Author Archives: Paul Bramhall

I, The Executioner | aka Veteran 2 (2024) Review

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Hae-in, Oh Dae-hwan, Oh Dal-soo, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Shi-Hoo, Jeong Man-Sik, Shin Seung-Hwan, Jin Kyung, Kwon Hae-Hyo Running Time: 118 min. By Paul Bramhall When Veteran hit the screens in 2015 it struck the perfect balance as an action comedy, and director Ryoo Seung-wan promised audiences there’d be more, revealing in interviews at the time how it was the first in an intended … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Village of Doom (1983) Review

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Noboru Tanaka Cast: Masato Furuoya, Misako Tanaka, Kumiko Oba, Isao Natsuyagi, Midori Satsuki Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall The Tsuyama massacre remains one of the most harrowing mass murders in Japan, taking place on the night of 21st May 1938 in the rural village of Kamocho Kurami. After cutting off the electricity to the village shortly before midnight, a 21-year-old man named Mutsuo Toi proceeded to arm … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews |

Killer: A Girl Who Deserves to Die, The (2022) Review

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Choi Jae-Hoon Cast: Jang Hyuk, Bruce Khan, Cha Tae-Hyun, Son Hyun-Joo, Lee Seo-young, Anne, Son Hyun-joo Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s no secret that in the 21st century mainstream Korean cinema has rarely sold itself on action. It’s certainly not for lack of talent, but rather you’re likely to find the countries best action sequences play out as part of a gangster movie, or a crime … Continue reading →

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Smugglers (2023) Review

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Ryoo Seung-Wan Cast: Kim Hye-Soo, Yum Jung-Ah, Zo In-Sung, Park Jeong-Min, Kim Jong-Soo, Go Min-Si, Kim Jae-Hwa, Park Jun-Myun, Park Kyung-Hye, Kwak Jin-Seok Running Time: 129 min.  By Paul Bramhall Any discussion on modern Korean action cinema will invariably also be a discussion on director (and sometime actor) Ryoo Seung-wan. An avid Hong Kong action cinema fan when he was growing up, Seung-wan would debut in 2000 with Die … Continue reading →

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Officer Black Belt (2024) Review

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Kim Joo-hwan Cast: Kim Woo-bin, Kim Sung-kyun, Lee Hyun-geol, Lee Joong-Ok, Kang Seung-Ho, Yoon Dae-Yul, Park Ji-Yeol, Jin Mi-Sa, Lee Jung-Gwi, Bang Byung-Hyun Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall The latest in Korea’s steady stream of post-Squid Game Netflix produced movies, Officer Black Belt hit the platform in 2024, offering a look into a rarely seen part of the law enforcement system – the parole officers who monitor … Continue reading →

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Land of Happiness, The (2024) Review

Posted on September 13, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Choo Chang-min Cast: Cho Jung-Seok, Lee Sun-Kyun, Yoo Jae-Myung, Woo Hyeon, Lee Won-Jong, Jeon Bae-Su, Song Young-Kyu, Choi Won-Young, Kang Mal-Geum Running Time: 124 min. By Paul Bramhall The 8 months spanning October 1979 to May 1980 are some of the most tumultuous in Korea’s recent history, marked by the assassination of president Park Chung-hee on the 26th October, and culminating in military dictator Chun Doo-hwan ordering the Gwangju … Continue reading →

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The Sword (1980) Review

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Patrick Tam Kar-Ming Cast: Adam Cheng Siu Chow, Norman Chui Siu-keung, Jade Hsu, Tien Feng, JoJo Chan Kei-Kei, Bonnie Ngai, Eddy Ko Hung, Lau Siu-Ming, Lee Hoi-Sang Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall In the early 80’s Hong Kong cinema was experiencing what’s come to be labelled the new wave, as a fresh generation of young directors came to the fore. Movies like Tsui Hark’s Dangerous Encounter of … Continue reading →

