By Shaun Laffan

Director Andrew Lau creates a superior martial arts film with Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen.  Lau, whose previous films include the Infernal Affairs series, on which the film The Departed was based, provides the audience with a story filled with political intrigue, betrayal, love, and of course, great fight sequences.  It is 1927 Shanghai and Chinese patriot Chen Zhen (Donnie Yen), who is believed to have been killed in World War I, infiltrates a local criminal organization with the intent to destroy all Japanese influence in China.  With help from his friends and under the guise of a secret identity, he battles the forces of an aggressive Japanese regime whose goal is nothing short of complete domination.

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is a visually stunning film.  The action sequences are masterfully done, leaving the viewer with a sense of awe and amazement.  The costumes and sets are bright and vibrant and Lau gives Shanghai an almost prohibition era, downtown Chicago feel; like something you would see in an American gangster film.  This apparent fusion of cultures works well and serves to differentiate this film from other martial arts movies.  In addition to being visually stunning, Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is replete with genuinely funny moments that usually come at the expense of an ineffectual inspector who aides Chen on his quest.

Well acted and visually pleasing, Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is an excellent martial arts film and well worth your time.