Woo's upcoming Manhunt, starring Japanese actor Masaharu Fukuyama (left) and Chinese actor Zhang Hanyu, is a Chinese version of the Japanese film. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"My action scenes are just like dancing. They are influenced by musical films, which emphasize rhythm. If the rhythm is right, repetition of the same action can create an extraordinary effect."

After he made them, Woo's A Better Tomorrow and The Killer (1989), also starring Chow, attracted attention among filmmakers in the West.

And Woo was then invited to Hollywood.

Since Broken Arrow (1996) and Face/Off (1997), both starring John Travolta, his resume also includes Hollywood blockbusters.

Speaking about his tryst with Hollywood, he says: "The facades are in the West, but the techniques and spirits are rooted in the East. You see, Travolta is just like Chow Yun-fat in the films."

Referring to his experiences abroad, he says: "At first, I made the lead roles in these films die in the end. But, I was forced to change the scripts.

"This was because in wuxia films, Chinese heroes are not afraid to sacrifice their lives if necessary, although they do value life. However, heroes in Hollywood films always struggle on to survive."

Explaining his success, he partly attributes humor and romanticism as to why his films travel beyond cultural and language barriers.

As for the kinds of films he likes to make, Woo says he prefers to focus on humanity and keep his distance from sci-fi and superhero films.