A BETTER TOMORROW
(Hong Kong 1986)
Original Title: Ying Hung Boon Sik 英雄本色
Directed by John Woo Produced by Tsui Hark, John Woo Action by Stephen Tung Wei Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Waise Lee, Kenneth Tsang, Emily Chu, Shing Fui On, John Woo, Tsui Hark, Wang Hsieh, Tien Feng Reviewing: Nova Media/Fortune Star South Korean Blu-ray Release Genres: Heroic Bloodshed / Action / Drama
Rating - 5 / 5
Nova Media Blu-ray Synopsis: The passage of a heroic character in the underworld seeking vengeance against conspirator and the love of his younger brother. The brothers are in conflicting roles, the outlaw and cop. Sung Tse Kit (Leslie Cheung), a dedicated police man blamed Tse Ho (Ti Lung) for fathers death as much as obstructing his career in the police force. Flamboyant Tse Ho and Mark (Chow Yun Fat) are betrayed by their jealous subordinate Tam Shing (Lee Tse Hung) into the counterfeit syndicate. Gun wounded Tse Ho gives himself up in order to let Tam Shing escape. After serving his jail term, repentant Tse Ho returns to Hong Kong to lead a new life and finds out Mark was crippled in the massacre for his vengeance. But crooked Tam Shing as a rising lieu tenant in the syndicate would not take the chances. He wastes no time to plot against Tse Ho and Mark... (95 Mins)
Deltamac HK DVD: The passage of a heroic character in the under world seeking vengeance against conspirator and the love of his younger brother. The brothers are in conflicting roles, the outlaw and cop. Sung Tse Kit (Leslie Cheung), a dedicated policeman blamed Tse Ho (Ti Lung) for father's death as much as obstructing his career in the police force. Flamboyant Tse Ho and Mark (Chow Yuen Fat) are betrayed by their jealous subordinate Tam Shing (Lee Tse Hung) into he counterfeit syndicate. Gun wounded Tse Ho gives himself up in order to let Tam Shing escape. After serving his jail term, repentant Tse Ho returns to Hong Kong to lead a new life and finds out Mark was crippled in the massacre for his vengeance. But crooked Tam Shing as a rising lieutenant in the syndicate would not take chances. He wastes no time to plot against Tse Ho and Mark... (91 Mins)
MIA Video UK VHS: Supercool mobster Mark (Chow Yun Fat) is a man of honour in a world of crime. His partner Ho (Ti Lung) is having second thoughts because kid brother Kit (Leslie Cheung) is an ambitious cop. Kit remains blissfully ignorant until Ho is doublecrossed, their father is murdered and Ho is imprisoned. Mark swears to avenge his friend, but his right leg is shattered in the ensuing shoot-out, a legendary scene of sensationally choreographed gunplay. When Ho leaves the slamer he finds the crippled Mark reduced to scrubbing dirt off the gang boss' stretch limo. Both are determined to go straight, but neither Kit nor the crimelords are done with them yet. Finally, Mark, Ho and Kit must face their destiny in a blazing crossfire of conflicting loyalties and hot lead. Who will survive? John Woo creates a finely tuned balance of strong characterisation and ballistic action, while Chow is flawless in the role which launched him into superstardom. (95 Mins)
Views: By the time I had gotten around to actually getting A Better Tomorrow, I had already fallen in love with Chow Yun Fat after seeing the incredible Hard Boiled, Full Contact, and The Killer back in the early '90s. So I was quite late in seeing the film that really helped launch him as the heroic-bloodshed-action-star we all know him for today! In one of the ultimate modern tales of brotherhood, A Better Tomorrow helped make household names of its stars and director John Woo, as well as fast becoming a firm favourite to fans of action cinema and film right around the world. Although Woo had already gained notoriety and success with his films such as Hand Of Death, Last Hurrah For Chivalry, and Heroes Shed No Tears to name but a few, the world sat up and took notice of him as a director when A Better Tomorrow proved to be a box-office hit. With this classic story of cops and robbers, the team-up of director Woo and producer Tsui Hark deliver one of Hong Kong cinemas finest that keeps its audience gripped with some fantastic cinematography, an emotionally charged and amazing soundtrack, a brilliant cast, some stunning gun-play action, and of course, the incredible performances from its main stars!
