A romanticized biopic of the kung fu master known for training Bruce Lee. The showy showdown in the rain during the opening minutes might mislead you, but the film largely adheres to the stylistic elements of Wong Kar-Wai's festival films, delivering languid romanticism, vintage nostalgia, and platonic love amidst the backdrop of the Sino-Japanese war and the dawn of the age of martial arts masters, with the same kind of lyricism you would expect from Sergio Leone.

I found the first part with the three minibosses a bit superfluous; everything could have easily been condensed into a brisk ninety minutes without missing anything. In addition, the reflective phases felt fragmented, with Wong’s stylistic mannerism not always able to compensate for the lackluster plot and action sequences. There are some decent fights sprinkled throughout, but the director's trademark choppy slow-motion often feels out of place and detrimental to fruition.

To avoid if you just wanted a kung fu movie, and not even a must-see for Wong Kar-Wai’s fans either.