The latest on Oliver Stone’s ‘The Savages’ – New featurette!

"The Savages" American Theatrical Poster

There’s no denying that director Oliver Stone was one of the top Hollywood provocateurs of the 80’s and 90’s. Films like Wall Street and JFK were guaranteed to get audiences talking as soon as they hit theaters. Hell, I still say that Natural Born Killers is one of the best movies of the 90’s, even if Quentin Tarantino claims Stone mangled his screenplay.

The last decade hasn’t been terribly kind to Oliver Stone, with box office bombs like Alexander and Wall Street 2 trailing behind him, but it looks like he may be able to turn things around with his next film, titled The Savages. Over at AICN, you can scope out the first trailer.

Based on the novel by Don Winslow, this is a movie about what happens when a trio of California rich kid drug dealers crosses paths with a ruthless Mexican drug cartel. The star-studded cast includes Aaron Johnson (Kick Ass), Taylor Kitsch (John Carter), Blake Lively (The Town), Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer), John Travolta (Pulp Fiction), Salma Hayek (Desperado), and Benicio Del Toro (Sin City). While the premise may strain credibility, the trailer still looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Sex, drugs, violence: yup, it’s vintage Stone.

BREAKING NEWS: Check out this new Savages featurette at Cinema Blend, which has the cast admitting their savagery.

Posted in News |

Visceral Hong Kong action returns with ‘Nightfall’ on Import Blu-ray and DVD

"Nightfall"

Actor Nick Cheung famously spent half a year getting into physical shape for director Roy Chow’s dark detective thriller Nightfall. The results apparently paid off, as a slimmed down and toned up Cheung helped Nightfall earn over 40 million yuan at the Chinese box office. American audiences eager to view the film no longer have to wait as trusted retailer DDDHouse is offering Nightfall on Import and Blu-ray starting today, June 26th.

The Region A Blu-ray will play on any American Blu-player and is going for only $24.36. Or you can snag the Region 3 DVD for $13.46, but be advised you’ll need an Import or All-Region DVD player to view it.

In Nightfall, Nick Cheung plays a seasoned Hong Kong cop looking into the brutal murder of a famous celebrity.

The deeper he digs into the case, the more he puts his own life in danger – uncovering shocking secrets along the way. The film also stars veteran actors Simon Yam (Ip Man) and Michael Wong (Knock Off). Check out our previous coverage of the film here or view the trailer here.

Posted in Asian Import Titles, News |

Norris kicks ass on Blu-ray: Anchor Bay brings us ‘The Octagon’ and ‘A Force of One’

Only a "Chuck Norris Blu-ray" can be a Walmart exclusive

Only a "Chuck Norris Blu-ray" can be a Walmart exclusive

MGM and 20th Century Fox Entertainment are proud to announce three Chuck Norris classics on Blu-ray: Joseph Zito’s Missing in Action (1984), Lance Hool’s Missing In Action 2: The Beginning (1985), and Menahem Golan’s The Delta Force (1986). All films will be available exclusively at Walmart on June 5th.

As of yet, no technical specifications or bonus feature details have been announced. Given that they’re Cannon/Golan Globus era films, don’t expect much more than a trailer.

All three titles are Rated R for torture, dismemberments, bodies getting sprayed with bullets, people getting thrown off moving planes and terrorists getting shot in their faces.

Updates: Two more titles have been added to the Chuck Norris Blu-ray lineup: Lone Wolf McQuade (click here to see artwork) and Code of Silence (click here to see artwork). Unlike the other three, these are not Walmart exclusives. Oh, yeah, if you’re a really big Norris fan, don’t forget about Forest Warrior (click here to see artwork), which is currently available.

BREAKING NEWS: According to Beyond Hollywood, Anchor Bay is releasing some other Norris films that MGM doesn’t hold the rights to: 1980’s The Octagon and 1979’s A Force of One are both getting the Blu-ray treatment on August 6, 2012. Both movies will include: Making of Featurette, How America Changed Hollywood Forever, Trailer, TV Spot and Director’s Commentary. In addition, Anchor Bay is also releasing the Blu-ray for Dolph Lundgren’s Pentathlon on July 30, 2012. Please check back at cityonfire.com for pre-ordering information.

