End of Jet li's career

[Dharastra]

Jet li wants to end his martial arts movies career. He said that "The fearless" will be his last kung fu film. He will be acting in his own projects, about buddhism("Monk in New York"). NO MORE SHADOWKICKING. This film will be about tibetan buddhism, not about Zen and shaolin temple, no fights! He is near to 40 years old. Is it good that he is ending his career with fight movies?
Can you give me your opinion?

[mcmoinsen]

He missed taking the leadrole in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (said he promised his wife not two act during her pragnancy). So this sound like a late implementation of the "Real Mastership is NOT fighting" plot..

Ok, Jet Li's martial arts movies were great, but hey! When was the last time he smiled in one of his movies? Can only remember his severe faces from the last ones. Let him do some peaceful stuff, if he needs it!

I'm shure we'll see him back to MA genre one day. My guess is in the role of a shaolin abbot!!!

[JohnR]

From the very little I know about this (and notice that not knowing much about it isn't stopping me from putting out an opinion ), Jet Li is very serious about his Buddhist path and does not put much value on money or fame. Now that he has enough money that he can not worry about it in addition to not valuing it, I think he's sincerely trying to perform positive social services through what he knows best: film.

I think he's going to have a hard row to hoe because not very many people are going to be drawn to a Jet Li film in which he doesn't use his MA. But I hope he pulls it off and I applaud him for making the effort. Maybe Mel Gibson has started a trend.

[pjshimmer]

Hi,

I always wondered how people living in contemporary setting can practice Buddhism. My limited knowledge reminds me that a big no-no in Buddhism is lust/love. Since Jet Li is married, how can he be a true buddhist?

[Brian Thibodeau]

He probably does it like many others who practice religions in a contemporary setting. He just ignores the parts that don't apply to him anymore.

[MrBooth]

I don't think Buddhism says *nobody* can marry + reproduce - that would be a fast track to an extinct religion! Just the monks, isn't it? Like Catholic priests?

[Mike Thomason]

Try here...

http://www.buddhanet.net/

and here...

http://www.buddhanet.net/ceremony.htm

...for some enlightenment.

[pjshimmer]

Hi White Dragon. I am going to check out your links later. For now let me try to address some points.

I don't think Buddhism says *nobody* can marry + reproduce

certainly: the Buddhist practioner cannot marry, but the nonpractioners can do whatever they'd like.

He probably does it like many others who practice religions in a contemporary setting. He just ignores the parts that don't apply to him anymore.

The prohibition of lust/love is applicable at any time, and I just pointed this out as it seems to contradict the basic principles of Buddhism. I really fail to grasp how one can be married and be a true Buddhist. A person in this situation qualifies as an admirer, not a practioner.

[JohnR]

When one sets forth on the Buddhist path one vows to forego illicit sex, among other things. There's no ban on love. Married people can be and are practicing Buddhists. If you become a monk or a nun, then marriage may not be allowed (I'm not sure), but to think that the only true Buddhists are monks/nuns is like thinking the only true Christians are priests, the only true Jews are rabbis, etc.

I won't say any more on this topic, since we're supposed to be talking about HK cinema, but no one should be discouraged from the path of Buddhism, it's available to everyone; and though it's not an easy path, it does not involve asceticism.

[Rawle Austin aka Growler]

I'm sure he'll be back.

Jet Li has too much talent to stay in early retirement.

Mark my words, we'll see him sooner than you think.


Growler

[chocolatte]

I am little disappointed that he's ending his 'kung fu' career because he is the best action movie star there is. But anyway, I still want to wish him the best...

[Sadden_One]

i was hoping to see some more movies from jet li like KOD, romeo must die, these kind of movies...
even if he retires, im sure he will think about it later and come back to make more MA movies

[MrBooth]

like KOD, romeo must die, these kind of movies...

Those are probably the two Jet Li films I was specifically hoping NEVER to see the like of again (ok, Cradle2TheGrave and The Master are slightly worse).

The guy's getting old now... can't expect somebody in their 40's to be leaping about all over the place like a 20 year old...

