Born to Defence (1988)

If you want to see a movie with intense, hard-hitting fight scenes, then "Born To Defend" has what you're looking for. It's interesting to see a young Jet Li acting well and incorporating a kick-boxing style into his fighting, and the main villain is a worthy opponent for him. However, there are two major problems with this film: 1) It's poorly lit, 2) It's poorly plotted. Problem #1 may of course be just the fault of my version, a DVD in Chinese with (generally awful) English subtitles. The lighting is at times so bad that it's hard to see what's going on - and that includes the climactic moments of the film! Problem #2, however, will appear in ANY version. The whole plot of the film is: Jet Li and friends are harassed by stereotypically scummy Americans, until Jet decides to harass them back. It's literally no more complicated than that. But if you can just concentrate on the fighting, then I suppose the film is worth a watch, especially for Jet Li fans. (**)

I am extremely disappointed in this movie being a huge Jet Li fan. The anti-Americanism was atrocious in this picture. The dialog used for the Americans was something out of a really bad 80's after-school special.My favorite line just may be "You can't do this to me, I'm in the US Navyyyyyyy!" as Jet Li burns the evil American Sailor. Horrible movie. I have to say next to all of his American movies (except Lethal Weapon 4), this is definitely one of his worse ones. If you are going to rent any Jet Li movies, rent "Black Mask". "Fists of Legend", "Twin Warriors", and "The Legend of the Red Dragon" are excellent Jet Li movies as well.

Jet Li's own and uncredited adaptation of popular HK Manhua/Novel "Zhonghua Yingxiong" by Ma Yingcheng (1983), later brought to us as "A Man Called Hero" with more charismatic Ekin Cheng as leading actor. The original story had great success both in China and Hong Kong, but the little one Jet Li gained with this film -he stopped directing and moved to San Francisco- shows how much it follows the "chinese pride" stuff contained on it. Even disappointing as a simple Jet Li action movie, it proves fighting can't save the party. Jet Li stars as -wow!- Jet, a Chinese soldier back to Tsing Dao after winning against Japanese devils (sic). Our "hero" finds Tsing Dao kind of invaded by American troops, so he inevitably begins kicking some bad guys who are, of course, American. It follows some boxing fighting that would make you laugh thinking what's the story supposed to be about. Stay away if you are looking for more Hua Ying-Xiong. There's none here.

This is probably the most dramatical movie made by Jet Li. In this movie, he surpased any other movie focus in martial arts, and remember some first movies of John Woo. I checked the way Jet Li uses to direct himself. Even considering that one expert composed and directed the action sequences, Jet Li gives to the stars the chance to show some dramatical situations, and some smell anti American is floating around all the movie. Jet Li show how to be beaten in your movie, and watching the movie I remembered Rocky Balboa. Jet Li has some debt with Stallone. Good plot. I liked. You remain with stress all the movie. You can't trust in nobody, thats the message in the movie. Only your friends can save you, and also the prostitutes. Good fights. I recommended this picture for anyone who likes action, drama, and Jet Li.