Posted in News |

The kid from ‘Battle Royale’ grows up with ‘I’m Flash!’

"I'm Flash!" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Tatsuya Fujiwara, the fresh-faced teen who fought his classmates to the death in Battle Royale and made a deal with some devils in Death Note, is all grown up. As someone who was indoctrinated into Asian cinema partially based on the strength of 2000’s Battle Royale, that makes me feel kinda old. But at least Fujiwara’s next film looks promising.

I’m Flash! arrives from director Toshiaki Toyoda (Blue Spring) and features Tatsuya Fujiwara as the celebrity leader of a cult who must go into hiding to escape from a media scandal. While on the lam, he sets up shop on a desert island where he is protected by three bodyguards (including Nightmare Detective’s Ryuhei Matsuda) and makes a startling decision that will affect everyone around him.

Beyond Hollywood has the trailer for the film. Expect high drama, slow motion, and bloody squibs. While you’re waiting for I’m Flash! to come out, you might want to watch Toyoda’s film Blue Spring as it’s once of the best films about nihilistic Japanese youth out there.

Update: Enjoy the new poster and a music video for the film. Thanks to Beyond Hollywood for the link.

Posted in News |

The Raid: Redemption Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

The Raid: Redemption Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

The Raid: Redemption Blu-ray & DVD (Sony Pictures)

RELEASE DATE: August 14, 2012

Sony Pictures presents the Blu-ray & DVD for The Raid: Redemption. It’s a rookie member (Iko Uwais) and a special forces team vs. every killer, gangster and thief in a fifteen-story apartment block building. This groundbreaking martial arts spectacular is already considered one of the best action movies of our time. Check out the trailer.

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

Love Exposure Blu-ray (Olive Films)

Love Exposure Blu-ray (Olive Films)

Love Exposure Blu-ray (Olive Films)

RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2012

Olive Films presents the Blu-ray for Love Exposure (see our review). Four hours of love, family, lust, religion and the art of upskirt photography. Love Exposure is written and directed by Sion Sono (Cold Fish) and stars Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima and Sakura Ando. DVD currently available. Check out the NSFW trailer.

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

‘Motorway’ promises ‘A Karate Showdown on Wheels’ – new music video

"Motorway" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Chinese Films has the scoop on a new Hong Kong action picture with an impressive pedigree, called Motorway. The project has culled together talent from the Hong Kong, Mainland, and Taiwan film industries. In the film, produced by the legendary Johnnie To, Anthony Wong (Hard Boiled) and Shawn Yue (Infernal Affairs II) play two traffic cops who go after speeding bad guys in their disguised police car.

Director Pou-Soi Cheang promises that the car chase sequences will thrill audiences. “More than that,” he added, “[Motorway] also includes the most classic elements of Hong Kong gangster films.” The rest of the cast includes Michelle Ye, Ka Tung Lam, Barbie Hsu, and Guo Xiaodong.

Expect Motorway to rev into Mainland and Hong Kong theaters this summer.

Update: Twitch has the full-length trailer and a new poster for the film. Over at Chinese Films, you can find more details and pictures of the cast promoting the movie. Motorway hits Chinese theaters in June. A brand-spankin’ new trailer at Twitch Film.

A cool new poster, as well as an international trailer and drifting outtakes at Chinese Films!

BREAKING NEWS: A new music video featuring clips of the film. It has some dubstep-y moments if that’s your thing.

Posted in News |

Safe Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Safe Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

Safe Blu-ray & DVD (Lionsgate)

RELEASE DATE: September 4, 2012

Lionsgate present the Blu-ray & DVD for Safe, starring Jason Statham. When a second-rate cage fighter, Luke Wright, is tormented by the Russian Mafia and wanders the streets of New York, he witnesses a young Chinese girl Mei, being pursued by the same mafia who want her for a priceless numerical code that they would kill for. Check out the trailer.

