Category Archives: Reviews

Sex and Fury (1973) Review

Director: Norifumi Suzuki Cast: Reiko Ike, Akemi Negishi, Ryoko Ema, Yoko Hori, Naomi Oka, Katsumasa Uchida, Rena Ichinose, Tatsuo Endō, Yōko Mihara, Christina Lindberg Running Time: 88 min. By Henry McKeand While action cinema has long been criticized as pornographic in its depictions of bloodshed and weaponry, the ‘pinky violence’ films released in Japan during the 60s and 70s are early examples of filmmakers pushing that pornographic label past the … Continue reading

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Last Resort (2023) Review

Director: Jean-Marc Minéo Cast: Jon Foo, Clayton Norcross, Alex Santi, Julaluck Ismalone, Angelina Ismalone, Armin Parvin Running Time: 108 min.  By Paul Bramhall Back in the 2000’s there was a sense that Thailand was going to be the new epicentre for Asian action cinema following the success of Ong Bak, with action talent from around the globe heading to the Land of Smiles to try their hand in the local … Continue reading

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Decision to Leave (2022) Review

Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Park Yong-Woo, Ko Kyoung-Pyo, Kim Shin-Young, Yoo Seung-Mok, Park Jung-Min, Seo Hyun-Woo, Lee Hak-Joo Running Time: 138 min. By Paul Bramhall Take a look at the filmography of director Park Chan-wook and it’s almost impossible to pin him down to any one genre. Whether he’s dealing with a murder mystery in the JSA, the quest for vengeance after being held … Continue reading

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Warriors of Future (2022) Review

Director: Ng Yuen-Fai Cast: Louis Koo, Lau Ching Wan, Carina Lau, Nick Cheung, Philip Leung, Tse Kwan-ho, Janice Wu, Eddy Ko Hung, Sakurako Okubo, Wan Guopeng Running Time: 99 min. By Paul Bramhall It may sound optimistic, but I’d like to think that years from now, fans of Hong Kong cinema will look back and say 2022 way the year the territory once more found its voice. The likes of … Continue reading

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Super Dragon | aka Bruce Lee Superstar (1975) Review

AKA: Chinese Chien Chuan Kung Fu Director: Lin Bing Cast: Bruce Li (aka Ho Chung Tao, James Ho), Shan Mao, Paul Wei Ping Ao, Got Siu Bo, Tse Ling Ling, Lung Fei, Tai Leung, Woo Chau Ping, Yeh Hsiao-Yee Running Time: 90 min. By Ian Whittle Bruce Li’s second attempt at a Bruce Lee bio-pic is a better kung fu movie than its predecessor, Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story, but … Continue reading

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Big 4, The (2022) Review

Director: Timo Tjahjanto Cast: Abimana Aryasatya, Putri Marino, Arie Kriting, Lutesha, Kristo Immanuel, Marthino Lio, Budi Ros, Michelle Tahalea, Kho Michael Running Time: 141 min.  By Paul Bramhall In the early to mid-2010’s Welshman Gareth Evans put Indonesian action cinema on the map with The Raid and its sequel, and when he left it felt like there was an unspoken hope amongst action fans that the baton would be passed to the Mo Brothers to keep … Continue reading

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Kung Fu Master (2010) Review

Director: Dou Xiao Cast: Yuen Biao, Jimmy Lin, Leung Kar Yan, Zhao Qiu Sheng, Chunhua Ji, Yang Lu, Yuan Wu Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall Back in the mid-2000’s a US based distributor of Asian cinema called Tai Seng came upon an ingenious way to take advantage of the kung fu cinema resurgence. Applying a Godfrey Ho-esque approach, Tai Seng would take Chinese kung fu TV series starring … Continue reading

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Medium, The (2021) Review

Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun Cast: Sawanee Utoomma, Narilya Gulmongkolpech, Sirani Yankittikan, Boonsong Nakphoo Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall Any fan of cinema has certain names they follow regardless of the genre they work in, and for me South Korean director Na Hong-jin is one of them. Since arriving on the scene with the 2008 serial killer thriller The Chaser, Hong-jin hasn’t exactly been prolific. He’d stay in thriller territory … Continue reading

