The year 2017 was once again a very successful year for Asian cinema. While Hollywood may be ruling the world with their vast array of superhero movies and family dram, Asian cinema continues to flourish.
The most successful Asian movie of 2017 was Wolf Warrior 2, which actually raked in more than Wonder Woman and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and just a fraction less than Spider-Man: Homecoming worldwide. The Chinese movie based on a Chinese soldier, Leng Feng, who takes on special missions around the world and is in an African country protecting medical aid workers from local rebels and vicious arms dealers, became the first non-Hollywood movie to be listed on the all-time worldwide top 100 box office. Interestingly, it is actually a sequel to Wolf Warrior in 2015, which did not even cross the $100m mark at the box office, and was released only in China.
Another Asian movie that won a lot of plaudits in 2017 was Blade of the Immortal. As the title suggests, it is about a Japanese samurai who fights evil after being granted immortality. What the movie does is take a close look at how immortality is not necessarily a blessing and the changes it can bring to a man’s character. Midnight Runner is quite different but equally enjoyable. In this South Korean movie, two best friends and at Korean National Police University work together to track down a kidnapping their witness. It has a bit of Hollywood vibe about it in its humorous and thrilling tone, but it is hugely entertaining.
Bollywood is one of the biggest and most prolific movie industries in the world and actually rivals Hollywood in many ways. So it came as a no surprise that once again Bollywood produced some superb movies. Raees is probably the pick of the lot. Starring the legendary Shah Rukh Khan, the 2017 film is about a bootlegger who wants to improve his community but falls in a political trap. The documentary Sachin: A Billion Dreams is worth a watch for all sports fans. Released in May 2017, the James Erskine-directed film tells the tale of legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
With 2017 coming to an end, Asian movie buffs have a lot to look forward to in 2018. One of the movies that is eagerly anticipated is Shanghai Dawn. A sequel to Shanghai Knights, which was released way back in 2003, the movie will star the legendary Jackie Chan alongside American actor Owen Wilson. Shanghai Knights is one of the best martial arts action comedy films of all time, and fans will expect Shanghai Dawn to be just as good and funny, if not better. While you wait for this movie to be released, you could play online slot games which involve climbing buildings and martial art, such as Hong Kong Tower, to get you into the swing of things. Before you do, though, it would be worth checking out this article to get a feel for which games would work best for you.
Another Asian movie in 2018 that is worth watching is House of War. This Bollywood movie is based on the true events of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack. South Korean film Hero is also based on truth – it explores the life of Ahn Jung-geun. For those who like history, Swordsman in 2018 will bring to the big screen the story of swordsmen who stood against the confusing state of affairs during the period of change in the Chinese Ming and Qing Dynasty.
