The Legend (Fong Sai Yuk) (1993)

89% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(11,079 ratings)

Starring the fabulous Jet Li, this incredible historical epic with its deft blend of high drama, slapstick, and more subtle forms of comedy coupled with breathtaking martial-arts action represents Hong Kong -- filmmaking at its very best. The story contains many serpentine twists and a complex… More Starring the fabulous Jet Li, this incredible historical epic with its deft blend of high drama, slapstick, and more subtle forms of comedy coupled with breathtaking martial-arts action represents Hong Kong -- filmmaking at its very best. The story contains many serpentine twists and a complex mixture of plots and subplots. The story is set during the Manchu dynasty in Canton. Li plays Sai Yuk, a courageous young martial-arts expert who is the very best around, as can be seen in the opening kung-fu matches. Those he beats swear vengeance, and a chaotic fight breaks out. All involved, including Sai Yuk, end up in jail. Sai Yuk's father is most displeased. Later Tiger Lei, a local official, decrees that whoever can beat his wife, Siu Huan, in a match will win his daughter Ting Ting's hand in marriage. Lei then builds an enormous scaffold on which the combatants will fight; the first fighter to touch the ground loses. Sai Yuk gladly takes on the feisty mother. Unfortunately, after seeing the homely woman he takes to be Ting Ting, Sai Yuk decides to lose the fight. His own wild and crazy mother is mortified by the potential loss of face. To save the family honor, she masquerades as Sai Yuk's brother, Tai Yuk, and beats the tar out of Siu Huan. Unfortunately, Lei insists that the victor honor the marriage contract, something complicated by the fact that Siu Huan finds Tai Yuk irresistibly handsome. While that mess gets untangled, another brews when the family learns that patriarch Fong is a member of the notorious rebel Red Lotus Society, a group the governor has vowed to destroy with the help of Tiger Lei. Back again to the romantic travails, after much confusion, Sai Yuk and Ting Ting agree to marry and begin preparing for their wedding. They hold a pre-nuptial feast, one that the governor attends. Chop-socky chaos ensues resulting in the accidental shooting of Siu Huan and the capture of the elder Fong. This leaves the son to figure out how to save his father from losing his head to the vengeful official. The story's climax involves a major confrontation between the governor, Sai-Yuk, his lady, his crazy mother, and a town full of irate citizens. A sequel, Fong Sai-Yuk 2, followed. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Corey Yuen
Genres: Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Comedy

On DVD: Dec 12, 2000
Studio: Eastern Productions

Critic Reviews

, Film4
Energetic martial arts film.
, Time Out
[Siao's] performance [is] a show-stopping culmination of three decades of fine work in the Hong Kong cinema.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Some terrific fight scenes for the Jet Li faithful.
Andy Klein, New Times
Avoid the Buena Vista DVD: this is a great film under its original title Fong Sai-Yuk, in Cantonese with English subtitles
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Ranges from jovial comedy to martial arts slapstick to almost Shakespearean farce to moving drama to cliffhanging suspense, and does all of them well.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
Dazzles with some of the most breathtakingly choreographed fight scenes witnessed in years, including one show-stopper featuring a full battle waged atop the heads and shoulders of an awestruck crowd of gawkers.
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
May be the definitive Hong Kong martial arts feminist film.

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Letitia L

Jet Li at his best and one of my favourite things about my childhood. I remember Fong Sai-yuk being a cheeky, smooth and exceptionally talented fighter, you will fall in love both with his boyish charm, easy badass-ery and his ridiculously cool, hilarious, bone-breaking and… More
Jet Li at his best and one of my favourite things about my childhood. I remember Fong Sai-yuk being a cheeky, smooth and exceptionally talented fighter, you will fall in love both with his boyish charm, easy badass-ery and his ridiculously cool, hilarious, bone-breaking and long-suffering mother (Josephine Siao / Xiao Fang Fang). This movie will make you laugh till you spit out anything you were eating / drinking instead of focusing all your energy on this movie, and make you cry so hard too. Outrageously creative action scenes that shame 99% of movies made today. I need to watch it again. One of my favourite movies in the entire world. I'm so glad someone reminded me about it today.
Tsubaki S

Great fight sequences, great cast, the humour is a bit too much here. The usual slapstick stuff of early 90s that it's either a hit or miss. Overall this is very much worth a check, but not as good as i was expecting. The sequel seems to be better.
Dean M

The lightest of all Jet Li films - a mix of ridiculous 'wire-fu', farce, and romance. As Mother Fong, Josephine Siao displays a remarkable ability to be imperious and goofy at the same time. Highly recommended.
Khris N

Marvelous action and story - Jet Li movies usually have good plots.
Ed Fucking H

Pretty decent Kung Fu flick starring Jet Li. The evil Manchu clan is threatened by an underground rebel secret society called 'The Red Flower Society' who rep the Han's. Meanwhile a young Kung Fu master has fallen for the governors daughter, but must compete in a… More
Pretty decent Kung Fu flick starring Jet Li. The evil Manchu clan is threatened by an underground rebel secret society called 'The Red Flower Society' who rep the Han's. Meanwhile a young Kung Fu master has fallen for the governors daughter, but must compete in a competition to win her hand in marriage. Although he loses initially, using some less than honest methods, he wins the honour regardless. But do to familial and political issues shit hits the fan, and he and his family find themselves right in the middle of the political upheavel. Pretty good overall, with a good story and plentiful and excellent fight scenes, I did think the romantic comedy-esque elements could have been toned down a lot. I felt that it brought down what otherwise would have been a really good martial arts / historical drama. Ah well, it is what it is, and that is a complaint I have for a lot of the martial arts movies that were coming out at this time. Still a very solid effort and worth a watch for fans of Martial Arts films.
Anthony V

Once again, see the Hong Kong Version rather than the cut up American version.
Kevin M

"Fist of Legend" is what I know this film to be called. Antway, expect to be surprised with Li's abilities and acting. The final fight scene is more hilarious than action-packed. The only thing lacking is the final fight scene's unconvincing special effects… More
"Fist of Legend" is what I know this film to be called. Antway, expect to be surprised with Li's abilities and acting. The final fight scene is more hilarious than action-packed. The only thing lacking is the final fight scene's unconvincing special effects makeup.