Category Archives: Reviews

Tracer | aka Truy Sát (2016) Review

"Truy Sat" Vietnamese Theatrical Poster

Director: Cuong Ngo Cast: Trung Ngoc Anh, Lamou Vissay, Marcus Guilhem, Maria Tran, Trung Ly, Thien Nguyen, Mike Leeder, Antony Nguyen, Hieu Nguyen, Cuong Seven Running Time: 90 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2007, Thailand was still riding the coat tails of Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong, a double whammy of action brutality, that seemed to proclaim the South East Asian kingdom as the new home of bone crunching martial arts cinema. However with Tony … Continue reading

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Golgo 13 (1973) Review

"Golgo 13" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Junya Sato Cast: Ken Takakura, Mohsen Sohrabi, Jaleh Sam, Yadolla Shirandami, Jalal Pishvaian, Arezu, Siamak Atlassi, Arash Taj, Dariush Asadzade, Ezatallah Ramezanifar Running Time: 104 min. By Martin Sandison A couple of nights after the screening of Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance, a real rarity was presented at the 70th Edinburgh International Film Festival: The 1973 version of Golgo 13, starring the legendary Ken Takakura (The Yakuza). Never … Continue reading

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End of a Gun (2016) Review

"End of a Gun" Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Keoni Waxman Cast: Steven Seagal, Florin Piersic Jr., Jacob Grodnik, Jade Ewen, Jonathan Rosenthal, Radu Andrei Micu, Ovidio Nicolescu, Alexandre Nguyen, Troy Miller Running Time: 93 min. By Zach Nix 2016 has been a very busy and interesting year for martial artist and action star Steven Seagal. By the year’s end, he will have appeared within six films overall, whether it be in a leading or supporting role. Films … Continue reading

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Lady Killer, The (1977) Review

"The Lady Killer" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Zhu Mu Producer: Raymond Chow Cast: Robert Lee, Sylvia Chang, Nick Lam Wai Kei, Shaw Yum Yum, Lee Kwan, Gam Dai Running Time: 86 min. By Jeff Bona Before Brandon and Shannon Lee stepped into the Hong Kong film industry to make Legacy of Rage (1986) and Enter the Eagles (1998) respectively; Robert Lee, Bruce Lee’s younger brother, was cast to appear in Lady Killer, an extremely bizarre 1977 film that also … Continue reading

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Criminal (2016) Review

"Criminal" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Ariel Vromen Cast: Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones, Alice Eve, Gal Gadot, Michael Pitt, Jordi Mollà, Ryan Reynolds, Antje Traue, Scott Adkins, Amaury Nolasco Running Time: 113 min. By Paul Bramhall When not on duty in superhero movies, Commissioner Gordon, the father of Superman, Wonder Woman, Deadpool, and Weapon XI, got together in London to make Criminal. The above mesh-up of DC and Marvel luminaries is of … Continue reading

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Cyborg | aka Slinger (1989) Review

"Cyborg" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Albert Pyun Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah Richter, Vincent Klyn, Dayle Haddon, Alex Daniels, Blaise Loong, Ralf Möller, Haley Peterson, Terrie Batson, Jackson ‘Rock’ Pinckney, Chuck Allen, Robert Pentz Running Time: 82 min. By Kelly Warner I had never seen 1989’s Cyborg before last night. The film has something of a reputation both here and elsewhere on the net as the one early Jean-Claude Van Damme movie you would be better … Continue reading

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Valley of the Double Dragon | aka Fist Fighter (1974) Review

AKA: Kung Fu of Taekwondo Director: Ulysses Au-Yeung Jun Producer: Lu Ching-Hang Cast: Kim Jin-pal, Sylvester Williams, Lin Chen Chi, Suen Yuet, Fang Mien, Liu Ping, Ma Cheung Running Time: 88 min.  By Paul Bramhall When it comes to the old-school kung fu genre, it’s fairly standard for titles to sometimes go under different aliases. However Valley of the Double Dragon must surely hold the award for the number of different names it … Continue reading

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Net, The (2016) Review

"The Net" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ki-Duk Producer: Kim Soon-Mo Cast: Ryoo Seung-bum, Young-Min Kim, Lee Won-Geun, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Jo Jae-Ryong, Ahn Ji-Hye Running Time: 114 min. By Matija Makotoichi Tomic Filmography of Kim Ki-Duk could be the subject of many theories and endless discussions. Personally, I see it divided into two major phases: pre and post-Arirang one. Arirang had that something I’ve been missing the whole time, and it had me admiring the … Continue reading

