Dragon Bruce Lee, Part II | aka Big Boss 2 (1981) Review

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Ian Whittle
"Dragon Bruce Lee, Part II" Korean Poster

“Dragon Bruce Lee, Part II” Korean Poster

AKA: Dragon Lee Fights Again
Director: To Man-Bo
Co-director: Lee Eun
Cast: Dragon Lee (Mun Kyong-sok), Lee Suk-jin, Cheung Lik, Ju Eun-seop, Jang Ryeok, Bolo Yeung, Tien Feng, Philip Ko Fei, Sham Chin Bo, To Wai Wo
Running Time: 75 min.

By Ian Whittle

OK, this is rather complicated. A 1930’s set kung fu movie starring Dragon Lee that, depending on what version you own, is a sequel to one of three different movies!

Dragon Lee plays a resistance fighter on the run from the Japanese (who are led by Bolo in a nifty Hitler moustache!), who takes shelter with a patriotic family headed by Philip Ko (in not entirely convincing old age make-up). Meanwhile Nick Cheung (credited as Jackie Cheung) is a pickpocket/rebel, and his crippled sister (Lau Ying-hung) is an expert musician. Which comes in handy, as Ko’s wife has a nervous condition that can only be soothed by music (no, seriously, it’s important!)

The film it most closely resembles is Last Fist of Fury (which was incorporated into The Real Bruce Lee), and the title suggests it is a sequel to Dragon Lee Fights Back, which also stars Dragon Lee and Nick Cheung, but that was a modern day film! The Korean title is Jeong Mu Gate 81, which suggests this is essentially a new variation on Fist of Fury. And just to make matters even more confusing, this is known on video as BIG BOSS II, causing confusion with the real Big Boss II (1976), which was a Lo Lieh film guest starring Bruce Le, and which remains frustratingly unavaliable on home video!

This stands out from most of the Dragon Lee movies in that Godfrey Ho seems to have nothing to with it. Consequently the English dubbing is better (Vaughan Savidge wasn’t involved with this one either) and the sound effects are more in keeping with your typical Hong Kong movie so there are less bizzare bird chirps and electronic bleeps going off during the fight scenes. Production values are higher (slightly), the fights are more intricatly choreographed, and the stakes in the story seem more important – a World War II themed resistance plot is always going to be more interested that the squabble over the farm in Golden Dragon, Silver Snake.

As ever with these co-productions, I can’t decide if it is a HK movie made in Korea, or a Korean movie with more Hong Kong guest stars than usual. You (and maybe the accountants) be the judge! The film itself can’t decide if it takes place in China or Korea, as the costumes are all over the place. Dragon Lee’s impressivley bouffant hair suggests the 80s has well and truly arrived!

Interestingly, on the English dub anyway, two clips from Last Fist of Fury and Clones of Bruce Lee are spliced in, including the music (Gonna Fly Now!!!) and sound FX from those two productions. This practice would carry over into the Asso Asia acquired Dragon Lee movies, but also seems to be have been adopted for a few Bruce Le movies. The soundtrack for the film proper is mostly John Barry’s majestic score for Disney’s The Black Hole, but the title music is from the Costa-Gravas movie Z. Quite why someone thought it would be appropiate for a kung fu movie is beyond me.

If you can stomach the ridiculous melodrama (especially involving the musical medicine!), bizarre acting and rickety quality, you will be rewarded with a fun piece of nonsense. And Dragon Lee vs Bolo is much better then John Saxon vs Bolo!

Ian Whittle’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in All, Bruceploitation, Chinese, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , |

Ghost in Love (1999) Review

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Paul Bramhall
"Ghost in Love" Theatrical Poster

“Ghost in Love” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Kwang-Hoon
Writer: Hong Ju-ri
Lee Sung-Jae, Kim Hee-Seon, Cha Seung-Won, Yoo Hye-Jung, Jang Jin-Young, Lee Young-Ja, Park Kwang-Jung, Jeong Won-Jung, Jang Se-Jin
Running Time: 91 min.

By Paul Bramhall

1999 was a landmark year for Korean cinema. After starting the 90’s with a film industry practically on its last legs, throughout most of the decade it slowly began to regain popularity with local audiences, before finally, on the cusp of the millennium, it gained international recognition with the release of Shiri. Since then Korean cinema hasn’t looked back, and like Korea was greatly influenced by the ‘Hong Kong Wave’ of the early 90’s, so the world sat up and paid attention to the ‘Korean Wave’ which the early 00’s came to be referred to as. However Shiri wasn’t the only Korean movie made in 1999. The movie that got me into Korean cinema in the first place, Nowhere to Hide, also graced the big screen, as did the fantasy romance Ghost in Love.

Much like Hong Kong and Japan, although its film industry was nowhere near as stable as either, Korea spent the 90’s seeing what it could do with the new kid on the block – CGI. From it’s first use in Park Heon-soo’s 1994 supernatural romance The Fox with Nine Tails, other directors soon also embraced the technology. Kang Je-gyu, who’d go on to direct Shiri, infused CGI into his 1996 supernatural thriller The Gingko Bed, as did Park Kwang-chun in 1998’s horror hybrid The Soul Guardians. In 1999, quite possibly influenced by the 1998 Hollywood production What Dreams May Come, director Lee Kwang-hoon decided to see how far CGI could go in creating what the afterlife would look like with Ghost in Love.

It always surprises me how few of the directors working in the 90’s lasted once the Korean Wave really took off, and Kwang-hoon is no exception. After debuting with the comedy drama Doctor Bong in 1995, he’d direct his sophomore feature in similar fashion with 1997’s Repechage, which cast Kim Hee-seon as the lead. He’d maintain Hee-seon as the lead for Ghost in Love, which would mark his third feature, before going onto direct Legend of the Evil Lake in 2003. He disappeared from the Korean film industry after its release, and hasn’t been heard of since.

Thankfully Hee-seon is still around, although she hasn’t appeared on the big screen for a long time. Repechage was her debut and Ghost in Love only her 2nd appearance onscreen. She looked like she had a bright career ahead in the film industry, with her roles in the likes of 2000’s Bichunmoo and 2001’s Wanee and Junah making both productions all the better thanks to her presence. In 2005 she appeared alongside Jackie Chan in The Myth, at a time when many HK productions seemed to acknowledge the growing popularity of Korea by including Korean actors in the cast, however since then Hee-seon has stuck to TV dramas, leaving the big screen behind.

