Dragon Dynasty 5 Movie Collection | DVD (Anchor Bay)
RELEASE DATE: October 6, 2015
Anchor Bay presents the Dragon Dynasty 5 Movie Collection. In 2006, The Weinstein Company launched Dragon Dynasty in order to showcase classic and contemporary Asian Cinema, particularly films in the action/martial arts genre. Now, they’re back and once again bringing home the goods!
This 3-Disc DVD set includes the following titles: Born to Defense, The Legend II: Fong Sai Yuk, The Defender, Once Upon a Time in China and America and From Beijing with Love. Please note that this collection may contain the English-dubbed versions only.
In addition to From Vegas To Macau III and potentially, The Invincible 12, Chow Yun-Fat is teaming up with Wong Jing (From Vegas to Macau II) once again for a gangster-drama titled The Bund, which will be a “movie remake” of the 80s TVB series of the same name that also starred Chow.
According to JS, Chow is reprising his iconic role as Hui Man Keung, a driven man who goes from rags to riches as he rises up the ranks to become the leader of a powerful gang. The 1980 series starred Ray Lui (Firestorm), Lau Dan (All Men Are Brothers), Angie Chiu (Heroes Shed No Tears) and Au-Yeung Pooi San (Crime Story).
We’ll keep you updated as we hear more. For now, here’s the trailer to the original series, which hints some good ol’ heroic bloodshed!
“Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal” Theatrical Poster
Director: Peter Pau Co-director: Zhao Tianyu Cast: Chen Kun, Li Bing Bing, Winston Chao, Bao Bei Er, Jike Junyi, Yang Zishan, Huan Huang, Wenbo Luo, Yidi Hou, Madina Memet, Zhiyi Ren, Peter Pau, Yam Giu
Running Time: 118 min.
By Kelly Warner
There was a time, not long ago, when people would flock to the theatre to see a movie because of its special effects. CGI has forever changed our movies, no doubt about it. But it’s not the shiny new thing anymore. Now CGI, when used properly, is just another filmmaking tool used to bring a story to life. CGI may be considered somewhat commonplace in today’s movies but audiences hold their special effects to a certain standard. Bad CGI, perhaps more than any other special effects technique, really hurts a movie. In Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal, there is no shortage of bad CGI and after a while it sinks the otherwise bright and energetic production.
Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal (aka Zhongkui) is the story of the legendary demon slayer from Chinese mythology, Zhong Kui. Typically depicted as a scruffy looking big guy, Zhong Kui is here played by the considerably less scruffy looking Chen Kun (Painted Skin: The Resurrection). Once every millennium there is a day when the demons in Hell can seek reincarnation with the use of the Dark Crystal. The heroic Zhong Kui is tasked with defending the Dark Crystal in the city of Hu, where the demons will most certainly attempt to steal it away. Sure enough, a group of demons disguised as beautiful female entertainers arrive in the days before the reincarnation event. The group is led by the enchanting Snow Girl (Li Bingbing), who resembles a woman from Zhong Kui’s past. Distracted by memories of a lost love, Zhong Kui’s defenses weaken at the most inopportune moment.
The film’s worldbuilding somehow feels both dense and underdeveloped. I didn’t always understand what was happening or why, though it’s possible that Chinese audiences — or those more versed in the mythology — would follow it with less difficulty. In the end, I decided to just sit back and go with it. While I found the film’s fantasy elements to be a bit muddled, the romance at the center of the film works rather well thanks to two likable leads in Chen Kun and Li Bingbing. Their love becomes a Romeo and Juliet sort of thing, as the demon slayer is expected to kill demons without exception, but Zhong Kui cannot deny the love he feels for the snow demon. It’s well played when the actors are on screen. However, too often the film drops the actors entirely, opting for CGI created characters in both action and drama sequences, with lackluster results.
Zhong Kui is given a magical fan that allows him to unleash his inner demon: a ten foot tall warrior made out of rock and lava. For much of the film’s action sequences, it’s this giant hulking version of Zhong Kui that’s fighting off the villains, not the actor Chen Kun. I would not normally be against this – I enjoy a good superhero movie – but the CGI used to create the characters in the film leaves much to be desired. While backgrounds and environmental special effects stand up well to Hollywood productions, CGI character movements are choppy and stiff, reminding me of cutscenes from videogames made in the late 90s.
Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal is co-directed by Peter Pau and Zhao Tianyu. Peter Pau is a cinematographer of some esteem, having shot a wide range of films including The Killer, Dracula 2000, The Forbidden Kingdom, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (for which Pau won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography). As a director, Pau’s credits are limited. Pau’s previous directorial effort was the Michelle Yeoh misfire The Touch back in 2002. Pau also serves as Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal’s cinematographer and the film is better for it, nicely showing off the impressive set pieces, costumes, and cast. Though Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal boasts some decent production values, the film’s script has its problems, resulting in an occasionally bumpy ride. Pau and Zhao seem to turn to special effects as a storytelling crutch, even though it’s clear that the special effects were the area of the film that needed help the most. The result is a film that’s very rough around the edges and sometimes feels strangely unfinished.
