Fists of Legend has the feel of a
blockbuster; one of those feel-good predictable pieces of popcorn entertainment
that the masses indulge in ever summer and holiday weekend. These films aren’t
always great, because they often play it safe rather than taking chances, but
they are a reliable source of distraction. In a lot of ways, this is a slightly
more believable Korean Here Comes the
Boom or Grudge Match.
The story uses
the popularity of MMA and reality television, which is apparently just as
rampant in South Korea as it
is in the United States
The film bounces
back and forth in flashbacks to reveal the true nature behind Deok-kyu’s high
school fighting, including the less noble aspects. It also focuses on the
friendships that he had in high school, all of which end up being conveniently
relevant to the reality program. When Deok-kyu is forced to fight his former
friends in the ring, you might think that there would be some relevant
statements being made, but mostly this is just entertainment to cheer for.
Most of the
action is thrilling enough to keep this film above the pack of MMA films,
though it may be a bit too sparse for a two-and-a-half hour film. The drama is
also somewhat difficult to take in this quantity, though more due to the
Blu-ray disc’s missing option of watching the film in its filmed language than
for the performances. Although this is an action film, there are many dramatic
scenes which are damaged with the English-dubbed track.
The special
features on the Blu-ray include a making-of featurette, as well as footage from
the premiere, poster photo shoot, and the original soundtrack recording.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6.5/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 6/10
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