I think the American West really attracts me because it's romantic. The desert, the empty space, the drama.

Directing, I get all kinds of inspiration. It's working with people. It's a lot more fun.

I wanted to shoot straight, mainstream, somehow off-beat. Not only realistic West, which is quite unfamiliar to the world's population - even to a lot of Americans.

Making a martial arts film in English to me is the same as John Wayne speaking Chinese in a western.

I had to find my way of translating the excitement you get when you're reading comic books to the big screen.

When you go for something because you're curious about it, you get psyched up about the chance of getting into it. It's like an actor meets a role, and you slip into that body and see what happens, to experience certain conditions, to adopt a certain character. Even shooting is a study of the character. I think both the character and the actor, and eventually the filmmaker - myself - are finding a way to accept their environment and being accepted and feel comfortable of themselves.

I think a lot of people do big movies not because they are talented artists but because they can function in the circumstances.