The plot of Ghost in Love still shows some influence of the HK Wave, in that it’s all over the place in terms of genre, tone, and even where our focus should be, but I’ll try to break it down as concisely as possible. See-heon plays the fiancé to an ambitious young business man played by Cha Seung-won (Believer, Man in High Heels) in an early screen role. When she finds out he’s cheating on her with the daughter of his boss, she contemplates suicide, but before she can decide is pushed in front of a train by a pair of black suited gentlemen, who turn out to be recruiters for the Suicide Ghost Club (SGC) of the afterlife. They’re under pressure to get their sales figures up, hence sometimes lend a helping hand to those on the fence about if they’ll go through with offing themselves.

Members of the SGC can still visit the earthly realm, however if they interfere they find themselves being hunted down by Messengers, a kind of after-life police force governed by Hades. Oh, they also have to avoid monsters who have an appetite for ghosts. While hanging around in what I presume is the SGC headquarters (essentially, an office building) See-heon meets various other members – there’s a woman who committed suicide because she was taunted for being fat, and another who killed herself after being gang raped. There’s also a man whose past is shrouded in mystery, but acts as a kind of moral compass to some of the more vengeful members, who include See-heon. Played by Lee Sung-jae (Daisy, Human, Space, Time and Human) in another early screen appearance, he does his best to stop See-heon from doing anything that’ll put her in the Messengers line of fire, but it proves to be easier said than done.

The description alone is probably enough to give an idea of just how wild the tonal swings can get, but in many ways they act in Ghost in Love’s favour. The SGC recruiters, played by Dong Bangwoo (The Battle of Jangsari) and Park Kwang-jung (Princess Aurora), play their roles broadly, almost as if they’ve been beamed directly from an Elton Chong movie. For the most part they stay just on the right side of irritation, barely. It’s in stark contrast to the gang raped SGC member, played by Yoo Hye-jeong, who on earth becomes a long-nailed spirit of vengeance, decapitating one of her assailant’s crown jewels and thrusting her hand straight through the chest of another, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. Pursing all of them are a pair of Messengers, played by Jang Se-jin (My Wife is a Gangster) and Chung Won-joong (Steel Rain), whose mission is to catch and kill them again in the afterlife as punishment.

In the midst of all this, is the relationship between See-heon and Sung-jae, as he attempts to stop her from possessing innocents in order to question Seung-won on why he cheated, and keep her off the Messengers radar at the same time. In short, there’s a lot going on, however the punchy 90 minute runtime (yes, Korean movies where once only 90 minutes!) ensures there’s never a lull in the pace. There’s romance, violence, chase scenes, comedy, tension, and it all somehow adds up to more than the sum of its parts. In many ways Ghost in Love can be seen as a precursor to the more recent Along with the Gods franchise (The Two Worlds and The Last 49 Days). Both use the afterlife as a theme, and both stampede through a variety of genres with reckless abandon.

Of course the CGI in Ghost in Love is a far cry from that in Along with the Gods, with the first 45 minutes feeling like a highly dated showcase of everything that could be done with the technology at the time. We get railways tracks coming down from the sky, face morphing, afterlife landscapes, and one spirit even uses the water from a water dispenser to take on human form. Where it maintains its charm is that it was made at a time when CGI wasn’t used for absolutely everything. The aforementioned monsters, despite only appearing briefly in a couple of scenes, are refreshingly old-school in that they’re men in suits. As old-school as it may be, the physical presence of actually having them in-camera makes them feel more real than CGI at the time ever could of.

The cast is also game for everything the script throws at them. As one of the Messengers responsible for pursing any ghost that’s interfered in the earthly realm, Jang Se-jin is a highlight. At 191cm tall, he cuts an intimidating figure whenever he’s onscreen, and much like the Ma Dong-seok’s of today, he’s one of those actors who simply looks cool in whatever he appears in. As our leads, See-heon and Sung-jae do an amicable job. The romance between them could definitely have done with a little more development, as to some degree it kind of feels like it comes out of the blue, however had that been the case it likely wouldn’t have been the crazy genre mash-up that it is, and would have fit its ‘fantasy romance’ label much easier.

Korean cinema may have come a long way since 1999, however I still have a fondness for that particular era during the mid to late 90’s, when budgets and production values were starting to increase, but the output still felt a little rough around the edges. It’s there to see in Nowhere to Hide, and arguably it’s also there in Shiri. It’s definitely there in Ghost in Love, and it’s the type of production that likely wouldn’t be made in todays climate, or at least not with the same level of energy towards the left of field tonal shifts and genre bending. Kwang-hoon’s penultimate feature as a director may be an uneven one, but it also has a lot of ambition, and certainly never fails to entertain. If you’re after a slice of Korean cinema that’s a little different from the norm, then Ghost in Love is recommended viewing.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7/10

Posted in All, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , |

Deal on Fire! Van Damme Double Feature: Nowhere to Run and The Order | Blu-ray | Only $7.98 – Expires soon!

Posted on April 6, 2020 by JJ Bona
JCVD Double Feature | Blu-ray (Image)

JCVD Double Feature | Blu-ray (Image)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for The JCVD Double Feature, which includes 2001’s The Order, directed by Sheldon Lettich (Double Impact) and 1993’s Nowhere to Run, directed by Robert Harmon (The Hitcher) and written by Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct).

In The Order, a playboy criminal (Van Damme) contacts his dad after stealing a Faberge egg. Later it seems his dad has gone missing in Israel so he heads there. His disappearance is linked to the religious sect: The Order; In Nowhere to Run, an escaped convict (Van Damme) single handedly takes on ruthless developers determined to evict a widow with two young children.

Order the JCVD Double Feature from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death: Anniversary Edition (1980) Review

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Jeff Bona
Fist of Feat, Touch of Death | Blu-ray (The Film Detective)

Fist of Feat, Touch of Death | Blu-ray (The Film Detective)

AKA: Dragon and the Cobra
Director: Mathew Mallinson
Producer: Terry Levene
Cast: Aaron Banks, Adolph Caesar, Teruyuki Higa, Bill Louie, Fred Williamson, Ron Van Clief, Gail Turner, Hollywood Browde, Louis Neglia, Annette Bronson
Running Time: 86 min.

By Jeff Bona

Whenever the discussion topic of “What’s the worst Bruceploitation movie ever made?” comes up, the answer 99.9% of the time will be Fist of Fear, Touch of Death.

