Biography of donnie yen filmography

Besides his on-screen performance, Donnie was also called on to choreograph the dynamic duel between himself and MMA champion Cung Le. Yen followed this with 'Ip Man 2', a rare example of a sequel that proved a match for its predecessor. The film followed Ip's life journey to Hong Kong, where he faces both rival kung fu masters, led by the film's choreographer, Sammo Hung, and a brutal foreign boxer, portrayed by the late Darren Shahlavi.

Yen also used the lighter side of his screen persona to good effect in two installments of the hit Hong Kong comedy movie series 'Alls Well Ends Well'. The film premiered to great acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival, and subsequently received a North American theatrical release from The Weinstein Company. Donnie starred opposite screen legend Chow Yun-fat in the film, which smashed box office records in Mainland China.

Showing his versatility, Yen went on to play a kung fu master facing challenges in the modern era in director Teddy Chen's 'Kung Fu Jungle'. The movie, which premiered at the London Film Festival, paid tribute to the great history of Hong Kong martial arts cinema. During the shooting of his ambitious, time travel themed action fantasy 'Iceman 3D', Yen was approached to revitalize the greatest brand in the history of Chinese martial arts cinema.

The film debuted in most international territories as a Netflix Original movie, making it the most widely seen wu xia of all time. Yen reteamed with his former mentor Yuen Woo-ping for the hugely popular 'Ip Man 3'. The film, with Wilson Ip as director and Yuen as choreographer, pitted the title character against legendary boxing champion Mike Tyson.

The film out-performed all the previous movies featuring the character of Ip Man, smashing box office records throughout Asia. Following a high profile Los Angeles premiere, 'Ip Man 3' enjoyed a Los Angeles premiere and a US theatrical release, earning rave reviews in the mainstream American media. Having conquered every territory beneath the Asian skies, Donnie accepted an invitation to join the cast of an entry in the world's biggest film franchise.

In 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story', Yen plays one of the Rebel warriors responsible for the theft of the Death Star plans, the adventure that, within the 'Star Wars' universe, leads to the events of the very first film in the series. The film was shot primarily at the famed Elstree Studios in England. Now firmly established as a leading player across the globe, Donnie Yen continues to present a unique blend of Eastern experience and Western innovation, of musical grace with martial impact, from Hong Kong to a galaxy far, far away Donnie is one of the leading martial arts choreographers in the world of action cinema.

Nevertheless, he does manage to leave an impact on the audience. Their first pairing came in the action film, SPL: Kill Zone, which stars Yen as Ma Kwun, a Hong Kong police officer with a dark past who gets caught up in a deadly game of revenge between a vicious gangster and the cop who failed to put him away. SPL: Kill Zone is a dark story with a tragic ending that sings the truth about the evil nature of revenge, and how it can cost a man everything.

It is among the best Donnie Yen movies in terms of being one of the more successful, based on a popular Disney property and beloved animated film. Yen played a unique character in the live-action Disney movie , a high-ranking leader of the Imperial Army who mentored Mulan. His character and that of Chen were based on Li Shang, the love interest from the animated movie.

Critics praised the visuals and the movie picked up two Oscar nominations. The series went off on a high note with a change of locale to the United States during the s. The film not only tackled Ip Man's struggle to bond with his son following his wife's tragic passing but also his own mortality after being diagnosed with cancer. Ip Man bravely battles both the disease and the inherent anti-Asian racism of the era in a stunning pitch to unite people regardless of their ethnic background.

He and his partner battle a Vietnamese gang wreaking havoc throughout their territory. Yen not only stars in this film but also worked on its fight scene choreography, adding an extra sense of realism to its action sequences. Flash Point may not measure up to some of the best Donnie Yen movies, but it is difficult to deny the visceral realism of its fight scenes.

Ip Man also contends with a rival martial artist, who wants to dethrone him as the reigning champion of the Wing Chun fighting style. Both films were featured at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Biography of donnie yen filmography

Yen worked as action choreographer in Stormbreaker , starring Alex Pettyfer. Yen continued to work with Wilson Yip in Flash Point , in which he starred as the lead character and served as producer and action choreographer for the film. Similar to the first film, it was directed by Wilson Yip. In August , while Yen was on a vacation with his family in the United States, he reportedly received an invitation by producer Avi Lerner to star in The Expendables 2.

It was stated that Yen was considering the offer, had many films at hand, and would wait until deciding whether the script appealed to him. Both films were critical and box-office successes. Yen took a six-month break in the second half of after the filming of The Monkey King , where he portrayed the title character and main protagonist Sun Wukong , replacing Li once again, in which the film was released during the Chinese New Year period in January , [24] [25] he explained that he wanted to spend more time with his family and be with his children more as they grew up.

In , Yen returned to the movie industry and commenced the filming of Special ID , in which he played the main lead, an undercover cop, and also took on the role of action choreographer. In , it was reported that Yen would be playing the lead role for Iceman , a sci-fi action film dealing with time travel and which was filmed in 3D. Yen confirmed that MMA would be used in both of the aforementioned films.

It was reported that Yen was considering the role and quoted as saying, "The first is that my schedule this year is very packed. The second is that the first film is already such a classic. I am afraid of the pressure, that the original cannot be surpassed. It was revealed that the movie would be filmed in both English and Mandarin to appeal to the international market.

This movie was one of the many collaborations Yen made with action director Wilson Yip. It became a cult movie among fans of Hong Kong action cinema, with many audiences praising it as one of Yen's best films. The film features a star-studded cast and showcases the best of Hong Kong cinema. Yen is always known for his martial arts skills but here, he shines in his dramatic and comedic scenes.

This role showcases his versatility as an actor. Nevertheless, his action scenes are still highly regarded. Donnie Yen faces off with another titan in Asian cinema, Sammo Hung. Audiences who love an intense action flick has to check this out. The film was particularly noted for its final fight scene between Yen and Hung, which has been dubbed as one of the most iconic fight scenes in Hong Kong cinema history.