Bruce’s Deadly Fingers (1976) Review

"Bruce's Deadly Fingers" Chinese Poster

“Bruce’s Deadly Fingers” Chinese Poster

AKA: Bruce’s Fingers
Director: Joseph Kong
Cast: Bruce Le, Michael Chan Wai Man, Lo Lieh, Nora Miao Ke Hsiu, Cheung Lik, Chu Chi Ling, Bolo Yeung Tze, Kong Do, Tong Tin Hei, Li Chao, Kok Lee Yan
Running Time: 90 min.

By Matthew Le-feuvre

The “MacGuffin” or “suspension of disbelief” (a reference term coined by Sharon Stone’s femme fatale character from Basic Instinct) has neither been a celluloid problem for the Bruce-exploitation cinema: in fact, while the component of “suspense” will always be obviously absent, “disbelief” otherwise is hardly an amiable or befitting word to describe this trashy genre once purposely formulated to capitalize on Bruce Lee’s star attraction. Although financiers undoubtedly earned substantial amounts from box office receipts, it was the performers who had too contend with harsh criticism, typecasting and generally bad working conditions churning out utter rubbish, and catering to the demands of over-zealous directors knowing full well that their film contributions would not only symbolize an unflattering legacy; but, they – themselves would also become objects of derision.

The passage of time, however, has been somewhat a little magnanimous in respect to all, but, a handful of these performers – formerly monickered as “pseudo androids,” whose signature onscreen idiosyncrasies transpired to be negligible to say the least; yet astonishingly withstood conventional disparity by being socially relabeled as “tribute entertainers” replete with facsimile hairstyles, oversized tinted sunglasses and the obligatory Game of Death jumpsuit: all trademark accountrements enough to assault or insult viewers’ senses.

Incredulous as this may appear, the masses indeed continually laugh on, howling at the absurd perversity of such schlock material as Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave (1976) or The Clones of Bruce Lee (1977) for alternative visual recreation. Why? And what was the need?! How can anyone justify the psychology behind the deeper aspects of such a grotesque premise(s): cloning Bruce Lee to combat a multitude of nefarious, badly dressed drug peddlers; or resurrecting Bruce Lee in a martial arts struggle against Satan himself as epitomized by a lanky black dude in a red cape. C’mon!

In any event, misappropriation of scientific genetics or esoteric occultism do not interbreed with the extant philosophies of Bruce Lee or the martial arts in general! However, production aesthetics nonwithstanding, it was almost as if there was an internalized shame (collectively) projected towards Lee’s passing, and these films were a metaphor for (an) emotional purging, designed simultaneously to lift audiences out of despondency while striking below the belt, virtually endorsing the paranoid whims of conspiracy theorists – at least that’s how it was in the beginning with the likes of Ho Chung Tao (aka Bruce Li ), a former P.E. instructor/ stuntman who reluctantly excepted ‘The Bruce Lee’ mantle and fought very hard to reclaim his identity.

One can understand, even sympathize with the administrative conventions of Tao’s decade long career having too persistently vie for superior scripts to match his own distinctive qualities, unlike other emulators’ who usurped opportunity through perfunctory means, eagerly surfing head-on towards the heart of a tsunami instead of riding the break to cult stardom.

Heung Kim Lung (aka Bruce Le ) was in the calibre of the former. With a vague resemblance to the late maestro, Heung was an excellent martial arts tactician, but rarely took advantage of his full range. Although lithe and physically chisled, his onscreen fighting style tended to be very rigid and paced to a timed response with each opponent throwing out a repeititive stream of basic techniques: an old school approach which in comparative terms evinced a type of singular artificiality not conspicuous in Tao’s work.

Indeed Tao’s choreography was probably more structurally realistic, whereas Heung’s arrangements – though powerful in application – bordered on theatricalism in lieu of grace or fluidity.

Many feel Heung had no personal qualms about being tagged as “an imitator,” unlike Tao – who has publically denounced his former profession. Heung, on the other hand has neither spoken – at least in the west – in any forum about his questionable film choices; whether in self criticism, promotion or even his own thoughts on Bruce Lee! What is surprising, even shocking in some instances was the sheer volume of actual ‘Bruce Lee’ co-stars, friends or colleagues willing too appear in these obtuse, artless forms of oriental expressionism: Bolo Yeung, Nora Miao, Jon T. Benn, Shek Kien, Lo Lieh, Carter Wong and Chan Wei Man by example – all manifest with embarassing regularity, especially Bolo who has inordinately wrestled against Heung for the duration of a moderate career spent in the shadows of others before his own untimely confinement (in)to obscurity.

Armed with one of the most irritating swaggers in cinema history, as well as an effectation for extremely tight vests/oversized sunglasses and incongruous facial mannerisms far exceeding the need to advertise constipation. From the outset, Heung was a walking travesty, and in a manner of speaking deserved to be ridiculed for abusing his inherent talent to the level where even he eventually outstayed his welcome; yet in that brief period achieved something (?) quite marginal before excepting an unwise career relocation to the Philippines, destroying what, if any, credibility he had remaining by attaching his name to dire oddities such as: Bruce: The Super Hero (1979), Bruce: The King of Kung Fu (1981 ), Bruce and the Shaolin Bronzmen (1981) and so forth. How it came to this is an enigma in itself?!

