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• August 14, 2007: Chinese Action Films
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  Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007 5:13PM / Standard Entry / Members only
  127 comments

  I remember back after I finished filming "The Bodyguard from Beijing", the movie was banned from China due to the fact that, in reality, there would not be a situation as depicted in the film where a bodyguard would go to Hong Kong.  Later, with "My Father is a Hero", we did the best we could to make it realistic, yet it didn't pass inspection either.  At the time I understood the many rules related to co-financed/produced films in China.  Personally, I felt that films don't always have to be realistic.  In films there are many unrealistic things.  Movies depicting true real-life situations aren't in high quantity.  It is my hope that audiences can mature and develop to see the difference between a movie and real life; not everything needs to be realistic.

  Actually, being an actor has it's difficulties, even for those who have "star power".  During project development there are many unknowns around every decision.

  For example, while filming "Romeo Must Die", the U.S. studio was hoping to have the film shown in China.  But it didn't happen due to the subject matter relating to gangsters, and gangsters aren't appropriate.  Later came "Kiss of the Dragon", but it still couldn't be shown in China.  It has a negative image of a Chinese police officer going abroad to fight and kill.  There was an action scene in the French police station where the action director set up a fight for me against French police officers using a French flag.  At the time I asked the producer, Luc Besson, if this would result in a ban in France.  He assured me not to worry and go ahead; that the audience would understand that this is a movie and is not to be confused with reality.

  Many foreign filmmakers have asked how to produce an action film that is acceptable in China.  Typically action films have good and bad characters.  If gangsters aren't appropriate and police officers aren't appropriate, then what type of character can there be that wouldn't start an argument?  Due to our skin color and language, we Asians have limited choices when it comes to types of characters.  Aside from playing immigrants, there are few characters to choose from.  We can't have an Ambassador go and fight, now can we?

  There is also the story line of a foreign police officer chasing and arresting criminals in China.  That doens't work either, since China wouldn't allow foreign police officers in to the country without the proper permission to practice law enforcement.

  So, Chinese police officers going abroad doesn't work, and foreign police officers coming to China doesn't work.  It leaves only the ancient Chinese stories to be produced.  Ancient martial art films have already been released in large numbers internationally.  And for futuristic science fiction films, China currently lacks the investment or techniques that are available to the American film industry.

  I have been studying the process and learning to avoid conflict.  For example, in "Cradle 2 the Grave", the original story depicted a retired Chinese police officer taking nuclear materials to sell in America, and I played a Chinese police officer chasing him to the West.  At the time I thought the conflict would be great.  Even though it's a movie it could be easily misunderstood.  Then we thought of picking a place where there is no nuclear material and ended up with Taiwan.  Of course, it still didn't pass in China for me to play a Taiwanese police officer.

  Later in "Unleashed" we worked from the human angle to develop the character.  The film told the story of how a person that only knew violence is no different than an animal.  How, through music and friendship, it can bring light and warmth to a cold, dark life.  I felt that this type of character avoided the gangster/police topic, and never thought it would end up bringing an issue of racism.  The movie still could not be shown.

  For future Chinese films to enter the world market, and to bring investment into the Chinese market, or for Chinese actors working to push in to the international stage (especially with Chinese action movies for which we are known), then creating a character that is accepted by the audience within the rules of filming is very important.

  With the Chinese movie market growing strong, many foreign investors want to invest in China.  How can we combine all of the positive attributes of the Eastern and Western film markets to become a global industry?

  I am still in the learning process.  I hope that all of my friends on the internet can discuss what types of action film stories would be accepted by the audience in Chinese theaters.

  What is your opinion?

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