Thor-ploitation? The action is on high gear in the New Trailer for George Miller’s ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’

"Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" Theatrical Poster

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” Theatrical Poster

George Miller’s follow-up to the action packed, post-apocalyptic franchise is now in high gear with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (aka Furiosa), a direct prequel/spinoff to 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, that hits theaters in 2024.

The film is headlined by Anya Taylor-Joy (Split), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Tom Burke (Mank).

As the world fell, young Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way Continue reading

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Wild, The (2023) Review

"The Wild" Theatrical Poster

“The Wild” Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Bong-han
Cast: Park Sung-woong, Oh Dae-hwan, Seo Ji-hye, Joo Suk-tae, Oh Dal-soo, Hwang Se-In 
Running Time: 110 min.

By Paul Bramhall

When Korean cinema broke out internationally in the early 2000’s it was the countries gangster genre that quickly gained a favourable reputation, defined by an aesthetic that never shone away from brutal violence, and populated by memorable characters who were usually lucky to make it to the end credits. By the time the 2010’s hit the genre was at its peak, and as with any genre that achieves a certain level of commercial success, countless derivative productions began to populate the screen, lazily recycling the tropes of the movies that influenced them. It wasn’t even halfway through the decade that the sharp suited, stab happy gangster movie that was once synonymous with the Korean film industry had all but disappeared.

Since 2017 the Korean gangster genre has evolved to be almost exclusively defined by the Ma Dong-seok brand of punching people in the face, swapping out the stern-faced machismo of yesteryears gangster beatdowns for a slightly lighter, more humorous approach. However the 2020’s have seen an unexpected revival of the 2000’s era gangster – sharp suited, foul mouthed, and stab happy – with productions like Paid in Blood and Hot Blooded hedging their bets on harking back to an earlier time. The budgets may not be as big as they Continue reading

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Exhuma (2024) Review

"Exhuma" Theatrical Poster

“Exhuma” Theatrical Poster

Director: Jang Jae-Hyon
Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Go-eun, Lee Do-hyun, Jeon Jin-Ki, Kim Jae-cheol, Hong Seo-jun
Running Time: 134 min.

By Paul Bramhall

While many directors in the Korean film industry tend to gravitate between different genres, there’s something admirable about how director and writer Jang Jae-hyeon has carved out a niche for himself helming supernatural horror mysteries. After making his feature length debut with The Priests in 2015 (an expansion of his own 2014 short film 12th Assistant Deacon), he’d write the script for Im Dae-woong’s House of the Disappeared the following year, before delivering his sophomore feature with 2019’s Svaha: The Sixth Finger. Across just 3 productions Jae-hyeon has already established his own distinctive style, and with his latest Exhuma he delves deeper into the world of Korean shamanism and its practices.

After a wealthy Korean family living in L.A. become convinced there’s a curse on them, one that’s now affecting the new-born baby of the current patriarch, they call in a well reputed shaman played by Kim Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl, Memories of the Sword) to investigate. Travelling to the U.S. with her disciple, played by popular K-drama actor Lee Do-hyun, the pair believe the family are being afflicted by the spirit of a departed ancestor, and once back on Korean soil enlist the assistance of a geomancer specialising in feng shui and his undertaker Continue reading

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The Last Kumite | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (MPI Home Video)

RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2024

On June 11, 2024, MPI Home Video is releasing a SteelBook for The Last Kumite on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray. The highly-anticipated actioner features cult martial arts icons Cynthia Rothrock (No Retreat, No Surrender 2), Kurt McKinney (No Retreat, No Surrender), Matthias Hues (Ultimate Justice), Michel Qissi (Kickboxer) and Billy Blanks (King of the Kickboxers).

The Last Kumite centers around Mathis Landwehr (Lasko) who takes part in the kumite for one final battle – for the life of his daughter.

The film also stars Abdel Qissi (Lionheart), David “Bolo Jr” Yeung (Painted Faces), Aurelia Agel (John Wick 4), Emilien De Falco (Undisputed 4) and YouTuber Continue reading

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

Deal on Fire! Dead Reckoning | Blu-ray | Only $9.83 – Expires soon!