Born (and educated) in Ragoon to a Burmese mother and Chinese father, Heung – at the tender age of eleven – had familiarized himself with the harsh disciplines of white crane kung fu, Hong Quan and numerous styles of Karate prior to inaugurating his own martial arts kwoon in Macao. It was here under (the) Portuguese administration he was first introduced to studio director, Wang Feng – a Shaw brothers alumni who was scouting for new talent from authentic martial arts backgrounds.

After an impromptu demostration, Feng immediately requested him to attend a screentest for the Shaws in Hong Kong. Hestitant at first, he obliged and was soon awarded minor support roles, varying from contemporary productions (Hong Kong 73, The Teahouse, Big Brother Cheng, Super lnframan) to one traditional feature (Rivals of Kung Fu) before being offered his debut lead as Cheng Chao Ah in The Big Boss Part 2 – a direct sequel which continues the exploits of our protagonist following his prison release.

In stark contrast, Bruce’s Deadly Fingers was altogether a different animal, that; although produced the same year as Ho Chung Tao’s superior Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger, marked the beginning of Heung’s decline into anarchic repugnance. Firstly, the script was so utterly forgettable; it actually made the cinematography look stylishly gritty, showcasing familiar Hong Kong locales – infamously blighted by destitution, economic squalor and congestion. Unsurprisingly, photographing poverty stricken ghettos or shooting in less than desirable exteriors: trashy nightclub dives or recreational parks, etc. became something of a recurring blueprint for Heung’s (then) prospective film additions. However, instead of Hong Kong, Bangkok/Manila again became regular haunts for Heung to grimace and over exaggerate his snake fist style under the prosaic direction of Joseph Kong (aka Joe Velasco).

Despite flagrant imagery of degradation, torture and brutality – Bruce’s Deadly Fingers was an audacious move, creeping into darker avenues of exploitation where even Ho Chung Tao refused to venture, with exception of his first lead in Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story (1974). The world on offer here, stringent and morose, opens to some very impressive psychedelic visuals – backed by the twangs of a Spaggetti Western-type soundtrack. It probably was (I), as Hong Kong cinema was once famous for appropriating other musical scores for added dramatic tension: i.e. John Williams’ Star Wars theme was unconvincingly overdubbed on a print of Jackie Chan’s Magnificent Bodyguards (1977).

In this case, recognizing hybridized cultural references is the least of critics’ anxieties, particularly as film buffs are woefully subjected to the eponymous Bruce Wong’s (Heung Kim Lung) return to Hong Kong on a single minded quest to discover the truth of his late mentor (Bruce Lee), who passed away under super-extraordinary conditions… sounds familiar! An insipid subplot involving Wong’s missing sister throws a proverbial spanner in the works as the remainder of the storyline initially preocuppies itself with the search for an alleged manual written by Bruce Lee before his untimely exit.

In spite of sparse production values/budgetary limitations and capriciously, it’s a race against time with customary nemesis Lo Lieh and interpol agent Chan Wei Man – both fading in and out of each scene with distinct flamboyance. Naturally, their goals coincide. Meantime, Wong hopelessly stumbles from one situation to another contending with inept kidnappings, murder, incarceration, liberation – though conceptually vacant – and finally prolonged training sequences where suspended mannequins are unflatteringly jabbed and prodded in typical robotic Heung Kim Lung mode. What ensues – after demostrating his inner techniques on a Wing Chun wooden dummy – is nearly twenty minutes of incremental punching, varied kicks, grappling and some dynamic nunchaku encounters against a battallion of ineffectual bodyguards, climaxing with Heung’s furious implementation of iron finger kung fu to the synthesized bass rifts of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.

Verdict: Between frenetic pacing, as well as a dismal catalogue of sour dialogue pertaining to ridiculous discussions about rice bowls, which is neither inspirational or philosophical enough to warrant appreciation; especially as this verbal exchange features Bruce Lee’s former real-life wing chun sifu, Wong Shum Leung: veritably, one could ponder as too his intentions for appearing in such total nonsense. The same should apply to Nora Miao, who exhibits an aura of discomfort throughout. However, Chan Wei Man otherwise looks sedate under a great maine of hair until decisively venting a flurry of idiosyncratic strikes on the obligatory man mountain that is Bolo, while the King Boxer himself, Lo Lieh, embellishes his role with a kind of demonic gusto that only he was privvy and qualified to express.

Matthew Le-feuvre’s Rating: 5/10

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

New trailer for live action adaptation of Japan’s ‘Patlabor’

The Next Generation: Patlabor" Promotional Poster

The Next Generation: Patlabor" Promotional Poster

In Hollywood, live-action films based on comic books and cartoons are definitely the in-thing, but Hollywood isn’t the only place that’s bringing giant robots and super heroes to the big screen.

