Category Archives: Reviews

Born Invincible (1978) Review

Director: Joseph Kuo Cast: Mark Long, Jack Long, Carter Wong, Lo Lieh, Nancy Yen, Corey Yuen, Yuen Shun Yee, Lung Fei, Alan Chui, Yuen Sam, Chen Chiu, Chu Siu Wa, Yuen Woo Ping Running Time: 83 min. By Ian Whittle My immediate reaction to Born Invincible is that someone must have put all the actor’s names in a hat before assigning roles… we’ve got regular villain Lung Fei playing the master … Continue reading

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The Roundup: No Way Out (2023) Review

Director: Lee Sang-Yong Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Lee Joon-Hyuk, Munetaka Aoki, Jun Kunimura, Lee Beom-Soo, Kim Min-jae, Jun Suk-ho, Ko Kyu-phil, Bae Noo-ri, Lee Ji-hoon Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall The expression “it’s the role he was born to play” may be a cliched one, but its hard to think of a more fitting one when it comes to Ma Dong-seok playing the witty, hammer fisted detective Ma Seok-do. Introduced in 2017’s … Continue reading

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Sound of Summer, The (2022) Review

Director: Guy Cast: Kaori Hoshino, Shinya Hankawa, Keita Kusaka, Kiyomi Kametani, Kuromi Kirishima Running Time: 75 min. By Henry McKeand The Sound of Summer, the first full length effort from the Japan-based, British-born director known as “Guy,” opens with a transformation. A cicada sheds its skin in unsettling close-up; it’s akin to seeing an alien parasite burst forth from a suffering host. Against a black background, it looks uncanny, almost … Continue reading

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Day Zero (2022) Review

Director: Joey De Guzman Cast: ​Brandon Vera, Pepe Herrera, Mary Jean Lastimosa, Joey Marquez, Ricci Rivero, Freya Fury Montierro, Yohance Levi Buie, Jema Galanza, Jovit Moya Running Time: 82 min. By Paul Bramhall In the late 2010’s it began to feel like the Philippines film industry was finally stepping out of the insipid stupor it had spent most of the 21st century in, and was making a legitimate effort to produce some solid action … Continue reading

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Girl on a Bulldozer, The (2022) Review

Director: Park Ri-Woong Cast: Kim Hye-Yoon, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Oh Man-Seok, Yesung, Choi Hee-Jin, Lee Hwi-Jong, Sung Yeo-Jin, Kim Hee-Chang, Han Hye-Ji, Kim Joong-Ki Running Time: 112 min.  By Paul Bramhall The Korean indie movie has long been the stomping ground of grim and gritty drama’s focusing on societies downtrodden and overlooked, with those focusing on teenage girls almost being its own genre. In the last 10 years alone we’ve had … Continue reading

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The Siege (2023) Review

Director: Brad Watson Cast: Daniel Stisen, Lauren Okadigbo, Yennis Cheung, Byron Gibson, Phillip Ray Tommy Running Time: 87 min.  By Henry McKeand At one point in this year’s The Siege, the hitman protagonist played by Norwegian bodybuilding champion Daniel Stisen says those three magic words: “I’ll be back.” If you’re not already reminded of Arnold when you see Stisen’s hulking frame tearing through baddies, this line ensures that you make … Continue reading

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Confidential Assignment 2: International (2022) Review

Director: Lee Suk-Hoon Cast: Hyun-Bin, Yu Hae-Jin, Lim Yoon-A , Daniel Henney, Jin Sun-Kyu, Jang Young-Nam, Park Hoon, Im Sung-Jae, Yoon Sang-Hwa, Park Min-Ha Running Time: 129 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2016 Yoo Hae-jin and Hyun Bin played a South Korean detective and North Korean agent who team up to track down a rogue North Korean general in Confidential Assignment. Somewhat of a precursor to the trend of movies … Continue reading

