Hong Kong martial arts star Donnie Yen is best known for his spectacular duels with the legendary Jet Li in the epic, Hero. Now Yen is back in his best high-flying form in the new film, Flash Point, released in China next week.

Kungfu fans can get excited about Yen's latest collaboration with Hong Kong director Wilson Yip for this flick, costarring Louis Koo and mainland actress Fan Bingbing.

Flash Point marks the third time Yen and Yip have worked together, after their success with SPL (released in the US as Kill Zone) and then Dragon Tiger Gate.

As with their former projects, Flash Point is a bone-breaking action movie that features spectacular, dangerous stunts without fancy wirework.

Yen plays a cop working alongside his undercover colleague Louis Koo (Legend of Zu, Election, Protg) as they attempt to take down a ruthless triad gang of brothers in 1997 Hong Kong. The gang brothers are played by Collin Chou (Matrix Reloaded, Fearless) and Shaolin Temple-trained Xing Yu (Dragon Tiger Gate). The undercover cop's girlfriend is played by beauty Fan Bingbing (Cellphone, A Battle of Wits).

Born in China but raised in Boston, Yen became a martial arts prodigy at a young age. Returning to China to continue his training, he was soon drafted into the movie business and made his mark during the halcyon age of Hong Kong action flicks (late 80s to early 90s). Yen's US success peaked with Yuen Wo-ping's 1993 classic Iron Monkey, in which he played a lead, made $10 million at the box office. His Hollywood career hasn't gone beyond supporting roles (Highlander: Endgame, Shanghai Knights) but Western audiences became more familiar with him thanks to Zhang Yimou's Hero.

Flash Point has been acquired by Distant Horizon, who has long tradition of introducing the best of Asian action cinema to North American audiences.

Flash Point opens at cinemas citywide from August 3.

(China Daily 07/25/2007 page6)