My films are always concerned with family, friendship, honor, and patriotism.
I can use movie as a language. Not only could it send a good message, I could let people know about my thinking and how I see the world, how I see the colour, how I see the music, how I see everything.
I have never intended in any of my films to sell violence or to glorify it. Even in the most intense action sequences in my films, there is a message about how evil violence is.
I like doves. They look so beautiful, like a woman. For me they represent peace and love and purity. And sometimes they're seen as the messengers of God, so they're important to me because I'm a Christian.
The movies I like to make are very rich and full of passion. Some people see me as an action director, but action is not the only thing in my movies. I always like to show human nature - something deep inside the heart.
I also wanted people to know that football actually started in China almost 3000 years ago.
When I made 'Hard Boiled,' I had no idea that it would be released to an international audience. I just wanted to make a film to team up my two favorite actors, Tony Leung and Chow Yun-Fat.
It's pretty easy to make a film in China. A few years ago I just walked into the office and let them know I wanted to make a movie called 'Red Cliff' and they were so excited. They said, 'Let's do it!' It's that simple.
When I was young, I loved movies so much I wanted to make one.
There is absolutely no Wuxia or martial arts in 'Red Cliff.' I want all the action to look realistic.
'Hard Boiled' is my last film in Hong Kong, before I moved to the U.S. It is the one film which is most accepted by the audience in the West.
For my own films, I would like to see 'Bullet in the Head' remastered. The original cut was actually almost three hours.
I'm not a master; I'm just a hard-working filmmaker. I would like everyone to see me as a friend rather than a master.
