One of Hong Kong's prime action directors. He isn't as prolific as most of his peers, which allows him to give his films some extra polish. Lee doesn't have the most consistent oeuvre, but action fans are sure to find some great films there.
Movies
Donnie Yen is perfect in his role, the choreography is splendid and creative. Add some neat visuals and the result is a perfect update of the martial arts genre
Daniel Lee repeats his 14 Blades trick. From out of nowhere he revives a niche that was seemingly dead. The large-scale Chinese martial arts epics have been struggling to reach their former glory, Lee revitalizes a genre that has been in dire need of an energy injection. He doesn't bring anything new to the table, but Song of the Assassins thrives on skill and enthusiasm. It doesn't go overboard on bad CG, the action scenes are spectacular, the cinematography is bold, the steampunk influences are very cool and the plot is solid enough. I had a blast with Song of the Assassins, long overdue.
A slice of tactical warfare that, at least to me, is a lot more challenging and interesting to follow. The climax is both exciting and emotional, the ending is smart and a small punch in the gut.
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon
What Price Survival
A good indication of Lee's talent that would signal a fruitful career. A film with character, sadly the drama can get a little excessive, but otherwise I haven't anything bad to say about this one. It may deviate a little too much from the norm for those expecting a basic martial arts film, but that's hardly a negative. The plot is simple and feels like it was taken right out of a Shaw Bros production. Lee takes it a little too serious though, especially near the middle of the film, which slows things down unnecessarily. Luckily the fights look pretty cool. The editing and visual flourish may detract from the action a little, but it's all very cinematic. It reminded me a little of Ashes of Time, though I actually preferred the use of color here. What Price Survival is the start of an impressive oeuvre, it's a shame Lee's latest films haven't been really up to par. If you're in the mood for some solid Hong Kong action, this one comes warmly recommended.Read all
At times a decent blockbuster, but some scenes are so sentimental and over the top that it's closer to a genre parody than an actual bona fide adventure flick. Daniel Lee has the skills, but he needs to show a little more restraint if he wants to get back on top. This was borderline entertaining, but much more than that.
