Admiral: Roaring Currents, The (2014) Review

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Kelly Warner
"The Admiral: Roaring Currents" DVD Cover

“The Admiral: Roaring Currents” DVD Cover

AKA: Roaring Currents
Director: Kim Han-min
Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Ryu Seung-Ryong, Jo Jin-Woong, Kim Myung-Gon, Jin Gu, Lee Jung-Hyun, Kwon Yul, Ryohei Otani, Lee Seung-Jun, Kim Gang-Il, Jo Ha-Suk
Running Time: 127 min.

By Kelly Warner

Admiral Yi Sun-shin is remembered as one of Korea’s greatest heroes. In the 1590s, Japan invaded Korea with the intention of conquering the country and expanding its empire. By 1597, the Japanese were winning the war and were marching north towards the capital. Admiral Yi only had a dozen remaining ships by which to defend his waters, so he was ordered to retreat and defend the capital. However, Admiral Yi disobeyed his orders and led his dozen ships against hundreds of Japanese ships in a desperate last stand in the treacherous Myeongnyang Strait. Apparently until recently it was believed that Korean filming techniques and special effects would be unable to recreate the famed Battle of Myeongyang. And perhaps it was a good thing they waited. For while I found The Admiral: Roaring Currents to be a deeply flawed film, the naval battles are thrilling and technically impressive, calling to mind the great action sequences of Peter Weir’s Master and Commander.

The Admiral: Roaring Currents is a film split into two distinct halves. The first half is all preparation, posturing, and historical melodrama. Those unfamiliar with the time and place may be a little lost in this section of the film, as writer/director Kim Han-min (War of the Arrows) does little to make sense of the conflict for the uninitiated. Many of the finer details about the war and Admiral Yi’s battle plan are left unsaid or undeveloped. As a result, I only got a general idea of the conflict, and Admiral Yi’s genius appeared more like good luck and stubbornness. I thought the characters were lacking definition. Other than Admiral Yi (played by Choi Min-sik) and a few of the Japanese generals (all played by Korean actors), no one here stands out enough to be memorable, which leads to some confusion about who’s who later on in the picture. Worst of all, we also get some silly melodrama.

The second half of the film is essentially one long naval battle sequence. Admiral Yi leads his dozen ships against hundreds of Japanese and puts up one hell of a fight. The special effects are impressive, and it’s easy to get caught up in the action. These scenes are often thrilling — sometimes a little beyond belief, but still thrilling nonetheless. Coupled with the visuals is a strong musical score and sound design. Watching The Admiral in 5.1 surround sound on the biggest screen possible makes for a pretty epic film experience. Unfortunately, the sappy character drama is still present in the second half, which weakens the action instead of bolstering it.

Ryu Seung-ryong (The Target) plays the Pirate King Kurushima, who leads the attack against Admiral Yi. Ryu isn’t so much playing an enemy general as he is playing a supervillain trapped in historical dress. Around his glaring eyes is thick, black eye shadow. Other Japanese characters get eye shadow, too, but Ryu’s Kurushima definitely has the most. Because in The Admiral, the more evil you are, the more eye shadow you get. Kurushima’s personal guard, an androgynous ninja (No Min-woo), is always tilting his head to the side like a lizard, and others under Kurushima’s command are basic barbarians. Just in case you forget they’re supposed to be the bad guys.

The only female character of note is a soldier’s deaf wife (played by pop star Lee Jung-hyun). She’s not a complete character, though, as she only shows up to enhance the drama of her husband’s struggle in the war. When she attempts to communicate via sign language, Lee looks so awkward and frenzied it’s like she’s having a fit. But again, anything for more drama! Later on in the film, Lee and other peasants rise to assist Admiral Yi’s soldiers. I think it’s meant to be a tearjerker moment, but it’s just so over-the-top that I found it silly. Scenes like this are just cheap ways to go for the emotions. After The Admiral and War of the Arrows (a film I enjoyed more, though it suffered some of the same issues), I think that Kim is impressive when it comes to filming action, but he needs to rethink how he’s directing drama. There were scenes in The Admiral that required a gentle hand but it’s like Kim showed up with a sledgehammer and figured, what’s the difference?

Choi Min-sik was good. Choi Min-sik is always good. While everyone else is yelling and screaming, Choi gives us a performance of controlled stillness. Admiral Yi is a larger than life character, and I think a lesser actor would’ve either frozen or overacted in the role. The film gets a little better every time he’s on screen.

So, is a strong performance from one of Asia’s finest actors and some well-done action enough to overcome a poorly written screenplay and some questionable direction? Not in this viewer’s opinion. That being said, Choi Min-sik and the epic action are likely the reason you’re interested in the film in the first place. Considering this, I think you could say that The Admiral gives you exactly what you came for, but never manages to give you much else.

