Jet Li’s final movie which
based on the life of Martial Artsmaster Huo Yuanjia
(1868-1910), this biopic
is set during the late 1800's to early 1900's, a
pivotal period in China's history, when the whole
country is shrouded under increasing internal turmoil
and the imminent threat of foreign invasion.
Huo Yuanjia (Jet Li)
begins the story as a cocky, young Martial Arts
practitioner with only one thing in his mind, to
become the best at his craft at all costs. His quest
eventually leads to a tragedy when he mistakenly
kills an opponent whose disciples consequently slaughter
Huo's whole family for revenge. A distraught and
heartbroken Huo flees to the countryside, determined
to abandon everything he ever wanted and believed
in. He then spends considerable time in a remote
mountain village anonymously, where he relearned
all the things that matter in life while taking
refuge with an old lady and her half blind granddaughter.
He returns to the city to make amends with his turbulent
past, and gets swept up in a violent, fight to the
death Martial Arts tournament to defend China's
honor against foreign aggressors.
