Category Archives: Reviews

All U Need is Love (2021) Review

Director: Vincent Kok Cast: Louis Koo, Tony Leung, Eric Tsang, Francis Ng, Gordon Lam, Philip Keung, Julian Cheung, Louis Cheung, Fiona Sit, Alex Fong, Cecilia So, Cheung Tat-ming, Michael Hui, Chin Kar-lok, Jackie Chan, Yuen Qiu Running Time: 102 min.  By Paul Bramhall If there are 2 movies that show the differences between Mainland China and Hong Kong cinema, then it has to be Chinese Doctors and All U Need … Continue reading

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Sword of the Beast (1965) Review

AKA Samurai Gold Seekers Director: Hideo Gosha  Cast: Mikijiro Hira, Go Kato, Toshie Kimura, Kantaro Suga, Takeshi Kato, Shima Iwashita, Yoko Mihara, Shobun Inoue, Kunie Tanaka, Eijiro Tono Running Time: 85 min.  By Henry McKeand “I want to become a beast like you. I can’t stand living for a mission anymore.” While Hideo Gosha has never come close to reaching the same level of Western acclaim as Akira Kurosawa, his … Continue reading

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Pink Force Commando (1982) Review

Director: Chu Yen Ping  Cast: Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia, Elsa Yang Hui-Shan, Sally Yeh Chian-Wen, Hilda Liu Hao-Yi, Blacky Ko Shou-Liang, Alan Liu Te-Kai, Hsu Pu-Liao, Sylvia Peng Hsueh-Fen, Teresa Tsui Jun-Jun, Wang Kuan-Hsiung, Yu Kam-Po Running Time: 87 min.  By Paul Bramhall I may well have swindled myself by watching Pink Force Commando. At the time of writing I’m in the latter stages of a 12-month detox from madcap Taiwanese … Continue reading

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No Mercy (2019) Review

Director: Im Kyung-Taek Cast: Lee Si-Young, Park Se-Wan, Lee Joon-Hyuk, Choi Jin-Ho, Lee Hyeong-Cheol, Kim Won-Hae, Kwak Min-Suk, Kim Ki-Moo, Yoon Song-A, An Se-Ha Running Time: 92 min.  By Paul Bramhall Not to be confused with the 2010 movie of the same name starring Sol Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seong-bum, the 2019 No Mercy is a DTV action vehicle for amateur boxer turned actress Lee Si-young. The list of boxers who have … Continue reading

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Shaolin Intruders (1983) Review

AKA: Battle for Shaolin Director: Tang Chia Cast: Derek Yee Tung Sing, Lau Yuk Pok, Jason Pai Piao, Elvis Tsui Kam Kong, Chan Shen, Kwan Feng, Lee Hoi San, Philip Ko Fei, Ku Feng, Alan Chan Kwok Kuen Running Time: 95 min.  By Chris Hatcher It’s not every day a good detective mystery shows up in the midst of a great old school kung fu flick. So when a gem like … Continue reading

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Caught in Time (2020) Review

Director: Lau Ho-Leung Cast: Daniel Wu, Wang Qianyuan, Jessie Li, Michelle Wai, Da Li, Yu Xiao, Hu Zi-Cheng, Li Xiao-Chuan, Hung Jun-Jia, Rock Ji Huan-Bo, Dante Pang Yu-Nong  Running Time: 95 min. By Martin Sandison  Back a decade or so ago Daniel Wu annoyed me. I had seen him in films such as New Police Story and One Night in Mongkok, very good films, and his presence had made me squirm … Continue reading

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Ashfall (2019) Review

Director: Lee Hae-Jun Co-director: Kim Byung-Seo Cast: Lee Byung-Hun, Ha Jung-Woo, Ma Dong-Seok, Jeon Hye-Jin, Bae Suzy, Lee Sang-Won Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall Korean cinema went for the disaster movie double in 2019, with the low-key Exit offering up a brisk comedic take on the genre, one that saw the residents of Seoul looking to escape a steadily rising cloud of poisonous gas. On the other hand, … Continue reading

