Il était une fois en Chine 4 : La Danse du dragon

Oct 21

Once upon a time in china 4 is the weakest of the first 5 movies for me, but is still preferred to Once upon a time in china and america, which is the 6th in the series.

No Jet Li this time, he is replaced by Vincent Zhao and we are also missing Rosamund Kwans character, but we are introduced to a new character in Jean Wang.

Although i have been a bit negative i still like this a lot and i always watch numbers 1 to 5 together.

7.5 out of 10.

Zhao Wen Zhou takes over Jet Li's role as Wong Fei Hung in the fourth installment of the epic series. His martial arts skills are quite impressive. The overall action in this film is pretty good and the movie itself is fast-paced. Unfortunately, this film is lacking in other areas. The characters are not well-defined and the relationships between the different characters doesn't seem to be there. The plot seems like a rehash of elements from OUATIC 2 and 3. The villains are very one-dimensional. A lot of the themes existent in the previous parts are nowhere to be found. In the end, this film is a good kung fu movie, but a lesser installment in this epic series.

Jet Li is a superstar with a status that is untouchable, and for most who have seen the previous OUATIC films Jet Li simply is Wong Fei Hong. Considering this, Vincent Zhao has a pretty large shoe to fill and he does an admirable job in this installment. Especially considering the following facts.

Zhao was only 20 when director Corey Yuen hand picked him from a sports university to play the villain opposite Jet Li in the "Fong Sai Yuk" movie in 1992, landing Zhao his first acting gig. At that time on the set next door Tsui Hark was filming OUATIC4 with a replacement actor from Singapore. However Tsui decided that it wasn't working out and asked to meet with the new actor who was now working with his ex-Wong Fei Hung. So, between filming Zhao met Tsui, who decided on the spot that he had found the new Wong Fei Hong.

However, Zhao was still halfway through shooting Fong Sai Yuk, and Tsui urgently need to begin re-shooting for his new film, so Zhao would start to shoot parts of both films at the same time. He would play a villain during the day and the hero at night. You can imagine the pressure for a first timer, having lead roles in two major movies with big names attached!

If one needs proof that Zhao's martial arts is up to par, one only has to see the amazing opening sequence in this film to be convinced that Jet Li's successor is the real deal. His style differs from Li's but Zhao is no less fun to watch.

One thing is for sure: Zhao hardly uses any stunt doubles here while if you look closely, in a lot of the scenes in the previous OUATICs, it's not actually Jet Li! Which is understandable, because Li was older (30) and a much bigger star when he did those. But it also means that with Zhao, you're getting a lot of bang for your buck! If you see Mr Wong doing a triple roundhouse kick, that's (visibly) Zhao doing it.

Sure, Jet Li wins in terms of charisma. But Zhao is very good looking indeed, if a bit too young at this point. In terms of acting, it's quite good for a first time performance.

The story is nothing new, but serves as a good backdrop for the jaw dropping fights and good old Chinese heroism. Ultimately it's the action that matters most, and that's what it delivers in spades!

Verdict: Definitely a must see for all action and Wong Fei Hung fans!

A rather doomed sequel from the start, Chiu Man Cheuk has the unenviable task of replacing Jet Li as Wong Fei Hung in one of the most popular martial arts series ever made. Wong Fei Hung is legendary character in Chinese history and cinema, portrayed on screen most notably by Kwan Tak-hing for two decades and 50+ movies, Jackie Chan in the two Drunkenmaster films, and, of course, Jet Li. In a way, Chiu Man Cheuk is the George Lazenby of Wong Fei Hungs. His lack of Jets good looks and grace, as well as being limited to three facial expressions, downplay any of his martial arts talent. It is a shame, because Chui Man Cheuk is good, just check out Green Snake.

Unfortunately the story doesn't help matters. Not only is the first 30 mins comprised of a lot of lion dancing (witch we already had our fill of in Part 3) and no fights, but in the first hour Wong Fei Hung only has one fight and its against a group of women from the Red Lantern Sect. Fei Hung Vs. only Women in the first hour, just saps the character of any nobility. As a matter of fact, it is only the return of Club Foot, from Part 3, that injects any life into the action scenes, and without his help, Fei Hung couldn't even handle the two bad guys in the finale, a grim faced, heavy metal hair guy, and the gwailo who knocks out horses. Despite having the dark overtones and anti-European sentiment that the series is known for, the story, portrayal, and action limit the main character, and therefore the movie fails. And then there is the monotonous lion dancing- at the beginning, in the middle, at a funeral, and in the conclusion, complete overkill. Too bad, worthwhile for purists and die-hard HK fans only. Most of all its a good example of how NOT to make a sequel.