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'Fearless' doesn't have as much kick as Jet Li

As purported, if Jet Li's final Chinese martial arts movie is indeed "Jet Li's Fearless," the talented fist-and-foot pounder would have made more impact if he had ended things sooner.

Li's penultimate Chinese martial arts film, "Hero" (2002), was simply glorious, a knockout punch of a movie with elaborate sets, perfect splashes of color and riveting combat.

Rogue Pictures 'Jet Li's Fearless' C+ The verdict: Far less of a martial arts film that Jet Li's own previous "Hero." Director: Ronnie Yu Starring: Jet Li, Betty Sun, Dong Yong, Shido Nakamura, Collin Chou Run time: 103 minutes Release date: Sept. 22, 2006 Rating: PG-13 for violence and martial arts action throughout. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Jet Li's Fearless'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

"Fearless" has the physical stuff down pat — the fights are mostly impressive with blistering hand and foot moves. But its story, an epic sweep involving the founding of the influential Jing Wu Sports Federation, is overly melodramatic, pulling every emotional string as taut as it can.

Director Ronny Yu avoids almost every semblance of camp, which is odd, since that is the precise element that elevates some Chinese actioners (case in point: kung fu kickazoid "Iron Monkey") and is what makes Yu's earlier films, "Freddy vs. Jason" and "Bride of Chucky," so darned watchable.

In "Fearless," Li plays the real-life Huo Yuanjia, who in the early 1900s protected Chinese honor by battling Western boxers and others who denounced the locals as weaklings.

The movie starts well enough. There's a bit of cannon fire and a few quick lines of narration before the film plunges into exhibition martial arts fights. First, there's hand-to-hand combat, then a match by lances followed by a third clash involving clanging swords.

When "Fearless" quits focusing on fights, however, the film is about as pretty and lifeless as "Memoirs of a Geisha."

Yu uses ample crane shots and tracking shots and a steady combination of wire work and CGI to keep the eye interested. But his ability to have his film connect emotionally with an audience is limited.

How easy it is for viewers to roll their eyes when a sweet little blind country maid warbles an oversweet line like "I can see everything in my heart."

Oh, and as for this public relations push of "Fearless" being Jet Li's last martial arts film? Perhaps that's technically correct. But he's still making action films set in modern times. Next up: "Rogue" with Jason Statham.