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‘rise of the legend’: film review.

Director Roy Chow and rising Taiwanese actor Eddie Peng bring Wong Fei Hung into the 21st century

By Elizabeth Kerr

Elizabeth Kerr

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Rise of the Legend Still - H 2014

From a filmmaker’s perspective, folk heroes provide an endless source of timeless thematic material often laced with events that can be expanded and slotted into massive set pieces. Though they’ve been overshadowed by heroes of the super variety lately, folk heroes and their nearly mythic exploits are like Shakespeare: there’s always room for reinterpretation and reinvention. The righteous indignation and/or subsequent heroism of Guy Fawkes, Davy Crockett, Ned Kelly, Spartacus, William Wallace and dozens of others are well documented and make for great drama. Guangdong’s, legendary doctor, martial arts school founder and master of the shadowless kick Wong Fei Hung has been brought to screens countless times and in Rise of the Legend , Hong Kong director Roy Chow Hin Yeung does it with a delicately contemporary edge for the first time in 20 years and sets up a new franchise for a new generation.

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While Chow and Taiwanese star Eddie Peng aren’t going to make anyone forget Tsui Hark and Jet Li’s defining Once Upon a Time in China , or for that matter Jackie Chan’s earlier spin on Wong in Drunken Master , they do a frequently thrilling job with a familiar story. This is certainly a cooler, sexier Wong Fei Hung—one with oiled up pecs and rippling abs—but Chow and screenwriter Christine To are careful with just how modern they get. Attractive though Peng is, the focus is still on Wong’s revolutionary fight on behalf of the poor and exploited. Domestic audiences are likely to make Rise a hit, and the film does an impeccable job of avoiding confrontational statements while remaining thematically relevant and should play well in China. Overseas distributors that had success with Hong Kong’s stronger marital epics of late, and even the more aimless The Grandmaster , are likely to show interest in the Universal Pictures International co-production.

The Bottom Line A slick, polished and entertaining reboot of a folk legend 

Rise of the Legend ’s name gives away its status of an origin story of sorts. In the late Qing Dynasty of the mid-19th century Guangzhou is mired in corruption, poverty and crime. The Black Tiger gang, run by the ruthless Master Lei (veteran Sammo Hung ), and the North Sea gang are pitted in a war for the control of the lucrative port. Wong Fei Hung (Peng, Cold War , Doze Niu’s Love ) breaks into the Black Tiger gang and his skilled fighting quickly earns the confidence of Lei and he becomes his fourth “son.” Naturally, Wong has ulterior motives: similar thugs murdered Wong’s teacher/doctor father ( Tony Leung Ka-fai ) when he was nine. On top of that, Wong and his childhood friends Fiery ( Jing Boran , The Guillotines ) and Chun ( Wang Luodan ) are out to destroy the gangs completely as yet another gang, the Orphans, and bring justice back to the Guangzhou.

Chow’s first film, Murderer , was a box office hit despite (maybe because of) being an unintentionally hilarious thriller that nonetheless demonstrated Chow’s visual acumen. Working with action director Cory Yuen , he manages to balance paying homage to Tsui’s classic while making a film that is his own film. The fight choreography is, unsurprisingly, first rate and has an organic feel to it despite the wirework. Hung is as watchable as ever and the secondary cast—chiefly choreographer turned actor Zhang Jin as the vengeful son of the former North Sea gang leader and Jing—provide solid support. Cinematographer Ng Man Ching ’s compositions are creative without being precious and the production design by Pater Wong is evocative and claustrophobic. A back-alley throwdown in broad daylight and Wong’s one-man battle using a severed head as his primary weapon are among the sequences that stand out, and would do so without the unnecessary 3D.

The biggest flaw in Rise is, ironically, its familiarity. There are few narrative surprises aside from setting the story during Wong’s more outwardly rebellious youth. He’s less dignified than Li (who’s Wong Fei Hung was fully formed) and so any sort of dramatic tension is minimal, though the scenes where Wong is in danger of being outed as a gang mole come close. And despite Peng’s appeal, the love triangle among Wong, Chun and courtesan Orchid ( Young Detective Dee ’s Angelababy , not nearly as pugilistic as she can be) falls flat largely due to the women being painfully underwritten; Orchid is ultimately the woman in a fridge.

The real story, though, is the emergence of Peng as a serious contender for Next Great Martial Arts Star status. His athletic turns in Jump Ashin! and Unbeatable made him the obvious choice to take on the daunting role but he does so effortlessly and with considerable charm. When he finally picks up the iconic umbrella near the end of the film, and sets up a potential sequel, his command of the role is undeniable. Chow and To don’t tinker with the lore’s DNA too much, but fortunately they have Peng to freshen it up, and even the specter of Li does little to detract from his emerging star power.