Dead Reckoning | Blu-ray (Shout!)

Dead Reckoning | Blu-ray (Shout!)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Dead Reckoning (aka Altar Rock). The film is the latest from director Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the GraveMaximum Impact).

Dead Reckoning (read our review) stars India Eisley (Kite) and K.J. Apa (The Cul De Sac) as star-crossed lovers on the island of Nantucket whose romance is threatened by family loyalty. The film is described as a “millennial romantic thriller” inspired by the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

The film also features martial arts star Scott Adkins (Close Range, Accident Man), who appears alongside Sydney Park (The Standoff) and James Continue reading

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The Raid | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-rau (Umbrella)

The Raid | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-rau (Umbrella)

The Raid | 4K Ultra HD + Blu-rau (Umbrella)

RELEASE DATE: July 3, 2024

On July 3, 2024, Umbrella Entertainment is releasing a 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Region B) Collector’s Limited Edition for The Raid, the 2011 groundbreaking martial arts cult-classic from Gareth Evans (The Raid 2, Apostle, Merantau).

The Raid stars Iko Uwais (Triple Threat), Joe Taslim (The Night Comes for Us) and Yayan Ruhian (Yakuza Apocalypse).

The throat-cutting, arm-snapping, non-stop action flick The Raid has arrived in 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and Atmos in collaboration with director Gareth Evans, including a NEW audio commentary, a NEW fight co-ordinator reacts, NEW written content, NEW Q&A with the director, a behind-the-scenes, experiences and art book plus the FULL hardback graphic novel Continue reading

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The writer behind all of Donnie Yen’s ‘Ip Man’ films has Patrick Tam dancing (while buzzed) for his ‘Fight for Tomorrow’

"Fight for Tomorrow" Theatrical Poster

“Fight for Tomorrow” Theatrical Poster

Chan Tai-lee (Fierce Cop), a filmmaker who is perhaps best known for writing several of Donnie Yen’s films – including 2008’s Ip Man, 2010’s Ip Man 2, 2013’s Special I.D., 2015’s Ip Man 3, 2018’s Big Brother, and 2019’s Ip Man 4: The Finale – is returning to the director’s chair for Mandarin Motion Pictures’ Fight for Tomorrow.

The film stars Patrick Tam (The Fatal Raid), Matthew “Locker” Lam Ka Hei (Raging Fire), Mark Cheng Ho-nam (Election 2), Ying Chi-Yuet (Everything Under Control) and Sherming You Lok-yee (Backstage Killer).

In the film, Shi Saburo (Tam) is a former tough guy who has been retired for several years and today is just a small figure in the market. Quietly, he has been working hard to break through the real Continue reading

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‘Call of Heroes’ stars Eddie Peng and Louis Koo cross criminal paths in the Trailer for Calvin Tong’s ‘Trier of Fact’

"The Trier of Fact" Theatrical Poster

“The Trier of Fact” Theatrical Poster

Hong Kong stars Louis Koo (The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell, Warriors of Future) and Eddie Peng (The Rescue, I Did It My Way) re-team for One Cool Film group’s The Trier of Fact, an upcoming crime thriller from writer/director Calvin Tong (Bursting Point).

Trier of Fact follows a detective and a crime division officer as they uncover the criminal activities of a drug lord (via Variety). The film also stars Raymond Lam (P Storm).

Koo and Peng previously crossed paths in Benny Chan’s 2016 martial arts actioner Call of Heroes, alongside Lau Ching-Wan (Shockwave 2), Wu Jing (Kill Zone 2), Sammy Hung (Dragon Blade), Liu Kai-Chi (Z Storm), Yuan Quan (From Vegas to Macau 2) and Maggie Jiang (Cities in Love).