A live-action series adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s Patlabor – titled The Next Generation: Patlabor – will be making its April premier in Japan. The 7-part series, which revolves around a police robot pilot squad in a futuristic Tokyo, will be followed by a feature-length film that will open in 2015.

Updates: Teaser trailer. | Full length trailer.

BREAKING NEWS: New trailer for the feature film, which will be releasing in Japan on May 1, 2015. Thanks to SFJ (via FCS).

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Missing in Action: Double Feature | Blu-ray | Only $7.99 – Expires soon!

Missing in Action: Double Feature | Blu-ray (MGM)

Missing in Action: Double Feature | Blu-ray (MGM)

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for the Missing in Action: Double Feature, which includes Joseph Zito’s Missing in Action (1984) and Lance Hool’s Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1984/1985).

Fun Trivia: Missing in Action was originally intended to be a sequel to Missing in Action 2 (which was actually filmed before Missing in Action), but when producers realized Missing in Action was the stronger of the two, they swapped the release dates, as well as the titles.

Order the Missing in Action: Double Feature from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Divine Move, The (2014) Review

"The Divine Move" Korean Theatrical Poster

“The Divine Move” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jo Beom-Goo
Writer: Yu Seong-Hyeop
Cast: Jeong Woo-Sung, Lee Bum-Soo, Ahn Seong-Gi, Kim In-Kwon, Lee Si-Young, Ahn Gil-Gang, Lee Do-Kyung, Choi Jin-Hyuk, Jeong Hae-Gyun, Ahn Seo-Hyun
Running Time: 118 min.

By Paul Bramhall

The gambling genre seems to come in and out of fashion in Asian cinema. The early 80’s gave us Shaw Brothers gambling flicks such as Challenge of the Gamesters, by the early 90’s we had Chow Yun Fat doing his thing in the God of Gamblers movies, and in recent years it seems the genre is back on the scene. Hong Kong gave us From Vegas to Macau and its sequel, and in 2014 Korea gave us The Divine Move.

Helmed by Jo Beom-goo, the director who gave us the Korean version of Speed on a motorbike with the 2011 action comedy Quick, The Divine Move revolves around the game of Go. Go involves placing black and white stones on a chequered playing board, the idea being for the players to outwit each other by surrounding the opposing players stones with their own. By the time the board is full, whoever has surrounded the most of the opposing players stones is the winner. Of course, there are countless nuances and intricacies outside of the above explanation, but that’s the basic concept.

The movies kicks off by introducing us to a pair of brothers, the younger of whom is played by Jeong Woo-seong, barely recognizable under a thick mop of hair and glasses, that are on their way to attend a game of Go. It quickly become clear that things are not quite right when the older brother explains he wants his younger sibling to stay back, guiding the game from their vehicle, thanks to a hidden camera and ear piece he’ll be wearing. Woo-seong reluctantly agrees, however when a storm knocks out the connection between them, the older brother is left to figure things out for himself against a superior opponent. Things go wrong, the price of losing is a slashed throat, and after Woo-seong attempts to save his brother, he’s ultimately caught by the police and jailed.

These events are what kick off The Divine Move, which declare what kind of movie it’s going to be from those very first minutes – Jailed younger brother is going to avenge his older brother’s death at the hands of Go playing gangsters. Just like director Beom-goo’s previous effort Quick, it’s an unashamedly straight forward plot device, only instead of being used for motorbike chases and explosions, here it’s used for tension filled games of Go and fist fights. Also like in Quick, the simplicity of the plot works as much in the movies favor as it does against it, but we’ll get into that more later.

The always reliable Woo-seong does a great job in his role. Most well known amongst action fans for his roles in movies like The Good, The Bad, The Weird, Cold Eyes, and Reign of Assassins, soon his character is playing Go with the chief of the prison, as well as being trained how to fight by a fellow inmate. This is the type of movie were you can have a one vs. many brawl in a prison yard in the middle of the night, and not a single guard will be around to see it. Scenes like this make The Divine Move play out more like an exaggerated comic rather than something that’s grounded in reality, and perhaps in recognition of this, the opening titles are also designed in a comic book style.

By the time Woo-seong is released from prison and ready to start bringing on the pain and, well, playing Go (not necessarily in that order), the movies biggest problem becomes apparent – we still don’t really know a single thing about him. Beom-goo seems to have been so pre-occupied with creating cool scenes of characters playing Go and beating each other up, that character development seems to have been left by the wayside. We know his brother was murdered, but why were they there in the first place, what’s their background? It’s something which is never explored, which makes everything feel very one dimensional, and dare I say flat.

The character development issue spills over into every other character in the movie – Woo-seong enlists the help of a down and out homeless Go master (who is also blind just for good measure) played by Ahn Seong-gi, but again we find out nothing about him and how he ended up the way he is, other than he had some past association with the same gangsters that murdered Woo-seong’s brother. The gangsters have a female master amongst them played by Lee Si-yeong, who looks like she doesn’t really enjoy working for them, and it’s mentioned in passing that she won a national Go competition when she was 20 then disappeared. Again, this is all we find out about her, even though she becomes a crucial character to the plot. Most glaringly of all though, is a Chinese child who the gangsters seem to be keeping captive due to her incredible Go playing ability, but who is given no back-story or explanation as to how she got there.