Chow Yun Fat's stunning performance as 'Mark' gave cinema one of its most memorable characters ever, paving the way for a collection of tributes and spoofs from other HK film-makers and stars that still runs to this day. Starting his acting career as a television actor, Chow starred in a number of films for Goldig Studios in the late 70s, but it would be his role in The Bund (1980) that would help take him further with A Better Tomorrow strengthening that a good 6 years later - with his portrayal of Mark winning him the award for Best Actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards that year (and only 1 of 11 roles at that). This success convinced Chow to trade his television career for the film industry, which was the right decision of course as the superstar went on to star in many amazing titles from The Killer to Hardboiled, Tiger On The Beat to God Of Gamblers, Bulletproof Monk to Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and the sequels of this classic, as well as many others. The awesome Ti Lung, whom I find doesn't usually receive the same amount of credit for his role here in this film, plays his part flawlessly while delivering some fantastic action and lump-in-the-throat moments as he carries the story between his best friend (Mark) and his younger brother, Kit. After leaving the Shaw Brothers studio in the early 80s, Lung's career started to drop - especially as the traditional kung-fu movie was dying out - but it would be his role here as Sung Tse Ho that would reignite his fame and see the legend go on to star in a host of other titles right through to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, starring alongside Chow a number of times after this in films such as A Better Tomorrow 2, City War, and Tiger On The Beat. I must admit, I wasn't too keen on the handsome Leslie Cheung as Kit at first, but after warming to him in other movies and enjoying repeated viewings of A Better Tomorrow, it was easy to see that Woo and Hark had made the right choice in putting these 3 together on-screen. Having starred in over 50 films and released 40 successful albums during the course of his career, Cheung made his mark on Hong Kong cinema for many reasons and not least for his suicide in 2003 which was a great loss to his fans, family, and the Hong Kong film world in general. Waise Lee stars as the double-crossing Shing, and actually plays his role of the menacing bad guy pretty well. While he's never been one of my favourite actors, it's only fair to say that Lee definitely does the job here as a character you just love to hate. The additional casting of the great Kenneth Tsang just helps strengthen things even more, along with a hilarious cameo by Tsui Hark as one of the examiners at Emily Chu's music recital and, of course, I can't forget about the wooden acting of director John Woo who pops up throughout as an officer of the force who is determined to stop the loveable gangsters...
The gritty action and gun-play is choreographed by Stephen Tung Wei, who does a great job in providing some intense moments as well as some explosive scenes. Along with John Woo's infamous slow-motion and some violently bloody kills, Tung Wei and team deliver a number of memorable moments that helped shove the heroic bloodshed genre into the limelight, and inspired more than a few cinematic moments in many other Hong Kong films that followed. A film as emotional about brotherhood and friendship as A Better Tomorrow is, made some impact on me when I watched it as a young man. The scenes between Chow Yun Fat and Ti Lung alone were so intense, they would leave a lump in my throat more than once and even today after all these years, it still continues to do so. I couldn't recommend it enough! This is, without a doubt, one of John Woo's finest moments and one of my all-time favourite movies that managed to break box-office records upon release (and without hardly any advertising) and set a whole new standard of how Hong Kong's gangster movies would be made from there onwards. It's also worth pointing out that eagle-eyed viewers can catch an uncredited young Stephen Chow Sing Chi as one of the bodyguards to the Taiwanese Triad boss. A Better Tomorrow is an absolute gem of a film that will always be remembered and loved by many fans of Asian (and non-Asian) cinema. From the first time I watched it right up until the last, the film stands proud as a classic piece of entertainment. Action-packed, emotional, gritty, and beautifully directed – there's no ignoring why this is recognized as the one that put Chow Yun Fat on the action map. And it's easy to see why!
Overall: One of the best titles in my collection, A Better Tomorrow is a film that inspired a generation and should be seen by any action fan!