A release date Continue reading

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Nick Cheung returns to horror in the Trailer for his 4th directorial gig ‘Peg O’ My Heart’ also starring Terrance Lau

"Peg O' My Heart" Teaser Poster

“Peg O’ My Heart” Teaser Poster

Following his first three directorial efforts – 2014’s Hungry Ghost Ritual, 2015’s Keeper of Darkness and 2018’s The Trough – Hong Kong star Nick Cheung Ka-fai (Bodies at Rest, Integrity) is back in the director’s chair for a 4th time in Peg O’ My Heart (aka Shadow of Redemption).

In the film, Cheung will star opposite Terrance Lau (Beyond the Dream), who is mostly known for his portrayal of Leslie Cheung in the recent Anita Mui biopic.

Peg O’ My Heart also stars Fala Chen (72 Tenants of Prosperity), Rebecca Zhu (From Vegas to Macau II), Ben Yuen Foo-Wah (The Eye), Natalie Hsu (Bursting Point), Julius Brian Siswojo (Raging Fire) and Deon Cheung (Project Gutenberg).

No plot Continue reading

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‘The Raid’ meets ‘Kill Bill’? Are you ready for Christian Sesma’s upcoming action-thriller SH*TLIST?

"SH*TLIST" Teaser Poster

“SH*TLIST” Teaser Poster

With titles like Take Back, Section 8, and most recently, Lights Out, Christian Sesma (Vigilante Diaries) is becoming the go-to filmmaker for ensemble films featuring B-movie action and martial arts stars. The action director will most-likely continue this tradition with the upcoming SHTLIST (aka SH*TLIST), an upcoming thriller Sesma is co-writing with Ken Miller, who is perhaps best known for 2012’s Kill ’em All (the one with Johnny Messner, Gordon Liu, Joe Lewis, Brahim Chab and Tim Man – NOT the Van Damme one of the same name).

No lead or co-stars have been announced, but given Sesma’s track record, we can only wonder if names like Michael Jai White (Take Back), Frank Grillo (Boss Level), Mekhi Phifer (Truth Be Told), Scott Adkins (Castle Falls), JuJu Chan (Jiu Jitsu), Dermot Mulroney (Hanna), MMA fighter-turned-actor Donald Cerrone (Project Legion), Ryan Continue reading

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Deal on Fire! Dai-Kaiju Mono | Blu-ray | Only $12.99 – Expires soon!

Dai-Kaiju Mono | Blu-ray (A.D. Vision)

Dai-Kaiju Mono | Blu-ray (A.D. Vision)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for Dai-Kaiju Mono, a 2016 action-comedy directed by Minoru Kawasaki (The Calamari Wrestler).

In Dai-Kaiju Mono, things aren’t looking good in Japan. The weather is acting strangely, volcanoes that don’t normally erupt are erupting, and… oh yes… the giant monster Mono is running amuck and gobbling up the human population. What a nuisance! Fortunately, disgraced Doctor Totaro Saigo thinks he has the solution: a special formula that can be injected into a normal human, causing the injectee to grow into a colossus of Tokyo-skyscraper-stomping proportions! With any luck, that means the good doctor’s lab assistant Nitto will be able to take on Mono, hand to claw, in “mano a Mono” combat!

Dai-Kaiju Mono stars Kota Ibushi Continue reading

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Polar Rescue (2022) Review

Polar Rescue | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Polar Rescue | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

AKA: Come Back Home
Director: Lo Chi-Leung
Cast: Donnie Yen, Cecilia Han, Jia Bing, Yuan Jinhui, Hou Tianlai, Xu Guangyu, Lin Chenhan
Running Time: 102 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Despite 2022 only being a couple of years ago, it feels like Donnie Yen’s first legitimate foray into headlining a production that relied purely on his acting chops has already been forgotten about. Having returned to the contemporary action thriller with a vengeance in the form of Raging Fire the year prior, it seemed like Yen was finally ready to hang his action boots up for good, stating in interviews how he now felt confident enough in his acting abilities to transition into less action focused fare. Considering he was almost 60, nobody could begrudge him such a decision. The result was Polar Rescue, and after an almost universal lambasting upon its release, Yen found himself backtracking faster than one of his chain punches, stating that he’d continue to deliver as an action lead as long as his body allowed him to do so.

