Category Archives: Reviews

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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Escape from Mogadishu (2021) Review

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Kim Yun-seok, Jo In-sung, Heo Joon-ho, Koo Kyo-hwan, Jeong Man-Sik, Kim Jae-Hwa Running Time: 121 min. By Paul Bramhall Set during a rarely utilised part of Korean history in cinematic terms, Escape from Mogadishu is the latest blockbuster from director Ryoo Seung-wan. Taking place across 1990 and 1991, it was a point in time when South Korea was only a couple of years into being a … Continue reading

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Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021) Review

Director: Kim Seong-hun Cast: Gianna Jun, Kim Shi-A, Kim Roe-Ha, Jeon Su-Ji, Kim Dam-Ho, Park Byung-Eun, Ji Hyun-Joon, Jung Suk-Won, Kwon Bum-Taek, Hyuk-Bum, Park Ji-Hong Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bramhall The Korean Netflix series Kingdom has proven to be one of the streaming giants’ biggest hits in recent years, with its Joseon era setting successfully blending zombie action and political intrigue. The Korean film industry had already attempted … 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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Lost Bullet (2020) Review

Director: Guillaume Pierret Cast: Alban Lenoir, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Ramzy Bedia, Stéfi Celma, Rod Paradot, Sébastien Lalanne, Arthur Aspaturian, Patrick Médioni, Alexandre Philip  Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bamhall France may not be the first country that springs to mind when it comes to action cinema, however it’s successfully dabbled in the genre on several occasions. From Luc Besson’s iconic La Femme Nikita, through to the stylish grittiness of Dobermann, … 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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8th Night, The (2021) Review

Director: Kim Tae-Hyung Writer: Kim Tae-Hyung Cast: Lee Sung-Min, Park Hae-Joon, Kim You-Jung, Nam Da-Reum, Han Sang-Chul, Lee Eol Running Time: 150 min. By Paul Bramhall The streaming service Netflix is increasingly becoming the platform for new Korean horror to debut on, with the likes of #Alive, The Call, and Svaha: The Sixth Finger all premiering with just a few clicks of the remote over the last couple of years. … 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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Idol (2019) Review

Director: Lee Su-jin Cast: Han Suk-Kyu, Sol Kyung-Gu, Chun Woo-Hee, Yoo Seung-Mok, Joe Byeong-Gyu, Kim Jae-Hwa, Hyun Bong-Sik, Jo Dae-Hee, Kang Mal-Geum Running Time: 144 min. By Paul Bramhall The topic of political corruption has always provided fertile ground for filmmakers in Korea, almost to the point that if a politician turns up in a Korean movie, it’s a safe bet that they’ll either end up corrupt (if they’re not … Continue reading

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Double Tap (2000) Review

Director: Lo Chi-Leung Cast: Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing, Alex Fong Chung Sun, Ruby Wong Cheuk Ling, Monica Chan Fat Yung, Vincent Kok Tak Chiu, Joseph Cheung Man Kwong Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall There can be no denying that the Hong Kong film industry was in a miserable place at the turn of the century. There were 2 key factors behind the slump, the first being that many … Continue reading

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From the Highway (1970) Review

Director: Chang Tseng-tse Cast: Peter Yang Kwan, Ingrid Hu Yin Yin, Chui Fook Sang, Suen Yuet, Lee Hung, Yeung Fui Yuk, Lee Man Tai, Ko Fei, Man Man, Chang I Fei, Gam Dai Running Time: 80 min. By Martin Sandison Part of the journey into living in the moment, as far as I can see it, is to admit when someone has more knowledge than you, about the thing you love. … Continue reading

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Seaman No. 7 (1973) Review

Director: Lo Wei Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Maria Yi, James Tien Chun, Tien Feng, Han Ying Chieh, Kelly Lee Hoi Lee, Gam Saan, Chin Yuet Sang, Lo Wei, Lam Ching Ying, Ma Man-Chun Running Time: 100 min.  By Ian Whittle I think we’ve found a winner for the Most Underwhelming Kung Fu Movie Title…no wonder the UK VHS was re-named Wang Yu’s Magnificent Fights. For some reason, after a winning … Continue reading

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