Category Archives: All

Raiders of Buddhist Kung Fu (1981) Review

"Raiders of Buddhist Kung Fu" Theatrical Poster

Director: Godfrey Ho  Cast: Gordon Liu, Wang Ryong, Kim Ki-Joo, Seol Ji-Yeon, Kwak Eun-Gyung, Baek Hwang-Gi, John Kelly, Choe Moo-Woong, Lung Ho-Yu, Park Hui-Jin, Lee Hwa-Jin Running Time: 90 min.  By Ian Whittle So I picked up the DVD assuming from the cover still of Gordon Liu in his usual monk attire that this was going to be another “Gordon from Shaolin” by way of a Korea flick, but once … Continue reading

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Fallen (2019) Review

"Fallen" Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Jung-sub Cast: Yang Ji, Jang Tae Young, Han Sung Min, Kim Ga Hyun, Lim Jung Min, Lee Ji Yong, Hwang Se On, Yun Ha Bin, Ju Seo Eun, Oh Ji Young, Kwon Ip Sae Running Time: 110 min.  By Paul Bramhall  In the 2019 Korean production Fallen a famous sci-fi author played by Yang Ji, previously only seen in small bit roles in late 2000’s/early 2010’s productions like … Continue reading

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Demon City (2025) Review

Director: Seiji Tanaka Cast: Toma Ikuta, Masahiro Higashide, Miou Tanaka, Ami Touma, Taro Suruga, Mai Kiryu, Naoto Takenaka, Takuma Otoo, Masanobu Takashima, Matsuya Onoe Running Time: 107 min.  By Paul Bramhall If I had to guess I’d say the audience for Demon City falls into 2 categories – the first being those who’ve been waiting for the sophomore feature from director Seiji Tanaka, and the second being fans of the … Continue reading

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Mickey 17 (2025) Review

Director: Bong Joon-Ho Cast: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo, Holliday Grainger, Anamaria Vartolomei, Thomas Turgoose, Cameron Britton Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to any artist following up whatever it was that gave them their breakthrough – be it a song, a movie, or any other form of creativity – it’s always a challenge. That challenge is exasperated when we’re talking … Continue reading

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Jade (2025) Review

Director: James Bamford Cast: Shaina West, Mickey Rourke, Mark Dacascos, Katherine McNamara, Steven Michael Quezada, Keith Jardine, Chris Bruno, Mathew Yanagiya, Emily Eruraviel Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall I get it. You want to make a martial arts movie but don’t have much of a budget, let alone any wiggle room for marketing, so what’s the best thing you can do? The answer is a simple one – … Continue reading

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Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants (2025) Review

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Xiao Zhan, Zhuang Dafei, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Sabina Zhuang, Bayaertu, Alan Aruna, Ada Choi, Wu Hsing-kuo, Hu Jun, Zhang Wenxin, Zhao Shuai Running Time: 146 min.  By Paul Bramhall Novelist Jin Yong’s Legend of the Condor Heroes has been adapted countless times for both the big and small screens since it was first serialised from 1957 – 1959, with each one having to grapple with … Continue reading

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Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance (2024) Review

Director: Bingjia Yang Cast: Xie Miao, Yang Enyou, Huang Tao, Kuishan Pei, Pema Jyad, Fengchao Liu, Jampa Tseten Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall In my review for 2022’s Eye for an Eye: The Blind Swordsman I expressed the hope that we’d see a “continued collaboration between Yang, Qin, and Miao in the future”, referring to director Bingjia Yang, choreographer Pengfei Qin, and star Xie Miao. Thankfully we didn’t … Continue reading

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Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force (2025) Review

Director: Wu Ershan Cast: Kris Phillips, Narana Eryeneeva, Wu Hsing-Go, Yu Shi, Luke Chen, Yafan Wu, Ci Sha Running Time: 144 min.  By Paul Bramhall I ended my review for Creation of the Gods: Kingdom of Storms by expressing how I “hope we’ll be paying another visit to the Creation of the Gods sooner rather than later”, and sure enough less than 18 months on the sequel (and middle part of an … Continue reading

