Suspect, The (2013) Review

"The Suspect" Korean Theatrical Poster

“The Suspect” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Won Shin-yun
Writer: Lim Sang-Yoon
Cast: Gong Yoo, Park Hee-Soon, You Da-In, Cho Seong-Ha, Jo Jae-Yun, Kim Sung-Kyun
Running Time: 137 min.

By HKFanatic

When The Bourne Supremacy first hit theaters back in 2005, the close-quarters handheld camerawork and rapid editing during action sequences had some film-goers claiming they experienced motion sickness rather than popcorn thrills. Soon afterwards, the term ‘shaky cam’ began popping up in critical reviews, and became something of a kiss of death for any martial arts film that wanted to be taken seriously by fans. Many wondered what had become of the wide shots and more classical editing style favored by the great Hong Kong movies of yesteryear.

Fast forward to 2014 and shaky-cam has persisted long enough to become something like its own genre; the technique even gained some legitimacy when it was utilized in a James Bond movie (Quantum of Solace). Thus, it’s safe to conclude that shaky-cam is here to stay, whether some fans want it to or not. It’s a style, and like any style it can be utilized well or poorly by filmmakers. It’s how you use it.

All of this to say: if you don’t like ‘shaky cam,’ then the 2013 Korean action/thriller The Suspect is not a movie that will change your mind. While the film is loaded to the gills with plenty of hand-to-hand combat and car chases, they’re delivered in a somewhat claustrophobic, quick-cut style that harkens back to movies like The Bourne Ultimatum and that other recent Korean spy vehicle, The Berlin File.

While this chaotic style may not do the best job of adequately conveying all the time and effort that the fight choreographers no doubt put into the film, the photography and editing in The Suspect certainly do communicate the adrenaline and disorientation the characters must be experiencing – as though the viewers themselves are hurtling over a rooftop alongside lead actor Gong Yoo in one of the film’s many chase sequences

Speaking of Gong Yoo, the actor was greeted with suspicion (no pun intended) upon being cast in the film. As Yoo is considered more of a romantic and comedic leading man, some audience audience members expressed doubt that he was suited for the role of a super serious spy. If this is your first introduction to Gong Yoo, I don’t think you’ll raise an eyebrow; the actor acquits himself nicely by looking as intense as required during dramatic scenes, and suitably ripped for his shirtless torture sequences.

In The Suspect, he plays a North Korean spy who years ago was betrayed by his government handlers. Concealing the deep wounds of his past, his now spends his day as a high-end chauffeur in the South – until a massive political conspiracy puts him in the crosshairs and sends him back into action. From there, The Suspect rarely slows down, as Gong Yoo works to uncover those pulling the strings and stay one step ahead of the government goons and sleeper agents out to silence him.

The Suspect may not exactly innovate this well-worn formula, but it certainly manages to deliver more thrills than, say, 2012’s Damon-less The Bourne Legacy. It’s only during the final act that the film truly falters, as the story keeps going…and going, right as the credits should have rolled. It’s also a shame that the second half of the film finds so little to do for actor Park Hee-soon, who plays the grizzled bad-ass out to catch Gong Yoo – he’s the Tommy Lee Jones to Gong’s The Fugitive, if you will. Unfortunately, the actor is almost too good at his job; about halfway through the picture, it’s as though the filmmakers sensed Hee-soon was stealing the spotlight from their leading man Gong Yoo and decided to sideline him for the remainder of the movie.

Still, for the majority of its runtime, The Suspect is a damn entertaining time at the movies. If it doesn’t reach the heights of some of the other movies of its kind – for instance, the modern Korean classics The Yellow Sea or The Man From Nowhere – it’s likely the fact that it’s a bit too derivative for its own good; even the soundtrack sounds like a riff on John Powell’s score for The Bourne Identity.

And it must be said: sure, the frantic camerawork and editing are all well and good at connoting the hyper-kinetic situations our hero finds himself in…but at the end of the day, us martial arts buffs would rather be able to catch every single blow. Don’t blame us: it’s just the way we’re wired.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 7/10

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

Himizu | Blu-ray & DVD (Olive Films)

Himizu | Blu-ray & DVD (Olive Films)

Himizu | Blu-ray & DVD (Olive Films)

RELEASE DATE: October 14, 2014

Olive Films presents the Blu-ray & DVD for 2011’s Himizu, directed by Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Love Exposure).

Based on Minoru Furuya’s best selling manga of the same name, Himizu follows two teenagers (Shota Sometani and Fumi Nikaido) living a dystopian existence in post-tsunami Japan who embark on a campaign of violence against evil wrong doers. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Himizu from Amazon.com today!

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

Deal on Fire! All Men Are Brothers | Blu-ray | Only $9.96 – Expires soon!

