Category Archives: Reviews

South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin (1983) Review

"South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Wu Chia Chun Co-director: Casanova Wong Cast: Casanova Wong, Eagle Han Ying, Ma Chin Ku, Wang Kuan Hsiung, Chiang Cheng Running Time: 87 min. By Paul Bramhall In 1982, a year prior to the release of South Shaolin vs. North Shaolin, the movie that launched Jet Li into stardom, and triggered a wave of wushu influenced Shaolin movies, captured the imagination of Asian audiences in the form of Shaolin Temple. Made … Continue reading

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Cops vs. Thugs (1975) Review

Cops vs Thugs | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Kinji Fukasaku Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Kunie Tanaka, Nobuo Kaneko, Reiko Ike, Hiroki Matsukata, Toru Abe, Mikio Narita, Akira Shioji, Tatsuo Umemiya, Shotaro Hayashi, Hideo Murota, Masaharu Arikawa Running Time: 100 min. By Kelly Warner No one dies well in a Kinji Fukasaku gangster movie. A director who fuels nearly every scene with rage or panic, his characters always seem to either be screaming at each other or tripping over one another in an attempt to escape … Continue reading

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Karate Kill (2016) Review

"Karate Kill" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kurando Mitsutake Writer: Kurando Mitsutake Cast: Hayate, David Sakurai, Asami, Katarina Leigh Waters, Mana Sakura, Kirk Geiger, Noriaki Kamata, Kirk Geiger, Tomm Voss, Jeffrey James Lippold Running Time: 85 min By Paul Bramhall Japanese action cinema has a history of making movies that act as a showcase for the karate skills of the stars that headline them, from Ken Kazama in Karate from Shaolin Temple back in 1976, to Rina … Continue reading

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I Am a Hero (2015) Review

"I Am a Hero" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Shinsuke Sato Cast: Yo Oizumi, Kasumi Arimura, Masami Nagasawa, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Yoshinori Okada, Nana Katase, Jin Katagiri, Makita Sports, Muga Tsukaji, Yu Tokui Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s rare for Asian movies to break out into the mainstream, and when they do, they’re normally of the martial arts variety. So in 2016, when the Korean zombie movie Train to Busan started getting global attention, thanks largely … Continue reading

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Wolf Guy: Enraged Lycanthrope (1975) Review

Wolf Guy | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

Director: Kazuhiko Yamaguchi Cast: Sonny Chiba, Rikiya Yasuoka, Saburo Date, Koji Fujiyama, Tooru Hanada, Ryuji Hayami, Jiro Ibuki, Harukui Jo, Kenji Kawai, Hiroshi Kondo, Koji Miemachi, Etsuko Nami, Yoshio Neshima Running Time: 86 min. By Kelly Warner There are two types of film fans in the world; those who learn of Sonny Chiba’s 1975 werewolf action movie Wolf Guy with a “Huh?” and those who almost immediately plunk down $20 so that … Continue reading

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Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit (1989) Review

"Aces Go Places V: The Terracotta Hit" Chinese DVD Cover

AKA: Mad Mission 5 Director: Lau Kar-leung Cast: Samuel Hui Koon-kit , Karl Maka, Leslie Cheung, Nina Li Chi, Conan Lee, Billy Chong, Maria Cordero, Ha Chi Jan, Mark Houghton, Walter Tso Running Time: 102 min. By Paul Bramhall There’s a distinct feeling with the fifth instalment of the Aces Go Places series, that the producers were trying to aim for as broad an audience as possible. Of course fans of … Continue reading

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Mad World (2016) Review

"Mad World" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Wong Chung Cast: Eric Tsang, Shawn Yue, Elaine Jin, Charmaine Fong, Yvan Chan Hok-Man, Ng Siu-Hin Running Time: 101 min. By Martin Sandison The name Eric Tsang conjures up images of Golden Harvest comedies like My Lucky Stars (I’ll never forget the button mushroom joke) or his magnificent turn as gang boss Hon Sam in Infernal Affairs and it sequel. A seasoned veteran of Hong Kong cinema, even directing martial arts movies (he helmed … Continue reading

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City Ninja | aka Ninja Holocaust (1985) Review

"City Ninja" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Rocky’s Love Affairs Director: Choi Young-chul Cast: Michael Chan Wai-Man, Casanova Wong, Andy Chworowsky, Chae Eun-hui, Eagle Han Ying, Park Yun-geun, John Ladalski, Mabel Kwong Mei-Bo Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall Let’s just get it out of the way upfront – City Ninja is such a muddled production, the very prospect of reviewing it and providing some kind of background of how it came to be is an intimidating one. Almost every source … Continue reading

