Hero of Swallow, The (1996) Review

Posted on April 23, 2011 by JJ Hatfield
"The Hero of Swallow" Chinese DVD Cover

"The Hero of Swallow" Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Siu Sang
Writer: Siu Sang Studio
Producer: Cheung Chung Ping, Hu Chin, Allen Lan Hai Han
Cast: Yuen Biao, Athena Chu Yan, Eddie Ko Hung, Lily Chung Suk Wai, Ma Chung Tak, Elvis Tsui Kam Kong, Yvonne Yung Hung, Allen Lan Hai Han
Running Time: 96 min.

By JJ Hatfield

“The Hero Of Swallow” is set in pre – WWII China. There is a tremendous amount of misery caused by the Japanese invasion and the “Swallow” lives a nomadic rob the rich – give to the poor code. He also has another reason for traveling so much. The motivation to go to Beijing was mostly to look for his sister who was abducted and sold into prostitution. He has taken a vow to never stop looking until he finds and rescues her.

The Swallow is Li San (Yuen Biao) He is searching for Ching Li /Chinny (Athena Chu Yin). However his robberies have not gone unnoticed. His name comes from the fact that he can leap such great distances he seems to almost fly. Not only is he in danger for his stealing from the wealthy but he is being set up to be a thief caught in the act of virtual treason.

When we first see Li San in action he is dressed in his robbing attire, a rather ninja type affair. It’s unfortunate it is at night because he pulls off some great moves but it’s hard to see much of anything! I have seen two different copies and both are too dark in the first big fight scene as well as other visuals. Swallow wins of course and frees many girls but doesn’t find Ching Li.

Li San/Swallow has a police investigator following him, Captain Tang Yue Chi. (Ma Chung Tak) who is not as easily fooled as most of the police. After a particularly daring theft of a rare antique
the Japanese are after Swallow as well.

His only friends are a young pickpocket who pretends to be a guy but is a girl. (No it is not at all convincing just like in all those other movies) and a disabled war veteran (Tsui Kam Kong) that was once helped by Li San/Swallow. Biao wanders all over the place mixing with the bad guys and no one figures it out.

LiSan/Swallow also discovers corruption and machinations of cut throat business owners, a villain who will not stop until he has stopped – and he is trained in the same school technique. The places for him to hide while searching for Ching Li/Chinny are dwindling. No matter what happens there is going to be a big fight. How can it be resolved without someone dying?

Neither the soundtrack nor the visuals help raise the level above mediocre. Just when you think think, “Ok now we’ll see Biao do his stuff” – he doesn’t. Or it is one or two moves. I can only assume filming was done in the dark to perhaps hide all the wires, except those you could actually make out at times.

I personally take issue with the two-part ending. It isn’t the number of acts or parts – it is the ending itself. It felt rushed, muddled and then who gives a f#ck. Obviously no one had a clue as how to wrap up the movie. Which shouldn’t be too surprising since no one had any idea how to film the movie. The ending left several things unresolved and then went on for what felt like hours to the point you want to yell at your TV screen “We get the frickin’ point!”

This film has problems. There are a few moments of cool fights but much of it is literally hard to see in the dark. That might be a blessing though at least you don’t see Biao swinging from wires. This is not used as wire assisted to make hits and kicks look a little rougher I mean like jumping from the ground to second story roofs. Even that would be acceptable if done well, but who knows it’s impossible to see!

When Biao is not in fighting mode he seems to be confused at to what the hell is going on. He is not alone. The viewer may experience a similar sensation. The script was apparently changed …well more than once. Actors would come and go for roles. Funding was difficult to arrange. The primary shooting was done in a rural China village not for effect, but to prevent having to spend money. It actually provided for some scenic backdrops but they were supposed to be in Beijing.

I’ve yet to find a version I can recommend. None are even decent in quality especially visually. There may be a re-master somewhere I am not aware of yet. The worst copy comes courtesy of Mei ah. If you enjoy watching movies with your eyes 1 3/4“ from the screen this is the movie for you! It’s so frickin’ dark. The subtitles also require watching extremely close. They are burned in, double subtitles, one on top of the other. When you are able to see anything the movie is grainy, skips here and there…..etc.

Considering the quality of many Yuen Biao films just skip this one. Check out “Prodigal Son”, “Project A” and “Righting Wrongs”. You will thank me later.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 3.5/10

By Numskull

It’s December the 24th, and whereas under most circumstances I would be standing on the roof, merrily dumping cauldrons full of boiling oil onto unwary Christmas carolers, I happen to be in a pissy mode right now due to a throat infection which makes my voice sound like that of a laryngitic toad and makes it impossible for me to go more than two minutes without coughing, so I’m just gonna stay indoors and tell you about this remarkable film I saw called The Hero of Swallow (how ironic is that? With this throat infection, it kinda hurts to swallow. Ain’t that a bitch?).

It’s not remarkable because it’s particularly good or bad, but because I couldn’t help but notice some rather…no, make that VERY distinct similarities between it and the highly regarded Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I won’t be satisfied with just saying “yeah, some of the shots are similar, so the fuck what” so I’m afraid I shall have to discuss this issue in some detail before talking about Hero of Swallow in and of itself (aside from a mandatory plot summary). Henceforth the abbreviations HOS and CTHD will be used for the two films in question (you guess which is which). I will assume that you, dear reader, are already familiar with CTHD and that I may forego a certain amount of description for that film without losing you.

HOS follows the exploits of Li San, a.k.a. Hero Swallow (Yuen Biao), a Chinese Robin Hood type (no comparisons to Iron Monkey, please…there’ll be enough comparing going on here soon enough) who dresses in an all black, ninja style suit, steals stuff from rich people, and gives money to those in need. He is particularly attentive to women sold into forced prostitution since his own sweetheart, Chinny (Athene Chu) was kidnapped and raped by some rich guy, then sold off to God knows who. Yuen Biao leaps…well, flies, actually, thanks to the miracle of wires…from rooftop to rooftop in a way which will no doubt recall Zhang Ziyi’s nocturnal antics in CTHD. A finger cannot be placed squarely on any one particular “theft” shot or sequence in HOS which has a direct parallel in CTHD, but the overall look and feel of Yuen Biao’s night prowling is something that Ang Lee obviously sought to emulate in his film. It only looks better in CTHD because you can’t see the wires.

HOS’s first fight scene starts almost immediately and will give first-time viewers a distinct feeling of “Aw shit, this looks like it’s gonna be one of those old Lo Wei Jackie Chan movies” (this is not the case, as you will later see). Yuen Biao beats up a few guys and then concentrates on one guy. The first battle in CTHD takes place about 20 minutes into the film, so at the very least, Ang Lee didn’t swipe HOS’s sense of pacing, and while Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh give each other a serious workout, with Michelle generally getting the better of her young adversary by a slim margin, Yuen Biao’s opponents provide considerably less competition. Additionally, when Yuen climbs walls in HOS, and when others do the same to try and catch him, the “scampering” movements and camera angles are undeniably similar to those displayed by Michelle Yeoh while she’s chasing Zhang Ziyi around in CTHD, and that sense that the wall isn’t even being touched is also present.

HOS also features a fight scene with Yuen Biao and his foe clinging to treetops. It looked goofy as hell in CTHD and it looks goofy as hell here, but this scene is much shorter than its more well-known counterpart (thank God).