What this ultimately means for the viewer is that we’re left with a bunch of characters who we don’t really know anything about, so therefore have no connection with. What we do get though, is an abundance of scenes with characters playing Go, and then beating the living daylights out of each other, sometimes they play Go and beat each other up at the same time. One scene, which also seems to have come straight out of a comic book, has Woo-seong lock himself and one of gangsters in a freezer room, in which he’s set up a Go board in the middle of the floor and proceeds to turn the temperature down to -35. It’s all rather absurd that each of the gangsters he comes across seems happy to have a sit-down game of Go with him before getting down to the violence, but somehow The Divine Move exists in a world were playing Go seems to be the equivalent of boxers tapping their gloves together before a fight.

By the end of the movie the games of Go have also become one of its flaws, as there are simply too many of them. While Beom-goo does manage to infuse most of them with a sense of tension, there are a couple too many, which just end up feeling like a chore to watch. Thankfully the plot attempts to go out with a bang thanks to a bloody finish, in a year which seems to have brought back the brutal knife fight with a vengeance (see also No Tears for the Dead and Man on High Heels), Woo-seong and his blade also deliver an effectively wince worthy final showdown against those he’s seeking vengeance against.

All in all The Divine Move would perhaps be better titled Go and Violence, as that’s essentially what it amounts to. The 2006 Korean movie Tazza: The High Rollers took a similar concept, except instead of Go it was Flower Cards, and pulled it off with much more feeling, thanks to giving us characters that we cared about and a decent back-story. While Tazza had the likes of Kim Yoon-seok and Kim Hye-soo amongst its cast, actors like Woo-seong and Seong-gi are more than capable of giving equally charismatic performances, which leaves the finger pointed squarely at director Beom-goo. For his next movie, here’s hoping he keeps the fist fights, and exchanges the games of Go for some scenes were we can get to know the characters that we’re about to spend 2 hours with.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6.5/10

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

Justin Lin takes on season two of ‘True Detective’

"Finishing the Game" Theatrical Poster

"Finishing the Game" Theatrical Poster

If you have not seen the first series of the superb True Detective, stop what you are doing and stream it now. Nic Pizzolatto’s masterpiece was everything that good television should be. Gripping from the get go, turns at every occasion, a realism not seen in TV since the days of The Wire just don’t mention series five – and stellar acting from Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan and a star turn from Matthew McConaughey.

That was series one, so why should you be excited and tuning in for series two?

1. Justin Lin

Taiwanese director Justin Lin is sitting in the director chair for the first two episodes. The director, who shot to universal fame with the hugely popular Fast and Furious movie franchise, has proven he has the chops to handle the medium of television. His handling of Community is evidence of this.

What makes Lin a reason to watch True Detective is his filmography background. He knows how to do action extremely well, but he is one of the rare few who can mix it with emotive sentiment. His Bruce Lee mockumentary, Finishing the Game, really showcased the director’s ability to do serious filming as well. – esharki

The only criticism that one could have from the first season of True Detective is that it was slightly devoid of action. Lin will be able to weave action into the fabric of a realistic story.

Lin, who will also be directing Star Trek 3, has all the makings of a great director and soon his efforts will be rewarded in the shape of awards and acclaim.

2. Cast

You would be hard-pressed to find a more star-studded cast than the second series of True Detective. It is staggering, but also testament to the quality of Pizzolatto’s work, that so many genuine Hollywood A-listers would sign on.

The first name was impeccable Irish actor Colin Farrell. Long gone are his wild-boy antics. Instead, the 39-year-old now devotes all of himself to his craft; unsurprisingly his stock has gone up significantly in recent years. Farrell, who started out as your generic action hero, has now proven that he can do serious acting. In Bruges, Saving Mr Banks, and Seven Psychopaths are just three of his best. In Farrell, much like Lin, you have an actor capable of action – realistic and comedic action. We know that Farrell will be playing the role of Ray Velcoro, the detective of the series. If Farrell can find the perfect melange of his acting skills then Velcoro has the potential to be better than McConaughey’s Rust Cohle.

Vince Vaughn was the second man to be announced. He will be playing the role of Frank Seymon, someone who is in with the mob. It is great to see that Vaughn is not typecast in a comedic role; this really is an opportunity to show Hollywood’s directors that he is capable of serious. Expect him to take the bull by the horns. It will be interesting to see if sport is incorporated into the character of Vaughn, who is an avid hockey fan and a season ticket holder to annual ice hockey betting favourites the Chicago Blackhawks – as well as following numerous other sports franchises – as it is a strength that he possesses. – david shankbone

Rachel McAdams of The Notebook, Sherlock Holmes and Midnight In Paris will play the female lead, while Taylor Kitsch, recognisable to many as Gambit from X-Men Origins, is also involved in some capacity.

