Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Review

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Kelly Warner
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" International Poster

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” International Poster

AKA: Star Wars: Episode VIII
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro, Veronica Ngo, Justin Theroux, Togo Igawa, Amanda Lawrence
Running Time: 152 min. 

By Kyle Warner

Right, so before we get started: I am going to talk about the new Star Wars movie. If you want to go into the film knowing as little as possible, not only should you not be reading my review but you shouldn’t read anybody’s reviews of the film. The trailers have done an admirable job of keeping secrets safe (secrets like “what’s the movie about?”), but I’m not on the marketing team and I am going to tell you more about the film. I will stay away from what I consider to be spoilers but you will learn more about the movie here than you did in the trailers and magazine previews. With that said, let’s begin.

Picking up right where The Force Awakens left off, Star Wars: The Last Jedi finds our Resistance heroes on the run from the First Order after the decimation of the Republic government planets. With the Republic no more, it’s a fight between Supreme Leader Snoke’s First Order and Leia Organa’s Resistance to decide who will control the galaxy. It is not an even fight. Not only does the First Order have more ships and more soldiers, but they have something of a new age Sith Lord in Snoke (Andy Serkis) and his apprentice, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Rey, the Force-sensitive hero from nowhere, is off trying to convince Luke Skywalker to return to the fight. Until Rey’s return, Leia’s list of capable allies is a short one.

After ace Resistance pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) leads a successful but costly attack on a First Order dreadnought (an attack made possible by City on Fire favorite Veronica Ngo in a small but memorable role), the few remaining Resistance fighters jet off into lightspeed. But somehow, the First Order has tracked them, and their dreadnought has already been replaced by an even larger ship. Now, running out of fuel, fighters, and hope, the Resistance flies through dark space with their enemy close behind. All the First Order need do to crush their foe is remain patient and allow the Resistance ships to run out of fuel and drift powerlessly into firing range.

Elsewhere, on a secret island that was apparently one of the oldest Jedi temples, Rey (Daisy Ridley) attempts to convince Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to train her in the ways of the Force and to return to his sister Leia’s side. But this is not the Luke Skywalker we remember. There is no hint of the wide-eyed farmboy here, nor is there any sign of the enlightened warrior we last saw in 1983’s Return of the Jedi. Luke is haunted, world-weary, self-loathing. He’s not on the island to become a better Jedi; he’s a sad dog that’s wandered into an unfindable place to die. In his vanity, he thinks that his passing will achieve the ending of the Jedi, something he now firmly believes to be a necessary turn of events. But this nobody girl interests Luke. She’s strong with the Force but she’s naïve about just what the Force is, so he decides that three simple lessons about the Force couldn’t hurt. In teaching her, he begins to understand just how powerful she is, and it troubles him. “I’ve seen this raw power only once before… It didn’t scare me enough then. It does now.” Luke Skywalker begins to fear Rey, thinking that her relentless pursuit of answers (Who are her parents? Why did Ben Solo turn to the Dark Side and become Kylo Ren?) will lead her down a dark path similar to his previous failed student, Kylo Ren.

The biggest thing I took away from The Last Jedi after my first viewing is how surprising and unpredictable the film was. It puts a couple opposing characters in a room and the moviegoer thinks this scene can go one of two ways. And then it goes a third way. That happens all throughout the film. Star Wars has rarely felt more daring and bold than in The Last Jedi.

And on that note: The Last Jedi is probably the strangest Star Wars film there is. (We forget that once upon a time theatregoers didn’t know what the heck a Jedi or a lightsaber was, so in the grand scheme of things A New Hope is a pretty wild movie. But we’re used to its ideas today.) The Last Jedi not only gives us weird alien creatures galore (there is a Zoidberg/walrus-looking thing that stares you in the eye as you milk it for its drinkable green alien milk), but it does things with its characters, both old and new, that we never could’ve seen coming. Already we are seeing that some fans are unwilling to accept these unexpected new directions and strange new visions. (To be fair, there is one move that the story takes that, as a fan, I also take some issue with. We’ll see if that changes upon repeat viewings. This is the one Star Wars film I not only want to see again, I feel I need to see it again in order to fully digest it.)

It’s a touchy thing, adapting something that’s lived so long in the pop culture subconscious. You run the risk of upsetting fans that’ve loved these characters for so long that they feel they know their stories better than the storytellers do. And I don’t mean to belittle a fan’s rights to a character—at some point, for better or worse, the art no longer belongs to the artist, which is something that George Lucas was never able to accept.  Writer/director Rian Johnson (Looper) does his best to keep Star Wars true to its roots while also telling an intensely original Star Wars story in a very particular personal voice. Look at the RottenTomatoes critic score (currently 93%) and the audience score (currently 57%) and you get a little idea of how that ‘original’ and ‘personal’ Star Wars story is going over with some fans. It’s odd when you consider that the primary complaint about The Force Awakens was that it stuck too close to the blueprint of A New Hope and the complaint about The Last Jedi is that it feels too different.

I don’t mean to suggest that The Last Jedi is faultless because it certainly is not. It slips into The Fifth Element territory at one point when Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (newcomer Kelly Marie Tran) go to a high roller casino. Tracking tech is vague and is used as a primary plot point more than once, all in the service of making characters show up where and when the story needs them. Some complaints about The Force Awakens, like the refusal to flesh out certain character backstories, continue into The Last Jedi. And I still think Domnhall Gleeson is woefully miscast as General Hux.

The rest of the cast is excellent. Daisy Ridley continues to impress in the lead role of Rey. Adam Driver’s great performance makes Kylo Ren into an unexpectedly sympathetic villain. Kelly Marie Tran makes an instant impression on the audience as an engineer for whom the fight has suddenly become personal. You can’t take your eyes off Carrie Fisher, who passed away last December, as she gives the headstrong Leia a great farewell performance. And Mark Hamill gives what may be the performance of his career (in live-action, anyway) as the old Luke Skywalker. To say much more about the rest of the cast (which includes series newcomers like Laura Dern and Benicio Del Toro) would step into spoiler territory, I’m afraid. Suffice to say, they’re all pretty dang good.

I have a few complaints, sure, but in general I kind of loved this movie. It’s full of thrills, drama, heartache, humor, and twists. It’s an interesting film thematically as well, with prime themes being keeping hope alive and teaching the next generation of heroes to carry the flame. It is visually fantastic. There is a scene in which our characters are brought before Supreme Leader Snoke in his throne room. It’s like a shot out of Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress (a well-known Star Wars influence), where Toshiro Mifune is brought before the general played by Susumu Fujita, with a clan flag set up behind him and flanked on all sides by loyal samurai. Here, the shot is in color and the flag is red, Snoke sits there in a golden kimono, and is flanked on all sides by heavily armored samurai-looking dudes in bright red. It is a beautiful set piece. A later battle scene takes place on a planet that has white salt atop red clay, so explosions and footprints leave crimson spots on the ground. Absolutely gorgeous. Also, there are the Porgs, which are cute and awesome and we must begin work to engineer them using chicken and pug DNA so that we may finally have world peace.

