Donnie Yen’s “Special ID” Releases Trailer
Donnie Yen (甄子丹) was in Beijing this week to promote his new action movie, Special ID <特殊身份>. With Donnie as the film’s producer, action choreographer, and lead actor, Special ID promises to thrill with its gripping action scenes. The official movie trailer was released this week. Special ID will arrive in theaters in October 2013.
The story takes place in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, in which Donnie’s character is caught between the police and gangs. Donnie said, “I have done films for more than 31 years. I have tried every genre, but modern action movies are my personal favorite. From filming SPL: Sha Po Lang <杀破狼> and Flash Point <导火线> to today–when I have the opportunity to film Special ID–everything, including the packaging, the content, and the production have been upgraded.”
Director Clarence Fok (霍耀良), who also helmed Donnie’s Iceman 3D <冰封俠> said the action moves in the film were all very realistic. Oscar award winning cinematographer Peter Pau (鲍德熹) described the film as bloody and emotional. He added, “There are now several high-grossing Chinese movies which are low budget and did not require a lot of effort. We used a lot of sincerity, blood, sweat and emotions to film this movie. It is an important milestone in film-making.”
On Clash with Vincent Zhao
When Vincent Zhao (赵文卓) had first signed on to film Special ID opposite Donnie Yen, fans were excited at the prospect of the two martial arts stars in one movie. However, the actors soon clashed on set due to different working styles. Vincent accused Donnie for being domineering, resulting in Vincent being forced out of the project in March 2012. Andy On (安志杰) later stepped in for Vincent’s role.
At the press conference, Donnie was asked about the truth behind Vincent’s accusation that he was a tyrant on the movie set. Before Donnie could reply, actress Jing Tian (景甜) said, “Do you expect everyone to be gentle all the time? Donnie is an especially serious person so some people may misunderstand him to be a tyrant. But this is right. He has a responsibility to ensure the movie and every actor is doing well.”
Donnie also added, “Art itself is subjective. Many people take ten years or even a lifetime to film movies. It’s that kind of persistence.”
Regarding claims that his remuneration for the movie exceeded 80 million RMB, Donnie said, “It was definitely a joke. Jackie Chan (成龙) and I are really good friends. I just met up with him last night. Who can beat him?”
Lawsuit with Tan Bing
Donnie became embroiled in a lawsuit when director Tan Bing (檀冰) claimed that Donnie seized his film project, Ultimate Codebreaker <终极解码> and renamed it to Special ID. Tan Bing alleged that his investor had withdrawn from the project and thus, caused him to lose his job as scriptwriter and director. Tan brought the matter to court and demanded compensation from Donnie. In return, Donnie filed a lawsuit against Tan for damaging his reputation, demanding compensation of 5 RMB million in the process.
Donnie said, “I hope the Beijing court will give me a fair judgement. The production crew told me Starlit International Media and Tan Bing already had a broken relationship. Anyway, it’s not true. Special ID is an independent project.” Donnie added, “I feel this society can be very confusing. I have made films for 30 years or so. The most important thing is to be steadfast, so that I can answer to myself and the viewers. I can’t control what other people say.”
“Special ID” Trailer
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This article is written by Karen for JayneStars.com.
Finally it’s arriving! Hope to see more modern action movies from Yen in the next coming years.
Man, this guy can really fight. After seeing his movies each time, makes Jackie Chan’s movies look like garbage…………Keep it up Donnie!
I wouldn’t discredit Jackie’s old movies though, those made him into an A-list action star. But yeah, Chan makes crap these days and hasn’t done a great classic since 1994’s Drunken Master 2.
Clarence Fok actually helmed the original Iceman Cometh, Donnie Yen’s Iceman 3D is helmed by Law Wing Cheung.
Rotten movie by rotten Donnie Yen.
Your big loss then.
zoe your hate will not work this time donnie is the best like or not
Looks good. I like the gritty feeling of the trailer. Looking forward to OCT!
i’m a fan of Donnie Yen. Will definitely watch this movie. Can’t wait.
Who’s got better fighting skills jet Li or Donnie yen
In terms of onscreen fighting style, it’s a matter of opinion. I prefer versatility so it’s Donnie for me.
I guess jet Li more better off screen cos he spend years of fighting through fighting schools
No he’s not. He’s primary trained in wushu (not to be confused with the general term for Chinese martial arts) which is only for performance/gymnastics. Jet Li has never trained any practical MA styles in his life and has never been in real situations. Donnie however has been into martial arts since age of four and is well disciplined in many practical styles such as boxing, kick-boxing, muay thai, full contact karate, aikido etc. Donnie’s a far more versatile and practical martial artist.
“Jet Li has never trained any practical MA styles in his life and has never been in real situations. ‘
I thought Jet Li was trained in the traditional martial arts school that is Shaolin?
