Fist of Legend (1994)
Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Gordon Chan from a screenplay by Chan, Lam Kee-to and Kim Yip. It features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping and was produced by Jet Li, who also stars in the lead role of Chen Zhen. It is a remake of the 1972 martial arts film Fist of Fury starring Bruce Lee. Set in the Shanghai International Settlement in 1914, Fist of Legend follows Chen as he investigates his old master Huo Yuanjia’s death at the hands of the Imperial Japanese occupation forces. The film co-stars Chin Siu-ho, Yasuaki Kurata, Shinobu Nakayama, Billy Chow and Paul Chun. It was released by Golden Harvest on 22 December 1994.
Plot:
In 1914, Chen Zhen is a Chinese martial artist from Shanghai, who attends Kyoto University. Thugs from the ultranationalist Black Dragon Clan burst in and attempt to force him out because he is Chinese. Mitsuko, one of Chen’s classmates who is in a romantic relationship with him, along with Chen’s professor and classmates, defend his presence. The thugs turn violent but Chen easily defeats them using a variety of controlled Qin Na techniques. The Japanese thugs’ sensei, Fumio Funakoshi, who is also Mitsuko’s uncle, arrives to take control of the situation and apologizes for his students’ behavior.
Funakoshi is impressed by Chen’s skill and converses with him, and Chen learns that his master, Huo Yuanjia, has died after losing in a match against a Japanese karateka named Akutagawa. Chen is distraught after hearing the bad news and he leaves Kyoto for Shanghai immediately.
Chen returns to Jingwu School and learns that his master’s son, Ting’en, has become the new master. The next day, Chen goes to the Japanese dojo to challenge Akutagawa, who honorably accepts.