Production company: Edko Films Limited, Irresistible Alpha, Universal Pictures International

Cast: Eddie Peng, Sammo Hung, Wang Luodan, Jing Boran, Wong Cho-lam, Byron Mann, Jack Feng, Angelababy, Zhang Jin, Qin Junjie, Gao Taiyu, Tony Leung Ka-fai

Director: Roy Chow Hin Yeung

Screenwriter: Christine To

Producer: Bill Kong, Ivy Ho, Sammo Hung

Executive producer: Ryuhei Chiba, Hugh Simon

Director of photography: Ng Man Ching

Production designer: Pater Wong

Costume designer: Stephanie Wong

Editor: Cheung Ka Fai, Tang Man To

Music: Shigeru Umebayashi

Action director: Cory Yuen

World sales: Edko Films Limited

No rating, 131 minutes 

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Rise of the Legend Reviews

Too many flashbacks and repetitive fight scenes almost overpower Eddie Peng's fine performance.

Full Review | Mar 13, 2016

The blending of vast sets and digital effects is not quite seamless in Chow Hin Yeung's kung fu period extravaganza "Rise of the Legend," but it's close.

Full Review | Mar 11, 2016

A stylish, rousing throwback epic, telling the fictionalized story of Wong as a young man, circa 1868.

Full Review | Mar 10, 2016

Martial-arts movies don't have to be so simplistic and humorless.

Full Review | Mar 9, 2016

Rise of the Legend's jumble of backstories, flashbacks, and betrayals can't hope to carry the same weight as its punches.

Full Review | Mar 8, 2016

Taiwanese heart-throb Peng is certainly well cast as the slicker and more hunky Wong -- his signature bad-boy smirk is always at the ready and his famous abs are, gasp, on full display in several scenes.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 8, 2016

Despite the lack of innovation in the narrative, Chow has delivered a slick and polished production that holds the attention and satisfies far more convincingly than either of the writer and director's previous collaborations.

Chow and To don't tinker with the lore's DNA too much, but fortunately they have Peng to freshen it up, and even the specter of Li does little to detract from his emerging star power.

Review: Martial-arts epic ‘Rise of the Legend’ is a throwback that’s a kick

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Fans of classic Hong Kong martial arts movies should know the name of Wong Fei Hung, a real-life populist folk hero played on the big screen by the likes of Jet Li and Jackie Chan. Eddie Peng now takes on the role for “Rise of the Legend,” a stylish, rousing throwback epic, telling the fictionalized story of Wong as a young man, circa 1868.

Veteran HK action stud Sammo Hung co-stars as Lei Gong, thuggish leader of the Black Tigers, who recruits the talented Wong to help him wipe out the rival Northern Sea gang. He soon finds that his new protege has his own agenda, forged in a childhood tragedy.

“Rise of the Legend” stays true to the spirit of the likes of “Once Upon a Time in China,” emphasizing the noble Wong’s resistance to being pushed around by crooks and cultural interlopers. Director Roy Chow (billed as Chow Hin Yeung) uses digital effects sparingly but potently, dropping in moments designed to make audiences gasp.

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Like the recent run of films about legendary fighter/teacher Ip Man, “Rise of the Legend” mixes historical drama with frenetic action sequences, turning a real person’s life into the stuff of a Saturday matinee. Those looking to learn more about Wong are in the wrong place. Those looking for a slick slugfest with memorable characters will be well satisfied.

------------

“Rise of the Legend”

No rating. In Mandarin and Cantonese with English subtitles.

Running time: 2 hours, 11 minutes.

Playing: Arena Cinema, Hollywood.

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Rise of the legend.

Directed by Roy Chow Hin-Yeung

In 1868 during the late Qing Dynasty, rampant corruption on the Imperial Court inflicts much suffering in people's lives. For years, the Black Tiger’s fearsome boss Lei Gong has been trying to get rid of the leader of the Northern Sea. One of his latest recruits is Fei, a fearless fighter who takes the Northern Sea leader’s head after a fierce fight. Just as Lei Gong believes he has total control of the port, a new gang called the Orphans rises in power. Led by Fei’s childhood friend Huo, the Orphans are out to eliminate all the criminal power from the port…

Eddie Peng AngelaBaby Sammo Hung Tony Leung Ka-fai Jing Boran Wong Cho-lam Zhang Jin Feng Jiayi Wang Luodan Qin Junjie Byron Mann Gao Tai Yu Julius Brian Siswojo Phat Chan Jiang Zhong Wei Luo Bei An Chen Zhihui Kuang-Yao Fan Miroslav Karel Mike Leeder Keung Siu-Leung Liang Lele Yuan Mengyu Hu Shun-Er Zhang Zimu Zhang Ying

Director Director

Roy Chow Hin-Yeung

Producers Producers

Sammo Hung Ivy Ho Lau Yee-Tung

Writer Writer

Chi-long To

Editors Editors

Jack Tang Man-To Cheung Ka-Fai

Cinematography Cinematography

Ng Man-Ching

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Ryuhei Chiba Bill Kong Chi-Keung

Art Direction Art Direction

Pater Wong Bing-Yiu

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Jatinder Singh Manhas VFx Star

Stunts Stunts

Composer composer.