Has Donnie ever been in real situations where he used kung fu to save his own skin?
And I know nothing of kungfu but his movements in Fearless, especially the last scene made me think if that is what martial arts it, it is indeed art. I don’t know about fighting skills but I feel Jet Li’s is more artistic.
Funn: Jet Li become known as a shaolin monk thanks to his debut movie “Shaolin Temple”. But that doesn’t mean he trained shaolin kung fu. If you know martial arts you’ll clearly see that the cast is not even displaying real shaolin kung fu. It’s wushu.
Before Donnie was discovered by Yuen Woo Ping, he was a gang member and had a rep as a vicious street brawler for getting into trouble in the streets of Boston, MA. That’s why his parents sent him to Beijing to study martial arts so that he could pull himself away from the bad things he did back in America. Also, there was an incident (it was all over the news) in the late 1990s which is only known in the Hong Kong circuit. Donnie and Joey Meng (his girlfriend at the time) went clubbing and got attacked by a group of assailants ending up with him beating them all up and with a few bruises on his face. He also got arrested for his actions but was released shortly thereafter after being questioned.
Wow Donnie Yen dated Joey Meng? A Change of Heart’s Joey Meng? I never knew. Thanks for the info! 🙂
But wasn’t he some junior champion in China where he got to perform at the White House? China wouldn’t send someone who is not the best.
Maybe not SHaolin but according to what I can find (Wikipedia):
“Li was eight when his talent for wushu was noticed at a summer course at school, and he began his practice there.[3] Li participated in the sport of wushu in the non-sparring event. He began his wushu on the Beijing Wushu Team, an athletic group organized to perform martial arts forms during the All China Games. He was coached by renowned wushu coaches Li Junfeng and Wu Bin,[4] who made extra efforts to help the talented boy develop. Wu Bin even bought food for Li’s family because they could not afford to buy meat, which was essential for the good physical condition of an athlete.[4] As a member of the team, he received wushu training and went on to win fifteen gold medals and one silver medal in Chinese wushu championships, where, despite his young age, he competed against adults.[5]
My winning first place caused quite a sensation, because I was so young. I was 12 years old, and the other two medallists were in their mid- to late twenties. During the awards ceremony, as I stood on the top step of the podium, I was still shorter than the 2nd and 3rd place medallists. It must have been quite a sight.
—Jet Li China’s Internet Celebrity[6]
According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon in the United States, he was asked by Nixon to be his personal bodyguard. Li replied, “I don’t want to protect any individual. When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen!”[7]
Li is a master of several styles of wushu, especially Changquan (Northern Longfist Style) and Fanziquan (Tumbling fist). He has also studied other arts including Baguazhang (Eight trigram palm), Taijiquan (Supreme ultimate fist), Xingyiquan (Shape intent fist), Zuiquan (Drunken fist), Yingzhaoquan (Eagle claw fist) and Tanglangquan (Praying mantis fist). He did not learn Nanquan (Southern fist), because his training focused only in the Northern Shaolin Styles. He has also studied some of wushu’s main weapons, such Sanjiegun (Three section staff), Gun (staff), Dao (Broadsword), Jian (Straight sword) and many more.[8]
It is Jet Li’s authentic martial arts prowess that enabled his rise to domestic and international fame.”
Very impressive.
But how do you define kung fu prowess? Ability to protect oneself? But I am sure Donnie will agree that martial arts is any form is for health and discipline instead of any self protection or to incite a fight. So he has a tough persona with some gang credibility.
Jet’s may be more traditional but no more less credibility.
Siying: Not sure what Joey Meng you’re referring to but she recently co-starred with Lau Ching Wan in “The Fairy Tale Killer”.
Funn: That’s wushu I was talking about earlier. Although the movements themselves are based on Chinese combat techniques, they are applied for more fluid motion, much like a dance performance. It not meant for applying under real combat situations, trust me.
I think what defines a true martial artist is not just for self-protection and gaining more knowledge in both styles and experiences but also a more disciplinary way of life, and I feel Donnie embodies that despite what he had to go through in his earlier life. You have to have in mind that Donnie lived in Boston, MA, which is notorious for having a high-rate for all sorts of crime, and him being a Chinese living in America at the time (the mid 1970s) wasn’t easy. For him, joining a street gang was the only way to stick around. And that resulted in him adapting himself to that kind of life style. I don’t blame him.
hi DooK,
Thanks for the film name, yea I checked it out, same Joey Meng as Tvb’s A Change of Heart and she also acted in Atv’s My Date with a Vampire. 🙂
comm’on another 2 liner from donnie and a 10 min fight… great so-called acting skills… if there are any to begin with.
It’s just a teaser trailer lol. Wait till the movie’s out.