Now, when you look at that cast it really does just scream talent. If all four of these stars were sharing the big screen together you would call it an A-List movie cast. We know how good these guys are in cinema, but can you imagine how good their acting and character development will be when they have a story arch that totals eight hours rather than the two hours they get in movies?

3. Location

The backwaters of Louisiana was the setting for the first series – drawing inspiration from the heinous crimes of the Hosanna Church, and it was brilliant. By bringing light to an undocumented part of the States all viewers were looking at a location that had no real comparison in regards to television.

This season will be no different. Pizzolatto has stated that the series will be based in California, but it will not be in one of the big cities of the state. Again he is showing the viewer a new part of America, a part where the “American Dream” simply does not exist.

4. Pizzolatto

Pizzolatto himself is a reason to get involved with the series. The 39-year-old is very much a wordsmith, and this is his magnum opus. He rightly takes great pride in his work and does not want to do anything that will tarnish the reputation of his legacy. So, if anything, expect him to outdo himself with his second attempt.

With a fantastic director in Justin Lin, combined with an awesome cast and a sublime writer, you just know that True Detective is going to be a barnstormer.

Posted in News |

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2015

Well Go USA presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Jacob Cheung’s The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom.

This wuxia-fantasy revolves around a pair of lovers – a devilish outlaw (Fan Bingbing) and the righteous Taoist leader Huang Xiaoming), and their love that could change the fate of the nation.

The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom also stars Vincent Zhao (True Legend), Wang Xuebing, Yan Kuan, Du Yiheng and Nicholas Tse. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom from Amazon.com today!

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

Cityonfire.com’s ‘The Pirates’ Blu-ray Giveaway! – WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

The Pirates | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

The Pirates | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Cityonfire.com and Well Go USA are giving away 3 Blu-ray copies of the Award-winning South Korean crime thriller The Pirates to three lucky Cityonfire visitors. If you’re not familiar with the film, you’ll want to watch the trailer!

To enter, simply add a comment to this post and describe, in your own words, this clip (we apologize in advance regarding 0:49 to 1:10).

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 The Pirates will be officially released on January 20, 2015. We will announce the 3 winners on January 21, 2015 and ship out the prizes immediately.

CONTEST DISCLAIMER: You must enter by January 20, 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.

WINNERS: Congratulations to Lee G, Josh B and Ronald O. You have all been notified via email!

Posted in News | Tagged |

Get instant cult ‘n exploitation with VinegarSyndrome.tv!

"Raw Force" Blu-ray Cover

"Raw Force" Blu-ray Cover

For much of the past year, Vinegar Syndrome has been promoting a streaming site with the name Skinaflix. In the early development stage, they decided that as wonderful as the Skinaflix concept was, it seemed a mistake to limit it only to sexploitation. With that in mind, they have revamped the concept into VinegarSyndrome.tv, a more diverse streaming service with the inclusion of ALL genres distributed by Vinegar Syndrome and our new label, Etiquette Pictures.

Launching with over 200 titles presented in HD, VinegarSyndrome.tv promises to be a streaming powerhouse for all things exploitation and sleaze (*cough* Raw Force), from G rated to full hardcore. Including informative blogs, exclusive titles, and special discounts on DVDs and Blu-rays.

To help speed up the development process and add features such as Roku, iOS and Android apps, they’re launching an Indiegogo campaign. If their goal is met, the site will go live on May 1st. Much of the legwork has already been done, but with a successful campaign, the process could be sped up exponentially. Please give what you can, and if not please promote the campaign and spread the word in any way possible.

For more information and to view the Indiegogo campaign, visit VinegarSyndrome.tv.

Posted in News |

Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge (2014) Review

"Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge" Japanese DVD Cover

“Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge” Japanese DVD Cover

AKA: Tekken: A Man Called X
Director: Wych Kaosayananda
Cast: Kane Kosugi, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Rade Serbedzija, Gary Daniels, Kelly Wenham, Ron Smoorenburg, Paige Lindquist, Charlotte Kirk
Running Time: 88 min.

By Kelly Warner

2010’s Tekken came and went without many people taking notice. Well, I’m going to be honest: I kind of liked the film. I mean, make no mistake, I would never call it a good movie, but it’s fun in a stupid sort of way. Drink a few beers, have a sense of humor about things, and it makes for some silly entertainment. The least you can say is that at least the filmmakers went all out with their limited budget, making the film look like a videogame come to life, complete with goofy costumes, goofy dialogue, and just enough competent action to satisfy the fans.

And while the original Tekken failed to find an audience, I think the makers of 2014’s Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge might secretly wish audiences would just ignore their film and move on. This is a lame, half-hearted effort from start to finish. Even the sound effects, music, and end credits feel like they were patched on at a moment’s notice. Really, I’d like to begin and end this review right here by telling you that this movie sucks, that it’s not worth your time, and that you should just find another way to waste 90 minutes in your day… but I expect you’d like to know why.

Despite that pesky 2 in the title, Tekken 2 actually serves as a prequel to the first film. Kane Kosugi plays Kazuya (originally played by Ian Anthony Dale), and Gary Daniels and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa return as Bryan Fury and Heihachi, respectively. Really though, these feel like completely different characters. Kazuya is an amnesiac, Heihachi is lacking his signature hairdo that makes him look like a balding Wolverine, and Fury never once reminded me of his original iteration. Tekken 2 has very little in common with the original film or the game that inspired it. And based on production rumors and misinformation – Kosugi’s site claimed he was not making a Tekken movie, and the film supposedly went through multiple titles like Agent X and A Man Called X – I kind of think Kazuya’s Revenge became a Tekken film very late in the game. Whatever the case may be, you get the sense that the producers just didn’t care. The original Tekken was cheap and silly but at least it tried. This film seems almost like it wants to brush the Tekken parts of its story underneath the rug.

The movie begins with Kane Kosugi waking up with no memory of who he is or what’s going on. After surviving a fight with armed men, thus learning he must’ve been some kind of badass before losing his memory, Kosugi is taken hostage by a group of assassins led by the mysterious Minister (Rade Serbedzija). Since he has no memory of who he is, the Minister decides to name our hero K. The Minister trains his people to be killers so that he may send them out into the world to assassinate enemies of peace, and he wants K to be his next assassin. There seems to be a cult-like relationship between the Minister and his followers, but this aspect of the story is largely left unexplored.

K is one of the most passive heroes I’ve ever seen in an action film. Here’s a man that should have an endless amount of questions – just for starters, who am I? – but he seems perfectly fine wasting the day away in bed or walking in slow motion across the city. Most of these introspective moments are filled with flashbacks, some of which remind us of events that just happened, and others look like clips taken from the original film (I may be wrong), which is very puzzling since those moments haven’t happened yet. K doesn’t really seem too bothered by the fact that he’s a man without a past or that he’s killing people for a man that’s holding him hostage, as he never asks enough questions or makes much of an attempt to escape.

In the finale, the “twist” is revealed and K learns he’s actually Kazuya Mishima, which comes as a total shock to the audience because the film is called Kazuya’s Revenge. He also learns his father is Heihachi Mishima, which again all videogame fans already knew. What’s puzzling is why this matters and why it counts as a revelation in the plot. Heihachi is a non-character throughout 95% of the film. If you didn’t know the game, you wouldn’t know he was important, and nor would you understand his complicated relationship with his son. The plot and all of its twists are so flat they barely register at all.

The only actor who impresses in any way is Kelly Wenham, who plays Rhona, K’s handler. Rhona’s the most complex character in the film and Wenham plays her well. While I would normally welcome the appearance of character actors Rade Serbedzija and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in almost any film, neither one of them seems into the material. I can’t blame them, though. Kane Kosugi, who I usually like, fails to impress in the lead role. Sure, the character is poorly written, but his performance is wooden, only truly coming to life in the action scenes.

I’m really having a hard time thinking of something good to say about this movie… The fight scenes are fairly well choreographed and the performers are not without skill, but most of these scenes are shot devoid of style or rhythm. The only exciting fight is the last one, but by then I expect most audience members will have already checked out. The film, directed by Wych Kaos (Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever), never manages to rise above its minimal budget, and often looks cheaper than you would imagine.

At one point, director Prachya Pinkaew (Ong Bak) was slated to direct Tekken 2, which was then supposedly titled Tekken: Rise of the Tournament. Things obviously fell apart. Whether Pinkaew’s Tekken film was going to feature pretty much the plot same as Kazuya’s Revenge is unclear. In some alternate universe perhaps we got a really cool Tekken 2 movie… But our universe sucks and so does Tekken 2: Kazuya’s Revenge.

Tekken 2 belongs alongside Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Alone in the Dark, and Double Dragon as one of the worst videogame movies of all time, and would feel right at home in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Avoid this one at all costs.

I’m giving this a 2 instead of a 1. It’s an awful film, but compared to other crap movies on the same spectrum at least I didn’t need to take a shower after watching it, and nor did I seriously contemplate suicide. So, that’s a plus. I reserve my 1’s for crimes against humanity. You know, like Manos: The Hands of Fate or Adam Sandler movies. Ah ha! I figured out a compliment for Tekken 2. It’s terrible but at least it doesn’t have Adam Sandler in it.

Kelly Warner’s Rating: 2/10

Posted in News, Reviews, Thai | Tagged , , , , |

Move over Arnold… George Tan’s ‘Conan’ movie is coming!

"Conan the Barbarian" Japanese Theatrical Poster

"Conan the Barbarian" Japanese Theatrical Poster

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of competition, right? Much like the two Kickboxer films currently facing off in production (Kickboxer: City of Blood and Kickboxer: Vengeance), there are two Conan movies that may also clash – or not. One has practically completed filming.

