New Legend of Shaolin, The (1994)

Hung Hei-kwan, a hero trained at Shaolin and his young son survive an attack on their home and hit the road. Together they encounter a pair of female con artists and combat a monstrous villain.

The New Legend of Shaolin is one of four collaborations between prolific filmmaker Wong Jing and martial arts star Jet Li. The title implies a fresh take on the well-tread exploits of Shaolin and its heroes, but Wong Jing’s smorgasbord approach rehashes, dilutes, and mocks the topic without really offering anything “new.” Memorable performances from an astonishingly young Tze Miu (My Father is a Hero), the deliciously villainous Gai Chun-wa, and of course Jet Li, along with Corey Yuen’s world-class choreography make it worth a viewing anyway.

A number of famous heroes emerged from the destruction of Shaolin during the Qing Dynasty in China and Hung Hei-kwan was one of them. Fong Sai-yuk was another and Jet Li steps out of that role after two films to play the former hero in this one. Considered a rebel to the Qing, Hei-kwan’s clan is wiped out and only his son survives. Together they form a fighting duo with obvious references to the Lone Wolf and Cub manga, right down to the baby cart and Tze Miu’s small tuft of hair on his head.

Jet Li looks more grim and determined than ever before as a dispassionate and unbeatable force of spear-wielding fury. The film is moving along fine following a fierce battle that establishes a former Shaolin pupil named Ma Ling-yee (Gai Chun-wa) as a traitor and the film’s lead villain. Then Wong Jing trips things up by tossing in comic and romantic elements with the introduction of his one-time love interest Chingmy Yau (Naked Killer) as a martially-inclined thief teamed with her mother as played by Deannie Yip. This pair, known as the “Notorious Mother and Daughter” becomes the unfortunate focal point for the story midway through as they attempt to steal from a wealthy citizen who has hired Li as his bodyguard. Then Lee-yee reemerges as a near indestructible “poisonous man” with melting skin who rides in a metallic cart that looks like a motorcycle sidecar. He finishes the job of destroying Shaolin and begins a hunt for several pubescent Shaolin pupils with maps tattooed on their backs that together reveal a hidden Ming Dynasty treasure meant to fund a rebellion. Of course these children get mixed up in the affairs of our other heroes.

The rest of the story has Hei-kwan and his friends battling Lee-yee and Qing forces while receiving aid from an eccentric monk hiding out as a wax statue craftsman and Damian Lau as the leader of the rebel Youth Society of Heaven and Earth Association.

If not for Corey Yuen’s incredible talents, this would be an altogether forgettable film. Predictably, Wong Jing nearly ruins the whole thing by failing to stick to a single theme. The story unevenly rises and falls between grim scenes of death and despair to off-color jokes covering farts, chicken asses, and aphrodisiacs. There is no subtlety, no attempts at humor that actually makes you laugh, and no purpose. Welcome to Wong Jing’s world of sellout mediocrity.

What is left of The New Legend of Shaolin is surprisingly entertaining and makes the director’s missteps bearable. The action doesn’t feature the best kung fu stylings, but wife-fu fans will get a kick out of the dynamic flourishes. Jet Li wields a spear with a point that extends, twirls, and flies off. Techniques like the “Wonder Screw” are as fun to watch as they sound. Watch for the giant, flying steel balls that break into serrated shields wielded by Qing troops hidden inside. Li’s own athleticism is often masked by the wild editing and dark lighting, but not so for Tze Miu. This is his first starring role and he looks to be about ten years of age. He obviously has trained from a very early age and performs better than most of his elder co-stars. Lastly, a bald Gai Chun-wa in grotesque make-up proves again to be one of the best martial arts actors to play villains in the New Wave era. He drips power, aggression, and malice with every movement.

This is certainly not the best Jet Li film from his Hong Kong tenure and will be difficult to follow for novice genre viewers. But with plenty of out-of-control action and ultra-dynamic camerawork, The New Legend of Shaolin won’t be putting anyone to sleep.