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

Woman Knight of Mirror Lake, The (2011) Review

"The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake” Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Herman Yau
Cast: Betty Huang Yi, Dennis To Yue Hong, Anthony Wong Chau Sang, Kevin Cheng Ga Wing, Rose Chan Ka Wun, Pat Ha Man Jing, Hung Yan Yan, Lam Suet, Lau Siu Ming, Chui Tien You, Wong You Nam, Mia Yam
Running Time: 115 min.

By HKFanatic

Former b-movie auteur Herman Yau (“Ebola Syndrome,” “Troublesome Night”) has successfully re-invigorated his career as of late, refashioning himself as a director of action-packed historical dramas. His 2010 film “The Legend is Born – Ip Man,” an unofficial “Ip Man” prequel of sorts, could have easily been a tasteless cash-in but the movie ended up entertaining more than it had any right to. Yau follows closely on the heels of that effort with another biopicture, this time turning his attention to the Chinese feminist revolutionary Qiu Jin.

“Woman Knight of Mirror Lake” is an even more successful effort than “The Legend is Born,” as Yau manages to play to his strengths as a filmmaker. Sure, he’s no Wilson Yip, but he knows how to avoid the trappings of many other Chinese historical pictures, which sometimes fail to capture the attention of Western audiences unfamiliar with the surrounding events. Yau keeps his film grounded by focusing on relatable human characters and vintage Hong Kong action.

Herman Yau may play fast and loose with historical fact but it’s clear his intention is to make a movie, not a documentary. Unlike Jackie Chan’s “1911,” with assailed the viewer with countless dates and names throughout its entire runtime, “Woman Knight” takes a look at a related moment in Chinese history – events leading up to the fall of the Qing Dynasty – but maintains a laser focus on the character of Qiu Jin. Actress Huang Yi does an admirable job bringing this woman to life. What’s most interesting about Qiu Jin is her contrast as both a warrior and a poet, as well as her progressive feminist beliefs. Qiu Jin may have been more of an admirer of martial arts than a practitioner, but for the sake of the film – and the audience’s entertainment – Jin is fashioned onscreen as fierce fighter.

At nearly two hours, the film suffers from some uneven pacing – there’s a long stretch without much action as Qiu Jin moves to Japan to study, while the third act is almost overstuffed with fighting as the film depicts the uprising in Anqing. The uprising, while exhilarating to watch, leaves our main character of Qiu Jin entirely off camera for a long stretch of time. The good news is that Dennis To, who was merely adequate as Yip Man in “The Legend is Born,” steps up as a force to be reckoned with in “Woman Knight of Mirror Lake” and carries the third act. In fact, I was more impressed by Dennis’ martial arts moves and screen presence during the ending of “Woman Knight” than I was during the entirety of “The Legend is Born“; I now find myself expecting great things from this actor’s future.

There’s admittedly a certain level of fatigue setting in with the nonstop stream of nationalistic pictures coming out of China lately. “Woman Knight of Mirror Lake” doesn’t exactly erase that feeling but it’s still one of the better examples of the genre and a refreshing change of pace, suffused as it is with almost wuxia-like action. The film is also carried by an able supporting cast, including Milkyway veteran Lam Suet and Anthony Wong, the latter delivering one of his most restrained and on-point performances in some time. Meanwhile, the intense martial arts sequences choreographed by Tony Leung Siu-Hung (“Blood Moon,” “Ip Man“) serve as a nice throwback to classic 90’s Hong Kong cinema.

Herman Yau continues to grow more respectable with each film he makes. Who knows? In a couple of years he might be rubbing elbows with likes of Wilson Yip and Dante Lam.