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Shaolin Martial Arts (1974) Review

Director: Chang Cheh Cast: Chi Kuan Chun, Alexander Fu Sheng, Fung Hak On, Feng Yi, Leung Kar Yan, Gordon Liu, Lau Kar Wing, Johnny Wang Lung Wei, Tino Wong Cheung, Irene Chan Yi Ling, Bruce Tong Yim Chaan, Simon Yuen Running Time: 107 min. By Ian Whittle “I go out and sweat blood to make a swell picture and then the critics and the exhibitors all say, ‘If this picture … Continue reading

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Shadow Master (2022) Review

Director: Pearry Teo Cast: D.Y. Sao, Layton Matthews, Brian Le, Craig Ng, Anna Harr, Eric Gay Jr., Luciana Faulhaber, Morgan M. Younge, Dylan Walton, Dezzaray Stephens Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s difficult to believe it’s been almost 20 years since director Prachya Pinkaew unleashed Ong Bak onto the world in 2003, heralding what at the time was seen as a new era of action with Thailand at the … Continue reading

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Pom Pom and Hot Hot (1992) Review

Director: Joe Cheung Tung Cho Cast: Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Stephen Tung Wei, Rachel Lee Lai Chun, Alfred Cheung Kin Tin, Austin Wai Tin Chi, Lam Ching Ying, Bonnie Fu Yuk Jing, Ricky Cheung Kwok Leung, Guy Lai Ying Chau, John Ching Tung Running Time: 90 min. By Henry McKeand The early heroic bloodshed films from John Woo and his contemporaries were, above all, Heaven-or-Hell morality tales. These are stories of violent men who fight desperately to … Continue reading

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Impetigore (2019) Review

Director: Joko Anwar Cast: Tara Basro, Ario Bayu, Marissa Anita, Christine Hakim, Asmara Abigail, Zidni Hakim, Afrian Aris, Kiki Narendra, Faradina Mufti, Abdulrahman Arief Running Time: 107 min. By Henry McKeand Modern supernatural horror films seem to be split into two camps. In one camp are haunted house rollercoaster rides designed to pack in as many jump scares as possible. Think The Conjuring or most films produced by James Wan. In … Continue reading

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Alienoid (2022) Review

Director: Choi Dong-hun Cast: Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Kim Woo-Bin, Kim Tae-Ri, So Ji-Sub, Yum Jung-Ah, Jo Woo-Jin, Shin Jung-Keun, Lee Si-Hoon, Choi Yoo-Ri, Kim Eui-Sung, Lee Ha-Nee Running Time: 142 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been 18 years since director Choi Dong-hoon made his debut in 2004 with the entertaining caper flick The Big Swindle, a movie which announced the arrival of arguably Korea’s most entertaining commercial director. For rest of … Continue reading

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Haze (2005) Review

Director: Shinya Tsukamoto Cast: Shinya Tsukamoto, Takahiro Murase, Takahiro Kandaka, Masato Tsujioka, Mao Saito Running Time: 49 min. By Henry McKeand Shinya Tsukamoto’s films have always presented a claustrophobic view of the world. Even in massive and open urban landscapes, Tsukamoto’s characters are trapped by the oppressive man-made structures that surround them. There’s the sense that concrete and steel are capable of closing in at any time, overwhelming and overpowering … Continue reading

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Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (2022) Review

Director: George Kirby Co-director: Harry Kirby Cast: Scott Adkins, Ray Stevenson, Perry Benson, Sarah Chang, Javad Ramezani, George Fouracres, Flaminia Cinque, Beau Fowler, Faisal Mohammed Running Time: 96 min.  By Paul Bramhall  It’s been 4 years since the first Accident Man hit the screen in 2018, or to put it in Scott Adkins terms, 17 movies ago (11 of which he was the star!). The DTV genres hardest working action … Continue reading

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