"All Men Are Brothers" Blu-ray Cover

"All Men Are Brothers" Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for 1975’s All Men Are Brothers (aka Seven Soldiers of Kung Fu), directed by Chang Cheh (Five Element Ninjas).

This sequel to the The Water Margin sports an all-star cast that includes David Chiang (Taxi Driver), Ti Lung (Five Shaolin Masters), Chen Kuan Tai (Young People), Danny Lee (I Love You, Bruce Lee), Michael Chan and many more! If you want a blood-drenched classic by one of the best filmmakers that ever lived, seek this out.

Order All Men Are Brothers from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

R.I.P. Panna Rittikrai: Actor, Director and Choreographer

1984's "Born to Fight" Poster

1984's "Born to Fight" Poster

Media outlets are reporting the death of Panna Rittikrai, who left behind an impressive film resume, most notable, his groundbreaking choreography work in Ong-Bak (2003), which is considered one of the finest martial arts movies of all time. According to sources, Rittikrai passed away, due to an unnamed disease, including liver failure, on July 19, 2014, at the age of 53.

During his integral contribution to the Thai film industry, Rittikrai staged the action in films like Born to Fight (2004) and Chocolate (2008); acted in the original Born to Fight (1984) and Dynamite Warrior (2006); and even helmed Bangkok Knockout, as well as co-directing Ong-Bak 2 (2008) and Ong-Bak 3 (2010), with Tony Jaa.

Our condolences go out to Rittikrai’s family and friends.

Posted in News |

Constable, The (2013) Review

"The Constable" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Constable” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Dennis Law
Cast: Simon Yam, Lam Suet, Maggie Siu, Sam Lee, Lo Hoi Pang, Ken Lo, Niu Meng Meng, Maggie Li, Nick Zy Yi, Mia Chan Jing Yi, Eddie Cheung Siu Fai
Running Time: 96 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Everyone who’s a Hong Kong movie fan remembers the golden age of the 1980s. The decade was almost like a storm in a teacup, a relatively small area of land in China which was under British rule, somehow capable of churning out a seemingly unending amount of movies spanning everything from hard hitting action, to spooky horror, to triad dramas. Most of the post-2000 era has been spent with the fans of these movies wistfully hoping that one day that quality, even if it’s not quantity, of movie will return, and that same sentiment also happens to be shared by property investor turned film director Dennis Law.

Law felt that since the post-1997 handover of Hong Kong back to China, Hong Kong movies were losing their sense of identity. So with the best laid intentions, he essentially went on a one-man mission to make movies that bring it back. His filmography reads like a checklist of HK genre favorites – Fatal Contact and Bad Blood provide the straight up modern day kung-fu fix, Womb Ghosts dishes out the black magic horror tropes, ‘Fatal Move’ is the violent triad epic, and Vampire Warriors is the kung-fu horror comedy. Or at least, that’s what they’re all supposed to be.

The main problem with Law, both as a director and a writer, is that he’s not particularly good at either. His scripts are clunky and laden with unnecessary exposition, and his direction is usually flat and lifeless. Thankfully in most cases though, the subject matter is just enough to override the technical incompetence, with an impressive fight scene or an undead baby never too far away to distract us from the fact that what we’re watching is, in fact, pretty bad.

Law had his hand in making movies back to back from 2005 to 2010, however after that things went quiet, until 3 years later he re-emerged with his latest effort – The Constable. Once again Law is both writer and director, and as with his previous efforts, he fills the cast with plenty of familiar HK faces. Simon Yam plays the title of the piece, backed up by the likes of Lam Suet, Sam Lee, and Ken Lo. Surprisingly, The Constable, despite its title, is neither an action movie nor a triad thriller. Instead, we get a HK cop drama, following the life of Yam’s constable as he balances his daily routine of being a single father looking after a son who has downs syndrome (plus a hole in his heart, just for good measure), with his duties as a cop in the transportation department.

This might not sound particularly engrossing, but then, have you ever tried to sell a movie like Chungking Express to someone by describing the plot? Probably not, and many consider it to be the best HK movie ever made. The secret to a good drama is the execution, but of course no one is ever going to confuse Dennis Law with Wong Kar Wai, and this becomes evident very quickly with The Constable. Very, very quickly. Despite having Yam in the titular role, the idea of Law directing a drama he wrote himself was always going to be a losing battle, a bit like asking a 5 year old to compose a classical masterpiece. Sure enough at the end of the first half hour not much has happened except for a series of drawn out shots involving Yam catching a bus, sitting on the bus, getting off the bus, preparing a meal for his son (that involves a series of never ending static shots watching him chop up vegetables), brushing his sons teeth etc. etc. It goes on and on.