Shigeru Umebayashi

Costume Design Costume Design

Stephanie Wong Ka-Bo

Edko Films Irresistible Alpha Limited Universal Pictures

Hong Kong China

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

Cantonese Chinese

Releases by Date

20 nov 2014, 21 nov 2014, 27 nov 2014, 10 sep 2015, 11 mar 2016, 24 may 2016, releases by country.

• Physical 18

South Korea

131 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Des Saint ★★★★★

This movie reminds me of why I love kung fu movies: the atmosphere, set design, fight choreography and the heart of a warrior incorporated into a a narrative that is eternal. I am invincible; therefore I am.

Review by maneleeo ★★★

Really cool action sequences, I really enjoy a film where action is flawless and feels cool.

Review by More_Badass ★★★½

Ostensibly a Wong Fei-hung prequel, but Rise of the Legend is really playing in that sandbox to deliver a thoroughly modern kung-fu crime caper. The action and tone reveres Once Upon A Time In China as much it embraces the digitally-enhanced choreo of films like Sherlock Holmes or Ninja Assassin. It’s a punchy (literally and figuratively) blend that action director Corey Yuen handles with energetic flair, mixing classic wire-work and flowing attack flurries with kinetic editing, POV shots, 3D/CGI beats, and other very mid-‘10s trappings.

The pacing kind of falls apart in the second half as the story tries to pile on too many subplots and OUATIC tie-ins, but Eddie Peng is always solid as the film’s more outlaw hero Wong Fei-Hung (plus totally nailing the requisite mythic aura in the final act). But I was even more impressed watching the legendary Sammo Hung being intimidating as hell in a rare villain role and still furiously kicking ass at 62.

Review by hotsake ★★★½ 1

Interesting story of the early life of Wong Fei Hung. The story is decent if too long. The visuals are CGI heavy but really well done. The martial arts scenes are well done but lack any real visceral impact due to the abundance of wire work and CGI enhancements. But the main reason that this film isn't rated higher is the simple fact that while Eddie Peng does alright with both the fights and the drama but he doesn't really astonish in either.

Review by NECC_ ★★★

Though 20 minutes too long, Rise of the Legend is a great kung-fu movie. The story is a little bit messy but good overall and the action scenes are superb (though somewhat repetitive). Unfortunately, 20 minutes too long.

Review by Sean Gilman ★★★½

While the plotting has more in common with contemporary crime films (Infernal Affairs especially seems an inspiration), the film builds to a climax recalling some of the best Wong Fei-hung films of the past. The sense of communal rebellion against the enmeshed corruptions of government, gang and gweilo can be found in the early 90s cycle, in Tsui Hark’s tours of Chinese history from the Boxer Rebellion through the 1911 revolutions well as Jackie Chan’s war against imperialist industrialism in Lau Kar-leung’s 1994 film Drunken Master II. Action director Corey Yuen, the craziest choreographer in cinema history, fashions an homage to the fiery finale of Yuen Woo-ping’s Iron Monkey (in which a child Fei-hung and his father meet and help…

Review by Steven Millan ★★★★

The cinematic legacy of China's top national hero Wong Fei-Hung lives on in this action packed period piece martial arts action that has a twentysomething Wong(Eddie Peng[THE GREAT WALL,TAI CHI ZERO]) infiltrating a notorious mobster gang for vengeful purposes as he impresses the gang's mobster Don([the film's co-producer]Sammo Hung[DRAGONS FOREVER,EASTERN CONDORS]) until both his childhood training brother(Jing Boran[THE BULLET VANISHES,MONSTER HUNT]) and the prostitute(Angela "AngelaBaby" Yeung[LEAGUE OF GODS,INDEPEDENCE DAY:RESURGENCE]) whom he loves fall prey to Hung's gang,driving Wong to ferociously fight back.