The film arrives on Blu-ray thanks to the good folks at Well Go USA. The picture presentation looks good, even if some of the special effects look almost twenty years old. For sound we get a 5.1 and 2.0 original Mandarin audio. The Blu-ray’s special features include a 5 minute featurette on the film’s impressive score by composer Javier Navarrete (Pan’s Labyrinth) and a 10 minute featurette on the film’s special effects.
Co-directors Pau and Zhao give Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal plenty of chaotic energy, however they fall short of making it connect as a memorable piece of entertainment. A better script would’ve helped matters, but the real problem here is the heavy reliance on substandard CGI to tell the story. The special effects don’t work, so neither does the movie.
Black Coal, Thin Ice | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)
RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2015
Well Go USA presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Diao Yinan’s riveting thriller, Black Coal, Thin Ice.
In Black Coal, Thin Ice (read our review), an ex cop and his ex partner decide to follow up on investigation of a series of murders that ended their careers and shamed them, when identical murders begin again.
AKA: Shaolin Men
Director: John Woo
Cast: Dorian Tan, James Tien, Jackie Chan, Yeung Wai, Sammo Hung, Gam Kei Chu, John Woo, Ko Keung, Polly Shang-Kwan, Chu Ching, Wilson Tong, Yuen Wah, Chan Feng Chen, Chiu Chun, Lin Ke Ming, Yuen Biao
Running Time: 92 min.
By Zach Nix
The Hand of Death (aka Countdown in Kung Fu) is an early John Woo film from his formative years as a filmmaker. Woo wouldn’t become an acclaimed or recognizable filmmaker until his breakout hit, A Better Tomorrow, was released upon the world in 1986. While one might expect The Hand of Death to be a decent or throw away entry in Woo’s filmography, viewers will be pleasantly surprised to discover that film contains a well-paced story, likable characters, and solid action sequences. The Hand of Death is worth checking out by Woo fans for his incredible action mastery and trademark themes of honor, loyalty, brotherhood, and self-sacrifice. Action fans will also want to seek out The Hand of Death for two early appearances by action legends Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan.
The Hand of Death opens during the Qing Dynasty as a Shaolin traitor, Shih Shao-Feng (James Tien), leads an attack on the Shaolin Temple by Manchu rulers. Various Shaolin teachers and students retreat from the temple in order to preserve their teachings and to fight another day. As Shih and his right hand man, Officer Tu Ching (Sammo Hung), take over the land, one of the temple’s best students, Yun Fei (Tao-Liang Tan), trains in secret in order to avenge the death of his Shaolin master and to kill Shih. Yun Fei eventually aligns with two men, Tan Feng (Jackie Chan) and a wandering swordsman (Wei Yang), who wish to avenge their fallen loved ones at Shih’s hands and to restore their honor.
Woo holds one of his earliest action pictures together with traditional martial arts themes. The film is ultimately a story of revenge amongst strangers become brothers in the process. Tao-Liang Tan does fine work as the film’s lead, a determined martial arts expert who must learn how to combat Shih’s own powerful methods. Tao is given most of the film’s action sequences and showcases superb martial arts mastery against several henchmen, bodyguards, and James Tien himself. Supporting performances by Jackie Chan and Wei Yang are especially enjoyable. Chan is charming and likable in this early performance of his that allows him to show his stuff in two awesome fight sequences. Wei Yang also plays a memorable drifter who joins up with Yun Fei. The Hand of Death’s trio of lead characters feel like a formative step in Woo’s career leading up to the unforgettable trio of leads in Woo’s own A Better Tomorrow.
James Tien and Sammo Hung play two despicable villains, one a vile and cruel murderer and the other a dopey but loyal martial artist. Tien, a main stay in the genre, plays one of his earliest villain roles here. Poor Hung is forced to wear a ridiculous set of fake teeth throughout the film as well. However, his impressive moves, especially his final fight against Tao-Liang Tan, off set his ridiculous pair of chompers.
The Hand of Death is never boring because Woo graces the viewer with an action scene every few minutes. The film opens and closes with action for goodness sakes. Every action sequence is a solid display of Woo’s mastery of photography, editing, and direction. The Hand of Death really comes to life in its final act when Yun Fei, Tan Feng, and The Wanderer guide a scholar (John Woo himself) through the country-side while fighting off Shih’s various bodyguards and loyal servants. Characters sacrifice themselves and put their lives in danger, an important theme in Woo’s filmography, in order to stop Shihs’ evil reign.