I love The Force Awakens but it can be accused of going on autopilot from time to time. I imagine you could complain about a lot of things in The Last Jedi, but definitely not that. The Last Jedi is so full of ideas, wit, and wonder. Some of those ideas won’t land for everyone, but if you ask me that’s how you know the movie was taking risks. The story is always one step ahead of the audience, the visuals dazzle, and the action is thrilling. It may not be the best Star Wars film – and after one viewing, I’m not sure where I rank it – but more than any Star Wars film, it left me thinking that anything was possible for future installments in the universe. It made Star Wars feel fresh and daring. How many film franchises that have been around for 40 years can say the same?

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 8/10

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

‘Blade of the Immortal’ proves Asian-inspired cinema is still critically successful

Posted on December 16, 2017 by JJ Bona
Blade of the Immortal | Blu-ray & DVD (Magnet Releasing)

Blade of the Immortal | Blu-ray & DVD (Magnet Releasing)

If you look at this brutal dissection of the flop film Ghost in the Shell starring Scarlett Johansson, you can see that there were inherent problems with the thinking behind the movie. The movie managed to offend vast swathes of Asian cinema fans with its decision to whitewash the character list, and hinted, rather alarmingly, at the era of Asian-inspired films being popular coming to an end. Sure, the movie still made an estimated $167million at the worldwide box office, but it was critically ripped apart and the whole notion of reworking Japanese films seemed, for a while at least, to be a finished notion.

While this might all sound like a big lament at the state of cinema, what it has done is hopefully pull the rug to an extent from under the big movie-producing companies, instead allowing movies like Blade of the Immortal to shine through instead.

A Critical Success

With no huge box office hopes and no massive big blockbuster budget to spend on thrills that detract from the plot, this is a movie that has really concentrated on getting the plot and acting exactly right. This focus has had the desired effect and more, as this review shows, echoing the majority of positive critical reception. Despite only grossing around $7million at the box office, this movie helped to showcase the positive aspects of Japanese films, and gave a different twist on the world of samurai culture that movies like The Last Samurai and other big box office movies couldn’t quite achieve due to their need to sacrifice certain elements in order to please a wider audience.

As Samurai culture is still seen as having a mystical, even a mythical, status, creating serious intrigue for anybody interested in it, the ability of a movie to depict this world in a new and interesting way should always be welcomed. Indeed, the strength of this interest in Samurai culture clearly goes beyond just being a fad for the box office; it has almost fully permeated throughout the western world.

A Sub-culture of Interest or Hiding in Plain Sight?

Of course, many elements of Samurai culture are hidden in plain sight in Western culture, with one example being the Magnificent Seven movie and the way it is essentially a westernized retelling of Seven Samurai, but the interest in the culture has also played out in less obvious ways. It has resulted in Samurai-inspired videoslots that take inspiration from Japanese cultural icons and architecture to appeal to players, such as Samurai Split, while the Total War game series, which actually had two Shogun versions of the game, earned favorable reviews by not overplaying the westernized and less authentic version of Japanese culture.

On that same thread of authenticity, perhaps the most important lesson to take from the positive reviews of Blade of the Immortal is that the movie succeeds because it doesn’t try to please everyone and is true to its cinematic audience and therefore doesn’t allow itself to be diluted in a way that so many big box office hits can be. In this regard, if we are seeing a shift back to the days when Japanese films were cult hits, much like the original Ghost in the Shell movie, we might once again start seeing the best of Japanese and Asian-inspired cinema on our screens.

Posted in News |

Thunderbolt Fist, The (1972) Review

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"The Thunderbolt Fist" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Thunderbolt Fist” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Chang Il-ho
Producer: Runme Shaw
Cast: Chuen Yuen, Shih Szu, James Nam, Fang Mien, Tung Lam, Lee Ka Ting, Wong Chin Feng, Yukio Someno, Gam Kei Chu, Chan Feng Chen, Cheung Hei
Running Time: 86 min.

By Paul Bramhall

In the history of kung fu cinema, 1972 was one of the most significant years. The Shaw Brothers studio had imported several experienced directors and martial artists from Korea, and in this particular year it proved to be a move that paid dividends, when Chung Chang-wha directed a little movie called King Boxer. Not only was it a runaway box office success locally in Hong Kong, but it would also become forever remembered as the movie that introduced western audiences to the world of kung fu (under the title Five Fingers of Death). Sensing that Chang-wha had formulated a recipe for success, understandably fellow Korean director Chang Il-ho was subsequently tasked with replicating it, and the end result came in the form of The Thunderbolt Fist.

Unlike Chang-wha, who by the time he made King Boxer had already been working at the Shaw Brothers studio for 3 years (during which time he churned out 6 movies), for Il-ho The Thunderbolt Fist was his debut for the studio. It was far from being his debut as a director though, with a filmography that already came close to almost 50 titles made in his native Korea since the early 60’s. Being tasked with imitating the success of another movie is arguably not the best way to start your career at a studio though, and perhaps as a result of this Il-ho would only make two other movies for the Shaw Brothers – The Deadly Knives which was made the same year, and Devil Bride from 1975.

The Thunderbolt Fist gives half Dutch half Taiwanese actor Chuen Yuen his first lead role at the studio. A popular actor in Taiwan, Yuen moved to Hong Kong and took a contract at the Shaw Brothers in 1968. After various roles playing an extra or supporting part (he can be spotted in the likes of Chang Cheh’s Vengeance! and The Duel), it was The Thunderbolt Fist that gave him headliner status. Here he’s teamed with Shaw Brothers starlet Shih Szu, who was heavily marketed by the studio as the next Cheng Pei-Pei, for a tale which (much like King Boxer) has the Chinese rise up to take on the oppressive Japanese forces, led by Korean actor James Nam (aka Nam Seok-hun). Like several of the actors who appear in The Thunderbolt Fist, Nam also has a role in Chang-wha’s earlier production.

So enough of tip toeing around it, let’s be clear from the start that The Thunderbolt Fist is completely derivative of King Boxer. The structure even follows the plot beats with remarkable familiarity. The hero tries to take on the Japanese, hero fails and ends up with one of his limbs partially crippled, hero trains to overcome his disability, hero takes on the evil Japanese and comes out victorious. In fairness, there are plenty of other movies out there that could also have that same plot description applied, however considering the timing and structure of The Thunderbolt Fist, I’d be willing to bet none do it quite so flagrantly as we see here.

With that being said, The Thunderbolt Fist shouldn’t be written off as just a second rate imitation of King Boxer. Despite the similarities, it’s also noticeable that Il-ho is trying to at least put as much of his own stamp on proceedings as the story will allow. By 1972 Chang Cheh has already developed a reputation for his excessive use of bloodshed, usually leaving the screen coated in liberal doses of the red stuff, but here Il-ho gives Cheh a solid run for his money. Stabbings, decapitations, and more projectile blood spitting than you can shake a stick are liberally sprinkled throughout, with the ground and walls of any given action scene usually caked in blood splatter by the end of any given scuffle.