This stuff really is small potatoes for the most part, but I haven’t told you about the best (?) part yet. Without a doubt, the biggest smoking gun in favor of the argument that CTHD plagiarizes HOS is the wedding procession scene. No rational human being can possibly deny that the two scenes share unmistakable similarities. Here’s how it works in HOS: Li San’s lost love Chinny used to be the star attraction of the whorehouse she was staying at. But, she caught some rich guy’s eye and he buys her from the whorehouse to make her his wife. Yuen Biao, naturally, is displeased by this news and sends his disciple (Yuen Biao’s Disciple = YBD) to throw a monkey wrench (I was SO tempted to put “Iron monkey wrench” there…lame, lame, lame) into the rich guy’s plan. So, before the ceremony, there’s a big parade and Chinny gets carried down the street in a palanquin (that’s that thingie the bride rides in). The sequence of events here goes like this:

INSIDE THE PALANQUIN: Chinny is shown, dressed all in red, with her head lowered. She’s wearing a big hat which conceals her face from us.

OUTSIDE THE PALANQUIN: YBD shows up and starts beating up parade people, loudly announcing that this wedding must not take place.

INSIDE: Chinny hears the commotion and looks up in surprise.

OUTSIDE: YBD fights off more guards and shouts a message to Chinny (“Li San is here for you,” etc.) and takes off.

Sound familiar?

Of course, this description is pretty vague. A picture, however, is worth a thousand words, and if they were Siu Sang’s, I imagine a good number of them would be very choice words indeed for Mr. Ang Lee. Anyone who watches HOS’s wedding procession scene and says that CTHD’s bears no similarities is a fool, a liar, or both. That is not my opinion…it is a FACT.

I could go on, looking at the whole damn thing frame by frame for CTHD blueprint material, but that would be a waste of both your time and mine. I mean, I could REALLY be a nit-picker and point out the fact that Yuen Biao executes a jumping sort-of-splits kick, hitting two guys at once, much like the one Zhang Ziyi performs on the desert bandits, but I hardly think that HOS and CTHD are the only two martial arts films ever to display such a maneuver. So where do we go from here? Hell, I dunno. Is Ang Lee guilty of plagiarism? Yes. I know he has said that CTHD was a sort of homage to the kung fu movies he loved as a kid, but HOS is from 1996, at which point I think it’s safe to say he was no longer a “kid”. Of course, movies in the same genre are going to have similarities, but when THIS MANY “similarities” are shared by two films, one of which came after the other, the line between good-natured imitation and flat-out theft has been crossed. But what if it wasn’t Lee’s doing? What if cinematographer Peter Pau is to blame? That’s possible, I guess…and if that’s the case, then he doesn’t deserve that Oscar…but I’m more inclined to believe it’s Ang Lee’s doing (by the way, before you say “What if…”, the cinematographers for HOS were Wong Wing Fei and Ho Hak Wai…so no, Peter Pau did not simply do the same thing in two different films). What about the screenplay, then? The CTHD script had several writers, Ang Lee not among them, and was based on a book (which, by the way, I still can’t believe nobody has yet translated into English and released in North America to capitalize on the success of the film). Let us not forget that the screenplay is what dictates what needs to be shot. It doesn’t dictate camera angles, however, and that department is the biggest offender here.

How much of a stink should be raised over this? That’s not for me to decide. If I had five minutes alone with Michelle Yeoh or Zhang Ziyi, I would definitely make a point of asking them if they’d ever seen or heard of this film…I’m curious as hell about that. But how much good would it do? Would Hero of Swallow get a re-release with new text on the back of the package saying “acknowledged as a major source of inspiration for the smash hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” or something like that? Would Entertainment Weekly do a half-page mini-story on it with corresponding still photos from both films, ending with “Sony Pictures Classics representatives declined to comment”? Would Chow Yun-Fat get pissed off about being suckered into starring in a cut-and-paste film and perforate Ang Lee with a pair of .45 automatics? Or would the whole thing just be totally ignored by those less enlightened than us? That last option would be my guess. Do we keep this juicy knowledge a relative secret…or do we piss in the wind with everything we’ve got?

What I wanna know is, what goes through filmmakers’ minds when they pull shit like this? Do they think, “Oh, man, if anyone sees how much I stole from this movie I’m good and fucked” or “Ah screw it, I’ll copy this and this and this all from the same movie, if somebody finds out, big deal” or “If I get asked about this I’ll close my eyes and put my fingers in my ears and say ‘la la la la I am not listening’ and wait for them to go away” or what? Ang Lee had to figure on someone associated with HOS seeing CTHD and noticing the similarities. Did he arrange for Sony Pictures Classics to buy the silence of those people…or just plain silence them? (Hello, Oliver Stone? I have a conspiracy theory you haven’t made into a movie yet.)

One question that begs to be answered: is HOS a better film than CTHD? Hell no. Not even close. I kinda hate to say that, but the best thing about CTHD in my opinion has nothing to do with Ang Lee’s questionable filmmaking, and that’s Yuen Wo Ping’s justly esteemed fight choreography. I don’t mind telling you that I don’t give two shits about how much Li Mu Bai and Shu Lien secretly long for each other, or how often Lo whacked off after Jen Yu took off with nothing for him to remember her by except for some silly-ass comb (you know, the one she spent an hour and a half trying to get back, then decided to let him keep). The fight scenes in HOS are nothing to sneeze at, but they aren’t that special, either. Some of you will be pleased to know, however, that they’re refreshingly wire-free.

To be honest, I’m not sure why Ang Lee chose to swipe so much stuff from this movie. In many ways it’s a substandard chop socky adventure, with a script full of inanity, melodrama aplenty, and a depressingly small array of mistimed sound effects. He must have done it since HOS was presumably seen by very few people (after all, it stars Yuen Biao…Mr. Underrated, remember?). At least he (Lee) was smart enough not to copy the scenes where Hero Swallow escapes from prison by inexplicably squeezing through the gaps between the bars, which are clearly far too narrow to accommodate him (we just see his clothes flying from one side of the bars to the other). Even worse, there’s one instance where a still shot of Yuen’s head is shown shrinking, passing between bars, then expanding back to its normal size. If you thought special effects like this went out with the ’70s, think again.

SPOILER PARAGRAPH: HOS takes a turn for the worse away from the tried and true kung fu movie path as the conclusion draws near. A final showdown between Yuen Biao and Eddy Ko is set up beautifully…then gets cut agonizingly short. The cops finally nab Hero Swallow, and the final scene has him being paraded through the congested streets, almost as a Christ-like figure, while onlookers throw stuff and weep (mixed crowd). This goes on for longer than Yuen got to duke it out with Eddy. I’m all for tragic endings as long as they’re done well, but this just sucks. It doesn’t bring a tear to your eye or take your breath away with its emotional impact…it just pisses you off. Come to think of it, there’s another thing CTHD has in common with HOS…an unsatisfying ending. You can’t convince me that most people didn’t want to see a climactic duel to the death between Li Mu Bai and Jade Fox, as opposed to that lame poison needle shit.

That’s about it, I guess. Looks like I spent more time and energy discussing CTHD’s debt to HOS than I did on HOS in and of itself. Well, so be it…there’s not much to say about it, really. Mindless CTHD fanboys who want to tell me I’m full of shit and that Ang Lee is a creative genius are encouraged to kiss my ass; anyone else who has something to say to me, go ahead and say it. In the meantime, I’ll be pouring glass after glass of water down my swollen throat, partly to help fight this damn infection and partly to get rid of the foul taste that this whole mess has left in my mouth.

Bah. Humbug.

Numskull’s Rating: 5/10

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

New York, New York Blu-ray (MGM)

Posted on April 23, 2011 by JJ Bona
New York, New York Blu-ray (MGM)

New York, New York Blu-ray (MGM)

RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2011

An egotistical saxophone player (Robert De Niro) and a young singer (Liza Minnelli) meet on V-J Day and embark upon a strained and rocky romance, even as their careers begin a long uphill climb. Directed by Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas).

Check out the trailer here.

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

The Warrior’s Way Blu-ray/DVD (Fox)

Posted on April 21, 2011 by JJ Bona
The Warrior's Way Blu-ray/DVD (Fox)

The Warrior's Way Blu-ray/DVD (Fox)

RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2011

The Warrior’s Way (aka The Warrior) is a 2010 fantasy/western/martial arts action film about a warrior-assassin who is forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands after refusing a mission.

