Born To Defend - Fair and Square

Nov

3

Born To Defend - Fair and Square

≡ Category: Action, Hong Kong, Martial Arts, Worth A Look |
≅ Written by: Michael Kydonieus

Country: Hong Kong
Genre: Action/ Martial Arts
Director: Jet Li
Year: 1988

Rating:

WORTH A LOOK

Born To Defend was Jet Li’s first and last attempt at directing up until now, which is probably just as well. It’s not that Jet is completely incompetent. Born To Defend is directed with energy and brio. It’s just that his directing style is hopelessly square. His compositions and camera moves are uninspired. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that they were inspired by 60s and 70s Mainland Chinese films. That directing style was hopelessly passe by the late 80s, when Born to Defend was filmed.

The war sequence that opens the picture pales next to those from another Hong Kong flick from the same period, A Home Too Far. The action is too neat and regimented. War is messy.

The overbearing music score has a martial feel, like Communist propaganda music — it’s a disaster.

Li isn’t helped much by the oversimplifications of the script by Si Yeung-Ping and Chit Yi-Gwoh. It’s no doubt true that Americans after World War II had entitlement issues, but the relentless anti-American sentiment in Born To Defend gets tiresome. Please understand. I have no problems with criticism of my country, but a little subtlety would be appreciated. It’s possible to be politically subtle in a full-bore action picture. Just watch any Paul Verhoeven film for proof.

The performances in Born To Defend are inconsistent at best. Li himself was a lousy actor at this point in his career. There is one point at which he is trying to heal the relationship between his friend and his daughter which is transparently phony. The American actors are a shade better than the usual from this period, which isn’t saying much. The only truly compelling performance comes from Song Jia, who plays Na, a girl who has been forced into prostitution by the poverty that came in the wake of the war. She’s delicate and soulful, saying more of substance with her eyes and posture than the entire script. Judging by the rest of the performances, I would say that Song Jia achieved her performance in spite of rather than because of Jet’s direction.

But the saving grace of Born To Defend is the fight sequences. Jet is called upon by martial arts choreographer Tsui Siu-Ming to adjust to the American boxing style and visa versa, which is interesting. Li was at the absolute peak of his physical abilities at this point of his career and he’s a marvel to watch. I also appreciated the brutal stunts, which are plentiful.

The problem is that it’s almost impossible to get emotionally involved in the film. It’s too bad because the basic story isn’t bad. After the war, the Chinese government kisses the asses of the Americans, greeting them as conquering heroes. This goes to the Americans’ already swelled heads and they treat China as their personal toilet, taking advantage of the poverty to schtup the most desirable females available. (And by the way, Song Jia, Jet’s love interest, is breathtakingly beautiful.)

When the rickshaw of Li’s friend is destroyed by some American soldiers out of pure meanness, Li gets drawn into a conflict with the soldiers which ultimately ends in tragedy.

That’s a simple story, but a sturdy scaffold on which to build an action melodrama.

The problem is that, on some level, you have to believe in the characters and the situation in order for the story to have any power, and the filmmakers just aren’t up to the task.

Amazingly, the writers and director even manage to blow the climactic scene, in which Li takes revenge on his tormentors. Li’s character coldly and deliberately broils one character alive, but has mercy on the rest, even though they murdered his friends. This is so glaringly inconsistent that it pulls you right out of the picture.

Born To Defend ends with a nondescript freeze frame that lasts forever. It’s clumsy beyond belief.

It’s hard to recommend Born To Defend to anyone except Jet Li fanatics or people who are interested in hard-hitting fight scenes irrespective of story or character. Your call.