Can a movie really be that bad though to make an action star who’s more than earned his right to take a rest completely 180 on his decision? I admit I’m a fan of certain slices of Yen’s oeuvre that tend to get traditionally maligned by his fans, finding merit in the likes of Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead and even Iron Monkey 2, despite popular opinion tending to lean towards them being trash. So with an open mind, and enough time having passed for the dust Continue reading

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Sympathy for the Underdog | Blu-ray (Radiance)

Sympathy for the Underdog | Blu-ray (Radiance)

Sympathy for the Underdog | Blu-ray (Radiance)

RELEASE DATE: June 24, 2024

On June 24, 2024, Radiance is releasing the Blu-ray (A/B) for Sympathy for the Underdog, a 1971 Yakuza thriller from director Kinji Fukasaku (The Green Slime, Battle Royale, New Battles Without Honor and Humanity).

Returning from a ten-year prison sentence, former gang leader Gunji (Koji Tsuruta, Big Time Gambling Boss) finds that his turf has been taken over by his former enemy, now a large crime syndicate with a legal corporate front. Looking for new opportunities, he gathers his old crew and heads for the island of Okinawa, a legal grey zone ripe for the taking.

Made just before Kinji (Yakuza Graveyard) Fukasaku’s 1970s streak of yakuza movie masterpieces, Sympathy for the Underdog is a key film in the development of this director’s unique style and themes. Continue reading

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Driven to Kill (2009) Review

"Driven to Kill" Japanese DVD Cover

“Driven to Kill” Japanese DVD Cover

Director: Jeff King
Cast: Steven Seagal, Mike Dopud, Igor Zhizhikin, Robert Wisden, Inna Korobkina, Zak Santiago, Andrew Rasputin, Evgeniy Lazarev, Laura Mennell
Running Time: 98 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Before Steven Seagal was awarded the Order of Friendship from Vladimir Putin in 2023. Before he became the Special Representative for Russia & U.S. cultural links in 2018. Even before he attained Russian citizenship in 2016. Before all of that, there was 2009’s Driven to Kill, which sees Seagal playing former Russian mafia member turned crime fiction writer Ruslan (pen name: Jim Vincent). Expect intermittent attempts at a Russian accent, random outbursts in Russian (none of which apparently needed subtitles), and mumbly references to time spent in the gulag.

Seagal’s career was like an out-of-control train barely hanging onto the tracks during the 2000’s. After dipping into environmentally themed DTV actioners during the late 90’s, in the early years of the millennium he made a theatrical comeback by teaming up with hip-hop stars from the era. First there was DMX with Exit Wounds, then came Ja Rule in Half Past Dead. However the mid-2000’s was populated by some of the worst of the worst of Seagal’s career, with DTV titles like Out of Reach, The Foreigner, and its sequel Black Dawn defined by the heavy use of a body double (even for non-action scenes!) and being dubbed by a laughable sound-a-like. Thankfully Continue reading

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Dark Force Entertainment announces Blu-ray for Wu Ma’s 1975 kung fu thriller ‘The Golden Triangle’ starring Lo Lieh

Golden Triangle | Blu-ray (Dark Force)

Golden Triangle | Blu-ray (Dark Force)

Later this year, Dark Force Entertainment will be releasing the Blu-ray for The Golden Triangle (not to be confused with the 1974 film of the same name), a 1975 kung fu thriller from director Wu Ma (The Handcuff).

Dark Force is presenting The Golden Triangle in a New 2K scan from the only known surviving 35mm print that is the most uncut version running 95 minutes. The film was shot on location in Thailand/Hong Kong and will be presented in its original scope aspect ratio.

Lo Lieh (The Dynamite Shaolin Heroes) plays a drug trafficker who escapes police and enters the Opium ring in the Golden triangle. A Thai army undercover drug agent infiltrates the ring in the deep Continue reading

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