Is it really that bad? Yes. But it’s also one of the best examples of something that’s so stupidly entertaining that it would be a dream to get some insights on who, what, where, when, how and why Fist of Fear, Touch of Death came to be – and thanks to the creative team from The Film Detective, dreams do come true.

Filmed in 1979, this U.S. production from director Matthew Mallinson is a pseudo-documentary that takes place during the “1979 World Karate Championships” at Madison Square Garden. At the event, a news anchor (played by Oscar/Golden Globe nominee Adolph Caesar of A Soldier’s Story) interviews top martial arts experts and personalities – including Aaron Banks, Ron Van Clief and blaxploitation star Fred Williamson – with questions about the late Bruce Lee, particularly about his mysterious death.

Scattered throughout the film are segments of spliced-together footage (Godfrey Ho-style) from Bruce Lee’s 1957 film, The Thunderstorm, as well as Bruce’s appearance in the 1971 TV series, Longstreet. Scenes from Thunderstorm are forced into the narrative as flashbacks from Bruce’s teenage years; and the Longstreet footage is presented as a series of “interviews” (making it look as if Bruce is having a face-to-face conversation with Adolph Caesar or Aaron Banks). Additionally, footage from 1971’s Forced to Fight, an obscure period Taiwanese kung fu film, has Tong Wai’s character being passed as “Bruce Lee’s Great Grandfather”.

The cinematic concoction of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is topped off with a series of fourth-wall breaking, mirco-subplots involving Fred Williamson (i.e. waking up with a topless hooker); Ron Van Clief doing Karate exercises (at one point, he stops and says with conviction: “I think Bruce Lee was murdered!”); and a kung fu fight scene with Bill Louie (as sort of a “Kato” with a mustache) who saves a girl from being gang raped.

Thanks to the newly released, limited edition Blu-ray (and DVD) from The Film Detective, we are treated to 29-minute documentary titled That’s Bruceploitation: Making Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, which features insightful interviews with the film’s director, Matthew Mallinson (who is perhaps best known for his editing work in films like Trapped Alive and Caged Fury); producer Terry Levene (Goodbye Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death); screenwriter Ron Harvey; filmmaker Jim Markovic (The Real Bruce Lee); and cult actors Ron Van Clief (The Black Dragon’s Revenge) and Fred Williamson (Black Caesar).

In That’s Bruceploitation: Making Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, we learn that in 1979, Mallinson was presented with the task of making a marketable “Bruce Lee movie” using whatever resources he could get his hands on. This included the aforementioned “1979 World Karate Championships,” which in reality was a martial arts exhibition event put together by prolific martial arts promoter Aaron Banks and his New York Karate Academy. Using guerrilla-style filmmaking tactics, Mallinson used Banks’ exhibition as the film’s backdrop and haphazardly filmed the event’s VIP attendees (Ron Van Clief, Fred Williamson and Bill Louie) as “last minute” stars of the movie. Even the Fist of Fear, Touch of Death film crew, along with mildly drunk Adolph Caesar, had to fake their way into the Madison Square Garden auditorium as legit “media representatives”.

It’s also revealed that producer Levene had purchased the rights to Thunderstorm, Longstreet, as well the Tong Wai actioner Forced to Fight. According Levene, he let Mallinson cut ‘n paste scenes from all three sources, add new dub tracks, and inject them into the newly filmed footage to form a cohesive plot (which he fails to do, but that’s the beauty of it!). Sidenote: Levene previously applied Thunderstorm footage to 1977’s The Real Bruce Lee, which he also produced.

The Film Detective did a mighty fine job with its “40th Anniversary” Blu-ray edition of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, which is presented in an all-new 4K restoration. It also includes Liner notes by film historian Don Stradley and English and Spanish Theatrical Trailers.

But what really makes the disc shine is the That’s Bruceploitation: Making Fist of Fear, Touch of Death documentary. The fact The Film Detective got all these guys together to talk immensely about the making of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is a magical experience.

Jeff Bona’s Rating: 8/10 (as a whole!)

Posted in Asian Related, Bruceploitation, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , |

Facet to release Bobby Kim’s ‘Manchurian Avenger’ in 4K

Posted on April 2, 2020 by JJ Bona
"Manchurian Avenger" Theatrical Poster

“Manchurian Avenger” Theatrical Poster

Later this year, Facet Films is giving Ed Warnick’s 1985 actioner, Manchurian Avenger, a 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release. Yes, you’ve read that right: You’ll soon see martial arts star Bobby Kim in all his 4K glory!

So who is Bobby Kim? Well, let’s pass it over to Paul Bramhall: “Bobby Kim (Kill Line, The Deadly Kick) is a Taekwondo grandmaster who briefly enjoyed a spell as an action star in Korea. Bearing a striking resemblance to Charles Bronson, he quickly got dubbed as the Asian version of the Death Wish star. Active just for a few years between 1975 – 1979, he cranked out a total of 9 movies, some of which even got picked up by the infamous IFD Films for international distribution, such as Mad for Vengeance. Then he moved to Colorado, where he settled and opened up a Taekwondo school, while still finding the time to occasionally make a movie”.

Set in America’s 1860 wild-west, Manchurian Avenger pits Bobby Kim against Bill “Superfoot” Wallace (The Protector), with explosive results. Joe returns home to Colorado to help his adoptive family who are being terrorized by local gangs that have taken over the gold-rush town. The gangs are searching for a horde of gold rumored to have been discovered by Joe’s uncle. As a martial arts Master and walking weapon Bobby Kim fights off one gang only to be confronted by another more deadly band led by Bill “Superfoot” Wallace in an exciting battle to the finish.

Look out for Manchurian Avenger later this year.

Posted in News |

Jackie and Bruce to the Rescue | aka Fist of Death (1982) Review

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Ian Whittle
"Jackie and Bruce to the Rescue" Theatrical Poster

“Jackie and Bruce to the Rescue” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Fist of Death
Director: Wu Chia Chun
Co-director: Choe Dong-Joon
Cast: Kim Tai-chung, Lee Siu-Ming, Wang Pao-Yu, He Ying, Chang Il-Sik, Eagle Han Ying, Ma Sha, Chen Shan, Baek Hwang-ki, Park Yong-Pal
Running time: 90 min. 

By Ian Whittle

You’d think a film featuring a Bruce Lee clone AND a Jackie Chan clone (not to mention maverick exploitation producer Dick Randall’s name on the credits) would be a lot of fun, but well, no, it’s not.

