The good parts of this movie include using Shangahi in the 20's as the backdrop for the romance between sultry lounge singer Shu Qi and world weary veteran Donnie Yen at the Casablanca Club.
Targeted at the Chinese market however, the movie marches very quickly into mindless homages to Bruce Lee and the all consuming xenophobia & victimization themes we've become familiar with in modern Chinese movies.
The numerous racial epithets ("white skinned dogs", "f****g Japanese pigs) and Communist slogans about the Chinese people make for a tiresome soundtrack to the wire-fu and political conflict.
Jet Li's version of the story "Fist of Legend" is said to be far better.
Targeted at the Chinese market however, the movie marches very quickly into mindless homages to Bruce Lee and the all consuming xenophobia & victimization themes we've become familiar with in modern Chinese movies.
The numerous racial epithets ("white skinned dogs", "f****g Japanese pigs) and Communist slogans about the Chinese people make for a tiresome soundtrack to the wire-fu and political conflict.
Jet Li's version of the story "Fist of Legend" is said to be far better.