This Jet Li Movie Sees The Star Do Something Completely Different

Typecasting is a phenomenon whereby an actor is consistently trapped in a single type of role for most or all of their career. The worst examples can be horribly creatively stifling. Acting can be so complex, and there’s no telling what specific element of a character or a performance might have allowed that star to shine in that film. Conversely, no one knows what an actor can do against type until they let them try it. Jet Li got his chance to play against type in Ocean Heaven, a new horizon for the martial arts legend.

Film production in China is different, but not completely dissimilar from Hollywood’s model. Most of the scripts that get produced are massive commercial blockbusters designed to draw in as many viewers as possible. Smaller passion projects about serious issues are rarer but still important to the cinematic ecosystem. Ocean Heaven is one such example. The script struggled to find support until a sufficiently massive name stepped in. Bill Kong, Hong Kong super-producer of Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame, joined the project and brought a ton of talent with him.

What is Ocean Heaven about?

Ocean Heaven follows Jet Li as Sam Wong (known as Wang Xincheng elsewhere), a dedicated father who has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Sam’s son, Wen Zhang as David (or Dafu), is a 21-year-old adult on the autism spectrum. Sam has been David’s sole caretaker since David was seven, living as a struggling single dad since his wife drowned. Suddenly very aware of his imminent mortality and terribly worried about what will happen to his son, Sam spends the final months of his life working hard to instill critical lessons in David. Sam wants to leave David with the basic skills he’ll need to survive without his parents. He also works to find a home that can take David in. Along the way, David also finds helping hands from a local clown, Sam’s boss, and an old teacher at David’s boarding school. Together, even as Sam hides his poor health, the community works to ensure David gets the skills and resources he needs. The film is often lifted in its most moving scenes, which see David finding comfort and self-actualization while playing among the dolphins and sea turtles at the marine park his father works at. It’s a touching journey about mortality, tolerance, and the kindness of others.

Jet Li’s performance in Ocean Heaven

Jet Li is best known for his skills as a martial arts star. He became a competitive wushu practitioner at a young age and used those skills to become iconic on the big screen. Li made his international debut in 1998 as the villain of Lethal Weapon 4. He’s since become an icon in multiple countries through appearances in hits like Hero, The Forbidden Kingdom, and The Expendables. Li’s most recent appearance was in the 2020 remake of Mulan, in which he played the Emperor of China, a role that Pat Morita originally filled. Li is known first and foremost as an action star. Most of his roles see him fighting his way through dozens of stunt performers in spectacular ways. He became iconic for high-flying Wuxia pieces, martial arts gunplay, and enjoyable chaos like The One. Ocean Heaven was very far outside of Li’s usual routine. Still, Li is excellent in the role.

Li is a dedicated philanthropist who refused to take pay for Ocean Heaven. As a father of four, Li said his character’s selfless love for his children moved him. He also spoke about his nephew’s autism diagnosis and the attached stigma it brings along. Li has a lot of the film on his back, delivering a stoic, caring performance and acting completely against type. He rarely gets to lavish in this type of emotional role, free from the heightened elements of historical epics or violent action movies. It’s a grounded, real performance that helps his character feel like a sincere human being. It should stand alongside some of Li’s best films, partially thanks to his work on the project.

Where to watch Ocean Heaven

Ocean Heaven is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video with an added Hi-YAH subscription. Interested viewers can sign up for a free trial to watch the film. Non-American viewers (or those with access to a VPN) may be able to find it for free on Tubi.

Ocean Heaven is a charming drama that demonstrates surprising range in Jet Li. Li gets a lot of credit for his skills as a martial artist, but not enough praise for his unique talents as an actor. Ocean Heaven is well worth watching for fans of Li’s work or for anyone seeking a moving drama with a powerful message.