In a way, this is a Fist of Fury knock-off with the Jing Wu school vs the… well, the dialogue says “YMCA” but the logo on the school is clearly YMGA! Either way, the masters of both schools get bumped off, although the expected school vs. school rivalry peters out fairly early on as it’s blatantly obvious some no good gangsters are behind it, in order to get a document, for reasons that seem to have slipped everyone’s minds until it’s mentioned with less then 10min to go – and I swear this is what they say:

“Master always said that document was important. It has a list of the YMCA members, also a treasure map. If it fell into the wrong hands, it would be too terrible to comtemplate!”

Yes, well, I’m sure the YMCA wouldn’t want people to know they were involved in this mess too!

Anyway, it takes us a good 15 min before we get to see our Bruce Lee clone, although a title card at the beginning assures us of his credentials. And look, it’s none other than Kim Tae-Chung (credited as Tong Lung), late of Game of Death and Tower of Death (and later of No Retreat, No Surrender). It’s just as well the title card was there, as he looks nothing like Bruce Lee at all except when he bugs his eyes in moments of stress. As an actor, he’s not awful and is good looking enough, but yeah, you can see why they used that cardboard cut out in Game of Death!

Lee Siu-Ming (credited as Jackie Chang), playing “Jackie” and seemingly cast because his nose was reasonably big, comes off surprisingly well in his intro, exhanging in a wacky brawl using a rickshaw as a weapon. He doesn’t really get much later chance to shine, but at least his scenes are less po-faced.

The two characters wander in and out of each other’s plotlines at regular intervals, but there’s little to hold the attention aside from some fun fights. Sadly, the film comits further cinematic crimes by ignoring the likes of Eagle Han Ying and Chen Shan, and reserving the main villian role for Hei Ying, who is a boring actor, and spends most of his fight scene teleporting and disapearing in tricks that are probably meant to evoke the then current ninja fad but are more likely to remind you of a school production of The Wizard of Oz. And the end fight ends abruptly with a freeze frame denying us from seeing the final death blow! Honestly!

Ian Whittle’s Rating: 3/10

Posted in All, Bruceploitation, Chinese, Korean, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , |

Arrow to release Tomu Uchida’s ‘Mad Fox’ to Blu-ray in June

Posted on April 1, 2020 by JJ Bona
The Mad Fox | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

The Mad Fox | Blu-ray (Arrow Video)

On June 23, 2020, Arrow Video, under their Arrow Academy banner, will be releasing the Blu-ray for Tomu Uchida’s 1962 fantasy/drama, The Mad Fox (aka Love, Thy Name Be Sorrow).

Read the official details below:

In stark contrast to the monochrome naturalism of his earlier masterwork Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji, visionary master director Tomu Uchida took inspiration from Bunraku and kabuki theater for arguably his strangest and most lavishly cinematic film, The Mad Fox.

Amidst a mythically-depicted medieval Japan, a court astrologer foretells a great disturbance that threatens to split the realm in two. His bitter and treacherous wife conspires to have the astrologer killed, as well as their adopted daughter, Sakaki. The astrologer’s master apprentice, Yasuna, who was in love with Sakaki, is driven mad with grief and escapes to the countryside. There, he encounters Sakaki’s long-lost twin, Kuzunoha, and the pair meet a pack of ancient fox spirits in the woods, whose presence may be the key to restoring Yasuna’s sanity, and in turn bringing peace to the fracturing nation.

Finally available outside Japan for the first time, Uchida’s stunning, wildly stylised widescreen tableaux – using expressionist sets and colour schemes – are highlighted in a world premiere Blu-ray™ release.

Special Features:

  • Brand new restoration by Toei
  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original uncompressed mono Japanese audio
  • Optional newly translated English subtitles
  • Brand new audio commentary by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp, recorded exclusively for this release
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Image gallery
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
  • First Pressing Only: Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Ronald Cavaye and Hayley Scanlon

Pre-order The Mad Fox from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in News |

5 Cool Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur

Posted on April 1, 2020 by JJ Bona
5 Cool Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur

5 Cool Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur

The city of Kuala Lumpur is the capital, and heart, of the country of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is a growing city that is home to a multicultural community of Malay, Chinese and Indian residents, making it an ideal place to place to experience a vibrant culture and a fascinating history.

If you are planning to visit, or are considering a visit to Malaysia, here are seven cool things to do in Kuala Lumpur.

1. Visit Petronas Twin Towers

If you are wondering what to do in Kuala Lumpur, visiting the Petronas Twin Towers should be at the top of your list.

These glass and concrete twin towers are 88 floors high and held the title of the world’s highest buildings from 1998 to 2004. Cross the glass-bottom, double-decker Sky Bridge for a breathtaking view or relax on the Observation deck and experience the full impact of the city.

While the Petronas Twin Towers are mainly used to house corporate headquarters, tourists still have access and can experience the stunning views. Overlooking the entire city from the Petronas Twin Towers is a must-do when you visit Kuala Lumpur.

2. Explore Merdeka Square

When you visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia make sure to stop by and explore the historic Merdeka Square, the birthplace of Malayan independence. Here, you will find one of the tallest flagpoles in the world, beautiful Malay architecture and plenty of historical buildings and attractions to explore.

3. Visit the National Mosque of Malaysia

One of the main Kuala Lumpur points of interest is the National Mosque of Malaysia. The mosque is made up of the main prayer area and 48 surrounding domes. Here, you will find a mix of Malay and Korean culture, combined with religious elements of Islam.

While you can enter the mosque, you must be dressed appropriately and wait until the prayers are completed.

4. Explore Chinatown

Chinatown is one of the most interesting Kuala Lumpur attractions.

By day, Chinatown is a place to wander and enjoy the beautiful street art that decorates the various side streets, or experience the rich history of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the oldest temple in the city. By night, Chinatown is a lively night market that is a paradise for bargain hunters, with hundreds of stalls filled with Chinese herbs, delicious foods, and inexpensive shopping.

5. Enjoy the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park

The Sunway Lagoon theme park is one of the most popular things to see in Kuala Lumpur. The park is actually a combination of six different parks, including:

  • Amusement Park
  • Wildlife Park
  • Water Park
  • Extreme Park
  • Scream Park
  • Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon Park

The park is spread out over a massive 88 acres and offers something fun to do for the whole family. You can even plan a multi-day trip and stay at the nearby Sunway Hotel and Spa.

