Donnie Yen’s Flashpoint released as Special Collector’s Double Disc Edition
We were lucky enough to get a preview copy of Donnie Yen’s latest film Flashpoint, which has just been released on DVD.
We mentioned it previously here and you can catch a trailer of it here.
This film is the third teaming of director Wilson Yip and action director, fight choreographer and star Donnie Yen (following their previous collaborations on Dragon Tiger Gate and S.P.L.).
Flashpoint brings the thrill of ‘back to basics‘ realism and full contact combat to the martial arts genre with Yen fully exploiting his recently developed interest in Mixed Martial Arts, the fighting style pioneered by the late, great Bruce Lee.
Its been awhile since I’ve seen a decent martial arts flick and this is one I can recommend. The pace seems to be enhanced by Wilson Yip’s camera direction which provides a bit more clarity and innovation than usually seen in films like this.
Used similarly in Dragon Tiger Gate for instance, is the overhead shot, beginning with the camera following the triads in a field full of tall grass, at ground level, and then suddenly shooting upwards to reveal their relative positions.
The rawness and energy also reminds me of Tony Jaa’s Ong Bak, albeit set in almost modern Hong Kong.
The film is packed from the start with nail-biting tension, full-on contact Mixed Martial Arts fight sequences and plenty of cool John Woo-style gunplay.
Flashpoint builds to a breathtaking 20-minute hand-to-hand combat set piece involving Donnie Yen and Collin Chou (The Matrix Revolutions; The Matrix Reloaded; Jet Li’s Fearless). Lots of raw impact and dusty explosions!
Flashpoint (cert. 15) was released as a Special Collector’s Double Disc Edition (£16.99) by Showbox Home Entertainment/Cine Asia on 31st March 2008.
Special Features include: original language Cantonese version with English subtitles; Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 stereo audio tracks; making of feature; interview gallery; shooting diary; Ultimate Fighters (Mixed Martial Arts) feature; Hong Kong Gala Premiere feature; deleted scenes; theatrical trailer and teaser; TV spots and including an exclusive extended interview with Donnie Yen.
Technorati Tags: Donnie Yen, film, Flash Point, martial arts, mixed martial arts, Wilson Yip
1 comment | | categories : Film, Martial Arts
Flash Point has to be the best martial arts actioner of the last decade.
In terms of martial arts choreography, it elevates the already high level fights seen in SHA PO LANG with the all time great Sammo Hung and wushu-virtuoso Wu Jing into a whole new MMA (mixed martial arts) based movie-combat.
The result are great non stop fights combining standing techniques of punches, elbow, kicks, knees, head butts, etc. with incredible grappling and groundfighting skills such as triangles, armbars, lion killers and more…
The fights have really good tempo, you can tell Donnie Yen is in full liberty form the durector to do whatever he wants in terms of fights, Xing Yu does a great job receiving his punches to the face! But to me, Collin Chou is the one that steals the show!
Lastly, apparently Collin Chou had a ball making this project, on this interview he mentions something about it
http://www.masteringwushu.com/collin.htm