Category Archives: Reviews

Jung_E (2023) Review

Director: Yeon Sang-Ho Cast: Kang Soo-Yeon, Kim Hyun-Joo, Ryoo Kyung-Soo, Lee Dong-Hee, Uhm Ji-Won, Han Woo-Yul, Yun Ki-Chang, Lee Ga-Kyung, Ki Hwan Cha Hee Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall Watching the journey of director and screenwriter Yeon Sang-ho has been an interesting one. Originally making a name for himself through animated features like King of Pigs and The Fake, stories which were grounded in reality and tackled a … Continue reading

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Kingmaker (2022) Review

Director: Byun Sung-Hyun Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Lee Sun-Kyun, Yoo Jae-Myung, Jo Woo-Jin, Park In-Hwan, Lee Hae-Young, Kim Sung-Oh, Jeon Bae-Su, Seo Eun-Su, Kim Jong-Soo Running Time: 123 min. By Paul Bramhall Most Korean audiences will be familiar with the name Kim Dae-jung, the former president who held office between 1998 and 2003. The culmination of a career in politics spanning over 40 years, Dae-jung had led an eventful life. He … Continue reading

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Detective vs. Sleuths (2022) Review

Director: Wai Ka-fai Cast: Lau Ching-Wan, Charlene Choi, Raymond Lam, Carman Lee, Tan Kai, Carlos Chan, Kathy Yuen Running Time: 102 min.  By Paul Bramhall  Practically everything about Detective vs. Sleuths on paper indicates it’s a sequel to the 2007 Milkyway classic Mad Detective. Wai Ka-Fai back in the director’s chair? Check. Lau Ching-Wan playing a mentally unbalanced but brilliant detective? Check. Mostly set at night on the streets of Hong … Continue reading

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Silencers, The (1996) Review

Director: Richard Pepin Cast: Jack Scalia, Dennis Christopher, Carlos Lauchu, Lucinda Weist, Clarence Williams III, Stephen Rowe, Lance LeGault, Madison Mason, Terri Poch Running Time: 103 min.  By Henry McKeand PM Entertainment always understood how to borrow the most successful elements of mainstream action cinema and synthesize them into sweaty, single-minded B-movies that somehow delivered more fireworks than tentpole films with three times their budget. If the composition of your average … Continue reading

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Megaforce (1982) Review

Director: Hal Needham Cast: Barry Bostwick, Michael Beck, Persis Khambatta, Edward Mulhare, George Furth, Henry Silva, Mike Kulcsar, Ralph Wilcox, Evan C. Kim, Anthony Pena Running Time: 99 min. By Paul Bramhall Ask anyone which studio first springs to mind when thinking about Hong Kong cinema’s golden age from the 1970’s – 1990’s, and it’ll likely be Golden Harvest. The likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan’s best-known works are … Continue reading

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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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