|
|
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen (born 27 July 1963) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director, action choreographer and film producer. Apart from being a well-known film and television actor in Hong Kong, Yen has also gained international recognition for appearing in many films together with other prominent and internationally known actors such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. He is considered to be Hong Kong's top action star; director Peter Chan mentioned that he "is the 'it' action person right now" and "has built himself into a bona fide leading man, who happens to be an action star."
Yen took on the role of a stuntman in his earliest films, Shaolin Drunkard (1983) and Taoism Drunkard (1984). At the age of 20, he took on his first acting role in the 1984 film Drunken Tai Chi, and the film helped to make Yen more notable, even though it was not a critical success. After filming Drunken Tai Chi and Tiger Cage (1988), Yen underwent Asian blepharoplasty and had his teeth straightened.
Yen made his breakthrough role as General Nap-lan in Once Upon A Time In China II (1992), which included a dramatic fight scene between his character and Wong Fei-hung (played by Jet Li). Yen and Li appeared together again in the 2002 film Hero, where Yen played a spear (or qiang) fighter who fought with Li's character, an unnamed swordsman. The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2003 Academy Awards but lost to the German film Nowhere in Africa.
In 1997, Yen started a production company called Bullet Films, and made his directorial debut[4] in Legend of the Wolf (1997) and Ballistic Kiss (1998), in which he played the lead character. Yen went on to choreograph fight scenes and appeared in minor roles in some Hollywood films, such as Highlander: Endgame (2000) and Blade II (2002).
In 2003, Yen co-starred with Jackie Chan in Shanghai Knights. His role of the antagonist, Wu Chow, was originally offered to Robin Shou, who played his on-screen nemesis in Tiger Cage 2 (1990), but Shou turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts and Yen took the role.
Yen choreographed most of the fight animation in the 2004 video game Onimusha 3, which featured actors Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jean Reno. Yen continued to be active in the Hong Kong cinema in the 2000s, starring as Chu Zhaonan in Tsui Hark's Wuxia epic film Seven Swords, and as Ma Kwun in Wilson Yip's brutal crime drama film SPL: Sha Po Lang in 2005. Both films were featured at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival. Later that year, Yen co-starred with Nicholas Tse and Shawn Yue in Wilson Yip's Dragon Tiger Gate, an adaptation of Wong Yuk-long's comic series Oriental Heroes. Yen also worked as action choreographer in Stormbreaker, starring Alex Pettyfer. Yen's continued to work with Wilson Yip in Flash Point (2007) in which he starred as the lead character and served as producer and action choreographer for the film. He won the Best Action Choreography at the Golden Horse Film Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards for his performance in Flash Point.
In 2008, Yen starred in IP Man, a semi-biographical account of Y IP Man, the Wing Chun master of Bruce Lee. IP Man marked Yen's fourth collaboration with director Wilson Yip, reuniting him with his co-stars in SPL: Sha Po Lang, Sammo Hung and Simon Yam. IP Man became the biggest box office hit to date which featured Yen in the leading role, grossing HK$25 million in Hong Kong and 100 million yuan in China.[5][6] Recently, Yen has announced plans to start working on a film based of Akira Toriyama's Dragonball Z series. Toriyama has expressed his desire to see Yen bring his epic manga to life, after successfully taking Dragon Tiger Gate, another famous Manga, to the big screen.
