Chinese action star Shi Yanneng, with over 20 years of experience in action films, is filming a military action movie in Malaysia for the first time with 'Hunter Eleven'. Speaking of how he came to shoot in Malaysia, he said that he initially came just as a tourist but ended up landing a movie project, as if it were destiny. Looking back, the whole process feels like a dream.
The military action film 'Hunter Eleven' is a 20-million-ringgit production, assembling top teams from Malaysia, China, and Hong Kong, including seven-time Hong Kong Film Awards Best Action Choreography winner Dong Wei as action director and Malaysian director Frank See as military director. The film previously shot in Langkawi; after filming in Kuala Lumpur, the crew will move to Johor for the remaining scenes. Filming is expected to wrap up by April 20 and will premiere in Malaysia in the first quarter of next year. The film has already been sold to Germany at a previous film festival and will be featured at the Cannes Film Festival. North America, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, and other markets are also planned, with hopes of not only relying on Malaysian box office but making a splash internationally.
'Hunter Eleven' is currently in full-swing production. On Tuesday evening, Malaysian media were invited to visit the set, which is located at Malayan Railway Company’s commuter train maintenance depot (Depoh KOC KTMB).
Shi Yanneng has appeared in several classic Hong Kong movies such as 'Kung Fu', 'Ip Man', and 'Shaolin', and recently had a cameo in the critically and commercially acclaimed 'Blades of the Guardians: The Desert Rises'. This time, he hopes to combine his past martial arts experience to create a different action style and visual presentation: “We’ve added many new concepts to give audiences a brand new perspective on action films.”
In the film, Shi Yanneng plays a complex former mercenary, a role requiring not only considerable action scenes but also performing in Malay, English, and Chinese. He said, “Learning Malay is really difficult but also very fun. I especially love the tones of the Malay language; it’s as memorable as Malaysian food.”
The filming is tough, with shooting from afternoon until the early hours being the norm, and injuries are sometimes unavoidable. However, he praised the Malaysian team’s dedication and spirit: “The hospitality, culture, scenery, and food here are all very attractive to me.” He even revealed he is considering applying for the Malaysia My Second Home program, hoping to settle down and further develop action films in Malaysia, feeling it's his duty and mission to continue passing on and promoting action movies.
Director Frank See, who has previously worked as a military consultant on blockbusters like 'Operation Red Sea' and 'Operation Mekong,' admits that this is his first time directing a feature film, making it quite a challenge. “Many people think action films are expensive and risky, but we believe that this real, hands-on way of filming is something AI can’t replace, at least for now.”
He emphasized that 'Hunter Eleven' tells a pan-Asian story; therefore, in casting, they focused more on recognizability and suitability rather than just good looks. “We hope to create a new perspective in action films and lay the groundwork for future sequels.”
As for the two local actors in the film, each shines in their own way. Emerging Malay actor Sky Iskandar shared that working with Dong Wei and the veteran Hong Kong action team was eye-opening—the pace was fast, the requirements precise, and sometimes the team would personally demonstrate the moves, making it “very exciting and challenging.” Meanwhile, Sarawak’s Xu Xiuqing takes on a villain role for the first time, doing all the action stunts herself. She said that this collaboration made her deeply appreciate the charm of multicultural exchanges and that she gained a lot from working with the international team. #