Director Rick Famuyiwa (Dope) is in talks to helm Son of Shaolin, a martial arts film based on the graphic novel of the same name created and written by Caanan Whit and Jay Longino (who also penned Jackie Chan’s Skiptrace).
Son of Shaolin is a kung fu epic set in the back alleys and subway tunnels of Harlem, New York. Kyrie, an aspiring street artist who is struggling to make ends meet, learns that he is the last living descendant of a secret sect of ancient Shaolin Elders. Confused and unsure of where to turn, he finds a father figure in the mysterious Master Fong. Fong trains Kyrie in martial arts in anticipation of an attack from Red Fist, a relentless killer who has already murdered the rest of Kyrie’s bloodline (via Amazon).
Last year, there were reports that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (The Rundown) would be showing off some new kung fu skills as one of the film’s stars, but recent reports suggest that he’s only producing the film (via THR).
Stay tuned for updates regarding the movie. The graphic novel for Son of Shaolinreleases on September 26, 2017. For now, here’s the real son of Shaolin…
With the upcoming theatrical and VOD release of Savage Dog in August, at COF we were given the opportunity to provide the Dragon from Chile – Marko Zaror – 10 questions about his experience working on the movie.
Since initially beginning in the industry as a stunt double for the Rock in 2003’s The Rundown, Zaror really got action fans attention when he headlined the martial arts actioner Kiltro in 2006. Made in his native Chile, the pairing with director Ernesto Espinoza would prove to be one that’s built to last, as they’d go onto make Mirageman, Mandrill, and Redeemer together.
Zaror has several productions in the pipeline which he’s set to appear in, but for now, all eyes are on Savage Dog, helmed by stuntman turned director Jesse V. Johnson. Without further ado, check out his thoughts below –
“Savage Dog” Theatrical Poster
Question #1:Savage Dog provides a re-match between you and Scott Adkins, after going head to head in Undisputed III: Redemption from 2010, what was it like working together again 7 years later?
Marko Zaror: It was great, as we always wanted to work together again after Undisputed III: Redemption, and the cool thing about Savage Dog is that because it’s a totally different type of movie, we were able to create and play with different techniques.
#2: For those who say they’ve already seen both you and Adkins fight each other before, what would you say are the main differences, and what do people have to look forward to, from your pairing in Savage Dog?
MZ:Savage Dog is a much more realistic type of movie, and also a movie that is set in a different era, so this gave us the challenge to do a totally different type of fighting style. Also my character uses a knife, so this was already a big element that made us co-create a fight scene that feels really different to what audiences have seen before.
Scott Adkins and Zaror face off in Undisputed III: Redemption.
#3: Jesse V. Johnson is also a stuntman on top of being a director and writer, how would you say that influences his directing style in terms of you also being a physical performer?
MZ: Because of the fact he’s also a stuntman, he truly understands the time that’s needed to be able to accomplish a good action scene. Also in regards to the camera work and stunts, he is able to be really specific about what he wants, and if he feels like he needs to show how he envisions a stunt to look like, for example hitting the ground a certain way, he will just show you by doing it himself!
#4: In your collaborations with director Ernesto Espinoza, you usually choreograph the fight scenes yourself. What are the main differences from your perspective, between doing your own fight choreography, and taking direction from another fight choreographer?
“Redeemer” Japanese Theatrical Poster
MZ: In Savage Dog Jesse wanted me to come up with ideas and apply the techniques that I wanted to use for the character. In that regard I’ve been lucky to work with really good choreographers that let me give my input on the vision and ideas for the scenes.
#5: Were you or Scott Adkins able to incorporate any of your own ideas into the fight you have in Savage Dog, and if so what?
MZ: Went I was doing research for my character I really liked the French style of Savate, so I studies a lot of Savate footage in order to understand how the character will fight and movie. When I told Jesse, he really like the idea and we went for it!
#6: The last time you worked with Espinoza was on 2014’s Redeemer, do you have any plans to work together again in the near future?
MZ: Yes, we are always working on ideas, and actually there is a good chance we be making a movie together soon.
With Danny Trejo, Robert Rodriguez and Alexa PenaVega promoting Machete Kills.
#7: You’ve now worked in the U.S., India, and of course your home country of Chile. What for you are some of the biggest differences between the industries, and what are some of the learnings you’ve taken from each one?
MZ: Working in Chile is always a challenge, because everything that we have done with Ernesto is the first time it’s done over there. So basically we have to be really creative to accomplish what we want, and I have to be really involved in all the processes of the movie, from pre-production all the way through to post.
In my work in the U.S.A. and India, I’ve been a part of big productions were my only role is to be my character, so there is a big difference. But in terms of movie making, I believe it’s a universal language that once you are on a set, no matter what the language or which place you’re in, the logistics and methods are similar.