RISE OF THE LEGEND has director Roy Chow Yin-Yeung(NIGHTFALL[2012],MURDERER) focusing as much of the proper development of the film's characters and their relationships with one another as he does on the spectacular martial arts fight sequences(as staged by…

Review by Geir Friestad ★★½

A rather astonishing number of movies have been made about Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hong over the decades, but the most popular incarnation probably remains Jet Li’s, in Tsui Hark’s Once Upon a Time in China movies. Balancing expertly on the edge between serious and humorous, the movies sported really excellent fights, and could always fall comfortably back on Li’s undisputable charm, should the stories ever threaten to flag a bit.

But that was the early nineties. Now it’s the grim, new millennium, and what we apparently need is a darker, grittier, desaturated Wong Fei Hong. Enter director Roy Chow and his Rise of the Legend – an origin story of sorts.

The narrative is a confusing one, but…

Review by Moviesandstuff34 ★★★

alr so we all know that one scene from youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyrGjWMBmqU this one) and i rly wanted to watch the movie after that and it was cool ig

Review by Freyr ★★★½

Yet another film about the folk hero Wong Fei Hong. The relation is super loose here beyond his name and some specific elements, but such is how it goes with stories about such practically mythic people.

The movie is dripping with style in its fight sequences, which are enjoyable. The CGI and wire-fu are over the top and at times even terrible, but they're combined to make such flashy sequences that they become rather fantastic. The brawls that occur early in the movie are especially riveting.

Sadly, the plot falters from time to time, with a lot of characters and threads that become troublesome to sort through. It has some key dramatic moments and an uplifting conclusion, but it clearly wanted to be more moving than it winds up being. Still, it's by no means bad.

Review by Filipe Furtado ★★

Given Chinese Film Industry love for big nationalistic spectacles it is shocking that it took this long for a new version of folk’s hero Wong Fei Hung adventures (maybe it was just too busy turning yearly Ip Man movies). Too bad this is pretty much Wong Fei Hung Begins. It is too long, overly serious origin story centered on Wong infiltrating some triad gangs (lead by Sammo Hung in full “I’m here to add respectability to this shitty project” mode). Director Roy Chow combines plenty of typical big budget Chinese film bombast with plenty of Nolan inspired revisionist vision. Eddie Peng is engaging in the physical scenes and very uninspired in the dramatic parts and Sammo stoles the show in…

Review by JSkyTip ★★★★★

Return to the 36th Chamber - 2021 Summer Martial Arts Film Challenge

Round 3: Part XXXI — 黄飞鸿之英雄有梦

Taking the 31st spot on my 2021 SMAFC is none other  than  Rise of the Legend as the last Chinese film on this list, unless I watch one for the Bonus round. From the new generation action star, Eddie Peng. Adding to the infinite list of movies about one of China’s biggest folk heroes, Wong Fei-Hung.

In 1868 Guangzhou, Wong Fei-Hung pretends to be a gangster to destroy the gang from within, all for the sake of vengeance and liberating the people from the gangs hold on the local pier and docks.

“Vengeance is graciousness and sacrifice,  it’s easy to kill, far harder…

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Rise of the Legend (2014) Review

Rise of the Legend | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Roy Chow Writer: Christine To Cast: Eddie Peng, May Wang, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Sammo Hung, Jing Boran, Wong Cho Lam, Simon Yam, Max Zhang Jin, AngelaBaby, Feng Jia Yi, Byron Mann Running Time: 131 min.

19th Century China was a time of turmoil. The majority of the populace suffered from extreme poverty and Western imperialist pressure was slowly rearing its ugly head in major cities all over the country. Local feudal-like gangs engaging in turf wars have become a commonplace along with the proliferation of opium dens. An undercurrent of discontent from the masses was about to boil over…

This is the backdrop of Rise of the Legend in the port city of Guangzhou, China revolving around its main wharf controlled by two factions, the Black Tiger Clan and the Northern Sea Clan.

Rise of the Legend stars Eddie Peng ( Unbeatable ) as Wong Fei Hung and Sammo Hung ( Once Upon a Time in Shanghai ) as Lei Gong of the Black Tiger Clan. The film is a re-imagining of the life and times of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung. Martial arts movie fans will no doubt remember the character made famous by Jet Li ( Flying Swords of Dragon Gate ) and Tsui Hark in the Once upon a Time in China film series. This new glossy interpretation chronicles Wong’s meteoric rise from street urchin to folk hero.

Rise of the Legend opens with a drenched Wong – obviously in distress – running amidst a heavy downpour, fighting for his life as axe and sword wielding goons rush at him from every direction. The Corey Yuen-choreographed clash is beautiful to look at. The slow motion pan and scan, the CGI and even some ‘wire-fu’ makes Peng (a non-martial artist in real life) look believable with his “shadowless kick” Wong is famous for. The almost-endless rhythmic ballet of punches and kicks – packed with a cacophony of sound – left me affixed to the screen. Heightening the life-and-death action in progress is the outstanding score by Shigeru Umebayashi ( The Grandmaster ).