The Warrior’s Way stars Korean actor Jang Dong-gun (Friend, Nowhere To Hide), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns), Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech), Danny Huston (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Tony Cox (Who’s Your Caddy?) and Ti Lung (yes, you heard that right).

The film was written and directed by Sngmoo Lee. The Warrior’s Way is his directorial debut. Read cityonfire.com review.

Check out the trailer here. Read the non-spoiler review.

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

Picture of a Nymph (1988) Review

Posted on April 20, 2011 by JJ Hatfield
"Picture of a Nymph" Chinese DVD Cover

"Picture of a Nymph" Chinese DVD Cover

AKA: Painting of a Nymph
Director: Wu Ma
Writer: Wu Ma, Chan Kam Cheong
Producer: Sammo Hung Kam Bo
Cast: Yuen Biao, Joey Wong, Wu Ma, Lawrence Ng Kai Wah, Elizabeth Lee Mei Fung, May Lo Mei Mei, Fanny Sit Chi Lun, Yuen Wah, David Lam Wai
Running Time: 95 min.

By JJ Hatfield

Tsui Hark has done a simply wonderful film with “A Chinese Gho…” Wait. My apologies but the confusion would be understandable. This is not the same film it is a ripmake. (See end of review) Two actors are the same but they added Biao so something was going on to keep the audience awake.

I won’t bother to rehash the plot just watch “A Chinese Ghost Story”.

It had only been around a year since ACGS was released, far too soon for a “remake”. But that has never stopped anyone from doing so. This is tepid bath water safe enough for the kiddies. There is nothing scary in this movie except the realization as you are watching that it is ninety-seven minutes in duration and there are still thirty seven minutes left.

There is a female demon with serious issues in regard to happily married couples. Her minions are terrifyingly silly and use a lot of the color red. This seems to be a favorite shade of the demoness. I could go on at length about what this movie was trying to accomplish but alas, it would be a lie. This movie was made to capture the leftover “Ghost” fans and their money.

The scenes are pretty. Joey Wang is pretty. Joey Wang’s clothes are pretty. Joey Wang’s clothes are cool as she sails across sets and looks pretty. The production values are surprisingly high, at least when focused on Joey Wang.

Warning: This movie has a nauseatingly cute section that includes a man (the Master) singing ashe takes a bath in a creek. And what you may ask is he singing about? Taking a bath of course.

There are cutesy origami cranes, cute little fuzzy animal some-things. Aww this movie is so darn cute.

I expected more from Biao and much less cutesy. The ghost story theme is very stale and needs to be retired for a few years at least. I didn’t think this was going to be a masterpiece and it is definitely not. Good for a viewing but there are much better films with similar themes.

* I use the term “cashchises” for franchises; the term “ripmake” for remake/re-boot/re-do/prequel/sequeal…. You won’t find these words in the dictionary.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 5/10

Posted in Chinese, Golden Harvest, Reviews | Tagged , , , |

What do you think of the new cityonfire.com?

Posted on April 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
The very first cityonfire front page (1999). Check out that buggy Netscape browser!

The very first cityonfire front page (1999). Check out that buggy Netscape browser!

What do you think of the new cityonfire.com? Please drop us an email (or leave a comment below) if you have any questions or comments.

In case you haven’t noticed: In addition to the new reviews, we have been adding past reviews from the old site (check out the January and February archives to see those reviews). There are A LOT more to come, so check back often. Only newly written/submitted reviews will be listed in the “recently added” button.

We have a small, but awesome group of people keeping this site active. We’re doing our best to make cityonfire.com a fun, relaxing and informative spot to read reviews, browse the latest movie news and take note of new and upcoming DVD/Blu-ray releases.

On behalf of Skynet, thank you for visiting!

Posted in News |

Frozen Flower, A (2008) Review

Posted on April 20, 2011 by JJ Hatfield
"A Frozen Flower" Korean Theatrical Poster

“A Frozen Flower” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yu Ha
Cast: Jo In-seong, Joo Jin-Mo, Song Ji-hyo, Shim Ji-Ho, Im Ju-Hwan, Yeo Wook-Hwan, Song Joong-Gi, No Min-Woo, Do Ye-Seong, Jang Ji-Won, Lee Jong-Gu
Running Time: 133 min.

By JJ Hatfield

A Frozen Flower is a fictional drama set sometime near the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, 918 – 1392. The region is under control of the King (Jin-mo Ju) however it is always being watched by China. The young king sets about finding young boys to serve as his personal guard. He trains them well and allows them into the palace as well as sleeping there. As they grow up they are highly educated and taught that there is nothing more noble than to die for the King. The Chief Guard is Hong-lim (In-seong Jo) Hong-lim’s fighting skills are excellent and he is well respected. The King is content with the way things are as Hong-lim’s position as Chief allows him a greater freedom to come and go as he wishes.

It is obvious by the time Hong-lim is Chief that he has a special relationship with the King. He even sleeps in the King’s bed. There are only a few brief scenes of the King and Hong-lim having sex. There is no frontal nudity, mostly passion filled kisses. Even when they are in public, the honor and respect Hong-lim demonstrates towards the King is obvious. This arrangement would have suited the King well for years to come.

China, however was not content with the situation. The King had no heir. If anything happened to the King, chaos and violence might be part of the result and the overflow could effect China. The edict from the Chinese ruler was that if an heir was not produced within a specific amount of time the Chinese would put some one else in charge and the King would remain so with no authority, existing as only a figurehead.

The King has never once approached the Queen (Song Ji-hyo) in a romantic or sexual manner. Or even a warm embrace. They do not sleep in the same bed. When the mention of an heir arises she dares to suggest that perhaps if he made more of an effort things would be different. He responds by telling her he cannot take a woman, that he is homosexual but they do have other options. The possibility takes the King to talk with Hong-lim who is horrified at the very idea of trying to conceive a child wih the Queen. Not only would he not be sleeping with the King but a woman – who was the Queen! He has never even touched a woman, he has no interest in women. Hong-lim is understandably bewildered. The Queen is willing to try because she knows the importance of an heir to the throne. The first attempts are awkward and embarrassing, as well they would. The King insists Hong-lim try again. This time when Hong-lim meets with the Queen he is able to awaken her sexuality as he discovers his own.

Hong-lim and the Royal Guards investigate an earlier assassination attempt on the King. In talking with local folk he is able to determine there are a number of people that have vowed to stand together and remove the King, one way or another, preferably by death. The King schemes a way to deal with his two faced enemies and rid the Royal Court of those who are disloyal to the King.

As time passes Hong-lim and the Queen spend as much time together as they dare. The King has begun to grow suspicious because he senses a change in Hong-lim though the Chief denies anything is different. The covert meetings are dangerous but Hong-lim and the Queen feel more than lust for each other and it is that the King senses.

A Frozen Flower is a visually beautiful film. Most of the story unfolds indoors but the scenes are so rich and full of detail the viewer does not feel claustrophobic. The costumes are bright and colorful and full of intricacy. Delicate embroidery graces most of the clothing, even the Royal Guards uniforms. Ornate head-pieces and exquisite jewelry overfloweth. The festivals are grand and full of dancing, singing and good wishes. There are a lot of people involved in crowd scenes and for festivals. Nothing feels cheap, everything, every prop, dress, armor, glass, sword, has great detail and look very real. Part of the success clearly goes to the three main characters – the King, the Queen and Hong-lim. The actors did a splendid job in convincing the audience this was a real event, so much so that many people think it is an epic historical piece. These characters, these people could certainly have stepped out of time and seemed believable.

The music/soundtrack was really quite good and in some scenes propelled the situation forward. At different times, both the King and Queen sing and play for the court. The songs work in well with the overall theme.

