Big Brother

Henry Chen Xia is a former soldier who takes a job as a high school teacher in a run-down community, trying to reach a class of disadvantaged students through unconventional methods that mix discipline, humor, and hands-on training. As he tries to connect with the kids and earn their respect, he runs into trouble with a greedy entrepreneur whose hired fighters and political ties threaten the school and neighborhood. The movie balances classroom moments with action set pieces, keeping the focus on mentorship, local power struggles, and how one determined teacher tries to improve his students' prospects without becoming what he fought against.

Released in 2018, Big Brother was directed by Kam Ka-Wai and created by Chan Tai-Lee, with Donnie Yen leading the cast alongside Joe Chen, Lok Ming-Kit, Yu Kang, and Bruce Tong. The film blends action, drama, and comedy elements, aiming to give Yen a role that leans into personality as much as physicality.

At the box office the film had a regional run, performing best in Hong Kong and several Asian markets. It drew steady crowds rather than blockbuster numbers, finding most of its audience where Donnie Yen's star power and the local setting resonated.

Fans and critics often pointed out that Donnie Yen's turn as a teacher broadened the kinds of roles people expect him to play, and a few of the fight sequences set in school locations stood out in conversations online. The mix of lighthearted classroom scenes and more intense confrontations made it a topic among genre fans who like action with a social edge.

Critical reception leaned toward positive on aggregate polling, with a vote average of 7.372/10 from 219 votes, and reviewers praised Yen's charisma and the film's tonal shifts. The story highlights themes of social inequality, mentorship, and grassroots resistance to corruption, while trying to keep the mood accessible through humor and well-staged action.