Corey Yuen Movies

Hiroyuki Kitakubo's cult anime hit comes to life in this live-action adaptation starring Gianna Jun as Saya. Saya has been hunting demons and slaying vampires for 400 years. Now it's the 20th century, and Saya is working for a clandestine organization known only as the Council. She's the last of her kind, a half-vampire, half-human samurai dedicated to ridding the world of monsters. Now with the Vietnam War raging in the background, Saya is dispatched to an American military base to do battle with the most dangerous vampire of all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Legendary Hong Kong action director and choreographer Corey Yuen brings Tecmo's best-selling video-game franchise to the big screen in a martial arts extravaganza featuring an impressive quartet of female fighters including Devon Aoki, Sarah Carter, Jaime Pressly, and Holly Valance. Tina (Pressly), Christie (Valance), Kasumi (Aoki), and Helena (Carter) are four skilled martial artists whose outwardly sexy appearances betray their true lethal natures. When the fearsome females each receive an invitation to take part in an illegal martial arts competition to be staged on a remote Asian island, the prospect of a ten-million-dollar top prize is only sweetened by the fact that they will be facing off against some of the toughest fighters on the planet. Now, in order to defend their honor and search for the answers to life's greatest mysteries, Tina, Christie, Kasumi, and Helena will check their inhibitions at the beach and prepare for a series of fights that will test not only their strength, stamina, and endurance, but the very foundation of their dedication to the martial arts as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Jeffrey Lau's epic, mythological fantasy adventure A Chinese Tall Story unfurls in the distant past, when a small band of travelers - monk Tripitaka (Nicholas Tse) and his (human) companions Monkey King (Chen Bo-lin), Piggy (Kenny Kwan) and Sandy (Steven Cheung) - embark on a lengthy, danger-filled quest through the Himalayan foothills to retrieve some Buddhist scriptures. En route, they encounter all manner of obstacles, such as being sabotaged by The Tree Demon and attacked by a band of cannibalistic lizard men. In a more realistic episode, Tripitaka must grapple with the unrequited love that a homely outcast, Yue Meiyan (Charlene Choi) feels for him; he then ultimately winds up in the midst of an elfin storybook village where he encounters an empathetic waylaid princess (Fan Bingbing). Throughout, director Lau plays aggressively with the film form, packing in everything from witty puns to cinematic allusions to postmodern cultural asides. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

A monk and a pickpocket become unlikely allies in this action adventure story. Sixty years ago, a nameless monk (Chow Yun-Fat) was appointed the guardian of a mysterious scroll that grants remarkable powers to those who possess it. After six decades of traveling the world to protect the scroll, the monk must find someone new to assume the responsibility, but as fate would have it, the new caretaker turns out to be Kar (Seann William Scott), a scruffy and distinctly non-enlightened petty thief living in San Francisco. As the monk attempts to educate Kar in the powers and responsibilities of the scroll and the ways of a monk's life, they discover they have a rival for the possession of the valuable scroll. As Kar and the monk fend off their mysterious adversary, they are aided by Bad Girl (Jaime King), a beautiful Russian mob affiliate with amazing martial arts skills and a vested interest in keeping the scroll in virtuous hands. Bulletproof Monk was based a comic book series published in 1999; Chow Yun-Fat's frequent collaborators John Woo and Terence Chang produced. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

An outlaw finds his life becoming all the more dangerous when he turns against a gang of criminals in this action drama. Frank Martin (Jason Statham) is a former Special Forces officer who lives on the French Mediterranean and has a lucrative second career as a underworld courier for hire. Martin will deliver anything anywhere, but he has three iron-clad rules - once the plan is in motion it cannot be changed, neither he nor his customers are to ever use their real names, and under no circumstances will he open the package. Martin is hired to make a delivery to a wealthy but unscrupulous American known as Wall Street (Matt Schulze), but after taking possession of the package he realizes that whatever is inside happens to be alive. Breaking his own rule, Martin opens the bag to discover a beautiful Asian woman, Lai (Shu Qi), who is bound and gagged. Lai briefly escapes, but Martin captures her, and delivers her to Wall Street as promised. However, after being given a parcel to deliver by Wall Street, Martin finds out what Wall Street is up to - in partnership with Lai's father Mr. Kwai (Ric Young), Wall Street is part of a scheme to smuggle Asian illegal aliens into France. Martin's conscience gets the better of him, and he sets out to rescue Lai and put Wall Street and Mr. Kwai out of business; however, as if this wasn't enough of a challenge, Martin discovers a French detective, Tarconi (Francois Berleand) has gotten wind of his illegal business. The Transporter was the first English-language feature for Hong Kong-based director Corey Yuen, who along with directing a number of HK action flicks designed fight choreography for several American films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The work of two of Hong Kong's top action directors, Andrew Lau and Corey Yuen, The Avenging Fist is a science-fiction-fueled action epic set in a futuristic city where violence and weapons are outlawed. Out of this time comes a weapon known as the Power Glove, which activates hidden powers in the human brain that enable those who wear the glove to have super powers. When a former special agent known as War 21 shows up with a Power Glove planning to use it for evil, it's up to Nova (Wang Lee-Hom) to stop him. The Avenging Fist also stars martial arts film legends Sammo Hung, Stephen Fung, and Yuen Biao. ~ Jason Gibner, All Movie Guide