HKFanatic’s Rating: 6.5/10

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

MegaForce DVD (Hen’s Tooth Video)

MegaForce DVD (Hen's Tooth Video)

MegaForce DVD (Hen's Tooth Video)

RELEASE DATE: September 4, 2012

Hen’s Tooth Video presents the DVD for 1982’s MegaForce, a U.S.-made action film that Golden Harvest produced in the 1980′s. Directed by The Cannonball Run’s Hal Needham, MegaForce stars Barry Bostwick, Persis Khambatta, Michael Beck, Edward Mulhare, Evan C. Kim, Ralph Wilcox and Henry Silva. Check out the trailer.

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

Blu-ray and DVD Releases for 6/26/12

"The Samurai Trilogy" Blu-ray Cover

"The Samurai Trilogy" Blu-ray Cover

June has come and gone. But we’re still standing! And there’s plenty of Asian cinema to explore this week. So without any more stalling, here are your Blu-ray and DVD releases for the week of 6/26/12:

ASIAN CINEMA

The Samurai Trilogy (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Criterion Collection presents three classic 1950’s samurai films from director Hiroshi Inagaki and starring the indomitable Toshiro Mifune

Sector 7 (Blu-ray/DVD) – this big-budget 2011 Korean creature feature comes to North America courtesy of the good folks at Shout! Factory

The Last Samurai (DVD) – a 1974 Japanese samurai tale from director Kenji Misumi (“Zatoichi, the Blind Blind Swordsman,” “Lone Wolf and Cub”)

Zebraman (DVD) – Tokyo Shock re-releases director Takashi Miike’s 2004 cult superhero flick as a Tokyo Shock Classic

FOREIGN CINEMA

Bullhead (Blu-ray/DVD) – this gritty 2011 Belgian crime thriller has won rave reviews for its tale of a cattle farmer caught in a battle with the mob over his new growth hormone

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 2012 Turkish film is a 150-minute crime/mystery tale that many have called a meditative, existential masterpiece

The Hedgehog (Blu-ray/DVD) – a 2009 French existential comedy about a young girl ready to commit suicide and an older woman learning how to live again

Numero Deux (DVD) – a 1975 experimental film from French iconoclast Jean Luc Godard (“Breathless”)

Sound of Noise (DVD) – a 2012 Swedish comedy about a group of bank robbers who use live music to aid their heists

Ici et Ailleurs (DVD) – Jean Luc Godard continued his late 70’s experimental streak with this 1976 mixture of tape of film

Toxic Lullaby (DVD) – a 2010 German-language film about a woman who wakes up in a post-apocalyptic landscape after a bad drug trip

The Walerian Borowczyk Collection (Immoral Women / Private Collections / Art of Love) (DVD) – a collection of films, ranging from the late 70’s to early 80’s, from the controversial Polish director who was always pushing the limits of the erotic in cinema

Mimi (La bouche de Jean-Pierre) (DVD) – a 1996 French short film (52 minutes) presented by “Irreversible” director Gasper Noe

MAINSTREAM

21 Jump Street (Blu-ray/DVD) – the surprise hit comedy of 2012 comes to home formats with Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in tow

Wrath of the Titans (Blu-ray/DVD) – somehow a dismal remake warranted an even worse sequel with this 2012 Greek mythology flick

The Artist (Blu-ray/DVD) – the Weinstein’s 2011 Oscar-winning ode to silent cinema hits home formats

Mirror Mirror (Blu-ray/DVD) – “The Fall” and “The Cell” director Tarsem Singh tried his hand at a children’s movie with this 2012 fairy tale and, perhaps unsurprisingly, he failed miserably

RE-RELEASES

Christopher Nolan Director’s Collection (Blu-ray) – in one box set you receive “Memento,” “Insomnia,” “Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight,” and “Inception.” Okay, cool, but where’s “The Prestige”?

