Story: Spirit of Jeet Kune Do is the story of transfer student Hyun-soo Kim and his journey through that harrowing and character building time known as the high school experience. As we follow young Hyun-soo, a time warp occurs, taking the viewer back to those same joys and hardships all over again. From the bully and his violent quest for territorial dominance, to those unforgettable friendships formed, to the awkward silence shared between adolescent lovers; all those bitter sweet days of youth are revisited with a nostalgic eye and a melodramatic sense of realism.

Review: During his short time on this planet, Bruce Lee had managed to live a life that would insure his legacy till the end of time. Creating cinematic art that would change not only the face of martial arts, but of film in general, he managed to elevate from his meager beginnings as the son of an immigrant to a household name in a very short amount of time. His success would find him at a place where young women loved him and young men wanted to be him. Known for his sense of passion and his never-say-die attitude, he undoubtedly made an impact on every young man who was alive to experience his greatness first hand. Ha Yu’s Spirit of Jeet Kune Do is an account of just such a case. In all actuality though, Bruce Lee’s influence is more of a back drop than anything, but in some slight way the absence is actually the genius of this film, as we see the subtlety in which this cause and effect take place and we learn the true meaning behind the Spirit of Jeet Kune Do through Hyun-soo’s quest for courage and piece of mind.

“Fuck every school in Korea.”

A mere five words uttered by an exhausted and infuriated student towards the end of our tale, but a phrase that almost perfectly encapsulates the universal sense of angst that is often felt during the road to adulthood. The high school films of the world come and go, leaving their mark for future generations to relate to. Some make their desired impression while others merely rehash the chronicles of their predecessors. Spirit of Jeet Kune Do manages to overcome this pitfall with a story that, despite its occasional overabundance of melodrama, is realistic and multifaceted. We learn early on that Hyun-soo represents the every-man, or in this case the every-student, as we see first hand his struggles with pleasing his father, maintaining friendships, staying out of trouble, and obtaining the love of a young lady.

Now with long winded introductions aside, it must be said that Spirit of Jeet Kune Do has some of the finest street brawling ever to grace the screen. Don’t misinterpret that statement as a guarantee for an action film, quite the contrary actually, but when violence does rear its ugly head, it is captured in a fashion that makes it invigorating to watch. The camera and choreography complement one another and the results are guaranteed to get your blood pumping while still presenting you with an aesthetically pleasing product.

As for the cast and their acting abilities, we are given performances that get the job done without anyone being too overly hammy. A good thing to keep in mind when watching this film, or Korean films in general, is that the South Korean film industry is known for its penchant towards melodrama, and you simply can not have melodrama without some melodramatic acting. Now with that said, it is easier to excuse the occasional sappy moment or seemingly heavy-handed instance. Despite those moments though, most viewers will be hard pressed not to find the characters relatable and the portrayals satisfactory.

On a closing note, I think it is important to let all those would be viewers who may be in search of a Bruce Lee type film to avoid this picture, particularly if you are expecting loads of stand-offish, chop-socky madness. Do not let the title of this film fool you. As stated above, there is violence, but these aggressive acts are in no way exploitative, as each altercation is the result of something directly related to the story. Go into this one expecting a quality melodrama with the occasional bout or skirmish and you are more likely to enjoy it then if you sat down to watch someone get their teeth handed to them.