Unfortunately, The Hand of Death is not immune to problems, as some cheesy wigs and a rushed opening hamper the film from being one of Woo’s top tier pieces of entertainment. Fans of classic martial arts cinema are typically used to the cheesy wigs atop the actors’ heads. However, the wigs in this film seem particularly cheap and fake, especially the one atop Jackie Chan’s head. The film is also burdened by a rushed opening that hurls as much exposition at the viewer as possible. The Hand of Death could have benefited from a more organic and natural opening that relied less on narration. The introductory action sequence would have been made more dramatic if the audience were slightly familiar with the characters and their plight, especially Yun Fei.
Woo’s The Hand of Death is a solid martial arts film made all the more enjoyable thanks to the inclusion of martial arts mainstays Tien, Hung, and Chan. The film is never boring, as Woo provides the audience with an action scene nearly ever few minutes. And the characters, while far from complex or original, are all likable and developed enough so that their motives are understandable. The story that surrounds all of these characters and the action sequences is enjoyable too, as the film contains actual stakes to its proceedings. All in all, The Hand of Death comes highly recommended to die hard John Woo fans curious to see his early work. Woo’s future mastery of character, action, and story is all evident in this early film of his. Fans of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung will also want to seek the film out to see some solid fist and spear play by the two.
The upcoming set includes Missing in Action (1984), Cobra (1986), Delta Force (1986), Over the Top (1987), Masters of the Universe (1987), Invasion USA (1987), Bloodsport (1988), The Hitman (1991) and Hellbound (1994).
According to Paul Bramhall, Malaysian cinema is inevitably on its way to putting a dent in the action world, especially with films like Bunohan: Return to Murder, Lari, Apokalips X, Balistik, One on One and the upcoming Full Throttlemaking their rounds on the internet.
The latest to come out of the Southeast Asian country is Ghaz Abu Bakar’s Polis Evo, an upcoming “buddy cop” flick with the whole package: martial arts, gun battles and car stunts. Sure, it’s a description that fits the mold to practically every thriller of its kind, so you’ll have to scope out the film’s trailer (via twitch) to see its point of difference.
Polis Evo hits Malaysian screens in September. Hopefully, a U.S. distributer is taking notice.
Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)
Well Go USA has confirmed that certain Blu-ray discs created at a manufacturing facility for multiple theatrical and home media titles were pressed in error, and Well Go USA’s August 4th release of Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal contains a documentary feature, and not the feature film.
To their knowledge, this issue has only affected Wal-Mart retail store customers.
Well Go USA is working with their manufacturing facility and with their retailers to replace these Blu-ray discs. New shipments will be delivered within in the next week.
If you discover that your Blu-ray copy of Snow Girl and the Dark Crystaldoes not contain the intended feature film, please send Well Go USA an email at service@wellgousa.com. They will provide you with a postage-paid shipping label, so that you can send the Blu-ray disc only (no packaging, please) to their facility, and they will ship out a new replacement disc immediately.
Should the error be discovered through any other retail or online outlet, they will replace those discs accordingly. Well Go USA thanks their loyal fans and customers for their patience and understanding in this matter.
AKA: Asiapol
Director: Ma Chi Ho
Writer: Gan Yamazaki
Producer: Kenzo Asada, Run Run Shaw
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Ryoriko Asaoka, Wong Hap, Cheung Pooi Saan, Yuen Sam, Jo Shishido, Takashina Kaku, Chan Sing, Gam Tin Chue
Running Time: 97 min.
By Matthew Le-feuvre
When Sean Connery announced of his unexpected departure from the James Bond franchise in early ’67, and that You Only Live Twice would be his final entry, disbelief shook the film world. Financiers, investors and fans of Ian Fleming’s popular literary creation fretted, pondered, and even obsessed what direction Britain’s superspy was to recommence from. Understandable, Connery – at this point – had become totally disenchanted with not only the legalities of his contract, but furthermore his artistic constrictions as an actor; despite the fact (away from Bond) he’d sucessfully garnered lead roles in Hitchcock’s psychological thriller Marnie (1964) and the brutal stockade drama The Hill (1965).
Although former model/TV advert star, George Lazenby, had been furtively engaged too replace, even supersede, Connery before eventually sucumbing to the igmony of Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman’s alleged “black listing” tactics, numerous powerful studios – including the Shaw Brothers – regarded Connery’s temporary absence (he subsequently returned to the role in 1971 for Diamonds Are Forever and unofficially in 1983 for Never Say Never Again) as as an opportunity to muscle in on the proceedings with their own variations, interpretations and debatable cash-ins: The Man From Uncle (1964-68) and Our Man Flint/In Like Flint (1965/67). Surprisingly, even Connery’s own younger sibling, Neil, starred in Operation Kid Brother (1968), a forgettable slice of hokum, which included the exploitation of the original Bond-essemble (Lois Maxwell, Bernard Lee, etc.) to audaciously re-casting Anthony Dawson and Adolpho Celi in similar antagonist roles as presented under Terence Young’s direction for Dr No (1962) and Thunderball (1965) respectively.