There Are Many Fun and Interesting Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur

By taking advantage of the many things to do in Kuala Lumpur, you’ll have a great experience and create memories that will last a lifetime

Don’t forget to bookmark our site and never miss a post.

Posted in News |

Hurt In a Florida Car Accident: Understanding Florida Car Accident Laws

Posted on April 1, 2020 by JJ Bona
Hurt In a Florida Car Accident: Understanding Florida Car Accident Laws

Hurt In a Florida Car Accident: Understanding Florida Car Accident Laws

Palm trees, beaches, and car accidents?

Florida may be the sunshine state, but it’s also home to some of the worst drivers in the nation. When you compare annual car accident statistics throughout every state, Florida ranks as the 4th most dangerous state to drive in. On top of being the 4th most dangerous state, Florida also has the highest rate of uninsured drivers.

If you’ve encountered one of Florida’s dangerous drivers, you’re probably wondering how Florida car accident laws work. Instead of trying to figure everything out on your own, let us help. We’ve created a guide, highlighting everything you need to know about Florida’s no-fault laws, accident reporting rules, and more.

Are you ready to step out of the darkness of confusion, and let us shed light on the truth? Read on to find out how to put car accident laws to work for you, in the state of Florida.

What to Do After a Florida Car Accident

Before we dive into the different Florida car accident laws, we want to make you aware of common mistakes car accident victims tend to make. No matter how big, or small your damages, and injuries are, you should always take the same steps following a crash.

Here’s a shortlist of what to do after being in a car accident:

  • Call the police
  • Photograph the accident scene
  • Wait for medical treatment
  • Report ALL injuries to your doctor
  • Go to a doctor with car accident injury experience
  • Use a car insurance for your medical treatment
  • Review the police report
  • Hire an experienced attorney

First, you should always call the police after being in a car crash. Next, get as many photographs of the scene as you possibly can. If you’ve already missed your chance to photograph the accident scene, there’s still hope. If your car isn’t totaled, get a picture of you sitting in your car in your driveway.

If you were driving, sit in the driver’s seat, if you were a passenger, sit in whatever passenger’s seat you were in. Make sure you put your body in the exact position it was when the crash took place. If you were looking out the window, turn your head to look out the window, if you were looking down, look down for the photo. Once you’re in position, have your friend open the door closest to you, and take a photo that includes your entire body position.

Now, when you hire a car accident attorney, they may be able to use the photo to prove the extent of your injuries. Even if the impact from the crash was minor, experienced counsel, like this car accident attorney, can use the photo, along with a biomechanical engineer, to prove how your injuries took place. For instance, having your body out of position, or head turned, could cause severe injuries, even for a tiny fender bender.

Florida Car Accident Laws

Florida is a no-fault car accident insurance State. What does this mean for you? After a car accident, you’ll probably wind up filing a claim under your insurance’s personal injury protection coverage. Even if you’re not at fault for the accident, Florida expects you to use your insurance to cover initial expenses.

The claim you file will help you get basic compensation for your medical bills and other expenses. If your injuries and expenses meet certain requirements, you can also file a claim directly against the at-fault driver. When you file a claim against the at-fault driver, you’ll have to make sure that you follow the Florida car accident statute of limitations.

Statute of Limitations Auto Accident Laws

A statute of limitations is a deadline you have for filing a lawsuit. If you miss the statutes of limitations, the Florida court system could throw out your case completely. The Florida statutes of limitations for filing a car accident lawsuit is 4 years. However, you should file your lawsuit as soon as possible to have the best chances of receiving the compensation you deserve.

Insurance Company Warnings

Avoid giving any recorded statements to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Remember, insurance companies don’t have your best interest in mind. Even your own insurance company will be working hard to gather evidence to reduce the amount of your payout. Instead, have insurance companies talk to your lawyer directly. If you don’t have a lawyer, only talk to your insurance company, and only give them facts, not opinions.

Pure Comparative Fault Rule

Did you play a role in causing the car accident? Even if you share some of the responsibility for the crash, that doesn’t mean you should give up on your lawsuit. The State of Florida follows the pure comparative fault rule. What’s that? The rule means that when both drivers share some of the blame for an accident, the jury will use special calculations to determine your payout.

The judge will ask the jury to make their calculations using the total amount of your damages, and a percentage system to assign fault. Keep in mind that damages refer to your medical bills, vehicle damage, any lost income, and pain and suffering.

How Payout Calculations Work

Let’s say that the court system finds you to be 10% at fault for the accident, and the total amount of your damages to be $100,000. Using Florida’s comparative fault rule, you’re entitled to 90%, or $90,000.

However, the good news is, the rule works in reverse as well. If you’re found to be 90% responsible for the accident, you can still claim 10% of the damages you’re owed. If the jury found your damages to be $100,000 you would receive $10,000, even if you were 90% responsible for causing the crash.

Protect Your Rights

Now you know more about how Florida car accident laws operate. Even though it’s a no-fault state, that doesn’t mean justice won’t prevail. If you or a loved one had a car accident, don’t wait to start taking action. Instead, file a lawsuit right away, and follow your attorney’s advice when it comes to dealing with your insurance company.

We understand how difficult it can be trying to get your life back on track after a crash. However, the good news is, we’re here to help! For more insightful articles, go ahead and check out the rest of this site.

Posted in News |

Self-Isolation Blu-ray Box Coming from Fourth Window Films

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Paul Bramhall

Self-Isolation | Blu-ray (Fourth Window Films)UK Distributor Fourth Window Films have announced the release of the Limited Edition Self-Isolation Blu-ray Box, containing 3 movies aimed at keeping the Asian cinephile who’s been required to self-isolate both sane and entertained. The full press release is below –

At Fourth Window Films we’re all about getting through this together, and to add our small contribution to the greater good, we’ll be releasing the Self-Isolation Blu-ray Box. The exclusive set contains 3 examples of contemporary Korean cinema with a theme of either self-isolation or surviving a pandemic. All 3 titles have been hand-curated by our in-house Asian cinema expert, and aim to put a fresh perspective on the new normal that we live in, while also entertaining by highlighting some of the best cinema in the world today.

The 3 titles are –

The Flu (2013) – Kim Seong-su’s disaster epic focuses on an aggressive mutated flu virus that kills its victims in 36 hours, and the unrest it causes on the streets of South Korea once it starts to quickly spread. With the virus able to be directly transferred from animals such as rats and birds, soon the whole country is plunged into chaos, with a government reluctant to call for a mass quarantine. All of this results in a nationwide lockdown under military control, as our protagonists desperately attempt to find a cure (and equally importantly – fall in love).

