Jet Li Galleries 1

  One of the most popular stars of Hong Kong films of the early 1990s, the compact, charismatic Jet Li was at one time considered the heir to the late Bruce Lee. A child prodigy in martial arts, he excelled in the high-kicking "wu shu" style1 winning several national championships and traveling around the world (including a 1974 US visit to the Nixon White House). Before turning 20, Jet Li made his film debut as a fighting priest in "Shaolin Temple" (1982), which was banned in Taiwan but proved popular throughout Asia. After two sequels, "Shaolin Temple II: Kids From Shaolin" (1984) and "Shaolin Temple III: Martial Arts of Shaolin" (1986), both of which showcased his talents, Jet made his directorial debut with the unsuccessful "Born to Defend" (also 1986).

Since he had only been earning a limited salary, Jet Li obtained a two-year exit permit and settled in San Francisco with a Chinese actress who would briefly become his wife. "The Master" (filmed in San Francisco in 1989 but not released until 1992) was a minor modern-day kung fu thriller, more notable as the first time Jet Li worked with director Tsui Hark. Instead of returning to China in 1990, the actor settled in Hong Kong, where he attempted to rejuvenate his sagging career by signing with Golden Harvest. His breakthrough screen role came in 1990 when Tsui Hark cast him as real-life folk hero Wong Fei Hung in "Once Upon a Time in China". Despite critical carping over Jet Li's relative youth and his training in another martial arts discipline, the period piece offered the performer a strong role and he more than met the challenges exhibiting the requisite stoic aura. He went on to reprise the role in two sequels (in 1992), but an ankle injury forced the use of a double in several fight sequences. Nevertheless, Jet Li dominated the films in a role many felt he was born to play. The actor, however, felt financially under-appreciated and after a series of disputes parted company with Golden Harvest. (He was replaced by another actor for two sequels before resuming the franchise in 1997's "Once Upon a Time in China and America", which can be qualified as a kung fu Western.) Over a five year period (1992-97), Jet Li appeared in over two dozen films of varying quality. He scored as another martial artist folk hero "Fong Sai Yuk" (1993) and played his signature role of Wong Fei Hung in the uneven "The Last Hero in China" (also 1993), which he also produced. Additionally, he starred in the biopics "Tai Chi Master" (also 1993) and "New Legend of Shaolin" (1994), By the time of "Black Mask" (1996), an attempt to create a new franchise based on a popular Hong Kong comic book, his career was on the wane once again.

Despite numerous offers from bigwigs like Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino, Jet Li took his time following fellow HK actors Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung and Chow Yun-Fat to L.A. At one time he was attached to a Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle and withdrew just before filming. At last, in 1998, after the Asian economy dropped and film production suffered, Jet Li appeared in his first American studio film, playing the seemingly unbeatable martial artist villain opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the successful sequel "Lethal Weapon 4"—Li provided much of the heavy action lifting in the aging franchise, staying stone-faced while Gibson fired corny jokes at him (That same year the martial artist had another major Hong Kong hit, Wei Tung's "Sat sau ji wong" playing a reluctant rookie hit man opposite a seasoned veteran played by Eric Tsang).

Producer Joel Silver was sufficiently impressed with Jet Li's performance in his "Lethal Weapon" sequel that he signed the actor to headline his second major American film, envisioning the actor to have Jackie Chan-style1crossover success—but replacing Chan's comedic bent with a romantic leading man edge. "Romeo Must Die" (2000)—directed by veteran cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak (who filmed Li in "Lethal Weapon 4") and choreographed by Li's longtime stunt coordinator Corey Yuen--attempted to meld a Shakespearean tragic romance to the high-kicking kung fu genre, pairing Jet Li with hip-artist Aaliyah as a star-crossed couple caught in the middle of a war between racially divided mobs in San Francisco. The film performed solidly at the box office, though critics, while praising the actor's physical prowess, decried the seemingly unnecessary use of computer-aided effects in the action sequences.