The Admiral: Roaring Currents arrives on Blu-ray from CJ Entertainment. We get both Korean and English language tracks. The sound is exceptional, I thought. The picture presents great color and fine detail. In fact, the picture is so good it shows the flaws in the poor makeup and hair. You can’t unsee all those fake mustaches. As for special features, the only one of note is a 5 minute “making of” featurette. 5 minutes isn’t much time to cover such an epic production, but one point that’s made repeatedly clear is how proud the actors and crew are to be involved in the telling of this story.

When The Admiral: Roaring Currents was released in South Korea it made some Avatar money, going on to become the country’s biggest box office hit of all time. Now that I know a little bit more about Admiral Yi and the importance of the Battle of Myeongnyang, I can understand why the film registered with so many viewers in Korea. However, as an American filmgoer, I can only view The Admiral as a film. And as a film, I found it heavily flawed, thanks mostly to a complete lack of subtlety on behalf of the film’s director. If there had been less sappy melodrama and some better character development before we got to the action in the second half, The Admiral might’ve been a historical epic that the whole world connected with. As it is, I think The Admiral is likely to appeal to its domestic audience and some history buffs, but will leave many of the rest of us only mildly entertained.

Kelly Warner’s Rating: 5.5/10

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

Scott Adkins’ military actioner ‘Jarhead: The Siege’ wraps up!

Posted on April 23, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Jarhead: The Siege" Theatrical Poster

"Jarhead: The Siege" Theatrical Poster

Production has wrapped on Jarhead: The Siege, the third chapter in the unrelated, modern-day, military trilogy that began with Sam Mendes’ Jarhead (2005) and Don Michael Paul’s Jarhead 2: Field of Fire (2014).

The upcoming Jarhead: The Siege is directed by William Kaufman (One in the Chamber) and stars Charlie Weber (How to Get Away with Murder), Scott Adkins (Wolf Warrior), Tom Ainsley (The Royals), Dennis Haysbert (Jarhead) and Dante Basco (Blood and Bone).

Synopsis: Corporal Albright (Weber) joined the elite Marine Corp Security Guards to save the world and see some action — not necessarily in that order. But his first assignment, protecting a U.S. Embassy in a seemingly safe Middle Eastern capitol, relegates his unit to wrangling “gate groupies” protesting outside the compound and honing their marksmanship by playing video games. So Albright and his team are caught off guard when well-armed and well-trained militants launch a surprise attack aimed at killing an informant in the embassy.

Hopefully, a trailer for Jarhead: The Siege will pop up soon. Until then, here’s a set photo, courtesy of The official Scott Adkins website. Look for the film in 2016! The film is now available for pre-order!

http://filmcombatsyndicate.blogspot.com/2015/04/jarhead-siege-wraps-with-new-set-pic.html
Posted in News |

‘Neon Grindhouse: Kong Kong’ kicks it off with Godfrey Ho!

Posted on April 22, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Ninja Thunderbolt" VHS Cover

"Ninja Thunderbolt" VHS Cover

Shooting has started on Neon Grindhouse: Hong Kong, an upcoming documentary that will explore lesser known aspects of Hong Kong Cinema, such as: the sex and sadism of the Cat III film, the wacky Bruceploitation sub-genre and Godfrey Ho’s unbelievable cut-and-paste adventures.

In addition, the femme fatale genre and the high impact, bone-crunching work of the Hong Kong Stunt Community will also be covered. The project will also include interviews with stars like Godfrey Ho, Huang Kin Long (aka Bruce Le) and many more!

Neon Grindhouse: Hong Kong is being produced by an expert team that includes Mike Leeder (Pound of Flesh), Dan Findley, Arne Venema, Sophia Shek and Ivy Lam. For more information, visit the official site and/or follow on Twitter – stay tuned!

Updates: One of the film’s producers, Mike Leeder, has informed COF that he has just completed an in-depth interview with cult director Godfrey Ho (The Dragon, The Hero). Click here for a photo of Ho with the Neon Grindhouse crew: Dan Findlay, Arne Venema and Leeder himself.

Posted in News |

Wolf Warrior (2015) Review

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"Wolf Warrior" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“Wolf Warrior” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Wu Jing
Cast: Wu Jing, Yu Nan, Scott Adkins, Kyle Shapiro, Ni Dahong, Zhou Xiaoou, Shi Zhaoqi, Deng Ziyi, Tian Miaomiao, Ma Qiang, Chris Collins, Shan Jiachen
Running Time: 90 min.