Yuen finally redeems himself from the debacle that was Badges of Fury .  Rise of the Legend is vintage Yuen. He’s truly in fine form here with his visual flair for summersaults, aerial wireworks and a variety of connecting kicks and punches. One particular inventive sequence made me want more: During a sword battle between Wong and his opponent, Wong’s sword flies out of his hand and impales onto a pillar on the opposite side of the room. After leaping atop his enemy – landing a near-fatal, closed fist knuckle blow to the head – Wong continues to strike him repeatedly. Stumbling backwards from the attack, his opponent basically decapitates himself, falling back onto the aforementioned sword. This clever scene has to be seen to be believed.

Peng’s casting as Wong was a good choice. His charismatic presence is well-balanced by his nonchalant, under-the-surface seething. Hung is excellent as s Boss Lei Gong, the cruel, tyrannical leader of the Black Tiger Clan. He’s ruthless, yet in his own way, benevolent to those he deemed loyal and worthy.

Peng reportedly buffed up and trained for almost an entire year in Nanquan (Southern fist) to prepare for the role. His dedication paid off: His moves are no mere mimicry; they appear powerful, effective and real (take this from someone who actually practices martial arts). He’s also quite adept at using the broadsword, which is no small feat for someone with a year’s training.

Rebooting the much beloved folk tale of Wong into Rise of the Legend was a gamble. Some detractors would label the film sacrilegious, compared to the  Once Upon a Time in China series. However, even the Once Upon a Time in China series is a fictionalized rendition; not a biopic. The gamble, in my opinion, did pay off and this new tale of Wong stands on its own.

Rise of the Legend is not without drawbacks. Clocking in at over 2 hours long, the script borders on information overload: too many thematic elements are explored, but none are fully developed. As a result, Roy Chow’s ( Nightfall ) directing and pacing isn’t as smooth as it should be. It constantly transitions from one theme to the next with flashbacks. These transitions left very little room for character development for two main characters in the film.

Nevertheless, the film’s excellent choreography, overall storytelling and inevitable duel between Wong and Lei Gong make up for its shortcomings. What a finale.

Rise of the Legend is definitely recommended.

oneleaf’s rating: 7/10

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Rise of the Legend

Story: Wong Fei-Hung (Eddie Peng) wants to become one of master Lei's (Sammo Hung) sons. Lei is the ruthless leader of the Black Tiger Gang and with the help of his three sons is firmly in control of Guangzhou. Next to the opium dens and brothels that he owns it's also impossible to do business at the harbor without his approval. Even Westerners do business with him. When Lei asks for the head of a rivaling gang leader Wong seizes the opportunity to gain Lei's trust. He becomes one of his sons. But he actually provides the Orphan Gang, a righteous group led by Wong's friends Fiery (Jing Boran) and Chun (Wang Luodan), with important information. Wong tries to play the three sons off against each other and get two keys in his possession that open Lei's treasury. As a child Wong Fei-Hung had to watch his father die at the hands of similar thugs and now he tries everything in his power to bring law and order back to Guangzhou. Even if this means that he has to play a gangster himself...

Review: It has been quite a while since we last saw folk hero Wong Fei-Hung on screen. Yip Man and his countless pseudo-biographical adaptations were simply more in demand. But now there is finally an attempt at a reboot. The end result scores with modern visuals and solid directing, yet falls far short to Tsui Hark's "Once Upon a Time in China" . For most part this is because the story steers away from the national hero and centers around a purely fictional plot around justice and freedom in which Wong could have been replaced by any other hero. It's even the more irritating that the undercover story of the film apparently wants to give some dark shades to Wong's character, but for this the individual personalities just aren't drawn multi-layered enough.

"Rise of the Legend" deals with its source material in a respecful way and tries to carry the folk hero to the big screen in a way that resonates with a young audience. Still, because of this the hero somewhat lacks righteousness and purity of character, but after all Wong is still an unpolished gem and so this might be fine in a way. However, less accomplished are the relationships between the different individuals. This becomes especially apparent in the bond between Wong and Lei. There seemingly is supposed to be some kind of teacher-student relationship and the inevitably betrayal of Lei by Wong is supposedly standing as a small moral dilemma, which becomes particularly obvious at the end, but at no point it is conveyed convincingly enough. For this the relationship between the two is neglected too often. In fact, this would have given the film an interesting spin and so the decision to refrain from implementing it remains questionable.