Two of Zaror’s biggest influences are in this photograph from Enter the Dragon.
#8: Who are your biggest influences as a martial artist?
MZ: Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
#9: If you could have a screen-fight with any action movie star, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
MZ: Bruce Lee for sure! But if we’re talking about those who are alive, it will have to be Donnie Yen.
#10: What can we look forward to next from Marko Zaror, and is there any release date locked in for The Green Ghost?
MZ: No release date yet for The Green Ghost, but I’m guessing this year. Also I’m looking forward to The Defenders which will air next month, were I have an appearance in one episode. But what I’m really excited about is for the Robert Rodriguez movie Alita: Battle Angel, that will premiere next year!
Thanks again to Marko Zaror, Paul Bramhall, and the entire gang at Katrina Wan PR for getting this interview together.
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Director: Nicolas Winding Refn, Roy Jacobsen Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson, Gordon Brown, Paul Rhys, Andrew Flanagan, Gary Lewis, Gary McCormack, Alexander Morton, Jamie Sives Running Time: 92 min.
By HKFanatic
Back in 2009 accomplished Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, the great Dane behind such artistically unique efforts like crime drama Only God Forgives and the visually thrilling The Neon Demon, tackled the fantasy drama feature Valhalla Rising.
He is without a doubt a director with a unique style and someone whom never shies away from artistry and experimentation which is always prominent on screen no matter what he produces. So, what exactly would he pull out of the bag for when he decided to turn his attentions to some 11th-century fantasy adventure?
Valhalla Rising stars Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, Hannibal) as One-Eye, a Norse warrior who along with a young boy and a group of Christian Norsemen head across the seas in search of the Holy Land.
It’s a concept that could have quite easily ended up in the wrong hands and suddenly become an all-out action and adventure farce. But thankfully it didn’t.
And it’s certainly a film that split opinion from both audiences and critics alike. If you weren’t lucky enough to catch this first time around it’s definitely an artistic effort that deserves revisiting.
It manages to bring a fresh approach to the typical clichéd look and style of Norse-themed movies that many cinema-goers are now so familiar with. It’s a popular theme which already influences a number of TV shows and games such as Valhalla slot.
But with audiences relegated to more mainstream franchises such as Thor, which continues to enjoy huge box office success, a lot of the more human and deeper themes of Norse mythology seems to have been somewhat lost in more recent times, so it’s great to see movies like this still being made.
The movie was sandwiched between Refn’s two directorial efforts of the Bronson biopic, starring a very different looking Tom Hardy, and of course his highly praised cool crime adaptation Drive, which starred Ryan Gosling.
So it seemed that 11th-century Scandinavia for an unusual choice for the rising director. However, he manages to expertly piece together a beautiful cinematic experience that really drills down into aspects of humanity and raw emotion, something that is rarely explored to any great extent in this mythological subgenre of filmmaking.
The plot itself and the characterisations are purposely left unclear enough for viewers to draw their own conclusions. It’s an experience, a life journey, something that can be interpreted in numerous ways and one that will stay with you for quite a while after the end credits roll.
Right at the heart of the movie is of course our lead One-Eye, played by the excellent Mads Mikkelsen. He truly manages to grip the audience and what makes his performance even more impressive is that his character is actually mute and therefore doesn’t utter a word through the movie.
It’s just his on-screen presence that manages to make such a difference here. Coupled with the incredibly visceral imagery we’re treated to it’s a visually stunning piece of work.
Detective Han (Jung Woo-Sung of The Divine Move), who for years has been secretly doing dirty work for the corrupt mayor (Hwang Jung-Min of A Violent Prosecutor), is now pressured by a ruthless prosecutor (Kwak Do-Won of The Wailing) to cooperate in his investigation against the mayor.
Feeling trapped, Han persuades his young partner Sunmo (Ju Ji-Hoon of Along With The Gods) to take over his work for the mayor, but things start to get tangled in unpredictable ways.
French filmmaker Camille Delamarre – best known for directing Brick Mansions (a remake of District 13) and The Transporter Refueled (a reboot of The Transporter) – has teamed up with martial arts star Mark Dacascos (Brotherhood of the Wolf, Drive) for The Way, a new action series that involves ninjas (isn’t that all you need to know?).
The Studio+ original series also stars Gabriella Wright (The Transporter Refueled), Jimmy Jean-louis (Tears of the Sun), Andrew Cooper (The Royales), Alex Martin (Transporter: The Series) and Sam Redford (The Hurt Locker).
If you’re looking for actual Dacascos movies, don’t fret, because a releases date for Sony’s Ultimate Justice is right around the corner (and hopefully we’ll see an official release announcement for Showdown in Manila and Maximum Impact soon).
