Author Archives: Z Ravas

Dogora (1964) Review

Director: Ishiro Honda Cast: Yosuke Natsuki, Yoko Fujiyama, Hiroshi Koizumi, Nobuo Nakamura, Robert Dunham, Akiko Wakabayashi, Jun Tazaki, Seizaburo Kawazu Running Time: 83 min.  By Z Ravas While watching those classic Godzilla movies where hundreds of civilians are fleeing the city due to an imminent kaiju attack, did you ever think about how there are detectives down on those streets who still have cases their bosses expect them to solve, … Continue reading →

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Mexicali (2026) Review

Director: Luke LaFontaine Cast: Bren Foster, Tania Raymonde, Plutarco Haza, Kris Van Damme, Louis Mandylor Running Time: 99 min.  By Z Ravas Mexicali is a movie that knows precisely what its audience wants and decides to give it to them without delay. It’s been two short years since Bren Foster broke out on the international action scene with Life After Fighting, and the filmmakers behind Mexicali understand that fans are … Continue reading →

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Evil Cat (1987) Review

Director: Dennis Yu Cast: Lau Kar-Leung, Joann Tang Lai-Ying, Mark Cheng Ho-Nam, Wong Jing, Hsu Shu-Yuen, Stuart Ong, Tom Poon Chun-Wai, Teresa Ha Ping Running Time: 91 min.  By Z Ravas A textbook example of the free-spirited Hong Kong genre medley, one of those movies like A Chinese Ghost Story or Mr. Vampire that willfully tosses action, horror, and comedy into a blender and sees what results. The plot of … Continue reading →

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Gambling Ghost, The (1991) Review

Director: Clifton Ko Chi-Sum Cast: Sammo Hung, Meng Hoi, Nina Li Chi, Teddy Yip, James Wong Jim, Norman Ng, Lam Ching-Ying, Wu Ma, Corey Yuen, Paul Chun, Richard Ng, Stanley Fung, Robert Samuels, James Tien, Billy Chow, Chung Fat Running Time: 93 min.  By Z Ravas This is not your typical Sammo Hung vehicle! By 1991, Sammo Hung’s place in the Hong Kong film industry was firmly established: the actor/director … Continue reading →

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Hellfire (2026) Review

Director: Isaac Florentine Cast: Stephen Lang, Johnny Yong Bosch, Levon Panek, Dolph Lundgren, Harvey Keitel, Scottie Thompson, Michael Sirow, Chris Mullinax, Maurice Compte Running Time: 95 min.  By Z Ravas The first half of Hellfire had me concerned I was going to have to start off my review with some tweet-ready soundbyte like, “Isaac Florentine’s fall-off deserves to be studied.” Fortunately, the director’s latest effort eventually delivers the action goods, … Continue reading →

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Once Upon a Time in China III (1992) Review

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan Chi-Lam, Max Mok Siu-Chung, Xiong Xinxin, Lau Shun, John Wakefield, Chiu Chin, Ge Cunzhuang, Meng Chin Running Time: 105 min. By Z Ravas Once Upon a Time in China is a film that convinced you it was telling the story of an entire nation. Tsui Hark’s widescreen canvas depicted a large array of characters, including master martial artist and doctor Wong Fei-hung, … Continue reading →

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Final Justice (1988) Review

Director: Parkman Wong Cast: Danny Lee, Stephen Chow, Shing Fui On, William Ho Ka-Kui, Tommy Wong Kwong-Leung, Victor Hon Kwan, Ricky Yi Fan-Wai, Ken Lo Wai-Kwong Running Time: 95 min. By Z Ravas As much as fans tend to valorize the late 80’s and 90’s Hong Kong scene as a Golden Age for Action Cinema—and it was!—sometimes it’s instructive to remember that not every film released during that era was … Continue reading →

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Ruthless Bastards (2025) Review

