(Canada, 78 min.)
Dir. Corey Lee
Who knew that kung fu could be so poignant? Legend of a Warrior is a surprisingly
candid story of the bond between father and son. Estranged with his father for
many years, filmmaker Corey Lee decides to repair their relationship and
forgive what has passed. Corey’s father, Frank Lee, is a world-famous kung fu
coach. As Corey explains, Frank was absent throughout Corey’s childhood as he
was always nurturing his fighters, rather than his children. Corey decides to
make amends with Frank in his own arena: the ring. Corey becomes Frank’s pupil,
and his father teaches him the martial arts techniques that he learned as a
boy, but has since forgotten.
When Corey begins the project, Frank seems a bit uncomfortable
with his son. The distance between the two is tangible, with Frank keeping the relationship
to warm-ups and stretching, and with Corey using the name “Frank” while
describing their story, rather than the more familial “dad” or “father”. As the
training progresses, the father and son make a gradual transition in their
relationship. They begin working closely together and keep their relationship
restricted to refining physique and technique, but as their training continues,
their relationship becomes increasingly intimate with Frank gradually resuming
the role of father instead of trainer.
The most surprising revelation of Legend of a Warrior is not the film’s transformative effect on
Corey, but the profound change one sees in Frank. Throughout the film, Lee
shows the legacy of his father’s career by providing archival footage of some
of Frank’s greatest accomplishments and his most triumphant students. The film
also uses some funky comic book-style animation to provide Frank’s backstory as
Corey describes his father’s early years in China and Hong Kong. Growing up
during the reign of Chairman Mao and the Chinese Communist Revolutionary, Frank
learned to be strong in order to survive. Before the Lee family fled to Canada,
Frank’s mother implored her son to learn martial arts. Like the most fantastic of
superheroes, Frank refined his technique, arose from a tough situation and used
his skills to better the lives of others.
Although he seems like a crusty old trainer akin to Clint
Eastwood in Million Dollar Baby,
Frank’s pupils tell of a man who is sensitive and fully away of the
consequences that his career had on his personal and family life. As Frank
explains to Corey the choices he made in order to best provide for his family, the
tough trainer drops his fists and reveals the emotional burden of which his son
was unaware. Frank’s confession offers a climax that is extremely emotional and
personal, but it makes the weight of Corey’s journey fully accessible.
As Corey explains to his five-year-old son in the film’s
opening scene, Corey is half-Chinese, half-Caucasian. Corey’s son is a
quarter-Chinese, and Corey explains that a significant part of their family’s
heritage is slowly whittling away with each generation. Corey’s attempt to rekindle
his relationship with his father therefore has much more at stake. Besides the
personal bond, Corey must reconnect with his father so that the newest
generation of the Lee family can know its roots.
Legend of a Warrior
is an affective story of revisiting the past in order to make sense of the
present. Lee handles his family drama commendably and finds the necessary
catharsis for his story while avoiding the pitfalls of sentimentality. Much like
the other Canuck offerings at this year’s Hot Docs festival that show dramatic
change through sport, Legend of a Warrior
extends the story beyond the ring and shows how training and preparation
develop greater aspects of character. Legend
of a Warrior, though, packs a bigger punch by avoiding a climactic round in
the ring altogether and by keeping the match between father and son. By
offering such a personal journey, Legend
of a Warrior excels because it knows that the greatest challenge is not the
sport itself.
Rating: ★★★★½ (out of ★★★★★)
Screens again Friday,
May 4th at the Isabel Bader at 4pm.
For more info on
films, show times, and tickets, please visit hotdocs.ca
***Note: star ratings will be assigned after the festival.
(So check back next week to see how this film ranks!)
