News — Jet Li

Mulan (花木蘭) (2020) - USA Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia) Help us continue to cover more Asian and Martial Art films by making a donation to Neo Film Blog below. Putting politics aside, the latest live action Disney’s “Mulan” is a good film. From the beautiful cinematography to the epic scenery and traditional virtues, the film succeeds in dealing with bigger issues of Asian representation, #metoo movements and simply a film that resonance and connects with the audience. There are many good things about this adaptation while not staying entirely true to the Disney classic. We get an all star...

Romeo Must Die (2000) - USA As part of the ongoing Film Critics Series - “Analysing Jet Li in Hollywood”  Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia) Help us continue to cover more Asian and Martial Art films by making a donation to Neo Film Blog below. In many ways, Jet Li’s first English Language leading role in “Romeo Must Die” remains a breakthrough for Hollywood in its depiction of combo of Asian and Black representation and interracial relationships ended up being a good thing for Hollywood. Putting this aside, “Romeo Must Die” fails in many departments as first time director...

Swordsman 2 笑傲江湖之東方不敗 (1992) – Hong Kong    Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia) Help us continue to cover more Asian and Martial Art films by making a donation to Neo Film Blog below. With the famed cast and crew comprising of Jet Li, Brigette Lin, Rosamund Kwan and Michelle Reis with Tsui Hark and Ching Siu Tung as producer and director respectively. They were all at their height of their cinematic powers. “Swordsman 2” is the 2nd film of the highly underrated trilogy where only this one gets most of the credit. The film is extremely entertaining, processes a...

Fong Sai Yuk 方世玉 (1993) - Hong Kong As part of the ongoing Film Critics - Martial Arts series - “Discovering the world of Martial Arts cinema” Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia) Help us continue to cover more Asian and Martial Art films by making a donation to Neo Film Blog below. Made at the height of Jet Li’s rise to fame after the “Once Upon a Time in China” series. Li wisely teams up with action director Corey Yuen for this Hong Kong martial arts classic. A much lighter version of folk hero than Wong Fei Hung, “Fong...

Black Mask (1996) - Hong Kong  (Original Cut)     Reviewed by Andrew Chan (FCCA)   One of Jet Li’s final Hong Kong film before heading for Lethal Weapon stardom plays like a Hollywood popcorn action comic book hero blockbuster. Always a pleasure to witness Li don similar black mask as the legendary Bruce Lee’s Kato. For Li fans, the film action sequences and storyline is probably subpar to his stellar 90s effort that includes Once Upon a Time in China series, Fong Sai Yuk and Fist of Legend, only to name a few classics. However, the original non-English dubbed...