William Shakespeare's streak as the hottest storyteller in Hollywood continues with this modern-dress variation on Romeo and Juliet. In this loose adaptation, Hang Sing (Jet Li) is a former police officer from Hong Kong who comes to the United States following the death of his brother, the leader of an Asian crime ring. Hang Sing discovers that his brother had become involved in a turf battle with an African-American gang, led by Isaak (Delroy Lindo). But his blood lust begins to subside when he falls in love with Isaak's daughter Trish (Aaliyah) and finds himself torn between his affection for her and his desire for justice against the men who killed his brother. Romeo Must Die was the directorial debut of noted cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak; the supporting cast includes Russell Wong and Isaiah Washington. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Detectives Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) reteamed for their fourth foray together in this buddy-cop action-comedy series based on characters created by Shane Black. With the passage of years, Murtagh's daughter Rianne (Traci Wolfe) is now about to upgrade Murtagh to grandfather status, while Riggs' relationship with Internal Affairs officer Lorna Cole (Rene Russo) means he'll become a proud papa. Elsewhere on the family front, Chinese triad members in Los Angeles smuggle families from the mainland, but this is only one item on the criminal agenda of triad leader Wah Sing Ku (Jet Li), who executes balletic martial arts maneuvers with blinding speed (fight sequences were staged by Hong Kong director Corey Yuen). The film opens with fire (when Riggs and Murtaugh encounter a flame-thrower in a bulletproof suit) and travels an entertaining popcorn plot path to a frightening, watery climax (which we won't reveal here). In between, Riggs and Murtaugh tackle the troublesome triads with an assist from wickedly witty, sharp-edged newcomer Lee Butters (Chris Rock) and private detective Leo Getz (Joe Pesci), the character first seen as a mob accountant in the second film of this highly popular series. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Corey Yuen Kwai and David Lai Tai-wai team up once again to direct this yarn about Fan Sau-tin (Josephine Siao Fong-fong), a middle-aged cop and mahjong fanatic who flees Hong Kong for mainland China when her gambling debts grow too huge and the mob comes to collect. There she realizes that she needs to get married and quick to stay in the country. Gambling ace Quick-hands (Zhao Wenzhou), who is looking to move to Hong Kong to make pots of money there as a card sharp and to avoid the mainland mob, offers his hand in marriage. Unfortunately, not only can neither stand the other's company but Fan and Quick's own personal entanglements are making their marriage of convenience a whole lot more complicated than either reckoned: Fan's suitor / debt collector Blackie (Blackie Ko Shou-liang) is starting to poke around while Quick's love -- a beautiful young lass named Kwan (Desiree Lam Kee-wan) -- is hoping to see Paris before she dies tragically of brain cancer and he doesn't have the money to buy it. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Jet Li stars in this kung-fu vehicle directed by Corey Yuen Kwai. Though a committed father and husband, Kung (Li) is a mainland undercover cop assigned to a case so sensitive that he dare not tell what he does to those he loves the most. Ordered to infiltrate the crime syndicate run by the psychotic Po Kwong (Yu Rongguang), Kung befriends Po's associate Darkie (Blackie Ko Shou-liang) and helps him escape from jail. In gratitude, Darkie smuggles Kung in Hong Kong and introduces him to Po. During an exchange between the crime lord and a second shady customer who is hawking liquid explosives, a shootout ensues. Kung takes policewoman Fong Yat-wah (Anita Mui Yim-fong) hostage and flees the scene. After he saves her from falling to her death, Fong suspects that Kung is more than the average thug. She journeys to China to investigate the matter, and learns that indeed he is an honest cop. Unfortunately, some of Po's associates also go to China and learn the same thing. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

This Hong Kong martial arts film that is chock full of colorful, nonstop action starring superstar Jet Li. Hong Xiguan learned kung fu at a Shaolin temple. He joins rebels to try to usurp the oppressive rulers. Unfortunately, a fellow student squeals upon him and Hong's family is slain, except for his son whom he trains. The duo live with Ma, a wealthy, but idiotic fellow who wants to learn kung fu. He also accepts poor Red Bean, into his home as a slave. Red Bean is ostensibly trying to earn enough money to bury her dead mother. But her mother isn't really dead. It is only part of a scam. Red Bean herself is an excellent martial artist and when not sparring, she and Hong become mutually attracted. They join forces, along with her mother and his son to defend the Shaolin temple from invaders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Corey Yuen's Hong Kong style action film Women on the Run features a pair of female police officers named Rainbow and Swallow. The duo is on the trail of a wicked drug dealer who turns the table on the pair by framing them for a crime. The two officers escape to Canada where they stay hidden until they learn that one of their fellow officers sold them out. The twosome returns to clear both their names and exact their revenge. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide