Once Upon a Time in China II (1993)

Too much of everything

Captivating movie !

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

This martial arts film is especially well-known for the legendary last fight scene between Jet Li and Donnie Yen, two of the all-time greatest martial artists, at an alley. The fight is both intense and speedy, and Li and Yen uses whatever weapons they can find, including ropes and wooden splinters, to fight each other.

The exposition or inciting incident felt to me like the beginning of FROM Russia WITH LOVE. I was filled with excitement to once again be entering the world of Wong Fei-Hung in this return to his adventures. I was more than ready to pick up where last we left our hero. But this time there are protests in the streets as Wong Fei-Hung travels to a seminar on medicine with Aunt 13 and the White Lotus Sect prepares under the mantle of religious ceremony to expel all Western influence from the provinces of China.There is even more substance with regard to thematic content as children become involved in this explosive mix of cultural upheaval and political intrigue. At the seminar on medicine, there is a scene where the merits of Western and Eastern medicine are clearly demonstrated in a lecture given on the central nervous system. This scene alone is worth the price of admission as it continues to develop the theme of East-West confluence in a meaningful way.This thematic thread once again runs throughout the narrative with touches of light humor and more serious overtones that inevitably lead to the baroque martial artistry of action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping. Donnie Yen makes his appearance in this film as military officer Nap-Lan Yun-Seut, and the combat scenes between him and Li represent the height of visual interest as they both brilliantly display their martial arts prowess. The supporting characters are even more fully realized than before and we are securely in the second part of a sequel that promises in its own way to rival and perhaps surpass the renown of Sergio Leone's The Man With No Name Trilogy.There are scenes with children here that give the story more poignancy. This is paralleled and inter-woven with ceremonies where gods are entreated and appealed to strenuously for supernatural support. When Wong Fei-Hung enters the Temple of the White Lotus Cult in order to finally confront its leader High Priest Kau-Kung as played by Hung Yan-yan, we actually get a taste of meditation about the nature of divine power mixed in with martial acrobatics. There is even a passing indirect reference to Myamoto Musashi's quote about how we must not rely on the gods. Even the saga of Christ is viewed from the Eastern perspective of the hero and this adds to the richness of the narrative in a brief, incidental way.When Wong Fei-Hung finally draws the curtain back on Kau-Kung's religious antics and trickery, there is wailing and grieving galore among the followers of the White Lotus Cult. Even Wong Fei-Hung finds his friends causing death and one in particular finding for his toils martyrdom. The stakes are even higher this time for those who seek the light of knowledge as they are pitted against those who wish to enshroud themselves in the warm embrace of mysticism and blind faith. How will our hero prevail in an atmosphere where there are no easy answers and the force of pain and death makes its own argument?

Jet Li does an excellent job on his Kung Fu he is an extraordinary and gifted martial artist . As a fan of his I'm trying to download the movie as I have purchased the Once Upon a Time in China 1 and Oncce Upon a Time in China 3 . I just cant live without having the complete set of all three movies. The movie has several great fight scenes and develops around a few angles or parts of the story. One of them is the love affair he has with his cousin Lilly and the other is Heung Fei Hungs' fight against a religious cult that has a leader who claims to be indestructible . The Leader is in fact a fraud who tricks his followers into believing he is bullet proof by using a metal type armor under his robes; out hero finds this out and stops the charlatan cold in his tracks. I personally enjoyed this movie immensely. A fan in America

Wow. I was expecting a good martial flick but what I got was a great film. This is quite simply one of the most entertaining, moving and cinematically brilliant films I've seen in quite awhile. It reminds me slightly of an Asian version of Gangs of NY (I know, I know, this came first) since it's set amidst a sweeping historical backdrop at a point when nations we now know were being built, and because of its strongly patriotic undertones. The choreography by Yuen Ping is awe-inspiring especially since unlike many of his recent films, this film involves actual martial artists. Tsui Harks direction, from the opening shot is spot on, and the acting is great. Unlike a lot of martial arts films (even those I enjoy) this film's plot is superb. The music is terrific as well and really sets the tone. A minor note, the dubbing isn't terrific (though the movie is still immensely watchable) so try and get the subbed version if you can. This movie completely transcends the genre. Highest possible recommendation.