While George Lazenby was being conditioned, groomed and moulded into 007, albeit one-time only; fresh from his groundbreaking performance as the mono-limbed Feng, Jimmy Wang Yu briefly traded in his half-sword for gadgetry of an alternative kind as the modern world of espionage is transported from the gritty industrialism of Japan to the obstreperous back streets, and costal ports of both Hong Kong and Macao. However budget-wise Asiapol fails dramatically from the outset to capture or take advantage of the exotic splendors on offer, unlike its international counterpart You Only Live Twice (also ’67).
Clocking in at just 92 minutes, Asiapol explosively begins with top agent, Chen Ming Xuan (Wang Yu) trailing a gold smuggling organization – headed by a shady character singularly known as ‘George’ – who he suspects are concealing their loads in transport trucks. In a dizzy sequence virtually lifted from the finale of From Russia With Love (1963), a helicopter aerial attack leaves Ming Xuan’s partner, Chen Loong-Seng, fatally wounded while Ming himself narrowly escapes a falling barrage of hand grenades. From there on the potentiality of much eye-brow raising is sadly dampened by obvious femme-fatales, protracted foot pursuits, as well as an obligatory-wining air hostess with a secret – all await Ming as he meanders from one encounter to another avoiding incendiary golf balls (of all things!), a novelty in-car bomb made all too apparent by a “tick-tock” acoustics and an enigmatic assassin named Lai Yu-Tien (Wang Hsia), whose actions appear contradictory on both sides.
It goes without saying that despite these standard plot elements or budgetary reasons for downplaying travelogue landscapes/production values. Rough fistfights are few and far between Ming’s less-than-tense confrontation with nemesis ‘George’ – revealing a trite, almost immature confessional; and a strained ‘would-be’ relationship with Monneypenny-type contact, Miss Sachiko (Ryoriko Asaoka), is repeatedly marred by stale dialogue in addition too tiresome interactions devised in (either) a telephone box, melancholic bars or claustrophobic hotel rooms: yet, all are favourable for expeditious departures.
Verdict: Not in the usual Wang Yu cannon, having begun his career mostly in traditional features. However, over the years Asiapol has been critically deemed as one of the Shaws’ more obscure co-productions (in association with Nikkatsu Films, Japan), eventhough genre-wise, they’d previously bank rolled independent spy thrillers: Operation Macao (1966) and the rather libel James Bond Chinese Style (1967) with varying degrees of commerciality. As for this picture, structurally, Asiapol is (A): disappointingly episodic; (B): convoluted script-wise to being (C): utterly banal. Indeed a little humour would’ve sufficed! Nevertheless, whether or not (?) Wang Yu was conciously aware of these shortcomings, unarguably he returned on better form – not just in physical terms – for Golden Harvest’s vastly superior The Man From Hong Kong (1974).
Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of Z Storm to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. To enter, simply add a comment to this post and describe, in your own words, this clip.
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 Z Storm will be officially released on August 18, 2015. We will announce the 3 winners on August 19, 2015 and ship out the prizes immediately.
CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by August 19, 2015 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.
“SPL II: A Time for Consequences” Chinese Theatrical Poster
AKA: Sha Po Lang 2, Kill Zone 2
Director: Soi Cheang Pou Soi
Cast: Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, Louis Koo Tin-lok, Simon Yam Tat Wah, Max Zhang Jin, Ken Lo Hui Kwong, Dominic Lam Ka-wah, Baby John Choi Hon Yik, Ai Wai
Running Time: 120 min.
By Paul Bramhall
It’s been 10 years since the original Sha Po Lang was released in 2005. Released at a time when many of Hong Kong’s established action stars and directors had migrated to Hollywood, the HK action movie scene was going through an extended dry period, and didn’t appear to have an end in sight. Thankfully for action fans, just a couple of years earlier a man called Tony Jaa had burst onto our screens, in a movie which temporarily gave the action movie crown to Thailand. The movie of course was Ong Bak, and it remains one of the few Asian titles to have truly crossed over into the mainstream. In an interview prior to Sha Po Lang’s release, Donnie Yen, the star and fight choreographer, said he decided to get involved with the production to show the world that Hong Kong action still had what it takes. Essentially, he was saying that Sha Po Lang was Hong Kong’s answer to Ong Bak.
