Jing wu ying xiong [Fist Of Legend] (1994)

(On VHS, May 2000) Given Jet Li’s newfound popularity in America (after Lethal Weapon 4 and Romeo Must Die), it was inevitable that some of his better efforts would find their way here. Fist Of Legend, released On VHS, is the second of them after the theatrically-released Black Mask. If marketers truly knew their stuff, they would have sent Fist Of Legend to the movie-houses and kept Black Mask for the Blockbusters. It’s that good. Martial-arts fans will have their money’s worth with Fist Of Legend, a historical film with plenty of balletic bone-crushing action. It takes a while to get going, the pacing is sufficient to keep us interested throughout, and builds to a pair of awesome fights (including one where both opponents are blindfolded) Fantastically directed, and wonderfully choreographed. A real treat for martial arts enthusiasts.