What is immediately noticeable though is that Yuen isn’t a trained martial artist, or, as it would sometimes seem, much of a trained actor. To be fair, he’s not to blame for one major issue. We spend some time with the child versions of Yuen and Nam (played by kung fu cinema legends Austin Wai and Stephen Tung Wai respectively, here both making their screen debuts), and they look no older than 12 years old. When it skips 10 years forward and Yuen steps into the role, the fact that he should be no older than 22 just doesn’t match his appearance, which looks significantly older. The discrepancy between age and appearance also results in some cringe worthy moments. In one scene Yuen is resting in a field, recalling his time with a childhood sweetheart, shown in flashback. When it cuts back, he does a deep sigh while looking wistfully at the camera. I promise it’ll make you temporarily look away in embarrassment.

It’s the kind of scene that someone like David Chiang could have pulled off perfectly, but with Yuen it just comes across as slightly awkward. The same also applies to the choreography. While both Szu and Nam look sharp, with Nam in particular outshining everyone whenever he springs into action, Yuen only comes across as average in comparison. He visibly lacks that same sharpness, which is no more evident than when, in the middle of a group melee, he lands in a chair and performs an over the shoulder kick, with no one being there to receive it. The action itself is choreographed by Leung Siu-Chung (the father of Bruce Leung, who can be seen as an extra if you look closely), who never really found himself in that top tier of fight choreographers like his contemporaries Lau Kar Leung and Tong Gaai. Leung does deserve credit though for incorporating the likes of judo and karate into the choreography, but there’s no doubt that the action on display falls into the basher category.

What can’t be denied is that for fans of the genre, The Thunderbolt Fist offers a wealth of early glimpses at those who would become legends within a decade of its release. Apart from those already mentioned, it’s also possible to see the likes of Lam Ching Ying, Tony Leung Siu-Hung, Corey Yuen Kwai, and Alexander Fu Sheng in small parts. Throw in the likes of Kim Ki-ju, aka the guy who seems to appear in every Korean kung fu movie ever made (and of course, King Boxer), and there are plenty of familiar faces to keep the kung-fu cinema fan happy. Where The Thunderbolt Fist gets really interesting though, is in its application of what the title suggests, or rather, lack of.

Just as Il-ho’s effort is heavily influenced by King Boxer, so King Boxer was heavily influenced by Jimmy Wang Yu’s directorial debut The Chinese Boxer, from 1970. The Thunderbolt Fist in many ways is a kind of unintentional hybrid of the pair, with the aesthetics borrowing heavily from Chang-wha’s influential classic, while the element of Yuen’s arm being rendered crippled coming straight from Wang Yu’s earlier movie. However it’s due to this very point that The Thunderbolt Fist seems to lose its way in terms of narrative logic. With one arm rendered useless, Yuen trains his fist extensively from a secret manual explaining (guess what), the Thunderbolt Fist. However after an initial confrontation with Nam and his cronies, the villains are left to reflect on how deadly Yuen’s kicks are. If there was ever a “Huh?” moment in a movie, then this ranks as one of them.

At first I figured something had perhaps got lost in translation, but the more I thought about it, the more it became apparent to simply be a lack of coherency on the part of the filmmakers. We spend time watching Yuen train his fist, however in the last reel all the attention is diverted to his feet. I mean, if he had a powerful kick, why did we have to wait for him to become cripple before he kicked some Japanese posterior!? It doesn’t make sense, and coherency is thrown more and more out of the window as we head towards the finale. Nam sends a crony to injure Yuen’s leg before their penultimate battle in an outdoor ring (think the finale of Ip Man, it’s identical), however despite the crony being successful in his mission, during the match itself it doesn’t factor in whatsoever.

Despite this, such incoherency can be somewhat forgiven for delivering a finale that lays on both the creativity, and the bloodshed, in equally heavy doses. When Yuen is confronted by a group of Japanese attackers, it’s revealed they have concealed blades in their shoes, in a clear nod to the work Tong Gaai was doing with Chang Cheh at the time. Plus it’s not a spoiler to say that Yuen’s finishing move against Nam is worth the price of admission alone, providing one of those rare spit your coffee/beer/whatever it is you’re drinking out moments. As derivative as it may be, The Thunderbolt Fist does its best to compensate with ample bloodshed and over the top violence, and while it’s true to say they’re appealing to the lowest common denominator, sometimes that’s exactly what we need.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6/10

Posted in All, Chinese, News, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , |

Old Stone | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Posted on December 13, 2017 by JJ Bona
Old Stone | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

Old Stone | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: January 30, 2018

On January 30, 2018, Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber will be releasing the Blu-ray for Johnny Ma’s Old Stone, a critically acclaimed social-realist drama that slowly turns into blood-drenched noir.

Old Stone follows the repercussions of a car accident in a society where life is cheap and compassion is ruinously expensive. When a drunken passenger causes Lao Shi (Chen Gang) to swerve and hit a motorcyclist, the driver stops to help the injured man. When no police or ambulance arrive he drives the victim to the hospital, checks him in and finds himself liable for the man s medical bills. The repercussions of Shi s selfless act expose a society rife with bone-chilling callousness and bureaucratic indifference.

Pre-order Old Stone from Amazon.com today! 

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

Well Go USA goes in for the kill with a ‘Memoir of a Murderer’

Posted on December 12, 2017 by JJ Bona
"Memoir of A Murderer" Theatrical Poster

“Memoir of A Murderer” Theatrical Poster

Well Go USA continues to kill the competition with their upcoming release of the highly-anticipated thriller, Memoir of a Murderer (not to be confused with Bong Jun-Ho’s similarly titled Memories of Murder) from director Won Shin-Yeon (The Suspect).

Byeong-soo, a retired serial killer, lives a quiet life with his daughter Eun-hee, who has cared for him ever since his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. When Eun-hee brings home her new boyfriend Tae-joo, Byeong-soo realizes Tae-joo is also a serial killer. To save his daughter, Byeong-sop must fight Tae-joo as well as his own mind.

Memoir of a Murderer (read our review) stars Sol Kyung-Gu (Public Enemy), Kim Nam-Gil (The Pirates), Seol Hyun (Gangnam Blues) and Oh Dal-Su (Tunnel).

Memoir of a Murderer is currently available exclusively on digital. Don’t miss it!

Posted in News |

Kill Order | DVD (Image Entertainment)

Posted on December 12, 2017 by JJ Bona
"Kill Order" Promotional Poster

“Kill Order” Promotional Poster

RELEASE DATE: February 6, 2018

The perfect weapon. The ultimate target. That’s the tagline for Kill Order (aka Meza), an upcoming martial arts actioner that marks the directorial debut of veteran stunt coordinator James Mark (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World). The film hits DVD on February 6, 2018.

In Kill Order (read our review), chaos erupts when a group of armed men break into a high school classroom. They target David (Chris Mark), a quiet kid who secretly suffers from unexplained memories of a horrifying past. Tapping into a previously unknown strength, David fights off his attackers and goes on the run. With his life and the lives of his loved ones in jeopardy, David must master the use of his new superhuman strength and fighting skills to find the people responsible and get his revenge.

Kill Order also stars Chris Mark, Denis Akiyama, Melee Hutton, Jessica Clement, Jason Gosbee, Reuben Langdon and Alain Moussi (Kickboxer: Vengeance).

Pre-order Kill Order from Amazon.com today!

