Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is widely recognized as the modern king of Kung Fu cinema. His acting career has spanned four decades and isn’t slowing down. Such a long career has provided so many classic films. But with a long filmography comes intimidation for new viewers. It’s like coming across a show that your coworker keeps talking about, but you really don’t want to dive into twelve seasons. Well, if you are this person, not sure which Donnie Yen movies to check out, then this list is here to help. Here are the five essential films of Donnie Yen.
1. Tiger Cage 2 (1990 – Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping)
Tiger Cage 2 is a great intro movie to Donnie Yen’s filmography. This is thanks to the modern setting, grounded Kung Fu, and touches of comedy. Donnie Yen stars alongside Rosamund Kwan, David Wu, and Robin Shou. That last name may sound familiar as Shou is famous for playing Liu Kang in the Mortal Kombat movies. Yen plays an ex- cop framed for murder who must team up with Kwan and Wu to bring down Shou’s villainous plot. It’s a fairly simple crime plot, but we aren’t really here for the story. The action is the draw, but it doesn’t exactly take center stage. The characters get time to show their personalities and develop relationships. They drive the story and provide much of the comedy. This character progression properly keeps viewers interested while waiting for the next fight scene.
So how is said action? Yen and Wu get a good few moments to show off their skills throughout the film; however, it all culminates in four epic fights in the final act. Two of these fights see Donnie Yen squaring off against John Salvitti and Michael Woods. Yen also fought these men in the 1989 film In the Line of Duty IV. That film could have taken this spot, and if you want to watch it then it’s available to watch on Prime Video. Back to Tiger Cage 2! These final four fights are exactly the reason to see this movie. Every single fight separates itself from the last while all featuring epic and explosive action. Tiger Cage 2 is one of Donnie Yen’s first leading roles, and he set his own bar extremely high.
2. Iron Monkey (1993 – Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping)
The plot of Iron Monkey is quite literally Robin Hood. The titular Iron Monkey is a vigilante who steals from the corrupt government and gives back to the poor in need. When Donnie Yen’s character arrives, he is forced to put his Kung Fu skills to use and track down the Iron Monkey. Iron Monkey contains everything needed for an introduction to Hong Kong Kung Fu movies. The story consists of enough drama to care about the characters while also featuring the usual dose of comedy throughout. However, much of this comedy was actually taken out of the 2001 US release of the film. In some ways, this cut of the film is an entirely different movie. Even the action in the US release lacks much of the violence seen in the original film.
So, let’s talk about that action. Iron Monkey features the perfect amount of action. Each fight varies into the different genres of Kung Fu cinema. If you’re looking for comedy infused action, Then Iron Monkey is your movie. Want fantastical Wu Xia style wire work? Iron Monkey has it in bulk. Of course, if you want grounded, Kung Fu fights then Iron Monkey definitely has that. I always thought that I didn’t like this movie, but after a recent re-watch I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, not all of the action was my cup of tea; but if I didn’t like one fight then I knew I would enjoy the next. If you’re new to Kung Fu movies or just Donnie Yen, then Iron Monkey is a must.
3. Flash Point (2007 – Directed by Wilson Yip)
Flash Point boasts an excellent cast including Yen, Collin Chou, Louis Koo, Bingbing Fan, and Xing Yu. In Flash Point, Donnie Yen and Louis Koo play two cops trying to bring down a violent gang. The plot really is that simple. There isn’t that much else to it. Honestly, Flash Point is a pretty boring movie. However, when the movie takes a pause from the plot and the dialogue, it becomes a revolutionary action thrill ride. In the early 2000s Donnie Yen began his fascination with mixed martial arts. This was first on display in his film SPL: Killzone in 2005. Many will say that SPL deserves this spot, and while it is a must see, Flash Point just edges it out for me.
The action may be limited, but what is there is absolutely stunning as Donnie Yen mixes his usual Kung Fu with powerful MMA. Every second of action is a highlight that must be seen. The final fight between Yen and Chou is still regarded as one of the greatest fight scenes every put to film. SPL was Donnie Yen giving the world a taste of something new, but Flash Point was Yen truly evolving as a performer.
4. Ip Man (2008 – Directed by Wilson Yip)
Ip Man features another stellar cast with Yen (obviously), Simon Yam, Lynn Xiong, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Ka Tung Lam, Siu-Wong Fan, and again Xing Yu. Yen plays the titular Ip Man, a Wing Chun master who was the real-life teacher of a young Bruce Lee. The film is made up of two consecutive plot-lines. The first sees Ip Man taking on some traveling fighters who have embarrassed many of his town’s local masters. This is a light and airy story that excellently introduces us to Ip Man. The second half carries much more weight, as Japan invades China. As the city and his neighbors live in despair, Ip Man learns that not everything can be solved with his fists. This story is wonderfully told with the help by excellent performances by every person involved.
From start to finish Ip Man destroys anyone who steps in his way. His Wing Chun style of Kung Fu comes as a complete surprise to his enemies and the audience. It’s faster than anything most people have ever seen and twice as powerful. As the story progresses and the stakes grow higher the action intensifies. But no matter what, Ip Man is hardly challenged. You would think that watching one man be invincible for nearly two hours would get boring, but no. It’s absolutely exhilarating. Kind of like the first time you saw John Wick land nothing but headshots for an entire film. The best example comes in the fight scene that has garnered a grander reputation than the film itself. Ip Man takes on ten Karate black belts in a thrilling hailstorm of precision and brutality. It is truly a sight to be seen. While you’re at it, check out the three sequels.
5. Wu Xia, aka Dragon (2011 – Directed by Peter Ho-Sun Chan)
In Wu Xia Donnie Yen plays a simple villager trying to lead a peaceful life with his wife and children. When two thugs come to town looking for a member of their gang who deserted them a long time ago, Yen’s world is turned upside down. Alongside this situation is a detective investigating the deaths of two local criminals. His investigation will inevitably bring him face to face with this violent gang. Wu Xia stands out for its excellent story, great performances, and gorgeous cinematography. Oh, also some of the most breathtaking Kung Fu you’re going to find.
The action takes it’s time to get going, but when it does it is truly worth the wait. Donnie Yen has many stellar scenes, but he isn’t the only one who gets to show off. Wu Xia is a love letter to Kung Fu films of the 60s through 80s. The respect is definitely paid with the performances of two Hong Kong legends. Kara Hui and Jimmy Wang Yu give awesome performances and prove to everyone that they could still throw down on screen. These days Donnie Yen is mostly seen as the Wing Chun guy or the MMA guy. But in Wu Xia he reminds us all that his roots lie in Wushu. Yen put out so many incredible films throughout the 2010s, but the fact that I’m choosing a film from 2011 is powerful. There are some serious contenders for this last spot, but Wu Xia’s astoundingly gorgeous Kung Fu demands to be seen.
Conclusion
There are your five essential Donnie Yen films. Whether you’re new to the genre or just Yen, these five films will get your acquainted with the man that many see as king of modern kung fu cinema. What do you think? Are you going to check these flicks out? If you have seen these movies, then what are your five essential Donnie Yen movies? Tell me in the comment section and when you’re done check out other articles and reviews here on Martial Journal. You can even check out video reviews over on my YouTube channel as well as a video on this very topic. The movies are the same, but you get to see me talk about them just a bit more.
Check out my Youtube channel where I review and discuss martial arts films.
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