4 Film Favorites: Harrison Ford Collection (DVD) – an oddball selection of Harrison Ford films in this DVD set: “The Mosquito Coast,” “Presumed Innocent,” “The Fugitive,” and “Firewall”

CULT

Ator the Fighting Eagle (DVD) – a low-budget 1982 swords and sandals flick from notorious Italian sleazemeister Joe D’Amato

Nina: Crazy Suicide Girl (DVD) – a 2012 neo-giallo/grindhouse-style flick from Italy

The Night of the Grizzly (Blu-ray/DVD) – Clint Walker tries to fend off a giant grizzly bear in this 1966 Western adventure

CLASSICS

The 39 Steps (Blu-ray/DVD) – Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 romantic thriller arrives in hi-def, courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Deliverance (Blu-ray) – director John Boorman’s 1972 survivalist classic comes to hi-def

The Hangman (Blu-ray) – a 1959 Western starring Robert Taylor, now on Blu-ray

HORROR

Tales That Witness Madness (Blu-ray/DVD) – this 1973 horror anthology features a host of stars including Donald Pleasance and Kim Novak

The Spirit is Willing (Blu-ray/DVD) – a spooky 1967 horror-comedy courtesy of legendary producer/director William Castle

Father’s Day (Blu-ray/DVD) – the 2011 horror flick from your friends at Troma Entertainment

Interested in any of these movies? If so, we hope that you’ll consider ordering from our affiliate to help support this site. Thank you!

Posted in News |

Judge Dredd Blu-ray (Disney/Buena Vista)

Judge Dredd Blu-ray & DVD (Disney/Buena Vista)

Judge Dredd Blu-ray & DVD (Disney/Buena Vista)

RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2012

Disney/Buena Vista presents the Blu-ray for Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider and Max von Sydow. In The Future…One Man Is Judge, Jury and Executioner! In a time when all-powerful and coldly efficient “Judges” act with the supreme authority of both the police force and legal system, Judge Dredd is the most feared law enforcer of them all. Check out the trailer.

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

Beyond the Black Rainbow Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia Pictures)

Beyond the Black Rainbow Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia Pictures)

Beyond the Black Rainbow Blu-ray & DVD (Magnolia Pictures)

RELEASE DATE: September 11, 2012

Magnolia presents the Blu-ray & DVD for Beyond the Black Rainbow. Set in the 80’s – a young woman, kept captive in a secluded compund by drugs and a mind control sadistic leader – tries to escape her confinement. It’s like a strange fever dream of THX-1138 and Nicolas Winding Refn’s films. Check out the trailer.

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

The director of ‘The Promise’ offers audiences a ‘Sacrifice’

Swords are drawn in "Sacrifice"

Chinese director Chen Kaige is perhaps best known for his award-winning 1993 drama Farewell My Concubine, starring Gong Li and the late Leslie Cheung. However, Kaige made a detour into full-blown fantasy territory with 2005’s The Promise, a pastel-colored wuxia that left some viewers scratching their heads even as they appreciated Kaige’s impressive visuals. Now it looks like Chen Kaige is striking a balance between these two disparate modes of filmmking with the historical epic Sacrifice.

The US trailer for the film is online now, promising plenty of wire-assisted action but with a visual style that is more rooted in reality. Sacrifice was actually released in China back in 2010 but it will be receiving a limited theatrical release in North America this summer courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films. You can expect to catch the Sacrifice on July 27th, 2012.

Posted in News |

Return to a Better Tomorrow (1994) Review

"Return to a Better Tomorrow" French Theatrical Poster

“Return to a Better Tomorrow” French Theatrical Poster

Director: Wong Jing
Cast: Lau Ching-Wan, Ekin Cheng, Michael Wong, Chingmy Yau, Ben Lam Kwok Bun, James Wong Jim, Paul Chun Pui, Lee Siu-Kei, Lo Meng, Collin Chou, Ernest Mauser
Running Time: 104 min.

By Joseph Kuby

Underrated Heroic Bloodshed Gem!