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

Single Rider, A (2016) Review

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"A Single Rider" Korean Theatrical Poster

“A Single Rider” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Zoo-young
Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Gong Hyo-jin, Ahn So-hee, Jack Campbell, Yang Yoo-jin, Annika Whiteley, Kei Ekland, Baek Soo-jang, Choi Joon-young
Running Time: 97 min.

By Paul Bramhall

If there was ever an example of an under the radar movie, then you’d be hard pressed to come across a better one than A Single Rider. Headlined by Korea’s most well-known actor, Lee Byung-hun, the low key production was his fifth movie in 2016. From headlining the Korean blockbuster Master, to roles in the Hollywood flicks Misconduct and The Magnificent Seven, to a cameo in Kim Ji-woon’s The Age of Shadows. Perhaps understandably, A Single Rider was largely overlooked (despite it being Warners Brothers 2nd foray into Korean cinema, the first being Age of Shadows) . The same goes for his co-star Gong Hyo-jin, who received considerable praise as a mysterious Chinese babysitter in Missing, also released in the same year. As a result, the debut of writer and director Lee Zoo-young seemed to come and go as quietly as the movie itself.

For the curious, the question of how a debut director managed to secure such established names for their first feature is one that comes with rewarding answers. It’s been over a decade since Byung-hun headed a straight up drama, with the last time being Once in a Summer in 2006. His star has grown considerably in the subsequent years, from his collaborations with Kim Ji-woon (The Good, The Bad, The Weird, I Saw the Devil), to his forays into Hollywood (RED 2, Terminator: Genisys), to his recent roles in Korean period pieces (Masquerade, Memories of the Sword). Similarly, Gong Hyo-jin is one of those actresses who’s been in more movies than memory initially suggests. From early appearances in the likes of Guns and Talks and Volcano High, to roles in Lee Myung-se’s M and Ryoo Seung-wan’s Dachimawa Lee.

In A Single Rider Byung-hun plays a successful fund manager whose wife and son are living in Sydney, Australia. They’ve been there for the past 2 years, and are due to return to Korea soon, having originally left on Byung-hun’s insistence that their son should learn English there. However when the company he works for declares bankruptcy, combined with news from his wife that they want to delay their return home, he suddenly finds his world crashing down around him. After spending a night alone with a bottle of whisky in front of his computer, he makes the brash decision to book a flight to Australia. With nothing left to lose, he heads down under with nothing more than the clothes on his back, his passport, and his wife’s address scrawled on his hand.

Sure enough, Byung-hun locates the address in question, set in the leafy suburbia of Bondi Beach, however before he can knock on the door, he overhears the sounds of his wife’s voice and a male companion. Choosing to sneak around the back of the house, he observes his wife, played by Hyo-jin, giggling and acting affectionately with an Australian man, played by popular Australian TV actor Jack Campbell. Rather than confront them, he backs away in silent shock, and it’s this decision which really defines the movie that A Single Rider becomes. Developing into what can almost be described as an otherworldly hybrid of Alexander Payne’s The Descendants and Kim Ki-duk’s 3-Iron, Byung-hun spends all of his time in Sydney watching Hyo-jin and Campbell from a distance, as he attempts to establish if she’s really having an affair.

As a result, despite characters often making inconsequential chatter in the background, there are significant stretches of A Single Rider with no dialogue, instead relying on Byung-hun’s ability to convey a range of emotions with just his expressions, and a hauntingly minimalistic piano score. Bereft of the expected cathartic confrontation between husband and wife, instead Byung-hun’s fears and regrets slowly come to the surface through his interactions with a variety of other characters. He befriends a young female backpacker also from Korea, is viewed suspiciously by an elderly neighbour of his wife, and even interacts with members of Campbell’s family. Indeed the closest relationships he establishes are with the Korean backpacker, played by Ahn So-hee (the high school student in Train to Busan) and Hyo-jin’s dog, which decides to follow him around.

Byung-hun reluctantly ends up agreeing to help So-hee after she’s duped out of almost $20,000 by a trio of shady Korean youths, who offer to exchange her currency to Korean Won for a more favourable exchange rate than the banks. After initially observing her from a restaurant window driving off with the trio, when she suddenly reappears visibly dazed and unable to walk straight, he assists her to get back to the hostel she’s staying in, and eventually the pair attempt to track down those responsible for stealing her money. Notably this part of the story is inspired by the real life case of another Korean backpacker, who was murdered in Brisbane in 2013 following a similar scenario. Despite their differences, Byung-hun and So-hee form a bond through their shared feelings of being lost in a foreign land, and their dire circumstances.

For a first time director, Zoo-young shows a remarkable grasp of pacing and tone. Sydney is filmed lavishly, capturing the beauty of iconic landmarks like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, however at the same time she imbues it with a sense of isolation and loneliness. The more Byung-hun comes to realise how integrated Hyo-jin and their son are to the overseas life he’s responsible for sending them too, the more he seems incapable of bringing himself to interact with her. In brief flashback scenes to their life together in Korea, we see Hyo-jin lose interest in her passions such as music, weighed down by the expectations of being a wife to a high flying fund manager. However in Sydney she’s been free to rediscover everything that she’d given up on. This is really what A Single Rider is about – the power of regret, and how we only have a limited time to do something about it.

The question of whether that distance can be bridged is one that keeps A Single Rider so engaging, even during its quietest moments, and the singular focus on viewing everything from Byung-hun’s perspective allows the narrative to flow in unexpected directions. Indeed we never really know if his decision to help So-hee is out of genuine intent, or if it’s more of a diversion to make himself feel better for the years he put his career ahead of everything else, including his own family. That same focus also allows for some of A Single Rider’s weaker moments to be forgiven. While the main characters are all well written and developed, those that lack any significant amount of screentime don’t fare so well.

The trio of Koreans that dupe So-hee out of her money seem only to be interested in what visa they can get to stay in Australia, and a scene in which the police take Hyo-jin’s concern that her dog has gone missing as a valid reason for investigation is mildly laughable. However these are minor grievances, and Byun-hun’s performance anchors A Single Rider so whole heartedly that it’s difficult to imagine its existence without him. While Zoo-young has used the flavour of the month depicting the corruption of those in power, this setup is quickly established to simply be a framework, one which unfolds into a tale that’s much more personal and smaller scale than recent blockbusters covering the same.

With an unusually lean runtime for a Korean movie of 95 mins, perhaps expectedly Byung-hun’s visit to find his wife and son comes with a twist. There’s no doubt that some hardened viewers of this genre will likely see it coming, however even for those that don’t (myself included), it’s delivered in such a beautifully poignant and melancholic way that it delivers the expected emotional punch. More than 10 years ago A Bittersweet Life ended with Byung-hun staring at his reflection in a window, A Single Rider contains a similar scene, one which encapsulates the essence of that movies title in a profoundly moving way. For those looking for something a little different from Korean cinema, then A Single Rider comes strongly recommended.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 8.5/10

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

Won Jin orchestrates sibling rivalry with ‘Brothers in Heaven’

Posted on December 8, 2017 by JJ Bona
"Brothers in Heaven" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Brothers in Heaven” Korean Theatrical Poster

Won Jin, the legendary Sonny the Scorpion from the 1992 classic Operation Scorpio (read our interview here), has confirmed he’s recently completed action directing duties for the upcoming Korean crime thriller Brothers in Heaven. Jin has been applying his action directing skills in China as of late, so this marks the first time for him to return to his native Korea since choreographing the action in 2013’s The Suspect, in which he also has a small but memorable role.