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Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (1972) Review

"Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Kenji Misumi Producer: Shintaro Katsu Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Tomoko Mayama, Fumio Watanabe, Keiko Fujita, Reiko Kasahara, Yunosuke Ito, Shun’ya Wazaki Running Time: 83 min. By Martin Sandison In February of this year, I attended a drinks function for the Edinburgh Film Festival, which takes place in June. I bumped into an acquaintance I’d known for many years, an actor and senior programmer called Niall Fulton, who the previous … Continue reading

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Female Prisoner Scorpion: #701’s Grudge Song (1973) Review

Director: Yasuharu Hasebe Cast: Meiko Kaji, Masakazu Tamura, Yumi Kanei, Hiroshi Tsukata, Yayoi Watanabe, Sanae Nakahara, Akemi Negishi, Toshiyuki Hosokawa, Junko Ando Running Time: 89 min. By Kyle Warner After apparently feeling that his job was done, director Shunya Ito left the Scorpion series after the third film, Beast Stable. Stepping into his place would be Yasuharu Hasebe, a director with no shortage of experience working in the exploitation genre, including three Stray Cat … Continue reading

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Hard Target 2 (2016) Review

"Hard Target 2" Theatrical Poster

Director: Roel Reiné Producer: Chris Lowenstein Cast: Scott Adkins, Robert Knepper, Rhona Mitra, Tempera Morrison, Ann Truong, Adam Saunders, Jamie Timony, Pter Hardy, Sean Keenan, Troy Honeysett, JeeJa Yanin Running Time: 104 min. By Paul Bramhall As a child of the early 80’s I, and most likely many others, had my first exposure to John Woo from his 1993 Hollywood debut Hard Target. A tale which see’s Jean Claude Van Damme … Continue reading

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Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable (1973) Review

Director: Shunya Ito Cast: Meiko Kaji, Mikio Narita, Reisen Lee, Yayoi Watanabe, Koji Nanbara, Takashi Fujiki Running Time: 87 min. By Kelly Warner Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable is a very different movie from the two that came before it. Meiko Kaji’s Matsu the Scorpion is on the lam after having narrowly survived her prison escape in Jailhouse 41. Wanted posters with her face are all over the city streets, warning that … Continue reading

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Blood of Dragon Peril (1979) Review

"Blood of Dragon Peril" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: A Man with Seven Faces Director: Kim Seon-gyeong Writer: Yoon Sam-yook Cast: Chang Il-do, Choi Min-kyu, Kwon Il-soo, Robby Ban, Edie Wang, Judy Suh, Edwin Lau Running Time: 94 min. By Paul Bramhall I confess to having a soft-spot for kung fu movies that have grammatically challenged titles, and Blood of Dragon Peril is definitely up there with the best of them. “Blood of what?” you may ask, well, Dragon … Continue reading

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Martial Arts Kid, The (2015) Review

"The Martial Arts Kid" Theatrical Poster

Director: Michael Baumgarten Cast: Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, Jansen Panettiere, Kathryn Newton, Matthew Ziff, T.J. Storm, Brandon Tyler Russell, R. Marcos Taylor, Chuck Zito Running Time: 103 min. By Jeff Bona Don “The Dragon” Wilson (Bloodfist) and Cynthia Rothrock (Shanghai Express) are back to doing what they do best in The Martial Arts Kid, a coming of age, martial arts-themed tale directed by Michael Baumgarten (The Guest House). The Martial Arts Kid follows a rebellious teenager … Continue reading

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Double Impact (1991) Review

"Double Impact" Theatrical Poster

Director: Sheldon Lettich Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Geoffrey Lewis, Alonna Shaw, Bolo Yeung, Alicia Stevenson, Paul Aylett, Alan Scarfe, Philip Chan, Corrina Everson, Julie Strain, Wu Fong Lung, John Sham, Peter Malota, David Lea, Sarah-Jane Varley Running Time: 107 min. By Kelly Warner Few things scream “90’s” quite like Jean-Claude Van Damme starring opposite himself in an action movie. The concept of taking an action star and having them play … Continue reading

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