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Universal Soldier (1971) Review

"Universal Soldier" VHS Cover

Director: Cy Enfield Cast: George Lazenby, Ben Caruthers, Robin Hunter, Edward Judd, Alan Barnes, Cy Enfield, Germaine Greer, Rudolph Walker, Chrissie Townson, Guy Deghy Running Time: 94 min. By Jeff Bona While promoting 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, model-turned-actor, George Lazenby, the film’s “New James Bond” star, was literally a signature away from playing Bond again, until his then-manager, Ronan O’Rahilly, convinced him not to take the deal: “Bond is [Sean] Connery’s gig,” O’Rahilly … Continue reading

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Opium and the Kung Fu Master (1984) Review

"Opium and the Kung Fu Master" Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Lightning Fists of Shaolin Director: Tong Gai (Tang Chia) Cast: Ti Lung, Chen Kuan Tai, Robert Mak, Philip Ko Fei, Lee Hoi San, Tang Chia, Lau Leanne, Ku Kuan Chung, Alan Chan, Ma Chao, Yuen Wah, Yuen Bun Running Time: 86 min.  By Chris Hatcher Knowing one could be blacklisted in many kung fu cinema circles for making the following statement, here goes nothing: I have always been somewhat … Continue reading

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Dancing Warrior | aka Venom Warrior (1985) Review

AKA: Dancing King Director: Cheng Cheh Writer: James Wong Cast: Ricky Cheng Tien Chi, Yang Li-Su, Sun Jung Chi, Yang Guang-Yo, Chen Kuan-Tai, Got Heung Ting, Lui Fong, Dennis Brown, Anita Mui Yim Fong Running Time: 90 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say that legendary director Chang Cheh more than earned his moniker of the Godfather of Hong Kong action cinema, however while his crowning achievements are many, there can also be no doubt … Continue reading

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Sleep Curse, The (2017) Review

"The Sleep Curse" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Herman Yau Writer: Erica Li, Lee Sing Cast: Anthony Wong, Jojo Goh, Gordon Lam Ka-Tung, Michelle Wai, Mak Kwai-Yuen, Chye Yang Running Time: 102 min. By Martin Sandison After this year’s Udine Far East Film Festival screening of The Sleep Curse – and before my scheduled interview with its prodigiously talented director, Herman Yau – I bumped into the great man outside the theatre. I told him that I’d never seen a film like the masterful Untold Story … Continue reading

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Deadly Breaking Sword, The (1979) Review

"The Deadly Breaking Sword" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Sun Chung Writer: Ni Kuang Cast: Ti Lung, Alexander Fu Sheng, Shih Szu, Ku Feng, Chan Wai Man, Lily Li Li Li, Ngaai Fei, Chan Shen, Kara Hui, Ha Ping, Alan Chan, Cheung Gwok, Chow Kin Ping, Gam Tin Chue, Hung Ling Ling, Keung Hon, Eddie Ko Hung Running Time: 101 min. By JJ Hatfield An arrogant assassin and an unlucky gambler are brought together by pride, greed and a captivating courtesan … Continue reading

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Jailbreak (2017) Review

"Jailbreak" Theatrical Poster

Director: Jimmy Henderson Cast: Jean-Paul Ly, Dara Our, Tharoth Sam, Céline Tran, Savin Phillip, Dara Phang, Sisowath Siriwudd, Laurent Plancel, Rous Mony, Sok Visal, Georgina Tan Running Time: 92 min. By Matija Makotoichi Tomic Following in the footsteps of Vietnam, Indonesia, and of course, Thailand before that, it was time for Cambodia to mark its place on the international martial arts movie map. Delivering the country’s first piece of full-fledged … Continue reading

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Mrs K (2016) Review

“Mrs K” Theatrical Poster

Director: Ho Yuhang Cast: Kara Hui, Simon Yam, Wu Bai, Faizal Hussein, Kirk Wong, Fruit Chan, Li Xuan Siow Running Time: 90 min. By Martin Sandison For me, one of the big draws of this year’s Udine Far East Film Festival was the screening of Mrs K, and the appearance by its director Ho Yuhang. Ho is known for genre hopping and has a lot of successful films under his belt – all made in Malaysia. Martial … Continue reading

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