Flash Point (2007)

In the world of Hong Kong action films, fights are the fists of fury equivalent to sex scenes. The more accomplished the actors, the “hotter” the performance. In the case of Asian superstar Donnie Yen, his career has been one big collection of kung fu pop shots. However, nothing can prepare you for the hardcore thrills of watching this talented fighter take on The Matrix‘s magnificent Collin Chou in Flash Point. The duo take a standard revenge tale, and with the help of some magnificent mixed martial arts, deliver one of the most amazing confronts ever.

For Det. Sgt. Ma Jun, pre-China Hong Kong is a desperate den of iniquity. Especially troublesome are the Vietnamese gangs trying to control the import/export trade. Among the most notorious are three young brothers lead by the charismatic and deadly Tony. Luckily, the police have someone on the inside. Wilson works as the boys’ right hand hired goon, but when a sting goes wrong, he is revealed to be a traitor. Soon his life, and the life of his girlfriend are in danger. Even worse, Wilson must testify against one of them, and the threats are becoming deadly. It is up to Ma to use his own brand of street justice – and his amazing fighting skills – to bring down the villains once and for all.

Indeed, in one of those rare instances where a single scene supplants much of the movie that came before, Yen and costar Chou redefine the big screen brawl with their kinetic, intense display. Yun adds some additional spice by slowing the movements down, using his lens to capture punches that land solidly, kicks colliding into torsos with untold power. You really feel the contact here. Even though the various DVD extras explain how hard the scene was to choreograph and create, it still seems all too real. Indeed, on the second disc, Yen and Chou describe how physically grueling and demanding Flash Point was. Nothing was easy, and yet it looks intoxicatingly simply onscreen.

There were other issues involved in the making of this movie, creative controversies that we learn about via the always loquacious guest commentator Bey Logan. He contributes a conversation here with star Yen that really explains the realm of mixed martial arts (the movie reflects Asia’s newfound appreciation of the genre-busting style) and how Flash Point was originally meant as a legitimate sequel to Yun’s S.P.L. Considering the number of known fighters used in the film, it’s amazing this movie hasn’t been more widely championed among aficionados. In fact, after watching this incredible display, it’s not hard to see why MMA is so incredibly popular.

But there is also enough of the standard kung fu stereotypes to keep the purists happy. At the beginning, a scuffle at a driving range substitutes an unusual setting for the same old posturing, and when Wilson’s cover is blown, his escape is rather routine. Yen is clearly the star here, and he gets two major sequences – the finale, and an equally violent food stand free for all. Yet Flash Point also subverts some of our expectations. After subduing his victim, Ma literally beats him to death. A bomb meant for another character takes out an unexpected cast member. There is some incredibly visual flair employed along the way – the aforementioned explosion is rendered in a Fight Club like CGI detail – and it’s always refreshing to see a camera that follows the action, instead of dictating it.

In fact, the DVD makes it very clear that Yun and Yen collaborate very closely on their films. As a direct result, Flash Point is a total reflection of both men’s dynamic – a little flashy, a little old fashioned, and very much geared toward a serious attention to martial arts detail. There’s a small amount of egotism involved, Yen specifically believing in the superiority of his technique and training. Yet when you see the results, when you witness the jaw-dropping speed and skill shown, you don’t really question the arrogance.

While some may find the story slow to start and over before any real depth or personal insight has occurred. Ma can come across as a renegade, the kind of cop that American officials would have chastised, or canned, a long, long time ago. But thanks to the pure kung fu magnetism of the leads, and the way in which director Yun cuts directly to the chaos, Flash Point really delivers. It literally kicks (and punches) the tired Asian crime drama up a few fabulous notches.