Quicktime, 3.7MB
Jet Li’s Fearless (aka Huo Yuan Jia) came out on DVD just before Christmas, and I picked up a copy at the rental store the other day because I’d seen some good reviews. It’s a well-worn tale of an ambitious man — a practicioner of wushu martial arts, in this case — brought low by hubris, who falls into despair after losing everything he cherishes, given the opportunity to redeem himself through selflessness and the kind actions of a blind person, set at the end of the nineteenth and very early twentieth centuries, a period when Japan, American, and European powers occupied and controlled portions of China.
If you’re expecting a beautifully-shot martial arts film with lush, colorful scenery, you get that, but Fearless is also quite nationalistic. The protagonist of the story, Huo Yuanjia, is a folk hero in China for reportedly challenging and defeating a series of foreign fighters, bringing honor to the occupied Chinese. His life and stories about his life are the inspiration for the movie.
One scene from Huo Yuanjia’s early story caught my eye, particularly. It’s almost as if the screenwriters had a certain someone not from China in mind when they wrote this movie a few years back. I think a lot of people in this country should see this scene over and over again. Huo Yuanjia doesn’t take his mother’s words to heart — which is why he fails and must redeem himself — but then, he just manages to get his own family killed.
Here’s a transcript for those of you who don’t want to download the clip:
YUANJIA’S MOTHER: My son, why are you angry?
HUO YUANJIA: Why won’t Father let me learn wushu?
MOTHER: You know your father loves you. You have bad athsma. You’re weak. Wushu is too strenuous.
YUANJIA: It makes you stronger, wushu training.
MOTHER: Your love for wushu is just to make you strong?
YUANJIA: No, I really want to make the Zhao Clan see that their wushu’s not as good as the Huo Clan.
MOTHER: My son, wushu is not just winning. The most important part is self-restraint and having discipline. Whatever happens, never forget to be the kind person you are. Wushu is to help you be strong so you can help others. It’s not for getting even or getting you into trouble. The way to have a good relationship with all people is to understand that, and give kindness to others and treat all with respect and honor.
YUANJIA: I’ll get honor if I’m great at Wushu.
MOTHER: People fearing you and giving you honor are not the same thing. Here, do your calligraphy. Otherwise your father will punish you again.