Category Archives: Chinese

Ninja Condors (1987) Review

"Ninja Condors" Theatrical Poster

Director: James Wu Cast: Alexander Lo Rei, Stuart Hugh, Richard Phillips, Mick Murray, Eugene Thomas, Lu Feng, Jack Long Shi-Chia, Li Hai-Hsing, Wang Te-Sheng Running Time: 89 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to 1980’s kung fu cinema, there were 2 areas that Taiwan excelled at – the kids kung fu flick, and ninjas! The latter became synonymous with the talented Alexander Lo Rei, who came to headline the … Continue reading

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Daggers 8 (1980) Review

Director: Cheung Sam Co-director: Wilson Tong Starring: Meng Yuen-man, Wilson Tong, Lily Li, Peter Chan Lung, Alan Chui, Cheng Hong-yip, Chan Ming-Wai, Chen Yu-Wei, Billy Chan Wui-Ngai, Yeung Wah Running Time: 90 min.  By Ian Whittle What starts out as another kung fu comedy with slightly too irritating Dean Shek style tomfoolery suddenly turns into something much more complex and intelligent. Meng Yuen-man (The Master Strikes) plays an impulsive kung … Continue reading

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Cliff Walkers (2021) Review

Director: Zhang Yimou Cast: Zhang Yi, Qin Hailu, Ni Dahong, Zhu Yawen, Yu Hewei, Lei Jiayin, Liu Hao Cun, Yu Ailei  Running Time: 125 min.  By Paul Bramhall As one of China’s most highly regarded fifth generation filmmakers it seemed like Zhang Yimou was impervious to the increasingly strict censorship laws that the government has imposed on its cinematic offerings in recent years. However in 2019 we learnt that not even a … Continue reading

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Writer’s Odyssey, A (2021) Review

AKA: Assassin in Red Director: Lu Yang Cast: Lei Jia-Yin, Yang Mi, Dong Zi-Jian, Yu He-Wei, Guo Jing-Fei, Tong Li-Ya, Dong Jie Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall Based on Shuang Xuetao’s novel of the same name and its sequel, A Writer’s Odyssey finally arrived on cinema screens for the 2021 Lunar New Year after spending more than 2 years in post-production to complete the special effects work. Directed … Continue reading

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Red to Kill (1994) Review

Director: Billy Tang Cast: Lily Chung Suk Wai, Ben Ng Ngai Cheung, Money Lo Man Yee, Andy Dai Chi Wai, Bobby Yip Kin Sang, Baat Leung-Gam, Simon Cheung Yuk-San  Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall During the early to mid-1990’s the Hong Kong film industry took to adapting a number of shocking true crime tales, the result of which produced the likes of The Untold Story and Dr. Lamb, … Continue reading

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Face Behind the Mask, The (1977) Review

Director: Chan Chi Hwa Cast: Hsu Feng, Yueh Hua, Lo Lieh, Woo Kei, Go Ming, Jade Hsu Git, Miu Tin, Sit Hon, Lee Man Tai, Au Lap Bo, Chan Sam Lam, Cheung Chung Kwai Running Time: 90 min.  By Martin Sandison During the mid-noughties the DVD market in Europe was still pretty strong, and at this time the irrepressible number one old school kung fu movie expert Toby Russell set … Continue reading

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Satin Steel (1994) Review

Director: Tony Leung Siu-Hung Cast: Jade Leung Ching, Anita Lee Yuen Wah, Russell Wong, Kenneth Chan Kai Tai, Wong Kwan-Hong, Kong Miu-Deng, Wan Seung-Lam Running Time: 85 min. By Paul Bramhall After debuting as a Hong Kong version of La Femme Nikita in 1991’s Black Cat and its sequel the following year, model turned action actress Jade Leung would next star in 1994’s Satin Steel. Made at a time when … Continue reading