What members say |
Filmography
Donnie Yen - what members say
review by from coventry , england
a 5 star gem 31 January 2004
review by from NOTTINGHAM
1 December 2003
review by Mode7 from England
boring,unrealistic as it gets 3 July 2007
Donnie Yen - filmography
-
-
Dragon
(2011)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Director: Peter Chan
Certificate: 
Peter Chan directs this Hong Kong martial arts drama that sees an incredibly scrupulous detective on the trail of a former criminal who has attempted to start a new life. Set in 1917, the film finds Liu Jinxi (Donnie Yen) and his wife Ayu (Wei Tang) living quietly in a small village. Their sense of ..read more »
 
70%
from 6 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
14 Blades - Blu-ray
(2010)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Zhao Wei
Director: Daniel Lee
Certificate: 
Watch now: Unavailable
Trained in clandestine combat from childhood, the Jinyiwei were masters of the 14 Blades. Above the law and with a license to kill, they devoted their lives and lethal prowess to the service of the Emperor alone. When the Imperial Court is taken over by evil eunuch JIA, the best of the Jinyiwei, ..read more »
62%
from 873 members
-
-
Ip Man 2 - Legend Of The Grandmaster
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Simon Yam
Director: Wilson Yip, Yip Wai-Shun
Certificate:
Kung Fu sensation, Donnie Yen, returns as martial arts legend, Ip Man, in the most anticipated martial arts movie event of the year. Having defeated the best fighters of the Imperial Japanese army in occupied Shanghai, Ip Man and his family settle in post-war Hong Kong. Struggling to make a living, ..read more »
78%
from 2,132 members
-
-
Legend of the Fist - The Return of Chen Zhen
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Qi Shu, Shawn Yue, Karl Dominik
Director: Donnie Yen, Andrew Lau
Certificate: 
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Wai Keung (Andrew) Lau directs this martial arts action drama set in Japanese-occupied 1920s Shanghai. Seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen (portrayed by Bruce Lee in the 1972 film 'Fist of Fury' and played here by Donnie Yen), the avenging hero returns. When he is not courting sultry ..read more »
70%
from 1,082 member
-
-
14 Blades
on DVD
(2010)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Zhao Wei
Director: Daniel Lee
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Trained in clandestine combat from childhood, the Jinyiwei were masters of the 14 Blades. Above the law and with a license to kill, they devoted their lives and lethal prowess to the service of the Emperor alone. When the Imperial Court is taken over by evil eunuch JIA, the best of the Jinyiwei, ..read more »
69%
from 2,675 members
-
-
Legend Of The Fist - The Return Of Chen ...
(2010)
Starring: Qi Shu, Shawn Yue, Karl Dominik
Director: Donnie Yen, Andrew Lau
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Wai Keung (Andrew) Lau directs this martial arts action drama set in Japanese-occupied 1920s Shanghai. Seven years after the apparent death of Chen Zhen (portrayed by Bruce Lee in the 1972 film 'Fist of Fury' and played here by Donnie Yen), the avenging hero returns. When he is not courting sultry ..read more »
63%
from 750 members
-
-
Founding of a Republic - Blu-ray
(2009)
Starring: Andy Lau, Jet Li, Jackie Chan
Director: Jianxin Huang, Sanping Han
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Big budget Chinese historical epic examining the climax of the Chinese Civil War in the 1950s. The film opens with the leaders of the two main factions in the civil war, Mao Zedong (Tang Guoqiang) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chiang Kai-shek (Zhang Guoli) of the nationalist party ..read more »
38%
from 197 members
-
-
Bodyguards and Assassins
on DVD
(2009)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Xueqi Wang
Director: Teddy Chan
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Hong Kong martial arts action thriller starring Donnie Yen. Set in 1905, the film tracks one fateful day in the life of Chinese revolutionary Dr Sun Yat-Sen (Hanyu Zhang). Arriving in Hong Kong to meet with a dozen revolutionaries from all over China to instigate a coordinated uprising against the ..read more »
65%
from 1,249 member
-
-
Bodyguards and Assassins - Blu-ray
(2009)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Xueqi Wang
Director: Teddy Chan
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Hong Kong martial arts action thriller starring Donnie Yen. Set in 1905, the film tracks one fateful day in the life of Chinese revolutionary Dr Sun Yat-Sen (Hanyu Zhang). Arriving in Hong Kong to meet with a dozen revolutionaries from all over China to instigate a coordinated uprising against the ..read more »
60%
from 683 members
-
-
The Founding of a Republic
on DVD
(2009)
Starring: Andy Lau, Jet Li, Jackie Chan
Director: Jianxin Huang, Sanping Han
Certificate:
Watch now: Unavailable
Big budget Chinese historical epic examining the climax of the Chinese Civil War in the 1950s. The film opens with the leaders of the two main factions in the civil war, Mao Zedong (Tang Guoqiang) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chiang Kai-shek (Zhang Guoli) of the nationalist party ..read more »
45%
from 288 members
-
-
IP Man - Blu-ray
(2008)
Starring: Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan, Donnie Yen
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
