15 Best Donnie Yen Movies That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Best Donnie Yen Movies

Donnie Yen has been in the martial arts film industry for over 35 years and has had a successful career. You can see the top ten of his films here!

A legend in the martial arts film genre, Donnie Yen has more than 35 years of expertise and a wide range of martial arts skills.

IMDb has listed 5 more of his top films, so we’ve added them to our original list. Donnie Yen’s martial expertise and acting ability are on full display in these flicks, new or old.

This page was last modified on 25 August 2020 by Derek Draven. According to IMDb’s rankings, we’ve added five more movies to our list of Donnie Yen’s greatest. If you want to see the finest of Yen’s diverse filmography, make sure to check out an online retailer and get your hands on a copy!

1. Ip Man: 8.0/10

Ip Man 1

Since Hero, Donnie Yen has made a comeback with the Ip Man sequels. Ip Man, a Wing Chun (a Chinese martial arts style) expert, was introduced to Hong Kong moviegoers in the first part of the series.

The film was set during the Japanese occupation of China. Ip Man and China were well at first, until the Japanese army arrived and threw everything into disarray. In the eyes of the Chinese, oppression would not be tolerated. Love, betrayal, and martial arts all feature in this tale.

 2. Flying Squad: 8.0/10

It’s a 1989 television action-thriller drama. Starring Pauline Yeung and Eddie Kwan in this TVB production. It aired on TVB Jade from August 7th to August 15th, 1989, and was rebroadcast in January 2016 on TVB. Love, crime and treachery are all themes in this series.

Based on information from the Internet Movie Database, below are the top 10 Jet Li films.

Triad company was passed on from father to son while his pals became police officers. They were able to maintain their friendship despite the fact that they were on opposing sides of the law. There are times when the best of friendships falter.

 3. Hero: 7.9/10

Hero Donnie Yen

Several of Zhang Yimou’s competitors see him as a master of Chinese classic films. He’s a color-obsessed guy, and he didn’t disappoint with the performers he cast in Hero.

The director decided to cast Donnie Yen in the role of Sky, according to Jet Li. The battle scene between Donnie Yen and Jet Li was one of the most thrilling in the history of martial arts films. Donnie Yen (sky) was challenged by Jet Li, a nameless fighter; nevertheless, the movie claims that the combat was a sham. The film went on to break Asian film industry records.

4.  Rogue One: A Star War Story: 7.8/10

As a child, Donnie Yen lived in Boston, a city in the United States. His mother, a retired grandmaster of karate, lives there. He’s had a few roles in American films, so he’s no stranger to Hollywood’s complexities.

A martial arts teacher and a Buddhist monk, Chimrut Imwe is portrayed by Donnie Yen. Even though he was first hesitant to accept the job because he didn’t want to portray a Jedi monk. When Chimrut Imwe took on the role of Darth Vader’s best friend, he made history.

5. Ip Man 2: 7.5/10

Ip Man 2

If you’ve had a nice run, you’ll want to show off even more. It was clear that Donnie Yen, like many of his admirers, desired more from his career. Character development and portrayal of Ip Man’s real-life idiosyncrasies are highlighted in this sequel to Ip Man. Late martial arts legend Darren Shahlavi, who also played a British boxer, was featured in the film.

The Chinese martial arts group and Ip Man were not on the same page at the time. Donnie Yen, an expert in a variety of combat styles, also took up boxing. Adding a Boxer antagonist was a cinch.

6. Iron Monkey: 7.5/10

A masterclass from Yuen Woo Ping, following the Once Upon A Time In China sequels. Donnie Yuen and Yu Rongguan were cast as the lead and supporting actors, respectively, in Iron Monkey. The young Donnie Yen wowed in Iron Monkey with his martial arts prowess, and he is a show-off.

Donnie Yen portrayed Wong Kei Ying, Wong Fei hong’s father, in the film. Wong Fei Hong was played by Angie Tsang, a young female martial arts champion. An Iron Monkey is a Chinese Robin Hood who plunders government coffers and disburses the proceeds to those in need.

7. Once Upon a Time In China 2: 7.4/10

Donnie Yen’s fan base could shrink with the release of Once Upon A Time In China 2. That was a long time ago, so he should thank his lucky stars. In the film, Yen played Chinese general Lam, tasked with eliminating all rebels, and Jet Li portrayed Chinese folk hero Wong Fei hong, known for his mastery of the martial arts.

They were trying to free China from imperial domination in this story set during that time period. It wasn’t going to happen with the imperial regime. The battle scenes between Jet Li and Donnie Yen in this film were spectacular. As a child, they were taught martial arts by the same master.