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Killer, The (2024) Review

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: John Woo Cast: Omar Sy, Nathalie Emmanuel, Diana Silvers, Sam Worthington, Eric Cantona, Aurélia Agel, Tchéky Karyo, Saïd Taghmaoui, Angeles Woo Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall  Chances are if you’re a fan of Hong Kong action cinema, then John Woo’s 1989 classic The Killer is part of the reason why. In the 35 years since there’s been multiple attempts at a Hollywood remake – in the 1990’s … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Other Movies, Reviews | Tagged |

Man of Reason, A (2023) Review

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Jung Woo-sung Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Kim Nam-Gil, Kim Joon-Han, Park Sung-Woong, Park Yoo-Na, Lee Elijah, Ryu Jian, Kim Joo-Hun, Park Yong, Choi Soo-Im Running Time: 98 min.  By Paul Bramhall  One of the most enduring actors in Korean cinema, since making his debut in 1994’s The Fox With Nine Tails Jung Woo-sung has rarely been absent from the screen in the close to 30 years that followed, and in … Continue reading →

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One More Shot (2024) Review

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: James Nunn Cast: Scott Adkins, Waleed Elgadi, Tom Berenger, Meena Rayann, Alexis Knapp, Michael Jai White, Aaron Toney, Teddy Linard, Hannah Arterton Running Time: 102 min.  By Paul Bramhall After his scene stealing role on the big screen in 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4, in 2024 British thespian Scott Adkins would return to his role as leading man of DTV action flicks by headlining One More Shot. A sequel … Continue reading →

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Mission: Cross (2024) Review

Posted on August 16, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Lee Myung-Hoon Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Yum Jung-Ah, Jung Man-sik, Lee Ho-chul, Cha Rae-hyung, Jeon Hye-jin, Kim Chan-Hyung, Kim Joo-Hun, Jonathan Yiombi Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall  3 years after the unexpected global success of the Netflix series Squid Game, the streaming giant continues to plough money into Korean content, with the countries K-dramas coming to enjoy the same level of popularity globally as they have within Asia … Continue reading →

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Christmas Carol (2022) Review

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Kim Seong-soo Cast: Park Jinyoung, Kim Young-min, Heo Dong-won, Song Geon-hee, Kim Dong-Hwi Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall While the English title of writer and director Kim Seong-soo’s 3rd feature Christmas Carol may sound like another disposable entry in Netflix’s festive movie lineup, thankfully the reality is very different. Taking the classic tale of a revenge seeking protagonist who intentionally gets sent to prison to hunt down … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

New Normal (2022) Review

Posted on August 5, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Jung Bum-Sik Cast: Choi Ji-Woo, Lee Yu-Mi, Choi Min-Ho, Pyo Ji-Hoon, Jeong Dong-Won, Lee Moon-Sik Running Time: 112 min. By Paul Bramhall Filmmaker Jong Beom-sik is one of those few director screenwriters in Korea whose name is almost exclusively tied to the horror genre. After making his debut alongside his brother Jeong Sik with 2007’s Epitaph, Beom-sik would go on to helm segments in both 2012’s Horror Stories and … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews |

Super Power (1980) Review

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Lin Chan-Wai Cast: Billy Chong, Hau Chiu-Sing, Chiang Tao, Ho Kei-Cheong, Annie Liu On Lai, Lau Dan, Fung Ging-Man, Wong Chi-Ming, Wang Han-Chen, Lau Hok-Nin Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall In the late 70’s production house The Eternal Film Co. must have felt like they struck gold by signing on Indonesian martial artist and local movie fixture Billy Chong. While Chong had shown hints of what he … Continue reading →

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Customs Frontline (2024) Review

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Paul Bramhall

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Jacky Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Karena Lam, Francis Ng, Liu Yase, Michelle Wai, Angus Yeung, Melvin Wong, Ben Yuen, Amanda Strang, Brahim Chab Running Time: 115 min.  By Paul Bramhall While the flaunting of China’s various authorities and military divisions through the format of cinema has become almost the exclusive forte of Dante Lam, in 2024 he kindly stepped aside to make some room for fellow Hong … Continue reading →

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