This plotless meandering can be pulled off under the skillful direction of someone like Wong Kar Wai or Ann Hui, but here the details are dull and meaningless, the lack of anything really being said by the scenes only drawing more attention to the lack of talent behind them. Somewhere in-between an attempt at a flimsy plot is introduced, the carer who looks after Yam’s son has a boyfriend, played by Sam Lee, who gets caught up with some gangsters led by Ken Lo, who turn out to be planning (surprise, surprise) a bank heist. Of course Yam gets involved somewhere along the way, and things plod lifelessly towards one of the most unexciting shootouts committed to film in recent years.

Throughout the movie Yam’s character is unwaveringly perfect, to the point where a more fitting title would have been The Saint. Cops on the beat stop in awe when he prevents a girl from being mugged, proclaiming “Could a traffic cop be that brave?” Not soon after this incident, he walks into a public toilet and stumbles upon yet another crime in progress, giving him another chance to do good and pull off some sub-par HK style choreography. It’s like crime simply finds Yam’s character of the constable, or it could just be that lazy scripts have a tendency to find Yam the actor. In another example of poor execution, a junior cop watches Yam running around a track to get fit and shooting off some rounds. In the next scene, the junior cop is doing exactly the same in almost identical shots. We get it, he’s been inspired by Yam’s shining determination to be the best cop he can be, but does it really need to be this blatant?

The brief sudden bursts of action only serve to drive home what a misguided effort The Constable is. Mid-way though there’s a foot chase involving Yam & Suet in pursuit of a thief and what’s believed to be the thief’s victim. The chase ends up on the edge of a rooftop for no conceivable reason other than for Yam to prove how far his character is willing to go in pursuit, while amusingly the hefty Suet is given an elevator fight scene with a woman in high heels. While the outcome of both Yam and Suet’s scenes point to something interesting being developed for the story, especially with the appearance of a bag filled with cash, as soon as the scene finishes it’s never touched on again and seemingly forgotten about.

There’s really not a lot to recommend The Constable. It gets points for being a Cantonese spoken movie in the ever increasing Mandarin mainland market, and its setting of Shenzhen, out near the borders of the New Territories, give the movie a refreshing look over the countless HK central set action movies that seem to dominate the big releases these days. However these are small glimmers of light in an otherwise painfully dull 100 minutes, and ultimately if Law is going to keep on making movies, he’d be better off filling them with fight scenes and hopping vampires, which while not particularly high brow, are at least entertaining.

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 3/10

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

Deal on Fire! Romeo Must Die | Blu-ray | Only $8.48 – Expires soon!

"Romeo Must Die" Blu-ray Cover

"Romeo Must Die" Blu-ray Cover

Today’s Deal on Fire is the Blu-ray for 2000’s Romeo Must Die, starring Jet Li, Aaliyah, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong and Delroy Lindo.

Romeo Must Die is not only Jet Li’s first starring role in a Hollywood movie (after portraying the impressive portrayal of villain Wah Sing Ku in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4), it’s also Andrzej Bartkowiak’s (Exit Wounds) directorial debut, who is mostly known for his cinematography work in films such as 1981’s Prince of the City and 1994’s Speed.

Order Romeo Must Die from Amazon.com today!

Posted in Deals on Fire!, News |

Krull | Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

Krull | Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

Krull | Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2014

Mill Creek Entertainment presents the Blu-ray for 1983’s Krull, directed by Peter Yates (Bullitt). This British-American, fantasy-science fiction film follows a prince and a fellowship of companions who set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet.

Krull stars Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones and an early appearance by Taken’s Liam Neeson. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Krull from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Gary Daniels’ ‘Bullpen Fight Club’ is now called ‘Rumble’

"Bloodmoon" DVD Cover

"Bloodmoon" DVD Cover

Gary Daniels (Tekken) fanatics must be creaming their pants by now. The martial star has a string of upcoming films that include Tekken: Kazuya’s RevengeSkin Traffik, Zero Tolerance and Misfire. Today, we announce yet another action film titled Bullpen Fight Club.

Bullpen Fight Club revolves around an aging and injured former MMA champ (Daniels) who is forced back into a deadly Mexican underground fight circuit to save is girlfriend who is kidnapped by a mysterious cartel leader and criminal mastermind. Watch the teaser trailer.

Update: The film is now called Rumble, thanks to Film Combat Syndicate.

Posted in News |

Blue Thunder | Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

Blue Thunder | Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

Blue Thunder | Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2014

Mill Creek Entertainment presents the Blu-ray for 1983’s Blue Thunder, directed by John Badham (War Games). Roy Scheider stars in this action thriller as a police officer pilot battling government fanatics planning to misuse an experimental attack helicopter (a high-speed, high-tech chopper that can see through walls, record a whisper or level a city block).