By Paul Bramhall

After the lukewarm reception of Wu Jing’s 2008 directorial debut Legendary Assassin, 7 years on and 2015 sees him returning to the directors chair for his second feature, Wolf Warrior. While Legendary Assassin was very much a Hong Kong movie, the publicity posters for Wolf Warrior gave us a clear indication of what to expect, displaying Jing in a variety of heroic poses set against the backdrop of the Chinese flag. It left people with little doubt that his latest effort was essentially going to be a 90 minute commercial for the Chinese army, the question was, would it be a good one?

With a cast led by Jing himself, starring alongside British martial arts sensation Scott Adkins (credited as Scott Edward Adkins for some reason), the potential was there for greatness. At one point it was even speculated that Vincent Zhao had joined the cast, but in the second film in as many years (the first being 2014’s Special ID), in the final product he was nowhere to be found. Nevertheless, the prospect of Jing vs. Adkins was enough to wet any action movie fans appetite, and rightly so.

It may come as no surprise to hear that those expecting a 2015 version of Sammo Hung’s masterpiece Eastern Condors will be sourly disappointed. It becomes apparent very quickly that the budget of Wolf Warrior dictates that, if you must make a comparison to a similarly themed movie, then the 1991 Moon Lee action flick Angel Force would be a much more favorable effort. It may be shot in 3D and feature some worthy explosions and pyrotechnics, but there’s no denying that Wolf Warrior is a far cry from the budget of other mainland-centric productions such as Switch. Still, when you have talent in front of the camera like they do here, who cares!?

The story itself opens with Wu Jing’s character, who’s an expert sniper, skillfully taking our a terrorist from ‘somewhere in South East Asia’, who’s threatening to put a bullet in the head of a hostage. Jing’s actions are considered risky, but ultimately he’s promoted to the Wolf Division, a team which is “the special force of special forces.” Trouble comes though when the brother of the terrorist Jing killed discovers his whereabouts, and sends a team of elite foreign mercenaries, led by Adkins, to have him killed. Mid-way through, the script seems to realize it needs to give the terrorists some reason for doing what they’re doing, so it’s explained in a throwaway comment that they’re planning to make a virus using Chinese DNA which will only kill Chinese people. Ok.

Wolf Warriors opens strongly, the first 15 minutes being filled with some impressive action sequences. There are plenty of explosions, all of them real, and several of which utilize some unique POV reaction shots when they go off, thanks to all the soldiers seemingly wearing cameras somewhere on their person (it’s never clear exactly where). Likewise Scott Adkins and his posse also make an impressive entrance, blowing a house to smithereens, and unleashing a minigun against several police cars to devastating effect.

While there’s not a single kick or punch thrown by either Jing or Adkins, the quality of what’s on display means you don’t even notice. Unfortunately, after such a strong opening, things take a turn for the worse. Jing is soon recruited to Wolf Division, and dropped in the jungle close to the border in which he has to take part in a training excercise.  The game pits his team, led my mainland actor Shi Zhao Qi, against another, led by the leader of the Wolf Division played by Yu Nan, who you may recognize as the only good thing about Expendables II.

Their training is interrupted however by the arrival of Scott Adkins and his gang, who do terribly intimidating things like spray paint a rock with Chinese characters which read ‘Chinese Boy Scouts’, even though none of the mercenaries can speak Chinese, let alone write it. But wait, before any of that, in one very confusing scene Jing and his team suddenly fall quiet, before whispering that there are wolves on the way. The whole time various characters have been referring to themselves as wolves, so I was expecting the other team to show up and for some action to take place. Instead, a group of CGI wolves make themselves known, and we have to watch the brave Chinese soldiers fight against said wolves via rather awkward actor vs. sub-par CGI animal trickery.

We know the soldiers are brave by the way, because when Adkins and Jing do face off, even though Adkins has been a merciless bastard throughout, he takes a moment to tell him – “You may not be the smartest soldier I’ve ever met, but you’re definitely the bravest.” Talk about breaking character. These constant gushings about how great and beautiful China is happen with overwhelming regularity throughout the movie. To a large degree, they’re forgivable. Unlike many movies which awkwardly shoehorn in the ‘China is great!’ message, Wolf Warrior was about how great China was from the very beginning, so it comes as expected. That said, it still manages to grate at certain points, especially with one of the closing lines being, “Those who threaten China’s resolve will have no place to hide!”

From the moment Jing is recruited to the Wolf Division the movie is essentially limited to just two locations – the jungle, and the division base which has Yu Nan communicating with Jing via a headset and a nifty CGI map of the landscape. With Jing’s team mates isolated against Adkins and his crew, it should be time for some fists and feet action in the jungle, but sadly, this never comes to be. Instead, almost 99% of the movies action consists of rather dull gunplay. Hardly any of it is particularly bloody, but most disappointingly, the promise of the first 15 minutes is quickly forgotten, as the vast majority of the shootouts are instantly forgettable.

