After Jackie Chan and Jet Li crossed the waters and made it big in Hollywood, there was a third-star making huge waves in the Hong Kong martial arts scene. It was just a matter of time before Donnie Yen also followed suit of his fellow countrymen. Coming along a little bit after, many times he has featured in Jackie Chan and Jet Li movies in Hong Kong usually as the main Antagonist. I think the first Hollywood movie I saw him in was Blade 2 as one of the specially trained vampire squad sent to hunt Blade down, just before that he featured in Highlander Endgame. Some people call him Don Yen, others Doni Yen.
When you think of Donnie Yen movies or Donnie Yen film you think Ip Man. But he has done so much more, even better than Ip Man. So now let’s take a look at the top 10 Donnie Yen movies. I’m only going to include movies where he is the main star or main co-star so movies like xXx: Return of Xander Cage and Rogue One don’t count.
10: Dragon
For anyone that’s seen A History of Violence will completely get what Dragon is about. Liu Jinxi is a martial arts master who is trying to forget his violent past and forge a new life as a simple paper maker. He has a wife and two sons. Unfortunately, while in the local shop, two bandits try to rob it while Jinxi is there. Jinxi takes out the bandits and does his best to make it look like a lucky fluke as he was able to kill them both. Concealing his skills through misdirection. Trouble starts when one of the bandits is on the ten most wanted list and the investigating detective doesn’t believe it was pure luck that Jinxi was able to take out such a formidable opponent. The autopsy also reveals dim mak was used to cause a brain haemorrhage. The detective discovers Jinx real identity as Tang Long, the former 2nd in command of the vicious 72 demons. A group of bloodthirsty warriors. Information gets out and the master of his former gang sends out some members to come knocking for Jinxi. Jinxi wants out but the master wants Jinxi son in return. It all ends with a climactic battle between Jinx and the master of the 72 demons.
9: Kung Fu Killer
Donnie stars as a Hanou Mo, a martial arts instructor for the police forces. He gets imprisoned after killing a man by accident. Three years later a vicious killer with his own agenda starts targeting martial arts master that Hanou knows. He kills them in hand to hand combat or their chosen choice of weapon, beating them at their own game and being seemingly unbeatable, overpowering all. Saving Hanou for last, Hanou agrees to help the police in return for his freedom. The great thing about this movie is no matter who the killer played by Baoqiang Wang comes up against, all masters of their art. He is so skilled he finds a way to beat them. It makes you wonder how on earth Hanou is going to beat him when they finally meet.
8: Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Made famous by Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury and portrayed by Jet Li in Fist of Legend, it’s Donnie Yen time to portray Chen Zhen, the unbeatable student to real-life legendary martial arts master Huo Yuanjia. A sequel to Fist of Legend, Chen Zhen has faked his death as everyone thought he was gunned down at the end of Fist of Legend. Chen returns to China and joins an underground resistance movement. The movement focussing once again on Japans attempted occupation of China. By night he dawns a black mask and black suit to match looking remarkably like Jet Li’s Black Mask character. Being Chen Zhen naturally, he is an unstoppable force defeating all in his path. After Chen’s comrades are brutally murdered, he goes on a one-man wrecking spree as he enters the enemy headquarters kicking everyone arse until he meets the leader Chikaraishi. Who is also highly skilled and unbeatable. You would have come to loath Chikaraishi by this point, he even gets the better of Chen who looks like he lost the fight only to rise and deliver one of the most satisfying and deserved arse kicking’s you will ever witness. Seeing one of the front covers at first, I thought this was a sequel to Black Mask as his costume is the same. I kind of wish it was as there is a ridiculous sequel to black mask called Black Mask 2: City of Mask starring an early Scott Adkins as the main antagonist. Considering how great the original was this is best avoided.
7: Dragon Tiger Gate
One of the coolest martial arts movies I ever saw. Dragon Tiger gate academy is run by two powerful martial artists. Master Wong and his student who he raised, Tiger. It trains students for justice and to combat the triad, it’s also a haven for orphans. The Luocha Cult is a heretic cult/drug trafficking organization led by Shibumi the Jashin of Frame Cloud. Shibumi is the only master of legendary and unbeatable kung fu style Yijin Jing. He has many highly skilled kung fu masters at his disposal. Dragon is the half-brother of Tiger born to different mothers and separated when they were young. Dragons mother left the academy but was killed. Dragon is raised by a local triad’s leader Ma Kun. Dragon has grown to become his personal bodyguard, Kun is one of the many pawns of The Luocha Cult. After Ma Kun’s gang causes trouble in a restaurant Tigers dining in, this causes a huge confrontation and the fateful meeting of Dragon and Tiger. Also enter Turbo, another highly skilled martial artist who was also just trying to finish his dinner. Turbo is truly fearsome with the nunchakus. The movie is full of spectacular fights with a fantasy element. Once encountered Shibumi is truly fearsome and destroys all in his path including master Wong who easily defeated Turbo with his two shoes tied together as makeshift nunchakus. Master Wong seems truly unbeatable but is taken out by Shibumi. It makes you wonder how the hell anyone is going to beat Shibumi. It’s a shame the wasn’t a sequel.
