As surprising as this may seem, Jet Li’s remake of a Bruce Lee classic was able to do more than match the original. In 1994, Jet Li starred in Fist of Legend, a Hong Kong kung fu film that revisited the story of Fist of Fury. Released in 1971, Fist of Fury was the second of five Bruce Lee movies. Although not as significant as Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury left its own mark on the martial arts genre.

An original story, Fist of Fury tells the story of Chen Zhen, a Chinese martial artist who returns home to find his master ᴅᴇᴀᴅ and his school being tormented by the region’s Japanese occupants. Fist of Fury sees Bruce Lee’s Chen Zhen take a heroic stand against his people’s oppressors, with the film being driven by a strong, patriotic theme. In Fist of Legend, Jet Li takes over the role of Chen Zhen from Bruce Lee, in a story that keeps the original premise of the film but also adds its own flavor to the narrative. Most impressively, it actually surpᴀsses Fist of Fury.

Fist Of Fury Is An Iconic Martial Arts Classic, But It’s Not Even Close To Being Bruce Lee’s Best Movie

Fist Of Fury Is Great, But It Has Its Weaknesses

54 years after its release, Fist of Fury remains a popular and memorable entry in the martial arts genre. However, it’s important to note that Fist of Fury is generally considered – at best – the third best of Bruce Lee’s four completed movies. That’s partially because Enter the Dragon is naturally regarded as the quintessential Bruce Lee movie, not to mention the greatest martial arts movie of all time. There’s also the matter of Way of the Dragon, which features the Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris battle, which is remembered as one of the greatest martial arts fights ever.

Fist of Fury, for its part, contains some standout action sequences, specifically the one where Chen Zhen uses the nunchucks to deliver a humiliating defeat to a group of thugs. Bruce Lee fighting with nunchucks in Fist of Fury is among the actor’s famous moments on the silver screen. That, combined with Lee’s other fight scenes in the film, are what make up most of Fist of Fury’s entertainment value. In addition to the nunchuck scenes, Fist of Fury’s iconic status is owed largely to the fact that it’s one of only a few Bruce Lee movies, not unlike the situation with The Big Boss.

Comparably speaking, Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon are much more complete movies. They’re also positive steps in Bruce Lee’s evolution as a martial arts star; his movies arguably got better and better with each outing, as The Big Boss was topped by Fist of Fury, and that continued from there. Just as Lee’s approach was developing, so was the genre as a whole, as kung fu movies were still fairly new at the time, considering that 1970’s The Chinese Boxer was the very first of its kind. Fist of Fury was a good-quality kung fu film and a fun viewing experience, but far away from being his best work.

Fist Of Legend Is Arguably Jet Li’s Greatest Movie

Fist Of Legend Is One Of The Best Martial Arts Movies Ever Made

Conversely, Fist of Legend frequently finds itself in conversations about Jet Li’s best movie, often in the company of films like Once Upon a Time in China and Fearless. All three are highly-touted martial arts classics with spectacular choreography, memorable protagonists, and interesting stories. In the case of Fist of Legend, a strong case can be made that not only is it Jet Li at his best, but that it’s also one of the best martial arts movies of the 1990s.

Its 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes – compared to Fist of Fury’s less-than-ideal 65% – speaks volumes about its reputation. As a martial arts film, Fist of Legend is the complete package, offering plenty of beautifully choreographed fight scenes, complementing a powerful story about a martial artist’s efforts to save his dojo from their Japanese enemies. The fight scenes are sH๏τ in a way that perfectly showcases the depth of Jet Li’s talent in kung fu and wushu, utilizing long takes and incredibly fast movements to create surreal action on par with those seen in Fist of Fury.

What Fist Of Legend Does Better Than Fist Of Fury

Fist Of Legend Is Superior To Fist Of Fury

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Fist of Legend is how it compares to Fist of Fury. Before the film’s release, it was difficult to imagine any martial arts film remaking a Bruce Lee movie and living up to the expectations that come with that task. But Fist of Legend shockingly does that and more. It succeeds in improving on what Fist of Fury had to offer. It takes the underlying premise of the story, and builds onto it, creating a more nuanced and believable cast of characters for Jet Li’s Chen Zhen to interact with. Fist of Fury’s characters are one-dimensional in comparison – and that extends to Chen Zhen himself.

In Fist of Fury, there’s very little that distinguishes the talented and confident Chen Zhen from the rest of Bruce Lee’s characters, with his only noteworthy quality being his pride in his Chinese heritage. Fist of Legend, on the other hand, paints the hero as a much more complex hero, someone who isn’t just trying to beat the foreigners in his homeland and prove Chinese superiority, but dives deep into the character’s internal struggle as he looks for a way to help his school survive against the threats of the Japanese.

It’s also worth noting that Fist of Legend is more accurate to both the setting and the style of martial arts in the film. Bruce Lee fights with his own signature kung fu style in Fist of Fury, whereas Fist of Legend makes an effort to depict the fighting style taught by Hua Yuanjia, the real-life martial artist who ran the kung fu school at the center of the story. In this respect, Fist of Legend’s action is more authentic.

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