Donnie Yen is one of those actors who elevates everything he touches, and 14 Blades is no exception.
Released in 2010, this martial arts epic is action packed from start to finish. Brutal fights, colorful characters, and some of the most exotic weapons you will see on screen. Yen plays a tormented government agent turned fugitive, and he carries the film with the kind of intensity and physicality that only he can bring to a role.
The fights come fast and they come hard. Almost too fast at times, which is one of my minor complaints. Some of the sequences move so quickly that it is tough to follow every detail, and the CGI in certain moments gets in its own way. But those are small gripes in an otherwise masterfully put together film. The story gives you enough to genuinely care about the characters, which is not always a given in this genre.
What surprised me most was the tone. There is a Western movie feel running through the whole thing, almost like a Chinese kung fu take on a classic gunslinger story. That contrast works really well and gives the film a flavor that sets it apart.
Is it on the level of Once Upon a Time in China? No. That is a high bar that very few films clear. But 14 Blades stands on its own and it comes recommended without hesitation.
If you are a Donnie Yen fan or just love a well crafted martial arts film, put this one on.
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