Whether new or old, the best Donnie Yen movies showcase the actor's incredible fighting prowess and his equally captivating qualities as a dramatic performer. With over 35 years of experience in the martial arts movie genre and proficiency in multiple martial arts styles, Yen is already a legend. The martial arts actor's career only continues to grow, especially after his introduction to a certain iconic Hollywood franchise with John Wick: Chapter 4. As Yen's fans excitedly await his appearance in the highly anticipated film, they can also look back at some of the best films in his career so far.
Proficient in a number of different martial art styles, and inspired by the movies of Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen started his career in 1983 and has become one of the most accomplished martial arts actors in movie history. As fans will see with John Wick: Chapter 4, on top of his acting skills, and amazing fight choreography, he has worked as a fight coordinator on several of his movies for all the actors in the stories. Thanks to this, he has won several awards for his fight choreography, while fans have taken notice of his charismatic personality and high-energy fighting skills.
20 Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen (2010)
- Streaming now on Netflix, Prime Video & Peacock
Most Chinese martial arts actors want to play the legendary role of Chen Zhen. Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen all had the opportunity to portray Chen Zhen. In one of the best Donnie Yen movies, he played the iconic martial arts hero in the 2010 movie Legend Of The Fist: Return Of Chen Zhen. The latter of these proved to be a mixed bag, with some of the iconic features of the character and story resonating with fans, whereas others felt it was merely a mishmash of martial arts moments with little in of story or character development.
19 In The Line Of Duty IV: Witness (1989)
- Streaming now on Fubo
A loose sequel set within the In the Line of Duty series of films, this 1989 action film follows an alliance between cops from both America and Hong Kong as they seek to take down two dirty cops in Seattle, Washington. One of the best Donnie Yen movies, this sees him portray the aptly named Captain Donnie Yan, who spearheads the operation to root out the corrupt cops in the system. As one of Yen's earlier films, it brilliantly portrayed his martial arts skills, leading him to more and more roles in the future that would continue his world-class career.
18 Dragon Inn (1992)
- Not currently available to stream
Dragon Inn is a remake of the 1967 Wuxia classic Dragon Gate Inn. The movie is set in the desert during the Ming dynasty, wherein Donnie Yen plays a vicious prefect. When some of the of his cabinet plotted against him, he executes them and sent their children into exile in order to lure the others out. One of the best Donnie Yen movies, it is highly praised among Yen's other projects, showing a much more callous side of the actor than his fans are used to seeing. This will undoubtedly be a role that he looks back to as he portrays Caine in the John Wick film.
17 Tiger Cage II (1990)
- Buy on Amazon
Long before Donnie Yen found himself at the heart of the Star Wars franchise, he was starring in the 1990 Hong Kong martial arts flick, Tiger Cage II, directed by Yuen Woo-ping. One of the best Donnie Yen movies, it's a fiery action spectacle that centers around Yen playing an ex-cop who finds himself caught up in a robbery gone wrong. This film paired Yen up with fellow martial arts alum Robin Shou five years before he was cast as Liu Kang in the 1995 Mortal Kombat live-action film. The two played off one another quite well, marking one of the martial arts genre's best behind-the-scenes team-ups of all time.
16 Chasing The Dragon (2017)
- Streaming now on Fubo
One of the best Donnie Yen movies, Chasing the Dragon sees Yen portray Crippled Ho, a fictionalized version of a real-life Hong Kong gangster. Although Yen is best known for his heroic roles, it is also interesting to see the beloved actor take on a more villainous personality, as he does in Chasing the Dragon. The film itself had its issues, but Yen certainly disappoint in his portrayal of a complicated man on the verge of living a life of crime. The movie won awards for its cinematography and editing at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
15 Dragon (2011)
- Streaming now on Roku
Dragon is one of the actor's best films in the wuxia genre, with a healthy dose of detective film-noir elements to weave a complex and riveting storyline. Donnie Yen stars as a reluctant craftsman who saves two shopkeepers from a pair of criminal gangsters, which ends up attracting all kinds of unwanted attention. Soon, a detective starts investigating and sets his sights on Yen's character Liu Jinxi, believing he may have a far more sinister history. The fight scenes and cinematography are top-notch, and the combination of story elements makes it an enjoyable romp. The movie won awards for cinematography and original score at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
14 Shanghai Knights (2003)
- Streaming now on Hulu
Shanghai Knights was the sequel to the popular comedy-action movie Shanghai Noon, starring Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan. Much like the first movie, which paid homage to classic westerns, this one had a lot of callbacks to classic European tropes, including its own versions of Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Donnie Yen starred as Wu Chow, a villain who is hired to kill the British Royal Family and frame Chon Lin to ensure that she does not capture the throne. Unlike many of the best Donnie Yen movies, this one plays as a broad comedy, although he plays it straight throughout.
13 Blade II (2002)
- Rent now on Prime Video & Apple TV
Blade II is the sequel to the hit 1998 film starring Wesley Snipes as the titular Vampire Hunter. Donnie Yen portrayed the relatively minor character Snowman, a member of Dieter Rienhardt's Bloodpack. Though Blade II is far from a perfect film, it and its predecessor are largely responsible for kicking off the superhero films' rise in the early 2000s and beyond. The 2002 sequel would have been improved by an expanded role for Donnie Yen, though his work on the film primarily consisted of the fight choreography. This movie also served as one of Yen's first Hollywood projects, opening up the door to his work in several acclaimed American films.
12 Bodyguards And Assassins (2009)
- Streaming now on Roku
One of the best Donnie Yen movies, Bodyguards and Assassins depicts the beginnings of Hong Kong's revolution against Qing Empire China in a bid to become their very own independent nation. In addition to Donnie Yen, the film also stars several big-name actors, including Tony Leung Ka-fai, Nicholas Tse, Fan Bingbing, as well as many others. In this 2009 historical action film, Yen portrays the protagonist, Shen Chongyang, a destitute gambler who must find redemption among the revolutionaries. The film won numerous awards in Hong Kong, though Yen himself was not a recipient of these. Nevertheless, he does manage to leave an impact on the audience.
11 SPL: Kill Zone (2005)
- Streaming now on Tubi
Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung teamed up in 2010's Ip Man 2, but it wasn't their first outing together. Their first pairing came in the 2005 action film, SPL: Kill Zone, which stars Yen as Ma Kwun, a Hong Kong police officer with a dark past who gets caught up in a deadly game of revenge between a vicious gangster and the cop who failed to put him away. SPL: Kill Zone is a dark story with a tragic ending that sings the truth about the evil nature of revenge, and how it can cost a man everything. Donnie Yen won for Best Action Cinematography at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