Nova Media Blu-ray Extras: Trailers, Code Of Bullets Part 1, Photo Gallery
Deltamac HK DVD Extras: Trailers
Watch my unboxing video for this Nova Media release HERE
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A BETTER TOMORROW 2
(Hong Kong 1987)
Original Title: Ying Hung Boon Sik 2 英雄本色續集
Directed by John Woo Produced by Tsui Hark, John Woo Action by Tony Ching Siu Tung, Yuen Tak Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Dean Shek, Kenneth Tsang, Emily Chu, Shing Fui On, Louis Roth, Ng Man Tat, Mike Abbot, Ken Boyle Reviewing: Nova Media/Fortune Star South Korean Blu-ray Release Genres: Heroic Bloodshed / Action / Drama
Rating - 5 / 5
Nova Media Blu-ray Synopsis: From John Woo, the director of Hong Kong movie classics including Bullet In The Head and The Killer comes this explosive sequel to his revered action thriller A Better Tomorrow. Once again, the legendary Chow Yun Fat is called back into action to help out Triad boss, Dean Shek. Along for the bullet ballet are Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung ensuring maximum carnage in a film that easily challenges the body count orgy of any previous John Woo heroic bloodshed movies. This isn't Hollywood Woo, as you'll soon find out from a film that sears the brain with outrageously delivered shootouts. Outstanding amongst the glorious gunplay is Chow Yun Fat, easily the coolest man with a grenade ever to grace the silver screen. Just try to keep up with the blood spray as you witness the true gangster classic that is A Better Tomorrow 2. (104 Mins)
T&G Vision German Mediabook Blu-ray Synopsis: Ho is released on probation after Kit suggests he takes down crime boss Lung (Dean Shek). But Lung is innocent and himself a victim of those around him. When he escapes to New York, he meets Mark's twin brother Ken (Chow Yun Fat). Together they take action against the gangsters... (104 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends UK DVD: From John Woo, the director of Hong Kong movie classics including Bullet In The Head and The Killer comes this explosive sequel to his revered action thriller A Better Tomorrow. Once again, the legendary Chow Yun Fat is called back into action to help out Triad boss, Dean Shek. Along for the bullet ballet is Ti Lung and Leslie Cheug ensuring maximum carnage in a film that easily challenges the body count orgy of any previous John Woo heroic bloodshed movies. This isn't Hollywood Woo, as you'll soon find out from a film that sears the brain with outrageously delivered shootouts. Outstanding amongst the glorious gunplay is Chow Yun Fat, easily the coolest man with a grenade ever to grace the silver screen. Just try to keep up with the blood spray as you witness the true gangster classic that is A Better Tomorrow II. (100 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends Magazine UK DVD Synopsis: Reformed triad Hou is released from prison on the condition that he spies on his ex-boss, Lung Sei, whom the police suspect of running a counterfeit ring. Hou agrees to the deal so that he can protect his younger brother, Jiht, who is already working undercover on the case. Meanwhile, Lung Sei is framed for murder and flees to New York, where he loses his mind. Enter Ken, twin brother of the deceased Mark, Hou's old friend. A fearless fighter, he must nurse Lung back to health while fighting off the mobsters send to kill the exiled boss. (100 Mins)
Made In Hong Kong UK VHS Synopsis: The blistering high-octane sequel to the hugely successful “A Better Tomorrow”. Chow Yun Fat is Ken Gor, a former gang boss returning to Hong Kong to avenge the brutal murder of an old friend's daughter. Deploying an incredible arsenal of death-dealing firearms, backed up by reformed mobster Ho (Ti Lung), polce detective Kit (Leslie Cheung) and the grief-crazed Lung (Dean Shek), Ken takes on an army of Triad gangsters in an orgy of retributive violence. Shot with Woo's usual flair for explosive mayhem, and climaxing in perhaps to the bloodiest shoot-out ever committed to film, the movie features another star performance from the charismatic Chow, shades and toothpick firmly in place, guns blazing. (100 Mins)
Views: The gang return – along with that incredible score – in this emotionally charged and action-packed sequel that still holds it's title today, as one of the finest Hong Kong films ever made! In return for an early release, jailbird Ho (Ti Lung) has been encouraged (although forced) to work undercover for the police on an important case. Unbeknownst to him, his brother Kit (Cheung), who is now a mature police officer, has been placed undercover on the same case also. That case just happens to involve Uncle Sei, the man who taught Ho everything he knows. To get close to Uncle Sei, Kit feigns love for his daughter Peggy – although his pregnant wife soon gets wind of it and expects the worst. While attending a large party for Sei, the brothers finally get the chance to meet – their first connection since Lung's arrest at the finale of A Better Tomorrow - and let each other know of their positions in a bid to help crack the case sooner. At the same time, Uncle Sei is double-crossed by his right-hand man Ko, with the planned assassination of a Triad boss leading to more murders at the party. As the shock and confusion mentally destroy him, Ti Lung quickly removes Sei amidst the panic and takes him to hide at Ken Tsang's taxi company. In no time at all, they get Uncle Sei on a ship to New York where he can hide and clear his name, but the following day finds that his daughter is gunned down at the family home as she looks for him.