Return To A Better Tomorrow is usually looked down upon just because it’s directed by Wong Jing (who receives some fairly biased reviews and is an extremely underrated director – he’s actually one of the best of all time) but it’s actually one of the best films to come from the Heroic Bloodshed genre (a genre kick-started by John Woo but the term, however, was coined by Rick Baker* meaning films which contain violence and heroic pathos).

I’m not sure what the critical reaction was in Hong Kong but the failure of the film cemented the fact that the heroic bloodshed had seen its last day (kind of like what Ratt’s 1990 album, Detonator, did to pop metal**) and it proved to be the final nail in the coffin for this unique genre of film (or really a sub-genre/amalgamation of the action and gangster genres).

Return To A Better Tomorrow was made for two reasons; of course Wong Jing wanted to see how much mileage the heroic bloodshed still had left to cover (both artistically and commercially). Whilst the film flopped at the local box office, it still showed that Wong can direct drama if he wants to….and direct it well may I add. But the film proved to be influential in terms of how seriously the critics took Ekin Cheng as an actor. Also, the film proved to be influential in not only establishing and succeeding at launching Ekin Cheng as a full-fledged action icon (ala Heath Ledger or, better yet, Ryan Reynolds) but it showed audiences that he could play a convincing Triad (Chinese mafia) gang leader (which was vital for the success of Andrew Lau’s Young & Dangerous*** films whose first installment was made two years after RTABT).

I’m assuming Jing’s gangster thriller must have had some cult following afterwards because, really, Ekin was notably seen as pop singer first and actor second so the idea of seeing Ekin play a tough heavy was akin to seeing Justin Timberlake play Tony Montana in a remake of Scarface. Speaking of remakes, this film is sort of like a remake to A Better Tomorrow but because it’s directed by Wong Jing, it’s automatically referred to by hauteur critics as a rip-off (for those, who haven’t caught on – it’s not a sequel).

While the film does bear some similarities to Woo’s seminal masterpiece, Jing’s film is in a league of its own which deserves to be looked at in its own arena (rather than looked down upon) and on its own terms in the same way John Woo’s Bullet In The Head shouldn’t be quickly written off as a Deer Hunter rip-off. Coincidentally, RTABT shares a similar plot-point to BITH in regards to one of the main characters taking heroin after going throw a harrowing experience only to be rescued by two past friends.

Which brings us to the second reason why Wong Jing decided to helm this film: John had referenced God Of Gamblers in a brief tongue-in-cheek homage for his breezy yet bright (as in smart, not just in the perky sense) action caper Once A Thief so Wong wanted to throw a friendly yet feature-length nod to Woo’s legacy. This was done between John Woo and Quentin Tarantino as Quentin had his gangsters in Reservoir Dogs look like the ones in A Better Tomorrow 2 so John had payed back the favour with the ear-cutting scene in Hard Target as a referential florid gesture towards the similar scene in Quentin’s debut film.

This game of exchanging in-jokes can be played even further, as Wong Jing referenced Reservoir Dogs in High Risk (starring Jet Li from Lethal Weapon 4 and Unleashed fame) and referenced Pulp Fiction in his comedy classic Sixty Million Dollar Man (starring Stephen Chow of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle fame) so now it seems that it’s Quentin’s turn to reference Wong Jing.

Return To A Better Tomorrow plays on the familiar themes of the heroic bloodshed genre: loyalty, male bonding, friendship, honour, betrayal, high calibre shootouts, revenge, redemption and sacrifice. Rather than just simply retreading well-worn themes, Wong looks at each facet carefully and tries to decipher new elements of which can be added and ones which can be given a fresh spin. For instance, usually the female character in one of these films is a very passive and sexually repressed person, whereas Chingmy Yau’s character is a very feisty individual with a strong sense of sexuality.

The acting is solid all round with performances that may not be oscar-worthy but certainly not bottom-of-the-barrel either. The villains in particular are rather seedy, scathing, sleazy, scornful yet memorable, you really want them to get some form of comeuppance.

