There are some pretty amazing martial arts films out there these days, but when you mesh the timeless genre with another timeless genre in spy thrillers, you get the Legend of the Fist franchise and the hero Chen Zhen.

That hero, who was once played by legends Bruce Lee and Jet Li, is back, and this time next generation Kung Fu master Donnie Yen is taking on the role. Here’s the official synopsis.

Legendary Kung Fu hero Chen Zhen is an iconic cultural mainstay in China and Hong Kong, having spawned both record-breaking feature films and a TV series. Over the years, martial arts legends such as Bruce Lee (FIST OF FURY) and Jet Li (FIST OF LEGEND) have played the popular hero. In LEGEND OF THE FIST: THE RETURN OF CHEN ZHEN, Donnie Yen continues this rich historical legacy, but with a brand new take on the urban legend.

In 1920s China, the nation is divided by infighting.  Japan has become the most powerful force in Asia, taking over Northern Shanghai. With the city torn in half by international conflict, the popular nightclub “Casablanca” has become a hotbed of spies, mobsters, English officials and the Japanese military- all looking to gain control of the country, with little regard for what happens to its citizens.

To help you get ready for the film’s upcoming release, we’ve got 4 action-packed clips for you after the jump. Enjoy!

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With Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX coming up in mere weeks, we’re going to be getting more and more info about the fest and the great programming offered during it. We’ve already been bringing you some info and now we’ve got a really cool bit of news to share with you today.

Acclaimed action master and director Yuen Woo-Ping will be honored by the fest with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for his vast achievements in cinematic action and direction.With credits ranging from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Drunken Master, Fist of Legend, Iron Monkey to Kill Bill Vol. 1 and II and The Matrix, Woo-Ping has proven time and again that he is, indeed, a master.

This is a well-deserved award indeed. For the full scoop on the award and all that’s associated with it, check out the full press release from the fine folks at Fantastic Fest.

FANTASTIC FEST HONORS DIRECTOR YUEN WOO-PING WITH
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Lifetime Achievement Award Will Be Presented at the
Gala Screening of “True Legend”

Austin, TX—Tuesday, August 31, 2010— The 6th annual Fantastic Fest will honor director and master fight choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the world premiere of his new martial arts fantasy True Legend, starring Vincent Zhao (Fong Sai Yuk, Dragon Gets Angry) Zhou Xun (The Emperor and the Assassin, Suzhou River) with Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and the late David Carradine (Kill Bill), on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at The Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX. The film will play as part of a double feature with Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Yuen Woo-Ping’s directorial debut and the film that put action legend Jackie Chan on the map. Fantastic Fest will play host to Yuen Woo-Ping’s first U.S. festival appearance.

If you’ve ever walked out of a movie theatre after watching a martial arts film and left your jaw on the floor, your eyes were probably dazzled by the fight choreography of filmmaker, Yuen Woo-Ping. Gods of kung fu — Jackie Chan, Stephen Chow, Jet Li, Donny Yen and Michelle Yeoh — have all had their impressive abilities molded into a cinematic language of fist-pounding aerial artistry at the hands of Yuen Woo-Ping. His work headlines the top fight sequence lists of all time from films like The Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Iron Monkey, Drunken Master, Once Upon a Time in China, Fist of Legend and Kung Fu Hustle.

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