Enter Chow Yun Fat – this time playing twin brother Ken (to part one's Mark) – a New York-based hard-ass that runs the Four Seas restaurant and a man that takes no shit from anyone. You'll get what I mean when NY gangster Louis Roth (Drunken Master 2) complains about his fried rice and tries to hustle Ken for protection money, in what is still one of my favourite scenes from any Hong Kong film. Uncle Sei soon finds shelter with an old friend, who is now the minister of a NY church, and soon calls home to let his men know where he is. Of course, this reveals his location and before he knows it, trouble very quickly follows. As his close friend, church-goers, and children get murdered around him, Uncle Sei loses the plot completely. Ken soon gets word that Sei is locked in the local madhouse and still under threat, and sets out to rescue him. As Ken goes to some extremes to try and break Sei's child-like mentality, some pissed-off gangsters launch an attack on him, blowing up his restaurant and shooting up his home. This continues soon after, as the two hide-out in a rundown hotel, only to be tracked down by more gunmen. It's a scene that kicks off one of the best action sequences of the film and pulls Uncle Sei out of his despair. At the same time, back in Hong Kong, the shit really hits the fan as Kit gets ahead of himself, trying to infiltrate Ko's gang. With his cover blown, Ko has his Kit's brother step up to the mark and put a bullet in him. It's a harsh moment for the brothers, but a powerful scene! An emotional reunion brings Ken and Sei back to Hong Kong, where they meet up with Ho and (a now healed) Kit. It isn't long before plans are put in action for an attack on Ko and his men, some of which include the greatly missed Shing Fui On, Ken Boyle, and Lam Chung. It all leads to a beautifully shot finale, launched by the lump-in-the-throat moment of Kit's last minutes on the phone to his wife, just after she has given birth to their baby daughter. As Ken dons his brother's trademark coat and glasses, sadness turns to excitement as the vengeful friends load up and let the bullets fly in an incredible, action-packed ending aided by their old friend from the taxi depot, Kenneth Tsang!
Matching the same amount roles carried out by him just the year before, the awesome Chow Yun Fat returns in 1 of 11 movies in 1987 with enough energy and coolness to burn as well as starring in titles such as City On Fire, Rich & Famous, Tragic Hero, Flaming Brothers, Prison On Fire, and others to feed his new army of fans since wowing them in the previous film. I have to say that I did find Ken to be a much better marksman and cooler character than his brother Mark was, respectively. He's very similar to the character of Tequila in Hard Boiled, which was perhaps something that inspired his performance there. That said, if you enjoyed Chow in part one, then you'll love him in this! Both Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung return for more of the same, only this time with a stronger bond than before and a lot more emotion, and the wonderful Dean Shek does an incredible job in his role as Uncle Sei - perhaps delivering the greatest performance of his career. While Emily Chu returns as the now-pregnant wife of Leslie Cheung, Regina Kent stars as Peggy - the daughter of Uncle Sei and love interest that starts to upset life in the marital home. The hugely missed Ng Man Tat does his part as a gangster called Boss Wong, with Lau Siu Ming popping up as a high-ranking police officer. Popular westerners of the time Mike Abbott, Ken Boyle, Mark King, Wayne Archer, and Louis Roth appear as killers and thugs throughout, and the brilliant Kenneth Tsang returns for more action this time round as previously mentioned. Also, keep an eye out for a brief cameo by director Stanley Tong who appears as a policeman...
This time round, the spectacular gun-play comes courtesy of Tony Ching Siu Tung, who lights up the screen with some fantastic action pieces, plenty of explosions, and a massive body count that takes this chapter of the series to a whole other level. He is backed by the great Yuen Tak, who also appears throughout as a thug, and Bobby Wu Chi Lung who has worked alongside Ching on a few of his movies like A Terracotta Warrior, A Chinese Ghost Story 1& 2, and others. Of course, this is all under the watchful eye of John Woo and Tsui Hark who have, once again, managed to deliver yet another one of the best films to ever come out of Hong Kong. As with part one, A Better Tomorrow 2 is well worth a place in any fan's collection and a movie that still entertains as much today as it did over 30 years ago!
Overall: Fuck your fried rice!! A Better Tomorrow 2 is a powerful and emotional, action-packed classic that never tires!