Blue Thunder would later inspire a 1984 TV series of the same name. The film stars Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Daniel Stern, Paul Roebling and Malcolm McDowell. Watch the trailer!

Pre-order Blue Thunder from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

The Naked Face | Blu-ray & DVD (Kino Video)

"The Naked Face" Japanese VHS Cover

"The Naked Face" Japanese VHS Cover

RELEASE DATE: October 21, 2014

Kino Video presents the Blu-ray & DVD for 1984’s The Naked Face, directed by Bryan Forbes (1975’s The Stepford Wives). For some inexplicable reason, a Chicago psychiatrist (Roger Moore) is the target of a gang of sinister killers. As his assailants move in for the kill, the doctor finds that he must face his adversaries alone in a deadly final showdown.

In between Octopussy and A View to a Kill, Moore took a break from the James Bond franchise to star in this violent murder mystery from Cannon Films Group. Watch the trailer.

Stay tuned for pre-order information.

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Batman: The Complete TV Series | Blu-ray & DVD (Warner)

Batman: The Complete TV Series | Blu-ray (Warner)

Batman: The Complete TV Series | Blu-ray (Warner)

RELEASE DATE: November 11, 2014

Warner presents the Batman: The Complete TV Series (1966–1968) on Blu-ray & DVD (see photo). Wealthy entrepreneur Bruce Wayne (Adam West) and his ward Dick Grayson (Burt Ward) lead a double life: they are actually the crime fighting duo Batman and Robin. A secret Batpole in the Wayne mansion leads to the Batcave, where Police Commissioner Gordon often calls the Bat-duo with the latest emergency threatening Gotham City!

Also included are the Batman/The Green Hornet cross-over episodes, featuring Bruce Lee and Van Williams (details here).

Pre-order the Batman: The Complete TV Series from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Meteor | Blu-ray & DVD (Kino Lorber)

Meteor | Blu-ray & DVD (Kino Lorber)

Meteor | Blu-ray & DVD (Kino Lorber)

RELEASE DATE: September 16, 2014

Kino Lorber presents the Blu-ray & DVD for 1979’s Meteor, directed by Ronald Neame (The Poseidon Adventure). Sean Connery (Goldfinger) leads a team of asteroid-battling astronomers in Meteor, one of the last and most unusual examples of the disaster movie craze of the 70s. In this one, a killer asteroid named Orpheus threatens to collide with the Earth, and Connery must come up with a plan to stop it.

Meteor also stars Karl Malden, Martin Landau, Natalie Wood, Richard Dysart, Henry Fonda, Hank Fonda and Trevor Howard. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Meteor from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Space Raiders | DVD (Scorpion Releasing)

Space Raiders | DVD (Scorpion Releasing)

Space Raiders | DVD (Scorpion Releasing)

RELEASE DATE: September 2, 2014

Scorpion Releasing presents the DVD for 1983’s Space Raiders, directed by Howard R. Cohen (Deathstalker IV: Match of Titans). If you need something to hold you down while waiting for Star Wars: Episode VII, I have two words for you: Space Raiders!

This entertaining cult/sci fi flick features recycled footage, special effects from music from 1980’s Battle Beyond the Stars. Hey, at least they were being resourceful, right? Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Space Raiders from Amazon.com today!

Posted in DVD/Blu-ray New Releases, Other Notable Titles |

Osaka Badass | aka Snake of Violence | DVD (Pathfinder)

Osaka Badass | DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

Osaka Badass | DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2014

Pathfinder Home Entertainment presents the DVD for Takahiro Ishihara’s Osaka Badass (aka Snake of Violence).

This crime-filled epic revolves around three troubled youth and their intense history with the Yakuza. Elitsi calls Osaka Badass “A higher class of cinema.”

Osaka Badass (read our review) stars Tak Sakaguchi (Versus), Takashi Nishina, Kanade Matsuzaki, Takaya Yamaki, Arata Yamanaka and Nanako Kodama. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Osaka Badass from Amazon.com today!

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

Osaka Violence | DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

Osaka Violence | DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

Osaka Violence | DVD (Pathfinder Home Entertainment)

RELEASE DATE: September 30, 2014

Pathfinder Home Entertainment presents the DVD for Takahiro Ishihara’s Osaka Violence. After witnessing a gang murder, 12 year old Masashi asks his father what he’d do if he were killed by a Yakuza. Exact vengeance his father promptly replies. The next day, in an unfortunate turn of fate, Masashi’s father is hospitalized with serious injuries, leaving Masashi on his own. Osaka Violence stars Ryosuke Kimura, Shouji Oomiya, Yuusuke Mizuno, Taro Saba and Hisashi Ueno. Watch the trailer.

Pre-order Osaka Violence from Amazon.com today!

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