundane, character-building moments are uncommon for kung fu films, that are usually extra stereotypical of their portrayals of their heroes and their villains. Fist of Fury Half II, alternatively, makes Lo Lieh and Bruce Li’s characters really feel extra like precise folks, versus kung fu film archetypes.

One other Fist Of Fury Film Got here Even Nearer To Surpassing The Unique

It is true that Fist of Fury Half II being pretty much as good as Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury is not precisely a preferred opinion, however the concept of the Bruce Lee traditional being equaled (and even surpassed) by one other model of the story isn’t. Relatively, it was a remake of Fist of Legend that is come the closest to that degree of crucial acclaim.

In 1994, Chen Zhen’s story in Fist of Fury was retold within the type of Fist of Legend, which famously changed Bruce Lee with Jet Li. Regardless of revisiting a film with a number of the most iconic battle scenes ever put to display (to not point out having one other actor change somebody as beloved as Bruce Lee), Fist of Legend was a bonafide hit with critics and audiences alike.

It is 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes talking for itself, Fist of Legend is now remembered as one of many best martial arts films of the Nineties, in addition to one among Jet Li’s greatest movies, due to a well-developed solid of characters and a few intense, amazingly choreographed battle sequences.

A part of the rationale that Fist of Legend was capable of succeed the place most remakes and sequels have failed has to do with the very fact is that whereas Fist of Legend is a remake of Fist of Fury, the film does its personal tackle the story and lets Jet Li provide a brand new interpretation of Chen Zhen, versus making him right into a Bruce Lee clone.

Due to this, Fist of Legend would not endure from the identical stigma that surrounds the films of the Bruceploitation period, reminiscent of New Fist of Fury and Fist of Fury Half II. However whereas which will have saved the second Fist of Fury sequel from being a mainstream success, it has developed a cult following – as evidenced by Tarantino’s excessive reward of the story.