Brothers in Heaven is the sophomore feature from director Park Hee-joon (Mandate), and stars K-drama actor Jung Hoo in his movie debut, and Jo Han-sun (A Better Tomorrow) as twin brothers that were separated at birth, and grow up on opposite sides of the law. When fate brings them together 20 years later, as expected, a healthy dose of gritty violence ensues.

Brothers in Heaven will also feature Hong Kong actor Simon Yam, in his third Korean movie after turns in The Thieves and Cold Eyes. Hitting domestic screens in January, we’ll keep you in the loop of the latest news. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:

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Deal on Fire! Rise of the Legend | Blu-ray | Only $9.90 – Expires soon!

Posted on December 8, 2017 by JJ Bona
Rise of the Legend | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Rise of the Legend | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Today’s Deal on Fire is  the Blu-ray for Rise of the Legend (read our review), a martial arts epic directed by Roy Chow (Nightfall).

Rise of the Legend features an all-star cast that includes Sammo Hung (Seven Warriors), Eddie Peng (Unbeatable), Jing Boran (The Bullet Vanishes), Zhang Jin (Ip Man 3), Wong Cho-lam (Firestorm) and Angelababy (Mojin: The Lost Legend).

The film also features fight choreography by the legendary Corey Yuen (Kiss of the Dragon, Raging Thunder).

Order Rise of the Legend from Amazon.com today!

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Bruce Lee – The Greatest Icon of Martial Arts Cinema

Posted on December 8, 2017 by JJ Bona

BruceLee“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” – (Bruce Lee, 1940 – 1973)

Bruce Lee is one of those rare actors who transcended the movies he appeared in to become an almost mythical figure. He is the embodiment of the martial artist, an accomplished actor and a positive role-model for Asian Americans. Lee was single-handedly responsible for a surge of interest in Asian martial arts in the late 60s and 70s, his fame extending far beyond the reach of the four movies that made his name. Today he is more icon than man, a representation of martial arts, of Asian masculinity and of what was a very new type of action hero in the America of the 1970s.

Born in San Francisco, the young Lee Jun-Fan was raised in Hong Kong until he was a teenager. His father was an actor and his mother came from a wealthy family, meaning that the young Lee grew up in relatively affluent surroundings. Despite that, his neighbourhood became a more dangerous place in later years, with various gangs operating in the area, and Lee was beaten up on a number of occasions. This prompted his father to send 16-year-old Lee to take martial art lessons, and it was not long before the young teen started to display startling quickness and agility. He also took up boxing in his new high school, and aged 17 won the Hong Kong schools boxing tournament. It was clear that this was a very special talent, and that he would soon become famous beyond the confines of Hong Kong.

As Lee continued to become embroiled in street violence, his parents decided that moving back to the States was the best way to protect their son. Lee continued his martial arts training in America, studying under a variety of different teachers. Feeling that many martial artists neglected the physical conditioning aspect of their sport, Lee devoted himself to maintaining peak physical condition. A martial arts exhibition at Long Beach in 1964 brought Lee to the attention of Hollywood. With his father being an actor, the young Lee had appeared in a number of Hong Kong films as a child actor, but had given up on the idea of making movies after moving to the US. However, with Lee gaining fame as a high-profile martial artist, he was selected to play the role of Kato for the TV show The Green Hornet which aired from 1966 to 1967. He also made guest appearances in the iconic Batman show as the same character at this time. While the TV show only lasted for one season, Lee had made enough of an impression to ensure that he was at the front of Hollywood casting agents’ minds when it came to looking for Asian martial artists.

Lee’s first Hollywood role came in the 1969 movie ‘Marlowe’, where he briefly made an appearance as a henchman hired to try and rough up the titular private eye character. This would be the type of role offered to the young Lee, but he was not destined to be a bit-part player in life. Dissatisfied with being type-cast as a supporting player, Lee moved back to Hong Kong to take on some leading roles: roles which would define him as the greatest martial arts actor of all time. Unbeknownst to Lee, The Green Hornet had been shown in Hong Kong, except that over there it was known as ‘The Kato Show’. This meant that Lee was a star by the time he set foot back in the place where he grew up, and as a result he had little difficulty in obtaining a contract to appear as the star of two movies. Due to the success of the early releases, two would become four, and these four movies which Lee starred in between the years of 1971 to 1973 would cement his reputation forever. These were, in chronological order, ‘The Big Boss’, ‘Fist of Fury’, ‘Way of the Dragon’ and ‘Enter the Dragon’; names that will be instantly familiar to anyone with even a slight knowledge of martial arts in cinema.

Upon the release of ‘Big Boss’, it quickly went on to smash box office records all across Asia, making Lee a star in the region in the process. Fresh from the success of ‘The Big Boss’, ‘Fist of Fury’ was released in 1972, and this movie would go on to smash the records set by the first one. The success of the two movies left Bruce in a very strong position to negotiate a deal for two more Hong Kong pictures, and for movie number three he was given control of choreography, writing, producing, and directing, as well as being the star. ‘Way of the Dragon’ was a critical and commercial success, and introduced the world to karate champion Chuck Norris, whom Lee had met year earlier in the Long Beach martial arts exhibition. The final movie that Bruce Lee would make was ‘Enter the Dragon’, in most people’s eyes the best of his collection. This movie became one of the year’s biggest box office successes, and to date it has earned more than $200 million; a staggering return for the $4 million (adjusted for inflation) that it cost to make in 1973. Unfortunately, Bruce Lee would not have the opportunity to make any more films, although the work he had done on the unfinished movie ‘Game of Death’ was used to release the movie, with a stand-in doubling for Lee in some scenes.

Over the years, Bruce Lee has become more than simply a man, and has instead morphed into an iconic brand. In fact, from our perspective in time it can be quite difficult to separate one from the other. Bruce Lee has adorned the bedroom walls of so many college student dorms that his image has become iconic: close your eyes and you can probably conjure up the picture of Lee standing in fight pose. Similarly, you can find countless Bruce Lee branded t-shirts, shoes, headphones, Lego models, playing cards, pens, jewellery, stamps and action figures. There are even Bruce Lee branded online slot games featuring the martial artist in various threatening poses, as well as video games with the Hong Kong master as the hero. Think of a collectable item, and you can be sure that there is a version of it featuring the king of martial arts. Even to this day, ask anybody to name a famous martial arts expert and chances are that Bruce Lee’s name will be one of the first to be mentioned. For that reason, the man and the brand have become intertwined, and the iconic figure of Bruce Lee – a man who came to global fame in the early 1970s – is still proving to be a hit well into the 21st century.

