Get set for Jet

>> Asian action icon Jet Li brings a one-two punch to Montreal screens

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Face it, the last few Jackie Chan flicks stank. So did Chow Yun-Fat's Hollywood debut, The Replacement Killers. But there's hope in sight. Jet Li, who stands just short of godhood in Asia, is gearing up to become the next Hong Kong action hero to make his mark in North America. Not only is he in Lethal Weapon 4, but his latest HK release, The Hitman, takes a bow at this year's Fant-Asia festival.

Fant-Asia regulars know the baby-faced Li from films like Fong Sai-Yuk, High Risk and the Once Upon a Time in China series, which made him a major star back east. As a child he studied at the prestigious Beijing Amateur Sports School, where his mentor, Coach Wu Bin, designed a specialized course of training for him. By age 11, he was a national champ, whose effective debut was a performance on the White House lawn for President Nixon. He made his first film appearance in Shaolin Temple, a hit in Asia that not only established his name in HK filmdom, but also fostered the misconception that Li was an actual Shaolin monk. Not so... in fact, he considers himself an actor above all.

Mirror: Lethal Weapon 4 is your first North American film. What differences have you noticed between Hong Kong and American filmmaking?

Jet Li: I think that in American films, the budget is much bigger than for Hong Kong movies. They have seven or eight cameras on the set. They take a long time for each shot. In Hong Kong, we didn't have enough money. We only had two cameras sometimes, and we shot piece by piece, very short shots. In Hong Kong we use physical bodies, Kung Fu fights, to help the movie. In America, they can use computers, and do whatever they want. I think the main difference is budget.

M: And the catering...

JL: Oh, yeah, of course! Lots of hungry people on the set. Also, they have Saturday and Sunday off! A family day! In Hong Kong, we need to work seven days a week.

M: How did you like working with Joe Pesci?

JL: Oh, he's a very talented actor. We didn't have many scenes together, but I think he's a very funny guy.

M: In LW4, you play a villain for the first time in your career. Was that a challenge for you?

JL: Yes. The director, Richard Donner, knew my films from Hong Kong, and he said I was very good for action films. And that I'm handsome, I have a cute face...

M: Yeah, you know there's...

JL: Oh, no... (knows what's coming)

M: There are a lot of pretty girls in Montreal who have big crushes on you.

JL: Oh, well, uh... ha ha... (clearly embarrassed). Anyway, I wasn't sure, I said I'm very short, and villains should be tall, six feet, and very cold, strong, powerful. But he thought I could try this role. Also, I want to learn, making this film, with a huge set, great actors--Joe Pesci, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover--and the producer and director. I can learn a lot from them.

M: You've got another film coming out here in Montreal, called The Hitman. Are you going to keep making films in Hong Kong?

JL: This was the last film I made in Hong Kong, I did it last year. I think Hong Kong or Hollywood, there's not a big difference. If I find the right script, then I really want to do it. Of course, Americans have a bigger market in the world. They have good people, very professional, to help shoot good movies. Because with more money, we can do a better production. I have another movie, with Warner Brothers, Joel Silver is the producer.

M: So you've got other projects planned for Hollywood...

JL: Yes, this is the next project, it's called Romeo Must Die.

M: In The Hitman, there's a scene where a guy dressed like a priest throws a grenade at you, and you kick it back over your head at him. Have you ever tried a game called hackey sack?

JL: No, what's that?

M: Maybe you've seen hippies playing it in California. They have a little beanbag ball which they kick around with their feet. They're not allowed to touch it with their hands.

JL: Oh, yeah, I've seen this.

M: You should try it, you'd be very good at it.

JL: (laughs) Oh, thank you, I will, yeah.

M: The films you've made recently have all been in modern settings. You haven't done any historical martial arts films lately. Do you have any hopes of doing more like that?

JL: Yeah, you know why we shot modern films the last few years is because it's very difficult to tell older Chinese stories to a foreign audience. They don't know Chinese history, who is the bad guy. In a modern movie, it's very easy to get the meaning. You know, good guy, bad guy (laughs). That's why everybody changed.

M: Is there any truth to the rumour that you've opened a Wushu school in New York City?

JL: I don't have the time to teach people martial arts, because I'm always focused on making movies. I always tell people that every city has good places to study Kung Fu. I think New York has many schools, so does Montreal. Every city does. If you like learning martial arts, and think it can help your health, then go to the schools. Because I don't have time to teach the students face to face.

M: What are your thoughts on the reunification of Hong Kong and mainland China?

JL: It was just last year, the handover, but I'm of the opinion that already 10 years ago, they started to change. Little bit by little bit. So yesterday the British go, the Chinese government comes, and today it doesn't change anything. So it's not a big deal, not a big problem. Everyone understands what happened.

M: I have a friend from Hong Kong, and I asked him to lend me some pop music from there. Instead, he said I should listen to the pop from the mainland. And it was so good! It was so much better than the music from Hong Kong, which is very tacky, sugary and artificial.

JL: Yeah, you know why? Because mainland China, they've also changed. There's a lot of talented young people, and through the music they talk about how they think. They've created a lot of things. Hong Kong is a business city, they always imitate Japan or America when they make music or movies. In Beijing, they are more interested in being creative.

M: One last question: in a fight, who would win, you or Jackie Chan?

JL: In real life? Ha, ha, ha! We're good friends, we never think we'd need to fight. You can help me talk to the audience: learning martial arts is not for fighting in the streets! We don't want to hurt anyone. Martial arts are for health, that's the most important thing!

The Hitman opens the Fant-Asia festival at Cinéma Impérial, Friday, July 10, 7pm. Lethal Weapon 4 opens in theatres this Friday.