Jet Li's Fearless

I should probably start off by saying I'm a big fan of the Kung Fu/Samurai film genre. I'm not well-versed in the genres, but I've been trying to watch some of the classics. I think martial arts for many in the US is all about taking a name and kicking an ass. Seriously. I see kids all the time kicking and punching and screaming like a character from Mortal Kombat. I have to admit that I too was one of those kids, however, I was impersonating the Karate Kid. I'm also not an expert on Asian culture or their martial arts forms, but I do know that the philosophy behind it is not about beating somebody up, but more about bettering oneself in mind, body and spirit. So the better fighter will actually defend himself instead of taking the opportunity to severely injure their opponent. I'm sure this blows some minds out there, but please keep reading. Bruce Lee - one of the premiere martial artists to bring kung fu to America was constantly denied adding philosophy to his movies. All people really wanted to see was his famous one-inch-punch and those numchucks hitting somebody in the head. I have to admit I really enjoyed seeing people fly off screen after making the mistake of making contact with Bruce's limbs of fury, but now that I'm a little older I appreciate some of the other aspects. In Jet Li's Fearless, Jet Li does just that. He brings the true philosophy into his last martial arts film. Some other good films I would suggest in this genre are Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Kung Fu Hustle and Unleashed. I can't deny that there aren't awesome and amazing fight scenes in this movie, but they aren't the main focus or theme throughout. This movie is really about redemption. You have a man who becomes famous and reckless in all aspects of his life. He thinks he is on top, but he really still has a lot to learn. Due to some misunderstandings, he makes the worst mistake of his life and loses everything. Years later though, he gets a second chance and is able to make a difference. If you can't tell already, I loved this film and highly suggest it to everyone. Other than violence, there really isn't any other objectionable material in the film to make someone want to avoid it. So please go out and rent this one and tell me what you think.