Priests, The (2015) Review

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Paul Bramhall
"The Priests" Korean Theatrical Poster

“The Priests” Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Black Priests
Director: Jang Jae-Hyon
Writer: Jang Jae-Hyon
Cast: Kim Yun-Seok, Gang Dong-Won, Park So-Dam, Kim Eui-Sung, Son Jong-Hak, Nam Il-Woo, Lee Ho-Jae, Kim Byung-Ok, Jo Soo-Hyang, Park Woong
Running Time: 108 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Out of the many genres that can be found within Korean cinema, it’s the supernatural horror movie that seems to struggle to find any consistency in terms of quality. While movies like The Whispering Corridors series and A Tale of Two Sisters both stand out as superlative examples, it’s fair to say that many of the countries entries into the genre are quickly forgotten. What can’t be argued though, especially in recent years, is that just as popular as the tales of vengeful spirits, are the tales of spirits which have possessed an innocent human host. In other words, the exorcism movie. Hollywood has of course, as it always does, been churning them out like they’re going out of fashion. Since 2010 alone we’ve had The Last Exorcism (and its sequel), The Possession, and The Devil Inside.

Korea thankfully hasn’t been quite as energetic, with their last notable entry into the exorcism sub-genre coming in the form of 2009’s Possessed. So, with the arrival of director Jang Jae-hyon’s debut feature, The Priests, it’s fair to say a sufficient amount of time has passed for audiences to accept the latest demonic possession movie. It’s estimated that almost 30% of the Korean population is of the Christian faith, with 10% of that figure being Catholic, so if anything it’s surprising that we haven’t seen more movies from the local industry pitting the church against some sort of evil spirit.

The plot of The Priests will no doubt seem familiar to anyone who’s seen William Friedkin’s seminal work The Exorcist, a 1973 production that still holds up over 40 years later. Kim Yoon-seok, here in his third movie from 2015 alone, plays a world weary soju drinking exorcist, who despite orders from the church explicitly telling him not to, has been secretly performing exorcisms on a young girl in a coma, believed to be possessed. Yoon-seok isn’t without allies in the church though, and those that believe in him have been hooking him up with assistants to help perform the exorcisms, however none of them ever last very long. The latest is a young deacon, played by Kang Dong-won, last seen as the bad guy in Kundo: Age of the Rampant, and together Yoon-seok plans to expel the demon from the girl once and for all.

Yoon-seok and Dong-won have shared the screen together before, in Choi Dong-hoon’s 2009 feature Jeon Woo Chi: The Taoist Wizard. In that movie Dong-hoon was the lead, playing the title character, so The Priests provides the opportunity for them to share top billing. It quickly becomes clear that it’s a production which benefits greatly from having them both on-board, and onscreen they have a believable chemistry together, which keeps things feeling grounded and based in reality. The possessed girl (has there ever been an exorcism movie in which the victim is a male?) is played by Park So-dam, here featuring in her second horror movie of 2015, the first being The Silenced released earlier in the year.

For a first time director, Jae-hyon kicks off proceedings with an impressive opening, as the Vatican sends a pair of its own exorcists to Korea, having identified that one of the twelve manifestations of evil is residing in Seoul. After successfully capturing the demon, a high impact traffic accident results in it being freed from the grasps of the exorcists, and it’s this event which leads to the involvement of Yoon-seok and Dong-won. It’s clear from the word go that Jae-hyon, who also wrote the script, has put a lot of passion into his debut. On top of the strop opening, there’s also some very subtle references to The Exorcist thrown in for those that are looking for them. Dong-won’s initial scene has his body framed against a building, which clearly recalls the iconic image of Max von Sydow’s arrival at Linda Blair’s house, along with some parts of the soundtrack having faint echoes of Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’.

However The Priests carves out enough of its own identity to separate itself from being simply another derogatory version of The Exorcist. Much of this comes from the unique cultural slant the fact that it’s a Korean production brings to the narrative, like the emphasis on the year of birth, and most notably, the inclusion of a scene involving a traditional Korean shaman performing a gut. Korean shamanism is still a largely overlooked practice, and is rarely shown in mainstream media, so it was refreshing to see it incorporated into the plot for a movie such as this. For anyone who checks out The Priests and would like to know more, I strongly recommend watching the 2013 documentary Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits. Directed by Park Chan-wook’s brother, Park Chan-kyong, it’s a fascinating look into traditional Korean shamanism.

Despite its strengths though, The Priests also reflects the fact that it’s a director’s debut in various aspects of the narrative. There’s a real feeling that Jae-hyon probably had the tale complete in his head, but not every aspect of it made it onto the screen or script. Several interesting plot points that get introduced early on are never really followed up on. The church superiors suspect Yoon-seok may in fact be abusing the girl, so essentially send Dong-won to assist him as a spy, however once Yoon-seok has Dong-won’s trust, this element is completely dropped. There is a significant scene when Dong-won visits Yoon-seok’s former assistant, however once it’s over, again nothing ever comes from it. Most bafflingly is a senior church member who wakes up from a coma, and all indications point to him being possessed, which after a brief visit and exorcism from Yoon-seok is never touched upon again.

The tone in which Dong-won is first introduced as a suitable candidate to be Yoon-seok’s assistant is also jarringly comedic, and almost comes across like it’s been transplanted from another movie. Dong-won’s mischievous antics play out onscreen, like sneaking out to buy alcohol or cheating in an exam, while Yoon-seok reads out his requirements via voiceover in a poker faced manner. However Jae-hyon directs with a refreshing level of energy, and keeps the pace moving along in such a way that the suspense and tension is kept high throughout, so ultimately these complaints are forgivable. It just would have been even better if he could tie them into the wider plot, making a good film potentially into a great one.

The exorcism is of course the main event, and it doesn’t disappoint. Rather than filling the screen with CGI creations, a mistake that so many modern horror movies make, here it’s used sparingly, and acts to compliment Yoon-seok, Dong-won, and So-dam’s performances rather than distracting from them. Jae-hyon does a great job of wringing the maximum amount of tension from the ritual, ensuring the two priests are definitely not given a smooth ride, and the lack of grand spectacle really keeps it grounded in reality, ensuring the terror feels real. By this point we’re also completely invested in Yoon-seok and Dong-won’s characters, ensuring that as an audience we’re not just watching it for the sake of being scared. The fact that we want the characters to beat the demon makes a lot of difference.

The Priests is a refreshingly straight forward horror movie, which is successful in being both suspenseful and delivering a few jump in your seat moments. By eschewing any pretentious flights of fancy, like the usual winks at the audience or veiled deeper meanings, it actually works in the movies favor. What’s left is a lean supernatural tale of two priests, neither of whom are perfect, that set their sights on freeing a young girl of the demon that’s possessed her, and that’s exactly what they do. It doesn’t re-invent the wheel and may not be completely original, but at the end of the day, who doesn’t like to see good prevailing over evil?

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

Deal on Fire! Close Range | Blu-ray | Only $9.99 – Expires soon!

Posted on January 7, 2016 by JJ Bona
Close Range | Blu-ray & DVD (XLRator)

Close Range | Blu-ray & DVD (XLRator)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Close Range, an action film by Isaac Florentine (Ninja 2: Shadow of a Tear) starring Scott Adkins (Assassination Games).

A rogue soldier turned outlaw is thrust into a relentless fight with a corrupt sheriff, his obedient deputies, and a dangerous drug cartel in order to protect his sister and her young daughter. | Watch the trailer.

The film (read our review) also stars Nick Chinlund (Supremacy), Caitlin Keats (Kill Bill: Vol. 2), Jake La Botz (Rambo 4), Tony Perez (Scarface), Madison Lawlor (Until Forever) and Javad Ramezani.

Order Close Range from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Our Top 15 Watched Movies of 2015

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Paul Bramhall

As the year that was 2015 fades into the distance, it’s that time once more to reflect on the cinematic highs that were enjoyed during the last 12 months. Just like last year, this will be a collection of movies that I watched for the first time during 2015, not movies that were necessarily released in 2015.

There’ll be some movies on this list that don’t have reviews on the site, such is the nature of occasionally watching a movie that you enjoy so much. While it’s easy to review 90 minutes of trash that can be easily torn to shreds, sometimes the best movies are the most difficult to review, and I confess to bailing out on having a crack at some of them. Thankfully, they can be included in this feature!

