A lesser-known martial arts gem from the late 1980s received a worthy remake in the form of Donnie Yen’s two-part movie series, Iceman. Easily one of the most prominent martial arts stars of the 21st century, Donnie Yen has headlined a vast number of kung fu movies, and a substantial portion of them have been remakes and sequels to stories and franchises previously unconnected to Yen’s work.

Among the most notable examples are Yen’s role in Legend of Chen Zhen: Return of the Fist, which functions as a sequel to Jet Li’s Fist of Legend, and New Dragon Gate Inn, a remake of the iconic 1960s film, Dragon Gate Inn. In addition to paying homage to old classics, the actor has also attempted to breathe life into under-the-radar martial arts tales, including Iceman Cometh, a highly unusual – but unsuccessful – kung fu movie starring Yuen Biao.

Both Of Donnie Yen’s Iceman Movies Are Streaming On Prime Video

Iceman & Iceman: The Time Traveller Are On Amazon’s Streaming Service

In 2014, the martial arts star played the lead character in Iceman, a Hong Kong movie that combines a historical setting with the present. Four years later, Donnie Yen reprised the role in a sequel тιтled Iceman: The Time Traveller. Fortunately, both films are streaming on Prime Video and can therefore be viewed back-to-back. That said, Prime Video does not have the English dub of either film available to watch for free. Instead, the service only offers English subтιтles for the original Chinese versions. As for the original version of the story, The Iceman Cometh, it’s a bit more elusive and not on Prime Video or any other major streaming services.

What Donnie Yen’s Iceman Movies Are About

Donnie Yen’s Iceman movies and the 1989 film it’s based on have some notable differences, but the underlying premise is relatively the same; similar in a sense to the story of Captain America, the main character is a warrior from the past who was frozen in ice for centuries before waking up to find himself in the present. As a result, he must adjust to the unfamiliar new realities of modern technology and other cultural changes. At the same time, he must also contend with his old enemies, who are still alive as well.

The Iceman movies are rich in lore, as they establish an interesting backstory for its central protagonist – Donnie Yen’s He Ying – that drives the narrative of both films. A talented swordsman from China’s Ming Dynasty, He Ying was a member of a quartet of warriors ᴀssociated with the search for a mysterious artifact with time travel abilities. He Ying was frozen in his attempts to retrieve it on behalf of the Ming emperor. His three former friends – who are all characters in the present-day storyline were sent to capture him after he had been branded a traitor to his country.

In addition to his backstory and connections to the other three warriors, the Iceman movies also deal heavily with the relationship he forms with the films’ female lead, Eva Huang’s May, a young woman who initially shelters on him with the intention of shamelessly exploiting his naiveté in regards to life in the modern world.

How Donnie Yen’s Iceman Movies Compare To The Original

Donnie Yen’s Iceman movies expand greatly on the concepts and characters introduced in the original movie. The 1989 film starred Yuen Biao – an actor best known for his collaborations with Jackie Chan – and Maggie Cheung, an A-list Hong Kong actress who appeared in several noteworthy Jackie Chan movies. In the movie, Biao’s character is the ancient, time-displaced warrior, whereas Cheung’s character is the modern-day woman who helps him.

The Iceman Cometh is decidedly smaller in scale, which is evidenced by its less-impressive production values. This is especially true of the action, as The Iceman Cometh leans heavily on Yuen Biao’s talents in martial arts and acrobatics to make it more of a straightforward kung fu movie. Iceman and Iceman: The Time Traveller are significantly more extravagant in this department, packing the stories with huge action set pieces, not unlike most superhero films.

In this version, the primary conflict is between two men, but Donnie Yen’s movie expands it to four, and reverses its approach to time travel by eventually sending the protagonist back through time for an adventure in the Ming Dynasty in the sequel. The Iceman Cometh, on the other hand, managed to wrap up its story in one movie and never tried to become a multi-movie narrative.

Iceman & Iceman: The Time Traveller Are Fun Martial Arts Movies

Admittedly, Iceman and Iceman: The Time Traveller aren’t likely to be remembered to be among Donnie Yen’s best movies, but both are worthwhile entries into the martial arts genre. The humor can be hit-and-miss, but both films succeed in having fun with the idea of an ancient warrior running around in a 21st-century city, completely unaware of modern conventions. This aspect of the character is also used to build a genuine and heartfelt dynamic between Ying and May, two people who hail from different worlds yet build a deep and believable connection.

Thanks to some well-choreographed martial arts action, Iceman and its sequel are also able to deliver some entertaining action sequences sprinkled throughout the stories. The combination of two very different settings, particularly in the sequel, also never comes across as jarring, as the film is able to deftly navigate both of their worlds, being both a modern-day action flick and a martial arts period piece at the same time, thus adding to its unique charm.

Will There Be A Third Iceman Movie?

The Iceman Movies Will Likely Remain A Two-Part Story

Without spoiling the ending, Iceman: The Time Traveller doesn’t provide a definitive ending to the story. Instead, it seemingly sets up a new chapter in He Ling’s story. But while this may indicate that a third installment is on the way, there’s not much hope for the possibility of an Iceman trilogy. Iceman: The Time Traveller flopped at the Chinese box office, and there seems to be no steam behind a potential Iceman 3.