Sha Po Lang did indeed succeed in its mission, with Yen putting in his best acting performance yet under the direction of Wilson Yip, and more importantly, creating an action aesthetic which was completely new and fresh. WhileSha Po Lang really only had 2 fight scenes, both of which take place back to back, the principal of quality over quantity was the right one. Everything you’d expect from Yen’s choreography was there – the rapid fire punches and kicks – but he also did the seemingly impossible, and incorporated MMA style grappling into the fights, seamlessly blending the techniques into the back and forth exchanges.
For the next few years, the rumors of a sequel were often bandied about. First there was going to be a prequel called Army Breaker, which eventually transformed into Yip and Yen’s third collaboration together, an unconnected tale which became Flash Point in 2007. Then there were mentions of another prequel which would bring back Sammo Hung, Wu Jing, and Simon Yam to their original characters. Again, this eventually became an unrelated movie, and was released as Dennis Law’s Fatal Move in 2008.
In 2015 though, a sequel has finally arrived. Perhaps the biggest irony of all is that, the very reason Yen had stated for coming onboard with the original – Tony Jaa – has become the headlining star of the follow-up, with Yen nowhere in sight. S.P.L.2 does succeed in bringing back a couple of the originals stars, although playing completely different roles. Wu Jing returns, this time as headlining co-star, as is Simon Yam, here again playing a Hong Kong cop. The sequel also offers a substantially larger cast of fleshed out characters than the original, with Louis Koo (who, at the time of writing, is on his 5th movie of 2015), Max Zhang, and Ken Lo all taking on significant roles.
Perhaps the best news for S.P.L.2 though, is that the director of the original, Wilson Yip, has stepped back into a producer role, and handed over directorial reigns to Soi Cheang. Cheang is one of the most exciting and distinctive directors working in Hong Kong today, often giving his movies a dark and grimy look, that sets them apart from the glossy productions we’ve come used to. While he’s also the man behind The Monkey King, which was undeniably an epic misstep, it’s certainly not enough to taint a resume that features such titles as Motorway,Accident, Shamo, and Dog Bite Dog. The news of Cheang being on board for a sequel to what was itself, thematically, a very dark movie, was a good sign.
S.P.L.2 is a thematic follow-up, and centers on a couple of plot lines that ultimately converge on each other. Jaa plays a prison guard in Thailand who’s trying to save money for a bone marrow transplant that his daughter needs, who is suffering from leukemia. Wu Jing plays a Hong Kong undercover cop who’s gone so deep he’s basically become a drug addict. Jing happens to be one of the few donors in the world who matches the bone marrow that Jaa’s daughter needs, and circumstances out of both characters control see Jing eventually jailed in the prison Jaa works at. At the same time, Louis Koo plays a ruthless gangster suffering from a weak heart, the same gangster Jing has been tracking. The only donor that can provide Koo with a compatible heart transplant is his own brother, and he’s so ruthless that he arranges for him to be captured and taken to Thailand, where the transplant can be completed on the black market. Tying all these characters together is the head prison warden, played by Max Zhang.
It’s easy to forget the original meaning of Sha Po Lang, thanks in part to its awful U.S. re-title of Kill Zone. The title refers to three stars, which in Chinese astrology represent destruction, conflict, and greed. It’s said that when the three stars come together, the only outcome will be that of regret. In the original, the three stars were represented by Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen, and Simon Yam. In the sequel, they’re taken on by Wu Jing, Tony Jaa, and Max Zhang. One of the most enjoyable things about S.P.L.2, is that it’s apparent from the get go that Cheang has a story to tell. While it may rely on coincidence and some contrived circumstances, it’s a credit to his talent that the way it’s told is never anything less than engaging.
Both Wu Jing and Tony Jaa have had their share of disasters prior to the release of S.P.L.2, with Jing directing and starring in the lackluster Wolf Warrior, and Jaa featuring in the almost unwatchable Tom Yum Goong 2. However, here they turn in what could well be career defining roles. Jaa finally gets to show that he can act, really act. From the moment he’s onscreen, his performance is completely convincing as that of a low paid prison guard, desperately trying to save his daughter. Likewise for Jing, who ends up with no identity in a Thai jail and has to go cold turkey from his drug addiction, which he portrays in such a way that it pulls us right in there with him. In good martial arts movies, you don’t really care about the story, as long as the fights deliver. In the best martial arts movies, you shouldn’t spend a moment wondering when the next fight is, as you’ll be too engaged by the story. S.P.L.2 achieves this, as just like in the original, and perhaps I daresay even more so, you’re just as invested in the plot as you are the action.