The first episode of The Way is currently available to watch (French website) followed by further episodes that can be unlocked with a subscription. Check out the series Trailer below (via Mike Leeder):
Following the premiere at 2017 Cannes Film Festival, Before We Vanish continued its festival circuit at this year’s 17th edition of Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival. With budget as the one thing that shouldn’t give the organizers any headache, NIFFF had the privilege of welcoming Takashi Miike as the guest of honor this year, with not one, but three of his new movies. Fans have all the reason to look forward to these, while the sequel to Mole Song offers even more wacky action and goofy comedy, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Blade of the Immortal are some of Miike’s best since Lesson of the Evil. As different directors with their own unique style and vision, it may seem there’s nothing to connect the two, but Kiyoshi Kurosawa, just like Miike, had his share of V-Cinema productions before becoming one of the best known Japanese filmmakers today.
In 2016, Creepy was announced as the return of the master – Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s big comeback to the genre that made him famous. After completing Daguerrotype that same year, his first movie shot outside of Japan, Kurosawa returned with another genre piece, this time science fiction. Again, rather than just going by the book, he offers his own unique vision instead; this alien invasion piece is unlike any you’ve seen before.
Though not without his missteps, Kurosawa was able to deliver in any decade despite the change of times, and it’s no different today. Based on a play written and directed by Tomohiro Maekawa, Before we vanish is another fantastic display of Kurosawa’s mastery. It is a story about three aliens that, nested inside their human hosts, prepare for invasion, a story that opens with a bloody family massacre and a cool looking car crash only to continue in a far less exciting tone, as a slow-paced thriller with refined dramatic charge, and a comic flare for good balance.
What makes Before We Vanish unique is, above all, the fact there’s nothing that much scientific or fantastic about it, except the idea and the story itself. Sci-fi fans expecting spaceships, creatures from outer space or tons of special effects could end up quite disappointed since Kurosawa’s apocalyptic vision comes closer to the one seen in his 2001 masterpiece Pulse, only less fantastic. Drive-by audience might find the movie boring and couldn’t be blamed for it, but those familiar with Kurosawa’s body of work will surely appreciate the way how he effortlessly transformed something ordinary into something, well, so extraordinary.
To add just enough spice to it, there are occasional outbursts of action, our teenage aliens taking on special agents that are on to them, or, in one of the best scenes in the movie, Kurosawa’s take on the renowned North by Northwest plane scene, reporter turned “guide” facing the threat from above underarmed. Perhaps these rare exciting moments wouldn’t be as effective had the rest been any more entertaining.
Rather an experience than a memorable slice of cinema, Before We Vanish is all about atmosphere, part of which is the interesting soundtrack seemingly more appropriate for an 80’s Hollywood movie, perhaps something Spielberg would direct back in the days when Dream Factory was still producing magic. Thanks to Kurosawa’s atmosphere build-up and skillful storytelling, two plain looking teenagers and a grown man meeting on the street become three aliens reunited for the first time on Earth, finalizing their invasion plan. The aliens here, using humans as both their hosts and their “guides”, need to learn about Earth before being able to invade. Taking human concepts by a simple touch of the finger is the way to do it.
Before being fully able to understand, they just roam around befuddled, gathering the necessary knowledge. Who better to portrait such a confused character wearing blunt face than Ryuhei Matsuda? This was his first time working with Kurosawa, here without his regular Koji Yakusho, as it was for his two young extraterrestrial pals, Mahiro Takasugi and the great Yuri Tsunematsu in the role of Akira Tachibana. The whole concepts looting idea, often leading into almost philosophical re-examination of basic human conceptions, seems at times naive, but is again quite beautiful in Kurosawa’s delivery. This is best depicted in the scene with Matsuda’s character trying to grasp the human concept of love.
Before We Vanish has Kurosawa written all over it, down to the small touches often present in his films, such as toying with lighting and shadow to accentuate as seen in Creepy, or the interesting slow-motion usage in the simple scenes of characters driving. Unusual, subtle and again, so distantly unique, Kurosawa’s latest directorial vision is undoubtedly a great one. The only question is, how many will see it as such?
Triple Threat: Chuck Norris | DVD (Shout! Factory)
RELEASE DATE: October 10, 2017
Who needs Tony Jaa, Tiger Chen and Iko Uwais when you’ve got Chuck Norris? Shout! Factory presents the DVD for Chuck Norris: Triple Threat, which contains Missing in Action (1984), directed by Joseph Zito (Invasion U.S.A.); Missing in Action II: The Beginning (1985), directed by Lance Hool (Steel Dawn); and Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988), directed by Aaron Norris (The Hitman).
The Missing in Action Trilogy revolves around Colonel Braddock (Norris) and his many adventures in the jungles of Vietnam. Whether it’s rescuing American POWs or saving his wife and son from Vietcong, there’s no stopping this one-man army.
Australian-born, Hong Kong-based filmmaker Antony Szeto (Wushu), who worked with Juju Chan (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny) on both Palace of the Damned and Fist of the Dragon, may be teaming up with the female action star for a third time in Pepper, a thriller written by Janice Eymann (The Farmer).
Chan is currently in negotiations for the title role of “Pepper” in this Chinese-Australian co-production, which producers are hoping to shoot next year.
According to IF, Pepper is the saga of a secret agent who comes to Far North Queensland in search of her missing brother, a fellow agent.
Other Juju Chan projects to look forward to include V-Force: New Dawn of V.I.C.T.O.R.Y. (with Don “The Dragon” Wilson) and Invincible Dragon (with Max Zhang). You can catch her next in Savage Dog(read our review), a soon-to-be released martial arts film starring Scott Adkins.
Cartels | aka Killing Salazar | Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)
Director: Keoni Waxman Cast: Steven Seagal, Georges St. Pierre, Luke Goss, Darren E. Scott, Florin Piersic Jr., Martine Argent, Lauro Chartrand, Bruce Crawford, Claudiu Bleont, Howard Dell, George Ramos, Adina Galupa Running Time: 93 min.
By Paul Bramhall
In Cartels the not-so-dynamic duo of director Keoni Waxman, and his muse Steven Seagal, collaborate once again on one of their countless direct-to-DVD titles. Interestingly Cartels was originally due for release in 2016, however perhaps realising that it would have been the 7th Seagal movie to hit the shelves that particular year, distributor Lionsgate wisely decided to push it back to 2017. Not only did they decide to push the release date back, but they also made the decision to change its title. Originally set to be called Killing Salazar, perhaps sensing that Seagal’s filmography is overly littered with titles that have the word ‘kill’ in them, it was eventually changed to the more simplistic Cartels. That’s fine, with the only detrimental effect being that it ruins the first paragraph of my Contract to Kill review. It’s a legitimate gripe.
Cartels, as if to set expectations from the word go, opens with an abysmally thought out title sequence. After some pretentious onscreen text about how feared Salazar is and the usual mumbo jumbo, the names of the cast play over various characters that appear onscreen. The issue is, for some reason onscreen text also appears mixed in with this sequence, telling us the name of who the character is we’re looking at. The result is, we have a sequence which reads – Martine Argent. U.S. Marshal Tom Jensen. Darren E. Scott. Figuring out which names are the actual actors, and which names are characters in the movie, makes for a fun game, and while it doesn’t take a genius, the fact is that it’s a sloppily constructed sequence.
Soon we’re introduced to Seagal, adorned in his usual orange tinted shades, continuing with his current flavour of the month were he plays a kind of Special Ops agent. I confess part of my enjoyment of watching Seagal movies is waiting for the part in the script when his character (and therefore, himself) will be described as some kind of legendary operative/agent/military man etc. If I could pinpoint it, I’d say it started with Under Siege, when Gary Busey first discovers who Casey Ryback really is, and built to a climatic epiphany of sorts with Michael Caine’s speech in On Deadly Ground. However in 2016 he’s still going strong, and Cartels has Seagal delivering plenty of self-praise. At one point he declares himself as “the guy they should have brought in when sh*t went sideways.” In another he makes a series of unintentionally hilarious clarifications, my favorite of which was “I was not born in night, I was born on a bright f*cking sunny day man.”
For what it’s worth, Seagal spends almost the whole of Cartels sat down. In terms of the energy he exerts, it surprisingly doesn’t feel a whole lot different to the movies where he’s more upwardly mobile. Cartels is structured in such a way that has Seagal interrogating a Major, played by Luke Goss, as the story plays out through flashbacks as to how Salazar managed to escape their grasp. In this regard you can say that Goss is actually the star of the show, and he brings a welcome presence to proceedings in terms of both his physicality, and his charisma. Goss was a member of a boyband in the UK during the 80’s with his twin, Matt Goss, and re-invented himself as an actor during the oughts. While he’s never made the A-list (probably an obvious statement considering he’s in Cartels), he has built an impressive body of work as an action star, with notable roles in the likes of Blade II, Silver Hawk, and Tekken.
The reason behind the interrogation is because Goss and a group of his military colleagues are assigned to transport Salazar, an infamous drug lord, from Romania to the U.S., in which he’ll be the star witness in a trial against various cartels. However they soon find themselves holed up in a hotel, as various enemies of Salazar look to seize their opportunity to take him out for good, all of which leads to his mysterious disappearance. Events lead to Goss being separated from the rest of the group, which gives proceedings a kind of ‘Die Hard in Romania’ vibe, and his separation results in suspicions being raised into how much he actually knows about what went down. This is the sideways sh*t that Seagal was referring to, and is why he’s brought in.
As per so many of Seagal’s direct-to-DVD movies, Cartels is shot on location in Romania. At this point in his career you could probably take the majority of his post-2000 work, and make a tourist video for Eastern Europe out of them. Cartels fits in nicely with this theory, as while the majority of shots focus on the World Trade Center signage on top of the hotel they’re holed up in, one shot (I’m sure unintentionally) allows us to see that it is in fact the Bucharest branch of the Pullman Hotels chain. Salazar himself is played by Romanian actor Florin Piersic Jr., and he does a good job of hamming up his role as the drug lord everyone has to reluctantly protect, laying on a thick Russian accent. The real villain of the piece though comes in the form of former UFC star George St-Pierre, and after minor appearances in the likes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Kickboxer: Vengeance, Cartels provides him with a decent amount of screen time.
Admittedly all he has to do is look intimidating and pull off some of his trademark MMA moves, but he brings a level of intensity to the role that, potentially, indicates he could well make a worthy transition to the world of filmmaking. The rest of the cast bring an equal amount of action talent to the table, consisting almost entirely of stuntmen or martial artists. The leader of the military unit assigned to protect Salazar is played by Darren E. Scott, a black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate who can also be seen facing off against Philip Ng in Birth of the Dragon. He’s joined by the likes of Lauro Chartrand, who aside from acting as the movies action coordinator, also directed the Seagal vehicle Driven to Kill. Other roles are filled by such respected members of the stunt community as Bruce Crawford, Howard Dell, and Sharlene Royer.
No doubt because of the involvement of such experienced professionals, and a lack of Seagal, the action in Cartels is surprisingly enjoyable. It doesn’t break any new ground, but for a direct-to-DVD U.S. production, there’s certainly a lot worse out there. Apart from some worthy pyrotechnics, we also get Goss facing off against a pair of motorbike riding assailants, and a one-on-one against Howard Dell (that pays its dues to The Raid 2’s Hammer Girl), plus Darren E. Scott also gets a one-on-one against St-Pierre. For those that like their dose of butt kicking females, Martine Argent and Sharlene Royer also have a chance to go at it, which deserves special mention for the fact it quickly becomes apparent Argent forgot to use an antiperspirant that morning. However sure enough, Seagal comes dawdling in for the finale, and naturally gets his own one-on-one against St-Pierre.
As per standard for Seagal’s recent fight scenes, he just kind of stands there, and is able to throw St-Pierre everywhere by doing little more than uncomfortably shuffling on the spot. The fight is unique in that St-Pierre does actually get a few licks in, a rare sight hardly seen since Seagal received a double nose bleed in The Glimmer Man. Although technically, the person that St-Pierre hits is actually Seagal’s double, visibly slimmer and filmed from the back. I have a theory that Seagal was probably kept in the dark regarding the fact his character was going to take a hit, so I daresay the scenes with the double were probably filmed without him knowing. Because heaven forbid the idea that someone is able to penetrate the man’s mighty girth and get a punch in.
With a lean 90 minutes runtime, Cartels certainly doesn’t outstay its welcome, and the closing scene even throws in a twist, which in a smart piece of scriptwriting gives significance to a throwaway line that’s spoken earlier. It’s also a twist which could potentially mean we get a Cartels 2, so let’s see if it emerges from the 20 or so movies Seagal will likely release over the next few years. As it stands though, while fans of Seagal may not appreciate his supporting role, he’s still around enough to deliver all his usual trademarks – the self-glorification, the ability to speak every language under the sun with no explanation, and incomprehensibly edited fight scenes. For everyone else, Cartels is a modestly budgeted action flick starring Luke Goss and George St-Pierre, one that happens to also be modestly entertaining for most of the right reasons.
Filipino martial arts instructor Dan Inosanto, who is perhaps best known for being the protege of Bruce Lee, will be the subject of an upcoming biopic that’s currently in development.
The untitled film will be based on a story by Jeremy Gough. Mark Gordon (Murder on the Orient Express) and Matt Jackson (End of Watch) will produce along with Diana Lee Inosanto (The Sensei), Inosanto’s daughter and Lee’s goddaughter.
Although the movie will most likely document Inosanto’s rise to being one of the highest authoritative figures in Jeet Kune Do and various styles of Filipino martial arts, the story will also spotlight his lesser-known successes. As THR reports, “In the mid-1970s, a conditioning coach named Dr. Bob Ward created a stealth program that involved then up-and-coming linesman Randy White, with Inosanto being the key ingredient in the training. Inosanto’s involvement is said to have been key to the Cowboys’ success on the road to the Super Bowl.”
In addition to his affiliation/training with Lee, Inosanto starred alongside Lee in 1972’s Game of Death (due to Lee’s untimely death, the film was completed in 1978 using body doubles for Lee). Other notable film appearances include The Chinese Stuntman (with Bruce Li), Out for Justice (with Steven Seagal), and David Mamet’s highly underrated Redbelt.
We’ll keep you posted on this story as more news arrives. Until then, here’s a scene from The Chinese Stuntman, featuring Insosanto, Bruce Li and the late John Ladalski:
Writer/director Lee Jung-Sub, the filmmaker perhaps best known for co-writing Romantic Island and Perfect Couple, is opening his directorial debut with a bang in Real(read our review), an upcoming neo noirish actioner starring Kim Soo-hyun (The Thieves).
Real is the story about a colorful city controlled by the underworld, where a troubleshooter, Jang Tae-yeong (Kim), who is good at dealing with “dark business,” solves all requests, but things change for him after he meets a former detective reporter (via WP).
L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties | DVD (Lionsgate)
RELEASE DATE: September 26, 2017
On September 26th, 2017, Lionsgate Home Entertainment is releasing L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand.
From the visual effects team behind James Cameron’s Avatar and Warcraft, this computer-animated, motion-capture, action-adventure odyssey “stars” Kris Wu (xXx: Return of Xander Cage) and Fan Bingbing (League of Gods) as sorcerers battling an evil traitor in order to restore peace to the kingdom.
Supernatural warriors clash with dark forces of evil in this electrifying fantasy-adventure. In a distant time, seven lords who wield powers beyond imagination share dominion over a world. But when one lord falls from grace, the others summon all their magic to stop an epic war that is ravaging the land — and threatening the order of the universe. Based on the fantastic and epic novels by Guo Jingming
L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties is directed by Guo Jing-Ming (Tiny Times film series) and also “stars” Cheney Chen (The Great Wall), Lin Yun (Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2), Yan Yikuan (The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom), William Chan (Overheard), Amber Kuo (Sky on Fire), Yang Mi (Wu Dang) and Aarif Rahman (Kung Fu Yoga). Note: Lionsgate will release the film with an English (dubbed) track only.
Director: Jesse V. Johnson Writer: Jesse V. Johnson Cast: Scott Adkins, Marko Zaror, Cung Le, JuJu Chan, Vladimir Kulich, Keith David, Charles Fathy, Matthew Marsden, Sheena Chou, Luke Massy, Aki Aleong Runnning Time: 94 min.
By Paul Bramhall
The transition from stuntman to director should, by nature, not be an easy one. However recently guys like Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, the pair of stuntmen turned directors behind John Wick, have been making it seem like a walk in the park. One name who many may not be familiar with though, but has been treading the path of being a stuntman, writer, and director for close to 20 years, is Jesse V. Johnson. The talent that Johnson has worked with over the last 10 years is enough to make any Expendables casting agent envious, with the likes of Mark Dacascos, Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Darren Shahlavi, Jerry Trimble, and Eric Roberts all featuring in his movies. Despite the names he’s able to attract though, Johnson’s directorial efforts have remained an example of how difficult such a transition is, with movies like The Last Sentinel and Alien Agent largely considered a waste of the talents involved.
In 2017 though Johnson seems to have found a new muse in the form of Scott Adkins. While Adkins forged a hugely successful working relationship with director Isaac Florentine, which saw them work on 7 movies together between 2003 – 2015, in 2017 alone the new pair have already collaborated together on 3 titles. The first one to hit screens is Savage Dog, and at the time of writing Triple Threat and Accident Man are soon to follow. Interestingly Savage Dog is not the first time Johnson and Adkins have worked together, with Adkins playing a small part as a fighter in the movie that brought Johnson to people’s attention, with 2005’s Pit Fighter. Here though he’s no longer a bit player, with a starring role alongside fellow martial arts luminaries Marko Zaror, Cung Le, and Juju Chan.
Savage Dog earns points immediately for taking the chance to set an action movie in a period that’s never really been used before within the genre. Taking place in Indochina in 1959, despite the low budget there’s a nice level of period detail on display that gives the visuals an authentic feel. Adkins plays an Irish prisoner being held by a well off Nazi (played by Vladimir Kulich) and his cronies, which include a sharp suited Marko Zaror, and military man Cung Le. They run an illegal fighting tournament, however when the British government come looking for Adkins to extradite him, Kulich decides to set him free so as not to bring any unnecessary trouble. Adkins doesn’t enjoy his freedom for long though, as Kulich and his crew soon set their sights on acquiring a bar he’s taken a job at. The bar is run by Keith David (yes, Childs from The Thing) and Juju Chan, and the acquisition leads to tragic consequences that see budding lovers Adkins and Chan left for dead.
While the plot of Savage Dog has plenty of potential for intrigue, mystery, and even romance, with his 10th feature length production Johnson unfortunately still hasn’t learnt anything about building up dramatic tension. Important plot points that should have a huge bearing on the events that unfold, such as Juju Chan being revealed to be the daughter of the Nazi, are delivered in a frustratingly clunky manner with zero tension. The whole movie is also distractingly narrated by Keith David, being told in retrospect from beyond the grave of all places, when the plot would have benefitted more from allowing the visuals and actors to tell the story. Instead, the narration frequently delves into pretentiousness, ranging from stating the obvious (when Adkins sneaks into an enemy base, David tells us he’s sneaking in because it’s better than walking in the front door), to channelling Richard Crenna’s colonel from the Rambo movies.
The direction remains painfully pedestrian during this setup, often teetering into boredom, and is only broken up by sub-par 90’s Van Damme style fight scenes, that see Adkins being coerced into bare knuckle matches for Kulich and co.’s entertainment. Much like in Hard Target 2, the fighters Adkins goes up against in these matches are the real deal, from kickboxing champions like Dennis Keiffer, to Muay Thai fighters like Kaden Vu, however the fights themselves lack any kind of thrill factor to pull the audience in. The over reliance on slow motion also detracts from the impact, and again reflects a painfully 90’s aesthetic towards the action, reflecting an era when it was acceptable to have every flying kick take place in slow motion. In 2017 though, we’ve seen it too many times before.
After such a rocky start, at precisely half way through, the tone takes a surprising 180 degree turn, and having been left for dead, Adkins rises up to seek his revenge with an angry looking beard. After 45 minutes of Hallmark TV movie of the week styled plotting, the last 45 minutes of Savage Dog become an ultra-violent blood soaked revenge flick, which almost makes most of what came before seem like another movie. From the moment Adkins strolls up to the bar he used to work at, and proceeds to hack the head off of the guard on the door with a machete, you know that a certain something just got real. For the remainder of the runtime Savage Dog doesn’t let up, as Adkins becomes a one-man army with a machete, shotgun, and a string of grenades for company. For fans that wanted another Rambo movie, this should be the place to check in.
The second half of Savage Dog is a joy to behold, and sees Adkins go on his most entertainingly violent one-man rampage since the finale of Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. The brutality (or should that be ‘savageness’?) of it is fantastic fun to watch, admittedly perhaps enhanced due to the dullness of the first half, however when you have Adkins shooting people point blank in the face with a shotgun, and hacking off limbs left, right, and center, what’s not to enjoy? Adkins is in his element here, because as much as I find him a decent actor (his Irish accent is on the money), like a 90’s era Donnie Yen I find him most enjoyable when he’s in angry mode. That’s what makes Ninja: Shadow of a Tear such a masterpiece, as he’s basically angry for 95% of the runtime, but thankfully in Savage Dog 50% is equally as entertaining.
Frequent Johnson collaborator Luke LaFontaine is on fight choreography duty, a veteran stuntman who also choreographed Johnson’s The Last Sentinel and Alien Agent, and in the latter half of Savage Dog he restrains Adkins in the fight department to great effect. Instead we’re treated to a barrage of Commando level gunplay, with Adkins having countless pistol wielding legionnaires dispatched against him, as well as a pair of semi-mounted machine guns. Savage Dog may well hold the record for the number of bullets that can be fired at someone without them getting hit, but far from being a detriment, the excessive nature of it all means it’s never anything less than entertaining to watch. Such a setup also means that, when he suddenly finds himself alone in a room with Cung Le, the fight that follows has the desired impact.
Indeed for the lack of understanding that Johnson has when handling dramatic material, what can’t be argued is that he knows his stuff when it comes to constructing an action scene, including how to work a level of tension into it. The prospect of an Adkins vs. Le showdown isn’t wasted, and the pair go furiously at it for a couple of minutes, that sees plenty of collateral damage and some nice falls. Hardcore martial arts fans may take issue with the way the fight ends, however it fits within the context that it’s taking place in, and for those that were waiting to see Adkins let loose, it doesn’t disappoint. However Savage Dog also holds another treat for action fans, and that’s the promise of a rematch of the finale from Undisputed III: Redemption, with Adkins facing off against Marko Zaror outside of the ring this time.
Personally this rematch was one of the elements I was most looking forward to in Savage Dog, while as much as I enjoyed their fight in Undisputed III: Redemption, I confess to not being a fan of ring-set tournament fight flicks. So to see them facing off in a setting such as the one Savage Dog provides was a thrilling prospect. Thankfully the promise delivers, and while the fight is neither as stylistic nor lengthy as their last encounter, there should be little to leave fans unhappy. Beginning with a blade wielding Zaror squaring off against a spanner wielding Adkins, the fight eventually segues into a raw empty handed slug fest, with Adkins finishing things off in a way that takes a leaf, or more specifically, a bite out of Leung Kar Yan’s performance in Thundering Mantis.