"Ruthless Bastards" Theatrical Poster

Director: Bruce Fontaine Cast: Sean Patrick Flanery, Casper Van Dien, Theresa Lee, Don Lew, Hasleen Kaur, Parmish Verma Running Time: 90 min.  By Z Ravas As time marches on and brings changes with it, “progress” doesn’t always feel like progress; perhaps that’s why there’s something comforting about crime movies that feature aging tough guys who can reminisce about the good ‘ol days—before smartphones and social media—while still cracking heads. I’m … Continue reading →

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Afterburn (2025) Review

Director: J. J. Perry Cast: Dave Bautista, Olga Kurylenko, Kristofer Hivju, Samuel L. Jackson, Daniel Bernhardt, Kevin Eldon, Simon Merrells, Eden Epstein, George Somner Running Time: 106 min.  By Z Ravas J.J. Perry is a name that action fans may or may not know, but they really should: over the last three years, the stuntman-turned-director has quietly proved himself one of the best action filmmakers working today. His directorial debut … Continue reading →

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Safe House (2025) Review

Director: Jamie Marshall Cast: Lucien Laviscount, Hannah John-Kamen, Ethan Embry, Lewis Tan, Holt McCallany, Adam Levy, Brett Cullen, Brian Van Holt, Brian Borello, Markina Brown Running Time: 90 min. By Z Ravas On some level, you gotta feel for Lewis Tan. After years of putting in the work via supporting roles in movies like Olympus Has Fallen and Deadpool 2, the UK-born martial artist and model landed the lead part … Continue reading →

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Gladiator Underground (2025) Review

Director: Chaya Supannarat Cast: D.Y. Sao, Andy Le, Brian Le, Michael March, Johnny Lee, Craig Ng, Carl Piaf, D.Y. Sao, Ron Smoorenburg, Bear Williams, Selina Wiesmann, Apasiri Kulthanan, Elliott Allison, Geoffrey Giuliano, Sam Lee Herring Running Time: 91 min.  By Z Ravas I suppose you could say I’ve become a fan of D.Y. Sao, an indie martial arts star who I’ve been following since his first feature as lead actor, … Continue reading →

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Angel 3 | aka Iron Angels 3 (1989) Review

Director: Teresa Woo San Cast: Moon Lee Choi-Fung, Alex Fong Chung-Sun, Kharina, Ralph Chan Shing-Gwai, Mark Steinborn, Katy Hickman, Marco Lo Chi-Fung, Bill Rockloff Running Time: 91 min.  By Z Ravas 1989’s Iron Angels 3 was the third Iron Angels film in as many years, which makes one wonder whether these movies were a smashing success in the local Hong Kong market or else Teresa Woo’s production company Molesworth simply … Continue reading →

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Angel | aka Iron Angels (1987) Review

Director: Teresa Woo San Cast: Saijo Hideki, Elaine Lui, Yukari Oshima, Alex Fong Chung Sun, David Chiang, Hwang Jang Lee, Peter Yang Kwan, Wang Hsieh, Lam Chung, Chiang Tao Running Time: 93 min.  By Z Ravas I can’t say this period of history has many consolations for those of us living through it, but getting to experience obscure Hong Kong action films via terrific looking and sounding boutique Blu-ray releases … Continue reading →

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Under the Gun (1995) Review

Director: Matthew George Cast: Richard Norton, Kathy Long, Jane Badler, Peter Lindsay, Robert Bruce, David Serafin, Ron Vreeken, Tino Ceberano, Adam Haddrick, Sam Greco Running Time: 93 min. By Z Ravas As action fans around the globe react with sadness at the untimely loss of actor Richard Norton at the age of 75, I realized it was high time I dug deeper into the actor’s body of work. Sure, like … Continue reading →

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Kung Fu Rookie (2023) Review

Director: Aman Ergaziyev Cast: Timur Baktybayev, Irina Azhmukhamedova, Kuat Khamitov, Erkebulan Toktar, Riskul Konakbaev, Janelle Sergazina, Talgat Duisenov, Kuandyk Shakyrzhanov Running Time: 79 min. By Z Ravas 2023’s Kung Fu Rookie (AKA “Timuchin”) has a problem. No, it’s not the production values — the film looks sharp for a low-budget project out of Kazakhstan — nor is it the script necessarily, as this action/comedy has more than a few jokes … Continue reading →

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