Unfortunately, idiots abound in every nation and country in the world. Some of the idiots seem to be giving sex way too much thought with this movie. I had heard all sorts of ridiculous rumors before I saw this movie and I have no idea what the complaints were really about. Movies with three-way love triangles usually involve sex. The majority of “sex scenes” involve the Queen and the Chief. There is no full frontal nudity, meaning breasts and butts and nothing else. They do have sex in different positions but since when is that a bad thing? The aspect that makes this triangle so intense and so dangerous is because love has entered the picture.

Humans can go to incredible lengths and sink to frightening depths over what they may call love. Who is to say any caring relationship is right or wrong?

Kudos to Ha Yu for his brilliant screenplay and his willingness to show men having sex with men is hardly new or unique. South Korea is still in the early phase of acceptance of gays and lesbians. Especially homosexuality is not well received. I believe Ha Yu will be rewarded for his bravery in including sensitive material in his film.

This film is one you should see a couple of times. There is a lot of intrigue and changes the lead characters go through. It’s a lot to absorb in one sitting.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 8/10

Posted in Korean, Reviews | Tagged , , |

Fantasy Mission Force (1982) Review

Posted on April 20, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Fantasy Mission Force" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Fantasy Mission Force” Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Fire Dragon
Director: Chu Yen Ping
Cast: Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Jimmy Wang Yu, Adam Cheng Siu Chow, Pearl Chang Ling, Paul Chang Chung, Chen Hung Lieh, Suen Yuet, Hui Bat Liu, Gam Dai, Cheng Fu Hung, Fong Ching, Fong Ching, Lee Kwan
Running Time: 90 min.

By Numskull

Mere words cannot express how bad this movie is (I call it Fantasy Mission FARCE). It has something to do with a team of people looking for World War II treasure. For the life of me I could not make sense of it. I think there’s a sequence where all the good guys have nightmares (and I had nightmares myself about what pathetic shape the Hong Kong film industry must have been in to allow something like this to get made in the first place).

Jackie’s 20-minute role must have been a favor to the director or a producer. He plays a hillbilly who wears overalls and catches chickens with his bare hands. It would have been cool if he had reprised that role and terrorized Burt Reynolds in the Cannonball Run movies (if you’ve never seen “Deliverance”, believe me, that’s a good joke). The last scene, in which many characters are mercifully killed off, has lots of dilapidated 1970s model cars lying around… quite extraordinary for a movie that’s supposed to take place during World War II, wouldn’t you say?

The downbeat ending might have been effective in a better movie, but in this case it just means that your time is through being wasted. Watch this movie if you want to take an acid trip without the acid.

Numskull’s Rating: 1/10

By Dan-O

I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t pass up a chance to dump on this movie. Lemme put it to ya this way, watching, nay, ENDURING this rancid, puke-inducing puddle of rat speudem is roughly the visual equivilant of having your legs forced apart with large wooden blocks, at which point a some steroid popping, oatmeal-brained, Bluto-esque lummox aggressivley and repeatedly smashes your testes with a well-worn aluminum baseball bat (If you happen to be female,replace the word “testes” with “lower abdomen”). This film was a huge, repulsive, quasi-radioactive, spectacurely inept, borderline troglididic, pile of high density, low brow, cant get out of your mind or off your shoe, Dog Shiiit!

Dan-O’s Rating: 0/10

By Vic Nguyen

This movie is pure crap!! I wont even bother with the story because I just wanted to express my feelings on how much crap this movie is. Compared to the other films Jackie has made over the years, this movie is a pile of trash. I cant believe I paid $2 dollars for this crap! I said it before and Ill say it again, this movie is CRAPPY CRAP CRAP! PS: This movie is crap.

Vic Nguyen’s Rating: 0/10 – Extra 1 point because Jackie is in this worthless piece of crap.

By Yummyspam

BE FOREWARNED: THIS MOVIE IS AWFUL. MAKE NO MISTAKE OF THAT.This is actually the single worst movie Jackie ever made. A terrible, terrible piece of trash, Jackie is maybe in 10 minutes of this (which may be why it stinks so much). It also features Brigette Lin (of Bride with White Hair fame), but I’m not sure who she plays. Anyway, this stuff belongs on MST3K, but for some reason, has not been there yet (I may be wrong on this). But if bad movies are your thing (and I mean BAD), this might be for you. Taking place in a retro-futuristic world of Japanese Nazi Dominance, the plot follows a dreadful made-up army officer (played by Jimmy Wang-Yu) who gathers some crooks to free a bunch of captured army generals. They run into fun stuff such as fighting amazons, badly done ghosts, and psychotic Japs. Awful, awful stuff, which should be AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS!!!!!

Yummyspam’s Rating: 0/10 Or If you enjoy TERRIBLE movies… 9.5/10

By The Great Hendu

(The following may or may not be factual, you decide, but at any rate it succinctly defines my feelings about the movie)

I surveyed 50 people and asked them this question: “Would you rather watch Fantasy Mission Force or have a frontal labotamy?” 49 people chose the labotamy. The other person already had his frontal lobe removed.

The Great Hendu’s Rating: 0/10

By Joseph Yana

First of all, this is the most unique and unusual movie I’ve ever seen. It is safe to say that the average mortal man will not understand this movie and thus will knock it. The movie itself is made in Hong Kong with the help of some supernatural forces and other things.

There is no plot, just a bunch of skits and yes, there is Jackie in there, but don’t watch it for Jackie! This movie has other fantastic actors, there is a female Clint Eastwood with a bazooka, there is a chinese Elvis, there are chinese nazis dressed in Scottish kilts and some hopping vampires here and there. A PHD in Philosophy would help in truly appreciating this monumental masterpiece. I challenge anyone in Holywood to make a movie like this!! No one can! We are lucky to live in the generation when this masterpiece was made.

Watch the movie with an open mind and dont be quick to judge the movie based on other reviews! Ask yourself: “What message is this movie giving me?” If you can answer that, You have understood this movie. I have yet met someone who understands the message this movie is sending. Remember, simple minds dismiss what they do not understand!

Joseph Yana’s Rating: 11/10

By Andrew

I’m not sure what to make of this film, but since there are so many lengthy opinions here I’ll keep this short: This film is weird. It really isn’t a feature as much as it is a series of very strange vignettes about a bunch of oddballs and their misadventures among ghosts, amazons, and a bunch of “Mad Max” type bad guys. If you want to know the whole plot keep reading: A bunch of people go on a mission to save WW2 generals they get in a fight in the end and they all die. Jackie shows up, kills the surviving bad guys, and the movie ends. That’s about it. I give this movie one point for the scene where Jackie ties up the flying woman in her outrageous clothes and kicks her and says “come on! fly!” ok, I’ve said too much.

Andrew’s Rating: 1/10

By Jim Carrey

I know how much everybody on this site bashes this film, but sometimes you just have to rent the film and see for yourself. I bought the film in a 2-pack with “Half A Loaf of Kung Fu”, and it instantly became one of the true Jackie classics in my opinion. It was actually made in 1984, not 79, because it makes comedic references to Baldy from “Aces Go Places” and Black from “Golden Queen Commando”, which director Chu Yin-Ping made right before this one. This one also has a horde or stars including Jackie, Bridgette Lin, Jimmy Wang Yu, Sun Yeuh, Adam Cheng, and Chang Ling.

It is one of the wackiest films in Hong Kong around and that’s saying something. It has comedy, lots of action, martial arts, horror, heroic bloodshed, swordplay, amazons, hopping vampires, bloody hands that hand you toilet paper, Japanese NAZIs, and 70’s American autos with campy Confederate flags with little swastikas replacing the stars, so a true and a facist artist who believes a good man is a dead man. What does this amount to?: Pure entertainment. Like “Golden Queen Commando”, also starring Bridgette Lin, the film is about a group of specialty criminals (theives, an escape artist, con artists, and a double crossing commando). Jackie and Chang Ling play a prize (well sorta) fighter and the female manager of the fighter. They’re out to save the generals of Allied forces during WW2, and also after half a million bucks.

