Dark Marvel blockbuster that became one of the “worst experiences of his career” for the action legend

In 1998, Blade was the first film to herald the coming superhero boom, followed by X-Men: The Movie and Spider-Man. Four years later, the sequel Blade II was released, for which Wesley Snipes went on a vampire hunt under the guidance of master director Guillermo del Toro. It was the last good part of the series, which is still waiting for a restart today. For performer and choreographer Donnie Yen (John Wick: Chapter 4), however, the production turned out to be one hell of an experience. And it wasn’t because of the vampires. Blade II is on TV today.

Why Blade II is worth it on TV

Blade II didn’t exactly get rave reviews when it hit theaters. The story of an ancient vampire (Thomas Kretschmann) who wants to breed a race of super suckers has at least one plus point: Guillermo del Toro. who wanted that the superhero movie feels like a comic book or an anime (via Slash Film) and you notice that immediately with the stylish staging. Del Toro also brings with him a deep affection for the offbeat vampire subculture that the camera can’t get enough of in the series’ signature nightclubs.

The excellent cast around Wesley Snipes, Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) and the resurrected Kris Kristofferson does the rest. Starring Hong Kong action legend Donnie Yen (Ip Man, Kill Zone: SPL). In addition to his role as the mute swordsman Snowman, Yen was used for the action choreography. But that was by no means a positive experience for the action legend.

That’s why Blade II was a personal horror trip for Donnie Yen

In an interview with GQ on the launch of John Wick: Chapter 4, Yen opened up about his Hollywood experience. Yen quickly realized how little the film’s producers cared about the action, and he felt it personally:

I had a terrible time making Blade II. It really was one of the worst experiences of my career. Guillermo was a real gentleman. He’s super cool and he loves martial arts movies. But the producer walked past me and didn’t even want to talk to me.

The low esteem was also reflected in the time he was given to design the action sequences:

The producer came and said, ‘That’s it. Half a day, a few hours.’ A few hours? I spent two weeks in Hong Kong filming something like this! I think this is one lack of respect and a level of not understanding, not appreciating what we do.

In the meantime, Yen has had better experiences in the dream factory. Leading the way is John Wick: Chapter 4, in which he collaborated with two connoisseurs and aficionados of Hong Kong action cinema: Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski.

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