Everyone already knows about Legend of Conan (aka King Conan), which has been on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s to-do list for about 2 years. The other called Iron Shadows – a Thailand-produced film by renowned Bruce Lee historian, George Tan (Cinema of Vengeance) – is apparently in post-production phase and set for a 2015 release.

Iron Shadows is helmed by Kit Mallet (known for his stunt work in films like Man of Steel and I, Robot) and stars actor/bodybuilder Pasi Schalin (Trainers TV series) as Conan the Cimmerian. The film also stars Andrea Stefancikova (Dark Harvest), Ron Smoorenburg (Jackie Chan’s Who Am I?), Esteban Cueto (Supah Ninjas) and Toby Russell (White Tiger, Top Fighter).

With a $2 million budget, which can go a long way in Thailand, it’s obvious Iron Shadows – a title taken from one of Robert E. Howard’s Conan short stories – will be a straight-to-video release. It’s actually pretty surprising that the producers were able to secure rights to Howard’s creation, but more power to them.

We expect a trailer to be hitting soon. Until then, here’s some promotional images ( 1 | 2 ) for Iron Shadows. Enjoy!

Posted in News |

Deal on Fire! Protector & Crime Story | Blu-ray | Only $13.29 – Expires soon!

"Protector & Crime Story" Blu-ray Cover

"Protector & Crime Story" Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray Double Feature for 1985′s The Protector & 1993′s Crime Story.

The Protector is noteworthy for James Glickenhaus’ (The Exterminator) attempt to make Jackie Chan a Charles Bronson/Clint Eastwood-type hero. As a result, the film is filled with R-Rated violence, harsh language and gratuitous nudity.

Kirk Wong’s (The Big HitCrime Story is yet another “serious” outting for Jackie, but unlike The Protector, many  consider it one of his finest films.

Order Protector & Crime Story from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Paramount has their ‘Eagle Eye’ on a director for ‘G.I. Joe 3′

"G.I. Joe: Retaliation" Korean Theatrical Poster

Fan reception to G.I. Joe: Retaliation was somewhat mixed but it seems Dwayne ‘The Rock” Johnson’s box office prowess carried the movie to global success. Now, Paramount is on a mission to bring the popular franchise back on the big screen once again.

First, director Jon M. Chu (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Justin Bieber’s Believe) was in talks to helm the third installment. Then Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, Casino Royale) came and went. Now, THR reports that D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, Disturbia) is in talks to direct G.I. Joe 3.

No other actors from the last two films have committed themselves to G.I. Joe 3, but it’s safe to assume that The Rock will return as Roadblock. Stay tuned!

Posted in News |

Jino Kang is the ‘Weapon of Choice’ for a perfect kill!

"Weapon of Choice" DVD Cover

"Weapon of Choice" DVD Cover

Director. Producer. Writer. Stuntman. Oh yeah, he also holds a black belt in Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do and Kyokoshin-Kai Karate. The man I speak of is Jino Kang (Blade Warrior) and he’s back with another action-packed, independent martial arts thriller titled Weapon of Choice, also known as Fist 2 Fist 2 – a sequel by name only to 2011’s Fist 2 Fist (click here for our review).

Retired assassin, Jack Lee (Kang), walked away from his violent past to raise his dead brother’s daughter, Jaime, as his own. When a crime lord kidnaps Jaime, Jack brings his deadly skills out of retirement and the streets of San Francisco become a battleground for a one-man killing machine!

Don’t miss the trailer for Weapon of Choice.

Updates: Enjoy a fight clip from the movie. The DVD for Weapon of Choice hits online retailers and VOD on January 13th.

Posted in News |

Tokyo Drifter (1966) Review

"Tokyo Drifter" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Tokyo Drifter” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Seijun Suzuki
Cast: Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Hideaki Nitani, Tamio Kawaji, Tsuyoshi Yoshida, Ryuji Kita
Running Time: 83 min.

By Kelly Warner

Most film buffs probably know the story of how director Seijun Suzuki was fired by Nikkatsu after producing his 1967 film Branded to Kill, and was then effectively blacklisted from filmmaking after suing his former employers. But the story is more complicated than that. Branded to Kill is a strange film that the studio hated, but it’s not the sole reason for Suzuki’s sacking. Branded to Kill was simply the last straw to break the camel’s back. In his 12 years making films for Nikkatsu, Suzuki directed approximately 40 films for the studio. Most were filmed in under a month’s time and made with a very small budget. Suzuki was given cookie cutter scripts and asked to create simple, enjoyable films at a rapid pace. Suzuki was up for the pace, but eventually he started to assert more creative control over the films he was asked to direct. He changed scripts dramatically and in the years prior to his dismissal he also got increasingly more experimental. To put it simply, the director was coming into his own as an artist, and no B-movie yakuza script was going to hold him back from creating something incredibly inventive and ahead of its time. Nikkatsu repeatedly told the director to tone it down. Instead, Suzuki ratcheted it up to 11 and delivered some of the most singularly artistic genre films of the decade. So, after a series of films they deemed to be incomprehensible and bizarre, culminating with Branded to Kill (the strangest of the bunch), Suzuki was finally given his walking papers.

