Daniel Robert Epstein: Jet Li

I own this movie already on dvd and I STILL paid 10.25 to see it in theatres in New York City Lowes Cineplex 42nd and 8th.

Why?

It is just that brilliant and beautiful of a film.

really nice, i never thought too much of jet li in american movies, they always depict him so seriously and the camera work hardly ever captures what he can really do but lately i've started watching his hong kong movies and that really helps to appreciate the man.
his martial arts are better, his characters are friendlier and more likeable, i'd say if you want to see the real jet li watch his hong kong movies.
Fist of legend is the best one i've seen so far.

He really does have an adorable little baby face!

Ever since I saw the trailer for Danny The Dog (aka Unleashed) I've been very excited about it! Can't wait.

A lot of people are going to think this movie is a copycat of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon just from the style of the movie. Others will just get bored at the lack of traditional fight scenes. There was actually a guy sitting next to me snoring through most of the movie.

But really, this movie is probably the closest thing to Kurosawa-level that I've seen since he died. It's kind of like a mesh between Dreams and Rashomon. It's artistically and symbolically one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen, and it should've won the Oscar for art direction and cinematography at the very least.

[Edited on Aug 28, 2004 by AceTracer]

Finally. An interview I actually cared to read!

If anyone was in doubt, Jet Li fucking rules. Seriously.

i was expecting a movie full of fighting, and it did deliver that. what i was not expecting was an amazing story worthy in its own right that did not need the fighting to keep it interesting. it is way better than the previews make it look (if you can imagine).

thank you for doing this interview. i totally agree with euphplayer02.

Great interview. I've been a fan of Jet Li's for years. Nice work.

I just got back from seeing "Hero." What a stunningly beautiful film...All the leaves flying about, the fight on the water, the school...Absolutely amazing.

now that I've read the interview, I don't understand why they're advertising Quentin Tarentino as a part of the crew, what in fact did he do?? he didn't do the fight scenes like one guy told me, and he didn't direct it like somebody else told me. so yeah, I'm confuzzled.

Hero is on my list this weekend, even with Asian DVDs out and about. Some films deserve to be seen on the Big Screen!

$20 Million US in lost revenue? Unlikely! Instead, Hero has a paying audience who has been aware, ready and waiting for 3 years now...


As for the future, check out Unleashed or Danny the Dog (same movie). It is produced by Luc Besson, and with Jet Li, it stars Morgan Freeman, and Bob Hoskins.

Unleashed will make Martial Arts, and Jet Li more accessable to the General Movie Audience because it breaks the mold - an action movie that makes you think!


More interviews with people of this calibre and personal intensity please!!!

I want more ass kicking movies from Jet Li, without all the wire work. Even though it's not the best movie, "Kiss of The Dragon" is one of my all time favorites because it's just straightforward action without all that extra annoying stuff they keep putting into his American releases. Great flick.

try fist of legend, there's some wirework but also lots of great stuff without.

if you put "Quentin Tarentino" on it, more people will come... he probably got big bucks just for letting them use his name on the marquee. i wondered about that too.

i went to see it for the cinematography mostly... it was a gorgeous film to look at. and yeah, for the fight scenes as well

Apparently Quentin had some pull in getting it released in the US without being butchered by Mirimax. He is a martial arts fan and wanted to make sure it got its due in the US. Of course his name on it will bring out more audience as well.

All that aside, it is good to see Jet Li in a film of this caliber. Fists of Legend is his best, this is probably second. If only Hollywood could make a good martial arts movie instead of mediocre ones. I look forward to Unleashed.

Well, Zhang Yimou is twice the director Ang Lee is, and beyond that, those who really compare the two are ones who see Chinese movies for the "wow" effect.

Like Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and to an extent Jackie Chan and Maggie Cheung (heads up, I'm dropping names ), Jet Li has had to sacrifice artistic integrity for $ when attempting to crossover to the US market. (And his limited English didn't help in years past). Reading this interview, and others conducted when Hero first came out, I'm amazed at how multi-dimensional and . . . interesting, he actually is, especially with his roots to Tibetan Buddhism and his desire to promote certain messages in his movies.

Hero has had a cult following through the sale of DVDs, and despite being number one at the box office, I don't really see a/n (re)emergence of interest in Chinese and/or martial arts movies in the US. And that's fine: hopefully, though, investors will realize the loyal fanbase, and expedite the releases of 2046, House of Flying Daggers, and other recent films we'll all love.

i was more than happy to go see this movie i've already seen various times on dvd. love jet li. his talent is totally wasted in hollywood.

and a nice "fuck miramax" too, those assholes buy properties left and right and have them sitting somewhere with no release date in sight......yeah, it's their property to do whatever they wish blah blah blah but they're holding out on great movies.

Fearless was an incredible movie, just saw it last night.

Hero is definitely one of Jet Li's greatest films, they just keep getting better

Great interview, it makes sense now why he retired. He was putting his family first and chosing what he wants for his career and not just go where ever it took him.

It was a beautiful film, it's more of an artistic historic re-enactment. Rather than a fist fishting bow blazing movie.

Gosh-oh-fishhawks do I miss DRE.