Keanu Reeves' involvement with Chinese martial arts goes beyond the sci-fi trilogy that added punch to his career and is the force behind his directorial debut. Liu Wei reports in Beijing.

In the blockbuster The Matrix, Keanu Reeves declared: "I know kung fu". He made the statement after the martial art was virtually uploaded into his mind in the sci-fi hit. But his directorial debut Man of Tai Chi suggests he actually has had ancient Chinese fighting styles on the brain for the six years since work started on the film. The movie was released in China on July 5. It will also be screened at the Toronto Film Festival in September.

The film is a personal undertaking for the 48-year-old, who reunites with Matrix choreographer Yuen Woo-ping and Chen Hu, his kung fu trainer during the Matrix trilogy's creation. The film's regular and IMAX versions are packed with Chinese tai chi and mixed martial arts.