After arriving in Hollywood, Li spent much time expanding his English vocabulary and took a hiatus to marry and see his wife through her pregnancy, turning down Ang Lee's offer to star in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000). Inspired by his vow to protect his wife and child, Li received story credit on his next film, "Kiss of the Dragon" (2001), in which he plays a Chinese intelligence officer in Paris who comes to the aid of a single mom (Bridget Fonda) turned into a junkie hooker by a corrupt cop who kidnapped her daughter—the film mixed elements of writer-director Luc Besson's cult hit "The Professional" (1994) with Li's Bruce Lee homage "Jing wu ying xiong" (1994) a.k.a. "Fist of Legend" (Besson wrote the screenplay for "Kiss," a rare U.S.-Asian-French collaboration).

Next was "The One" (2001) for writer-director James Wong, which added a sci-fi element to Li's established genre, a garbled but often visually arresting tale in which Li plays both the hero Gabe Law, a popular and peaceable veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and the villainous Gabriel Yulaw, his doppelganger from a parallel universe who by murdering his other-dimensional alter ego increases his strength, stamina and power to take over the multiverse.

The actor then segued into one of his greatest cinematic triumphs, "Ying xiong" (2002), which was released in the United States in 2004 under the title "Hero." Li teamed with celebrated writer-director Zhang Yimou—known more for character dramas than kicks and fisticuffs—Australian cinematographer Chris Doyle and Li's fellow Asian martial arts stars Zhang Ziyi, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Daoming Chen and Donnie Yen for the big-budgeted tale set at the violent dawn of the Qin dynasty, circa 220 B.C., where the soon-to-be first Emperor is on the brink of conquering the war-torn land and three of his most passionate opponents (Cheung, Leung and Ziyi) are trying to assassinate him, opposed by the indomitable Li as Nameless, a lowly policeman who faces off against powerful forces. The film become a phenomenal hit in Asia and Europe, and was nominated for an Oscar in 2003 in the foreign language category before its North American release in 2004.

Along with the major international success, Li scored his largest Hollywood hit yet with "Cradle 2 the Grave" (2003), an action thriller that paired him with rapper actor DMX in a plot involving black diamonds and global annihilation--indeed, in the sleeper hit's opening weekend it solidly out-grossed the highly hyped Ben Affleck superhero film "Daredevil" (2003). Li next starred in the action thriller “Unleashed” (2005), playing Danny, a man trained since childhood to be a vicious fighter. Kept in a dank basement in rags and metal collar by his cruel Uncle Bart (Bob Hoskins), Danny finally breaks his bonds and finds redemption through love. The combination of martial arts and blunt sentimentality earned plenty of critical kudos, particularly for Li.

from movies.yahoo.com

  Fearless (2006) (post-production) .... Huo Yuan Jia/Fok Yuen Gaap

Danny the Dog (2005) .... Danny
... aka Danny the Dog (Hong Kong: English title)
... aka Unleashed (USA)
Rise to Honor (2003) (VG) (voice) .... Kit Yun
... aka Jet Li: Rise to Honor (USA: promotional title)
Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) .... Su
Ying xiong (2002) .... Nameless
... aka Hero (USA)
... aka Jet Li's Hero (USA)
The One (2001/I) .... Gabe Law/Gabriel Yulaw/Lawless
... aka Jet Li's The One (UK)
Kiss of the Dragon (2001) .... Liu Jian
... aka Baiser mortel du dragon, Le (France)
... aka KOD: Kiss of the Dragon (USA: promotional abbreviation)
Romeo Must Die (2000) .... Han Sing

