Is it more or less difficult to “sell” MMA cinematically than more traditional kung fu styles?
Yen: I think MMA actually gives you more time to work with, because if you have two guys standing there slugging each other, it can be unrealistic. With MMA, you have two fighters looking to get leverage, to execute a takedown or an armbar. There’s a lot going on, at different ranges of combat, and I think this is the direction ‘modern’ action is going. With traditional kung fu films, of course, you have a lot more freedom. With Yip Man, we’re doing kung fu, but also trying to keep it real! SF360.org: In Flash Point, the other move that never fails to wow the audience is your flying kick into the table during the fight scene with Tiger. That scene is difficult and changes the audience’s view of Detective Ma as a noble policeman doing the best he can to someone who is out of control. What is your take on that scene? Yen: A lot of people have asked me about that. My feeling is that, by this stage of the film, my character has really been pushed to the edge, and the audience has seen it.