Nova Media Blu-ray Extras: Trailers, Code Of Bullets Part 2, Photo Gallery
T&G Vision German Mediabook Blu-ray Extras: Deleted Scenes Montage, Trailers, Teaser
Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Trailers, An interview with Tsui Hark, Trilogy of Bloodshed (Animated Essay), A Better Tomorrow 3 Preview
Watch my unboxing video for this Nova Media release HERE
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A BETTER TOMORROW 3
(Hong Kong 1989)
Original Title: Ying Hung Boon Sik 3: Zik Yeung Ji Gor 英雄本色III夕陽之歌
Directed by Tsui Hark Produced by Tsui Hark Action by Lau Fong Sai, Lau Chi Ho Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Anita Mui, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Maggie Cheung Ho Yee, Kirk Wong, Shek Kin, Cheung Ho Yee, Saburo Tokito, Andrew Kam Reviewing: Nova Media/Fortune Star South Korean Blu-ray Release Genres: Heroic Bloodshed / Action / Drama
Rating - 4.3 / 5
Nova Media Blu-ray Synopsis: A man travels from China to Vietnam, who are on the brink of war with America, to retrieve his uncle and cousin but finds complications when he falls in love with a female gangster with a dangerous ex. (119 Mins)
T&G Vision German Mediabook Blu-ray Synopsis: Vietnam 1974, shortly before the end of the war. Despite the signed ceasefire agreement, fighting in Thailand continues unabated. Nevertheless, Mark decides to travel to his homeland one last time. There he tries to save his uncle from the communist danger. Instead, however, he comes into conflict with gangsters and the Viet Cong. (118 Mins)
Views: Often frowned upon by hardcore fans of John Woo and the series, A Better Tomorrow 3 is treated like the bastard child of the infamous Hong Kong trilogy! As it stands, and understanding how director Woo and producer Hark parted after part two due to creative differences (with Woo going on to make A Bullet In The Head, and Hark, this one), you get a firm understanding as to why this chapter stands apart from its predecessors. Producer and director Tsui Hark, who needs no introduction, may have taken things down a completely different road in this loosely based prequel – but it's a story that gives us an insight into how a younger Mark (Chow Yun Fat's character from part one) becomes the 2 gun-toting cool gangster that we all love...
While not as action-heavy as the first two (although it's far from disappointing when we get it), Hark lays on the drama in the midst of the Vietnam war, teaming Chow up with his cousin (Tony Leung Ka Fai), along with a mentor in the fantastic Anita Mui – who pretty much steals the show as his love-interest and sassy gunfighter extraordinaire. Apart from the obvious political and social commentary of Hark's story, love, and revenge help flesh things out, with great performances from everyone involved – including some heartfelt, emotional moments as with the previous entries. Every scene is beautifully framed delivering some stunning visuals in its cinematography, which won me over with one scene in particular. That happened to be the first action scene of the film, where a double-gunned Anita Mui takes on a mini-army, complete with that wonderful Hong Kong night-lighting, tons of smoke, and plenty of gunfire. Just stunning!!
With the longest-running time of the three, Love And Death In Saigon definitely feels like the most epic of the trilogy. The first 45 minutes of the film takes part in Saigon, with Chow coming to help his cousin (Tony) get his Uncle (Shek Kin from Enter The Dragon) back home to Hong Kong. From the moment he arrives, Chow lays eyes on Anita Mui – a skilled gangster who steals his heart. When his cousin arranges a business deal that goes sour, they are quickly aided by Mui who becomes friends with the troublesome cousins. Of course, Tony quickly falls for her also and wastes no time in making a move. The team soon arrive back in Hong Kong which then begins to lend itself to familiar territory. As romance and friendships blossom, you just know the shit is going to hit the fan before its 2-hour running time is up, as we get introduced to Anita's ex-lover – a dangerous man who wants to keep her under his control, even if it means taking out her new friends. After killing Tony's dad, the pair are forced back to Saigon and hell-bent on revenge, resulting in another fantastic, beautiful bullet-ballet with some top gun-play and action courtesy of Shaw Brothers star Lau Fong Sai and action director, Lau Chi Ho. While their style may stand apart from that of John Woo and Ching Siu Tung's action direction, it still makes for plenty of amazing shots and violent gun-play – as well as an explosive finale resulting in Chow Yun Fat doing his best Cruise impression, when he speeds towards the enemies tank on a motorbike with a crate of explosives, attached by a single strand of barbed-wire!