2015 was also a year in which I watched an inordinate amount of old school kung fu. So much so that I’ve decided to (almost) completely skip over including any here, short of saying ‘Every movie Dragon Lee has ever made’, which frankly, would be misrepresentative. Though if I did watch an old school kung fu movie and enjoyed it, chances are I definitely reviewed it, so feel free to scroll through by clicking on my name under the feature header.

Just like last time, the movies will be listed in order of release, so without further ado, let’s begin.

Wild City (2015, Hong Kong) – The news that Hong Kong auteur Ringo Lam would be returning to the director’s chair, for the first time in 12 years, was greeted by equal amounts of excitement and trepidation from his long-time fans. The man behind such classics as City on Fire and Full Contact, there’s no doubt that the Hong Kong cinematic landscape had changed a lot since he was last active in the industry. Thankfully, while not perfect, Wild City proved that he hasn’t lost a step, proving to be a gritty crime thriller in which the streets and alleys of Hong Kong are just as much of a character as the leads, played by Louis Koo, Shawn Yue, and Tong Liya.

Full Strike (2015, Hong Kong) – Directors Derek Kwok and Henri Wong teamed up for this tale of a former badminton champion fallen on hard times, and a group of physically impaired ex-cons, teaming up to try and win a badminton championship. While on paper it may not seem like the most exciting prospect for a movie, onscreen Full Strike harks back to the insanely paced HK comedies of old. With aliens, drunken masters, steel-capped shuttlecocks, and some of the most hilariously foul language you’re likely to come across in a movie about badminton, Full Strike proved to be one of the most entertaining HK movies of 2015.

SPL II: A Time for Consequences (2015, Hong Kong) – Arriving a whole decade after the original SPL, this time minus Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung, the thematic sequel delivered the goods thanks in no small part due to the assured direction of Soi Cheang. The man behind the likes of Dog Bite Dog and Accident, Cheang not only made sure he brought the action, but also extracted a pair of career best acting performances from Wu Jing and Tony Jaa. Taking on the dark subject of organ trafficking, as the corrupt prison warden behind a trafficking ring, Max Zhang almost stole the show in a high impact physical performance.

From Vegas to Macau II (2015, Hong Kong) – Following the original which was ultimately more miss than hit, it didn’t stop Wong Jing from bringing back Chow Yun Fat and Carina Lau for a second installment of From Vegas to Macau, a hark back to the popular gambling movies of yesteryear. Thankfully, the sequel makes amends for its predecessor by delivering an almost non-stop barrage of action and wacky comedy. From Vegas to Macau II wisely does away with Nicholas Tse and Chapman To, and replaces them with the likes of Nick Cheung, Shawn Yue, and Shaw Brothers legend David Chiang, all of whom are game to indulge in the silliness of it all.

Scarlet Innocence (2014, South Korea) – What starts off as a seemingly sedate melodrama, which sees Jeong Woo-seong taking a job as a community teacher in the countryside following a scandal in Seoul, takes an unexpectedly dark turn when he embarks on a passionate affair with a girl several years his junior, played by Esom (here appearing for a second time in the Top 15 list, after last years Man on High Heels). As the story skips several years forward, Esom’s return into Woo-seong’s life, who now has failing eyesight, becomes a psychological nightmare of excessive sex and violence. A modern re-telling of a Korean folk tale, director Lim Pil-seong delivers a movie which stays with you long after it’s finished.

A Hard Day (2014, South Korea) – Director and screenwriter Kim Seong-hoon’s sophomore feature came a whole 8 years after his 2006 debut, however it was definitely worth the wait. The tale of a cop who accidentally hits and kills a man while driving to his mother’s funeral at night, his ensuing attempts to hide the body result in one of the most entertaining thrillers to come out of Korea in recent years. A big factor of its success is thanks to Seong-hoon’s tightly paced script, which weaves in plenty of laugh out loud dark comedy moments, and an energetically frantic performance from Lee Seong-gyoon, who plays the cop in question.

A Girl at My Door (2014, South Korea) – One of the most impressive debuts by anyone, director and screenwriter Jeong Joo-ri shows many of the trademarks of her teacher, Lee Chang-dong, with the auteur himself coming on-board as producer. Featuring a pair of powerhouse performances by Bae Doona and Kim Sae-ron (here grown up considerably from her role in The Man from Nowhere), the tale focuses on the friendship between the pair, as Doona’s new-in-town police captain takes Sae-ron under her wing. However when the past begins to catch up with them both, proceedings take a surprisingly dark direction, but one which is both empowering and morally ambiguous.

The World of Kanako (2014, Japan) – Any movie by Tetsuya Nakashima is worth paying attention to, the director behind the likes of Memories of Matsuko and Confessions, and The World of Kanako proves to be no different. Featuring a scenery chewing performance by Koji Yakusho, as we follow his journey to try and locate his missing daughter Kanako, it’s very much a case of being dragged into a rabbit hole of psychosis, violence, and insanity. Relentless in its pace, by the end of the 2 hours you’ll likely be as exhausted and dishevelled as he is, however you’ll also be left with little doubt that what you’ve just witnessed is an impressively powerful piece of cinema.

Black Coal, Thin Ice (2014, China) – Mainland Chinese crime cinema was one of my favourite discoveries of 2015. Independent movies aren’t screened in China, however thankfully that doesn’t stop them from being made, and many have gained recognition at film festivals around the world. Black Coal, Thin Ice is one such example, and walked away with a couple of awards at the Berlin International Film Festival. It’s easy to see why, as director Diao Yinan crafts an atmospherically told tale of a serial killer, who likes to leave his victims body parts strewn across a snow covered province in North East China. Following a disgraced former detectives attempts to track the killer down with the widow of one of the victims, it’s a movie which will keep you guessing until the end.

End of Animal (2010, South Korea) – While director Jo Sung-hee has gone onto bigger budget productions recently, his 2010 debut, funded by a grant from the Korean Academy of Film Arts, still packs a weighty punch. Undeniably low budget, Sung-hee defies the financial limitations by focusing on a pregnant girl riding a taxi to her hometown in remote Korean countryside. Featuring a darkly foreboding and creepy atmosphere, when an unexplained event leaves both the taxi and everyone’s mobile phones without power, the sense of isolation and omnipresent sound of an unknown beast growling in the far distance make for an effectively unsettling experience. The answers to what exactly is going on are never spoon fed, and End of Animal is all the more rewarding for it.

Adrift in Tokyo (2007, Japan) – Miki Satoshi has made a career out of making slice-of-life movies focusing on a variety of odd and eccentric characters, but in my opinion Adrift in Tokyo is his masterpiece. Featuring Joe Odagiri (who also has a role in The World of Kanako) as a heavily in debt student with no particular ambitions, when a burly yakuza played by Tomokazu Miura bursts into his apartment and gives him 72 hours to pay, he all but gives up on life. However after running into Miura a second time, the yakuza offers him a different deal – he’ll give Odagiri a million yen, and all he has to do in return is accompany him for a walk around Tokyo. What follows is a subtly charming and warm road trip, only on foot, around Tokyo, as the pair quietly grow fond of each other in the face of an inevitable ending.

Takeshis’ (2005, Japan) – Without doubt Takeshi Kitano’s most unique movie, Takeshis’ plays like a surreal deconstruction of his own image, that which was developed through his filmography. Taking on 2 roles – one a version of his real-life actor persona ‘Beat’ Takeshi, and one a mild-mannered convenience store clerk who dreams of being an actor, proceedings increasingly become a series of dreams and hallucinations, often involving both characters’ lives overlapping into the other. Impossible to fully grasp on first watch, Takeshis’ is a movie which becomes increasingly rewarding on repeat viewings.

Hypnotized (2004, South Korea) – A movie which frequently defies categorization, equal parts psychological horror, sexual thriller, and mystery, Hypnotized is anchored by a fantastic performance by Kim Hye-soo as a mentally unstable woman being treated by a therapist, played by Kim Tae-woo. Director Kim In-sik blends fantasy and reality throughout to create a variety of visually stunning imagery, reflecting the disturbed nature of the protagonist’s fractured mind. As Tae-woo becomes increasingly obsessed with Hye-soo, despite her unstable state, he also finds his mind starting to fray at the seams, which leads to a memorably horrific finale.

Rendezvous of Japanese Kanto (1993, Taiwan/South Korea) – When you’ve been watching kung fu movies for 16 years, it’s easy to feel like you’ve seen everything that’s worth seeing. Thankfully, hidden gems like Rendezvous of Japanese Kanto come along to remind us that there are always movies out there worth watching, they’re just not as obvious as when you’ve just gotten into the genre. A Taiwan and South Korean co-production which is equal parts Korean Taekwondo action and Girls With Guns (thanks to the presence of Sibelle Hu), the fights come thick and fast, topped off with a fantastic 15 minute finale. Throw in cameos from the likes of Baby Venom Ricky Cheng and Chang Shan, and you have a perfect slice of kung fu cinema goodness.

Monk’s Fight (1979, Hong Kong) – An obscure title from 1979 which features an unlikely collection of kung fu cinema luminaries all thrown together in the same movie, from Korean superkicker Casanova Wong, to Taiwan femme fatale Pearl Cheung, to Shaw Brothers regulars such as Ling Yun, Tien Feng, and Choi Wang. The actual main actor of Monk’s Fight, Lee Wing, would only make this movie and disappear. It’s a shame, as the production has one of the most unique feels to it of any kung fu flick I’ve seen, almost like a chambara influenced wuxia style spaghetti western, with quick and brutal one blow fights eschewing the usual fantastical nature most wuxia’s lend themselves too. For a change from the usual, Monk’s Fight is well worth checking out.

That wraps up my list for this year, and 2016 is already shaping up to be a hotly anticipated 12 months of cinematic goodness. Feel free to weigh in with your own movie highlights of 2015 in the comments section below, and in the meantime, wishing you all a happy and healthy 2016 on fire.

Posted in Features, News |

Breaker! Breaker! | Blu-ray (Olive Films)

Posted on January 6, 2016 by JJ Bona
"Breaker! Breaker!" Blu-ray Cover

"Breaker! Breaker!" Blu-ray Cover

RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2016

Olive Films presents the Blu-ray for Chuck Norris’ action classic, Breaker! Breaker! In the film, a truck driver (Norris) searches for his brother (Michael Augenstein), who has disappeared in a town run by a corrupt judge (George Murdock).

This 1977 feature is Norris’ first true starring role, if you don’t count his baddie appearances in 1972’s Way of the Dragon and 1974’s Slaughter in San Francisco. Following the release of Breaker! Breaker!, Norris would dominate theaters with a string of endless action films throughout the 70s and 80s! Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Breaker! Breaker! from Amazon.com today!

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

White Storm, The | aka Cartel War (2013) Review

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Z Ravas
"The White Storm" Theatrical Poster

“The White Storm” Theatrical Poster

AKA: Metamorphosis
Director: Benny Chan
Cast: Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Lau Ching Wan, Yolanda Yuan Quan, Lo Hoi Pang, Alex Fong Lik Sun, Berg Ng Ting Yip, Hou Yong, Elanne Kong, Ken Lo
Running Time: 140 min.

By HKFanatic

It might sound hard to believe now, but there was a time when director Benny Chan was considered a great hope for Hong Kong cinema. Halfway through the Nineties, when other filmmakers like John Woo and Ringo Lam were vacating the island for Hollywood pastures, Chan stood his ground: his film Big Bullet, released just one year before the 1997 handover, adhered resolutely to the staples of Hong Kong cinema. In other words, it was an explosive action flick about hardboiled cops. Even as the years wore on and Chan was forced to work with pop stars to keep up with the times (see: Gen-X Cops), his movies felt as though they had at least one foot remaining in the old-school style, with their practical action and flashy camerawork.

Then something changed. Fans are still not sure what went wrong, but the consensus seems to be that Benny Chan’s last truly good movie was 2004’s New Police Story and the filmmaker has been on a decline ever since. Chan reached his nadir with 2010’s City Under Siege, a film so bizarre it feels beamed in from another planet. It’s hard to believe an actor as popular as Aaron Kwok signed on to a picture about circus performers granted superpowers after being doused with a chemical developed by the Japanese during World War II, but he did – and it was unspeakably awful.

All of this is partially why Benny Chan’s 2013 effort The White Storm appeared so promising. The film was touted as a loving tribute to the heroic bloodshed films of yesteryear, and it was set to unite Benny Chan with two of the strongest actors working in Hong Kong today: Lau Ching Wan (Big Bullet) and Nick Cheung (The Beast Stalker). The questionable talents of Louis Koo (Flash Point) were along for the ride but this seemed a necessary concession in order to ensure a box office return.

So far so good. The movie’s story might be best described as A Better Tomorrow meets Infernal Affairs, with a dash of John Woo’s unheralded masterpiece Bullet in the Head. Our three leads play best friends since childhood, who also happen to be members of the Hong Kong police department’s Narcotics Division. The difference is that Lau Ching Wan and Nick Cheung are superior officers while Louis Koo has spent years deep undercover, spending his time cavorting with drug dealers when he’d rather be at home doting on his pregnant wife. Koo desperately begs to be pulled out of the field, but Wan assures him he needs Koo for one last (and dangerous) mission to apprehend one of Southeast Asia’s most powerful drug lords, the Eight-Faced Buddha.

Needless to say, everything goes to hell…but it takes a long time getting there. Inexplicably, Benny Chan has afforded a lengthy 140 minute runtime to what is a boilerplate cops-and-robbers tale. Most of that runtime is eaten up by teary-eyed melodrama, as though Chan was under the impression that everyone loved the A Better Tomorrow series for its scenes of manly men crying. Unsurprisingly, Lau Ching Wan delivers the best performance here as the loyal and steadfast officer and friend, while Louis Koo is more or less adequate as the ‘undercover cop who’s about to have a nervous breakdown,’ though it’s difficult to ignore that Tony Leung Chiu-wai did the same role more convincingly in Infernal Affairs. Nick Cheung is afforded the flashiest part by far, and he seems to be having fun when the second half of the film tosses its twists and turns, as improbable as they are, at the viewer.

Naturally, action fans would be able to forgive a convoluted storyline and emotional histrionics if The White Storm delivered on the bread and butter of heroic bloodshed films: intricately choreographed and balletic violence. Sadly, the vast majority of action in The White Storm is shot and cut in a way that’s virtually indistinguishable from your average Hollywood journeyman director. An opening clash between cops and drug dealers on the streets of Hong Kong goes by without a single noteworthy moment. Things pick up significantly around the middle of the film when the Eight-Faced Buddha attacks our heroes with a gatling gun attached to a helicopter, but here it’s the sheer scale of the slaughter – the number of bodies and vehicles devastated by bullets – that makes an impression, rather than anything Benny Chan is doing behind the camera. It’s a bravado sequence, no doubt, but it’d feel just as at home in an Expendables movie.

The finale offers Benny Chan, as well as our three main characters, a chance to redeem themselves. After all, how many ‘tragic hero’ films save the best for last and unleash a climactic gun battle for the ages? Chan even finds the perfect location for his shootout: the sleek and gaudy backroom of a Macau casino. Unfortunately, even this finale ends up disappointing, as Lau Ching Wan and company spend the first half of the fight literally standing in a circle and firing at the bad guys as though the plot has inexplicably made them bulletproof. It’s a far cry from the days when Chow Yun-fat would dive through the air or slide down a railing in the midst of battle. All in all, this climax brought three words to mind: Johnnie To lite.

Speaking of Johnnie To: almost a decade ago, the talented filmmaker released a little film called Exiled. Featuring some of the best acting talent in Hong Kong (including The White Storm’s Nick Cheung), the film managed to pay homage to vintage Hong Kong action cinema while delivering a fun and smart piece of genre entertainment. It’s a shame that, so many years on, a filmmaker like Benny Chan can’t deliver a comparable tribute to the pistol opera genre fans know and love; but for whatever reason, Chan has seemed behind the curve for awhile now. His upcoming 2016 effort The Deadly Reclaim will see the director pair up with action choreographer Sammo Hung; perhaps working with one of the all-time greats will reignite some spark in the commercial filmmaker. In the meantime, The White Storm is a night’s passable entertainment, but only for the most forgiving of Hong Kong cinema buffs. As both an action film and a tip of the hat to the heroic bloodshed genre, The White Storm registers as a missed opportunity.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6/10

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

Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 5: Final Episode (1974) Review

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Kelly Warner
"Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 5" Blu-ray Cover

"Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 5" Blu-ray Cover

Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Writer: Koichi Iiboshi, Koji Takada
Producer: Goro Kusakabe
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Akira Kobayashi, Kinya Kitaoji, Joe Shishido, Junkichi Orimoto, Kunie Tanaka, Shingo Yamashirom Hiroki Matsukata, Goichi Yamada, Goro Ibuki, Nobuo Kaneko, Asao Uchida, Isao Konami
Running Time: 98 min.

By Kyle Warner

The Battles Without Honor and Humanity series was hugely successful when they were first released in the early 1970’s and the films remain highly regarded today. The series turned supporting actor Bunta Sugawara into a star and paved a way to greatness for director Kinji Fukasaku. Many other members of the cast and crew also went on to enjoy future success as a result of working on the series. If there’s one name that I feel has been unfairly overlooked in the legacy of the series, it’s screenwriter Kazuo Kasahara – but maybe that’s not a surprise, since screenwriters who don’t also double as directors rarely get the credit they deserve. With a dedication for research that’s more comparable to a journalist chasing a story instead of a screenwriter putting together an action movie, Kasahara’s attention to detail and realism pairs up perfectly with Fukasaku’s unflinching direction. They’re two sides of the same coin that made the Battles series so great.

Watching Police Tactics, it seems clear that at least Kasahara felt that film was the end of the story. The finale of Police Tactics gives some closure to various conflicts while also making its viewpoint on the yakuza in Hiroshima abundantly clear. Fans watching the films today know that there’s a fifth entry titled Final Episode, so despite that feeling of finality in Police Tactics there’s still obviously more to the story. There would be no more Battles for Kazuo Kasahara, though. He stuck to his guns, feeling that the story was done and stepped aside (the writer also admitted to being burnt-out from the hectic schedule of research and writing Battles Without Honor and Humanity — the four Battles films he wrote were all released over the span of just twelve months). In his place, Toei hired veteran screenwriter Koji Takada (The Streetfighter), who sought to stay true to the world Kasahara had helped create while also bringing some of his own flavor to the mix.

Final Episode is my least favorite entry in the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series for a few reasons. I call attention to the change in screenwriters first because it’s the most obvious one to me. Koji Takada’s a good writer but I feel like his script for Final Episode features too many starts and stops, making for a film with a weird sense of pacing. Much of Final Episode is based around the idea of the movers and shakers in the yakuza getting locked up and the trouble the subordinates get into while their leaders are away. But because the bosses have been the only characters to really latch onto for much of the series, their absence is a little too noticeable when they’re locked up. Some of the developments in the story are based on truth and can’t be helped — but too often the audience, like the characters, is left waiting impatiently for the more memorable characters to get out of jail and take control again.

After the major conflict in Hiroshima between rival yakuza clans has finally died down, Takeda (Akira Kobayashi) is intent on turning his yakuza family into a political party with legitimate business partners and aboveboard dealings. Dubbed the Tensei Coalition, Takeda successfully unites multiple yakuza with hopes that they may make money together without the usual hazards that plagued the life of crime. However, the unity in Tensei doesn’t last. Takeda is arrested and must serve time in prison after guns are discovered at one of his offices. Before he’s taken away, Takeda names the young Matsumura (Kinya Kitaoji) to be his acting successor. A smart young man with a good eye for business, Matsumura represents the future of the yakuza. Naturally the old-school yakuza see him as a threat. As soon as Takeda is away, Matsumura’s closest rival Otomo (Jo Shishido) stirs up discontent and secretly plots to murder the youthful upstart.

Final Episode is full of familiar faces, though not always in ways you’d expect or approve of. While multiple supporting actors return in the Battles series playing different characters, none are as noticeable and distracting as Kinya Kitaoji. Previously playing the crazed lead in Hiroshima Death Match, Kitaoji plays the polar opposite to that character in Final Episode, but that can’t change the fact that he’s still a very recognizable face playing two different people in a series that’s already complex and occasionally difficult to follow. Hiroki Matsukata also returns to the series in what I believe is his third character, but Matsukata is more of a chameleon than Kitaoji and this repeat in casting isn’t as immediately obvious. Similar to how Kitaoji took over Hiroshima Death Match, he’s also the central character in Final Episode. Unlike Hiroshima Death Match, Final Episode makes better use of Bunta Sugawara’s Hirono, though he may even see less screentime this time around. Not entering the story until about a third of the way through the picture, Hirono is a character often spoken of but rarely seen. By film five, Hirono’s developed the reputation of a troublemaker, so everyone fears his eventual release from prison and whether he will disturb the fragile peace that Tensei is working towards. I personally would’ve liked to have seen more of Sugawara in the film, but I liked how Final Episode treated his character like a sleeping dragon, causing tough guys to quake in their boots when debating who should be the one that confronts him.

The series began in the aftermath of WWII and Final Episode takes place in 1970, bringing the story closer to the time when the films were actually made. What that also means is that the characters who were young in the first film are now old men doing war with the younger generations. While Hirono and other familiar characters are locked away on various criminal charges for much of the story, the film needed someone to represent the old guard, and who better than the puffy-faced genre icon Jo Shishido? Less than a decade removed from Branded to Kill, Shishido looks rough and old in the part of Otomo, playing the gangster drunk and covered with sweat in nearly every scene. He’s a welcome addition to the great cast and it’s too bad that this is the only Battles film the actor appears in.

By the end of the film, many of the characters are dead, some have retired, and others are set to walk a path to presumed fortune and glory. Ultimately though, little has changed. One of the final scenes in the series features young yakuza killing each other in the street. It’s bloody, it’s chaotic, and it’s pointless. Who are they? Doesn’t matter. Why are they fighting? Doesn’t matter. What did the bloodshed achieve? Nothing at all. Whatever Tensei has done to try to change their image as bloodthirsty thugs, the way of the yakuza is still ultimately about young men dying for the pride of their elders. In the end, most the men we’ve followed over the decades are dead and buried, and the survivors feel disenchanted with their entire way of life. The series is known as cool and chaotic, but Final Episode surprises by offering up a more reflective and melancholy finale.

Final Episode may be my least favorite of the five original Battles Without Honor and Humanity films but that doesn’t make it a bad film. The film’s major failings are that the bumpy pace keeps it from being a breathlessly entertaining crime thriller and too often our favorite characters are left out of the central conflict. The rest of the film brings just about everything you expect from the series; the realistic look at a life of crime, the complicated relationships between sworn brothers, and the way that violence between a few greedy men impacted an entire city. Though not the series’ finest entry, Final Episode does put a fitting cap on the story, making for one of the best film series ever produced.

The Arrow Video Blu-ray for Final Episode is perhaps the best looking and sounding disc in their new Battles Without Honor and Humanity box set. For special features on this disc, Arrow gives us a new 18 minute interview with screenwriter Koji Takada, a gallery of posters from the series, and the film’s original trailer. I quite liked the interview with Takada. In fact, I think it’s probably the best interview on the set. Takada explains how he took over writing responsibilities from Kasahara and how they shared research. He shares some views on things he liked and disliked about Kasahara’s previous entries, making for a very honest and entertaining interview.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

The Mo Brothers are cookin’ up a sequel to ‘Macabre’

Posted on January 2, 2016 by JJ Bona
"Macabre" Indonesian Theatrical Poster

"Macabre" Indonesian Theatrical Poster

Following on from 2009’s Macabre (aka Rumah Dara), The Mo Brothers (Killers) have hinted on Instagram (see image) that a sequel is in the works (via Paul Bramhall).

The original Macabre revolved around an awkward pack of people enjoying road trip until they come across a young woman who had just been robbed and left stranded on the side of the road. After much speculation, the group decides to give her a lift home and, well… let’s just say that all bloody hell breaks loose!

The Mo Brothers are currently hard at work on the highly-anticpated Headshot, which stars Iko Uwais (The Raid), Chelsea Elizabeth Islan (Refrain), Julie Estelle (The Raid 2, Macabre) and Sunny Pang (The Collector).

We’ll keep you updated on Macabre 2 as we hear more.

Posted in News |

Cityonfire.com’s ‘Memories of the Sword’ Blu-ray Giveaway! – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Posted on January 1, 2016 by JJ Bona
Memories of the Sword | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Memories of the Sword | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Memories of the Sword to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. To enter, simply add a comment to this post and describe, in your own words, this video.

We will be selecting a winner at random. Be sure to include your email address in the appropriate field so we can contact you for your home address. Additionally, you must ‘Like Us‘ on cityonfire.com’s Facebook by clicking here.

The Blu-ray & DVD for Memories of the Sword (read our review) will be officially released on January 5, 2016. We will announce the 3 winners on January 6, 2016.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by January 6, 2016 to qualify. U.S. residents only please. We sincerely apologize to our non-U.S. visitors. Winners must respond with their mailing address within 48 hours, otherwise you will automatically be disqualified. No exceptions. Contest is subject to change without notice.

WINNERS: Ben, Alice H. and Sam Ng.

Posted in News | Tagged |

Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale, The (2015) Review

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"The Tiger: An Old Hunters Tale" Korean Theatrical Poster

“The Tiger: An Old Hunters Tale” Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: The Tiger
Director: Park Hoon-Jung
Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Jeong Man-Sik, Kim Sang-Ho, Sung Yoo-Bin, Ren Osugi, Jung Suk-Won, Ra Mi-Ran, Yoo Jae-Myung, Kim Hong-Fa, Woo Jung-Kook
Running Time: 139 min.

By Paul Bramhall

In 2015 Korean history was a hot topic, mainly due to President Park Geun-hye’s hugely unpopular decision to replace all high school history text books, currently produced by private publishers, with anonymously written government-issued ones by 2017. The decision is largely looked at as one which will whitewash much of the countries less pleasant history, and lead to an education system much like Japan’s, in which anything that presents the country in a negative light will be conveniently glazed over. While the newly authored books are still being written, it seems that the current trend for historical revisionism in Korea has already become apparent in its mainstream cinematic output.

Recent productions such as Ode to my Father, The Admiral: Roaring Currents, and Northern Limit Line, all play fast and loose with historical facts to paint a picture of a Korean national identity which is unwaveringly patriotic and pure of heart. How long this trend will continue for is difficult to answer, however with two of the three titles mentioned holding their place in the top five most successful Korean movies of all time, it’s safe to say it’ll continue for a while.

The Tiger has Choi Min-sik on patriotic duty again, after his star turn as the revered Admiral Yi Sun-shin in the previous years The Admiral: Roaring Currents. This time he’s under the direction of Park Hoon-jeong, the man responsible for writing and directing The New World (which also starred Min-sik), as well as penning the scripts for the likes of The Unjust and I Saw the Devil. Min-sik, as expected, proves to be the perfect fit for the role of a rugged tiger hunter, both conveying a sense of authority and world weariness from under his hulking frame, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else as the character.

The tale is set in 1935 under Japan’s occupation of Korea, and revolves around Min-sik’s hunter, who’s been retired since his wife passed away. The Japanese have set about killing every native Korean animal they can find, on the orders of a bloodthirsty commander played by Ren Osugi (recognizable from many pre-2000 Miike Takashi and Beat Takeshi movies), who has a particular liking for displaying stuffed Korean tigers. When the tiger population is completely wiped out except for one, a one-eyed male whose ferocity is legendary, Min-sik finds himself in a dilemma – let the Japanese eventually find and kill it, or give it the dignity of a Korean hunter sending it off into tiger heaven?

There are of course other plot threads introduced throughout, such as the son of Min-sik’s character wanting to marry a girl from the nearby town, however the narrative never strays far from the central goal of killing the tiger. This is of course the movies first big challenge, in that with such a simplistic plot, there is never any doubt that proceedings are going to finish with a Min-sik vs. tiger confrontation. Just like we know Titanic will end with it sinking, the important part becomes about the journey that will take us to that point. Weighing in with an epic 140 minute runtime, you’d hope that Hoon-jeong has a strong narrative structure in place to keep us gripped until the penultimate showdown.

Unfortunately, it becomes apparent some time before the mid-way point that this isn’t the case. Hoon-jeong weighs his script down with a numerous pieces of dialogue depicting Min-sik’s dedication to the mountain that he resides on, constantly mumbling such words of wisdom as “It’s up to the mountain now” and “We must respect the mountain”. The heaviness of his character is in stark contrast to the two dimensional treatment the Japanese antagonists are given. Once again, as was the issue with The Admiral: Roaring Currents, the Japanese are portrayed as almost cartoon like villains, and by the end of the movie are recklessly blowing up whole forests while murdering any animal they come across. The only Japanese character given even a hint of humanity, is a high ranking officer played by Jeong Sok-won, who’s looked down upon for being a native Korean. Subtly isn’t a word which applies to The Tiger.

From a technical standpoint however, the movie is a gorgeous affair, with stunning cinematography of the Korean mountains, and the tiger itself comes in the form a particularly impressive CGI creation. It’s not perfect, but the technology has certainly come a long way from the CGI tiger found in 2011’s War of the Arrows. While the tiger may look and move remarkably naturally, its instincts seem anything but, armed with an amazing ability to single out Japanese officers and subject them to the grizzliest deaths. The actions of the title animal become increasingly ridiculous, and equal parts laughable, the more the movie chugs towards its finale, as it gains the ability to rescue Koreans from a pack of hungry wolves, and seemingly drop by to visit Min-sik at will.

Working with such an epic scope appears to work against Hoon-jeong’s directorial style, as several other instances that stretch believability pop up with a disengaging regularity throughout. The reason behind the death of Min-sik’s wife isn’t revealed until around the mid-way point, however what should be a revelatory moment is quickly squandered by the contrived nature of the reveal. With the Japanese having spent so much time emphasising how vast the mountain area is, the sudden appearance of three key players convening in the same spot by chance goes against everything the narrative has established thus far. It’s moments like this which do damage to Min-sik’s dedicated performance, laden with a director who, while evidently a talented storyteller based on past efforts, seems to have bitten off more than he can chew here.

In the last hour things really go off the rails, as it consists of an increasingly frustrating series of false climaxes, each one seemingly bringing the movie to its close, before revealing that it’s still not over. By the time the Japanese army find themselves being stalked by the tiger, it almost feels like we’re watching a sequel to Predator. The beast is briefly glimpsed speeding through the shadows, and before you know it arms are being ripped off, bodies are randomly falling out of trees, and the only thing missing is Bill Duke turning up with a mini-gun. Even when the tiger has been riddled with countless bullets, it still seems relatively unfazed, like any true Korean tiger should be.

By this point it seems to have made the decision itself to die at the hands of a Korean, so strolls off to meet with Min-sik for a session of exchanging intense stares set to a sweeping choral soundtrack. In fact the choral soundtrack plays in every scene involving Min-sik and the tiger during the last hour, practically demanding that we feel their emotional connection to each other. Unfortunately, at least for a non-Korean audience, the feeling of forced emotions is one that permeates throughout the production. There are scenes at the beginning which seem like they were filmed purely to be used as flashback fodder later on, and sure enough they are. It’s this type of blatant commercial filmmaking that earmarks these recent Korean productions, which come with a checkbox list of histrionics, two dimensional foreign villains, and self-sacrificing heroes.

While The Tiger continues to deliver the high end production values we’ve become accustomed to from Korean cinema, it also long outstays its welcome. At one point, the Japanese commander yells at one of his soldiers – “How can it be such a hard battle?” With such an epic runtime, trying to get to the end of The Tiger will likely result in you asking yourself the same question.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 5/10

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

Attack on Titan: Part 2 – End of the World (2015) Review

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Attack on Titan: Part 2" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Attack on Titan: Part 2" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Shinji Higuchi
Writer: Yusuke Watanabe, Tomohiro Machiyama
Based on Manga by Hajime Isayama
Cast: Haruma Miura, Hiroki Hasegawa, Kiko Mizuhara, Kanata Hongo, Takahiro Miura, Nanami Sakuraba, Satoru Matsuo, Shu Watanabe, Ayame Misaki, Rina Takeda
Running Time: 90 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The second installment of Shinji Higuchi’s adaptation of the Attack on Titan manga reached Japanese cinema screens just a month after the first one came to the end of its run, aiming to pack a swift one-two punch of Titan mayhem. In my review for Part 1, I expressed the opinion that, by unashamedly stripping a multi-layered tale down to a pulpy adventure of humans trying to survive against bloodthirsty oversized zombies, the end result was surprisingly entertaining. By avoiding the typical issues that plague modern mainstream Japanese cinema, and simply concentrating on how much blood and terror could be splattered across the screen, for those unfamiliar with the manga at least, a good time could be had.

Attack on Titan: Part 2 clocks in at a compact 90 minutes, and so I was looking forward to returning to the grim world of the slow moving, permanently grinning Titans. I mention the 90 minute runtime, because from the word go we’re given an overly long recap of Part 1 which runs for over 5 minutes, making a short movie even shorter. I find it highly unlikely that anyone watching Part 2 will have left it so long that they’ll have forgotten everything that happened in Part 1 (which really, was just Titans eating people), so this recap seemed like a needless way to kick things off.

Sadly things don’t get any better, as once we finally settle into proceedings, it turns out that the first 20 minutes of the movie are spent discussing and arguing about the events which close out Part 1. As a note to this review, I’ll write it from the perspective of assuming the reader may not have seen Part 1 yet, so I’ll avoid mentioning any specific spoilers from the first installment (and if you fall into this category, also ensure you stay away from reading the IMDB cast list for Part 2, which unintentionally spoils some major plot points). What I gradually came to realize, with a sense of horror that was very different from what I was hoping for, is that Part 2 was turning out to be everything I was dreading Part 1 was going to be.

The cliffhanger revelation that Part 1 closed with quickly becomes a millstone around the neck of Part 2, as a grand total of half the movie is spent discussing it, with a mix of characters yelling and screaming at each other in a vastly irritating manner. Indeed the only appearance by any Titans in the first half is either through flashbacks to Part 1, or sightings of them in the distance, with the exception of a brief appearance by a new mega-Titan in one of the initial scenes. For a production which setup the expectation of providing plenty of Titan action from the first installment, 45 minutes becomes an almost terminal amount of time to wait for something interesting to happen.

When I say interesting, it’s unfortunate that the Titan’s really are the most interesting thing about Part 2. The characters are still the same from Part 1, although unforgivably Rina Takeda doesn’t return, however the pace and tone of the first installment really didn’t give us time to worry about caring or building a connection with the cast. Part 2 gives us too much time with them, and none of the performances are particularly noteworthy. Haruma Miura and Kanata Hongo return as the central pair of Eren and Armin, and both are ladened with considerably more dialogue heavy scenes than before. Sadly they only seem to have only 2 acting ranges – talk in a low tone for serious scenes, and yell at the top of your voice for scenes that need to emphasize drama.

Nobody else fares any better, with Kiko Mizuhara, playing a character that seemed so important in Part 1, all but sidelined for many of the crucial events that take place, and Satomi Ishihara’s quirky character of Part 1 here registering as a one note annoyance. Much of the blame can be put on the script, which appears to want to shoehorn in the underlying themes of the manga such as militarism and a distrust of the government, however the end result is that it all comes across very forced. Throwing such a talky opening 45 minutes at the audience was never going to work considering what’s come before, and it begs the question of why Higuchi didn’t attempt to spread out the more dialogue heavy segments across both parts.

Thankfully though, after a long wait we are finally given some Titan action, which comes in a three way battle between a trio of the mega Titans. I confess that it left me disappointed when, apart from a couple who are treated as collateral damage in the three way throwdown, the grey skinned sexless Titan’s that provided so much of the horror element in Part 1 are completely missing from Part 2. The origin of them is briefly explained away in an almost throwaway scene at the beginning of the movie, after which for whatever reason they seem to be considered as not worth focusing on anymore, so it becomes all about the mega Titans instead.

It’s ironic then, that the mega Titans are barely given any explanation whatsoever. We get a rudimentary understanding of what and who they are, however there are numerous head scratching aspects of their existence that are never answered. The biggest one being of why the huge skinless Titan, the image of which essentially defines the series, is about 5 times bigger than the other couple of mega Titans. In Part 1 it didn’t really matter, it moved along so briskly that such plot holes could be forgivingly overlooked, but here, if you’re going to spend 45 minutes talking, at least take a couple of them to explain why the most important part of the movie is the way it is.

On the technical side of things, the mega Titans do look great. Their skinless bodies, usually smoking from being so hot, successfully creating what’s certainly one of the most memorable creatures to grace screens in recent memory. There’s something quite primeval about their humanoid nature, which really makes them come across as much more terrifying than a fictional monster, and it’s a credit to Higuchi and his team that they’ve been able to conjure up such convincing onscreen creations.

Like the first half of the movie, the finale eventually also begins to feel needlessly protracted, especially with the element introduced of one Titan being a friend to the humans, effectively removing any sense of danger. When proceedings come to their explosive close, there’s a real lack of clarity on what’s actually been achieved. The smaller humanoid Titans are presumably still roaming around eating anyone in their path, which has always been the biggest danger, however this minor detail seems to have been forgotten in the closing scenes. Needless to say life was much simpler when it was just a case of humans versus oversized zombies.

Attack on Titan: Part 2 ultimately feels like an unnecessary filler to Part 1. Having watched both within a relatively short time period, it’s a struggle to see why they didn’t just make a single 3 hour movie, in which events could have progressed much more naturally than splitting them into two parts. Of course, by doing that they also would have made half the profit. The opening title of Attack on Titan: Part 2 doesn’t even appear on screen until the 20 minute mark, and looking back now, I think I would have been equally pleased if it had been the closing credits.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4/10

Posted in All, Japanese, News, Reviews |

Jean-Claude Van Damme Collection | Blu-ray (Mill Creek)

Posted on December 29, 2015 by JJ Bona
Jean-Claude Van Damme Collection | Blu-ray (Mill Creek)

Jean-Claude Van Damme Collection | Blu-ray (Mill Creek)

RELEASE DATE: March 15, 2016

Mill Creek Entertainment presents the Blu-ray set for the Jean-Claude Van Damme 5 Movie Collection, which contains the following films on two discs:

Sheldon Lettich’s The Hard Corps (2006), Tsui Hark’s Double Team (1997), Ringo Lam’s Maximum Risk (1996), Mic Rodgers’ Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) and Simon Fellows’ Second in Command (2006).

This collection marks the Blu-ray debut of both The Hard Corps and Double Team.

Pre-order Jean-Claude Van Damme 5 Movie Collection from Amazon.com today!

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

Deal on Fire! The Raid 2: Berandal | Blu-ray | Only $8.99 – Expires soon!

Posted on December 27, 2015 by JJ Bona
The Raid 2: Berandal | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

The Raid 2: Berandal | Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Gareth Evans’ thrilling action film, The Raid 2: Berandal.

From Paul Bramhall’s review: “Evans has constructed a masterpiece here, which is every bit as much of a gangster movie as it is an action one. For those who are looking, there are subtle nods of the head to several of the classic Korean gangster movies, the Nikkatsu movies from the 60s, The Godfather, as well as a host of winks to talent he obviously has a lot of respect for such as Donnie Yen, John Woo, Panna Rittikrai, Takeshi Kitano, and in one scene I’d even say David Lynch. I’ll sign off there, now get out and see it.”

Order The Raid 2 from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 4: Police Tactics (1974) Review

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Kelly Warner
"Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 4" Blu-ray Cover

"Battles Without Honor and Humanity Vol. 4" Blu-ray Cover

Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Writer: Koichi Iiboshi, Kazuo Kasahara
Cast: Bunta Sugawara, Akira Kobayashi, Takeshi Kato, Tatsuo Umemiya, Hiroki Matsukata, Nobuo Kaneko, Hideo Murota, Shingo Yamashiro, Kunie Tanaka, Shinichiro Mikami, Ichiro Ogura, Asao Koike, Asao Uchida, Harumi Sone, Tatsuo Endo
Running Time: 101 min.

By Kyle Warner

The Battles Without Honor and Humanity series is best viewed back-to-back and never is that more true than with Proxy War and Police Tactics. The events of Proxy War ignite a gangland war that’s left unfinished at the end of that film and intensifies in Police Tactics, drawing the ire of civilians and forcing the police to act.

In the years following the end of World War II, the yakuza weren’t only tolerated, they were occasionally celebrated and even employed by the most unlikely of establishments (including both the Japanese and American governments). By the 1960s, Japan had rebuilt its country both structurally and economically, and people wanted to enjoy this new era of normality. The country would soon host the Olympics in 1964, but here were the yakuza, a group of thugs that’d missed the memo that their time was over. The world had moved on and it was unsympathetic to the men it had once romanticized as chivalrous anti-heroes.

After the violence between yakuza claims the lives of innocent civilians, the people of Hiroshima demand that the police put an end to the slaughter. The police—largely depicted here as an anonymous force of law and order—start by just making things difficult for the yakuza: they monitor every stronghold to prevent violent raids and, most importantly, they strangle the yakuza’s cash flow by halting money collection runs. Despite all of this, the rival gangs remain in a constant state of conflict. The bosses try to keep their young soldiers in line, but too many false starts for ending the war have made everybody jumpy. Instead of a unified assault, the battles of Police Tactics are more like guerilla warfare, as one side attacks the other and waits for the inevitable retaliation.

Caught in the middle of all this is Hirono (Bunta Sugawara), who’s aligning himself with former enemies and plotting to kill his one-time superiors. Though Hirono is one of the few bosses willing to end the war himself, his men are too protective of him and constantly throw themselves into the fray in his stead. At one point a policeman sneers at Hirono about how he can eat well and sleep comfortably while his men barely scrape by. Hirono bursts out that they live by a code that the cops couldn’t understand. For the longest time, Hirono was the one character cynical enough and smart enough to “get it.” But if there’s anything that Battles Without Honor and Humanity wants to get across is that this all-important code doesn’t exist, at least not anymore.

Along with the original Battles Without Honor and Humanity, I count Police Tactics as one my very favorites of the series. And considering I think so highly of the series, I suppose that makes Police Tactics one of my favorite films regardless of country or genre. Of the sequels, Police Tactics is the most similar in tone and execution to the first movie, giving us a documentary-style gangster epic with enough plot threads to make your head spin. There’s also a considerable amount of dark comedy, something unexpected from the series but certainly welcome.

I want to give special mention to the film’s most memorable characters and performances, of which there are many. Nobuo Kaneko (Ikiru) has the duty of playing one of the most dislikable gangsters ever put on film. He may not be the most violent, nasty, rapey, or insane villain, but he exhibits every other unlikable quality of a man in power that should make Yamamori universally despised. He may get fewer scenes in Police Tactics but Kaneko has a way of lingering on in the viewer’s conscious long after the character has stepped off the stage. Also worthy of praise is Kunie Tanaka (All About Our House) who plays Yamamori’s right-hand-man Makihara. In the beginning, Makihara was a cowardly mouse but he evolves into a man of violence with a short temper, and Tanaka is completely believable throughout the transformation. Akira Kobayashi (Retaliation) plays a cool yakuza at odds with Hirono, though the two are very much alike. Hiroki Matsukata (13 Assassins) returns to the series as a different character, here playing the terminally ill yakuza Fujita. And of course at the center of it all is Bunta Sugawara (Street Mobster) in the role that would rewrite his career. For the longest time, Sugawara was a supporting player in the films meant to showcase other stars. Sensing that Sugawara could go darker and uglier than those film idols, the actor became a favorite of Kinji Fukasaku for the director’s new wave of crime pics. Battles Without Honor and Humanity was a huge success, catapulting many men to stardom, especially Fukasaku and Sugawara. Cool but also comfortable with the image of a bad guy, Sugawara owns the role of Shozo Hirono and it’s impossible to imagine anyone else in the part. The actor would go onto make many more films – some of them classics – but this is the role he’ll be remembered for.

Arrow Video has released the Battles Without Honor and Humanity series as a limited edition Blu-ray/DVD multi-format box set with new special features. Included on this disc is a 17 minute featurette called Remembering Kinji, where film critic Sadao Yamane and the director’s son Kenta Fukasaku (Battle Royale 2). Together they discuss Kinji Fukasaku’s artistic influences, his politics, and his impact. I enjoyed some of the insights here, particularly from Yamane. Also included is a 15 minute interview with assistant director Toru Dobashi, who shares some stories about Fukasaku’s work methods and memories from the set. Though there’s less to learn from Dobashi’s interview, it’s the more entertaining extra. Also included on the disc is the film’s original trailer.

In Proxy War it felt like cast and crew fully understood the beast they’d created. Things clicked. Nothing felt false. Proxy War was all about setting up the game, then Police Tactics comes in, flips the game board and laughs as all the pieces go flying. This film has all the chaotic violence that the series is known for as well as the well-researched, contemplative drama that’s often overlooked. Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Police Tactics is fantastic.

Kyle Warner’s Rating: 9/10

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

Shaolin: The Blood Mission | aka The Fourth Largest Shaolin Temple (1984) Review

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Shaolin: The Blood Mission" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Shaolin: The Blood Mission” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Park Woo-sang
Writer: Hong Chi-Yun
Cast: Hwang Jang Lee, Ho Kei Cheong, Suen Kwok Ming, Poon Cheung, Luo Hua-Sheng, Olivia Hung, Park Dong-yeol, Lee Jin-Yeong, Kim Ki-Bum
Running Time: 85 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The name of Korean director Park Woo-sang may not be immediately familiar to many, and understandably so. However once the filmmaker immigrated to America, he continued to direct under a different name – Richard Park – and for those who know their B-movie cinema, chances are that this alias should ring a bell. From the mid-80’s Park terrorized the B-movie circuit with such titles as L.A. Streetfighters, American Chinatown, and most famously thanks to the recent Drafthouse Films release, Miami Connection.

Before his immigration stateside though, under his original name of Park Woo-sang he directed a number of decent Korean kung fu movies. From the Korean version of Zatoichi, with the 1971 flick The Blind Swordsman, through to the likes of the Casanova Wong starring Strike of Thunderkick Tiger. Shaolin: The Blood Mission, was the last movie he made in Korea (the original Korean title is The Fourth Largest Shaolin Temple), and as with so many Korean kung fu movies of the era, it was bought up by Godfrey Ho and Tomas Tang’s IFD Films for international distribution, and given an English dub.

What separates Shaolin: The Blood Mission from many of the Korean productions that Ho and Tang bought up, is that it quickly becomes clear the movie is a co-production between Korea and Hong Kong, long before their interference. Numerous familiar faces from Hong Kong populate the production, such as Yen Shi Kwan is listed as action director, the main character is a monk played by Suen Kwok Ming, and Ho Kei Cheong appears as a prominent villain. Outside of the principal cast members though, the rest of the performers in Shaolin: The Blood Mission are exceptionally difficult to find any information on. Sites like the Korean Movie Database, the Hong Kong Movie Database, HKcinemagic, and IMDB all return blanks on elaborating beyond a handful of actors.

It’s a shame, because two of the unnamed members from the trio of monks that make up the protagonists are remarkably skilled, and appear to be Wushu practitioners. The guy who plays the shorter monk in particular is highly acrobatic, throwing in various exciting somersaults and flips whenever he’s in action. The third monk is the most muscular of the trio, but again moves with speed and displays some quality talent handling weapons. There’s also an additional character, a rebel who comes to the aide of the monks, who shows off a formidable range of kicks and has some great fast paced fight scenes. However all remain uncredited when exploring the usual avenues to look up information on these productions.

The movie itself starts off with a bang. Before the credits have even appeared, Hwang Jang Lee storms down the pathway leading up to the palace steps, carrying a cloth covered severed head in one hand, all set to the shower scene soundtrack from Psycho. It’s a double whammy, not only is it a great way to make an entrance, but it’s also a great way to start a movie! A familiar plot is soon revealed – there’s a list which details rebels against the Ching Dynasty, and Hwang Jang Lee is tasked to find it, of course leading to the Shaolin Temple which is believed to be harboring both rebels and the list in question.

After a failed directing gig at Shaw Brothers, Hwang worked almost exclusively in his native Korea from late 1982, before returning to Hong Kong and making Where’s Officer Tuba? with Sammo Hung in 1986. Even though many fans consider Korean productions to be a class below their Hong Kong equivalents, which to a large degree is true, what can’t be complained about is the screen time Hwang got in his Korean movies. While many Hong Kong productions would have him randomly pop up in the finale, as a previously hardly seen villain (see Ninja in the Dragons Den and Tower of Death for prime examples), his Korean productions usually had him in prominent roles. Shaolin: The Blood Mission is no different, giving his villain character plenty of opportunities to let loose with his famous kicks.

Korean movies are also known for their slightly left of field antics, and here fans of the wacky won’t be left disappointed. At one point Hwang and his villainous cohort, played by Ho Kei Cheong, are playing a game of chess. However it’s no ordinary game of chess, sitting in high chairs at either end of a huge board drawn onto the ground, scantily clad ladies wearing see through gowns are the pieces, and Hwang instructs his pieces to move by whipping the lady in question. The eliminated piece is usually greeted by being stabbed in the chest, hardly the gentleman’s game it has the reputation to be! There’s also a bizarre scene were the abbot of the temple reveals he’s been hiding a book for a number of years, by having it stitched into his back! Removing it involves a rather gory scene of him having his back sliced open to remove the book from under his skin, after which he promptly dies. If anything, it certainly ensures that the scenes between the fights never get dull.

Of course the fights are really what kung fu movies are all about, and Shaolin: The Blood Mission is a pleasant surprise in this department. After a rocky start, which almost seems like it’s going to be an intolerable comedy, things turn serious pretty quickly, and the action comes thick and fast. As mentioned, the monks appear to be being played by genuine Wushu practitioners, so plenty of acrobatics and weapons work are included in the fight sequences. I believe this is the only movie which really pits Hwang Jang Lee’s kicks against the flowery flourishes of the highly stylized but visually stunning Wushu. The contrast between his powerful and disciplined kicking, to the monks flips and fluidity of movement, makes for a number of unique and thrilling confrontations.

Both the three central monks and Hwang Jang Lee also get their own individual chances to shine. The monks in an exam which pits them against each other, allowing for both opponents to display their physical dexterity, and Hwang in one particular scene in which he wades through a small army of monks from the temple, dispatching them with some fierce footwork. Events transpire to culminate in a fantastic three on one, as a spear wielding Suen Kwok Ming, the acrobatic monk, and the boot-master rebel team up to take on Hwang’s ferocious villain. It’s a long and exhausting fight, one in which every performer gets to do their thing. What I particularly liked about it is that mid-way through, it appears that the good guys are gaining the advantage, at which point Hwang ramps up his kicking to the next level, and as a result the whole fight gets turned up a notch.

Throw in rebels getting blown up with dynamite, monks being impaled by flaming arrows, and a chicken losing its head, and Shaolin: The Blood Mission certainly lives up to its title. There are some deaths that would even make Chang Cheh proud, a compliment that any kung fu movie should be happy to receive. While the dubbing and editing of the plot may sometimes leave you scratching your head, no doubt due to Godfrey Ho’s involvement rather than any fault of the original production, there’s enough solid fight action on display to more than warrant a watch. If you’ve contemplated watching Shaolin: The Blood Mission before but decided to give it a miss, hopefully this review will make you re-consider, but if it doesn’t, I’ll ask the same question that at one point the Abbot asks the monks – “Are you totally out of your skull?”

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) Review

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Korean Theatrical Poster

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Star Wars: Episode VII
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow, Joonas Suotamo, Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian
Running Time: 135 min.

By Paul Bramhall

As the latest installment of the much loved Star Wars franchise hits cinemas in December 2015, the first under the distribution on Walt Disney Pictures, the internet can expect to become awash with reviews from every angle possible. Most of them will be likely scrutinized by the series’ diehard fan base just as much as the movie itself, so the very act of writing one is willingly putting ones self in the line of fire of the Star Wars faithful. I myself got to witness The Force Awakens on its opening night in Manila, played to an audience who enthusiastically cheered and whooped throughout its 135 minute runtime, so thought I’d pin a target to myself and offer up my own opinion.

It seems nostalgia plays an important part for many who’ll be going to see The Force Awakens, just as it did for the ill-fated prequel trilogy which kicked off back in 1999 with The Phantom Menace. I was 18 when that movie came out, but even then upon watching it in the cinema, there was no doubt in my mind that what I’d just witnessed was pretty awful. The soulless CGI landscapes, the clunky script, Jar Jar Binks, and the over reliance on playing up the light sabers iconic image as the coolest thing about Star Wars. As a child of the early 80’s, of course I also got to experience the original trilogy on VHS, and one of my childhood birthday parties even included a screening of Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. I still remember this movie being more entertaining than The Phantom Menace.

Now, 10 years since the last movie was released in the form of Revenge of the Sith, The Force Awakens begins a new trilogy that forms a direct continuation of the original three movies, bringing back Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill. Oh, and Chewbacca.

For readers of cityonfire, including myself, there was a particular interest shown in the casting of Indonesian action stars Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian of Merantau and The Raid movies fame. It’s not a spoiler to say that they appear onscreen for about 30 seconds. Yayan gets a few lines, but Iko doesn’t get to say (or do) anything. For those hoping to see some Star Wars Silat action, you’ll come away disappointed. But don’t worry, there’s still Beyond Skyline to look forward to. Of course Asia’s biggest action star, Donnie Yen, is also currently in the process of filming the Star Wars spin-off movie, Rogue One, which I’m sure will involve him throwing a few kicks.

What you may be surprised to hear though, is that I actually drew a sigh of relief when Iko and Yayan didn’t get to show off their impressive skills, as it simply wouldn’t have fit in with the story. One of the biggest mistakes the prequels made was their emphasis on the action. With the release of The Matrix, the sudden interest in kung fu saw an increased emphasis on Ray Park’s Darth Maul and his double bladed light saber. However Star Wars was never just about light saber fights and TIE fighter battles, it was about the characters taking part in those battles, and what was at stake as a result of them. That’s what really made the original trilogy become so fondly remembered.

Abrams has realized that in a way that Lucas failed to do when he returned, and in The Force Awakens the grand spectacle is secondary to the relationship between the two main characters – a disillusioned storm trooper played by John Boyega, and a scavenger with no family played by Daisy Ridley. These two innocent players get embroiled in events out of their control when they end up in possession of an android (the ball shaped robot seen in all of the publicity for the movie), which contains a map showing the location of Luke Skywalker, who has long been a recluse. Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, a character who idolizes Darth Vader, is also after the map, and soon everyone from Han Solo to Princess Leia is caught up in the fight to get their hands on it.

That’s the in-a-nutshell plot of The Force Awakens, and to go into any further detail would be heading into spoiler territory, something which should be avoided for such an anticipated movie. But it’s fair to say that Boyega and Ridley anchor the movie in a way that makes everything happening seem relatable, taking us along for the ride with them every step of the way as they’re overwhelmed, embattled, and ultimately empowered. It’s a satisfying journey, strongly bolstered by a fantastic performance by Harrison Ford, and despite having significantly less screen time, Carrie Fisher as well. Driver really nails the role of Kylo Ren, at once appearing to be completely ruthless, but at the same time convincingly showing his vulnerability in the subtlest of ways.

I mentioned earlier that the grand spectacle is secondary, and one of the best things about the action in The Force Awakens is the way the light saber is used very sparingly. The prequels had so many people swinging light sabers left right and center, that the iconic weapon no longer seemed special anymore. The Force Awakens goes a long way to rectifying that, with the light saber perhaps for the first time being conveyed as a weapon that feels both tangible and dangerous. Here there are no villains getting cleanly chopped in half, instead the saber is able to both draw blood and to burn, and the few scenes that they’re used in aren’t wasted. It’s very much a case of quality over quantity.

There are of course plentiful aerial battles between the TIE fighters and the X-wings, all of which are filmed in such a way that captures the excitement and thrill of being part of such a battle. However despite all of the impressive action scenes, what stands out the most about The Force Awakens is just how much of a real movie it is. The cinematography is stunning, with a huge and welcome reliance on practical effects, real filming locations, and wide angle lensing. The score offers up both plenty of new tracks, as well as worthy nods to the famous score of old. The characters are all well rounded and fleshed out, and again, just as many of the more colorful aliens are actors wearing prosthetics as they are CGI creations. Perhaps most importantly of all, the script works, acknowledging what’s come before while also paving the way for the movies ahead.

While critics could easily beat up on The Force Awakens, based on the fact that the plot could essentially be taken as a re-boot of A New Hope, it does little to diminish its entertainment value. Based on how big a Star Wars fan the reviewer is, you’ll most likely see reviews concluding in a hundred different ways. For me, I wanted an unpretentious piece of sci-fi action cinema, and that’s exactly what I got.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 8.5/10

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