Category Archives: Reviews

Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy (2018) Review

Master Z: Ip Man Legacy | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Director: Yuen Woo-ping Cast: Max Zhang, Dave Bautista, Liu Yan, Michelle Yeoh, Tony Jaa, Kevin Cheng, Chrissie Chau, Patrick Tam, Philip Keung, Anthony Ho, Xing Yu, Adam Pak Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall While anticipation builds for the 2019 release of Ip Man 4, with all of its furore around the inclusion of Bruce and Boyka, it shouldn’t be forgotten that 2018 isn’t going to let us get … Continue reading

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Rage (1995) Review

"Rage" VHS Cover

Director: Joseph Merhi Cast: Gary Daniels, Kenneth Tigar, Fiona Hutchison, Jillian McWhirter, Peter Jason, Mark Metcalf, Tim Colceri, Ramon Sison, David Powledge, Judith-Marie Bergan Running Time: 95 min.  By Paul Bramhall Call me gullible, but when a movie comes with a tagline like “Somewhere between sanity and madness….there is RAGE”, you have me sold. Such is the case for the 1995 Gary Daniels vehicle Rage. Despite the bold tagline, there can be … Continue reading

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Psychokinesis (2018) Review

"Psychokinesis" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yeon Sang-Ho Writer: Yeon Sang-Ho Cast: Ryoo Seung-Ryong, Shim Eun-Kyung, Park Jung-Min, Kim Min-Jae, Jung Yu-Mi Running Time: 101 min.  By Z Ravas Train to Busan must be the most popular Korean film in America since Oldboy. No, I don’t have any hard data to back that up (although the movie did gross close to $100 million worldwide). But anecdotally, here in the States – where Korean cinema is still … Continue reading

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Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018) Review

"Illang: The Wolf Brigade" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ji-woon Cast: Gang Dong-Won, Han Hyo-Joo, Jung Woo-Sung, Kim Moo-Yul, Han Ye-Ri, Heo Jun-Ho, Minho, Shin Eun-Soo, Kim Pub-Lae, Lee Dong-Ha, Choi Jin-Ho Running Time: 138 min. By Z Ravas A Tale of Two Sisters. A Bittersweet Life. The Good, the Bad, the Weird. I Saw the Devil. Age of Shadows. Over the last 15 years, the work of Kim Jee-woon has come to help define popular Korean … Continue reading

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Run and Kill (1993) Review

"Run and Kill" Theatrical Poster

Director: Billy Tang Writer: Bryan Chang Cast: Kent Cheng, Simon Yam, Esther Kwan, Danny Lee, Melvin Wong, Johnny Wang Lung Wei Running Time: 91 min. By Paul Bramhall The best Category III movies usually come with a reputation that precedes them, and Run and Kill certainly fits that criteria. Multiple versions in existence because of cuts made to secure distribution in various territories? Check. A particular scene known for its shocking … Continue reading

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Nightshooters (2018) Review

"Nightshooters" Theatrical Poster

Director: Marc Price Writer: Marc Price Cast: Jean-Paul Ly, Adam McNab, Nicky Evans, Rosanna Hoult, Richard Sandling, Kaitlyn Riordan, Mica Proctor, Hung Dante Dong, Nicholas Aaron, Ben Shafik Running Time: 100 min. By Martin Sandison Hot on the trail of his self-directed short The Division, Jean-Paul Ly (Jailbreak) has achieved the seemingly impossible: starred and choreographed in a low budget, great British-made martial arts film, Nightshooters – ok, ok, it’s not a purists … Continue reading

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Unstoppable (2018) Review

Unstoppable | Blu-ray (Well Go USA(

Direcor: Kim Min-ho Writer: Kim Min-Ho Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Song Ji-Hyo, Kim Sung-Oh, Kim Min-Jae, Ji-Hwan, Lee Sung-Woo, Bae Noo-Ri, Park Ji-Hoon, Park Kwang-Jae, Lim Hyung-Joon Running Time: 115 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that if The Man from Nowhere was Korea’s Taken, then Unstoppable is Korea’s Taken 2. One had Won Bin tracking down the traffickers who kidnapped his neighbour’s child, while the other has Ma … Continue reading

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Europe Raiders (2018) Review

