Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

Bring Me Home (2019) Review

Director: Kim Seung-Woo Cast: Lee Young-Ae, Yoo Jae-Myung, Park Hae-Joon, Lee Won-Geun, Kim Yi-Kyeong, Park Kyung-Hye, Ha Yun-Hui, Choi Hyung, Baek Joo-Hee, Kim Tae-Yul Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2005 director Park Chan-wook would conclude his Vengeance Trilogy with Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, a title which I often refer to as my favorite of the 3 (the others being Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Oldboy), depending on which … Continue reading

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Incredible Shaolin Thunderkick (1982) Review

AKA: Water Retailer of Shantung Director: Kim Seon-Gyeong Cast: Benny Tsui, Eagle Han Ying, Chae Eun-hui, Nam Po-Dong, Choe Myeong-hui, Jang Cheol Running Time: 78 min. By Paul Bramhall There can be no denying that the old-school Korean kung fu movie comes with a bad reputation, one which in my humble opinion isn’t entirely warranted. Sure they have a lot going against them, number one being that almost all were … Continue reading

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Miss Baek (2018) Review

Director: Lee Ji-won Cast: Han Ji-Min, Kim Shi-A, Lee Hee-Joon, Kwon So-Hyun, Baek Soo-Jang, Jang Young-Nam, Kim Sun-Young, Lee Joo-Young, Jung Kyung-Ho Running Time: 98 min. By Paul Bramhall While many argue that Korean cinema has lost the gritty edge that drew selected audiences to it in the first place, what can’t be argued is that in the 10’s, some of the best examples of uncompromising cinema came from women … Continue reading

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Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos, The (2019) Review

"The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Son Yong-ho Writer: Han Jeong-hoon Cast: Kim Sang-Joong, Ma Dong-Seok, Kim A-Joong, Jang Ki-Yong, Gang Ye-Won, Kim In-Woo Running Time: 115 min. By Paul Bramhall Feature length spin-offs of TV shows are a rarity in Korea, so it came as a surprise when the announcement was made that Bad Guys was going to be heading for the big screen. The concept of writer Han Jeong-hoon, Bad Guys aired as … 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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Spare (2008) Review

"Spare" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Seong-han Cast: Lim Joon-il, Mitsuki Koga, Hitoshi Ozawa, Jung Woo, Kim Soo-hyun, Yang Ki-won, Yoo Sang-seob, Seo Ji-oh, Kang Yeong-mook, Kwak Jin-Seok Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall There was something about fight flicks made in 2008 that saw some of the best ones simply disappear into the ether. Koichi Sakamoto’s Broken Path was sucked into a blackhole, which save for an obscure South African DVD, would take 4 … 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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Peninsula (2020) Review

“Peninsula” IMAX Poster

Director: Yeon Sang-Ho Cast: Gang Dong-Won, Lee Jung-Hyun, Lee Re, Kwon Hae-Hyo, Kim Min-Jae, Koo Gyo-Hwan, Kim Do-Yoon, Lee Ye-Won, Kim Kyu-Baek, Moon Woo-Jin Running Time: 116 min. By Paul Bramhall 4 years since the breakout zombie hit Train to Busan, director Yeon Sang-ho returns to make it a trilogy with 2020’s Peninsula. Korea’s seen plenty of zombie action in the years in-between, with the genre supplanted to ancient times with … Continue reading

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Tenet (2020) Review

"Tenet" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Christopher Nolan Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh, Clémence Poésy, Andrew Howard, Himesh Patel, Martin Donovan, Anthony Molinari Running Time: 150 min. By Paul Bramhall Director and writer Christopher Nolan may be well known for his high concept blockbusters, but for me he’s also responsible for some of the most exciting action sequences Hollywood has produced in the last 15 years. … Continue reading

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Watch List (2019) Review

"Watch List" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ben Rekhi Cast: Alessandra de Rossi, Jake Macapagal, Arthur Acuna, Jess Mendoza, Angeli Bayani Running Time: 94 min.  By Paul Bramhall Before viewing Watch List it’s important to understand the very real backdrop that the production is set in. When Rodrigo Duterte was elected president of the Philippines in 2016 he launched the War on Drugs, encouraging both the police force and citizens alike to kill anyone they knew … Continue reading

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Hydra (2019) Review

"Hydra" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Kensuke Sonomura Cast: Masanori Mimoto, Miu, Tasuku Nagase, Takaya Aoyagi, Takashi Nishina, Satoshi Kibe, Kensuke Sonomura, Tsutomu Uchigasaki, Naoki Hayashida Running Time: 75 min. By Paul Bramhall Ask anyone about the best martial arts movies from Japan during the 2010’s, and chances are the unanimous vote would go to the Rurouni Kenshin trilogy, the adaptation of the manga that spanned 2012 – 2014. The reason for why these movies … 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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Kung Fu League (2018) Review

"Kung Fu League" Theatrical Poster

AKA: Kung Fu Alliance Director: Jeff Lau Chun Wai Cast: Vincent Chiu Man Chuk, Dennis To, Danny Chan, Andy On, Bruce Leung Siu Lung Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall Jeff Lau is one of those directors that audiences either love or hate, with the camp you fall into being largely dependent on a tolerance (or perhaps enjoyment) of his everything and the kitchen sink approach to filmmaking. Sure, … Continue reading

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Leg Fighters, The | aka Invincible Kung Fu Legs (1980) Review

The Leg Fighters | Blu-ray (VCI Entertainment)

AKA: Invincible Kung Fu Legs Director: Lee Tso Nam Cast: Ha Kwong-Li, Dorian Tan Tao-Liang, Peng Kang, Wang Yao, Lui Wan-Biu, Chin Lung Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall After 1978 gave us The Zodiac Fighters and 1979 delivered Five Superfighters, in 1980 it was the turn of The Leg Fighters to kick off the new decade. A Taiwanese indie, at the helm was journeyman director Lee Tso Nam, a … Continue reading

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Zeta: When the Dead Awaken (2019) Review

"Zeta: When the Dead Awaken" Theatrical Poster

Director: Amanda Iswan Writer: Amanda Iswan Cast: Cut Mini, Dimas Aditya, Jeff Smith, Edo Borne, Joshua Pandelaki, Willem Bevers, Revaldo, Natasha Gott, Chicco Kurniawan, Atiq Rachman Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall Indonesia may have put itself on the map over the last decade thanks to its martial arts offerings, with the likes of The Raid and its sequel making an impact on action movie fans across the world, however … Continue reading

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