It's likewise questionable how instead the movie is overloaden with countless characters of which accordingly not a single one is dealt with appropriately or even manages to make a lasting impression on the viewer. Unfortunately, this also applies to Wong Fei-Hung. Eddie Peng ( "Unbeatable" , "Tai Chi Zero" ) brings a strong physique to the screen and the camera pauses on his abs one time too many, but this sort of fan service for the female audience probably can't be avoided. Apart from that Peng delivers a solid performance and accordingly doesn't shame himself. But that's it. The youthfullness and vulnerability of his character going hand in hand with his untamed nature may fit to a young Wong Fei-Hung, but you still would have expected more depth of character. Among the rest of the individuals we only have Chun who might be considered interesting, forming a love triangle with a brothel worker and Wong, which is never emotionally captivating, though. Which is just the way things generally are in "Rise of the Legend". We never feel emotionally captivated by the events. One of the reasons may be the episodic nature of the film. The several chapters are so obvious that you could easily take a break between them. This also leads to issues with the pacing. Certain parts of the movie drag on, even though the additional time could have been used to give the characters more color. Furthermore, it proves to be a real pain that the screenplay doesn't just feature numerous flashbacks, but also explains them to us in dialogues, although we were already capable of getting the whole picture. There are actually viewers out there with brains, you know...

The action is easy to the eyes, but not really well-accomplished. The high definition slow-motion sequences put form over substance and so the fight in the rain is particularly reminiscent of "The Grandmaster" . Corey Yuen's choreography is quite good in itself, it's just that there aren't many fights and especially the showdown against Sammo Hung ( "SPL" ) is a disappointment, although Sammo delivers the best performance of everyone involved. Eddie Peng's movements are a bit too unpolished. But Roy Chow's ( "Nightfall" , "Murderer" ) directing features nice pictures and because of the constant use of crane shots he also creates almost epic scenes. Yet, despite appealing visuals and a solid story the movie lacks sophisticated characters and a good pacing. Maybe considering a running time of 131 minutes it would have been a good choice to do without some of the slow motion shots and by that cut the movie down for about 15 minutes...

Rise of the Legend (2014)

There’s a long and glorious tradition in Asian cinema of historically significant martial artists being the subjects of fictionalized apocrypha and none can stake a greater claim in this arena than Wong Fei-hung! He’s the Chinese answer to everyone from Robin Hood to Billy the Kid and the subject of over one hundred films. For his 21st century reboot, “Rise of the Legend” makes him the subject of a kind of superhero origin story, one that could easily have been titled “Fei-Hung Begins” and carried just a strong a connotation.

Rising star Eddie Peng Yu-yan assumes the role of the legendary Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung while Sammo Hung makes his latest villainous turn as Master Lui, leader of the infamous Black Tiger gang who serves as both a mentor figure as well as antagonist for our hero.

He finds another such frenemy in the gang in the form of Black Crow played by Byron Mann, while Tony Leung Ka-fai appears as Fei-hung’s father, Wong Kei-ying. Angelababy portrays the local courtesan Orchid, while several names that’ll be instantly familiar to fans of Fei-hung’s adventures appear too such as Foon, played by Qin Junjie, and Big Tooth, played by Cho-Lam Wong. Additionally, the ever show-stopping Zhang Jin of “ SPL 2 ” and “ Ip Man 3 ” fame portrays Wu Long, who arrives to put Fei-hung’s legendary Hung Gar skills to the test.

In 1868, the city of Guangzhou is at the mercy of two warring crime factions, The Northern Sea and the Black Tiger Gang which falls under the leadership of the nefarious Master Lui. He believes he’s found his greatest henchman yet in the form of a 21-year old Hung Gar exponent named Wong Fei-hung, who takes down a huge swath of the Northern Sea in a brutal street fight, and literally brings Master Lui the head of their leader.

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Impressed with his tenacity and fighting skill, Master Lui makes Fei-hung his godson and one of his designated “Four Tigers”. What he doesn’t know is that Fei-hung has an entirely different agenda on his mind than organized crime and has infiltrated the Black Tiger Gang with the intent of bringing it down from within.

It’s to the credit of “Rise of the Legend” that it goes out of its way to chart its own course that’s unique from past portrayals of Wong Fei-hung. Eddie Peng’s rendition of Fei-hung is a far cry from the warrior scholar embodied by Jet Li, or even the rambunctious goofball portrayed by Jackie Chan. Chinese audiences and filmmakers alike have always shown a preference towards historical fiction over bio-pics when it comes to figures like Fei-hung, which is why we see him plugged into everything from comedies like “ Drunken Master ” to historical epics like “ Once Upon A Time in China ”. We’ve already seen everything from a version of Fei-hung who can hold his liquor better than anyone (“Drunken Master”) to one played by a teenage girl (“ Iron Monkey ”), so why not a version that’s a vigilante determined to clean up his city?