Wilson Yip directs this action drama based on the young adulthood of renowned martial arts teacher Ip Man, purveyor of the art of Wing Chun to students including film star Bruce Lee. Set in 1930s Foshan, a Chinese town famed for its many martial arts schools, the film tells the story of Ip (Donnie ..read more »
82%
from 3,097 members
-
-
Painted Skin
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Xun Zhou, Wei Zhao
Director: Gordon Chan
Certificate:
In the turbulent days between the Qin and Han Dynasties a dark, tyrannical presence rules the land, sea and air of a once beautiful realm. As the evil forces press further into the lives of the people it falls to an ex-general (Donnie Yen – Ip Man, Hero, Blade II) to reclaim the mantle of battle ..read more »
68%
from 63 members
-
-
An Empress and the Warriors
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Leon Lai, Kelly Chen, Jie Yan
Director: Siu-Tung Ching
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Historical action drama set in Ancient China. Yen Feier (Kelly Chen) reluctantly takes over the throne when her father, the Emperor, is killed in battle. Feier and her father's most loyal general and trusted friend Muyong Xuehu (Donnie Yen) unite to defend the kingdom. However, Feier's ambitious ..read more »
61%
from 2,780 members
-
-
IP Man
on DVD
(2008)
Starring: Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan, Donnie Yen
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
Wing Chun grandmaster Ip has an amazing wife, plenty of money, the most beautiful house in town, and a blossoming martial arts academy. But when the Japanese occupy his hometown of Foshan during the Sino-Japan war (1937), Ip, like the rest of the locals, is forced into hard labor and brutal ..read more »
82%
from 4,178 members
-
-
Painted Skin - Blu-ray
(2008)
Starring: Wei Zhao, Kun Chen, Donnie Yen
Director: Gordon Chan
Certificate:
Hong Kong romantic action thriller adapted from the classic ghost story by Songling Pu. General Wang Chen (Kun Chen) rescues a beautiful young woman Xiaowei (Xun Zhou) from the scene of a battle and takes her into his household, little realising that Xiaowei is actually a fox spirit who feeds on ..read more »
46%
from 9 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Flash Point
(2007)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Collin Chou
Director: Wilson Yip, Yip Wai Shun
Certificate:
Action thriller about a loose-cannon cop on the trail of three drug-dealing brothers. For years, Detective Sergeant Ma Jun (Donnie Yen) has been working on a case involving three Vietnamese brothers - Archer (Lui Leung-Wai), Tony (Collin Chou) and Tiger (Xing Yu). Ma has planted a mole, his partner ..read more »
65%
from 1,117 member
Currently unavailable
-
-
Flash Point - Blu-ray
(2007)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Collin Chou
Director: Wils, Wilson Yip, Yip Wai Shun
Certificate:
Action thriller about a loose-cannon cop on the trail of three drug-dealing brothers. For years, Detective Sergeant Ma Jun (Donnie Yen) has been working on a case involving three Vietnamese brothers - Archer (Lui Leung-Wai), Tony (Collin Chou) and Tiger (Xing Yu). Ma has planted a mole, his partner ..read more »
68%
from 373 members
-
-
Dragon Tiger Gate - Blu-ray
(2006)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Award-winning martial arts drama from Hong Kong derived from the comic book of the same name. When Tiger Wong (Nicholas Tse) uses his special Dragon Slaying Kick to protect an innocent family from being tormented by Triads, he unwittingly takes a large gold medallion from one of his assailants. He ..read more »
63%
from 421 members
-
-
Dragon Tiger Gate
on DVD
(2006)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Award-winning martial arts drama from Hong Kong derived from the comic book of the same name. When Tiger Wong (Nicholas Tse) uses his special Dragon Slaying Kick to protect an innocent family from being tormented by Triads, he unwittingly takes a large gold medallion from one of his assailants. He ..read more »
66%
from 1,458 member
-
-
Kill Zone
on DVD
(2005)
Starring: Kai Chi Liu, Ken Chang, Austin Wai
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
Wilson Yip directs this martial arts action thriller. Detective Chung (Simon Yam) is nearing the end of his career. Before he retires, he resorts to unethical methods in a last ditch attempt to put his old adversary, seemingly untouchable triad kingpin Po (Sammo Hung), behind bars once and for all. ..read more »
59%
from 587 members
-
-
S.P.L. : Sha po lang
(2005)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Wu Jing
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
A crimelord (Sammo Hung) covers his tracks so well that he always gets away from all crimes he does, assisted by four fast-talking English lawyers. A professional assassin (Wu Jing), who never fails on his assignment, appearing out of nowhere. Four policemen so eager to nab the crimelord that they ..read more »
79%
from 75 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Seven Swords
on DVD
(2005)
Starring: Leon Lai, Charlie Yeung, Donnie Yen
Director: Tsui Hark
Certificate:
Watch now: Included in all packages with LOVEFiLM Instant
Hong Kong swordfighting action, from acclaimed director Tsui Hark. In the 1600s, the Manchurians have taken over China and established their own brutal dynasty, banning the practice of martial arts. As the evil Manchu general Wind Fire (Honglei Sun) ravages the land, a group of expert swordmen, ..read more »
57%
from 6,955 members
-
-
Killzone - Blu-ray
(2005)
Starring: Kai Chi Liu, Ken Chang, Austin Wai
Director: Wilson Yip
Certificate:
Wilson Yip directs this martial arts action thriller. Detective Chung (Simon Yam) is nearing the end of his career. Before he retires, he resorts to unethical methods in a last ditch attempt to put his old adversary, seemingly untouchable triad kingpin Po (Sammo Hung), behind bars once and for all. ..read more »
59%
from 622 members
-
-
Blade of Kings
on DVD
(2004)
Starring: Edison Chen, Bo-Lin Chen, Jaycee Chan
Director: Patrick Leung, Corey Yuen
Certificate: 
Fast-paced Hong Kong action adventure. Set in a land ruled by a vengeful queen (Ying Qu), who insists that all men will be slaves to women, the film follows the journey of two young brothers, Charcoal Head (Jaycee Chan) and Blockhead (Bo-Lin Chen), who come into the possession of a mysterious map. ..read more »
48%
from 41 members
-
-
Blade 2
on DVD
(2002)
Starring: Daz Crawford, Kris Kristofferson, Matt Schulze
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Certificate:
Wesley Snipes returns as Blade, the daywalking half-human/half-vampire who has dedicated his life to fighting the threat posed by the undead. This time he enters into an alliance with vampire chief Damaskinos in order to eradicate a new strain of vampire which preys on both the living and the ..read more »
67%
from 26,584 members
-
-
Blade 2 - Blu-ray
(2002)
Starring: Daz Crawford, Kris Kristofferson, Matt Schulze
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Certificate:
Wesley Snipes returns as Blade, the daywalking half-human/half-vampire who has dedicated his life to fighting the threat posed by the undead. This time he enters into an alliance with vampire chief Damaskinos in order to eradicate a new strain of vampire which preys on both the living and the ..read more »
76%
from 157 members
-
-
Shanghai Affairs
(1998)
Starring: Athena Chu
Director: Donnie Yen
Certificate:
Hong Kong martial arts/gangster movie. Tangsan (Donnie Yen) is a doctor living in the poverty stricken area of Shanghai. All the poor people come to him for help because of his kindness. But then the Axe Gang arrives on the scene, and they're planning to destroy the town so they can build their own ..read more »
47%
from 12 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Satan Returns
on DVD
(1996)
Starring: Yuen King Dan, Chingamy Yau, Donnie Yen
Director: Ah Lun
Certificate:
A police complaints officer finds herself the subject of a stalker who believes that his prey is the daughter of Satan. After some time passes, the madman almost convinces her that she has demonic powers and it is down to her friends and colleagues to prevent her from coming face-to-face with the ..read more »
42%
from 177 members
-
-
Drunken Tai Chi
(1995)
Starring: Yuen Hsin Yee, Yuen Cheung Yan, Donnie Yen
Director: Chu Yen Ping
Certificate:
When Ching Tao (Donnie Yen) and his brother accidentally drive the son of a nobleman (Wang Tao) insane, the man hires an assassin to kill them both. Ching manages to escape a fire started by the assassin that wipes out the rest of his family, and is taken in by an elderly couple. They teach him the ..read more »
53%
from 411 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Fist Of Fury - Sworn Revenge
(1995)
Starring: Donnie Yen
Director: Shiu-Kee Lung
Certificate:
Hong Kong martial arts action, prequel to 'Fist of Fury' (1972, and remade in 1995). Donnie Yen takes the character of Chen Jun back to his earlier days, starting in his village when it is brutally attacked by bandits. With his family murdered, Jun plans on seeking out distant relatives in Shanghai,..read more »
54%
from 85 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Kung Fu Master
(1994)
Starring: Donnie Yen
Director: Benny Chan Muk-sing, Tang Hin-shing
Certificate:
Donnie Yen ('Hero', 'Blade 2'), stars as the legendary Hung Hei-kwun in this epic martial arts. Returning home after an eight year absence, Hung plans to join the Sun Moon Sect in an attempt to overthrow the reigning Manchurian Ching Dynasty and restore justice to the downtrodden Han people. Hot ..read more »
51%
from 93 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Revenge Of The Kung Fu Master
(1994)
Starring: Donnie Yen
Director: Donnie Yen
Certificate:
Martial-arts sequel, starring Donnie Yen as the folk hero Hung Hei Kwun. Joining forces with the Sun Moon Sect in order to avenge his father's death, Kwun is betrayed by a once-loyal friend and finds himself up against the deadly White Brow Priest in an epic struggle to defeat the Ching government ..read more »
48%
from 18 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Wing Chun
(1994)
Starring: Tsui Siu Keung, Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh
Director: Yuen Woo-Ping
Certificate:
Kung fu action comedy with a feminist slant, starring Michelle Yeoh as Yim Wing Chun, a tofu-shop owner and supremely skilled martial artist. When Wing Chun foils an evil plot by a gang of bandits to kidnap beautiful young widow Charmy (Catherine Hung Yan), the bandits, enraged at being defeated by ..read more »
61%
from 879 members
Not currently released
-
-
Once Upon A Time In China II
on DVD
(1993)
Starring: Rosamund Kwan, Jet Lee, Donnie Yen
Director: Tsui Hark
Certificate:
This sequel to 'Once Upon a Time in China' once again stars Jet Li as Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, defending Imperial China against invading foreigners using his martial art skills. In addition, he has to confront Kung (Xin Xin Xiong), a rival equal in skill, if not in honour, and protect Aunt ..read more »
68%
from 1,979 member
-
-
Butterfly And Sword
on DVD
(1993)
Starring: Tony Leung, Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh
Director: Chu Yen Ping
Certificate:
starring Michelle Yeoh,Tony Leung, and Donnie Yen in this Kung Fu movie.