If you’re feeling anxious about the current situation, watch The Flu and be thankful events in reality could never come to such audacious measures.

Deranged (2012) – When bodies start to turn up in the Han River in various grotesque states, it’s revealed that the deaths are a result of a virus outbreak involving mutated parasitic worms, and it doesn’t take long before public panic sets in. It’s easy to understand why, as more and more bodies begin to be discovered in rivers across the country. Somehow this is all connected to a new drug created by a pharmaceutical company and stock manipulation, but how do these factors result in so many grizzly deaths involving water?

For those buying into the conspiracy theories around todays state of affairs, you’re bound to get a kick out of Deranged.

OldBoy (2003) – A classic of the Korean Wave, while Park Chan-wook’s masterpiece doesn’t involve a virus, it does serve as the perfect example of self-isolation on film. After a few too many drinks on a work night Choi Min-sik is kidnapped, and spends the next 15 years locked in a small room, with only a TV for company (and a diet consisting of dumplings!) Long before the smartphone era and Facebook, Min-sik spends his time in isolation shadow boxing, and planning his revenge on whoever it is that has him imprisoned. A plan which is put in motion as soon as he’s released.

If you think a few months is a long time to self-isolate, the 15 years that Min-sik spends alone in OldBoy are certainly enough to put things in perspective!

The Box Set will come in exclusive ‘clean surface’ packaging which is easy to wipe clean, and will be limited to 1000 pieces which are expected to last 6 months. The first 500 pressings will come with an exclusive bottle of hand sanitizer.

A final release date is still pending, but you can be sure we’ll keep you up to date once it’s announced. Until then, stay safe!

– Happy April Fools’ Day from Cityonfire.com!

Posted in News | Tagged |

How to File a Wrongful Death Claim in California

Posted on April 1, 2020 by JJ Bona
How to File a Wrongful Death Claim in California

How to File a Wrongful Death Claim in California

First of all, if you’re reading this and have lost someone dear to you, we offer our condolences. The pain and anger you’re experiencing must feel agonizing, but it will get better.

And if you feel someone’s negligence resulted in the death of your loved one, the pain and anger will grow and grow if you don’t do anything about it. So what options do you have to get justice or at least some semblance of it?

Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here to tell you how to file a wrongful death claim in California.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?

A wrongful death claim is a civil suit that you file against a party (be it an individual or group/organization) that you believe acted in a negligent manner, which led to the death of your loved one. Since these claims happen in civil court rather than criminal court, the guilty party will owe you monetary restitution as opposed to serving jail time or paying a fine to the government.

Wrongful death claims have no limit on the type of incident that occurred so long as you have significant cause to believe it was that incident (as a result of another party’s negligence) that led to tragedy.

What to Know Before You File the Claim

One important thing to keep in mind before you file the claim is knowing who has the legal right to file it in the first place. The deceased’s spouse/partner or children have the main priority, but immediate family members can file if neither a spouse/partner or child can file.

What’s more, if you relied on the deceased for financial support and can provide proof, you also have the right to file a claim in California. It’s also important to note that there is a time limit on how long you can wait before filing the claim. Once two years pass after the victim’s death, a wrongful death claim can no longer occur.

How Do The Damages Work?

If your claim wins in court, you will gain restitution for both the income lost due to the victim’s death and a sum to compensate for the emotional grief you and the other loved ones of the deceased endured. These earnings can also include covering the funeral and burial costs or paying off any hospital bills left by the deceased as a result of their fatal injury.

To file a wrongful death claim, speak to an experienced wrongful death attorney rather than claw through the process yourself. They will guide you through the filing and subsequent affairs and offer insight you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Time to Get Some Justice

So now that you know how to file a wrongful death claim, it’s time to get some justice for your loved one. Share this article with anyone you know undergoing a similar ordeal who needs the help.

Now get out there and make it happen! You can’t bring back the person you lost, but you can ensure the guilty pay for their death.

Posted in News |

How to Become a Filmmaker: The Only Guide You Need

Posted on April 1, 2020 by JJ Bona
How to Become a Filmmaker: The Only Guide You Need

How to Become a Filmmaker: The Only Guide You Need

In 2016, there were about 250,000 people working in the film industry.

If you want to join all of these people, one popular job is that of a filmmaker.

While it can be a really fun and entertaining job, it can be difficult to land a job without knowing a few essential tips first.

Are you trying to learn how to become a filmmaker? If yes, you should check out our guide here on the important things to understand.

Volunteer

One way to get your foot in the door is to always make sure you try and volunteer. It sucks doing free labor, but sometimes there isn’t any other way to do it.

While you won’t get paid with volunteering, you will get valuable knowledge, mentorship, and be able to do something you’re passionate about. It can also be a good way to make sure that you really do enjoy working in the filmmaking industry.

To start, you can find some people who are shooting and ask them if there is any way you can volunteer and help them out. If you’re not expecting to get paid, people may be more likely to let you help them.

You should also tell them that you’re interested in filmmaking; this may convince them to let you volunteer for them.

While you’re volunteering, you should learn all kinds of things and have all kinds of new opportunities. As time goes on and you get more experienced, you’ll be to the point where you’ll be turning gigs down and only taking the ones that pay.

To make it big, you need to start small and work your way up.

Enjoy the Small Victories

You should also make sure that you enjoy and relish the small victories while trying to make it in this career.

You can’t compare your journey to anyone else’s because everyone is different and has a different path.

Hopefully, you have a long journey in the career, but don’t beat yourself up too much if you encounter some obstacles along the way. It’s not always an easy journey, so you have to make sure you don’t get discouraged.

Take Classes

You should also make sure that you try and take some classes or enroll in a film school.

This can really help boost your resume and give you the credentials that some people are looking for.

In these classes, you’ll learn about the craft and be able to make connections with others that also share the same passion as you. You can normally find classes at a community college if there is no film school near you.

You can also check out music licensing for film makers.

Study

You should also make sure that you are studying enough, even if you’re not in a class or film school.

You’ve seen all kinds of films, but have you actually studied them? After you watch a film, make sure that you read as many interviews as you can about it. What kind of team worked on it? What were some of the special features? Read breakdowns on the entire process of your favorite movies.

