Bruce Lee changed the format of action cinema in a major way. He came in at a time where most productions were still doing wuxia pictures, flying on wires galore and staying away from anything that looked vaguely real. He also came in with an absolute contrast to the flowery martial arts that was going on, bringing a hard, raw and real style, not just in his physicality, but in his emotional reactions. He also pushed the boundaries of acceptance for Asian actors and his films encompassed some of the highest amounts of philosophical narrative to be placed in the genre of a martial arts film for its time.

On top his dedication to authenticity on film, Bruce also did things like throw a particular kick seamlessly, 3 times in a row, which may seem like nothing to rave about in present times, but choreography wise, nobody was thinking like that and it was a visual treat. Still a true martial artist at heart, Bruce went on to invent his own form of fighting (Jeet Kune Do - The Way of the Intercepting Fist), which can be said to be a major link in the chain that leads to MMA (mixed martial arts) fighting styles, as the initial ethics are the same.

Bruce also goes on to write great philosophical books as well as concepts on fighting, directs his own movies Way of the Dragon and Game of Death. And though the latter title was never completed, the found footage of the pagoda fights, illustrate a never before seen combination of philosophy, fighting philosophy and martial arts action...if you watch the right version. 

Bruce of course then stars in one the most enduring martial arts movies of all time - Enter the Dragon which becomes the template for a gazillion martial arts films that follow. Enter...makes him the first international Asian superstar (no disrespect Toshiro Mifune) and signifies the beginning of doors being opened to other Asian actors. He also fathers Brandon Lee who gives us Showdown In Little Tokyo, Rapid Fire and The Crow.
Bruce in Action

"He also came in with an absolute contrast to the flowery martial arts that was going on, bringing a hard, raw and real style, not just in his physicality, but in his emotional reactions."

Jackie Chan pushed the boundaries for acrobatic kung-fu, complex action scenes and comedy. For a long time he was the most daring and courageous actor in the world, partly because he is still a stuntman at heart. But Jackie has also proved himself in the fields of directing, producing and editing. In fact Jackie is the first person to show an action sequence happening 3 times, with 3 different camera angles, but having each edit start at the very beginning of the repeated scene (see Armour of God 2: Operation Condor). Jackie has also sung on many of his film's soundtracks and I personally credit him as being a pioneer of free running - think about it.
Jackie Actio

Jet Li has brought the traditional martial arts into modern day set films. He can make Wu-shu, Tai-Chi and Baghazhang fit in where they shouldn't and this has allowed him infiltrate the US market in a very unexpected way. His crossover audience is hard to fathom and is likely to have the same people who watch The One also watch The Sorcerer and the White Snake.
Jet Action


Donnie Yen I consider to be seriously underrated, as an actor and fighter. Little stints in films such as Blade 2 and Highlander: End Game did him no real international justice. But I was so glad with the worldwide success of IP Man, as it allowed Donnie to flex his fists of fury as well as his acting prowess for the world to see. As a director, he is committed to making scenes as original as possible and it's interesting to see him choreograph a scene, as when an actor comes up with an idea for the next move in a fight sequence, he will often ask 'why that move' because in his mind, the move has motive, so a punch is never just a punch and that is how dedicated he is to originality.
Donnie Action

If you are familiar with classic films such as A Chinese Ghost Story, Encounters of A Spooky Kind and Mr. Vampire, then you will know this genre very well. If you’re not - time to get acquainted!

Jet Li plays the head abbot of a group of monks, that fight, exorcise and imprison demons, as well as stand guard over the demon cells they place them in. Yet this fantastical part of the narrative, simply serves as background to the real movie's themes, which are about the encounters of dangerous love. For all the action in the film, the story is completely character driven and the characters themselves are given ample time to become genuinely interesting to the audience. Their inquisitiveness into understanding love, especially coming from their bizarre circumstances they inhabit, make them more than just actors spouting exposition before the next fight scene comes along.

"...the martial arts is kept to a minimum, but there are plenty of fantasy battles that would give Lord of the Rings a run for its money."

Amidst a few sub-plots, we see one human character become semi-glamoured into falling in love with a demon, whereas in another story; we witness a demon fall for a man, whose job it is to kill demons. His life becomes further complicated as he is later converted to a demon himself through a failed attempt at ghostbusting. To be sure the narrative gets a little mixed up and intricately complex, but it never gets overly-complicated and in fact has some nice touches of humour and philosophy along the way, humanises the angst and supernatural stuff.

I personally really liked the film, the martial arts is kept to a minimum, but there are plenty of fantasy battles that would give Lord of the Rings a run for its money. The acting is sincere, the soundtrack is brilliant and the visualisation in the photography is really pleasant to the eye. There is only one silly scene (to do with animals disguised as humans) that I though hmmm...naaaah! But you can get over this very quickly.

The Sorcerer & The White Snake should have had a proper cinematic release like Hero or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and no one and I mean no one should label this as some chop socky, martial arts flick. It is much more than that. Even when addressing spiritual matters, you can see that, from head to spinning foot, that The Sorcerer & The White Snake is a mystical dynamo.

Rating A Strong 8/10