80-year-old filmmaker Yuen Woo-ping shows no signs of stopping

Dao Ma (Wu Jing), described as the “second-most-wanted fugitive in all the land,” is sent on a mission, escorting the first-most-wanted fugitive, Zhi Shilang (Sun Yizhou). Wasting no time, Yuen’s latest moves like a freight train of fists and fury as forces clash in this race across the Gobi Desert. With the experience that comes from more than 50 years in the business, the wuxia master is at the top of his game here, delivering what could easily place amongst the best work of his career, and an early contender for best film of the year. An all-star cast joins Wu and Sun, including Nicholas Tse, Max Zhang, and, in his first film in six years, the iconic Jet Li. Yuen, having worked with many of these men before, has a built-in rapport that leads to some of the most breathtaking fights and wirework you’ll ever see. It’s like watching a dream team of some of the best to ever do it come together and show the west what a fight film truly is, all over again. Yuen doesn’t stop there, with positively wild fire sequences and a desert storm to rival George Miller’s very best. Much of the film’s run time is spent asking yourself, “How the hell did someone Yuen’s age pull this off?!”

As Blades of the Guardians expands to more theaters, JoySauce sat down with Yuen to discuss the film, its stars, what goes into great fight choreography, and how he stays vital after all these years.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Some spoilers follow.

Brandon Streussnig: You’re obviously influential in so many facets of action filmmaking, and it’s been a thrill to see the west adopt so much of that Hong Kong style recently, particularly in the John Wick series, but is there anything missing that you’d like to see? Where can action choreography go that would excite you? Do you miss anything about the old days that you can’t do now?
Yuen Woo-ping: Filmmaking has become much more expensive since I started. In those early days, a filming day was cheap enough that we could spend a lot of time experimenting until a shot is perfect. Nowadays, it’s easy to say, “We can do this with visual effects.” But it never feels quite as convincing as doing it practically. That’s what we tried to do with Blades of the Guardians. We shot in the desert in western China, where we also shot Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I think the audience can feel the difference, and it makes the wuxia world a little more believable.

BS: With many action directors using mixed martial arts, even in mainland Chinese films, you seem to stick to traditional Chinese martial arts and still find creative ways to use them. Have you ever considered incorporating even more MMA in your films? I’m reminded of Tiger Cage II and how you incorporated a bit of pro wrestling with Michael Woods versus Donnie Yen in such fun ways.
YW: I try to draw from different styles in my films. I worked with Dave Bautista on Master Z, and we drew on his MMA and wrestling skills and even incorporated his Bautista Bomb. For Blades of the Guardians, it is wuxia, and many of the fights use Chinese swords, so it's more of that traditional wushu style. The end fight between Wu Jing and Nic Tse for example, we use maces and hammers, and that fight resembles more of a battlefield style. I felt that style told the story between these two characters the best.

BS: How has your collaboration with Jet Li evolved over the years? I imagine the two of you must have quite the rapport, having over three decades of experience together.
YW: Jet Li is the best martial arts performer I’ve worked with, so it’s always a joy to work with him. He doesn’t often play villain roles, but I needed a formidable adversary against Wu Jing and Max Zhang, so I approached Jet. A lifetime of doing stunts and training has taken a toll on all of their bodies, but I think seeing the three of them together for the first big fight scene in the film is a treat for the audience.

BS: Blades of the Guardians also reunites you with Max Zhang. He’s someone I’ve followed for years and think he’s terrific, especially in Master Z. What did you see in him that allowed you to have him carry the legacies of greats like Donnie Yen and Jet Li?
YW: Max started with me as a member of the stunt team. He doubled Zhang Ziyi on Crouching Tiger. He is a wushu champion, but most importantly, he knew he wanted to be an actor and he worked very hard on his acting. Being an action actor is two parts: action and acting. In order to be successful, you need to be strong in both. When Wong Kar Wai was casting The Grandmaster, he asked me to recommend an action actor who could play Ma San. I recommended Max, and he brought that character to life. He won best supporting actor at the HK Film Awards for that role.

BS: Then you have Wu Jing. He’s someone who I don’t think gets the nearly respect he deserves out here in the west compared to some of his contemporaries, but I love the way he moves, it’s much different than someone like Jet or Max. Tell me about working with him.
YW: Wu Jing is very versatile. Despite being a wushu champion, he is obsessed with versatility. He is a great horse rider, so we have many sequences on horseback. In the Wolf Warrior movies that he starred in and directed, he is more of a western idea of an action star: gunplay and physical stunts. He has another 50 years to branch out!

BS: How do you approach action and fights in historical films like Blades versus something more modern?
YW: For every new project, I try not to start with any preconceived ideas. Just because it is a period piece doesn’t mean it can’t be more modern. The action always needs to suit the story and the character. And it also needs to suit the performer. For example, Nic Tse isn’t wushu trained, but he is very physical. The wushu style would be a little more difficult for him, but his character uses twin mace, which suits his style very well.

BS: How have you been able to remain so vital, particularly in creating these complex fight scenes, after so many years? While many filmmakers from your era have been winding down, you just keep going.
YW: I think filmmaking keeps me young and active. I like being on set and filming. I think it keeps the mind sharp and physically in good shape. Being around young people helps me stay young.

BS: Your work goes beyond simply great choreography and into something much deeper. What separates a good fight from a great one for you?
YW: The difference is always the story. Good action scenes have good fighting, but great action scenes have a great story. And oftentimes, it is only through action that these two characters can resolve their differences. For example, the last fight between Wu Jing and Nic Tse, in Nic’s last words, we realize he was carrying this burden of revenge that was a debt to their brothers in arms rather than to serve his own ego. The physicality of that scene, combined with this emotional revelation, makes for a memorable sequence.

BS: This is perhaps a question just for me, but In the Line of Duty IV is one of my favorite films, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask about it. Can you tell me a bit about working with Cynthia Khan, a performer who I don’t think ever gets the credit she deserves?
YW: Cynthia is very professional and a great performer. She doesn’t come from a wushu background, which makes her achievements even more impressive. The action film industry has always been male-dominated, so the women who succeed in this industry are very tough and resilient. Because the industry was still developing, we weren’t afraid to try things. For example, getting a filming permit in Hong Kong has always been difficult. So we would shoot “run and gun” style. We’d rehearse, then bring out the cameras, and inevitably, the police would show up and ask us to leave. We’d have a producer to stall the cops while we get our shots, then move on to the next location. It was an exciting way to make films.