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A very young Jet Li completes a Chinese sword form, followed by two man work against a staff-wielding opponent. Li shows superb balance and coordination, as one would expect but the swish sound effects are a bit much for what is a bona fide demonstration rather than a kung fu movie. The video is better enjoyed without the sound. The swords used in these wushu forms are in any case specially designed and built for dramatic effect more than practicality or historical accuracy. As you can see when Li moves, the blade is actually highly flexible and lightweight, snapping around as each movement is executed. Such a design is for purely stylistic reasons and makes many of the acrobatic movements possible (or, at the very least, much easier) to perform than if the martial artist were wielding a heavier, more realistic weapon intended to cut through armor and sever limbs. The acrobatism displayed is also far from being a realistic representation of what would happen on the battlefield and is intended to impress and audience more than anything else (and challenge the skill of the practitioner to master such difficult movements).
The final two-man form displays tremendous skill and control. Battlefield-worthy or not, the weapons would cause a great deal of damage if they were to connect to unprotected flesh and bone. Again, we see stunning flexibility and speed of movement with large, over-exaggerated attacks that are easier for an audience to see and are more dramatic, allowing for an equally colorful counter-movement, whether attack or defense. The final segment, with the spear-wielder disarmed, is predictably dramatized and choreographed to provide a platform for the demonstration of wushu skill more than pure fighting ability.
All in all, a great sword and sword vs spear demonstration from Jet Li, the leading martial arts movie actor in the world today.
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