Donnie Yenis among the most acclaimed martial arts stars working today, and his legacy has extended to some all-time great franchises, as well as some not-so-brilliant series. As a kung fu star who many may know as the titular hero oftheIp Manseries, this was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Yen’s acclaimed career. Getting his start withthe classicDrunken Tai Chiback in 1984, Yen has been at the forefront of martial arts cinema for the past 40 years.
FromYen’s great old-school kung fu moviesto non-stop action releases, this Hong Kong star has consistently delivered awe-inspiring fight choreography and compelling performances in true classics and cult favorite releases. With so many franchises to his name, it makes sense that some would be better than others. However,the very best Yen franchises stand among the best work he’s ever done.
6Iceman (2014 - 2018)
2 Films
Even though Donnie Yen is one of the most acclaimed martial arts stars of modern times, he’s also had his fair share of missteps. One glaring example of this was theIcemanfranchise, an epic remake of the 1989 filmThe Iceman Comeththat faltered on all fronts. With an incoherent plot, confusing shifts in tone, and disappointing special effects, not even the presence of Yen was enough to save this from total disaster. While the story of an imperial guard frozen in time for 400 years had lots of potential,the results ofIcemanwere lukewarm at best.
As a failure with both audiences and critics, it’s surprising thatIcemanmanaged to receive a sequel, withIceman: The Time Travelerbeing released in 2018. While this could have acted as a chance to redeem the franchise, the results were even worse, and this sequel simply rehashed many of the same problems as the original. Despite Yen being involved with some all-time great franchises,Icemanwas a cold misfire.
5New Kung Fu Cult Master (2022)
As a visually stylish wuxia series, theNew Kung Fu Cult Masterfilms looked absolutely stunning but lacked the appeal of many of Yen’s more acclaimed franchises. While Yen’s role was heavily focused on in the marketing for this two-part series, the truth was his involvement was minimal, and his performance was limited to a special appearance inNew Kung Fu Cult Master 1, with him being totally absent fromNew Kung Fu Cult Master 2.
These films also had a lot riding against them as they sought to adapt Louis Cha’s novelTheHeaven Sword and Dragon Saber,and wereinevitably compared to the 1993 Jet Li version titledKung Fu Cult Master. The results were disappointing, and, as a viewer, it’s impossible not to feel like Yen’s involvement was overstated in an effort to get people who never otherwise would have to check out the films.
Donnie Yen was heavily involved in bothThe Twins Effectmovies, firstly as a co-director for the original movie and secondly as the star of the sequel.The Twins Effectwas released asVampire Effectin the United States and was a comedy horror that blended martial arts with the supernatural in a cheesy adventure that was packed with B-movie fun. As an enjoyable action comedy that didn’t take itself too seriously,The Twins Effectplayed out like an extended episode ofBuffy the Vampire Slayerwith a Hong Kong twist.
The Twins Effect IIboasted some serious star power, and Yen and Jackie Chan appeared in a story totally unrelated to the first film. Telling the story of a humble boy in a mythical land undertaking an epic journey to claim his throne,The Twins Effect IIwas a grand quest of spiritual discovery that was held back by some terrible special effects. While there’s a lot to love about this franchise, it didn’t have the same impact or quality as Yen’s best series.
TheIron Monkeyfranchise loses a point for inconsistency. Despite both movies starring Donnie Yen, they were mostly unrelated to each other, and he played a different character in each movie. The firstIron Monkeywas a major moment in Yen’s career and signaled his making the leap from mostly supporting roles into leading man territory. As an account of the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung and his father, Wong Kei-ying’s encounter with the masked martial artist known as the Iron Monkey, Yuen Woo-ping blended top-tier fight sequences with a wuxia aesthetic.
Yen returned for the sequel,Iron Monkey 2,and this time, instead of fighting the Iron Monkey, he actually portrayed him. Sadly,Iron Monkey 2failed to live up to the acclaimed legacy of the original and was a disappointing follow-up that appeared to be cashing in on name recognition. Whilethe originalIron Monkeyis a beloved cult classic and one of the best movies of Yen’s career, the sequel should be left to diehard fans only.
Tiger Cagewas an early example of Donnie Yen’s outstanding ability to blend fast-paced action with awe-inspiring fight choreography. As a thrilling exploration of corruption and deceit, Yen played Inspector Michael Huang, a police officer who uncovers a conspiracy involving Hong Kong cops and a drug trafficking operation in America. As one of Yen’s best movies of the 1980s, it was no surprise that he returned for the sequel,Tiger Cage 2,in 1990.
WhileTiger Cage 2maintained the exciting kung fu stylings that made the original such a success, it featured an entirely new storyline as Yen played Dragon Yau, the hot-headed ex-cop who’s always in trouble with work and his family. With yet another exciting story of police corruption,Tiger Cage 2solidified this series as one of Yen’s best franchises. Although a third movie in the series was produced in 1991, Yen did not appear inTiger Cage 3.
IP Man
Despite already being a martial arts movie legend for decades, Donnie Yen gained his career-defining role as the title character in theIp Manseries. As a fast-paced franchise that told a semi-fictionalized account of this Wing Chun master’s life story, theIp Manmovies showcased how this talented fighter overcame adversity and gained recognition as one of the most important martial arts teachers ever. As the future trainer of Bruce Lee,viewers watched Ip Man build himself up from nothing and face off against engaging antagonists played by the likes of Sammo Hung, Mike Tyson, and Scott Adkins.
TheIp Manseries has been such a success for Yen because it blends historical context with emotional storytelling. Ip Man’s story was one of personal struggle, perseverance, and constant growth, and when this was paired with some of the best choreographed fight sequences in modern cinema, the results were a series that’s beloved worldwide. Even thoughIp Man 4: The Finalewas marketed as the final entry in the series, it seems we haven’t seen the last ofDonnie Yenas this Wing Chun master (viaInverse), because IpMan 5is in the works.