8.  Fist Of Fury: 7.4/10

Fist Of Fury

Each and every Chinese martial arts actor dreams of playing Chen Zhen in a film. The Jing Wu Athletic Association’s top student award is a great distinction. Chen Zhen was a dream role for Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen.

In the early ’70s, Bruce Lee portrayed the character, and in 1995, Jet Li took over the role. In both Fist of Fury (1995) and Legend Of The Fist: Return Of Chen Zhen (1999), Donnie Yen portrayed it (2010). Chen Zhen and his sister come to Shanghai in the early Republic of China in search of a better life.

9. Dragon Inn: 7.3/10

New Dragon Gate Inn is a replica of the Wuxia classic Dragon Gate Inn, which was released in Asia in 1967. In addition to producing and directing, Tsui Hark was involved in the project. Brigit Lin, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Maggie Cheung, and Donnie Yen were among the cast members.

Ming-dynasty-era desert in the movie. Donnie Yen portrays a ruthless prefect of a portion of the country. To deter others from plotting against him, he executed several of his cabinet members and exiled their children. The New Dragon Gate Inn is a work of art in and of itself.

10. The Last Conflict: 7.2/10

It’s a 1988 television movie, if you’re interested. It’s another Raymond Lee Hong Kong action-crime novel. Donnie Yen, Stephen Chow, Adia Chan, Francis Ng, Lau Kong, and Andy Tan were all in the cast of this movie. Friends who are cops were called to investigate a forgery case, which is the subject of this narrative. Love, friendship, rejection, and vengeance all played a role in the plot.

One of Donnie Yen’s action-packed flicks, the film aired on TVB. As far as Donnie Yen fans are concerned, this film isn’t quite up there with In The Line of Duty or Tiger Cage, but they still appreciate the opportunity to talk about his early years in filmmaking.

11.  Ip Man 4: The Finale: 7.1/10

Ip Man 4

2019 will mark the end of Donnie Yen’s classic martial arts biographical series on Ip Man, a legendary Wing Chun practitioner and teacher. With a shift in location to the United States in the 1960s, the series began on a high note.

Even though Ip Man’s wife had tragically passed away, the film also addressed his own mortality once he was diagnosed with cancer. To unify people regardless of ethnicity, Ip Man courageously fights both the disease and the innate anti-Asian prejudice of the era.

12. Dragon: 7.1/10

To create a complicated and captivating tale, this 2012 martial arts film uses a heavy amount of detective film-noir components As a resigned craftsman, Donnie Yen protects two merchants from a couple of criminal criminals, resulting in unwanted attention.

An investigator quickly gets involved in the case and zeroes in on Liu Jinxi, played by Yen, who he suspects of being involved in something considerably more evil. There are some great action sequences and cinematography to go along with the tale, making this a fun 1 hour and 40 minute ride.

13. Tiger Cage II: 7.0/10

Tiger Cage II

It was Yuen Woo-ping, the world-renowned Hong Kong martial arts film director, who first cast Donnie in this 1990 martial arts film. Yen stars as an ex-cop who gets sucked into a botched robbery in this action-packed thriller based on a true story.

By mistake, the police and a nasty mob go for him and his female lawyer, who they believe to be responsible for a murder in which they had no involvement. Five years before he appeared as Liu Kang in the 1995 Mortal Kombat live-action picture, martial arts alum Robin Shou would star in this film.

 14. SPL: Kill Zone: 7.0/10

They reunited for the second time in Ip Man 2 (2010), however it wasn’t their first time working together. Actor Donnie Yen portrays Hong Kong police officer Ma Kwun, who is involved in a deadly game of retribution between an evil gangster and the detective who failed to apprehend him in this 2005 action picture.

In the midst of the two men’s revenge, Kwun’s irritation levels rise as he attempts to make sense of the mess they’ve made. Retribution is an evil that may cost a man his entire life, and this story is a powerful reminder of that.

 15. Wing Chun: 7.0/10

Wing Chun

Yim Wing Chun, one of the founding fathers of Wing Chun kung fu, stars in Wing Chun, a 1994 action film directed by Yen and starring Michelle Yeoh. In order to teach the crooks a lesson, she employs this vicious fighting method, but she ends up attracting more attention than she meant for!

Wing Chun would be revisited numerous times by Donnie Yen during his cinematic career, most notably in his role as Ip Man, the Grand Master responsible for bringing the martial art to the world’s attention. It is still one of the most effective types of kung fu ever invented, even today.