Once Upon a Time in China and America

Once Upon A Time In China And America, directed by Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, sees Jet Li returning as the legendary "Wong Fei-hung," a role that really cemented his fame as one of Hong Kong's top film stars. His portrayal of this noble and patriotic hero, along with his genuine martial arts skills, set a high bar for his career. Rosamund Kwan is back as "13th Aunt Siu-kwan," a character that has become closely associated with her.

The film boasts a solid cast, including Hung Yan-yan, who reprises his role as "Club Foot" and shows off his impressive wushu champion credentials. American martial artist Jeff Wolfe plays "Billy," a cowboy who teams up with Fei-hung and his crew after they rescue him from the wild. Joseph Sayah takes on the role of the villainous "Bandit Leader," while Power Chan plays "Buck Tooth So." Richard Ng adds his comedic flair to the character of "Uncle Han."

While the movie seems like a great opportunity for Jet Li's Wong Fei-hung to shine again, it doesn't quite hit the mark in some areas. Even with Sammo Hung and Lau Kar Wing directing, the action scenes are often filmed in close-up and edited in a choppy manner, which is surprising considering Sammo's past successes with martial arts Westerns like "Millionaires Express."

That said, there are still some standout fight scenes, like the clash at the Native American camp and the showdown between Li and Club Foot. Hung Yan-yan does a fantastic job of channeling characters from the original films, bringing back some classic moments from the series.

In the end, Once Upon A Time In China And America mixes martial arts with Western elements in an interesting way, even if it doesn't fully reach its potential. Fans of Jet Li and the Wong Fei-hung character will likely still enjoy this film, despite its shortcomings.