Buzz
When talking about martial arts, one cannot overlook China - the birthplace of numerous exquisite and visually captivating martial arts styles. One of the biggest martial arts stars in Asia and specifically in China today is Donnie Yen. Although he has been acting for a long time, it's only in recent years that his career has garnered much acclaim, bringing his name to international prominence. Let's explore some of Donnie Yen's finest films in the article below.
1. Ip Man Series (4 parts) – Ip Man (2008, 2010, 2015, 2019)
It can be said that this is the most famous film series, contributing significantly to building his reputation and asserting his position in the international film market. The storyline revolves around the life of the Chinese martial arts master from the Wing Chun school, named Ip Man. Throughout the 4 installments, audiences will witness breathtaking martial arts sequences that evoke a myriad of emotions, sometimes leaving them awestruck.
2. Young Wong Fei-Hung / The Invincible Iron Monkey (2 Parts) – Iron Monkey (1993, 1996)
One of his greatest martial arts roles cannot go unmentioned, portraying Wong Kei-Ying – the father of Wong Fei-Hung. Thanks to this film, his name quickly rose to stardom. Watching The Invincible Iron Monkey, audiences will witness iconic martial arts battles that solidify the reputation of Donnie Yen.
3. SPL: Sha Po Lang – Kill Zone (2005)
Emerging during a period when crime films were on the rise and martial arts films were declining, Kill Zone brilliantly merges these two genres to gain widespread acclaim. It can be said that this is the crime martial arts masterpiece of Hong Kong cinema. The film portrays a showdown between two detectives and a cunning underworld kingpin and his ruthless henchman - a relentless assassin. The fight scene between Donnie Yen wielding an iron rod and Wu Jing wielding a razor-sharp knife in a narrow alley is mesmerizing and even chilling.
4. The Legendary Chen Zhen – The Legend of Chen Zhen (2010)
Chen Zhen – a character portrayed multiple times on screen, famously by Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury. However, in The Legendary Chen Zhen, the story of this hero is explored further, even depicting his involvement in World War I in Europe. The film is set during the Japanese occupation of China. After returning from Europe, Chen Zhen is recruited to join the underground resistance against the Japanese forces. His mission is to protect those on the 'death list' and eliminate the assassins sent to find them.
5. The Hong Kong Kingpin – Chasing the Dragon (2017)
Watching Chasing the Dragon, audiences will witness a remarkable transformation of Donnie Yen as he portrays Crippled Ho – a notorious gangster, a ruthless drug lord with ambitions to become the kingpin of Hong Kong. His exceptional portrayal of inner turmoil and pain helped him break the stereotype of being only a martial artist and not a skilled actor.
6. Secret Agent xXx 3: Counterstrike - xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)
Although playing a supporting role in this Hollywood blockbuster, this time he had more screen time, starring alongside soccer player Neymar, renowned Muay Thai martial artist Tony Jaa, and one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Vin Diesel. Portraying the agent Xiang, he is tasked with infiltrating the CIA headquarters to steal highly dangerous technological weapons. Meanwhile, another agent, xXx - Xander Cage, assembles teams to track down Xiang to recover the stolen weapon. After numerous confrontations, they both eventually discover they are on the same side and join forces to overthrow evil.
7. Big Brother - Big Brother (2018)
Portraying a man who once served in the military and now becomes a high school teacher, he deals with troublesome students every day. With a gentle and cheerful demeanor, no one would suspect that a teacher like him has a fiery past. It seemed like he could enjoy peaceful days forever until one day, a student gets involved with a gang and is kidnapped by them. Unable to stand by, the teacher must act to save his student. This is also when the secrets of the teacher begin to unravel.
8. The Hero - Hero (2002)
Although not in the lead role, Donnie Yen still delivers jaw-dropping martial arts scenes for the audience. In the film, he portrays Sky, a martial artist who engages in a fierce duel with the assassin Nameless using a silver spear.
9. Secret Plan - Kungfu Jungle (2014)
A Tung (Donnie Yen), a kind-hearted and highly skilled martial arts police officer. During a mission, he accidentally kills someone and finds himself imprisoned. Behind bars, he constantly hears about a highly skilled martial arts serial killer, causing authorities great distress. Seizing this opportunity, A Tung proposes to go after the killer in exchange for his freedom.
10. The Frost Warrior – Iceman (2014, 2018)
Until now, films blending modern essence into the past are not uncommon, but venturing into Lan Kwai Fong's heart and infiltrating its nightclubs is perhaps only seen in The Frost Warrior. This film bears the strong imprint of Donnie Yen, successfully combining the essence of martial arts with cutting-edge Hollywood effects. Not only serving as the martial arts director and co-producer, Donnie Yen also directly participates in the lead role - Ha Anh, a courageous imperial guard dedicated to his country.
Hope that the finest films of Donnie Yen mentioned above will satisfy your passion for martial arts. Wishing you enjoyable entertainment moments.