"Europe Raiders" Teaser Poster

Director: Jingle Ma Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Kris Wu, Tiffany Tang, Du Juan, George Lam, Jija Yanin, Cung Le Running Time: 100 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that perhaps the biggest fan of cinematographer turned director Jingle Ma’s …….. Raiders series, is Ma himself. The first (and I’m sure many considered last) entry in the series was 2000’s Tokyo Raiders, which was a fun but slight slice of action … Continue reading

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Unity of Heroes (2018) Review

"Unity of Heroes" Teaser Poster

Director: Lin Zhenzhao Cast: Vincent Chiu Man Chuk, Wei Ni, Michael Tong, Li Lubing, Li Yuan, Chen Chen, Xu Zhengguo, Wei Xiaohuan, Zhang Lei, Chen Chao, Zhou Jianhua Running Time: 104 min.  By Paul Bramhall I believe it was Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption that said “hope is a dangerous thing my friend”, but even knowing this, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic when news broke that Vincent Zhao … Continue reading

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Once Upon a Time in China V (1994) Review

"Once Upon a Time in China V" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Tsui Hark Cast: Vincent Chiu, Rosamund Kwan, Jean Wong, Kent Cheng, Hung Yan Yan, Mok Siu Chung, Lau Shun, Elaine Lui, Gwok Chun On, Stephen Tung Wei Running Time: 101 min. By Paul Bramhall Remember that time Tsui Hark decided to make his own version of Project A, but film it in the style of John Woo? If not, then it likely means you’ve never seen Once Upon a … Continue reading

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Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, The (2018) Review

The Witch: Subversion | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Park Hoon-Jung Cast: Kim Da-Mi, Jo Min-Soo, Choi Woo-Sik, Go Min-Si, Park Hee-Soon, Da-Eun, Choi Jung-Woo, Oh Mi-Hee, Kim Byung-Ok, Lee Joo-Won, Kim Ha-Na Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall As 2018 draws close to an end, the appetite for female driven action movies doesn’t seem to be waning in the West or the East. Warner Brothers appear to know this, so for their latest foray into the … Continue reading

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Negotiation, The (2018) Review

"The Negotiation" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Jong-Suk Writer: Choi Sung-Hyun Cast: Son Ye-Jin, Hyun-Bin, Kim Sang-Ho, Jang Young-Nam, Jang Gwang, Lee Moon-Sik Running Time: 114 min. By Paul Bramhall In the Korean film industry, Son Ye-jin is known as the Queen of Melodrama, and Hyun Bin the Rom-Com King. However the movie that’s brought them both together is (perhaps mercifully) neither a melodrama nor a romantic comedy, with The Negotiation instead being a thriller … Continue reading

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Rampant (2018) Review

Rampant | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Kim Sung-Hoon Writer: Won Shin-yun Cast: Hyun-Bin, Jang Dong-Gun, Jo Woo-Jin, Kim Eui-Sung, Jeong Man-Sik, Lee Sun-Bin Running Time: 129 min. By Paul Bramhall Less than 3 years ago Korea spawned one of its most unlikely breakout hits, with the zombie action thriller Train to Busan. While personally I didn’t find the concept of zombies on a train to be executed as entertainingly as it could have been, there’s no … Continue reading

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Prayer Before Dawn, A (2017) Review

"A Prayer Before Dawn" Theatrical Poster

Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire Cast: Joe Cole, Vithaya Pansringarm, Panya Yimmumphai, Somluck Kamsing, Billy Moore, Nicolas Shake, Sura Sirmalai, Sakda Niamhom, Komsan Polsan Running Time: 117 min. By Kelly Warner We first meet British boxer Billy Moore preparing for a small kickboxing match in Thailand. The fight doesn’t go well for Billy. After the bout, he surrenders to his drug of choice, yaba (known as the ‘madness drug’). We don’t get to … Continue reading

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Night Comes for Us, The (2018) Review

"The Night Comes For Us" Netflix Poster

Director: Timo Tjahjanto Writer: Timo Tjahjanto Cast: Joe Taslim, Iko Uwais, Julie Estelle, Sunny Pang, Zack Lee, Asha Kenyeri Bermudez, Hannah Al Rashid, Salvita Decorte, Abimana Aryastya, Salvita Decorte Running Time: 121 min. By Martin Sandison The Mo Brothers’ Headshot, while a very good action movie in its own right, with effectively bloody violence and some great choreography, fell short of greatness in my opinion. One half of the Mo Brothers, Timo Tjahjanto, announced … Continue reading

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