Donnie Yen cast in Daniel Lee’s ‘14 Blades’

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News | Film News | by Mark Pollard

14 BLADES

Production is expected to begin soon on 14 BLADES, a Ming-era martial arts movie from director Daniel Lee starring Donnie Yen and Vicki Zhao. This will be the first pairing of Yen with the director of BLACK MASK, DRAGON SQUAD and THREE KINGDOMS: RESURRECTION OF THE DRAGON.

During the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor of China possessed one weapon greater than all others, the Imperial Guards, an elite force of assassins recruited from street orphans. Trained in clandestine combat from childhood, the Imperial Guards were masters of the 14 Blades, eight being for torture, five for killing, and the last blade reserved for suicide when a mission failed. Above the law, with a license to kill, the Imperial Guards devoted their lives and lethal prowess to the service of the Emperor alone.

When the Imperial Court is taken over by evil eunuch Jia, the best of the Imperial Guards, Green Dragon (Yen) and Xuanwu, are assigned to steal a list identifying those still loyal to the Emperor. However unbeknownst to Green Dragon, the Imperial Guards have fallen under the control of Jia, and during the mission Green Dragon is betrayed by Xuanwu and barely escapes with his life. Now as the most wanted man in the land Green Dragon must seek out and rally the loyalists to rise against Jia and restore the Emperor to power. In his way are the deadliest assassins in the land, his former brethren, the Imperial Guards.

Normally, I would be excited about any new Donnie Yen movie but some readers are probably aware that I have no love for Daniel Lee as an action filmmaker. He has not shot anything worthwhile with the possible exception of BLASK MASK, a fun but highly flawed superhero film. Lee’s films are high on visual style but low on substance and quality where it counts. Thankfully, we still have two IP MAN sequels to look forward to.

Source: Twitch Film via Wu-Jing.org

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  • Clu
    Vicki Zhao. I wonder what role she will be playing?
  • Rhythm-X
    Daniel Lee's best movie is still TILL DEATH DO US PART. But that's a really good movie. Warner Bros. vault, buried forever, etc. and so forth.
  • Josh
    I dont have high expectations for this, most of the swordplay type movies nowdays are pretty average. This will probably end up being like Seven Swords which i found to be pretty lame. Oh btw Mo Kraak, Donnie's movies have too many wires? Haven't you seen Flashpoint, In The Line of Duty 4, Tiger Cage 2, SPL, Legend of the Wolf or Drunken Tai Chi?
  • Manny77
    I think I've seen enough about the Ming Dynasty, I preferred Donnie to make more movies like Flashpoint and Killzone/SPL, he should stay away from old school Kung Fu movies or movies based on any dynasty, he should focus on making movies for the new generation of MA fans and stay with the people he knows like Yip and Sammo, by the way Daniel Lee suck, Black Mask was average the only good thing about that movie was Jet Le, how about a Flashpoint 2 with yuen Biao as the villian.
  • Milkyway
    Or in most of his movies in general (minus the mid 90s movies).
  • Milkyway
    [quote]his films tend to have far too many wires[/quote]

    There aren't much wirework in the period movies (Ip Man, Empress & the Warriors, Painted Skin) he's done these past couple of years actually.
  • Agreed! As much as I like Yen, his films tend to have far too many wires and require so much suspension of belief that they might as well be wearing jet packs. This is particularly apparent in any of his films that hint at a Chinese period piece.

    Maybe I'm partial to the Kung Fu classics where wires where not used. Maybe I'm partial to Kung Fu classics where wires are used judiciously. Maybe I'm just an old-fashioned film buff. Maybe I don't like "superheroes" in period pieces. Wasn't Jimmy Wang Yu as Silver Roc enough of a "superhero" for you? They may have used wires in "Golden Sparrow," but IMO Silver Roc fighting to the death after removing the tip of Iron Whip's (Lo Lieh--I love Lo Lieh) "sword" and with six knives sticking out of him is super heroic enough for me.

    In summary, Tony Jaa does not need wires. Maybe that's why I've watched his films multiple times over in spite of my love for such classics such as "Heroes of the East," "Come Drink With Me," "Dirty Ho" and "The Water Margin?" The excessive infusion of fantasy into Kung Fu/Period Piece films leaves me a bit cold. On the other hand, wires worked in one of the greatest ever--"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
  • Tatkill
    Do you know that not all of Donnie's films have wireworks? Have you watch Flash Point? He basically fight grounded, all he's using is his knowledge in many martial arts and his real kung Fu! Did you even know about his past? He learned Kung Fu since he's a little kid. Speaking of Tony Jaa, does he even know Brazilian jiu-jitsu and all the MMA stuff? I don't think so! According to my knowledge for him, he's just skilled at Muay Thai, that's all. It's not like Donnie needs wires to fight, and please take back"his FILMS tend to have far too many wires"!! If you never watch Donnie's SPL and Flash Point, I recommand them to you. If you watched them before and thought Donnie used FAR TOO MANY wires then you just know nothing about action films!!! And PLEASE don't compare Donnie Yen with Tony Jaa!!!!
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