Through a twist and turn of zany events, all characters are left dead or dying except Jackie, who has a great finale with…I won’t spoil it. The end has Jackie telling a great line to the selfish generals who won’t a ride in the jeep, but not going through hell like these brave recruits went through. If only I could see a Cantonese version, it would probably have even more scenes than in this already golden film. Also, The catchy song Sun Yeuh sings at the restraunt, was re-sung by little Kok Siu-Man in Chu Yin-Ping’s newest film “Jail in Burning Island” which is actually a sequel to the great Chu Yin-Ping film, “Island of Fire”, also starring Jackie. If possible, try to seek out as many Chu Yin-Ping films as possible, he has directed some of the greatest comedies, zany action films, and dramas of all time.

Jim Carrey’s Rating: 9/10

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

King Boxer | aka 5 Fingers of Death (1972) Review

Posted on April 19, 2011 by T. J. Gushiniere
"King Boxer" Chinese Theatrical Poster

“King Boxer” Chinese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Invincible Boxer, Iron Palm
Director: Jeong Chang Hwa
Cast: Lo Lieh, Tung Lam, James Nam Gung Fan, Fang Mien, Wong Chin Feng, Wong Ping, Tien Feng, Chiu Hung, Goo Man Chung, Chan Shen, Chan Chuen
Running Time: 102 min.

By Joe909

I love cityonfire.com, but I’ve noticed there’s just a widespread disrespect for old-school martial arts movies on this site. Spoiled by “New Wave” slickness and stuntman Jackie Chan’s crazy shenaningans, the modern-day, young HK film devotee totally ignores the movies that started the kung fu craze. Persons like myself ? – too young to remember when these films were brand new, played in drive-in theaters across the country, yet old enough to remember Kung Fu Theater, Black Belt Theater, and a time when kung-fu videos were impossibly hard to find? I still respect these movies, regardless. To tell the truth, I’d rather watch Lo Lieh smash someone’s face in any day, rather than fifty minutes of foolishness wrapped around Jackie Chan doing some wacky stunt.

The disrespect for old-school flicks on this site is no more apparent than on this very page. Two reviews for Five Fingers of Death, both of them negative. Reportedly, the movie is slow-paced. The kung-fu on display is subpar. Lo Lieh isn’t a charismatic lead. The story is too simple and cliched. And so on.

Okay, let me ask this: how can a movie with not one, but two eye gougings (complete with the perpetrator holding the bloody eyeballs in his fist before tossing them to the ground), a severed head thrown hatefully at an opponent, multiple bloody deaths, sword slashings, impalements, and glowing red palms of death be slow moving?

Another criticism is that the story is cliched. Today it is. But when Five Fingers of Death was new, the story was most likely fresh. But now, decades later, after being inundaded with countless movies about a good school versus a bad school, it seems that Five Fingers is just a rehash.

Even though the story is familiar, Five Fingers is unique in that it gives us more of a ensemble piece, whereas Fist of Fury, which had much the same story, was a solo vehicle all the way. That’s one mark for freshness. Another is that it doesn’t revert into the “hate the Japs” vibe of similar flicks. And another is that there isn’t just one character looking for blood in the movie; everyone basically wants revenge.

The violence in this movie is hardcore and realistic. When someone gets stabbed, there’s blood everywhere. The villains are menacing. The three evil Japanese blow away those depicted in Fist of Fury. Two of them wear fright wigs that obscure their features, making them look like heartless monsters. The boss looks sort of like an uglier Lo Lieh (impossible?) and really doesn’t mind getting blood on his hands. There’s also a Chinese villain (who later has a change of heart) who favors slamming his forehead into people. Most of the cast will be familiar to those who have seen The Chinese Boxer, a 1969 Shaw Brothers joint that starred Jimmy Wang Yu, with Lo Lieh as a villain.

So in short, if you want an old-school film that doesn’t skimp on the violence and mayhem, then Five Fingers of Death is for you. The music isn’t bad, and I love the “siren” effect that goes off every time Lo Lieh displays his Iron Fist technique.

Sure, this isn’t the greatest kung-fu flick of all time, but it is an important one: this was the first kung-fu movie released in the US. Without its genuine success over here, who knows when, or if, successive films, such as Bruce Lee’s and Jackie Chan’s, would have ever gained such widespread acceptance and popularity. Respect is due.

Joe909’s Rating: 7/10

By Numskull

If nothing else, this film proves that kung fu films did not die along with Bruce Lee, contrary to what his more simple-minded fans may “think”. It holds up fairly well, considering its age, and the perfectly serviceable plot contains a few elements which may be old now but had not yet been beaten to death when it was made.

The late Lo Lieh (who also co-wrote) plays Chao Chi-Hao, a martial artist of moderate but far from outstanding skill. He goes to hone his skills with a renowned instructor and hopes to compete in a prestigious tournament. Unfortunately there’s this real asshole in town who uses hired thugs, Japanese swordsmen, and his eye-poking shithead of a son to make life difficult for any potential competition for his school in the tournament. Also, one of Chi-Hao’s fellow students gets insanely jealous when Chi-Hao learns their master’s secret iron fist technique and becomes the object of a female minstrel’s affections. Ergo, Chi-Hao must overcome all sorts of difficulties to realize his full potential, win the tournament, and save the day all without making too much of a jackass of himself. After a handful of short, mostly one-sided fights, tournament day arrives and numerous asses are kicked.

The version I watched was the EPI DVD…dubbed only (as with many, MANY old school martial arts movies), but a far better presentation than the muddy pan and scan backwash flooding the shelves. A pretty decent treatment for a pretty decent film.

Numskull’s Rating: 6/10

By Tgushiniere

The Five Fingers of Death, dubbed and presented to Western audiences circa 1972-73, started off the martial arts movie craze of the seventies! For me, this qualifies it as an instant classic. Korean director Cheng Chang Ho was at his best working with early Shaw Brothers star Lo Lieh. Cheng used varied camera angles that almost gave a type of 3D effect. He also had dust spread on the hard floors, so when actors hit it, you could feel the impact through the dust rising in the air. At the time, these innovative techniques made this one better than the average chop-socky flicks that would soon flood the American market.

Enter Chao Chih-Hao (Lo Lieh), a strong student with great potential. Chao Chih-Hao’s master conspires with another great master to train him in order to win a very prestigious tournament. Naturally, veteran Shaw actor Feng Tien wants his own son to win the tournament, and does every thing in his power to make it so. On his way to his new school, Chao Chih-Hao saves the life of a pretty singer named Sun Hsin-Pei (Mien Fang). Sun Hsin-Pei falls in love with Chao, not knowing he’s in love with his old master’s daughter Ying Ying (Wang Ping), thus creating a romantic triangle. The plot soon heats up as Chao Chih-Hao reaches his destination and begins training.

Jealous number one student (Korean actor James Nam) seems to always nit pick at our hero. However, Nam fails to stop the villain’s hench man, as he is pummeled by the bad guy using his head! The master steps in to save the day, but is seriously injured by a tricky head shot. Chao Chih-Hao seeks revenge at the local tavern and defeats the bad guy. Here we see his growth as a fighter. After a scolding the master gives our hero for breaking school rules, he is entrusted with the iron fist training manual, guaranteed to come with glowing red hands, along with the theme from the 70’s television show “Ironside.” The villains get wind of this and three vicious Japanese villains are hired to stop Chao Chih-Hao and any others from winning the tournament. Does our hero prevail? Which beautiful girl does he choose? Will he learn the iron fist technique?