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Black Cat (1991) Review

Director: Stephen Shin Cast: Jade Leung Ching, Simon Yam Tat-Wah, Thomas Lam Cho Fai, Louis Roth, Gregory Charles Rivers, Lauro Chartrand, Lee Diy-Yue, Tam Kon-Chung Running Time: 91 min.  By Paul Bramhall Luc Besson’s 1990 action thriller La Femme Nikita has remained one of the most enduringly influential movies throughout the years. The action thriller, which saw Anne Parillaud’s presumed dead felon become a trained assassin for a secret government … Continue reading

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Burning Ambition (1989) Review

Director: Frankie Chan Fan Kei Cast: Frankie Chan Fan Kei, Simon Yam, Yukari Oshima, O Chun Hung, Eddie Ko Hung, Michael Miu Kiu Wai, Seung Yee, Austin Wai Tin Chi, Lau Siu Ming, Kara Hui Running Time: 104 min. By Paul Bramhall The final year of the 1980’s represented a peak when it came to the elements that had come to define Hong Kong action cinema during the latter half … Continue reading

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Raging Fire (2021) Review

Director: Benny Chan Cast: Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Ray Lui, Qin Lan, Patrick Tam Yiu-Man, Kenny Wong Tak-Ban Running Time: 126 min.  By Paul Bramhall Is there anything that gets fans of Hong Kong action cinema more hyped than the promise of a Donnie Yen angry cop movie!? Arguably not, and it’s easy to understand why after Yen put Hong Kong action back on the map during one of its … Continue reading

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Savage (2018) Review

Director: Siwei Cui Cast: Chang Chen, Ni Ni, Fan Liao, Jue Huang, Liu Hua, Li Guangjie, Taili Wang, Xiaojun Yue Running Time: 112 min. By Paul Bramhall The harshness of winter has always lent itself to the visual medium of cinema. From the iconic 1968 spaghetti western The Great Silence, to John Carpenter’s 1982 horror The Thing, and more recently thrillers such as Cold Pursuit. In 2018 China offered up … Continue reading

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Skyhawk, The (1974) Review

Director: Jeong Chang Hwa Cast: Kwan Tak Hing, Carter Wong, Wang In Sik, Sammo Hung, Nora Miao, Chiu Hung, Lily Chen Ching, Lee Kwan, Gam Kei Chu, Shut-Ma Wa Lung, Kim Ki-ju Running Time: 88 min. By Paul Bramhall The Skyhawk is the kind of movie which opens up with kung fu legends Kwan Tak-Hing, Sammo Hung, and Carter Wong strolling down a countryside path together, an image which close to … Continue reading

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Shock Wave 2 (2020) Review

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Lau Ching-Wan, Ni Ni, Tse Kwan-Ho, Philip Keung Hiu-Man, Ron Ng Cheuk-Hai, Marc Ma Yu-He, Kenny Wong Tak-Ban Running Time: 120 min. By Paul Bramhall  In 2017 Herman Yau looked to reinvent himself once more, this time as a director of big budget action blockbusters with Shock Wave, a bomb disposal thriller with Andy Lau as the lead. Armed with the biggest budget … Continue reading

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Limbo (2021) Review

Director: Soi Cheang Pou Soi Cast: Gordon Lam, Cya Liu, Mason Lee, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Fish Liew, Sammy Sum, Hanna Chan, Kumer Running Time: 118 min.  By Martin Sandison In recent times the news from Hong Kong has gone from sad to devastating, especially for the Hong Kong film fan, as the mainland prepares to bring in a law that will censor films that have a perceived ‘threat to national security’. … Continue reading

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Saint of Gamblers, The (1995) Review

Director: Wong Jing Cast: Eric Kot, Chingmy Yau, Ben Lam, Ng Man Tat, Diana Pang Dang, Shing Fui On, Ashton Chen, Bobby Yip, Nat Chan Pak Cheung, Hui Si Man, Pauline Yeung, Donnie Yen, Corey Yuen Kwai, Andy Cheng Kai-Chung Running Time: 96 min. By Paul Bramhall While the Hong Kong gambling movie has been around for several decades, chances are if you ask someone to name one of them, the default answer will be the 1989 classic God … Continue reading

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