You can also find plenty of books that talk about how filmmaking works. You can even read bout filmmakers as well, and you may pick up some handy tips you may have never known before.

While watching the film itself, you can break it down and try and figure out why they shot something a certain way. Why did they write that specific plot? What else could’ve been done differently?

Once you do that, you start thinking like a filmmaker.

Network

In the film world, it’s also very important to network as much as you can.

It’s really easy to put it into practice, but you need to make an effort to make a name for yourself. It’s a tight-knit community, but once you’re in, you’re in.

One thing that will help you with networking is to make sure that you pay it forward. If someone hooks you up or drops your name, then you should do the same thing for others when they’re trying to network as well.

Another great way to network is by finding yourself a mentor. To do this, you should find someone who is experienced in the type of filmmaking you’re interested in.

You should ask them if they have any tips or advice for you. if you seem to get along, you can also ask them if you can tag along and shadow them. You may also be able to make connections while you’re shadowing them.

Read

If you’re going into filmmaking, then you may be wondering why you would need to read anything.

Even if you’re extremely talented at filmmaking, you’ll only get so far. In a competitive business, you need to make sure that you’re the best of the best.

To do this, you’ll need to read everything about the trends of the business, developments, and who’s who.

You should also find any books you can about making film; you may learn something you never knew before.

Learn More About How to Become a Filmmaker

These are only a few things to know when figuring out how to become a filmmaker.

You can follow all of these tips, but you won’t get very far unless you have a true passion for this career. That is what will help carry you through any obstacles.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure you check out our website for more just like it!

Posted in News |

Well Go USA says ‘Better Days’ are coming on May 5th

Posted on March 31, 2020 by JJ Bona
Better Days | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Better Days | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

On May 5th, 2020, Well Go USA will be releasing the Blu-ray for Better Days, a crime/thriller directed by Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang (Lover’s Discourse) and starring Zhou Dongyu (Kung Fu Monster) and Jackson Yee (Pound of Flesh).

In this dramatic thriller, Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang paints a bleak picture of an oppressive society, in the guise of a gripping fairy-tale love story, exposing the dark world of bullying and societal pressures of achievement facing todays youth.

Nian finds her life at a standstill when faced by relentless bullying from her peers as she prepares for her college entrance exam. Fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei, but before they can retreat into a world of their own, both are dragged into the middle of a murder investigation that will change their lives forever.

Pre-order Better Days from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in News |

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death | Blu-ray (The Film Detective)

Posted on March 31, 2020 by JJ Bona
Fist of Feat, Touch of Death | Blu-ray (The Film Detective)

Fist of Feat, Touch of Death | Blu-ray (The Film Detective)

RELEASE DATE: May 15, 2020

If you’re one of those (Donnie, Mike, Shannon, China, etc) who think Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood was disrespectful to the legacy of Bruce Lee, then the following news is a must-have in your collection! (read our review for the 40th Anniversary Edition)

On May 15, 2020, The Film Detective, the company that released Black Dragon’s Revenge in 2017, has announced the Blu-ray for the 40th Anniversary Edition of 1980’s Fist of Fear, Touch of Death (aka The Dragon and the Cobra).

Read the details below (via CA):

A video staple since its Wizard Video VHS release in the early ‘80s, Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is now getting a surprise 4K restoration from The Film Detective, straight from its original camera negative!

The pseudo-documentary’s plotline ostensibly surrounds a martial arts tournament conceived to find the heir to Bruce Lee’s kung fu throne. Along the way several contemporaries, like Fred Williamson and Ron Van Clief, must traverse inquisitive fans and New York muggers to get to the event. Older footage of Lee is repurposed as events from his life, while narrator Adolph Caesar apparently has no idea that Japan and China are different cultures. Grandmaster Bill Louie dresses up like Kato and protects some female joggers from assault. Film from the Madison Square Garden competition is shown, including a match of World Kickboxing Champion Lou Neglia. Williamson condemns the whole idea of replacing Bruce – not that that stopped anyone.

Special Features:

  • 4K Restoration from the original 35mm camera negative
  • Interviews with producer Terry Levene, scriptwriter Ron Harvey, and actor Ron Van Clief (Black Dragon’s Revenge)
  • Liner notes by film historian Don Stradley
  • Limited pressing of 1,500 Blu-rays
  • Original Theatrical Trailer

Pre-order Fist of Fear, Touch of Death from Amazon.com today! 

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Martial Arts Titles, News |

Attrition | aka Final Mission (2018) Review

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Paul Bramhall
"Attrition" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Attrition” Korean Theatrical Poster

Directer: Mathieu Weschler
Cast: Steven Seagal, Fan Siu-Wong, Ting Sue, Vithaya Pansringarm, Yu Kang, Fan Mei-Sheng, Rudy Youngblood, James P. Bennett, Sergey Badyuk, Cha-Lee Yoon, Kat Ingkarat, Bayra Bela, Kang Yu
Running Time: 85 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The last time Steven Seagal undertook one of his passion projects we ended up with 1994’s On Deadly Ground, a bombastic environmental action thriller in which Seagal asks us “What does it take to change the essence of a man?” It would take until 2018 for another Seagal magnum opus to grace our screens, during which time we’ve only had to suffer through close to 40 horrendous DTV productions (ok, some of them were kind of fun), but its finally arrived in the form of Attrition. “I’ve written something…which kind of reminds me of a (Akira) Kurosawa movie” Seagal claimed during pre-production, and (according to an interview in the making-of featurette) is based on his “own personal experiences in one way or another.”

Attrition has had a bumpy journey to the screen. One of its producers was Bey Logan, the Hong Kong cinema expert who became embroiled in various allegations when the #metoo movement swept through Hong Kong in 2017, leading to him (according to Logan himself) volunteering to have his name removed off the production. Considering Seagal himself would have similar allegations levelled against him soon after, I’m not sure it was a move which had any benefit. Logan’s stamp is clearly on Attrition when you look a little closer – it’s directed by Mathieu Weschler, who’s last gig was helming the Logan produced The Borderland, Ross W. Clarkson is on camera duties, who directed the Logan produced Vixen the same year, and it co-stars Fan Siu-Wong, who’s friendship with Logan saw him choreograph the action in the fiasco that was ShadowGuard.