Sadly, Lee would die before his final ‘full’ movie, ‘Enter the Dragon’, could be released. The actor passed away due to complications from some medication he had taken, dying at the tender age of 32. However, his all-to-brief life spawned the legend of Bruce Lee, a legend which endures to this day. Bruce Lee passed away while still at the height of his powers, leaving behind the impression of a young man frozen in time, still invincible and powerful. As with any unexpected celebrity death, rumours and conspiracy theories have done the rounds regarding Lee’s untimely passing. These ranged from the mundane to the outlandish, such as claiming that there was a curse on the family, or that Chinese mafia had poisoned the action star. Despite these claims, medical and forensic experts determined that the cause of death was simply an unfortunate accident, and that no foul play was involved.

Bruce Lee has left an impressive legacy behind him, remaining an iconic figure to this day. Time Magazine named him as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, which places him in very exalted company. June 8 was named ‘Bruce Lee Day’ in Los Angeles, and in the Chinatown of that city a seven-foot statue of 5 foot 8-inch Lee has stood since 2013. There are more statues of Lee in Hong Kong, China, and even Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. It seems that we will never grow tired of this martial arts superstar, and indeed he has inspired generations of martial artists who have followed in his wake. Indeed, even Dana White, the outspoken president of the incredibly popular UFC, has credited Bruce Lee as being the ‘father of mixed martial arts’. It is a rare person indeed who transcends their sport, not to mention the movies in which he or she appears, to become a global superstar and an inspirational figure to millions of people around the world. That is the true legacy of Bruce Lee.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_honors_received_by_Bruce_Lee#/media/File:Bruce_Lee_Walk_of_fame.jpg

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The Magic of Manga: How Developers Have Used Manga to Make their Products Shine

Posted on December 8, 2017 by JJ Bona

Manga has become iconic in Japan, but that’s not the only place its influence has been felt. Although early Manga illustrations were seen as popular works sold to the masses in the 17th century, according to japantimes.co.jp, the style took off in the 19th century. From here, illustrators found a home in comics and that gave rise to the Manga styling that we know and love today.

While Manga comics have now become staple reading for people in Japan, this isn’t the only place where the artwork can be seen. Indeed, as you scan popular culture around the world, the funky characters and engaging storylines have been used to enliven everything from movies to art and even games. For instance, the 1973 movie Golgo 13 was based on Manga that started in 1968. Although the 1983 Anime version of Golgo 13 achieved greater success, the movie was released in the West and stands as a testament to the popularity of Manga around the world.

Fusing Style and Substance to Create a Manga Slot Game

Beyond the movies, the Japanese style has become popular with games developers. Final Fantasy by Square Enix is a game that clearly draws inspiration from the worlds of Manga and Anime, as do games such as Gantz: The Game and J-Stars Victory Vs. However, it’s not just the video game community that’s embraced Manga. In the last two years, software developer NetEnt has brought the theme to the online casino world. The brand is known for its themed slots such as Planet of the Apes and Emojiplanet. Through these games, the developer has developed a reputation for creating games that are as artistic as they are lucrative.

According to the reviewers at online-casinos-canada.ca/netent-casinos, NetEnt has not only won Mobile Slot Supplier of the Year three times in a row because of their jackpots but because of their gameplay. Describing the design and themes as “elite level”, the reviewers suggest that NetEnt is among the top software providers in the iGaming industry. In 2015, this reputation was solidified thanks to the release of Manga-styled slot called Koi Princess. Like the comics it’s inspired by, the lead character, Koi Princess, and her surroundings are drawn in an edgy cartoon style. On top of this, the numbers and card symbols have a Japanese look to them that complements the Manga theme.

However, and this is why reviewers such as Online Casinos Canada rate NetEnt so highly, it’s not just the drawings that stand out. In a bid to fuse style and substance, the developer has included animations and bonus features that fit in with the Manga style you’d see at manga.com. For example, as you spin the five reels, three fish (koi carp) will appear at random intervals and ask you to pick them. Much like a Manga character encounters certain people or beings who define their path in life, the fish each hold a unique bonus that can change your fate.

This ability to take a concept and bring it to life through gameplay as well as visuals is something NetEnt does extremely well. Of course, without the popularity of Manga, this would count for nothing. Indeed, despite its Japanese roots, it’s clear to see that this style has become a fantastic device for creative types in a variety of mediums.

Manga Makes a Great Slot Game

Another popular Manga slot is Panda Manga. Taking a slightly more tongue-in-cheek look at the genre, this game features everything from geishas and waving pandas to sushi. However, as entertaining as this game is on the surface, it lacks the depth of a spinner such as Koi Princess. Where NetEnt’s creation has features that fit into the Manga narrative (i.e. choosing your destiny), Panda Manga is more straightforward. What we mean by this is that wilds and scatter symbols unlock simple free spin and multiplier bonuses.

Of course, there’s certainly nothing wrong with this. In fact, it’s all a matter of perspective. For players that simply like the look of a game and enjoy the artwork of Manga, a slot like Panda Manga is great. However, for those that want slightly more depth, Koi Princess from NetEnt is perfect. Whichever way you look at it, the one thing that’s clear is that Manga is a fantastic theme. Whether it’s in the slots world or another entertainment medium, the ability to offer stunning visuals and/or a clever storyline is the reason people around the world love Manga.

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Silent Assassins (1988) Review

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Paul Bramhall
"Silent Assassins" Theatrical Poster

“Silent Assassins” Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Doo-Yong
Cast: Sam Jones, Linda Blair, Jun Chong, Phillip Rhee, Mako, Bill Erwin, Gustav Vintas, Rebecca Ferratti, Bill Wallace, Alexis Rhee, Simon Rhee, Joanna Chong
Running Time: 91 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Let’s be clear, there are only two kinds of people who should be checking out Silent Assassins. The first is the demographic that feels inexplicably drawn to a movie which would team up Flash Gordon with Regan from The Exorcist. The second is the demographic that feel a kind of morbid fascination at witnessing a reunion of Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave director and star Lee Doo-yong and Jun Chong. If there’s someone out there that’s seen this movie and doesn’t fit into either of the above categories, then I strongly encourage you to make yourself known. As for myself, I fall into the latter.

Silent Assassins is one of the bi-products that came out of a small wave of Korean directors that immigrated to America in the 1980’s, much like many Hong Kong film industry talent would do a decade later. The recurring theme that appears to run through all of the directors output once they got stateside though, is that they seemed to lose the ability to string a coherent picture together, regardless of how good their output was on native soil. Directors like Park Woo-sang subjected us to The Miami Connection, Nam Gi-nam assaulted us with Ernie and Master Kim, and Richard H. Kim delivered the celluloid equivalent of being water boarded with Kill Line.

For Doo-yong and Chong though, this wasn’t their first time filming in the U.S. In 1976 Chong was already an established Taekwondo instructor in Hollywood, and when a Korean film crew came to the States to talent scout for a movie they planned to film there called Visitor of America, he scored the lead role. The director was Doo-yong, and the movie became a hit across Asia, however initially failed to score a release in the place it was filmed. That changed a couple of years later, when a still unknown source decided to turn it into a Bruceploitation flick, filmed a new opening which shows Bruce Lee jumping out of his grave, and renamed it Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave.