While Savage Dog has plenty of negatives against it, and will likely remain unseen by anyone who’s not a fan of either Scott Adkins or Marko Zaror, it does eventually find its way, and once there never deviates from it. Bearing this in mind, and considering its budget, from such a perspective it’s an admirable effort. It’s baffling that an action talent like Juju Chan was cast in a non-action role, and considering what she’s capable of, it would have been nice to see her be something more than just a damsel in distress. If Johnson can just crack how to effectively direct the dramatic material as well as he directs the action, there’s little doubt that Savage Dog would have been an action masterpiece. As it is, the first Johnson and Adkins collaboration remains a rewarding experience for those that stick with it, so for now, here’s hoping both Triple Threat and Accident Man bring us half the fun Savage Dog delivers, but for the whole of their runtime.
Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival) is currently putting finishing touches on Blade Runner 2049 (aka Blade Runner 2), which has a theatrical release date set for October 6, 2017.
This sequel to Ridley Scott’s ground-breaking 1982 science fiction classic, which will take place some years after the first film concluded, has Harrison Ford returning as Rick Deckard.
Blade Runner 2049 also stars Ryan Gosling (Drive), Dave Bautista (Kickboxer: Vengeance), Robin Wright (State of Grace), Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Jared Leto (Suicide Squad) and last, but not least, Edward James Olmos will be reprising his role as Gaff.
Ridley Scott, director of the original, is serving as one of the film’s producers and writers. Hampton Fancher, who also worked on the original, is back on board as screenwriter. Michael Green (Green Lantern) is co-writing.
Warner Brothers latest foray into superhero movies is finally a raging success. Wonder Woman is a reboot of one of the lesser-known, modern-day heroines. The world was reintroduced to Diana, Princess of the Amazons in Batman versus Superman: Dawn of Justice back in 2016. But nothing could have prepared us for her go-it-alone caper in Wonder Woman.
Smart, strong, sexy, and sassy – Diana Prince is everything we’ve come to expect from a superhero. Her gallantry and noble attitude separates her from the rest of us. She fights for the underdog and does so with every ounce of her being. The movie’s production budget was $149 million, and from that, Gal Gadot received just $300,000. But it will do for her what Iron Man did for Robert Downey Jr. and make her a superstar of epic proportions.
A Step Up: Wonder Woman Re-invents Cool
The movie is a sharp contrast from the cheesy-style acting and effects of its predecessors. This Diana is fierce, bold and ready to unleash fury like the best of them. She puts her acting prowess against the rather comical antics of Chris Pine (of Star Trek fame) who is Captain Steve Trevor. Her and her family of God-like protectors are huddled away on an unseen island until a World War I fighter pilot crashes into the ocean. What follows is a search for Aries – the God of War, whom Diana believes is responsible for causing World War I and the immeasurable suffering that is going on.
So, she decides to leave the picturesque and tranquil island of Themyscira to help Steve defeat Aries. Little does she know that what she’s about to encounter is a pervasive evil in society. Our hero will not be deterred from unleashing the full force of her powers. The choreography of fight sequences is breathtaking and Gadot admitted to being bruised and battered while she was filming this epic blockbuster. Overall, the movie created yet another superhero, and is a fitting tribute to the 1975 classic TV series starring Lynda Carter as the inimitable Wonder Woman.
An Entertainment Goddess Comes to Your Screen
The film has spurred a massive secondary industry in figurines and Wonder Woman merchandise. When asked how much the Wonder Woman figurine should cost, Gal Gadot replied – ‘Argh… how much do you think? I dunno.’ Her name and likeness are emblazoned on girls’ toys, clothing, and at arcades around the world. Not surprisingly, the popularity of Wonder Woman has spread far and wide into the online entertainment arena. Video slots games about this dazzling superhero are already available, and players are lapping it up in their droves. A classic example is Wonder Woman Gold slot and Wonder Woman Jackpot slot where players get to push all the right buttons to get Wonder Woman to hit super-sized jackpots. With so much fanfare and hundreds of millions of dollars already racked up, it comes as no surprise that Wonder Woman is the hottest video slot game at casinos around the world.
Disclaimer: cityonfire.com does not own any of the photos contained in the blog. cityonfire.com was made merely to pay homage to these films, directors, talent, etc. and not for any profit or commercial reasons. No copyright infringement intended. The photos are copyrighted and courtesy by their respective owners.
cityonfire.com is a non-profit website for the private use and entertainment and/or parody purposes.
"Copyright Disclaimer, Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statue that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, education or personal use tops the balance in favor of fair use."
3 Comments