Fist of Legend Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Fist of Legend Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 19, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available as part of Jet Li 2 Movie Collection.

Ronin Flix is revisiting two fun films with Jet Li whose initial Blu-ray releases were well over a decade ago, and so long ago that they were released under Vivendi Visual's now probably largely forgotten Dragon Dynasty imprint. These will be Ronin Flix exclusives until January 2023, when they will go into wider retailer availability.

As mentioned above, this film was released well over a decade ago by Vivendi Visual's Dragon Dynasty imprint. Those interested in a plot recap should consult my original Fist of Legend Blu-ray review of that version. That review is also a good resource for screenshot comparison and for seeing how supplements between the releases stack up.

Fist of Legend Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Fist of Legend is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Ronin Flix with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. This is for all intents and purposes very similar to the Dragon Dynasty release in terms of general detail levels and palette reproduction, though both this and Tai Chi Master look like they may have been sharpened, if only slightly. You can just make out the barest of halos around edges at times and the grain field in this presentation looks a bit spikier (for want of a better term) than in the Dragon Dynasty release. There is the same minor age related wear and tear that I mentioned with regard to the Dragon Dynasty release on display here as well. I've tried to reproduce some of the screenshots I included with the Dragon Dynasty review so that those interested can do side by side comparisons. The differences are slight in any case.

Fist of Legend Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ronin Flix has upped the audio ante from the Dragon Dynasty release by offering lossless audio options, DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono in either Cantonese or Mandarin, and an English dub in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The two Chinese tracks sounded more or less interchangeable to me, though there were moments when either the Cantonese or Mandarin could sound more full bodied in the midrange or clearer in the high range than the other one in passing. Both of the Chinese tracks deliver dialogue, score and effects without any issues. Rather interestingly, the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offers different music (without attribution, that I noticed, anyway). The surround track opens up the most noticeably in the action sequences, as might be expected. Optional English subtitles are available, which Ronin Flix is touting as "improved".

Fist of Legend Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, it appears Ronin Flix was unable to license the really excellent Bey Logan commentary that was on the Dragon Dynasty release. Otherwise, it has ported over the previous supplements to this disc.

• Deleted Scenes (SD; 5:10)


• The Man Behind the Legend (SD; 35:37) is an interview with director Gordon Chan. Chan speaks in English, with English subtitles.


• Brother in Arms (SD; 23:20) is an interview with Kung Fu impresario Chin Siu-Ho. Subtitled in English.


• The Way of the Warrior (SD; 29:43) is an interview with Japanese action star Kurata Yasuaki. Subtitled in English.


• The School of Hard Knocks (SD; 26:34) is a screen fighting seminar held at the Kurata Action School. In various languages, including English, with English subtitles.


• A Look at Fist of Legend (SD; 9:38) features Brett Ratner and Elvis Mitchell.


• Original Theatrical Trailer (SD; 2:47)

Fist of Legend Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Dragon Dynasty release is fetching some outsized bucks if our usually reliable database is to be believed, so this new Ronin Flix release should be a welcome remedy to that situation to fans of the film who didn't pick up the first release. Video is more or less the same, if slightly more sharpened looking, while the audio presentation is improved. The Bey Logan commentary is a notable omission, but the rest of the supplements are very enjoyable. With caveats noted, Recommended.