Now, with that said, that doesn’t mean that “Rise of the Legend” is without its own missteps. The action sequences throughout the film, coordinated by the esteemed Corey Yuen, cover a spectrum that ranges from inspired to bizarre. The most widely-marketed fight in the film, a duel in the rain between Fei-hung and about a hundred or so Northern Sea henchmen is one of the most visceral, perhaps even savage Wong Fei-hung fight scenes ever brought to film. It’s by far the best moment in the entire movie, which makes the tonal whiplash of later action sequences so jarring.

For being a Wong Fei-hung film, much of the kung fu in “Rise of the Legend” bears a closer resemblance to another Jet Li vehicle, his 2001 sci-fi-martial arts hybrid “The One”. Chinese and Hong Kong filmmakers have gotten noticeably better about being subtler with their use of wire-fu in the 21 st century, but “subtle” is the last thing “Rise of the Legend” can be called in this regard.

In the fight sequence where Master Lui stands his ground against a swarm of opponents while Fei-hung faces off with Wu Long, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the characters inhabit ‘The Matrix’ after the eighth time Fei-hung leaps about six yards across the room, or the admittedly pretty cool bullet-time shot of he and Wu Long falling/flying out of the building the kind of distance that would come after being shot out of a canon.

This kind of over-the-top wire fu just doesn’t mesh well with a Wong Fei-hung movie that wants to go the “dark and gritty” route, which is why it’s such a relief that the final duel between Fei-hung and Master Lui dials it down a bit and places them in a building engulfed in flames. If only they could’ve found some excuse to work “The Roof is on Fire” into the soundtrack for this set piece.

“Rise of the Legend” is enjoyable but also uneven. Taking Wong Fei-hung into this kind of darker, more hardcore territory was a wise decision in rebooting him for audiences in the “Ip Man” era, but it doesn’t adhere closely enough to what that kind of approach entails for the film to fully gel. Of course, no Wong Fei-hung movie would be complete without his theme song, “A Man Should Better Himself”, and boy did this one hold off on it until just the right moment!

• Sammo Hung also appeared in 1978’s “ Magnificent Butcher ” in the role of Butcher Wing, a student of Wong Fei-hung, portrayed in the film by Kwan Tak-hing , who had already played Fei-hung dozens of times by that point.
• Later, Sammo would make a cameo in the film “Around the World in 80 Days,” as Fei-hung himself – and alongside former Wong Fei-hung Jackie Chan, no less!
• Mike Leeder makes a cameo in the film. He also appears in the first two “Once Upon A Time in China” films.
• Eddie Peng and Angelababy both also appeared in “Tai Chi Zero” and “Tai Chi Hero”.

Film Rating: 6.5/10

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Tags: Angelababy Byron Mann Cho-Lam Wong Corey Yuen Eddie Peng Yu-yan Hung Gar Qin Junjie Rise of the Legend Roy Chow Sammo Hung Tony Leung Ka-fai Well Go USA Wong Fei-hung Zhang Jin

From the earliest days of childhood, Brad Curran was utterly fascinated by martial arts, his passion only growing stronger after spending time living in the melting pot of Asian cultures that is Hawaii. His early exposure developed into a lifelong passion and fascination with all forms of martial arts and tremendous passion for action and martial arts films. He would go on to take a number of different martial arts forms, including Shaolin Ch'uan fa, Taekwondo, Shotokan Karate and remains a devoted student, avid and eager to continue his martial arts studies. Brad is also an aspiring writer and deeply desires to share his love for martial arts and martial arts movies with the world!

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Rise Of The Legend

Wong Fei-Hung gets the revisionist upgrade that someone, somewhere asked for and the results, though mixed, are mostly positive.

Reviewed by Andrew Saroch   |  Oct 13, 2016

With Ip Man dominating the market for real-life Chinese heroes, it was only a matter of time before someone thought about bringing back the legendary Wong Fei-Hung. Played in scores of films from the 50s to the 80s by Kwan Tak Hing and then by Jet Li in the 90s, Wong Fei-Hung is a Chinese action hero who is only ever away from the big screen for a brief time. It seems, therefore, that the time has come for a ‘re-interpretation’ or ‘re-boot’ of Wong’s life, this time starting at an even earlier point in time than the Jet Li version.

Upright Wong Fei-Hung (Peng) may only just be in his twenties, but he has a fearsome love of righteous and justice no doubt inherited from his late father (Tony Leung Kar-Fei). With Guangzhou in the grip of an opium problem and in-fighting between two bloodthirsty gangs – The Black Tigers and Northern Sea – Wong feels impelled to find a way of bringing down the oppressors. Wong notes the overwhelming odds against him and therefore fashions a scheme to bring down the gangs from within. Gaining the trust of The Black Tigers’ powerful leader Lei Gong (Hung), Wong begins to pick apart the gang’s operations while also stoking the tension with Northern Sea. His secret role is put under threat though when Lei realises that there is a traitor in his midst and begins to investigate the actions of his adopted sons and deputies known as The Four Tigers.