When Jing and Adkins finally do run out of bullets and face off, at last there’s a moment of tension in the air as they both get their knives out and confront each other. Less than a minute and several moments of wirework later, it’s over. Adkins barely gets to throw a single kick, and worse of all, is dispatched in a horrendously cheesy way – with Jing getting himself all riled up by looking at his arm patch that Adkins tore off: a Chinese flag which has written in English ‘I Fight for China’. It pains me to say that Jing didn’t learn from his experience on Legendary Assassin, on which he also worked with fight chorographer Nicky Li, as it seems that while both are talented, they don’t appear to be a good match for each others styles. Jing vs. Adkins should have been epic, but instead, it’s hardly worth a mention.

Jing also hasn’t improved much as a director in 7 years. Some parts are laughably bad. In one scene a grenade goes off which is shown in slow motion, it then cuts to Yu Nan watching the explosion on the monitor inside the base, but ridiculously the scene on the monitor is also playing in slow motion. He also doesn’t understand how to engage the audience, as in another scene one of his team members shows him a photo of his daughter that he keeps inside his helmet. Less than 5 minutes later, the character is killed, and it flashes back to him showing Jing the photo inside his helmet, even though we just watched it a couple of minutes ago. The soaring score wants us to get emotional, but the emotions aren’t earned.

Proceedings come to a close with a Jackie Chan style outtakes reel over the final credits, complete with fight scene accidents, line blunders, and general onset shenanigans. Normally I show a lot of goodwill towards outtakes, but in this case, it simply felt like it was prolonging the inevitable, when all I wanted it to do was end. Indeed those who threaten China may have no place to hide, but if those making the threats are faced with the prospect of having to watch Wolf Warrior, I’m sure they’ll try pretty damn hard.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 4.5/10

Disclaimer: I watched Wolf Warrior in the cinema in 3D. While not normally a fan of 3D, here in Australia there was no option to view it any other way. Apart from a few explosions which sent splinters hurtling towards the screen in the beginning and end, I’m unsure why the decision was made to film in the 3D format, as it was barely utilized.

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

Will Denzel kick ass again in ‘The Equalizer 2’?

Posted on April 22, 2015 by JJ Bona
"The Equalizer" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"The Equalizer" Japanese Theatrical Poster

During their CinemaCon presentation, Sony announced that The Equalizer 2 is currently in the works. There are no other details at this time, other than it has a release date scheduled for September 29, 2017.

2014’s The Equalizer was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Replacement Killers) and starred Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo and Haley Bennett.

The film, which was loosely based on the 1980’s TV show of the same name, was about a sophisticated former government agent atoning for the sins of his past by righting the wrongs of a flawed legal system.

We’ll keep you updated as we hear more!

Posted in News |

5 reasons why ‘Kung Fu Killer’ gets Donnie Yen back on track!

Posted on April 20, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Kung Fu Killer" Theatrical Poster

“Kung Fu Killer” Theatrical Poster

While few would dispute Donnie Yen’s position as one of action cinema’s reigning champs, there’s no denying that the reception to his more recent output has been rather lackluster. Films such as Special ID and Iceman have disappointed for a number of reasons, but mostly for the fact that they lacked the hard-hitting action fans had come to expect after movies like Ip Man and Flash Point. Thankfully, Donnie Yen’s upcoming effort Kung Fu Killer represents a startling return to form and we’re here to tell you why.

1.) Donnie Yen gets to stretch his acting chops for a change

After Iceman saw Donnie Yen strolling around Hong Kong with a goofy grin and a wig, it’s refreshing that Kung Fu Killer affords him the chance to act again. When a fearsome serial killer begins targeting the best martial artists in their field, the police turn to Donnie Yen’s character for help – the twist is, he’s already behind bars himself. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Yen play a character with this much of a dark side; here he’s a bit closer to Hannibal Lecter than he is Ip Man, and it’s a nice change of pace.

2.) Wang Baoqiang may be Donnie Yen’s toughest opponent yet

Okay, considering that Donnie Yen faced off against Jet Li back in Once Upon a Time in China II, that statement might not be entirely accurate. But the point is that actor Wang Baoqiang brings to Kung Fu Killer exactly what a Donnie Yen movie needs: a formidable villain. Thanks to his surprisingly solid martial arts skills and a manic, over-the-top performance, Wang Baoqiang electrifies the film every moment he’s onscreen.

3.) The filmmakers incorporate elements of other genres

Nobody would mistake Kung Fu Killer for anything other than what it is – a pulse-pounding action/thriller – but the fact that our villain is a serial killer gives the movie a unique feel. This allows the filmmakers to incorporate at various times the look and feel of other genres, particularly those of the police procedural and horror movie. The result is that Kung Fu Killer‘s premise and aesthetic alone help set it apart from other Donnie Yen movies.

