Film Overview"New Fist of Fury" is a 1976 martial arts movie directed by Lo Wei. The film is a follow up to the 1972 traditional "Fist of Fury". Lo Wei, aiming to capitalize on the success of the first film, charged his new protege, Jackie Chan, to reinvent the function that was formerly played by Bruce Lee.
Setting and CharactersThe movie begins in Shanghai during the Japanese profession. The lead character is Ah Lung, a pickpocket, depicted by Jackie Chan. He lives with his grandpa who advises him to find out martial arts for self-defense, a call Ah Lung initially overlooks. Miaocheng, a character from the initial movie, returns as a refugee in Taiwan who carries the remaining artifacts of the Jingwu School.
Plot SynopsisWhen Miaocheng, depicted by Nora Miao, arrives in Taiwan, she is immediately attacked by Japanese martial artists seeking to destroy the remaining Jingwu School artifacts. Ah Lung's brother gets associated with the battle and is unfortunately injured. This triggers Ah Lung to get vengeance for his bro and secure the credibility of the Jingwu School. Ah Lung consequently ends up being Miaocheng's student, ultimately mastering the design of the legendary Fist of Fury.
The first half of "New Fist of Fury" is more focused on characterization and advancement. It stresses a lot on Ah Lung's improvement from a naive young burglar to a disciplined martial artist. The second half, however, is characterized by intense action series and fights in between the heroes and the Japanese karate schools.
Action Sequences and ClimaxAh Lung becomes increasingly determined as the film progresses, challenging the management of the Japanese intruders who intend to remove Chinese martial arts. The action series are intense and thoughtful, whether it be the training series or the individually fights in between Ah Lung and the Japanese martial artists.
Towards the climax, Ah Lung handles to penetrate the Japanese karate temple to retrieve the stolen Jingwu School artifacts. Throughout the climax, he deals with Okimura, the leader of a Japanese karate school. Revealing immense development and ability, Ah Lung, now a master of Fist of Fury, defeats Okimura.
Conclusion & LegacyIn the end, Ah Lung promises to keep combating the Japanese occupation, promising to continue to support the historical and spiritual mentors of the Jingwu School. This ends the film on an enthusiastic and exhilarating note.
In spite of Jackie Chan's departure from Bruce Lee's emotionally driven aggressiveness, the movie is a step forward for the martial arts category. Chan's comical persona and special action choreography prepared for his future successful martial arts comedies. While "New Fist of Fury" is not as valued as its predecessor, it remains a fundamental part of Jackie Chan's early career and an essential stepping stone in the evolution of martial arts movie theater. It was the first genuine effort to develop Chan as a legitimate star, ultimately causing his tremendous success and global recognition.
Top Cast