Doo-yong was so impressed with Chong’s skills that he urged him to return to Korea and make more movies there, and later in the same year he did just that. However Chong would only stay there for a few months, during which he did indeed make a couple of movies, before returning to Hollywood to resume his life as a Taekwondo instructor (although he does have a small part in the 1978 Chuck Norris movie Good Guys Wear Black). Doo-yong would remain directing in Korea until he made Silent Assassins, in which he maintained his reputation for being a reliable studio director. He’d go on to make the kung fu movie Secret Agents II later in the same year, and was also responsible for directing many of Han Yong-cheol’s most popular movies.

Chong remained absent from the film industry for almost a whole decade, until he re-surfaced in 1985 as the lead in Park Woo-sang’s American debut L.A. Streetfighters. It was perfect timing, so when Doo-yong secured the talents of Sam Jones (likely to be forever known for his iconic turn as Flash Gordon, in the 1980 movie of the same name) and Linda Blair (the possessed teenager from 1973’s The Exorcist) for Silent Assassins, the production provided a reunion for the director and star.

In Silent Assassins Jones plays an L.A. cop who, after his partners gets killed, decides to pursue a quiet life in Colorado with his wife, played by Linda Blair. However when the same criminal organization that killed his partner appear back on the radar, thanks to kidnapping an elderly biochemist with the key to a deadly bioweapon, he decides to stick around to take them down. It’s worth pointing out that he makes this decision literally as they’re about to drive off into the sunset in a removals truck, their belongings all packed and ready to go, but a peaceful life be damned, revenge comes first!

The villains, played by Gustav Vintas (Lethal Weapon) and Rebecca Ferratti (Gor and Gor II – look them up, preferably via an image search), also kidnap the young daughter of a family that gets caught in the crossfire. Thankfully, the daughter is the niece of Chong’s character, and that’s as good of a reason we get as to why he’s in the movie. Regardless of the questionable coherency, it does provide the excuse for an L.A. cop to partner up with a high kicking Korean, so we’ll take it. Also along for the ride is Philip Rhee, another local Taekwondo instructor. In 1988 Rhee was still a year away from starring in the classic Best of the Best, but he had worked with Chong before, in the previously mentioned L.A. Streetfighters, which they choreographed together. Here Rhee is a kind of dojo Casanova, playing the son of a businessman who has insider information on the kidnapping.

If Silent Assassins sounds like a typical 80’s action B-movie, it’s fair to say that it fits the bill pretty well. It might even be a C-movie. The sound quality is terrible, with everyone sounding like they’re talking through a sock, and in some scenes you can even see cameras that are filming the same scene from a different angle. High art this isn’t. However it does manage to entertain, mostly in the form of a clan of ruthless ninja assassins, which Vintas and Ferratti hire to kill anyone who attempts to rescue their kidnapped victims. While these ninjas (and I use the term ninja lightly, as technically they’re just guys wearing black balaclavas) do employ some traditional ninja weaponry, like the clawed hand and a spiked cudgel, their favorite weapons of choice are a selection of axes, sickles, and shovels, that look like they’ve just been bought from the local hardware store.

Whenever one of the ninjas kills someone, a group of them immediately surround the body, and they manically hack it to pieces while yelling at the top of their lungs, which leads me to believe that the title Silent Assassins is supposed to be ironic. Yelling while trying to make a discreet entry isn’t the only nonsensical aspect of Silent Assassins though. In another scene the biochemist explains to the villains that he can’t give them what they want, because the brand of computer they have contains a fatal flaw. He then turns the keyboard upside down, and the monitor blows up. If there was ever a legitimate reason for a product recall, the risk of turning your keyboard upside down making your whole computer explode is as good a one as any.

Silent Assassins is full of goofy moments like this, however it always remains watchable, and builds to a worthy action finale. Chong even shaves his head especially for it, in a scene that clearly inspired a similar one with Won Bin in The Man from Nowhere, over 20 years later. Actually who am I kidding, I’m sure it didn’t. Arming himself with a dagger and rope, together with an assault rifle-toting Jones and samurai sword wielding Rhee, the trio launch an attack on the enemy’s underground base. At this point, for those wondering why the poster has Linda Blair armed to the teeth and looking every bit on equal ground as Jones, it’s just promotional material. Her role in the movie is a thankless one of being the wife in distress, and she disappears from the finale all together.

Chong and Rhee are also on fight choreography here, and while their talents are sprinkled throughout, in the finale they really get a chance to shine. Both get to unleash their kicks on a seemingly regenerating stream of ninjas (played by their real life students), and Rhee gets involved in a nicely executed two-on-one fight in a bathroom involving his brother Simon. There’s even some decapitation thrown in for good measure, with some charming low budget practical effects on display. When Jones unloads a round at one particular villain, the recipient switches to an obvious mannequin which gets blown to pieces, its limbs flying off in different directions, resulting in a death scene equal parts cool and hilarious.

What I found most humorous though, is that the rope Chong has tied around his body, an obvious nod to Bruce Lee’s underground infiltration in Enter the Dragon, never actually gets used, he just runs around wearing it like a fashion accessory. Madness. Despite so much inconsistency, Silent Assassins still manages to be a lot of fun. Why does Jones at one point superglue someone to a wall, and why was he carrying superglue around with him anyway? Since when do rocket launchers never need to be reloaded? You’ll ask yourself all these questions, and many more. Doo-yong ends things with a twist involving the scene of a general, who we only hear the voice of, but is in-fact played by Bill ‘Superfoot’ Wallace (who was also in L.A. Streetfighters), indicating that a sequel was most likely planned. Who knows, with all of the main cast still active, perhaps one day we may still get it.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 5.5/10

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

Crime pays for Raquel Xu and Philip Ng in ‘Queen of Triads’

Posted on December 4, 2017 by JJ Bona
"Queen of Triads" Theatrical Poster

“Queen of Triads” Theatrical Poster

Ready for some female-centric organized crime? Get ready for Queen of Triads, an action-thriller written and produced by Wong Jing and directed by his protege Kam Kar-wai (who is currently shooting Big Brother with Donnie Yen).

When an innocent girl is raped again and again and betrayed by her loved ones, she decides to take control of her life by becoming a gangster leader.

The film stars Raquel Xu (Chasing the Dragon, Mission Milano), Emotion Cheung (The Chinese Box) and Philip Ng (Zombie Fight Club, Special Female Force).

Queen of Triads is getting a domestic release on December 7, 2017. Don’t miss its Trailer below (via Mike Leeder):

Posted in News |

Legend of the Broken Sword Hero (2017) Review

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Kelly Warner
Broken Sword Hero | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Broken Sword Hero | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

AKA: Broken Sword Hero
Director: Bin Bunluerit
Cast: Buakaw Banchamek, Sornsin Maneewan, Nantawut Boonrubsub, Vannapoom Songsuparp, Chutirada Junthit, Phutharit Prombandal, Jaran Ngamdee
Running Time: 120 min.

By Kyle Warner

I tend to approach a new Thai martial arts film with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Because while it’s unfair to generalize an entire film industry’s output, my experience with Thailand’s action cinema often seems to have similar highs and lows across multiple films. The fights are realistic and it’s always amazing that the stunt work didn’t kill anybody, but the films can tend to play as amateurish whenever the hero isn’t breaking bones due to poor writing, acting, and directing. So, having said that, Broken Sword Hero was pretty much exactly what I was expecting it to be.

