Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

Megaforce (1982) Review

Director: Hal Needham Cast: Barry Bostwick, Michael Beck, Persis Khambatta, Edward Mulhare, George Furth, Henry Silva, Mike Kulcsar, Ralph Wilcox, Evan C. Kim, Anthony Pena Running Time: 99 min. By Paul Bramhall Ask anyone which studio first springs to mind when thinking about Hong Kong cinema’s golden age from the 1970’s – 1990’s, and it’ll likely be Golden Harvest. The likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan’s best-known works are … Continue reading

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Last Resort (2023) Review

Director: Jean-Marc Minéo Cast: Jon Foo, Clayton Norcross, Alex Santi, Julaluck Ismalone, Angelina Ismalone, Armin Parvin Running Time: 108 min.  By Paul Bramhall Back in the 2000’s there was a sense that Thailand was going to be the new epicentre for Asian action cinema following the success of Ong Bak, with action talent from around the globe heading to the Land of Smiles to try their hand in the local … Continue reading

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Decision to Leave (2022) Review

Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Park Yong-Woo, Ko Kyoung-Pyo, Kim Shin-Young, Yoo Seung-Mok, Park Jung-Min, Seo Hyun-Woo, Lee Hak-Joo Running Time: 138 min. By Paul Bramhall Take a look at the filmography of director Park Chan-wook and it’s almost impossible to pin him down to any one genre. Whether he’s dealing with a murder mystery in the JSA, the quest for vengeance after being held … Continue reading

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Warriors of Future (2022) Review

Director: Ng Yuen-Fai Cast: Louis Koo, Lau Ching Wan, Carina Lau, Nick Cheung, Philip Leung, Tse Kwan-ho, Janice Wu, Eddy Ko Hung, Sakurako Okubo, Wan Guopeng Running Time: 99 min. By Paul Bramhall It may sound optimistic, but I’d like to think that years from now, fans of Hong Kong cinema will look back and say 2022 way the year the territory once more found its voice. The likes of … Continue reading

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Big 4, The (2022) Review

Director: Timo Tjahjanto Cast: Abimana Aryasatya, Putri Marino, Arie Kriting, Lutesha, Kristo Immanuel, Marthino Lio, Budi Ros, Michelle Tahalea, Kho Michael Running Time: 141 min.  By Paul Bramhall In the early to mid-2010’s Welshman Gareth Evans put Indonesian action cinema on the map with The Raid and its sequel, and when he left it felt like there was an unspoken hope amongst action fans that the baton would be passed to the Mo Brothers to keep … Continue reading

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Kung Fu Master (2010) Review

Director: Dou Xiao Cast: Yuen Biao, Jimmy Lin, Leung Kar Yan, Zhao Qiu Sheng, Chunhua Ji, Yang Lu, Yuan Wu Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall Back in the mid-2000’s a US based distributor of Asian cinema called Tai Seng came upon an ingenious way to take advantage of the kung fu cinema resurgence. Applying a Godfrey Ho-esque approach, Tai Seng would take Chinese kung fu TV series starring … Continue reading

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Yuen Biao: Once Upon a Time in the 90’s – A Retrospective of His Most Overlooked Decade

There would be few out there who’d argue that, in the world of kung fu cinema, the names of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuen Biao will forever be imprinted. Collectively known as the Three Dragons, between them the trio have headlined some of the defining movies of the genre, and even more when you count their experience behind the camera. Having studied at the same Peking Opera school under … Continue reading

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Medium, The (2021) Review

Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun Cast: Sawanee Utoomma, Narilya Gulmongkolpech, Sirani Yankittikan, Boonsong Nakphoo Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall Any fan of cinema has certain names they follow regardless of the genre they work in, and for me South Korean director Na Hong-jin is one of them. Since arriving on the scene with the 2008 serial killer thriller The Chaser, Hong-jin hasn’t exactly been prolific. He’d stay in thriller territory … Continue reading

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Shadow Master (2022) Review

Director: Pearry Teo Cast: D.Y. Sao, Layton Matthews, Brian Le, Craig Ng, Anna Harr, Eric Gay Jr., Luciana Faulhaber, Morgan M. Younge, Dylan Walton, Dezzaray Stephens Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s difficult to believe it’s been almost 20 years since director Prachya Pinkaew unleashed Ong Bak onto the world in 2003, heralding what at the time was seen as a new era of action with Thailand at the … Continue reading

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Alienoid (2022) Review

Director: Choi Dong-hun Cast: Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Kim Woo-Bin, Kim Tae-Ri, So Ji-Sub, Yum Jung-Ah, Jo Woo-Jin, Shin Jung-Keun, Lee Si-Hoon, Choi Yoo-Ri, Kim Eui-Sung, Lee Ha-Nee Running Time: 142 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been 18 years since director Choi Dong-hoon made his debut in 2004 with the entertaining caper flick The Big Swindle, a movie which announced the arrival of arguably Korea’s most entertaining commercial director. For rest of … Continue reading

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Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (2022) Review

Director: George Kirby Co-director: Harry Kirby Cast: Scott Adkins, Ray Stevenson, Perry Benson, Sarah Chang, Javad Ramezani, George Fouracres, Flaminia Cinque, Beau Fowler, Faisal Mohammed Running Time: 96 min.  By Paul Bramhall  It’s been 4 years since the first Accident Man hit the screen in 2018, or to put it in Scott Adkins terms, 17 movies ago (11 of which he was the star!). The DTV genres hardest working action … Continue reading

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Project Wolf Hunting (2022) Review

Director: Kim Hong-Sun Cast: Seo In-Guk, Jang Dong-Yoon, Sung Dong-Il, Park Ho-San, Jung So-Min, Ko Chang-Seok, Jang Young-Nam, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Son Jong-Hak Running Time: 121 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to cinema the concept of using one location for a narrative to play out in always produces intriguing results, usually lending itself particularly well to the action and horror genres. From the building that the SWAT team needs … Continue reading

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Wolf Pack (2022) Review

Director: Michael Chiang Cast: Max Zhang Jin, Aarif Lee, Jiang Luxia, Mark Luu, Ye Liu, Chang Yi, Tang Guozhong Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall Ever since Wolf Warrior practically created the Mainland Melody military genre in 2015, movies which sing the praises of China’s military might have become safe bets for local action filmmakers to bank on. At best, the military theme is used as an excuse to … Continue reading

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Era of Vampires, The (2002) Review

AKA: Vampire Hunters Director: Wellson Chin Cast: Michael Chow Man Kin, Danny Chan Kwok Kwan, Ken Cheung Chi Yiu, Lam Suet, Anya, Horace Lee Wai Sing, Yu Rong Guang, Lee Lik Chi, Wong Yat Fei, Ji Chun Hua, Lee Kin Yan, Chen Kuan Tai, Shut Mei Yee Running Time: 107 min.  By Paul Bramhall  In 2002 it had been 10 years since the last entry in the popular Mr. Vampire … Continue reading

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Section 8 (2022) Review

Director: Christian Sesma Cast: Ryan Kwanten, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Dermot Mulroney, Scott Adkins, Robert LaSardo, Maurice Compte, Geoffrey Blake, Tracy Perez Running Time: 98 min. By Paul Bramhall The world of the Hollywood DTV movie has become an increasingly eclectic one in recent years. The home ground for talented action performers like Scott Adkins and Frank Grillo to take on starring roles, the way the action B-movie has thrived … Continue reading

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