4.) Teddy Chan is back behind the camera

Not familiar with Teddy Chan? He’s the same director who worked with Donnie Yen on the excellent Bodyguards & Assassins. While that movie was more of an ensemble film than a showcase for Yen in particular, Teddy Chan made sure the movie’s action sequences were delivered with the same flair and finesse Donnie Yen’s fans have come to expect. In Kung Fu Killer, the focus is squarely on Yen and Teddy Chan delivers the goods when it comes to the movie’s numerous fights and kinetic setpieces.

5.) The film pays homage to the action legends who have come before

It’s impossible to forge ahead in a genre without paying respects to the innovators and trailblazers who have come before. Donnie Yen clearly knows this better than anyone as Kung Fu Killer is stuffed to the brim with cameos and knowing nods to the legends of Hong Kong cinema. We dare say you won’t be able to catch them all on a first watch, but eagle-eyed viewers will be sure to notice appearances from Shaw Brothers players David Chiang and studio boss Raymond Chow, not to mention a tribute to the recently departed Lau Kar-leung.

Watch the U.S. trailer for Kung Fu Killer, which hits theaters on April 24, 2015, followed by a Blu-ray & DVD release on July 21, 2015. Read our full review here.

Posted in News |

Two new posters for ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’

Posted on April 20, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Teaser Poster

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” Teaser Poster

THE MOVIE: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an upcoming movie intended to be a sequel to 2013’s Man of Steel. Zack Snyder is directing the film, written by Chris Terrio, from a story by Snyder and David S. Goyer. The film releases on March 25, 2016.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons and Holly Hunter.

Updates: Collider reports that Zack Snyder will shoot Batman vs. Superman back-to-back with JLA, which means a 2017 release for JLA. | Here’s the first look at Ben Affleck as Batman. Also, a peak at the new Batmobile in Batman vs. Superman, courtesy of Collider. | Collider reports that Batman vs. Superman (aka Man of Steel 2) is officially titled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Also, the new logo has been revealed. | Variety reports that Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones) has signed up for the role of Aquaman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. | First image of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. | First photo of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, courtesy of Collider (via EW). | 1st teaser trailer.

BREAKING NEWS: Two new posters: 1 | 2

Posted in News |

Hungry? Watch the newest ‘Jurassic World’ trailer!

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Jeff Bona
"Jurassic World" Teaser Poster

“Jurassic World” Teaser Poster

THE MOVIE: The fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise is titled Jurassic World. Directing the film will be Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed). There are no plot details, but the film has a release date for June 12, 2015. So far, the cast includes Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins and Irrfan Khan.

Chances are his script will bear no resemblance to an earlier one from The Departed‘s Willian Monahan that floated around the web back in 2007. That draft had a soldier of fortune returning to Jurassic Park with the help of some genetically engineered mini-T-Rexes who obeyed his commands like domesticated dogs. We’re not even making this up!

Updates: Here’s a new pack of cast photos, featuring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins, courtesy of Collider. | First official poster. | First Jurassic World teaser. | First full trailer. | Big Game trailer. | New  TV spot.

BREAKING NEWS: Watch the newest trailer.

Posted in News |

Rainy Dog (1997) Review

Posted on April 19, 2015 by Martin Sandison
"Rainy Dog" DVD Cover

“Rainy Dog” DVD Cover

Director: Takashi Miike
Writer: Seigo Inoue
Cast: Show Aikawa, Blackie Ko, Xianmei Chen, Zhang Shi, Jianqin He, Tomorowo Taguchi
Running Time: 95 min.

By Martin Sandison

Part of director Takashi Miike’s Triad society trilogy, Rainy Dog is a revelation; a quiet, slow moving meditation on innocence and the consequences of violence. Miike is of course synonymous with extreme cinema, especially his masterpieces Ichi The Killer and Audition. As much as I love those movies, Rainy Dog proves his ability to work on a serious level with real clarity and attention to detail. Shot in Taiwan with mostly a Taiwanese cast and crew, Miike does not speak Mandarin meaning that he was not able to communicate directly with either of them, but still manages to elicit wonderful performances.

Sho Aikawa stars as an ex-Yakuza hitman who has relocated to Taiwan, and lives in a modest apartment. One day a girl he slept with arrives with his supposed son, saying he has to look after the child. He takes on a job he shouldn’t have, and is pursued by Yakuza. He falls in with a prostitute and the three of them hideout from the gangsters. Despite a slight plotline everything falls in to place beautifully, and even minor characters are memorable. Tomorowo Taguchi has a small part, playing a strange guy that sleeps rough and wears a sharp suit who is obsessive in his pursuit of Aikawa, despite his motives never being explained. This was one of the many movies Taguchi appeared in that year, and he is one of the best character actors ever to come out of Japan. One of his first roles was in Tetsuo: The Iron Man, one of the greatest Cyberpunk horror movies ever made. I first watched that movie at the age of about 14, and its insane visuals made a huge impression on me. A couple of years ago I managed to catch it on the big screen in the Edinburgh Film Festival, and its impression was just as vital. Anyone that knows their Hong Kong cinema will notice Blackie Ko appearing as a brothel owner very briefly in Rainy Dog. Aikawa puts in perhaps his strongest performance in a Miike film, coming just before his deranged turn in Dead or Alive, another Miike classic that couldn’t be more different in tone from Rainy Dog.

The shooting style of the film is a marked departure for Miike; maybe this is partly due to the crew being Taiwanese, who mainly worked on the films of Hou Hsiao- Hsien, the maverick arthouse director. There are a lot of static shots in Rainy Dog, with characters framed through the pouring rain. The aesthetic is a lot more low key and quietly observed, with a slowly burning atmosphere. The films influences are a lot more plain to see than in other Miike films also. Wong Kar Wai’s films of the time such as Fallen Angels (one of my all-time favourites) with their late night ambience inform Rainy Dog, with even use of the stop printing technique so synonymous with Wong used in one scene. John Woo’s The Killer with Chow Yun Fat as the hitman with a heart of gold and dark city feel is echoed and incorporated with a much more grimy style. The violence is filmed in short bursts with one or two angles, worlds away from Woo’s elaborate dance. Aikawa’s monosyllabic performance and other characters recall classic Westerns, such as Sergio Leone’s masterful Dollars Trilogy. The blues slide guitar soundtrack reinforces this, and reminds me of Jim Jarmusch’s brilliant revisionist Western Dead Man that has a soundtrack by the genius Neil Young, my favourite musician. The look and feel of Takeshi Kitano’s gangster films, especially Sonatine, are reference points also, with their deliberately slow and symbolic style. All of these film makers inform the style of Rainy Dog, but Miike manages to rise above them and deliver a film very much his own.

In terms of pure film making Rainy Dog is definitely one of Miike’s best; every aspect combines to create an immersive experience and leave a lasting impression. The cinematography is clean and concise with no intrusive angles, and there are some beautiful tracking shots especially at the end of the film. The look is consistent and even in tone, no matter the location.

The characters in the film are incredibly well drawn and you really care for them, and Aikawa’s character really develops as he goes on from a violent, drug-taking loner to a man full of heart. Jianqin He as Aikawa’s supposed son Chen is a really hear wrenching character, and communicates complex emotions despite being a mute. Some of the scenes with He are particularly touching, one being when he is sleeping rough outside of Aikawa’s apartment and befriends a stray dog.

There are some minor problems with the picture overall, such as the lack of gunfights that would satisfy the action fan and an air of detachment in the first half. Also the persistent rain creates an aesthetic that can at times be over cooked. However those seeking a different kind of film from Miike will not be disappointed with Rainy Dog.

Martin Sandison’s Rating: 8/10

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

Josh Trank’s ‘Fantastic Four’ gets a new trailer!

Posted on April 19, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Fantastic Four" Theatrical Poster

"Fantastic Four" Theatrical Poster

Josh Trank, the co-writer/director of 2012’s Chronicle, scored a major hit with that film’s ‘found footage’ take on the superhero genre. He’s been rewarded with the task of rebooting the Fantastic Four. The movie will star Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey and Tim Blake Nelson. It has a release date set for August 7, 2015.

This will be 20th Centry Fox’s second attempt at launching Marvel Comics’ cosmic family into a successful movie franchise. Trank will be assisted by producer Matthew Vaughn, a filmmaker who has some experience with comic book material: he directed both X-Men: First Class and Kick Ass. | Watch the 1st teaser trailer.

BREAKING NEWS: Watch the newest trailer!

Posted in News |

Jiang Wen to helm wuxia flick titled ‘The Hidden Warrior’

Posted on April 18, 2015 by JJ Bona
"The Lost Bladesman" Theatrical Poster

"The Lost Bladesman" Theatrical Poster

Jiang Wen (The Lost Bladesman) – actor, writer and director of Let the Bullets Fly – has announced that his next project will be a wuxia film titled The Hidden Warrior. The upcoming martial arts actioner will complete his Republican era-set Beiyang trilogy, which started with Let the Bullets Fly.

According to FBA, The Hidden Warrior is the tale of a young swordsman trying to solve a five-year murder case within the bowels of the city in 1936 Beijing. The screenplay for the film – based on a novel by Zhang Beihai – is being written by He Jiping, who is mostly known for penning The Warlords and Flying Swords of Dragon Gate.

We’ll keep you posted on The Hidden Warrior as we hear more. Stay tuned!

Posted in News |

Mike Moeller is a sensation with ‘One Million Klicks’

Posted on April 18, 2015 by JJ Bona
"One Million Klicks" Theatrical Poster

"One Million Klicks" Theatrical Poster

After taking the lead in 2012’s Arena of the Street Fighter, German martial artist Mike Moeller is back this year with One Million Klicks. It’s the first project from production company Silent Partners, which was recently formed by Mike Leeder along with Ruediger Kummerle.

The movie is a German language modern day actioner, which follows the well worn genre trope of a good hearted fighter being drawn into an underground martial arts tournament being shown on the internet… think Bangkok Knockout. However with Moeller in the lead, some solid action should definitely be on the cards.

Mike Leeder recently reported that Evolutionary Films, the London based sales and production company, have been appointed as international sales agent to represent the movie, and will be being taken to Cannes. Click here to watch the latest trailer!

Posted in News |

Saviour Monk, The (1975) Review

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Paul Bramhall
"The Saviour Monk" Chinese DVD Cover

"The Saviour Monk" Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Leung Chit Foo
Producer: Chang Yan-Tao
Cast: Doris Lung Chung Erh, Tong Wai, Philip Ko Fei, Chin Chi Min, Ma Cheung, Yuen Sam, Lee Ying, Tit Mang Chau
Running Time: 87 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The Saviour Monk is a tricky movie to review – it looks, feels, and sounds like an old school kung fu movie. It has a cast which includes familiar old school faces like Doris Lung and Philip Ko, and, well, what 70’s Hong Kong movie with the word ‘monk’ in its title doesn’t feature the monks in question busting out some kung fu moves?

The Saviour Monk is that movie, as in its compact runtime (it clocks in at under 90 minutes), apart from some brief and decidedly average swordplay action, not a single punch or kick is thrown. So, what are we left with? In place of a kung fu spectacle, director Leung Chit Foo appears to have set out to sincerely tell the tale of a suitor to the throne, who decides to forego his birthright in order to become a monk.

There’s some onscreen text at the beginning of the movie which could well explain that proceedings are loosely based on a true story, but unfortunately it’s impossible for me to tell, as none of it was subtitled. The subtitles do kick in for the characters dialogue, even if they look like they were made on a typewriter that’s been dropped on the floor, wildly shaken, and stomped on for good measure. The quality of the subtitle appearance aside, The Saviour Monk did actually add a new word to my vocabulary, when the father of the would-be monk yells at him, “You! the recalcitrant!” Sadly the range of vocabulary is let down later on by such lines as, “Please sit down up.”

The monk himself is played by Tong Wai, who’s righteous appearance often saw him starring in wuxia productions such as Majesty Cat and The Smart Cavalier, as well as featuring in the occasional Shaw Brothers production such as Naval Commandos. With a host of genre talent playing against type, and the selling point of watching a rich prince on his journey to become a monk, you may wonder if there’s any reason at all to watch The Saviour Monk. Thankfully, there is. Those reasons mainly come in the form of director Chit Foo’s rather bizarre production design decisions, which pop up with enough regularity to keep you watching.

When Wai is told by his father that he has to marry the daughter of another provinces royal family, in order to try and discover their military secrets, he reluctantly agrees to go through with it. On their first night together as a married couple, Wai looks at his new wife, and suddenly finding himself tempted by the flesh, reminds himself via voice over that “Sex means empty.” When he next looks at his wife, she’s a jangling open mouthed plastic skeleton. Of course, he’s appropriately turned off. Worrying that his wife is still frisky though, he tells her to light up a joss stick, and together they proceed to run circles around a small table for nearly a whole minute. What makes these scenes so hilarious, is that they appear to have been filmed with a genuine sincerity and seriousness.

As a reward for not giving into his human desires, Wai is visited by the ghost of a monk who’s been inexplicably following him around since the start of the movie, and taps him on the head with a brush, making all of his hair disappear. Having achieved his goal of becoming a monk (seemingly by doing nothing more than resisting having sex with the woman he was forced to marry), Wai doesn’t even bother to wake her up, simply abandoning her in bed and setting off on his monks journey. This sets up the main structure of the plot, which finds Wai stumbling across a cult called the ‘Heaven Religion’, who want to control the population, while at the same time his wife and father are in hot pursuit after she was given the one night stand treatment (minus the sex part).