Much like its predecessors, there is the odd bit of humour laced throughout, but it's never too wacky to distract from the maturity of the whole thing. Tsui Hark's use of footage from Vietnam adds grittiness and realism to the whole thing and helps set the film apart from Woo's previous entries. A Better Tomorrow 3: Love and Death in Saigon is criminally misunderstood! Any fan of Tsui Hark, Chow Yun Fat, or Hong Kong cinema, in general, should really check it out – and if you have done so already, then once again.
Overall: An underrated classic and fantastic end to the trilogy, that shines as one of Tsui Hark's finest!
Nova Media Blu-ray Extras: Trailers, Code Of Bullets Part 3, Photo Gallery
T&G Vision German Mediabook Blu-ray Extras: Extended Taiwanese Version (128 Mins), German Video Version (95 Mins), Trailer
Watch my unboxing video for this Nova Media release HERE
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A BETTER TOMORROW 2012
(South Korea/Hong Kong 2010)
Original Title: Moo Jeok Ja 무적자
Directed by Song Hae-Sung Produced by John Woo, Terence Chang, Park Hyung Jun, Daisuke Miyachi Starring: Ju Jin-Mo, Song Seung-Heon, Kim Kang-Woo, Jo Han Sun, Lee Kyeong-Yeong, Lim Hyeong-Jun Reviewing: Los Banditos UK DVD Release Genres: Drama / Action /Thriller
Rating - 3.5 / 5
Los Banditos DVD Synopsis: 'A Better Tomorrow' is now remade under the patronage of the master himself. 'A Better Tomorrow 2012' consistently follows the story of its predecessor and takes the action and fighting scenes into the new millennium. Again it is the fight between brothers, again they are separated as children and again destiny puts them in the position of the hunter and the hunted. 'A Better Tomorrow 2012' leads the audience through 118 minutes of action-packed cinema to the most powerful shoot-out ever. (124 Mins)
Views: For any die-hard fan of Hong Kong cinema (or of the original film itself), it came as a bit of a surprise when news came out about the remake of the classic, A Better Tomorrow. Even with John Woo's name behind it, there was definitely a bad taste in the air among fans, and only a few were excited for what was to come. Although sold as a Korean and Hong Kong co-production (and I think Japan got involved also), this is really a product of South Korean cinema. While based on John Woo's original screenplay, A Better Tomorrow 2012 was reworked by no less than 4 Korean writers, extending the film's run-time by almost an extra 25 minutes than the original. And while slickly produced, well-acted, and neatly directed, I have to admit, it is hard watching this version without judging everything on-screen in comparison to the original. There's no denying that it does hark back to the 1986 classic with some re-imagined, poignant scenes – but ultimately, this modern-day remake of A Better Tomorrow fails to capture the magic of its predecessor, yet at the same time, proves to entertain on its own merits...
If it was John Woo's plan to recreate the whole trilogy with this South Korean team (or at the very least, parts 1 & 2), then perhaps the lukewarm reception of this adaptation put an end to that. Not to mention that another remake was launched in 2018 (of which I have yet to see) by revered Chinese director Ding Sheng, the very same man who brought us Little Big Soldier, Police Story: Lockdown, and Saving Mr. Wu. And while it probably offers the same in terms of re-imagined scenes, I'd say it probably fared a little better given Sheng's track record and could be the one that gains a sequel quicker than this. A Better Tomorrow 2012 was directed by Song Hae-Sung, a South Korean director known for a handful of films (by this stage anyway), and certainly hadn't delivered any titles that had left an impression with me – especially in the action genre. So it was a weird choice in that respect that John Woo and Terence Chang would feel that Song, was the right man for the job. Personally, I would have fought to get Kim Jee-Woon on board as the director. What he delivered in 2005 with A Bittersweet Life was just incredible, and more along the lines of A Better Tomorrow than anything in Song's filmography up to this point. But that's not to say that Song Hae-Sung did a bad job!