Made the year prior to Branded to Kill, Tokyo Drifter was meant to capitalize on a popular song and make Nikkatsu’s contract actor Tetsuya Watari into a star. In order to keep Suzuki in line, Nikkatsu cut his budget to the bare minimum. What’s interesting is how Suzuki made the film all that much more surreal as a result of the lack of funds. Action sequences unfold strangely, with characters suddenly in new locations with no branching shots to connect them. It’s occasionally jarring but it’s so much fun you probably won’t notice. Most interesting is the action-packed finale which takes place at one of the film’s central locations, a nightclub. Sometime between the earlier scenes and the finale the nightclub has been stripped bare and painted white, looking a little something like a dance club in Heaven. Ultimately the budget constraints are thrown back into the studio’s face, as it only resulted in a stranger film than it would have been otherwise.

The film’s plot is pretty straightforward stuff but it’s competently written. Tetsu (Tetsuya Watari) is a yakuza who’s trying to go straight along with his former boss. Together they run a popular nightclub, but the club has caught the eye of an unscrupulous gangster who wishes to take the club away from them. A pair of murders committed by both sides leaves the club owners and the yakuza in need of a fall guy. Tetsu steps up to take the fall, says he’ll go on the run. He leaves Tokyo with the cops hot on his trail. But no matter where he goes, Tetsu can’t seem to avoid the rivals from his past or the new enemies that threaten to drag him back into a life of crime.

Tetsuya Watari, who also sings the film’s catchy—if overplayed—theme song, is good as the emotionally distant antihero. Suzuki claims the star had to be literally prodded to recite his lines. With his baby face, he doesn’t exactly register as the tough guy that the crime underworld fears, but you can’t deny he brings a cool sense of style to the film. For much of the movie he’s dressed in a flashy blue suit, sometimes paired with yellow gloves, making him look a bit like he belongs in a comic book. Also fun is Tamio Kawaji, who plays a yakuza that repeatedly fails to kill the hero throughout the movie. Watari and Kawaji’s meetings always result in bloodshed and the villain keeps coming back with more and more bandages covering his body. It’s a standard hitman type character but the director and actor Kawaji make it into something more.

Whereas Branded to Kill was full of strange ideas and characters, Tokyo Drifter showcases Suzuki’s absurdist eye for color and abstract set/costume design. You wouldn’t be wrong if you wanted to call it a ‘pop art film.’ Tokyo Drifter has much more in common with Dick Tracy than Battles Without Honor and Humanity. It’s not until later in his career that Suzuki would combine both his vibrant visual style and his oddball storytelling with films like Zigeunerweisen, which I consider to be his masterpiece.

Tokyo Drifter’s highly enjoyable but it’s not perfect. We get the theme song more often than we would probably like. At one point our hero escapes the bad guys, only to taunt them by singing as he walks off. One of the goons yells, “Damn him and his singing!” To some extent, I agree. We also get some shameless product placement for a hair dryer not once but twice. I think Suzuki tries to play it off as a joke, but it really feels a bit like a commercial that’s interrupting the film. It’s funny but not in the right way.

When the film was turned into the studio before release, they forced Suzuki to change the ending. Originally we were to see our hero walk off with a green moon rising (to signify “peace,” says Suzuki). The studio didn’t get it and instead we get one more moment of Tetsu singing the theme song. We’ll likely never see the original finale. In the end, the studio was none too pleased with the picture. Their reason for making it was to turn Tetsuya Watari into a star, something they think Suzuki failed to do. Clearly Suzuki’s focus was on other things. With Tokyo Drifter he was given a fairly standard plot with a theme song dominating much of the picture, but Suzuki managed to turn it into something bold and new. Tokyo Drifter is not the fever dream masterwork that Branded to Kill was, but it’s an impressive film just the same.

The movie begins with a stark black and white segment shot on spoiled monochrome. The bloody finale takes place on a barren set painted white, with most of the principle cast dressed in white as well. Somewhere in between we get a brawl in a western saloon, a murder that changes a room’s color scheme, a hero who sings more than he speaks, and a chase sequence through a junk yard that is interrupted so that we may see how a car is torched and crushed. Tokyo Drifter is some kind of brilliant.

Kelly Warner’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in Japanese, News, Reviews | Tagged |

Behind Enemy Lines | Blu-ray (Olive Films)

Behind Enemy Lines | Blu-ray (Olive Films)

Behind Enemy Lines | Blu-ray (Olive Films)

RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2015

Olive Films presents the Blu-ray for 1997’s Behind Enemy Lines, starring Thomas Ian Griffith (The Karate Kid Part III, Hollow Point).

It’s Excessive Force meets Rambo: First Blood Part II! An ex-marine (Griffith) and his well trained crew, return to Vietnam, after he discovers a former colleague isn’t dead but being held by a sadistic Communist general.

Behind Enemy Lines also stars Chris Mulkey, Mark Carlton and Spanky Manikan. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Behind Enemy Lines from Amazon.com today!

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