The action scenes themselves are plentiful, with choreography duties being split between frequent Wu Jing collaborator Nicky Li, and co-star Ken Lo. Wu Jing and Tony Jaa face off against each other not once but twice, the second in the midst of an epic prison brawl. The scene will likely draw comparisons to a similar scenario in The Raid 2, but it has enough of its own distinctive flavor to stand on its own. Both fights may be brief, but they’re fluid and deliver plenty of high impact blows. Li has an irritating tendency to always put Wu Jing on wires, and that’s also the case here, but it’s dialed well back from the ridiculous gravity defying antics of Legendary Assassin. There are plenty of wire-free kicks and fist to elbow exchanges amongst the fights, and thankfully, with a couple of small exceptions, the wire work compliments the choreography rather than detracting from it.
Jaa in particular really gets to shine. For many years fans thought Jaa appearing in a Hong Kong movie would be the ultimate action flick. It’s not, but then again, Cheang isn’t trying to make the ultimate action flick. He still gets plenty of chances to let loose, with his trademark moves being incorporated into a Hong Kong action style which is a joy to watch. Plus the guy does a flying knee through the windscreen of a moving bus, what more do you want? Special mention has to also go to Zhang Chi, who delivers a couple of brutal fight sequences as a knife wielding assassin. But the person who nearly steals the show from everyone is Max Zhang as the corrupt warden, delivering an action performance which is both slick and ferocious. The finale, which sees Jaa and Jing team up to take on Zhang (and his posse of, bizarrely, Korean bodyguards), provides an intense showdown which lasts for several satisfyingly long minutes. Painful falls, heads being smashed through glass, and countless kicks to the face are all included.
Setting the whole fight to a classical score by Vivaldi was also a noteworthy stroke of genius, giving it a unique feel that I’ve never come across before in a Hong Kong action flick. Speaking of the score, fans of the original will no doubt be happy when the same theme from Sha Po Lang is used as Wu Jing prepares to go into battle. Another worthy nod is given to the original with Jing brandishing a bag and police baton (which he gets to use) before facing off against Zhang, which nicely recalls Yen’s own walk to meet the enemy in the previous installments finale, which of course came in the form of Jing himself.
The same way events converge on each other in the movie, the team behind S.P.L.2 have also converged on each other at just the right time. Cheang was clearly eager to get back into dark and gritty storytelling, Jaa was looking to prove himself as still being a worthy action star with his Hong Kong debut, and Jing finally, after so many failures, proves that he is capable of being a leading man. S.P.L.2 delivers on all counts – story, characters, and action. In 2015, there are not too many opportunities to say that about a Hong Kong movie, so get out there and enjoy it.
The two largest movie markets in the world are the US and Asia, and both countries have fervent fans of the other’s trademark films. So it was only natural that director Brett Ratner hoped that combining the iconic styles of each culture would become a hit with Rush Hour (1998).
“The Buddy Movie” meets “Comedy Kung Fu”
There’s a long standing Hollywood tradition of pairing two distinctly different personalities and having them work together. Police films work especially well for this genre. While some films such Red Heat (1988) and theLethal Weapon (1987) movies have semi-serious plot lines, most of the buddy movies involve somewhat of a comedic element as the two partners clash in terms of style and personality.
The classic kung fu movies mostly featured a singular hero and a more serious and somewhat moralistic plot line, at least until Jackie Chan invented the comedy kung fu film with Drunken Master (1978).
Rush Hour, and the subsequent sequels, was one of the first tastes many mainstream American audiences had of the comedic kung fu style. In the films, Chan plays a Hong Kong detective whose case brings him to the US, where he is paired with a Los Angeles detective played by Chris Tucker. The plot lines in all three are somewhat hackneyed and are heavy on formula. The main draw is Tucker and Chan and their interactions.
“Rush Hour 2” Japanese DVD Cover
Did Rush Hour work?
The general consensus is that any movie that spawns multiple sequels (with another supposedly in pre-production) is a success. By Hollywood standards Rush Hour, with US box office receipts of $141 million, was a modest success. The fact that the film succeeded at all is surprising due to Chan’s frequent statements that he does not understand nor fully appreciate American humor. When you combine that aspect with the fact that Chris Tucker improvises most of his lines, the fact that the movies succeed at all is somewhat amazing. Chan’s well documented desire for perfection (he once demanded 300 takes for a single scene and almost 3,000 for a ten-minute segment) played a large role in the trilogy’s success.
Rush Hour Fun Facts
This was one of the first American films where Jackie Chan’s lines were not overdubbed. Chan was never comfortable with his English and all of his previous English roles were overdubbed. Director Ratner felt that having Chan deliver his own lines would add to the authenticity of the film.
Ratner’s addition to detail is not as evident in other aspects of the film. All three of the movies are stand-outs in the field of continuity errors. Chan’s suspenders change patterns, bar stools change colors, the wheels on Tucker’s Corvette change, and in one of the more standout mistakes a taxi changes make and model and then back again.
