Category Archives: Chinese

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024) Review

Director: Soi Cheang Pou So Cast: Louis Koo Tin-lok, Sammo Hung Kam Bo, Richie Ren Yin Chi, Raymond Lam, Philip Ng Wan-lung, Terrance Lau, Tony Wu, German Cheung, Aaron Kwok Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall  There’s been a few attempts to bring an adaptation of the manhua comic City of Darkness to the big screen over the years, probably the most well known being the version that was … Continue reading

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Death Stranding (2023) Review

Director: Danny Pang Cast: Wallace Chung, Francis Ng, Myolie Wu, Qiming Fei, Samuel Ku, Keru Wang Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall  Cinema is a funny thing. There are those movies that catch you off guard in ways that can be life affirming, give you an unexpected adrenaline rush, or even tear up. Then there are those movies that catch you off guard in ways which you leave you … Continue reading

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Bursting Point (2023) Review

Director: Calvin Tong Co-director: Dante Lam Cast: Nick Cheung Ka-Fai, William Chan Wai-Ting, Isabella Leung Lok-Sze, Shaun Tam Chun-Yin, Philip Keung Hiu-Man, Chrissie Chau Sau-Na Running Time: 139 min.  By Paul Bramhall Since helming 2016’s Operation Mekong Dante Lam has become China’s go-to man for bombastic big budget actioners that espouse the virtues of the country’s various military divisions, with the army, navy (2018’s Operation Red Sea) and Search & … Continue reading

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Virtual Recall (2010) Review

Director: Larry Cheung Cast: Stephen Fung, Cherrie Ying Choi Yi, Tang Yi Fei, Samuel Pang King Chi, Sammul Chan Kin Fung, Lemon Zhang Meng, Mandy Chiang Nga Man, Simon Lui Yue Yeung, Astrid Chan Chi Ching, Tin Kai Man, Li Hui Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall Back in the late 2000’s it kind of felt like director Roy Chow’s 2009 production Murderer placed an exclamation mark on the … Continue reading

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Lethal Combat: Techno Warriors 2 | aka Digital Warriors (2000) Review

AKA: Digital Warriors  Director: Philip Ko Fei Cast: Darren Shahlavi, Lee Kwang-su, Yukari Oshima, Zoren Legaspi, Jimmy Ko, Man-Kei Lin, James Jim-Si Ha, Philip Ko Fei, Winston Ellis, Thorsten Nickel Running Time: 93 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s address the elephant in the room – I’m convinced nobody was clamouring for a sequel to the 1997 sci-fi action mashup Techno Warriors. Philip Ko Fei’s incomprehensible Philippines shot action flick gave … Continue reading

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Lama Avenger, The | aka The Three Avengers (1979) Review

Director: Wong Wa-Kei Cast: Bruce Li (Ho Chung Tao), Chin Yuet Sang, Michael Winston, Chui Fat, Lee Hoi San, Baan Yun Sang, Ching Chu, Sham Chin Bo, Austin Wai  Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall Looking back at the careers of the Bruceploitation genres big three – Bruce Li, Bruce Le, and Dragon Lee – eventually all of them would step out of the Little Dragon’s shadow, admirably pushing … Continue reading

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Game of Killers (1982) Review

Director: Hui Sing-Yue Cast: Barry Chan Wai Ji Wan, Lung Chan, Chu Shao-Hwa, Chun-Eah Lung, Su Kuo-Liang, Tu Kuei-Hua, Lin Wan-Chang, Lin Kuang-Yung Running Time: 81/90 min. By Will McGuire Recently I reviewed Dark Forces’ kung fu double feature Shadow Fist Hunter and Deadly Kung Fu Factor those of you who were shopping discs on Black Friday last year may recall that at the exact same time those discs who … Continue reading

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Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon, The (2023) Review

Director: Wong Ching-Po Cast: Ethan Juan, Li Li-Ren, Ben Yuen, Ivan Chen, Gingle Wang, Chen Yi-wen, Lee Lee-zen Running Time: 134 min. By Paul Bramhall  One of the biggest tragedies of the increasingly restrictive policies Mainland China has placed on the film industry has been the fact that some of the newer creative talents from Hong Kong have simply disappeared off the radar. Filmmakers like Pang Ho-Cheung and Lee Ka-Wing, … Continue reading

