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Starring
:
Jet
Li
Yee
Sing
Anita
Mui
Yu
Wing Gong
Blacky
Ko
Action
:
Yuen
Kwai
Yuen
Tak
Producer
:
Wong
Jing
Director
:
Yuen
Kwai
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MY
FATHER IS A HERO (1995)
A.K.A.
- Jet Li's The Enforcer; My Father Is Hero
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
Having
conquered the new-wave martial arts film with efforts such as
'Once Upon A Time In China 1,2+3' and 'Fong Sai Yuk 1+2', Jet
Li began to make inroads into the modern day action film. Some
fans and critics were uneasy with the idea of this, but
gradually Li became box-office king in yet another outlet of
the action genre. 'My Father Is A Hero' is one of the films
that established his current reputation and further enhanced
his working relationship with action-director maestro Yuen
Kwai.
In
one of his most challenging roles, Li plays a Mainland cop who
is assigned the dangerous task of infiltrating a criminal
organisation. After helping one of the criminals escape from a
tough Mainland prison, Lee is accepted by those he hopes to
bring down and he must now take the undercover role of a
cohort to the organisation's boss (Yu Wing Gong). When a fiery
deal with rival criminals ends in a gun battle and the police
become involved in the fracas, Li takes a female detective (Mui)
hostage in an attempt to help the rest of his team to escape.
The detective is intrigued by Li's softer side and his refusal
to hurt her, so she begins to investigate his real identity.
Travelling out to the Mainland, the detective discovers Li's
real identity and meets his wife and son in a distant village.
Due to a severe illness though, Li's wife dies, but asks the
detective to take their son with her and find the undercover
hero. However, with Li struggling to conceal his real identity
and find the next major target in his gang's series of
robberies, Li must juggle his feelings for his son with his
dangerous assignment.
Into
a very run-of-the-mill story, director Yuen Kwai adds a few
levels of depth to the proceedings. Foremost among these is
the unique relationship between Jet Li and Yee Sing as the
father and son protagonists of the film. Their bond gives the
lead character more depth than is reasonably expected of an
action film and also creates a number of tension-filled scenes
for the audience. Li's performance in this interesting role is
very well handled and allows the action legend to flex his
emotional skills alongside his considerable physical presence.
Fans hoping to enjoy an action-packed film will not be
disappointed though as 'My Father Is A Hero' provides some
adrenalin pumping set-pieces, notably a classic scene where Li
takes on a dozen of the villain's lackies with a pair of tonfa.
Unfortunately there is a lack of restraint at the film's
finale with the wirework becoming over-used and even
ridiculous at times. Within the modern day action film, where
audiences are asked to believe what they see and accept many
of the film's elements, the fantastical wirework is horribly
jarring and laughable, something that doesn't usually trouble
the mythologised new-wave martial arts films like 'Fong Sai
Yuk'. The film is still an above-average Jet Li vehicle with
enough positive elements to make it recommended viewing.
Certainly worth watching, aside from its faults.
Rating:
 
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