The action sequences here are very well done, the scope and scale of the story doesn’t (and isn’t meant to) allow for the epic action sequences seen in Hard Boiled, as this is a crime thriller than an all-out action film which merely alludes to the ins-and-outs of the crime world and the usual day-to-day business of that sordid kind of employment; therefore it’s best not to expect an all-out action affair though the action set-pieces are smartly handled with skillful precision and care.

If there’s anything which should be immediately apparent about Wong Jing is that he’s certainly one of the world’s best action directors as his ideas, vision and the way he puts it on the screen is simply a marvel to behold. He sure knows how to stage an action sequence. He sets the stage and plays up the mood nicely, especially during the hotel action sequence. Wong even tries to one-up John by having Ekin using dual shotguns instead of dual pistols and there’s one particular sequence involving powerful revolvers and a lorry which really is the cherry on the cake.

Even on the basis of action sequences alone, Wong Jing could never be seen as a bad or terrible director. There’s far more worse directors out there (action or otherwise), not just ones who are plain outright bad but ones who maybe be okay or good but just not as good as Wong Jing (yep, there IS worse).

This film is tragic, heart-felt, horrific and harrowing without being too sappy, schmaltzy or saccharine-saturated. The melodrama isn’t as heavy-handed as John Woo’s original (which is the one thing which gives Jing more of an advantage) and the action has just as much bite. But most importantly, with this being a crime thriller, no feelings are spared, no punches are pulled and there are no compromises – something which reflects the true nature of the world of crime.

Not everyone in life has a happy ending and Wong Jing certainly makes sure of that here. It may not please people who want and expect things to be sanitized, politically correct with a ‘Happy Hollywood’ ending and an overall glamourized feel (thematically, not just stylistically) but then it would be a cop-out to the realistic nature of the subject matter. The truth is it pays to be a criminal, simply put there is no way out no matter which side you are on thus it’s pretty much like war.

Very few filmmakers would have the courage to show the death of a child on screen, whilst it’s not done as graphically as John Carpenter in the original Assault On Precinct 13, the subtlety of the way Wong Jing handles it shows an interestingly artistic and poignant side to him, but at the same time revealing that he’s someone with quite a lot of nerve, verve and audacity (a very derring-do/daredevil mentality which is very common throughout Jing’s repertoire albeit with much detriment to the critics).

The violence in this film is very off-putting, maybe not as gut-wrenchingly realistic as something you may see elsewhere (like Full Contact) but certainly unsettling and uncomfortable (Hard Boiled it isn’t).

The film, astonishingly, was cut in Hong Kong because of the X rated material (probably either due to language, nudity and violence) so the fact that the film still manages to shock is saying something about the original version’s extremely explosive content. In this version, people are pulverized and though it’s not exactly as grotesque as something seen in Raging Bull or Rocky, the results are disturbingly close. So who knows what the original was like. Though Wong Jing has shown far more sinister acts of violences such as the torture scene in The Big Score and the fetus removal scene (though we don’t see it actually happening) in God Of Gamblers 4: The Return.

It’s alluded to that Chingmy’s character goes through abuse by men in this film and with this being a Wong Jing film, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it was sexual violence of a highly explicit nature. In some ways, it’s easy to see where the cuts were made. Also, if you look at the trailer, some dialogue scenes were trimmed as well – taking away some of the film’s depth and emotional punch.

Just for the sake of delivering some trivia, these are some (of the many others?) dialogue scenes removed from the film…

1 A conversation between Michael Wong and Ekin Cheng.

2 An argument between Parkman Wong and his superior.

3 Scenes from Cheng’s childhood (i.e. his first
killing as a child).

In one of the film’s death scenes, Wong Jing utilizes a technique that was used by Chang Cheh (John Woo’s mentor and main source of influence) but not by John Woo himself, which proves that Wong Jing is as driven with initiative as he is with influence. This technique, of Chang Cheh’s, is one that was used to good effect in The Men From The Monastery – basically when one of the heroes dies, the colour of the screen changes into a single colour or monochrome.

