Film Analysis Assignment on Once Upon a Time in China (Essay Sample)

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Film Analysis
"Once Upon a Time in China," a martial art movie, was directed by Tsui Hark. Wong, a great warrior, is the film’s protagonist. Having great skills in martial arts, the protagonist is respected and esteemed by many (Yang and Art 4). He protects citizens from predations of their enemies and the invaders who pursued exploiting great riches of China. Wong battles not only to liberate the people of his nation but also to reunite with what it takes to be a committed hero. Through the use of technology and martial arts, the film strengthens the credibility of cinema as a channel that can deliver emotionally rich stories through a blend of various splendid cinematography. Overall, the use of martial art and technology in “Once Upon a Time in China” serves to enhance the heroic nature of the film’s protagonist and foregrounds the dignity and staidness of the protagonist.
The film uses a combination of movement and pause to establish a unique setting in the fight sequence. Such pauses and movements create a rhythm that serves to stimulate and channel various emotions in the battle scenes. By presenting a fight with an intense emotional profile, and alternating stillness and fight, the film harmonizes Wong Fei-hung’s peace and violence, poise and fury, calm and intensity, thereby flawlessly presenting a dignified, respected master (Yang and Art 6). Unlike his opponents who are presented as violent and less skillful, the protagonist possesses impeccable fighting skills but is not violent. “Once Upon a Time in China” has skillfully fused technology and cinematography into the protagonist’s combat style thereby portraying him in an important and appealing way.
“Once Upon a Time in China” displays martial arts and skills through poses and pauses. These martial arts foreground the dignity and staidness of the film’s protagonist, Wong. Whenever he finishes or begins a session of a fight with his opponent, the film presents a pose or highlights a pause, for instance, a half-squat with arms outspread and legs crossed. Undoubtedly, such forms of martial arts are used to enhance the character of the protagonist. Each time Wong poses, the film uses a close-up to accentuate Wong’s magical eyes thereby amplifying his brilliant presence (Yang and Art 8). The film has skillfully fused pose into the protagonist’s combat style thereby portraying him in an important way. Whenever he fights, Wong’s opponents desperately emit frantic noises. Wong on the other hand often waits for the opponent in still pose. His opponent’s hysteria and his calm create such a robust contrast, leading the audience to guess who is bound to be the winner. The dissimilar styles of fighting convey the opposing personalities of the martial characters in the film. The utilization of the poses serves to establish a graceful and tranquil fighting tactic, thereby vividly demonstrating that Wong is an esteemed kung fu master. This further depicts Wong’s commitment to peace. Rather than showing off and attacking, the protagonist only uses his combat abilities as the last alternative.
“Once Upon a Time in China,” employs numerous slow motions whenever Wong punches, kicks, lands or rotates. The slow-motions are used expressively to imbue the protagonist with competence and strength (Yang and Art 8). In the movie, Li masterfully uses slow-motions to depict the physical performance of Wong and to portray his heroic nature. The striking landings and rotations are accompanied by wirework, channeling an impressive sensation to the audience about Wong’s exceptional physical expertise and unmatchable grandeur. Wong's shadow-less kicks, for instance, instance, powerfully depict his dignity as an indomitable master of kung fu. With this style, he always conquers the strongest opponent. Amusingly, while the battle sequence involving the protagonist are often accompanied by special effects such as wirework, the ones in which Wong does not feature appear to be more realistic. While the opponent’s fights are exhilarating in their own right, they are full of chaos and bloodiness. The protagonist's fights, on the other hand, are skillful and peaceful, allowing the audience to celebrate in a colorful display of martial artistry.
In his martial art performance, Li uses cinematic technology to tone down the character’s violence. Unlike his opponents who often use lethal weapons like blades and swords, Wong is rarely armed with such weapons. He uses less dangerous weapons like an umbrella, a bamboo stick, or a wooden beam. In most of the fight sequences, the film employs cinematic techniques to depict the heroic nature of Wong (Yang and Art 12). Despite his harmless weapons, the protagonist manages to triumph over his opponents who are more armed. According to Yang and Art, the film does not highlight how the protagonist beats his opponents, but rather, how he tactfully performs his martial artworks (12). The battle scenes, facilitated by technology, are less violent, eccentric, and more atmospheric, thereby properly conveying the message of peace or non-violence in the protagonist.
By including theatrical elements into the presentations of its martial arts, “Once Upon a Time in China” fully conveys Wong’s su...