Wong Fei-Hung gets the revisionist upgrade that someone, somewhere asked for and the results, though mixed, are mostly positive. Roy Chow, with only his third feature as director, handles the considerable budget well and invests the film with the kind of gritty detail that brings even the slower scenes to life. Chow is also wise to utilise some of Hong Kong cinema’s most respected veterans; Sammo continues to enjoy his Indian Summer while Corey Yuen mixes stylish fisticuffs with brutal realism in the fight choreography. None of the action scenes quite have the iconic design and invention of the ladder fight in ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ or the Jet Li v. Donnie Yen in ‘Once Upon A Time In China II’, but the quality builds as the film progresses and ‘Rise Of The Legend’ ends with a suitably epic one on one between Eddie Peng and Sammo Hung.

‘Rise Of The Legend’ does have its noticeable miss-steps however. There is a tendency to rely a bit too much on computerised effects to do the work of painting a picture and featuring those showy swooping close-ups that always seem like a self congratulatory pat on the back for the CGI team rather than an inclusion that adds anything too the cinematography. It’s also impossible not to reference Jet Li and Kwan Tak Hing as the seminal Wong Fei-Hungs; for the many, the former’s first two ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ films were high points in Hong Kong cinema and his relative youth didn’t take away from a performance with enough gravitas to fit the legend. Eddie Peng doesn’t quite have the acting chops for the more revered Wong Fei-Hung figure and his youthful incarnation is written in a way that doesn’t give him the chance to dominate the screen. Part of the problem with doing a prequel to such a loved character is that you have to sacrifice the gravitas that is established over many films; Wong Fei-Hung is such an iconic figure, played so many times by many different actors that there is a certain expectation on what he is. In ‘Rise Of The Legend’ we get a protean version of the hero and this rawness leaves the character as somewhat underdeveloped.

Ideally, the Wong Fei-Hung of ‘Rise Of The Legend’ needs a few films to build as a character. ‘Once Upon A Time In China’ had the perfect storm of Jet Li and Tsui Hark at the peak of their powers and this simply cannot be replicated with Peng and Chow. Be that as it may, ‘Rise Of The Legend’ still entertains and suggests a promising franchise.

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Rise of the Legend (2014)

Original title: 黄飞鸿之英雄有梦.

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In 1868 during the late Qing Dynasty, rampant corruption on the Imperial Court inflicts much suffering in people's lives. For years, the Black Tiger’s fearsome boss Lei Gong has been trying to get rid of the leader of the Northern Sea. One of his latest recruits is Fei, a fearless fighter who takes the Northern Sea leader’s head after a fierce fight. Just as Lei Gong believes he has total control of the port, a new gang called the Orphans rises in power. Led by Fei’s childhood friend Huo, the Orphans are out to eliminate all the criminal power from the port…

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Rise of the Legend is 625 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 147 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Red Eye but less popular than Parachute.

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Tosh Chan pulls off an impressive impression of Lee Chong Wei in the badminton action scenes. Photo: GSC Movies

Sports movies can be tricky. The director needs to find a balance between developing the characters, the story, and also making sure the sports action is realistic and exciting.

That task is made even harder when the subject of the film is one of Malaysia’s most famous sportsmen – Datuk Lee Chong Wei, who surely ranks as one of the greatest badminton players of all time.

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Rise of the Legend

Badminton player turned celebrity decides to immortalize himself and share his achievements in winning silver twice in the Olympics badminton event. Badminton player turned celebrity decides to immortalize himself and share his achievements in winning silver twice in the Olympics badminton event. Badminton player turned celebrity decides to immortalize himself and share his achievements in winning silver twice in the Olympics badminton event.

• Wong Siew Chooi
• 6 User reviews
• 2 Critic reviews
• 1 win & 4 nominations

Top cast 35

• Lee Chong Wei

• Lee Ah Chai

• Khor Kim Chooi
• Wong Mew Choo

• Misbun Sidek
• Teh Peng Huat
• Yeo Kun Cheng

• Lee Bee Kim
• Husband Rich Couple
• Wife Rich Couple
• Mortem Frost
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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User reviews 6

• Mar 20, 2022
• How long is Rise of the Legend? Powered by Alexa
• March 15, 2018 (Malaysia)
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• CB Pictures
• Mahu Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• MYR 6,000,000 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 51 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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