Some of the technical details are just as bad. A car loaded with C4 explodes from a gunshot and kidnappers demand a ransom in small bills meaning that the payout would weigh over a ton.
“Rush Hour 3” Japanese Theatrical Poster
The movies do have some nice little Easter-Egg type touches, especially in Rush Hour 2 (2001). Jackie Chan has long said that his favorite number is 32, perhaps that is the point where he started counting the numerous of broken bones he has sustained from doing his own stunts. The number makes numerous appearances in the film, including on the license plate of the villain’s car.
However the best use of the number 32 comes in one of the mandatory fight scenes. In a scene that relies heavily on Chan’s comedic talents, he finds himself in the unpleasant position of having a remote controlled grenade taped in his mouth. Chris Tucker manages to remove the tape and Chan spits the grenade from his mouth and onto the roulette wheel. As anyone who knows from playing roulette the probability and the odds of the pill landing on any number is 38-to-1, but of course we (briefly) see the grenade land on number 32 just before it explodes.
Longtime Chan fans will notice many familiar jokes and situations in the film. The director felt that American audiences would be unfamiliar with the kung fu star’s earlier work and had several of his classic gags and moves incorporated into the script.
The building used for the exterior of the Chinese Consulate is the same one as was used as the exterior for Wayne Manor in the original Batman! TV show.
Justin Hires and Jon Foo in the “Rush Hour” TV series.
The casino in Rush Hour 2 was the empty Dessert Sands in Las Vegas. The production company erected a huge “Red Dragon” casino marquee out front and painted part of the exterior red. Several windows were blown out and the walls sustained smoke damage during the filming. The casino remained standing for several months after production ended and provided an interesting conversation topic for tourists on the Las Vegas strip that were unaware of the upcoming movie.
About a year ago, Jackie Chan told British television presenter Jonathan Ross that for him to consider doing another instalment in the series that the script would have to be really good. Hollywood insiders feel that director Ratner is keen to do so mainly due to the lackluster results of his latest efforts. According to a number of sources, Rush Hour 4 is in pre-production and should be released by 2017, while the franchise is also being turned into a television show – which has Jon Foo taking over Jackie Chan’s role, and comedian Justin Hires filling in for Tucker.
Despite the star power in the previous films, none of them honestly rate much higher than a C+. There have been a number of films in the genre over the past few years, none of which were blockbusters. That plus the fact that at 61, Chan may decide that it’s time to rest a bit, means that the film may never get to the screen and that its success if far from assured.
"SPL 2 - A Time for Consequences" Australian Theatrical Poster
For those residing down under, 30th July sees Madman Entertainment unleash SPL II: A Time for Consequences onto Australian cinema screens.
A follow-up to the original 2005 classic starring Donnie Yen and directed by Wilson Yip, the sequel, connected by theme only, sees Soi Cheang (Accident) stepping into the director’s chair, with a cast headed by Thai action star Tony Jaa (Skin Trade), and Chinese wushu sensation Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior).
Check out our full review for SPL II: A Time for Consequenceshere. And don’t miss Madman Entertainment’s official Australian trailer.
“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” Japanese Theatrical Poster
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Writer: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin, Zhang Jing Chu, Simon McBurney, Tom Hollander
Running Time: 131 min.
By Paul Bramhall
It’s been almost 20 years since Tom Cruise remade the Mission: Impossible TV series into his own one man show, with Brian De Palma’s 1996 production of the same name. Perhaps no less significantly, 2015 also marks the 10 year anniversary of Cruise’s infamous couch jumping incident on The Oprah Winfrey Show. A gesture that reflected his love of Katie Holmes, who at the time he’d been dating for just a month, more significantly his antics saw him portrayed as an annoying idiot by the media, and the public were more than happy to agree.
While for some that portrayal will never be shaken, there is one other equally undeniable fact – in those 10 year since, Cruise has continued to put out some of the most original and exciting movies to come out of Hollywood in a long time. War of the Worlds, Jack Reacher, Oblivion, Edge of Tomorrow, and that’s not even counting the other movies in the Mission: Impossible series. Check out his filmography, and you won’t find a single superhero flick or reboot in sight, and that’s to be admired. Of course though, out of all those movies, it’s the Mission: Impossible series that has always been his baby.
Cruise has produced all of them, and has done an outstanding job of bringing in a distinctive director for each entry in the series. Brian De Palma helmed the first installment, with legendary Hong Kong director John Woo handling the second, the man behind the Star Trek reboots, J.J.Abrams, taking on the third, and a director renowned for animations like The Iron Giant and The Incredibles, Brad Bird, onboard for the fourth. Out of all of them, it was arguably Bird who had the toughest job. It had been 5 years since Mission: Impossible 3, and with the announcement of a fourth installment, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocolwas largely treated as the sequel that no one was asking for.