[fartbubble]

isn't he supposed to be in a movie with Jason Statham playing a bad guy?

[Gaijin84]

yes - a movie called Rogue

here is an article about it:

http://www.kungfucinema.com/2006/012402.htm

not sure how this fits into his "no martial arts movies" retirement maybe he will classify it as "action"

[Tanama77]

Well Jet Li is about my age since our birthdays are the same year and only a couple months apart! so at least I can keep up with how old he is getting lol. (He is 43 yrs.)

I never knew he was buddhist, but then again I really don't go into some of these actors lives as far as where their martial arts derives from.

I don't everything either on what those who study buddhism what they are allowed and not allowed to do, but hey he made alot of movies.

Even though there was alot of fighting in the movie "unleashed" I really enjoyed it believe it or not the best parts of that movie were when "Daniel" (Jet li) was discovering who he really was. becoming a part of a family who wanted to take him in and teach him things about life. And how finding happiness there in that new home he wanted to get away from the violence and chaos he had known his whole life.

I think Jet Li would do well acting in peaceful scenes and he does have a wonderful smile and actually would be good for him to challenge himself in other avenues of his acting besides just fighting.

I like martial art movies but I do get tired quickly if all it is is nonstop fighting action. I do enjoy seeing the quiet side of the character, the kindness and how they live besides the fact they can fight and even if they didn't fight onscreen for the audience, I myself already know they can do this in off screen and they are already cool!

I also enjoyed that movie "bulletproof monk" not only did I like the action in that movie but I did like the fact that peace was trying to be taught as well as protect the sacred scroll. (I think the main character was stephen chow) (he is real good too!)

[3kix2urf8s]

Jet Li is usually best seen in fighting mode, but there are times when I do like to see him act a little. I agree Unleashed being a movie where the story is given some room to tell about Jet's character. Action movies will be action movies. There are ones that do more than just nonstop fighting and there are many others that we know of already, the action movies with mostly nonstop action. Jet isn't done with action movies, but he said he's done with doing period films(such as Hero, Once Upon a Time in China series, Fong Sai Yuk 1 and 2, Fearless). That movie Rogue will be another action movie for Jet as much as a martial arts one. It will be fun to see Jason Statham and him go at it. Tanama77, Chow Yun-Fat is that guy in Bulletproof Monk not Stephen Chow. Unless there's another movie of the same name with Stephen Chow correct me if I'm wrong.

[Tanama77]

Jet Li is usually best seen in fighting mode, but there are times when I do like to see him act a little. I agree Unleashed being a movie where the story is given some room to tell about Jet's character. Action movies will be action movies. There are ones that do more than just nonstop fighting and there are many others that we know of already, the action movies with mostly nonstop action. Jet isn't done with action movies, but he said he's done with doing period films(such as Hero, Once Upon a Time in China series, Fong Sai Yuk 1 and 2, Fearless). That movie Rogue will be another action movie for Jet as much as a martial arts one. It will be fun to see Jason Statham and him go at it. Tanama77, Chow Yun-Fat is that guy in Bulletproof Monk not Stephen Chow. Unless there's another movie of the same name with Stephen Chow correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks for the correction at least I remembered Chow by memory lol. I was writing his name down from memory without looking at the Tape title. Thanks!

Your right action is action. I really have taken to movies that do show the fighting side of martial arts but also the wisdom that comes behind it and especially if its teaching a young student so not only are they better in skill but grow and mature in the way they are supposed to in that art.

[ttlee_99]

http://www.dianying.com/en/news/2006-12-10.php

[Brian Thibodeau]

Looks like it's already in the database too!

http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?i ... ay_set=eng

as is another film with the same English title set for 2007

http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?i ... ay_set=eng

Just out of curiosity, does anyone keep up on these kinds of pre-release additions to the database? If a movie doesn't come to fruition, are they deleted? Is it even safe to add titles when the films are only in the discussion stage?

[ttlee_99]

http://jaynestars.com/index.php?name=Ne ... le&sid=765

Jet Li and Jackie Chan will make new film: J & J Project. Jet is not going to retire soon.