Fearless

Having failed to truly break into Hollywood like Jackie Chan, martial arts superstar Jet Li returns to China for an action-packed turn-of-the-century historical drama about a man searching for his identity and peace of mind.

Fearless recounts the true story of legendary fighter Huo Yuanjia, who established the Jingwu Sports Federation in 1910 and united the people at a time of massive political and social upheaval when anti-western sentiment coursed through China's veins.

Director Ronny Yu plays to his leading man's strengths, orchestrating a series of dazzling fight sequences, choreographed by Yuen Wo Wing, who has brought his genius to bear on King Fu Hustle, The Matrix trilogy and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

For visceral thrills and bone-crunching action, Fearless does not disappoint, including a pivotal showdown involving Yuanjia and four challengers who are masters of different weapons and fighting styles. But occasionally, the film tries too hard to create the most outrageous fighting displays.

A spectacular bout on raised wooden platforms is marred by an excessive use of wires, which seem jarringly out of place next to the astonishingly fluid gymnastics of Li and his co-stars.

From an early age, Huo Yuanjia (Li) yearns to follow in the footsteps of his father (Chou), an expert fighter killed during a public duel. So he trains diligently, honing his martial arts skills in the ring against various opponents.

When Yuanjia's loved ones are slain in revenge for the killing of a rival master, Yuanjia flees Tianjin for the provinces and learns to appreciate life's simple pleasures.

While Fearless has physical prowess in abundance, it is somewhat lacking in soul.

Li has never been the most expressive of performers and when he's not defying gravity, the actor fails to convey the emotions that drive him to seek redemption and revenge.