Amidst a plot line full of betrayal, loyalty, love, and redemption; Lo Lieh triumphs in grand fashion. The action, especially for its time, is decent. As the film goes along you get to see plenty of cruel acts, including eye gouging, hand smashing, a head without a body, and some noble self sacrifice. Old school lovers will know a classic when they see it, but for all the jaded lovers of fast precision martial arts with tons of CGI and updated special effects, give this one a try. Watch a good, story driven kung fu movie that gets more viscious as it unfolds!

Tgushiniere’s Rating: 10/10

Posted in Chinese, Reviews, Shaw Brothers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , |

Avenging Fist, The | aka Legend of Tekken (2001) Review

Posted on April 19, 2011 by JJ Hatfield
"The Avenging Fist" Chinese DVD Cover

“The Avenging Fist” Chinese DVD Cover

Director: Andrew Lau
Co-director: Corey Yuen
Cast: Stephen Fung, Wang Lee Hom, Sammo Hung, Chin Kar Lok, Roy Cheung, Gigi Leung, Kristy Yeung, Yuen Biao, Cecilia Yip, Ekin Cheng, Benjamin Yuen, Brian Banowetz, Sammul Chan, Brian Ireland, Jackson Ng
Running Time: 96 min.

By JJ Hatfield

This movie had a number of reasons why it should be good entertainment. The names Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao starts things off right. Even the story, Tekken, uh, no wait I mean “Avenging Fist” wasn’t too bad an idea. Unfortunately when looking at names I should have noticed Wong Jing and Andy Lau. Not a good sign but I have experienced the type of comedy Wong Jing is known for and survived it. The largest problem began with Wong Jing. See, when you make a movie about something that is owned by someone else you are expected to pay for it.

Wong Jing: “Hey Andrew, let’s have a drink. You remember that Tekken movie we were gonna do?”

Andy: “You mean the one we just finished shooting?”

Wong Jing: “Well, yeah that one.”

Andy: “What about it?”

Wong Jing: “We need to make some changes buddy.

Andy: “What kind of changes?”

Wong Jing: “Everything that will cause guys in suits and sunglasses to visit me and break my knees. I know let’s make a movie off another movie but we’ll update it to the future. Ooooh I know how about the one where the bad guy is really the kid’s dad and he wears this cool mask. The dad not the kid. Wouldn’t Biao look supercool with a mask? I like it! Oh yeah and add some flying skateboards, machine dating, light sabers…

Andy: “That sounds a lot like those Star W…”

Wong Jing: “See you recognized the story right away. That way the audience doesn’t have to think. Audiences don’t like to think.”

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 2/10

By Alexander

12 things I learned about the future while watching The Avenging Fist:

1. Mullets, headbands and denim jackets will be back in style.
2. White guys will still be getting their asses kicked by Asian martial artists.
3. Kristy Yang will still be the hottest female on the planet.
4. Hover scooters will indeed be a preferred mode of transportation, just as predicted in Back to the Future 2.
5. Huge video billboards will adorn massive skyscrapers, just as predicted in Blade Runner and Fifth Element.
6. There will be no sure-thing diet, as evidenced by Sammo Hung’s waistline.
7. Nintendo’s Power Glove accessory will become the most powerful weapon on the planet.
8. Traditional names like Jeff, Ryan and Alex will give way to bizarro monikers like Jazz, Meganova, Iron-surfer, Dark, Thunder and Combat 21.
9. People will say things like, “your father’s spermatozoon.”
10. Bad guys will dress in black leather trench coats and look suspiciously like Nazis (obviously forgetting that the Germans ultimately got their asses handed to them).
11. Hong Kong filmmakers have completely run out of original ideas.
12. Video game adaptations still suck.

The Avenging Fist gets off to a promising start with some rousing sci-fi/CGI enhanced fighting action set in a future obviously “inspired” by Blade Runner. However, the effects laden fights get old quickly and the lame-o story about a young man’s wielding of incredible powers screeches to a halt mid-way through the film.

The attractive cast and appearances by Hong Kong legends Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung are given little to work with and few scenes to showcase their talents. Kristy Yang excels at what she does best: looking gorgeous for the camera.

Had the film smartly ignored its cliched plot and simply provided a non-stop series of fight scenes while better utilizing the legendary talents of Biao and Hung, The Avenging Fist would have been a good, mindless action film on par with, say, Gen-X Cops. But its attempts at advancing the story at the expense of the promising action bogs the entire film down. I mean really, who gives a shit about Meganova’s romance with Gigi Leung’s character? Or the history behind the cheesy looking Power Glove? Or Sammo’s motives for helping Nova? Or Nova’s relationship with his Darth Vader “inspired” father? We want scenes of ass kicking, damnit!

Alexander’s Rating: 5.5/10

By Reefer

Does this sound familiar?

A boy dreams of knowing what his dead father was like. His dad is not dead, however, and has been taken over by a dark force of which he has mastered. A god-like emperor controls the masked dad and eventually attempts to pit him against his son or persuade him to join the team, using the sister as bait.

I liked this movie twenty-some years ago when it was called STAR WARS!!!!

Its seems that the makers of this film also wanted to send a statement to the special effects-loving world that they are officially in the game. The SFX are pretty good, but they by no means exceed what has already been done. Note to filmmakers: Being innovative does not mean ripping off the visual style of The Fifth Element, who in turned ripped off Blade Runner.

Avenging Fist doesn’t feature much real kung fu, mostly computer-generated movement and inexplicably edited sequences look like they were going for a more comic book feel. The main problem with these effects-driven battles is that the audience is not treated to any boundaries. The characters seem to make it up as they go along, unmindful of going too far or of what cannot be done.

The real treat here is getting to see Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung in the same movie again. In my opinion, these guys are royalty and I curse the day they retire. Yuen, unfortunately, is looking old and actually a little pudgy. Sammo apparently hasn’t changed his diet either. But even so, they are the best things on the screen and their understated and convincing performances earn the film every point that I give it.

The final confrontation serves as sort of a changing of the guard in Asian action cinema and I wish the two guys that apparently accept the torch would quietly give it back. I guess I have to give them time, but I don’t have too much confidence in Stephen Fung and the other guy’s succession of the Jackie, Sammo, and Yuen throne.

I wish I had more to say about Avenging Fist, but it’s full of so many recycled ideas that I am not sure I could say anything new about it.

Reefer’s Rating: 5/10

By T-Style

I personally was quite hyped up for this movie. The cast includes Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung. Yuen Kwai as the action director. Andrew Lau as the director. Anyone would dig this.

Nova is trying to figure out what had happened 20 years ago about his father’s death. His mother is keeping the truth from him because who knows why? At the same time, Combat 21 (yeah, what a name!) is plotting his evil deeds and Nova along with his friends get involved – as with any videogame-ish plot would.

Speaking of videogames, nothing in this movie was based on Tekken. Although the main characters do resemble Jin and Hworang from Tekken 3, the plot doesn’t. And I guess after being sued by Namco, they might as well throw in some other videogame fighters such as M. Bison and Vega. All characters having their own original names of course and blend them in, in their own future-ish world looking a lot like The Fifth Element with hovering cars and such – which reminds me of the cheesy and annoying “whoo hoos” of Lee Hom Wang in the opening scene with the hovering scooters. Nice scenery though.

It’s not even 10 minutes into film and I’m getting annoyed by Lee Hom. His typical teenage “I do stuff cuz I wanna” attitude is seen a dozen time. He felt more like a side kick character of a cool and calm. So the first fight comes up with Stephen Fung and the excitement begins. After Kiss of the Dragon, I wonder can Yuen Kwai top it? Fight begins and its….well….lets just say there are scenes where the background blurs with colors as a fighter bust his moves which really resembles a fucking Pokemon battle. And then we have them swinging their weapons in hyper speed where you can see a flurry of the hands holding the weapons on the screen which resembles a fucking Dragon Ball Z battle. Then I realize maybe Yuen Kwai didn’t have total control. Maybe this is what Andrew Lau considers a stylish fight scene.