Things didn’t get any easier when it came to its actual release, with a bizarre announcement coming in September 2018 that Attrition would only be available to purchase through a new VOD platform called 365 flix. One of the platforms creators was Philippe Martinez, who produced Attrition alongside Logan and Seagal, and now in 2020 it seems to have disappeared without a trace. Echo Bridge Entertainment eventually picked it up and released it in August 2019, leading me to speculate that while Seagal was in the midst of the sexual misconduct allegations (no charges were pressed in the end), likely no distributor wanted to touch it, so the producers attempted to create their own platform to get it out there.

But enough of all that, what about the movie itself? Attrition opens the same way many a Seagal movie has opened in the past 10 years – he plays a Special Ops agent named Axe, decked out in his usual bandana (which I believe first appeared in Half Past Dead), orange sun glasses, and leading his ‘crew’ through a hostile environment. I swear, if someone told me Seagal was fooled into filming a Special Ops movie 10 years ago, only to find its scenes have been broken up and inserted into every movie he’s made since, well, I’d find that easier to buy into than Richard Harrison’s ninja movie woes. Things go wrong, they’re unable to save the female hostage they’d been sent to retrieve (who, in true Seagal movie form, is found gratuitously naked), and after spending 3 years up a mountain Seagal moves to Thailand to do his best impression of Wong Fei Hung and open up his own Po Chi Lam.

At least, it’s clearly Thailand onscreen, although everyone there either speaks Mandarin or English, so perhaps its filmed in the same universe as Triple Threat. For those who found Seagal’s Buddhist themed musings in The Glimmer Man to be heavy handed (and there he at least had Keenen Ivory Wayans to counter-balance), Attrition takes it to the next level. Seagal also penned the script, and if you were to take his 7-minute closing speech from On Deadly Ground, change saving the environment to Buddhist philosophy, and stretch it out over 85 minutes, that may give you some idea of what to expect. Frequently accompanied by slow motion rain, one such sampling of the many nuggets of wisdom Seagal bestows upon us has him explain that “The mind is infinite, but the body is finite.” Indeed, and so is Attrition’s runtime, clocking in at just 85 minutes, which for the most part works to its benefit.

The plot of Attrition was heavily publicised, involving a kidnapped girl with mystical powers that forces Seagal to temporarily put his peaceful ways on hold, and get the old crew back together for a rescue mission. Onscreen though, the girl in question (played by Thai-American actress Ting Sue) shows precisely zero of these so-called mystical powers. Apart from appearing like a floating apparition in Seagal’s dreams (in which she dispenses lines like “Axe, your destiny awaits you”, and sometimes appears topless) and characters mentioning she has mystical powers, it almost feels like needing to show what they are is a part of the script Seagal forgot about. Oh well.

When Seagal isn’t blathering about in his clinic like some kind of God incarnate able to heal anyone he lays a hand on, we do actually get some action. Attrition comes with the best action pedigree of any Seagal movie since Ching Siu-Tung directed him in 2003’s Belly of the Beast. Under the guidance of the German based foursome that make up Reel Deal Action Design, the style of action is more focused on kung-fu (specifically Wing Chun) than it is Seagal’s usual Aikido. Can Aydin, who can be seen in the Jackie Chan vehicles Kung Fu Yoga and Vanguard is on action director duties, with Phong Giang (One Million K(l)icks) handling fight choreography (and also stunt doubling for Seagal), and Tanay Genco Ulgen (Ultimate Justice) on action design. It’s Cha-Lee Yoon (The Girl in the Spider’s Web) who keeps the busiest, pulling triple duty as stunt coordinator, Fan Siu Wong’s double, and playing a character in front of the camera.

The crew’s skills are complemented by a cast that includes the aforementioned Fan Siu-Wong, and Yu Kang shows up as the main villain. Yes, the same Yu Kang who’s featured in almost every Donnie Yen movie for the past 15 years, and most recently threw down against him in the finale of Big Brother. Perhaps the most unexpected aspect of Attrition though, is that it reunites Fan Siu-Wong with his legendary father, Fan Mei-Sheng. The pair haven’t appeared together in a movie since Siu-Wong’s headline debut in 1992’s Story of Ricky, so seeing them share the screen together again is a nice bonus for fans of Hong Kong cinema, even if it is in the clumsy context of Siu-Wong being Seagal’s ‘martial brother’, and Mai-Sheng their master.

I sense that Weschler himself is somewhat of a Hong Kong cinema fan, as the cinematography throws in some subtle nods here and there, none more so than a shot-for-shot recreation of Yuen Qiu’s introduction in Kung Fu Hustle. Despite his relative inexperience, Weschler shows a keen eye for visuals, highlighted in one particular scene where we see someone’s hand go through a meat grinder in reverse. There’re some nice touches in other aspects of Attrition as well, like when it’s revealed that the filling for Yu Kang’s punching bag is one of his (barely alive) victims, and the fact that proceedings end with Seagal taking the stage to belt out a blues number over the credits while the cast dance along. One of those is being sarcastic.

For the finale Seagal gets his old crew back together, complete with onscreen names (Infidel, Yinying, Scarecrow, and Hollywood!). Embarrassingly, one of them is played by Rudy Youngblood, the breakthrough star of Apocalypto. Remember him? I guess no one else does either. The rest are rounded out by Kat Ingkarat (Troy: The Odyssey), James P. Bennett (Black Water), and Sergey Badyuk (because Seagal has Russian citizenship now, so hey, you have to have a Russian in there somewhere!). Despite the effort to reunite them, they’re given surprisingly little to do, with the finale mostly dedicated to Seagal and Siu-Wong doing their thing. Seagal faces off against Yu Kang with a sword, while Siu-Wong goes toe-to-toe with Lee Yoon (yes, his own stunt double) in a fight that pits axes versus Wing Chun knives. Expect chain punches aplenty, terrible CGI blood, and doubling you could spot from a mile away for Mr. Seagal.

Attrition ends (well, before Seagal straps on his electric guitar) with an On Deadly Ground style coda, as Seagal narrates his woes of how traditional martial arts values are being eroded away, and how we all have to find inner-peace. Indeed. In interviews Seagal states that Attrition is the first time he’s been so heavily invested in a production for years, however when the bar you’ve set for yourself is already as low as it can go, it was never going to be difficult to create a moderately entertaining 85 minutes. It may be meant as Seagal’s love letter to kung-fu, but it’s equally his love letter to himself. If you can digest his constant musings and self-love, Attrition is a fun little action flick, it just seems to think its something a whole lot more.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in All, Asian Related, News, Reviews | Tagged , , , |
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