The leader of the ‘Heaven Religion’ is played by kung fu legend Philip Ko, decked out to look like a Chinese version of Dracula in black robes and pale makeup, it almost seems like a crime that he doesn’t throw a single shape. His base seems to be in some kind of underground cave, albeit a cave which has automatic doors, and when we’re first introduced to his evil schemes it’s through one of the daughters of a village elder, who’s been possessed by his evil spell. The daughter is played by another familiar face from the jade screen, Doris Lung.

Lung had an interesting career in the Hong Kong movie industry, active for the best part of a decade from the early 70’s through to the early 80’s, some sources report that she had an unstable personality, and attempted suicide three times during this time. Whether these facts are true or not is difficult to confirm, but regardless of their authenticity, in The Saviour Monk she gets to unleash her wild side via plenty of manic laughter (dubbed over by a man, no doubt inspired by The Exorcist, made 2 years prior) and arm flailing.

Most interesting of her scenes though is one in which she performs a sexual dance routine in Philip Ko’s lair, not at all dissimilar to the go-go dance scene in The Association, only with slightly less revealing clothing. Both The Association and The Saviour Monk were made in 1975, so it begs the question of which one introduced the ‘sexy dance in a cults hidden lair’ scene first. While Lung’s dance doesn’t involve a see through gown, the scene does get points for incorporating a lineup of male and female backup dancers, some of whom wear expressions which look like they’re questioning how they got roped into such a performance.

The Saviour Monk saves its pièce de résistance for around the mid-way point, when out of nowhere, it decides it’s going to be a kaiju flick, and Philip Ko summons a giant bug eyed monster to erupt out of the ground, stomping everything in its path. Ok, so the only thing in its path are a few model trees, but it still counts. Unfazed by the monster, probably because the scenes were filmed separately, Wai calmly prays to the Buddha, and summons a Chinese dragon to appear and throw down with the bug eyed beast. While the scene is arguably sub-standard compared to its Japanese counterparts of the same era, the novelty of witnessing a kaiju battle in the middle of a movie which it really has no place in being, makes The Saviour Monk worth a watch.

Thankfully the bug eyed monster makes a comeback for the finale, but not before more onscreen randomness such as watching Wai parting a river as if he’s Moses, and Lung being shrunken to the size of a small doll. The Saviour Monk is perhaps best viewed as a watch once curiosity, and as Wai’s character felt after spending a night with his wife, once should be enough.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6/10

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

Lust of the Dead 5 | DVD (Tokyo Shock)

Posted on April 17, 2015 by JJ Bona
Lust of the Dead 5 | DVD (Tokyo Shock)

Lust of the Dead 5 | DVD (Tokyo Shock)

RELEASE DATE: June 23, 2015

Tokyo Shock presents the DVD for Lust of the Dead 5 (aka Rape Zombie: Lust of the Dead 5) starring Asami (Prison Girl) and Mihiro (Ju-on series).

The insane apocalyptic zombie saga continues! Watch the viral epidemic spread as the sex-craved, walking-dead expand their rampage across post-nuke Tokyo! Can they be sopped? Can their perpetual lust ever be satisfied?

Don’t miss the trailer! Also see Lust of the Dead 4.

Pre-order Lust of the Dead 5 from Amazon.com today!

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

Third time’s a charm for Takashi Ishii’s ‘Gonin Saga’

Posted on April 17, 2015 by JJ Bona
"Gonin" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Gonin" Japanese Theatrical Poster

In the mood for more Yakuza action? Well, so are we. Takashi Ishii (Freeze Me) is currently wrapping up the third entry to his violent Gonin series. But before we talk about that, let’s take a look at the first two films:

1995’s Gonin revolved around a disco owner who convinces 4 other guys to go along with him in a planned heist of the local Yakuza thugs for over 100 million yen. The heist is successful, however, the Yakuza, obviously perturbed at the theft, send out 2 hit men (one of which is played by Beat Takeshi) to kill the five.

Gonin 2, which came out in 1996, followed Masamichi Toyama (Ken Ogata), a married man who gets into a bad gambling debt he cant pay back. As a result, Yakuza gangsters track him down, beat him to a pulp and rape his wife. Now, the only thing Toyama will pay back is bloody revenge!

According Film Business Asia, Gonin Saga (aka Gonin 3) follows an investigative reporter who meets the sons of the gangsters involved in the aftermath of the original heist. The film stars Masahiro Higashide (Crows Explode), Kenta Kiritani (Outrage Beyond), Anna Tsuchiya (Kamui Gaiden), Tasuku Emoto (A Story of Yonosuke) and Masanobu Ando (Battle Royale).

Gonin Saga is expected to be released in Japan on September 26, 2015. Until then, here’s the first trailer (via FCS).

Posted in News |
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