My mind was thinking “fuck this movie…” but my eyes were still waiting for Sammo and Yuen Biao. It happened but did it get any better? Eh. The fights involving Yuen Biao is definitely worth watching. Watch for a pretty good hand-to-hand work with Lee Hom. He still got his kicks. Too bad I can’t say the same for Sammo which relied heavily on special effects that looked a bit too “whoa! what the fuck?!”. But above all this, there are some interesting looking moves to see and all those CGI eye candy stuff.

Movies like this just make me wish for more violence. Don’t CGI shit, just place a ketchup packet on his forehead and then smash it with your palm. I’m always down for low budget goodness. If the action genre in HK is defined as CGI, CGI, and more CGI, then it would never top their 80’s era which I considered as the “Golden Age” of HK action films.

T-Style’s Rating: 7/10

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

Trailer for the apocalyptic “Bellflower”

Posted on April 18, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Bellflower" Teaser Poster

"Bellflower" Teaser Poster

An apocalyptic love story for the Mad Max generation, Evan Glodell’s impressive feature debut paints a classic, yet urgently contemporary, tale of the destructive power of love. A 2011 Sundance Film Festival favorite…

Bellflower follows two friends who spend their time building flamethrowers and other weapons in the hope that a global apocalypse will occur and clear the runway for their imaginary gang, Mother Medusa, to reign supreme. While waiting for the destruction to commence, one of them meets a charismatic young woman and falls in love—hard. Quickly integrating into a new group of friends, the pair set off on a journey of betrayal, love, hate, and extreme violence more devastating than any of their apocalyptic fantasies.

Teaser | Making of | Interview

Posted in News |

King of Fighters Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on April 17, 2011 by JJ Bona
King of Fighters Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

King of Fighters Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: July 26, 2011

Directed by Gordon Chan (Fist of Legend), The King of Fighters is a film loosely based on SNK Playmore’s The King of Fighters series of fighting games. It stars Sean Faris (Never Back Down) as Kyo Kusanagi, Maggie Q (Live Free or Die Hard, Nikita) as Mai Shiranui, Will Yun Lee (Die Another Day) as Iori Yagami, and Ray Park (Star Wars: Episode 1) as Rugal Bernstein. Also starring Bernice Liu (The Legend is Born – Ip Man) and Françoise Yip (Rumble in the Bronx).

Check out the trailer/making-of here.

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

Most Wanted, The (1994) Review

Posted on April 17, 2011 by JJ Hatfield
"The Most Wanted" Chinese Theatrical Poster

"The Most Wanted" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Wong Kam Sai
Producer: Clarence Yip
Cast: Lau Ching Wan, Bowie Lam Bo Yi, Eileen Tung Ai Ling, Kent Cheng Jak Si, Robin Shou Wan Bo, Gam Hing Yin, Lee Gwok Lun, Marx Cheung Lui, Lee Siu Kei, Leung Hak Shun
Running Time: 90 min.

By JJ Hatfield

Many law enforcement agencies across the globe have used officers to infiltrate crime organizations. It isn’t a new idea however the risk potential is quite high and requires the individual to abandon all of his past including any family or friends. If the undercover operative is discovered it means certain death. If they somehow live long enough they have a difficult time being a part of a gang but not carry out any crimes, because they are still cops. However going undercover is one of the few productive ways to bring down Triads so missions do continue.

Ho Chi-Yung (Lau Ching Wan) was an undercover rookie when sent to prison to gather information and to prepare his role to be trusted with the triads. He was willing to go through with the deadly charade because of what he had experienced with gangs. He was determined to make a difference in a positive way. When he was released one of his prison mates came to visit him and takes him to meet with the gang. They apparently need one more person as they are a team and someone must have been lost in the commission of the latest crime. Ho becomes “Cat” full time, every hour of every day or night.

At last it seems the time is come for some action, as the gang Leader (Robin Shou) briefs the guys on their next job. They plan to rob a high end jewelry store and Cat is supposed to be the lookout for the gang but in the middle of the robbery the police show up and start shooting. Cat is hit and tries to not harm anyone even though the cops are shooting at them. But innocent people were killed and that crossed a line that makes Cap the “Most Wanted” man in Hong Kong. He attempts to call his superior but can never get through.

During his recovery from his wounds he meets a very special woman (Eileen Tung) he cares about but he tries to push her away. He knows just being around him makes it dangerous.

When the police start to believe he is a member of the Hong Kong police, they then brand him as a traitor! Without anyone who will say he is undercover he must try to live with both the police and gang trying to kill him. The police are not about to admit they use undercover cops to help catch bad guys. Even hinting at such a thing could bring about intense scrutiny amongst other undercover officers.

This film has never received the credit it deserved as a whole, or for the great contributions of individuals. Chin Wan Lau brings an enormous array of emotions mirroring the events of the film. You clearly see his indecision, fear, and confusion. He remained loyal to the police and his mission and now those people he has sacrificed for over three years they think he is the worst kind of bad cop. They want to kill him and he can’t kill them. The dilemma is mind shattering. How can he make them understand? How much will he have to sacrifice for the truth to be known?

Everyone brings good performances to this film but Chin Wan Lau is exceptional. Kent Cheng does an excellent job as the boss who knows more than he can say to anyone He appears to be lazy and not terribly bright but you see more of his real character as the movie goes by. This movie gives Kent Cheng a little bit of space to create his own character instead of the “official role in cop movie mode”. Even Robin Shou turns in a nice part as a really bad, psychotic, crazy ass S.O.B. gang leader. Don’t anticipate martial arts because this is all firearms and lots of them.

When I first began watching this film it seemed a bit boring. There was a lot of talk. However the back story is definitely required to understand who is good, bad, or somewhere in between. And people’s motivation change. The tension starts to increase as time goes by. Characters may be lying, or maybe not. Crank up the tension a little more. Has Cat been discovered this time? Rachet up the tension. There is an element of tension that builds throughout the movie that adds to the action without the characters revealing all.

Kam Tin Wong directed The Most Wanted but it is the actors performances that make the movie.

JJ Hatfield’s Rating: 6.5/10

By Equinox21

I love old-school Hong Kong crime dramas. I also love old-school Lau Ching-Wan movies. So putting them together makes me a happy camper. The Most Wanted was far from perfect, and the DVD quality was utter crap (but I challenge you to find a better copy out there for sale), but it was enjoyable nonetheless.

Cat (Lau Ching-Wan) is an undercover cop who, with the help of his criminal friend Sap (Bowie Lam), joins a gang headed by a rather vicious and mulleted Robin Shou. The robbery (that Cat alerted his police contact to) doesn’t go well, and eventually Cat is framed for it and listed as one of HK’s most wanted criminals. Tracking him is Detective “Fatty” (Kent Cheng, the rather robust Detective Hung from Crime Story), a character I didn’t like (probably because of the actor playing him) until the end, when I realized he wasn’t really the bastard he appeared to be. Along the way, Cat also receives help from Lily (Eileen Tung), an illegal immigrant from the Mainland. The plot’s nowhere near flawless, nor entirely original, but it’s still fairly well executed.

The Most Wanted felt like an older movie than it really was because of the low budget look to it. This isn’t to say that’s a bad thing, because the movie focuses on a character that is undercover as a small time criminal trying to crack a larger criminal case. So, this is a very street level movie as opposed to a larger, massive shoot out style crime movie (even though there are a few decent shoot outs, despite Robin Chou using his magical +2 AK-47 of Aiming with a Banana Clip of Infinite Holding). I also quite enjoyed the character of Cat and his imperfection. He wasn’t a perfect cop (nor were any of the characters; police, criminal or other), but he was framed by the police unjustly.