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Seobok (2021) Review

Director: Lee Yong-Joo Cast: Gong Yoo, Park Bo-Gum, Jo Woo-Jin, Yeon Je-Wook, Lee Un-Jung, Lee Sang-Kyung, Park Byung-Eun, Jang Young-Nam, Kim Jae-Gun Running Time: 114 min.  By Paul Bramhall Around the turn of the millennium the Korean film industry saw itself increasingly dabbling in the science fiction genre, with movies like 2001’s 2009 Lost Memories, 2002’s Yesterday, and 2003’s Natural City, and while they all had their moments of inspiration, … Continue reading

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White Force (1988) Review

Director: Eddie Romero Cast: Sam J. Jones, Kimberley Pistone, Tim Hughes, Raul Aragon, Jaime Fabregas, Vic Diaz, Ruben Rustia, Ken Metcalfe, Mike Monty, Tsing Tong Tsai, Anthony Ogunsanya, Eric Romero, John Falch, Mauricio Go Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall The Philippines has always had a slightly different take on the action genre compared to its South East Asian counterparts. The western influence through being an American colony for … Continue reading

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Guns of Dragon (1993) Review

Director: Tony Leung Siu Hung Cast: Ray Lui, Bill Lui Cho Hung, Mark Cheng, Patrick Lung Kong, Yvonne Yung Hung, Jackson Lau, John Sham, Tse Ning, Alex Fong, Henry Fong Ping Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall During the early 90’s there was a spate of Hong Kong movies that were shot on location in either the US or Canada, perhaps an indication of directors assessing the feasibility of … Continue reading

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Final Run (1989) Review

Director: Philip Ko Fei Cast: Michael Miu, Cheung Kwok-Keung, Simon Yam, Phillip Ko Fei, Francis Ng, Daan Gwai-Chi, Yukari Oshima, Ridley Tsui, Dick Wei, Newton Lai, Ha Chi-Chun, Ricky Wong, Shum Wai, Mark Houghton, Suen Kwok-Ming Running Time: 79 min. By Paul Bramhall When discussing kung fu cinema, chances are it’ll never take too long before the name Philip Ko Fei comes up. One of the greatest screen fighters of … Continue reading

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Action U.S.A. (1989) Review

Director: John Stewart Cast: Gregory Scott Cummins, Cameron Mitchell, William Hubbard Knight, Ross Hagen, Barri Murphy, William Smith, Ross Hagen, Hoke Howell, Gary Beal, Rod Shaft Running Time: 97 min.  By Paul Bramhall As a fan of action, in the last 10 years it’s been immensely satisfying to witness the rise of the stuntman to fully fledged director. From Chad Stahelski’s John Wick flicks, to David Leitch’s Atomic Blonde (who … Continue reading

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Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead, The (1991) Review

Director: Tony Lou Chun-Ku Cast: Donnie Yen, Pauline Yeung, Ben Lam Kwok-Bun, Chui Hei-Man, Kathy Chow, Ken Lo, Robert Mak Tak-Law, Hsu Hsia, Sibelle Hu Hui-Chung, Lee Ho-Kwan Running Time: 92 min.  By Paul Bramhall When people ask what it is about Donnie Yen that sets him apart from his peers, you’re likely to get a multitude of answers. Some may refer to the way he’s stayed relevant as an … Continue reading

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Hand Rolled Cigarette (2021) Review

Director: Kelvin Chan Cast: Gordon Lam, Bipin Karma, Michael Ning, Singh Hartihan Bitto, Ben Yuen, Chin Siu-Ho, To Yin-Gor, Tony Ho Wah-Chiu, Tommy Chu Pak-Houg, Tai Bo Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall From an audience perspective, the Hong Kong crime genre has been extinct since at least the mid-2010’s, with the last production to truly deliver a slice of uncompromising (re: disregarding Mainland censorship requirements) HK cinema being … Continue reading

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Matrix Resurrections, The (2021) Review

Director: Lana Wachowski Cast: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jada Pinkett Smith, Daniel Bernhardt, Christina Ricci, Michael X. Sommers Running Time: 148 min.  By Paul Bramhall Making a sequel to a trilogy that re-defined the Hollywood action aesthetic 18 years after the last entry was always going to be a tall order, however in 2021 The Matrix Resurrections landed … Continue reading

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