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Hell Dogs (2022) Review

Director: Masato Harada Cast: Junichi Okada, Kentaro Sakaguchi, Mayu Matsuoka, Miyavi, Kazuki Kitamura, Shinobu Otake, Satoshi Kanada, Mai Kiryu, Arisa Nakajima, Kyoko Running Time: 138 min. By Henry McKeand What happened to the good old-fashioned Yakuza flick?  Japanese underworld tales were a dime a dozen pre-Y2K, but they’ve started to fade into the background along with gangster films the world over. Maybe meat-and-potatoes crime stories just don’t stand a chance … Continue reading

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Assassin Club (2023) Review

Director: Camille Delamarre Cast: Henry Golding, Noomi Rapace, Sheena Hao, Sam Neill, Daniela Melchior, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Anastasia Doaga, Gianluca Bottoni, Giulio Pampiglione Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall Like every genre, the action movie is one that goes through cycles. For almost 10 years we’ve been in the age of the assassin flick, kickstarted by 2014’s John Wick and its (at least back then) refreshing approach to no frills, … Continue reading

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Young Ip Man: Crisis Time (2020) Review

Director: Liming Li Cast: Zhao Wenhao, Mu Fengbin, Jonathan Kos-Read, Yuqing Shi, Li Hao Xuan Running Time: 79 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s hard to believe that since Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen’s iconic Ip Man in 2008 we’ve had 3 sequels, a spin-off, 2 more cinematic outings with different actors, a TV series, and 4 web-movies (with 3 more different actors!). That’s without mentioning a certain Wong Kar Wai. … Continue reading

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Anchor, The (2022) Review

Director: Jeong Ji-Yeon Cast: Chun Woo-Hee, Shin Ha-Kyun, Lee Hye-Young, Cha Rae-Hyoung, Park Ji-Hyun, Nam Moon-Chul, Im Sung-Jae, Kim Young-Pil, Lee Hae-Woon Running Time: 111 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s something morbidly entertaining about those movies which take a character and put them through the wringer to a point that they become completely unhinged. Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Christian Bale in American Psycho, Natalie Portman in Black Swan – the … Continue reading

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My Flying Wife (1991) Review

Director: O Sing Pui Cast: Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Tommy Wong Kwong Leung, Fennie Yuen, Yu Li, Roy Cheung, Shing Fui On, Terrence Fok, James Ha, Frankie Ng, William Ho Ka Kui Running Time: 90 min.  By Henry McKeand The legacy of Sammo Hung’s work with Jackie Chan is so massive that it’s easy to forget what a diverse filmography he has. In a sense, there are many Sammos. You have … Continue reading

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Sparring Partner, The (2022) Review

Director: Ho Cheuk-tin Cast: Alan Yeung, Mak Pui-tung, Louisa So, Michael Chow, Jan Lamb, Gloria Yip, Jimmy Wong, Choi Tze-Ching, Au Ka-Man, Hui Siu-Ying, Franchesca Wong Running Time: 140 min. By Paul Bramhall When Hong Kong first introduced the Category III rating in 1988, indicating that the title in question couldn’t be viewed by those under 18, few could predict that by the time the 90’s hit, the term Cat … Continue reading

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Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash (2021) Review

Director: Edwin Cast: Marthino Lio, Ladya Cheryl, Cecep Arif Rahman, Sal Priadi, Reza Rahadian, Ratu Felisha, Lukman Sardi, Djenar Maesa Ayu, Christine Hakim, Ayu Laksmi Running Time: 114 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s perhaps not surprising that little of Indonesia’s arthouse cinema scene has made it across to western shores, however with Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, director Edwin has (albeit unintentionally) ensured his latest work has an opportunity … Continue reading

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7 Commandments of Kung Fu, The (1979) Review

Director: Got Si Ho Cast: Lee Yi Min, Chang Yi, Goo Jing, Lung Fei, Ma Chin Ku, Siu Foo Dau, Ching Kuo Chung, Suen Shu Pau, Cheung Chung Kwai, Cheung Taai Lun, Li Chu-Yong Running Time: 84 min. By Martin Sandison The genres of the Italian western and the classic, traditional kung fu movie have many similarities. They both arose out of a turbulent, massively creative time in their respective … Continue reading

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