Film Review: Yuen Wo-Ping Introduces the Action World to Donnie Yen in Kung-Fumedy ‘Drunken Tai Chi’ (Siu taai gik – 1984)

 Action, Asian Cinema, B. Woodell, Comedy, Hong Kong, Martial Arts  No Responses »
Jan 282012
 

drunken-tai-chi Drunken Tai Chi is an absolute Yuen Woo-Ping gem from 1984, and is the very first film by the great Donnie Yen. Like many kung fu films made in the late 70’s and early 80’s by the Yuen clan, Jackie Chan, and Sammo Hung, Drunken Tai Chi is filled to the brim with mind bending feats of physical abilities, amazing kung fu sequences, revenge and comedy galore.

Being a revenge film, it follows the formula we’ve all come to know and love. Chan Chuen Chung’s (Yen) brother embarrasses Ta Sha, a rich schoolmate, and a rivalry ensues. It escalates to the boy having his father pay Iron Steel to kill Chan and his family. Chan is not home, but instead is fighting in a gambling hall Continue reading »

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Film Review: HK Legend Hung Goes Toe-to-Toe with Action Superstar Yen in ‘Ip Man 2′ (2010)

 Action, Asian Cinema, Drama, Hong Kong, J. Felton, Martial Arts  No Responses »
May 152011
 

DVD Artwork

My introduction to the force that is Donnie Yen was through the quite excellent Kill Zone from 2005. That movie also starred the deceptively agile Sammo Hung as well as Simon Yam, both of whom feature to varying degrees in this sequel to the 2008 flick Ip Man. With these three stellar actors together you could well expect fireworks, at least in the action department. Well rest assured my good friends they, along with director Wilson Yip (who also directed the aforementioned Kill Zone), do deliver big time.

Ip Man, who is played with wonderful subtlety by Yen, has set up home in British ruled Hong Kong and is looking to start up a school teaching his own style of Kung-Fu. The style he teaches Continue reading »

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Film Review: HK Action Star Donnie Yen “Wows” in ‘Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen’ (2010)

 Action, Asian Cinema, Drama, Horror, Martial Arts, P. Escott  No Responses »
Dec 132010
 

Theatrical Poster

Donnie Yen really has come into his own during the latter half of the noughties, starting with his lead role in Kill Zone (Sha Po Lang) in 2005. It’s been a long time coming too, ever since 1992’s Once Upon a Time in China II in which he played a villainous General pitted against Jet Li’s legendary Wong Fei-hung, all the way through to his attempts at cracking Hollywood with the likes of Highlander: End Game and Blade II to finally landing some good guy roles in the likes of 2002’s acclaimed Hero (once again duking it out with Jet Li). Even his production company, Bullet Films, failed to bring him wide-scale international recognition the likes of which Jackie Chan and Jet Li enjoyed. However, turn to 2010 and all of Yen’s Continue reading »

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Flash Point (Dou fo sin)

 Action, Asian Cinema, B. Harris, Crime, Martial Arts, Thriller  No Responses »
Apr 142008
 

U.S. DVD Release

Lead investigators Wilson and Jun are on the trail of a vicious drug smuggling operation run by three Vietnamese brothers. In order to gather more information on the Triad, Wilson goes deep undercover and begins working with the brothers in their criminal organization.

When a sting operation set up to nail the siblings fails, Wilson and the lives of everybody around him are in danger when the brothers go on a bloody rampage in order to eliminate anybody capable of testifying against them in court. Now Det. Jun must come to the aid of his partner and do what he does best…stomp criminal ass using excessive force! Continue reading »

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Flash Point (Dou fo sin)

 Action, Asian Cinema, Crime, Drama, Martial Arts, P. Escott, Thriller  No Responses »
Feb 202008
 

R2 DVD Release

After the mega-success of Wilson Yip’s and Donnie Yen’s previous collaboration, the mighty SPL (Kill Zone), they have re-teamed to make a prequel of sorts. Following the tough-as-nails, Inspector Ma (Yen) once again as he tries to bring down a band of bad-ass Vietnamese brothers, led by Tony (the criminally underused Ngai Sing, or Collin Chou to Matrix fans) who has wronged Ma by trying to kill any witness who has the balls to testify against him, or any of his brothers.

Flash Point could never live up to the joys of SPL, that film that brought a breathe of fresh air to the Hong Kong industry that was producing Infernal Affairs rip-offs time and time again. Where SPL was down and dirty; brutal and grimy, Flash Point Continue reading »

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