Overall, I’d say I really enjoyed Most Wanted, but would have gotten lots more out of it had the DVD not been such rubbish. I sincerely hope this ends up as one of Mei Ah’s remastered discs so that it can get a proper transfer. If it doesn’t, this one will stay largely unremembered and ignored, which is a minor tragedy.

Equinox21’s Rating: 7.5/10

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

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) Review

Posted on April 17, 2011 by JJ Bona
"Godzilla vs. Megalon" Japanese Theatrical Poster

“Godzilla vs. Megalon” Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Jun Fukuda
Producer: Tomoyuki Tanaka
Cast: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Hiroyuki Kawase, Yutaka Hayashi, Robert Dunham, Kotaro Tomita
Running Time: 81 min.

By Woody

My fondest memories of Palmdale, California are of visiting my Grandma Mary, eating TV dinners, and sitting in the guest room to watch the weekly Japanese monster movie on channel 5. It was the high point of my week. Living in Palmdale in the early nineties was hell for me. Being white in a predominantly African-American and Latino area was somewhat of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it taught me a lot about other cultures and diversity and whatnot. On the other hand, this was around the time of the LA riots. All the black and latino kids took out their frustrations on those of us who happened to be white or asian. When I pressed my friends for why they were beating me up and throwing rocks at me, their only answer: “Rodney King.”

Being raised by liberal parents, I was never able to let these experiences build up into racism, but I still house a lot of resentment. My friends were attacking me for no discernible reason. Because of some dude on the TV screen. And my parents didn’t do a damn thing. I went to school every day praying my friends would want to play “Ninja Turtles” instead of “Kill the Kracker.” Living in cheap-ass apartments and going to a low-rent elementary school, I was often confronted with this racially motivated violence. My only escape was Grandma Mary’s house. Grandpa Ralph, smoking a cigarette in the living room, watching Soul Train. Grandma Mary, smoking a cigarette in her room, listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Myself, unwinding in the guest room to tease the angry cat that lived under the bed and to watch a good old-fashioned Godzilla movie.

I was awestruck by Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and the bunch. Ahh, if only I had friends like Godzilla and Rodan to get me out of sticky situations. No more pelting me with rocks while yelling “Rodney King.” No more playing with me one day and urinating on me the next. If only I had Godzilla standing behind me. No one would cut in front of me in line. No one would dare call me a cracker or honky. No one would steal my brand new shoes, just to throw them up on a telephone line.

Watching these giant monsters stomp those poor Tokyo city-goers was an escape for me. I didn’t have to worry about issues like black or white. There weren’t any blacks or whites. Just a bunch of Japanese people whose mouth movements didn’t match the words they spoke and the giant monsters stompin’ on ’em. Eventually we moved away from Palmdale. Not soon after, both my great-grandparents had died and their house had been sold. But one thing stuck with me through that whole horrid, confusing experience. My love of giant monsters destroying Tokyo real estate.

The first movie I ever bought, with my own money, was Godzilla Vs. Megalon. I was seven years old. I worked my ass off for that movie. I picked up dog doo, I pulled weeds, I cleaned toilets. I even washed dishes. To this day, I NEVER wash dishes. After much laboring, I had enough to run over to the Cerritos Mall, go to the “One Dollar and Up” store, and buy Godzilla Vs. Megalon. Popping it in, I was beyond jovial. Godzilla Vs. Megalon, and it’s mine. All mine! For about six months, Godzilla Vs. Megalon was the only thing in my parent’s VCR.

Within time, I found new things to obsess over. First it was horror movies, which got me interested in punk with The Misfits, and then hip-hop with The Gravediggaz. The Gravediggaz turned me onto the Wu Tang Clan, which then in turn got me into John Woo movies and kung fu. My Woo/ Kung Fu obsession soon turned into an obsession with all things Hong Kong, and within time that spread to a love for Asian movies in general, and, when my DVD recently broke, I decided to dust off my old VHS collection, and lo and behold, what do I see? Godzilla Vs. Megalon, among other kaiju eiga (Japanese monster movies). Ahh, the circular nature of things.

I threw Godzilla Vs. Megalon into my player and sat back. It was like visiting with an old friend.

Godzilla Vs. Megalon has some funnily costumed people living under the Pacific Ocean called Seatopians. Rampant pollution is working wonders on the environment, destroying their habitat. What are a bunch of underwater-dwelling weirdoes to do? Well, we could organize in front of the Diet and protest. We can request assistance from the EPA. Naw, screw that, let’s just send up a giant cockroach and chicken to level some buildings and raise some hell. I like their reasoning.

On the surface, a couple of (I think) gay scientists and a little boy in short shorts (the horror! the horror….) are working on Jet Jaguar, a robot with just enough modifications so that the Ultraman producers couldn’t sue. Anyways, Jet Jaguar is a pretty cool robot. He can fly, he can fight, and he can even grow to Godzilla-esque proportions. Or wander onto sets with miniature buildings. Anyways, bad guys hired by the Seatopians cause problems for our life-partner heroes, monsters reek havoc in the countryside, and any pedophiles that happen across the movie are finding themselves in bonerville as that little annoying kid’s shorts get smaller and smaller. Oh, and Godzilla bounces on his tail.

And Jet Jaguar has his own theme song at the movie’s end.

What I’m saying with all this is, it’s hard to be objective when it comes to Godzilla movies. They were my escape from racial violence. This movie, in particular, was the first I ever bought. I LOVE these movies. Perhaps you are too adult and mature to enjoy them. I am not. I will never be too old or mature to enjoy monsters stompin’ on Japanese cities. I’ll never be too old for little boys in short-shorts. I’ll take an early-70’s Godzilla movie over a French art film any day. And if you don’t like it…what’s the opposite of growing up? Growing down? Yeah…grow down, man!

Woody’s Rating: 10/10

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

30th Hong Kong Film Awards Winners

Posted on April 17, 2011 by JJ Bona
30th Hong Kong Film Awards Winners

30th Hong Kong Film Awards Winners

Best Film: “Gallants”
Best Director: Tsui Hark, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”
Best Screenplay: Pang Ho-cheung and Heiward Mak, “Love In a Puff”
Best Actor: Nicholas Tse, “The Stool Pigeon”
Best Actress: Carina Lau, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”

Best Actor: Nicholas Tse, “The Stool Pigeon”
Best Actress: Carina Lau, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”
Best Supporting Actor: Teddy Robin, “Gallants”
Best Supporting Actress: Susan Shaw (aka Shaw Yum Yum), “Gallants”
Best New Performer: Hanjin Tan, “Bruce Lee, My Brother”

Best Cinematography: Peter Pau, “Confucius”
Best Film Editing: Cheung Ka-fai, “Ip Man 2”
Best Art Direction: James Choo, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”
Best Costume and Make-up Design: Bruce Yu, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”
Best Action Choreography: Sammo Hung, “Ip Man 2”

Best Original Film Score: Teddy Robin and Tommy Wai, “Gallants”
Best Original Film Song: “Here to Stay,” music, lyrics and performed by Jun Kung
Best Sound Design: Wang Danrong and Zhao Nan, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”
Best Visual Effects: Lee Yong-gi and Nam Sang-woo, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”

Best New Director: Felix Chong, “Once a Gangster”
Best Asian Film: “Confessions” (Japan)
Professional Achievement: Willie Chan
Lifetime Achievement: Terry Lai

For more information, please visit the official HKFA website.

Posted in News |

Brother’s Justice Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Posted on April 17, 2011 by JJ Bona
Brother's Justice Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

Brother's Justice Blu-ray/DVD (Well Go USA)

RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2011

Motivated by Box Office statistics, Dax (Dax Shepard) has made a decision to leave comedy to pursue his dream of becoming an international Martial Arts action star. Also starring/appearances by Tom Arnold, Bradley Cooper and Jon Favreau.

Check out the trailer here. Read cityonfire.com’s review here.

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