Wong Jing even borrows a technique much used by Ringo Lam and Wong Kar Wai in their movies in which the camera is very shaky (think blur-o-vision) during an action sequence (admittedly something which even some of Tsui Hark’s directorial status had done this as well {when he made The Blade}, not that it’s a bad thing it just depends on the way it’s done and if credit is given, something Wong was never adamant to mention).

In fact, the reason why I’ve given this a 9 than a 10 is a bad acting turn by Michael Wong and slightly misguided directing on Wong Jing’s behalf when Mike’s character goes berserk over the death of one of the main characters before dissolving into a cheesy fight sequence with a typical action movie score which derails the film in a way which the car chase sequence in Bullet In The Head had almost derailed that particular film.

Wong Jing may be considered a hack by most, but people who carefully analyze his filmography with anal-retentive precision and go through an extreme multitude of others will come to realize he is anything but. Wong Jing is someone who’s capable at the very best at making classic films, even
masterpieces, which can mix genres and obtain both artistic & commercial success. The fact that his most highest-grossing film (God Of Gamblers 4: The Return a.k.a. The Return Of The God Of Gamblers) was one that was said to be critically acclaimed (according to the authors of The Essential Jackie Chan Sourcebook) is a testament to this. Besides, all filmmakers go through bad patches (in terms of quality and quantity) it’s just it’s obvious with some directors than it is with most.

If I had to find a non-Chinese directorial comparison with Wong Jing, it wouldn’t be Roger Corman and certainly not John Waters. I feel Wong is the Chinese equivalent to John Carpenter – both have proven to be very daring, even ground-breaking, directors who have done practically almost every sub-genre in their genres of choice (horror for Carpenter and action for Wong). Just like John, Jing has gone through a bit of a rough patch recently – churning out films that are average and no real indicator of his true talent.

But take my word for it, Wong Jing is one of the most creative filmmakers around and surely, without a doubt, one of the best filmmakers of all time! He may not be as brilliant as Orson Welles, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese and Tsui Hark; but Wong, at his best (when given the right push, money and time), is a great director!

* U.K. based film fan/Hong Kong movie club owner.

** This is an applicable comparison because the one thing Ratt’s album and Wong Jing’s film have in common is that both are classics of the genre but timing meant that commercial success fell short of expectations. Had both been released earlier on, they would have received their dues commercially and critically.

*** Coincidentally produced by Wong Jing.

Joseph Kuby’s Rating: 9/10


By Ben Poppel

This movie was a very interesting to say the least. It had the ‘Better Tomorrow’ title slapped on it to sell more tickets. While there were some surprisingly good shootouts in the film, I still don’t think it quite lived up to the name. And what is up with all the slow mo’ in the film. I just don’t understand why directors think they have to slow the movie down during dramatic fight scenes. It rarely ever works to any advantage. While the cover art for the film was good, it was kind of false advertising because it showed Michael Wong on the front, and he didn’t show up till almost an hour into the film. That is alright, he didn’t need to be in the film anymore than that anyways…

Ok enough about bashing the film – despite some minor flaws, this was actually a pretty good movie for the most part. The two main characters: Ekin Cheng and the almost always flawless, Lau Ching Wan, were superb in their kind of “reversal of power” roles they established throughout the film. I was really surprised by Ekin’s acting – it was pretty good, almost better than his Young and Dangerous roles. Chingmay Yau’s part in the film was also fairly good, but kind of left us wanting her to go away towards the latter half of the movie, as she turned into a drug addict. The cute little girl ,who was the daughter, had some very memorable and shocking scenes in the movie.

What got me was how everything molded together : story, characters, setting, action and “triad themes”, to make for an above average HK production. This movie won’t be on many top ten lists or become a movie to watch over and over but it is a pretty fun ride the first time through. If you want to watch this movie, ignore the title and don’t’ expect much then you may find it entertaining – otherwise, you may just think of it as a bunch of Wong Jing crap! Good but not great.

Ben Poppel’s Rating: 7/10

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