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) .... Wah Sing Ku
... aka Lethal 4 (USA: promotional abbreviation)
Sat sau ji wong (1998) .... Fu
... aka Hitman
... aka King of Assassins (literal English title)
... aka The Contract Killer (USA: video title)
Wong Fei-hung chi saiwik hung si (1997) .... Wong Fei-Hung
... aka Huang Fei-hong zhi xi yu xiong shi (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
... aka Once Upon a Time in China VI
... aka Once Upon a Time in China and America
Hak hap (1996) .... Michael/Simon/Tsui Chik/Black Mask
... aka Black Mask (International: English title)
Mo him wong (1996) .... Chow Si-Kit
... aka Adventure King (literal English title)
... aka Dr. Wai and the Scripture Without Words
... aka Dr. Wei in the Scripture with No Words
... aka Mao xian wang (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
... aka The Scripture with No Words
Gei ba ba de xin (1995) .... Kung Wei
... aka Jet Li's The Enforcer (UK: TV title) (USA: DVD title)
... aka Letter to Daddy
... aka My Father Is a Hero
... aka The Enforcer (UK)
Shu dan long wei (1995) .... Kit Li
... aka High Risk
... aka Jeung hok yau (China: Cantonese title)
... aka Meltdown (USA: video title (dubbed version))
Hong Xiguan zhi Shaolin wu zu (1994) .... Hung Hei-Kwun
... aka Hung Hei-Koon: Shaolin's Five Founders
... aka Legend of the Future Shaolin
... aka Legend of the Red Dragon (USA: video title)
... aka Legends of Shaolin
... aka The New Legend of Shaolin
... aka Xin Shaolin Wuzu
Jing wu ying xiong (1994) .... Chen Zhen
... aka Fist of Legend (International: English title)
Zhong Nan Hai bao biao (1994) .... Allan Hui Ching-yeung/John Chang
... aka The Defender (UK: video title) (USA: DVD title)
... aka The Bodyguard from Beijing
Tai ji zhang san feng (1993) .... Junbao
... aka The Tai-Chi Master (Hong Kong: English title)
... aka Twin Warriors (USA: DVD title)
Fong Sai-Yuk (1993) .... Fong Sai-Yuk
... aka Fong Shi Yu (China: Mandarin title)
... aka The Legend (USA)
... aka The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk
Fong Shi Yu II: Wan fu mo di (1993) .... Fong Sai Yuk
... aka Fong Sai-Yuk II
... aka Gong fu huang di
... aka The Legend 2 (USA: TV title (closing credits title))
... aka The Legend II (USA)
... aka The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk 2
Wong Fei-hung chi tit gai dau neung gung (1993) (as Jet Lee) .... Wong Fei-hung
... aka Claws of Steel (UK)
... aka Deadly China Hero (USA)
... aka Huang Fei-Hong zhi tie ji dou wu gong (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
... aka Iron Rooster Vs. the Centipede
... aka Last Hero in China
... aka Tie ji dou wu gong
... aka Wong Fei Hong's Iron Rooster vs. centipide (Hong Kong: English title: informal title)
Wong Fei-hung tsi sam: Siwong tsangba (1993) .... Wong Fei-hung
... aka Huang Fei-hong zhi san shi wang zheng ba (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
... aka Once Upon a Time in China III
... aka The Invincible Shaolin (USA)
Yi tian tu long ji zhi mo jiao jiao zhu (1993) .... Chang Mo Kei
... aka Kung Fu Master
... aka Lord of the Wu Tang (USA: video title)
... aka The Evil Cult
... aka The Kung Fu Cult Master
Wong Fei-hung ji yi: Naam yi dong ji keung (1992) .... Huang Feihong
... aka Huang Fei-hong zhi er nan er dang zi qiang (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
... aka Once Upon a Time in China II
Wong Fei-hung (1991) .... Wong Fei-hung
... aka Huang Fei-hong (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
... aka Once Upon a Time in China
Xiao ao jiang hu zhi dong fang bu bai (1991) .... Ling Wu Chung
... aka Swordsman II (USA)
... aka The Legend of the Swordsman (USA: new title)

Long xing tian xia (1989) .... Jet
... aka The Master
... aka Wong fei hung
Long zai tian ya (1989) (as Jet Lee) .... Jimmy Lee
... aka Dragon Fight
... aka Dragon Kickboxer
Shao Lin Hai Deng da shi (1988)
... aka Abbot Hai Teng of Shaolin
This Is Kung Fu (1987) (V)
... aka Shaolin One (USA: recut version)
Nan bei Shao Lin (1986) .... Zhi Ming
... aka Arahan
... aka Martial Arts of Shaolin
... aka North and South Shaolin
... aka Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts of Shaolin
Zhong hua ying xiong (1986) .... Jet
... aka Born to Defence
... aka Born to Defend
Shao Lin xiao zi (1983) .... San Lung
... aka Kids from Shaolin
... aka Kids of Shaolin
... aka Shaolin Boys
... aka Shaolin Kids
... aka Shaolin Temple 2: Kids from Shaolin

Shao Lin tzu (1979) .... Chieh Yuan
... aka The Shaolin Temple (UK)