6: SPL: Kill Zone
Starring Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung and Wu Jing. SPL: Kill Zone features Sammo Hung as a notorious triad boss Wong Po. Donnie Yen does what he does best and stars as a police inspector Wa Kwan out to stop him. He has spent his police career trying to stop him only for Wong Po to slip through his fingers each time. Enter Wu Jin as a ruthless assassin who spends his time assassinating Kwan’s witnesses ensuring Po goes free each time. This movie also featured the fight between Donnie Yen and Wu Jing which featured in my top 20 best fights list. Awesome stuff.
5: Tiger Cage 2
By far the best of the Tiger Cage trilogy. Donnie Yen returns as Dragon Yau (What a name) in Tiger Cage 2. Yen does what he does best and yet again plays a hot-headed ex-cop named Dragon naturally. After witnessing a shoot-out where a suitcase full of money gets stolen. Dragon pretty much gets lumbered with a female lawyer who the cops think committed a murder. The bad guys also think she stole the money. Dragon and the lawyer reluctantly team up with one of the bad guys who they bump into and has been betrayed by the bad guys. The bad guys being dirty money launderers run by non-other than Robin Shou (Liu Kang, Mortal Kombat). There is a fantastic climactic fight scene between Yen and Shou. Classic stuff.
4: Flash Point
Donnie Yen once again plays a police inspector. Inspector Ma happens to be very hot-headed and is often injury the criminals he pursues due to his violent ways. He is set on a collision path with Tony (Collin Chou – The Matrix) the leader of a Vietnamese/Chinese gang who is responsible for a string of crime and murders usually committed by the ruthless Tony. Ma is an ice-cool tough and no-nonsense. He does whatever it takes to get the job done. Donnie Yen truly adapts and modifies his martial arts in this movie. Known for his fancy kicks and fast hand, he utilises a lot of MMA style submission manoeuvres such as arms bars and headlocks. The final battle with Yen and Chou once again features in my top 20 best fights.
3: In The Line of Duty 4
The In the Line of Duty franchise has always been awesome. The legend that is Michelle Yeoh takes the lead in the first In The Line of Duty and In The Line of Duty 2 also known as Yes Madam technically the first in the series but due to the renaming and release date, they just called it in the line of duty 2. Fellow Legend Cynthia Rothrock joins Yeoh for the 2nd one. Our 3rd legend Cynthia Khan replaces Yeoh for the 3rd in the series and is then joined by the main legend of this article Donnie Yen for the fourth in the series, In the Line of Duty 4 and my favourite of the series. The story is your typical Donnie Yen as a police officer and Cynthia Khan on the trail of Chinese Cocaine dealers in Seattle. The movie has some absolute classic fights scenes with Donnie Yen, John Salvitti and Michael Woods who also both starred in Tiger Cage 2. There are actually 5 more movies in the series with various names, Cynthia Khan starring in all of them. The Last being Yes Madam 5 aka Red Force 5. In the Line of Duty 4 is by far one of Donnie Yens best movies.
2: Ip Man Series
Of all the best of Donnie Yen movies, of course, the Ip Man saga will be up there. Rather than feature all the Ip Man movies in this list as they are all amongst his best work. I will just say the Ip Man series. My favourites of the series being the 1st and 4th movies in particular. Donnie Yen of course plays the legendary wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man whose main claim to fame was being Bruce Lee’s teacher. What happened in the movies was probably completely fabricated of Ip Man life but hey they couldn’t really make a movie about an old master sitting around smoking opium all day. The first movie portrays Ip Man struggles with Japans occupation of China. His nice house gets taken and he is left to do whatever it takes to make ends meet. After witnessing his friend taking part in underground fights against Karate black belts put on by the local general who respects fighting skill. His friend is defeated and gunned down in cold blood. This forces Ip Man into taking part in the awesome fight scene with Donnie Yen taking on 10 black belts, once again in my top fight scenes list. The 4th movie features non-other that Scot Adkins (Boyka) as a tough drill sergeant Barton Geddes. Ip Man travels to America after receiving an invitation from Bruce lee to see him in action in the infamous 1967 long beach tournament. Ip Man is set on a collision course with one of his most dangerous adversaries yet in Geddes who is going all out to prove kung fu is weak and Karate is the only fighting system worth using. Being the last of the series the ending gets quite emotional and master Ip Man is finally put to rest as he loses his battle to throat cancer.
1: Iron Monkey
This movie needs no introduction. Anybody that says they like martial arts movies will and should of see this movie. Easily positioned in any top 10 martial arts movies of all-time list. Iron Monkey tells the story of a doctor, Dr Wang who by night bares the disguise as the Iron Monkey to steal from corrupt authorities to help the needy. Unbeatable in combat, he is like a ninja Robin Hood. Another martial arts doctor enters the scene (Donnie Yen) who is tasked with hunting down the Iron-Monkey. Also highly skilled. Eventually, they are united against a traitorous former Shaolin Monk who takes over the authorities. Technically Donnie Yen is the co-star to Rongguang Yu. But many regards it as a Donnie Yen movie as he is featured so much. Iron Monkey is full of spectacular fight scenes, great scenery and set pieces. The final battle is one of the most epic fights put to film with the now two Iron Monkeys facing off against the evil Shaolin Monk, balancing on poles over a fiery pit. By far Donnie Yen best movie and one of the greatest martial arts movies ever made. A true masterpiece. There was also a sequel Iron Monkey 2 starring Donnie Yen and Billy Chow, a good watch and some good fight scenes but not a patch on the first one.
