For nearly forty years, Donnie Yen has dominated the martial arts/action genre. He’s followed trends, evolved, and created his own path in a way no other performer ever has. He has the respect of all his peers and is currently riding high on the success of John Wick: Chapter 4. What some people may not know or have forgotten, Yen is also quite the director, helming several of his own starring vehicles. The last time he stepped behind the camera was for the 2004 action/comedy Protégé de la Rose Noire. Now, nearly twenty years later, he’s back in the director’s chair for Sakra, a martial arts/fantasy film in which he also stars.
Kiu Fung (Donnie Yen) is one of his region’s most feared and respected fighters until he’s accused of murder. Not knowing who is behind it, he sets out on a quest to find out who the real killer is and why they’ve targeted him and ends up learning more about the truth of who he is in the process. It’s adapted from Louis Cha’s wuxia novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils and showcases martial arts and special effects in a unique way.
Sakra will certainly be divisive for fans of the genre and Yen. It has some great and inspired moments, but it’s also uneven from a story standpoint and about thirty minutes too long. The film looks beautiful, and the action sequences are always wonderfully choreographed. I did have a few issues with the fight sequences being digitally enhanced at times, making for some unnatural-looking movements. Yen is always at his best without the aid of effects, but there’s a massive action sequence in the middle of the film that’s physically impressive and emotionally draining.
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The story jumps around too much and occasionally loses focus. I’m sure they were trying to get in as much from the book as possible when they should have trimmed and molded it with a more cohesive narrative. Either way, Yen and his cast shine and deliver an entertaining ride that sometimes takes a little too long to get where it needs to be.
The disc has a few bonus features, including the English dubbed, a making-of featurette, and a trailer. With Donnie Yen turning 60 this year, it’s exciting to know he can still wow audiences with his brand of action films. Hopefully, we will get a few more masterpieces before he throws in the towel.
Well Go USA has the film available to rent or buy digitally, with the physical release coming on June 13th.
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