What Are Donnie Yen's Top 10 Films?
How does this actor kick butt across screens and continents?
'IP Man'
I have to admit, I was late to the Donnie Yen party. I saw IP Man in college, but generally forgot about him until I saw him pop up in a Star Wars movie a decade later and was like...yeah, this guy is incredible.
From then on, I have been gobbling up the best Donnie Yen movies in my quest to watch some of the most epic martial arts movies of all time.
Today, I wanted to go over my top 10.
Let's dive in.
10. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Let's start here because it's the movie your friends know and the one that brought me back to Donnie. It has an all-time Star Wars moment dedicated to him as he walks forward and fights against all odds. Here, Yen created an iconic character with a simple staff and a mantra. Oh yeah, and he plays blind so well! He'll do it again on this list
9. Once Upon a Time in China II (1992)
Before Yen was the hero, he was the antagonist to Jet Li's legendary Wong Fei-hung. And holy hell, is he a great villain. He's like cold and calculated, and he can kick anyone's butt. In the final set piece, Yen uses a wet cloth as a whip to dispatch people in inspired fashion.
8. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
Look, it’s tough to walk into the fourth chapter of a massive franchise and create a character that feels like he’s been there all along. But that's exactly what Yen did with Caine. Again, he's playing blind, but this time he uses sound and sense to find and kill everyone in his way. He's a formidable opponent for Wick.
7. Dragon (Wu Xia) (2011)
Yen plays a man with a violent past trying to live a quiet life, but trouble finds him. It's sort of his Unforgiven. What makes this a must-watch for filmmakers is how director Peter Chan deconstructs the fight scenes. After a brawl, Yen’s character replays it in his mind, analyzing the physiology and physics of each blow. It adds something I have never seen in another one of these movies.
6. Raging Fire (2021)
Directed by the late, great Benny Chan, this is a meat-and-potatoes cop thriller executed at the highest possible level thanks to everyone involved just being awesome. The action set pieces get bigger and more elaborate as the film progresses. I just think it's a study of making a good movie.
5. Hero (2002)
Okay, so he's not the lead. Who cares? This movie is one of the best all-time. It just rocks. Director Zhang Yimou uses action as visual poetry. Yen plays a warrior named Sky, who is battling with his brains and his brawn.
4. Iron Monkey (1993)
Choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger), this movie is a ballet of impossible physics and breathtaking acrobatics. Yen’s performance here is a masterclass in just defying physics. He flies all over the screen and showcases action and ideas we'd see become huge in other films later.
3. SPL: Sha Po Lang (Kill Zone) (2005)
This is the one that changed the game. Yen and director Wilson Yip brought a gritty, grounded brutality back to the genre -- which I think is like technically Martial Arts Noir -- which is as awesome as it sounds. The famous alleyway fight between Yen and Wu Jing has to be seen by all movie fans.
2. Flash Point (2007)
Yen took the MMA integration he pioneered and cranked it to eleven with some of the most realistic and punishing hand-to-hand combat sequences ever filmed. It's a symphony of jiu-jitsu, judo throws, and ground-and-pound that will make you physically hurt in the best possible way.
1. Ip Man (2008)
Of course, this is number one. I mean, come on. Ip Man is the perfect marriage of character and action, and it brings Donnie Yen to the forefront. His performance as the Wing Chun grandmaster is defined by its restraint and then its sudden movements as he's pushed to his limits.
Summing It All Up
Donnie Yen isn't just a movie star. He's an auteur of action. He's a choreographer who understands that a fight isn't just a fight; it's a story. These movies are all so much fun to watch, and I can't wait to see what he does next to add to this list.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