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Swordsman of All Swordsmen, The (1968) Review

Director: Joseph Kuo Cast: Polly Shang-Kwan, Tin Peng, Miu Tin, Tin Yau, Sit Hon, Kong Nam, Cho Kin, Go Ming, Liu Chu, O Yau Man, Hung Fa Long, Lee Tso Nam, Ngai So Running Time: 85 min. By Will McGuire The Swordsman of All Swordsmen is a film in a unique position in 2024: despite being a little seen but highly regarded early film from one of the legendary directors … Continue reading

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Dance of Death | aka Eternal Conflict (1980) Review

AKA: Eternal Conflict Director: Chan Chi Hwa Cast: Angela Mao, Wang Tai-Lang, Hsu Pu-Liao, Dean Shek Tien, Chia Kai, Paul Chun Pui, Ko Pao, Sun Jung-Chi, Lee Man Tai, Chan Chi Hwa, Chiu Ting Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall There are certain stars of the old-school kung-fu genre who faded from the spotlight before the fight choreography evolved into the more complex and dynamic style that began to … Continue reading

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Polar Rescue (2022) Review

AKA: Come Back Home Director: Lo Chi-Leung Cast: Donnie Yen, Cecilia Han, Jia Bing, Yuan Jinhui, Hou Tianlai, Xu Guangyu, Lin Chenhan Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall Despite 2022 only being a couple of years ago, it feels like Donnie Yen’s first legitimate foray into headlining a production that relied purely on his acting chops has already been forgotten about. Having returned to the contemporary action thriller with … Continue reading

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Monstrous Corpse, A (1981) Review

Director: Kang Beomgu Cast: Chiang Ming, Yu Gwang-ok, Hong Yun-jeong, Kim Wang-guk, Baek Song, Pauline Wong Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall  As far as baffling remake choices go, the obscure Korean horror oddity A Monstrous Corpse from 1981 must surely be up there as one of the top contenders. A reimagining of the 1974 Italian and Spanish co-production Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, director Jorge Grau’s Lake District set … Continue reading

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Deadly Kung Fu Factor (1975) Review

Director: Chui Dai-Chuen Cast: Michael Chan Wai Man, Charles Heung Wah-Keung, Susanna Au-Yeung Pui-San, Na Na, Chao Lei, Cheng Kei-Ying, Wu Chia-Hsiang, Chieh Yuan Running Time: 86 min.  By Will McGuire I recently reviewed the new Dark Forces release of Shadow Fist Hunter, and now it’s time for the second half of this label’s ultra rare kung fu boom double feature. Interestingly enough, Deadly Kung Fu Factor is as different a … Continue reading

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Shadow Fist Hunter | aka The Shadow Chaser (1973) Review

Director: Fei-chien Wu Cast: Yip Tai Kong, Yi Yuan, Liang Pin, Pearl Chang Ling, Wu Kuan, Kwan Hung, Chen Hui-Lou Running Time: 90 min. By Will McGuire On Black Friday of last year, the small press label Dark Forces released a pair of extremely rare classic kung fu films: Deadly Kung Fu Factor and this film, Shadow Fist Hunter. Remastered from newly discovered 35mm prints, the films represent a fascinating … Continue reading

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Shatter | aka Call Him Mr. Shatter (1974) Review

Director: Michael Carreras Co-director: Monte Hellman Cast: Stuart Whitman, Ti Lung, Lily Li Li-Li, Peter Cushing, Anton Diffring, Ko Hung, Keung Hon, James Ma Chim-Si, Lau Nga-Ying, Lo Wei, Wong Pau Gei, Lau Kar Wing, Roy Chiao Hung, Fung Hak On Running Time: 89 min. By Ian Whittle It’s probably no surprise that Hammer ended up getting into cahoots with the Shaw Brothers – in 1974, tactical programming meant that … Continue reading

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