Category Archives: Chinese

Striking Rescue (2024) Review

December 4, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Siyu Cheng Cast: Tony Jaa, Xing Yu, Kaho Hung, Philip Keung, Peng Bo, Yu Bolin, Wang Chenxin, Chen Duo Yi Running Time: 110 min.  By Paul Bramhall Action cinema is always evolving, and whenever it’s discussed Hong Kong’s golden era deservedly casts a long shadow. For a long time fans have lamented the gradual decline of the territories output, an inevitability that’s down to a number of disparate reasons, … Continue reading →

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Goose Boxer | aka Shaolins Tough Kid (1978) Review

November 21, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Tai Si-Fu Cast: Charles Heung Wah-Keung, Lee Hoi-Sang, Phillip Ko Fei, Tin Ching, Addy Sung Gam-Loi, Chan Lap-Ban, Lee Chun-Wa, Wong Mei, Cheung Sin-Ming Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall This year marks the 10th anniversary of my relationship with Goose Boxer, which I confess has been a fairly one-sided affair. Purchased as part of a 9-movie DVD set called Brooklyn Zu Volume 1, I picked up the … Continue reading →

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Secret Executioners | aka Trouble-Solving Broker (1982) Review

November 15, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Lee Doo-Yong Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Shin Woo-chul, Hwang Jang Lee, Jim Norris, Kwon Il-soo, Min Bok-gi, Park Dong-ryong Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall It remains one of the greatest travesties in Korean cinema that director Lee Doo-yong’s The Trouble-Solving Broker is referenced in 99% of English language content as “another one of those Godfrey Ho cut and paste jobs.” The real tragedy is that it’s also … Continue reading →

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Tai Chi Master, The (2022) Review

November 8, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Siyu Cheng Co-director: Lin Zhenzhao Cast: Wu Yue, Zhang Kai, Zhang Ming Can, Ada Liu, Zhang Chunzhong, Yu Hai, Lemon Li Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall During the Chinese web-movie boom of the 2010’s many of them were regarded as cheap and disposable entertainment, often justifiably so, with most of them falling either into the category of cheap kung-fu flick, or even cheaper monster movie. However it’s … Continue reading →

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100 Yards (2024) Review

November 4, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Xu Haofeng Co-director: Xu Junfeng Cast: Jacky Heung, Andy On, Bea Hayden Kuo, Li Yuan, Shiyi Tang, Kevin Lee, Brono Bajtala Running Time: 109 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s a strong argument to be had for Xu Haofeng being the greatest kung-fu cinema director of the 21st century. When Haofeng made his directorial debut with The Sword Identity in 2012 he was billed as the writer of Wong Kar-Wai’s … Continue reading →

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High Forces (2024) Review

October 29, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Oxide Pang Cast: Andy Lau, Liu Tau, Zhang Zifeng, Qu Chuxiao, Jiang Mengjie, Jiang Chao, Eric Chou Running Time: 115 min. By Paul Bramhall The disaster movie on a plane has been going through a bit of a renaissance in Asia during recent years. China threw their hat into the ring with 2019’s The Captain, and Korea’s returned to the genre twice in as many years with 2022’s Emergency … Continue reading →

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Panda Plan (2024) Review

October 15, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Luan Zhang Cast: Jackie Chan, Yanbo Han, Ce Shi, Xiang Wei, Temur Mamisashvili, Aleksandra Smirnova Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall In one of the initial scenes from Jackie Chan’s latest big screen outing, Panda Plan, a character says, “It’s a commercial movie, it needs to entertain.” In many ways the line could be interpreted as director Luan Zhang’s way of announcing his intentions to the audience, and … Continue reading →

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The Sword (1980) Review

September 11, 2024 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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Ninja in the Dragon’s Den (1982) Review

August 23, 2024 Ian Whittle

Director: Corey Yuen Cast: Conan Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada (Henry Sanada), Tanaka Hiroshi, Tai Bo, Hwang Jang Lee, Kaname Tsushima, Someno Yukio, Chin Lung, Tien Feng, Ma Chin-Ku, Best Kwon Yeong-Moon, Paul Wei Ping Ao Running Time: 95 min.  By Ian Whittle In memory of Corey Yuen Kwai, whose death in 2022 was recently made public. The early 80s saw an explosion of ninja-mania, instigated by Eric Van Lustbader’s novel The … Continue reading →

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Super Power (1980) Review

July 30, 2024 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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Sun Dragon | aka A Hard Way to Die (1979) Review

July 25, 2024 Henry McKeand

Director: Hua Shan Cast: Billy Chong, Carl Scott, Louis Neglia, Ma Chung-Tak, Hsiao Sung Liang, Joseph Jennings, Gam Biu, Lam Hak-Ming, Hau Chiu-Sing, Lai Sau-Kit Running Time: 90 min. By Henry McKeand Two decades before Hollywood tasked the Andrzej Bartkowiaks and Brett Ratners of the world with melding Hong Kong action with Hip-Hop aesthetics, Shanghai-born director Hua Shan was crafting his own successful Black-meets-Asian action creations. Thanks to martial artist … Continue reading →

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Customs Frontline (2024) Review

July 20, 2024 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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Death Notice (2023) Review

June 13, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Julian Cheung, Louis Koo, Waise Lee, Francis Ng, Simon Yam, Myolie Wu, Chrissie Chau Sau-Na, Pakho Chau, Helena Law Lan, Ray Lui Leung-Wai Running Time: 100 min.  By Paul Bramhall Herman Yau is something of an anomaly when it comes to Hong Kong filmmakers. Having made his directorial debut in 1987 and rose to prominence during the 1990’s, he’s the only filmmaker who continues to be … Continue reading →

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Big Boss Part II, The (1976) Review

June 10, 2024 Ian Whittle

Director: Chan Chue Cast: Lo Lieh, Wong Ping, Lee Kwan, Michael Chan Wai Man, Bruce Le (Huang Kin Long), Krung Srivilai, Preeya Rongernaug, Hung Wang, Shan Shan, Chiu Lik Running Time: 107 min. By Ian Whittle It’s weird that The Big Boss Part II is as obscure as it is. You’d think being a semi-official sequel to a Bruce Lee movie, it’d have been all over numerous VHS and DVD … Continue reading →

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Four 3, The | aka The Four: Final Battle (2014) Review

June 5, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Gordon Chan Co-director: Janet Chun Cast: Crystal Liu Yi Fei, Deng Chao, Colin Chou, Ronald Cheng, Yu Chenghui, Anthony Wong Chau Sang, Wu Xiubo, Jiang Yi-Nan, Alec Su, Ada Liu Running Time: 107 min.  By Paul Bramhall  The closing scenes of The Four 2 saw the team’s internal strife come to a head, leading to Crystal Liu’s Emotionless leaving both the Divine Constabulary and her brooding boyfriend, Deng Chao’s … Continue reading →

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