Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

No Other Choice (2025) Review

Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Hae-sook, Kim Hyung-mook, Oh Dal-su Running Time: 138 min By Paul Bramhall In the opening scene of director Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice we meet a dedicated company man played by Lee Byung-hun (The Match, Ashfall) who seemingly has it all – a nice house, a loving wife, 2 kids, and … Continue reading

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Force of Execution (2013) Review

Director: Keoni Waxman Cast: Steven Seagal, Bren Foster, Ving Rhames, Danny Trejo, Jenny Gabrielle, Marlon Lewis, David House, Gillie Da Kid, Andy Brooks, Ivan G’Vera Running Time: 99 min.  By Paul Bramhall If he wasn’t already, then the 2024 Australian martial arts movie Life After Fighting successfully put Bren Foster on the radar of most martial arts cinema fans, in which he both starred and directed, culminating in a final … Continue reading

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City on Fire Presents: In Search of the Single-Legged Man

Having got into martial arts cinema in the late 90’s, during the DVD boom of the early 2000’s I ravenously picked up practically every kung-fu movie that hit the format, even titles that I thought at the time were kung-fu flicks but, several years later, I’d learn were a different genre all together. One such title was the production that kick-started the taekwon-action genre in Korea – the 1974 Lee … Continue reading

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Lone Samurai (2025) Review

Director: Josh C. Waller Cast: Shogen, Yayan Ruhian, Sumire Ashina, Rama Ramadhan, Faisal Rachman, Fatih Unru Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall  The release of Lone Samurai marks the first significant production to see Iko Uwais at work behind the camera – it’s presented by his production company Uwais Team, he’s one of the executive producers, and the Uwais Stunt Team are there to deliver on the action. The … Continue reading

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Good News (2025) Review

Director: Byun Sung-hyun Cast: Sul Kyung-Gu, Hong Kyung, Ryoo Seung-Bum, Takayuki Yamada, Shiro Sano, Show Kasamatsu, Nairu Yamamoto, Eita Nagayama, Hinata Hiiragi Running Time: 136 min. By Paul Bramhall Korean cinema rarely ventures into the realm of satire, however on the few occasions it has it’s done it well. 2002’s Fun Movie saw the Korean film industry going the Scary Movie route and lampooning its own blockbusters of the era … Continue reading

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Unmatchable Match, The (1990) Review

Director: Parkman Wong Cast: Stephen Chow, Michael Chan Wai-Man, Vivian Chow Wai-Man, Shing Fui-On, Ricky Yi Fan-Wai, Lau Yuk-Gei, James Ha Chim-Si, Chow Cheong-Wa Running Time: 98 min. By Paul Bramhall  When it comes to writing on Hong Kong cinema it seemed that for many years the late 80’s and early 90’s were usually referenced as producing an almost limitless amount of triad flicks, to the point that many were … Continue reading

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Millennium Dragon (1999) Review

AKA: Black Rain Director: Phillip Ko Fei Cast: Yuen Biao, Lily Chung Suk-Wai, Choi Jae-sung, Lee Ngai-Chi, Ben Ng Ngai-Cheung, Chiu Lai-Yee, Chin Siu-Ho, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei, Hugo Ng Doi-Yung, Charlie Cho Cha-Lee, William Ho Ka-Kui Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall The directorial career of kung-fu cinema legend Philip Ko Fei is one that needs to be studied. Helming more than 50 movies in the years spanning 1982 … Continue reading

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Hantang (2023) Review

Director: Jung Cho-sin Cast: Kan Mi-youn, Han Seong-sik, Kim Joo-kyeong, Yoon Ki-won, Kim Ki-suk, Hwang Ba-ul Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall While the erotic genre in Korea had its peak during the 1980’s, it’s never really gone away since. Finding its home on the straight-to-VHS format in the 1990’s, and continuing to DVD in the 21st century, while the covers for such movies may promise a gratuitous amount … Continue reading

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Brave Citizen (2023) Review

Director: Park Jin-pyo Cast: Shin Hae-Sun, Lee Jun-Young, Park Jung-Woo, Park Hyuk-Kwon, Cha Chung-Hwa, Lee Chan-Hyeong, Bae Hyeon-Jun, Cha Woo-Min, Lee Joong-Ok Running Time: 113 min. By Paul Bramhall High school power struggles have always been present in cinema, and they usually take the form of an underdog going up against one or more characters who are best described as bullies, worst as violent psychopaths. Korean cinema is no different. … Continue reading

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Paradise Z | aka Dead Earth (2020) Review

AKA: Two of Us Director: Wych Kaosayananda Cast: Milena Gorum, Alice Tantayanon, Michael S. New, Brian Migliore, Lee Mason Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall  In the closing scenes of 2019’s The Driver, the final entry (and first to be released – best not to ask) in director Wych Kaosayananda’s post-apocalyptic zombie trilogy, we’re introduced to a pair of zombie hunting femme fatales in the form of Milena Gorum … Continue reading

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Bang (2025) Review

Director: Wych Kaosayananda Cast: Jack Kesy, Peter Weller, Tristin Mays, Kane Kosugi, Elliot Allison, Paul Mann, Steve Bastoni Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall Being a fan of director Wych Kaosayananda can be a tough gig, or at least, that’s what I assume. Since returning in 2012 after a 10-year hiatus following 2002’s Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, if there’s one thing that’s become apparent, it’s that getting a production … Continue reading

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Mantis (2025) Review

Director: Lee Tae-sung Cast: Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-Young, Jo Woo-Jin, Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Tae-Han Running Time: 113 min. By Paul Bramhall  When I first heard that streaming giant Netflix had greenlit a spin-off to its 2023 assassin flick Kill Boksoon, titled Mantis, I’d hoped it was going to focus on the newbie assassin played by Lee Yeon, whose killer action scene in the former gave her a scene … Continue reading

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Villagers, The (2018) Review

Director: Lim Jin-soon Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Sae-ron, Lee Sang-yeob, Jin Sun-gyu, Jang Gwang, Oh Hee-joon Running Time: 99 min.  By Paul Bramhall The trope of a big city character having to set up shop in a small rural town is one that’s been repeatedly visited in Korean cinema. Whether it be a cop hiding from their past in A Girl at My Door, a grieving widow looking to start … Continue reading

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Ugly, The (2025) Review

"The Ugly" Theatrical Poster

Director: Yeon Sang-ho Cast: Park Jeong-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-been, Im Seong-jae, Han Ji-hyeon Running Time: 102 min.  By Paul Bramhall Back in 2020 the Korean film industry hedged its bets on director Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan sequel, Peninsula, to bring back cinema audiences after the COVID-19 pandemic had forced filmmaking into a period of hibernation. While for the most part the bet paid off, whether it be because … Continue reading

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“Hydra of Our Times” A Look Back at Shiri – Korea’s International Breakthrough 26 Years On

Warning: This feature contains spoilers, so if you’ve yet to see Shiri, please come back later! As part of the 2025 Korean Film Festival in Australia, on 23rd August the 4K remaster of Shiri was screened during the Sydney leg, the 1999 production that put Korean cinema on the map internationally. I honestly couldn’t recall the last time I watched it, but the chance to see it on the big … Continue reading

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