Fist of Legends 2: Iron Bodyguards

This film is just what you are looking for in a martial arts film. Great martial arts scenes including a brilliant introductory sequence with lots of arms and legs getting broken in what appears to be very painful style. It also has a fight scene that is almost exactly the same as morpheous verses neo in the matrix. But very cool and funny if you like violent funny.

If you thought Godfrey Ho and his studio were the only people to make cut-and-paste kung fu films, you'd be mistaken. It seems the tradition was alive and well in the late '90s, at least judging by this, a pseudo-follow up to the Jet Li classic, FIST OF LEGEND. "Jet Le" – a non actor who didn't star in anything else and doesn't even look like Li – reprises Li's role from that film, particularly in the first scene, a ludicrously poor re-staging of the final fight from the martial arts classic. From then on in, we're thrown into the badly-dubbed world of old-film-meets-new, and neither of them ever remotely end up making much sense.

On the plus side: the old kung fu film is actually pretty interesting, or maybe they just stole every action scene from it. Essentially, the plot is about some doctor travelling the country and the dastardly Manchus trying to kill him. Luckily he has some bodyguards (yep, those ones in the title) helping him, and mucho fighting ensues. This one has the early 20th century vibe going, so it's gangster-type costumes and hats for some characters. The action is passable if not profound, enlivened by one guy who uses his head as a bullet-like weapon. Oh, and Bolo Yeung pops up in one of those thankless supporting roles as a henchman whose sole purpose is to get his ass kicked by the heroes.

The newly-shot scenes turn out to be quite fun, at least in a so-bad-it's-good kind of way. It turns out they were shot by main man Robert Tai (he of MAFIA VS. NINJA fame), although there's little weirdness to enjoy. Jet Le wanders around a forest and is attacked by ninjas in one highlight. In another, he battles a hulking Russian fighter, played by Todd Senofonte, whose claim to fame is that he was Jean-Claude Van Damme's stand-in for a couple of movies. He also wears a really huge fur hat in one scene, which is pretty amusing. Sadly, the last 'new' bit of footage is an ultra-lame fight between Le and a couple of podgy assassins who die by having swords thrust under their arms. There's absolutely no skill or style here and it's a real anti-climax of an ending; but still, what can you expect from a mish-mash film whose sole purpose was to entice viewers into thinking it was an official Jet Li sequel?

In 1994, Jet Li delivered an iconic performance in "Jing Wu Ying Xiong" (Fist of Legend), a film that set the bar high for martial arts movies.

However, the same cannot be said for its sequel, "Jing Wu Ying Xiong 2," which falls painfully short of expectations. The film, crafted by a group of unknown filmmakers, feels like a feeble attempt to capitalize on the success of the original. The result is a cinematic disaster that can be likened to watching a train wreck in slow motion. The essence of the first film is lost in a haze of poor writing, lackluster choreography, and a cast that fails to capture the charisma of the original.

One of the most glaring issues with "Jing Wu Ying Xiong 2" is its attempt at humor, which comes across as forced and juvenile. Their work as being inferior to Jet Li's excrement is not only crude but also a clear indication of the film's overall lack of substance. The filmmakers seem to have missed the mark entirely, misunderstanding what made the original film a masterpiece.

When Jet Li portrayed Chen Zhen in "Jing Wu Ying Xiong," the audience witnessed a powerful blend of skill, emotion, and storytelling. Fast forward to the sequel, and we are presented with a mockery of the character and the legacy he left behind. It's a cinematic travesty that leaves viewers questioning the integrity of the filmmakers and their decision to tarnish the memory of a beloved classic.

Comparisons between the two films become unavoidable. While "Jing Wu Ying Xiong" showcased Li's martial arts prowess in a gripping narrative set against a historical backdrop, the sequel seems like a slapdash attempt to cash in on the success of its predecessor. The choreography lacks the precision and artistry that made the original fight scenes memorable, and the plot feels like a mere afterthought.

In the realm of martial arts cinema, "Jing Wu Ying Xiong 2" is a stain on the legacy of its predecessor. The filmmakers behind this endeavor should be held accountable for attempting to piggyback on the success of a classic without understanding the elements that made it timeless. It's a stark reminder that not every sequel can live up to the brilliance of the original.

As viewers, we can only hope that filmmakers in the future approach sequels with the respect and dedication they deserve, rather than resorting to creating cinematic abominations that insult the intelligence of audiences and tarnish the reputation of the films that came before them.

In conclusion, "Jing Wu Ying Xiong 2" is a regrettable attempt at recreating the magic of the original, and it serves as a cautionary tale on the consequences of mishandling a beloved cinematic legacy.

This is at least two films edited together. None of the main Characters interact, The Fighting is weak, Although `Jet Le` (Cough,Splutter) has some skill. The Bolo section seems to be `Bruceplotation` as the main character wears an outfit like Bruce Lee does in the beginning to `Fist of fury`.

All in all, If I were you I`d pass this and go for `Fist of Legend` Or `Fist of fury` and see how it should be done!.