Broken Sword Hero is a historical martial arts coming of age tale about a young man named Joi. As a child, Joi suffered relentless bullying at the hands of the governor’s son and his gang. Vowing not to live in fear of a beating, Joi self-teaches himself Muay Thai boxing. From there, we see him grow into a young man, fighting in the boxing pits for money while also evading the governor’s son who still holds a grudge (the relationship between Joi and the governor’s son is never fully explored beyond protagonist vs. antagonist. The governor’s kid is just a dick, I guess. He pops back into the story now and then to try to kill Joi because that’s what dicks do, but it’s never much more than that). Joi starts to make a name for himself as an undefeated boxer in the villages, until the day he faces off against a stranger who nearly takes his head off in a match. Joi loses his celebrity status in an instant. After a drunk homeless man convinces Joi that he has raw talent but lacks the basics, Joi leaves his hometown in search of martial arts masters to better hone his skills.

Joi takes on the name Thongdee at this point – Joi committed no crimes but he is still treated like a criminal because the governor’s son is a dick – and learns the basics of Muay Thai boxing from one master before learning speed and conditioning from the next master and then learning swordplay from a third master. During this time, Thongdee/Joi also learns about loyalty, humility, heroism, and friendship and becomes a better man because of the good people he surrounds himself with.

In addition to the governor’s son and the governor’s brother trying to kill Joi/Thongdee, there is an additional governor subplot in the story. It kind of pops up out of nowhere. And when this governor is first mentioned, I naturally thought he was related to the governor plot we’d already seen in the film. But nope, new governor. And this governor is apparently under threat from rebels whose objective we are never made to fully understand. This new governor plot just sort of enters the film and takes over. And then, just when you think it’s leading to something substantial with the governor’s army and large-scale battles… the movie ends.

I can’t believe Broken Sword Hero ends the way it does. So many threads are left unresolved, yes, but that’s not even my main gripe. It appears to be stepping into new territory as Thongdee’s life takes a dramatic change. And then it ends. Fade to black, roll credits. The flow of the final moments is bizarre upon reflection. It’s like we start Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Thongdee’s story and then boom, The End. If Broken Sword Hero is the origin story of Thongdee, that’s fine, but finish this story before starting another one.

Where the film is at its best is in the action and fights. Though director Bin Bunluerit shows an over-reliance on slow-motion to film his action, this does nonetheless allow us to see full contact being made between our fighters. Thongdee/Joi is played by real-life Muay Thai champion Buakaw Banchamek, who has featured in films before but never in a lead role. While the script doesn’t offer him much of a chance to show his dramatic chops, Buakaw Banchamek is likable and totally believable as the young hero of the film. I fully expect him to be called the next Tony Jaa once the movie starts getting around. Because, I mean, of course.

If swordplay is what you’re after, you’re going to find very little of it in Broken Sword Hero. What we get is decent, but Thongdee doesn’t pick up his first sword until we’re well past the half-way point of the film. And our first broken sword doesn’t come until the movie’s almost over. Despite the title, this is a Muay Thai boxing picture, not a swordplay film.

There is a childlike innocence to the movie. And I mean that in a good way. Mostly. Thongdee has a boy meets girl romance with an upper-class young lady. One of the film’s ‘laughs’ involves her stepping in horse crap. Then, in what may be the closest thing to a romantic gesture seen in the movie, Thongdee smiles and scrapes the crap off her shoe before putting it back on her foot. It’s stupid… but it’s sincere.

The action is exciting and thanks to the earnestness of the cast the film can be charming. But the story is frustrating. It lacks a strong narrative flow and/or purpose. I grew restless hopping from one martial arts master to another in search of a plot. Characters of apparent importance come and go as they please. And the movie’s ending is so flat that I actually got angry when the credits began to roll… But yes, there is some entertainment to be had if you’re in the mood for a few elbows to the cranium. Just don’t go in expecting something challenging or original. Broken Sword Hero is about as simple and straightforward as they come.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 5.5/10

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Would Bruce Lee Die in Game of Thrones? How Fighting Styles Differ from East to West

Posted on December 4, 2017 by JJ Bona

When it comes to fighting, the ancient martial arts of the East have a certain mystique that captures the imagination.

Although the end goal with any physical confrontation is to render your opponent helpless (or dead), the code by which traditional martial artists live by brings a certain reverence to proceedings. Naturally, this combination of control aggression and power has intrigued filmmakers over the years and led to some impressive cinematic spectacles. In fact, what’s interesting about Asian martial arts movies is that they sit in stark contrast to the battle-based offerings from the West.

A Clash of Styles, from Game of Thrones to Slots

Of course, the last few decades have seen the two styles merge, but it’s fair to say that there are two distinct styles when it comes to fighting on screen. Take the ever-popular Game of Thrones as an example. The average battle scene in the HBO show is a brutal, bloody affair that seems a million miles away from the refined, technique-based showdowns in a traditional martial arts flick such as Enter the Dragon. And, it’s not just on screen where this divide is apparent. Take, for example, the Game of Thrones slot.

Developed by Microgaming, this game is based on the show and features a plethora of images and animations fans will be familiar with. Indeed, as this Game of Thrones slot review notes, the “epic opening score” creates an intensity that captures the spirit of a bloody battle. Contrast this with another online casino game, Bruce Lee slots, where the use of chimes and xylophones creates a much more serene atmosphere.

East vs. West: It’s a Matter of Intent

In essence, whether it’s onscreen, in a game or via some other medium, the main difference between East and West when it comes to the depiction of fights is action. In the case of the former, everything is calm and attacks happen in short bursts. Everything around the battle is still and there’s a level of respect between combatants.

In the case of the latter, everything is more intense and chaotic. Fists are flying in every direction, and anything can happen in a given moment. This is something Game of Thrones captured fantastically well in the Battle of the Bastards (see video above) and, moreover, across the entire franchise. Why is the case? Well, it all stems back to the origin of martial arts. Although Asia isn’t the only place where martial arts evolved from, it is considered the spiritual home thanks to its use as a form of defense.

Martial Arts as a Form of Respect

From China’s Emperor Huang Di using martial arts as a way to defend the kingdom back in 2600 BC, this trend quickly spread across Asia. At the heart of the teachings was the idea that fighting was a way of protecting all that you deem to be sacred (i.e. your kingdom and country). As various arts developed, notions of respect and honor evolved to encompass all those that had devoted their lives to the art. From this, the idea of mastery and perfect technique came into play and that’s what typically separates martial arts from general fighting.

Even though the warriors seen in Game of Thrones had to learn certain skills, their battles could and would be won by any means possible. In contrast, a true warrior martial artist would never use dirty tactics to defeat an opponent. This, for us, is why there’s a clear difference between fights in classics such as 10 Brothers of Shaolin and Game of Thrones. So, would Bruce Lee survive in Game on Thrones? Yes, but only if he abandoned his martial arts training and fought like a Westeros warrior.

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