An honorable, brave farmer volunteers to help defend the Ming Dynasty against a gang of dissembling eunuchs with a coup d'etat on their minds.
49%
from 866 members
-
-
Iron Monkey
on DVD
(1993)
Starring: Yu Rong Kwong, Jean Wang, Donnie Yen
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Certificate:
Yuen Woo-ping directs Donnie Yen as Wong Kei Ying, a master boxer in 19th century China, whose son is kidnapped. Ying can only save his son if he uses his deadly skills to help the kidnapper, a corrupt politician, fight a mystery character known as Iron Monkey; who steals from the politician and ..read more »
67%
from 3,316 members
-
-
New Dragon Gate Inn
(1992)
Starring: Tony Leung, Bridget Lin, Maggie Cheung
Director: Li Hui Min
Certificate:
During the Ming dynasty, Tsao Sui San (Donnie Yen) - the evil eunuch leader of the East Chamber - attempts to forge his own kingdom by destroying the rebelling clans. His forces confront the rebels in the desert, and the two warring factions end up at the Dragon Gate Inn, owned by the beautiful ..read more »
60%
from 833 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
In The Line Of Duty
(1989)
Starring: Michael Woods, Michael Wong, Cynthia Khan
Director: Yuen Woo-Ping
Certificate:
Martial arts police story. A female cop is assigned to protect a witness who has vital information about a drug smuggling operation. The whole set-up is being run jointly by the CIA and a criminal fraternity, which makes it seem overwhelming and somewhat resistant to the efforts of the police. ..read more »
59%
from 239 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
New Big Boss AKA Legend Of The Wolf
Starring: Edmond Leung, Donnie Yen
Director: Donnie Yen
Certificate:
Bruce Lee fan, Donnie Yen directs, produces and stars in this Nineties take on the Martial Arts genre. When a contract killer seeks the assistance of the legendary 'Wolf', Fung Man Hin (Yen), he finds him an old and ailing man. However, through Wolf's aide, Wai, he learns of how, as a young man, ..read more »
52%
from 138 members
Currently unavailable
-
-
Fist Of Fury - The Legend Lives On
on DVD
Starring: Eddie Ko, Donnie Yen
Director: Lung Shiu-Kee, Shiu-Kee Lung
Certificate:
Hong Kong martial arts action remake of the 1972 Bruce Lee film. In Japanese-occupied Shanghai, Chen-Jun (Donnie Yen) joins the legendary Jin Wu Martial Arts Academy to train as an underground resistance fighter. But when Chen's master is killed by the Japanese, Chen unleashes his skills in an ..read more »
51%
from 75 members
-
-
Iron Monkey 2
Starring: Donnie Yen, Billy Chow
Director: Chiu Lo Kong
Certificate:
Iron Monkey (Donnie Yen) teams up with his blind friend Jin (Wu Ma) to bring underworld agent the Tiger to justice. When Jin's son (Lau Kan Wan) arrives he soon becomes caught up in the conflict, leading to Jin's death. Jin's son now joins the Iron Monkey to avenge his father's memory, as they ..read more »
47%
from 347 members
Currently unavailable
|
Donnie Yen facts
|
...umour, alongside a mass of martial arts mayhem. A true classic of asian cinema. Donnie Yen is marvellous as the father to chinas folk hero wong fei hung in a modern day s...
