Category Archives: Asian Related

Flowers of War, The (2011) Review

"Flowers of War" Theatrical Poster

Director: Zhang Yimou Writer: Liu Heng, Geling Yan Cast: Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi, Tong Dawei, Atsuro Watabe, Shigeo Kobayashi, Cao Kefan Running Time: 146 min. By Jacob Walker Zhang Yimou’s underrated war film; 2011’s The Flowers of War, provides a timely reminder that even though we are living through uncertain times, as a species we have experienced and survived much worse. Through urban warfare, the 20th century represented … Continue reading

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Abduction (2019) Review

"Abduction" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Twilight Zodiac Director: Ernie Barbarash Cast: Scott Adkins, Andy On, Truong Ngoc Anh, Lily Ji, Aki Aleong, Daniel Whyte, Mike Leeder, Tom Caserto, Brahim Chab, Philippe Joly, Semiquaver Iafeta, Jai Day Running Time: 98 min. By Paul Bramhall I confess to having intentionally avoided the Scott Adkins vehicle Abduction in 2019. In a year which saw the British martial arts star either headline or feature in the likes of … Continue reading

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Dead Reckoning (2020) Review

"Dead Reckoning" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Altar Rock Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak Cast: India Eisley, K.J. Apa, Scott Adkins, James Remar, Ellie Cornell, Sydney Park, Phuong Diep Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall 2020 has been a good year for the discerning Scott Adkins fan. He returned as French in Jesse V. Johnson’s Debt Collectors, re-teamed with Isaac Florentine for Seized, took the lead in espionage thriller Legacy of Lies, and plays a Muslim terrorist … Continue reading

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Debt Collectors (2020) Review

"The Debt Collectors" Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Debt Collector 2 Director: Jesse V. Johnson Cast: Scott Adkins, Louis Mandylor, Marina Sirtis, Demitra Sealy, Vernon Wells, Catherine Black, Josef Cannon, Ski Carr, Charity Collins, Mayling Ng, Aaron Toney Running Time: 97 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2018, hot off the heels of Accident Man and anticipating the all-star Triple Threat, director Jesse V. Johnson and star Scott Adkins snuck in a little movie called The Debt … Continue reading

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Mulan (1998) Review

"Mulan" Theatrical Poster

Director: Barry Cook Co-director: Tony Bancroft Cast: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer, June Foray, James Hong, Pat Morita, George Takei, Soon Tek-Oh, Frank Welker Running Time: 87 min. By Ian Whittle I was a huge Disney fan in the 90s (Beauty and the Beast is among my top 5 films to this day), but for some reason Mulan totally bypassed me until 2014, when I was moved … Continue reading

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Doorman, The (2020) Review

"The Doorman" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryuhei Kitamura Cast: Ruby Rose, Jean Reno, Louis Mandylor, Hideaki Ito, David Sakurai, Rupert Evans, Aksel Hennie, Philip Whitchurch, Andreea Vasile, Jamie Satterthwaite Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been 20 years since director Ryuhei Kitamura made his feature length debut with 2000’s low budget zombie yakuza flick Versus, and in 2020 it’s still the movie he’s most well known for. The movies he’s made since in his native … Continue reading

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Seized (2020) Review

AKA: Rizk Director: Isaac Florentine Cast: Scott Adkins, Mario Van Peebles, Karlee Perez, Steven Elder, James P. Bennett, Matthew Garbacz, David Fernandez Jr., Justin Nesbitt, Luis Gatica Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall Everyone’s favorite British martial artist Scott Adkins stars as a former special force’s agent who, after his wife was killed as part of a mission several years ago, is now a single parent to the child … Continue reading

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One Night in Bangkok (2020) Review

One Night in Bangkok | DVD (Lionsgate)

Director: Wych Kaosayananda Cast: Mark Dacascos, Kane Kosugi, Vanida Golten, Prinya Intachai, Michael S. New, Charlie Ruedpokanon, Alice Tantayanon, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Julie Condra, Shivam Pawa, Siripon Yuktadatta Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2019 Thai director Wych Kaosayananda had somewhat of an epiphany with his feature The Driver. Using nothing more than a stationery car, a green screen, and an action star who’s been off the boil for … Continue reading