Against the odds however, it was the fourth than many people now consider to be the best. Bird took the exaggerated animation aesthetic of his movies like The Incredibles, and applied them to a real time action movie. Best of all, it was agreed between himself and Cruise that they’d do all of if for real, eschewing the green screen effects work that dominate modern action cinema. The result saw Cruise scaling the outside of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, in what was one of the best and most awe inspiring stunts seen onscreen for far too long. While some people go through a mid-life crisis by buying expensive sports cars, Cruise seems determined to take things in his stride, by becoming some sort of American version of Jackie Chan.
4 years on fromM:I – Ghost Protocol, and we now have M:I – Rogue Nation. The fifth installment is directed by frequent Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie. Besides being the scribe behind The Usual Suspects, McQuarrie also wrote the Cruise flicks Edge of Tomorrow and Jack Reacher, the latter of which he directed as well. McQuarrie no doubt has an understanding of what’s expected from a Cruise flick, as well as the man himself, so their collaboration on a Mission: Impossible movie was highly anticipated.
Anyone who has seen the other M:I flicks will be in familiar territory. Rogue Nation picks up largely wereGhost Protocol left off. The IMF team is in the process of being disbanded and absorbed into the CIA, Cruise ends up on the run from both his allies and the enemy, and in-between there are plenty of action and espionage hijinks. It’s a template which was used to great success with Ghost Protocol, so it’s forgivable that McQuarrie decides to recycle the structure of it here.
I think it’s important to point out that there’s a certain elephant in the room with Rogue Nation. Just like how Ghost Protocolheavily used the scene of Cruise ascending the Burj Khalifa for the movies promotion, Rogue Nation heavily relies on the scene of Cruise hanging onto the side of a plane as it takes off. It’s a crazy stunt which, just like the Burj Khalifa scene previously, was done for real. However, there’s a major difference between the two. While the Burj Khalifa stunt from Ghost Protocol has a lot riding on it, and is essential to the plot, in Rogue Nation the plane stunt takes place before the opening titles even roll. It’s essentially a James Bond-esque opener, and while it is impressive, it would have been great had it been integrated into a vital part of the story. As it stands though, Tom Cruise hanging onto the side of a plane is essentially just that – Tom Cruise hanging onto the side of a plane, with its connection to the rest of the events that take place superfluous at best.
That being said though, there’s enough action and espionage contained within Rogue Nation’s 130 runtime to keep any fan of the series, or action movies in general, happy. From a fight scene on a suspended platform over an Opera being performed on stage, to a fantastic car chase that then segues into an even better motorbike chase, to a thrilling underwater break in, Cruise is front and center, performing all of the stunts, and even the driving, himself. While the proceedings and characters all feel familiar, Cruise’s decision to take the series into more of an action driven direction ensures that none of it becomes tiresome.
Also drawing similarities to the James Bond series, the M:I series seem to be creating its own pool of M:I girls. For Rogue Nation, joining the likes of Emmanuelle Beart, Thandie Newton, Maggie Q, and Paula Patton, is Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson, who plays a British agent working in deep cover that ends up teaming up with Cruise. Unlike many Bond girls though, Ferguson is a worthy equal to Cruise, herself getting to throw down several times over the course of the movie, including a one-on-one knife fight in the finale.
If any criticism can be drawn towards Rogue Nation, it’s that it somewhat lacks the urgency that permeated throughout Ghost Protocol, and the decision to open proceedings with the plane stunt results in the action playing out in reverse, with the best coming first. To go back to my Jackie Chan comment, in many ways Ghost Protocol can be looked at as Police Story 3: Supercop, while Rogue Nation is First Strike. All of the stunts and action are still there, just not in the most favorable order, and the emotional investment has largely been cast aside as well. Just like Jackie Chan’s partner of the wholePolice Story series, Maggie Cheung, is completely absent from First Strike, so is Cruise’s wife completely absent from Rogue Nation, not even getting a single mention.
While the action and espionage has always come first, the small human touches can elevate a story from being functional, to being both engaging and something that we can be invested in. Rogue Nation misses out on those details, but thankfully it still delivers enough visceral thrills and wit to register as a worthy entry to the series. With an average time of 5 years between each entry in the series, if Cruise decides to make another installment and waits until 2020 to do it, he’ll then be 58, which would put him at the same age as Jackie Chan when he made Chinese Zodiac. But just like Chan, if he’s still willing to put himself out there and take the knocks for the sake of our entertainment, you can count me in.
If you want to learn more about Jackie Chan’s parents, you’ll want to check out Tale of Three Cities, an upcoming film set in turbulent China in the late 1930’s during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
The movie follows two widowed people – based on Jackie’s real-life parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan – who fall in love each other and are forced to leave their children and escape to Hong Kong where they have a special son…
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