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Dark Nuns (2025) Review

Director: Kwon Hyeok-Jae Cast: Song Hye-Kyo, Jeon Yeo-Bin, Lee Jin-Uk, Heo Jun-Ho, Moon Woo-Jin, Kim Guk-Hee Running Time: 114 min.  By Paul Bramhall  It’s been a decade since the release of 2015’s The Priests, a movie for which its Korean title directly translates to Dark Priests, an approach which has been taken quite literally for its 2025 sequel – Dark Nuns. Despite The Priests being a straight forward exorcism flick, … Continue reading

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Magic Crane, The (1993) Review

Director: Benny Chan Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Anita Mui Yim-Fong, Rosamund Kwan Chi-Lam, Damian Lau Chung-Yan, Lawrence Ng Kai-Wah, Norman Tsui Siu-Keung, Zhang Tielin Running Time: 96 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2017 the late director Benny Chan unleashed Meow onto the world, the tale of Louis Koo and an oversized ginger cat from space, a production which had much of the action maestro’s fanbase scratching their heads as to … Continue reading

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Revolver (2024) Review

Director: Oh Seung-wook Cast: Jeon Do-Yeon, Ji Chang-wook, Kim Joon-Han, Kim Jong-Soo, Jeong Man-Sik, Jeon Hye-Jin, Lee Jung-Jae, Jung Jae-Young, Ma Woong-Kyu Running Time: 114 min. By Paul Bramhall Revolver marks the third directorial outing for Oh Seung-wook, and while there’s nothing particularly out of the ordinary about a director making their third feature, what makes Seung-wook’s case relatively unique is that it’s taken him the best part of quarter … Continue reading

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Harbin (2024) Review

Director: Woo Min-Ho Cast: Hyun-Bin, Park Jeong-Min, Jo Woo-Jin, Jeon Yeo-Bin, Lee Dong-Wook, Park Hoon, Yoo Jae-Myung, Lily Franky, Kim Ji-Oh, Lee Tae-Hyeong, Ahn Se-Ho Running Time: 114 min.  By Paul Bramhall There’s been no shortage of action tinged spy thrillers set during Japan’s colonisation of Korea in the early 20th century, with productions like Assassination, The Age of Shadows, and Phantom being superlative examples of the genre, but few … Continue reading

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Prosecutor, The (2024) Review

Director: Donnie Yen Co-directror: Ho Pong Mak Cast: Donnie Yen, Julian Cheung, Shirley Chan, Kent Cheng, Michael Hui, Ray Lui, Mark Cheng, Kang Yu, Pak Hon Chu, Adam Pak, Kong Lau, Liza Wang Running Time: 118 min.  By Paul Bramhall Is it just me or is Donnie Yen making a bit of a niche for himself riffing on Yuen Biao’s 1980’s era? During the 2010’s we got a 2-part remake … Continue reading

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Lucky Seven | aka 7 Ninja Kids (1986) Review

Director: Chao Chen-Kuo Cast: Chiao Pei, Yang Wei-De, Lin Tung-An, Wang Chi-Cheng, Cheng Wei-Pai, Chang Chai-Ming, Hsu Yu-Ta, Hsiao Hung-Me, Eugene Thomas, Chang Yi-Teng Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Spend long enough in the niche genre that is kung-fu cinema, and you’ll eventually find yourself exploring some of the more obscure corners of what’s on offer. One such corner is that of the Taiwanese kids kung-fu movie, a … Continue reading

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Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) Review

Director: Rob Cohen Cast: Jason Scott Lee, Lauren Holly, Nancy Kwan, Michael Learned, Lim Kay-tong, Ric Young, Luoyong Wang, John Cheung, Van Williams, Shannon Lee Running Time: 120 min.  By Ian Whittle This is a film I enjoy a lot more unreservedly now than I did as a teen. Back then, I knew all the ins and outs of Bruce’s life (or at least, I thought I did, Matthew Polly’s … Continue reading

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