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Legacy of Lies (2020) Review

"Legacy of Lies" Teaser Poster

Director: Adrian Bol Producer: Marco Robinson Cast: Scott Adkins, Honor Kneafsey, Andrea Vasiliou, Anna Butkevich, Victor Solé, Matt Mitler, Yuliia Sobol, Martin McDougall, Chee Leon Sua Running Time: 101 min.  By Paul Bramhall The latest Scott Adkins vehicle Legacy of Lies has had an interesting journey to the screen. A passion project of Dutch director and writer Adrian Bol and producer Marco Robinson, it was originally planned that Robinson would … Continue reading

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I Am Vengeance: Retaliation (2020) Review

"I Am Vengeance: Retaliation"

Director: Ross Boyask Writer: Ross Boyask Cast: Stu Bennett, Vinnie Jones, Jacob Anderton, Sam Benjamin, Lainy Boyle, Greg Burridge, Lee Charles, Jean-Paul Ly, Jennifer Lee Moon Running Time: 90 min. By Martin Sandison A year or so ago I reviewed the fantastic Nightshooters, a film I believe to have the best martial arts fights in any British movie, courtesy of rising star Jean Paul Ly. With us all eagerly anticipating … Continue reading

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Boyka: Undisputed IV (2016) Review

"Boyka: Undisputed IV" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Todor Chapkanov Co-director: Isaac Florentine Cast: Scott Adkins, Teodora Duhovnikova, Alon Moni Aboutboul, Julian Vergov, Brahim Achabbakhe, Paul Chahidi, Tim Man, Andy Long Nguyen, Hristo Petkov Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall Few actors get to portray a character that comes to embody a franchise so much, that their name brings more recognition than the franchise itself. Rambo did it with the 1st Rambo sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part … Continue reading

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Karate: The Hand of Death (1961) Review

"Karate: The Hand of Death" Theatrical Poster

Director: Joel Holt Cast: Joel Holt, Frank Blaine, Akira Shiga, Joe Hirakawa, Reiko Okada, Ken Noyle, Fujio Ito, Bob Markworth, Maurice Gruel, Rie Sugura, Tony Sugahara Running Time: 60 min. By Ian Whittle One of THE great companies of the early DVD era, Something Weird Video’s releases were a treasure trove of utterly bizarre nonsensical films you’ve never heard of. And thanks to them, we can pick up a lovely … Continue reading

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Extraction (2020) Review

"Eextraction" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Dhaka Director: Sam Hargrave Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Priyanshu Painyuli, Golshifteh Farahani, Pankaj Tripathi, Suraj Rikame, David Harbour Running Time: 117 min. By Paul Bramhall Say what you want about Netflix (and the endless scroll that usually comes with it), but as action fans it’s treated us remarkably well. Indonesian actioner The Night Comes for Us was saved from production limbo thanks to the platform, we … Continue reading

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Iron Mask, The | aka The Mystery of Dragon Seal (2019) Review

"The Iron Mask" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Viy 2: Journey to China Director: Oleg Stepchenko Cast: Jason Flemyng, Charles Dance, Rutger Hauer, Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Helen Yao, Martin Klebba, Christopher Fairbank, Igor Jijikine Running Time: 124 min. By Martin Sandison When I was a kid my parents didn’t allow me to watch violent movies; they wanted to protect me from the horror of the world, I guess. But I was allowed to watch Jackie Chan … Continue reading

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Fist of Fear, Touch of Death: Anniversary Edition (1980) Review

Fist of Feat, Touch of Death | Blu-ray (The Film Detective)

AKA: Dragon and the Cobra Director: Mathew Mallinson Producer: Terry Levene Cast: Aaron Banks, Adolph Caesar, Teruyuki Higa, Bill Louie, Fred Williamson, Ron Van Clief, Gail Turner, Hollywood Browde, Louis Neglia, Annette Bronson Running Time: 86 min. By Jeff Bona Whenever the discussion topic of “What’s the worst Bruceploitation movie ever made?” comes up, the answer 99.9% of the time will be Fist of Fear, Touch of Death. Is it really … Continue reading

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