While I've mentioned A Bittersweet Life, I have to say that I've often looked at the film's lead (Lee Byung-Hun) as Korea's answer to Chow Yun Fat, and while I feel he would have been perfect for the role of Mark in this adaptation, I must admit that Song Seung-Heon does a great job in this position. It wasn't too long ago that I had watched the Korean Netflix series, Black, of which Song Seung-Heon is the star and most definitely left an impression. So I was excited to see him appear in this, and he does not disappoint. Although he is no Chow Yun Fat, Song holds his own and manages to bring a different type of energy to the role of (the now-named) Yeong-Choon. Joining him is Ju Jin-Mo, whom I had only seen previously in the fantastic Musa: The Warrior. He plays the Ti Lung role, offering an emotional performance as well as looking good when the action comes about. His little brother, and the character of Leslie Cheung, is played by Kim Kang-Woo, star of The Chase, Doomsday Book, and popular K-drama series, Item. Along with Ju, Kang-Woo offers a strong and emotional performance as one-half of the brothers, who escaped North Korea only to lead a life of dire consequences and pain. Of course, the story of A Better Tomorrow would not be complete without the one man who screwed everyone over, originally seen played by Waise Lee. Here, the now-named character of Tae Min is played by Jo Han-Sun – star of Attack At The Gas Station 2, Cruel Winter Blues, and Deja Vu. As the double-crossing friend, Jo offers a hint of humour to his role, going from dopey sidekick to the gangsters, to becoming the leader of the underworld himself. All-in-all, each star provides a great performance and I'm sure while filming, they all felt somewhat nervous in portraying such characters that had been cemented in Hong Kong film fans' hearts, by such legendary actors from the original.
Simply put, A Better Tomorrow 2012 has nothing on the original A Better Tomorrow. When I first saw the 1986 film, it brought tears to my eyes and left a lasting impression via its amazing score, emotional performances, and blistering action (most of which this remake failed to do). But if you watch this as a stand-alone movie, you can't help but enjoy it as a slickly made, Korean action-thriller, that offers some great performances and damn-good action scenes. A remake of any classic is going to annoy any fans of the original material, and understandably so, but when the makers of the original are behind it you have to give it a chance I guess. A Better Tomorrow 2012 is far from terrible (like most people say), and is certainly worth a watch, but as I stated before – it just fails to carry the magic of the original, which is unfortunate.
Overall: Well made and well-acted, with some nice action scenes, A Better Tomorrow 2012 proves to be a decent homage to the original, but just not as incredible!
Los Banditos DVD Extras: Making of Documentary, Interview with John Woo, Trailer
Buy your copy HERE
A BITE OF LOVE
(Hong Kong 1990)
Original Title: Yi Yao O.K. 一咬OK
Directed by Stephen Shin Produced by Stephen Shin, Dickson Poon Action by Philip Kwok Starring: George Lam, Rosamund Kwan, Hui Siu Hung, Tsui Siu Keung, Cheng Pak Lam, Tsang Kan Wing, Rocky Lai Reviewing: Joy Sales/Fortune Star HK DVD Release Genres: Comedy / Horror / Drama
Rating - 2 / 5
Joy Sales DVD Synopsis: The Duke, who lives in a mysterious castle in the suburban London, is the only vampire left in the world. When he fells guilty to injure a little orphan, he decides to save him by using his immortal blood. This is seen by Anna, who's a beautiful fashion designer from Hong Kong and attracts the Duke at first sight. However, the secret of the Duke is discovered by Anna's brother, Fung, who pursues for it to get almighty power. He then kidnaps both the Duke and the orphan to Hong Kong. At the same time, Anna and the Duke's servant hurry back to Hong Kong to rescue them. Nevertheless, on the way to escape, the Duke is forced to bite Fung, making him a vampire. The Duke then determines to kill Fung to stop him from killing people. The war between good and evil starts. (91 Mins)
Views: I think it's fair to say that A Bite Of Love is one odd little movie. It tells the tale of a Chinese-born vampire who resides in a castle in London, long gone off the taste of humans, and living a lavish lifestyle as The Duke. Dressed in typical Count Dracula attire, The Duke frequents the streets of modern London in his black horse-drawn carriage and is a regular at a local gentleman's club. It's here that he comes face-to-face with the lovely Anna – a fashion designer from Hong Kong who also lives in the city, along with her sick brother Fung who is in desperate need of a rare blood type. But Fung is a nasty man with an army of gangsters behind him, and doesn't take too well to The Duke flirting with his sister. This leads to a fight between The Duke and his men, which results in an orphan kid getting severely injured and sent to hospital due to Fung's actions. Thankfully, The Duke arrives to help the child by giving him some of his blood, but arouses the attention of Fung at the same time who knows that the same blood will help cure his sickness. Of course, determined to have what he wants, Fung sends out his men to kidnap The Duke and kid so that he can bring them back to Hong Kong for his own benefit. Aided by The Duke's long time servant, Anna heads back to Hong Kong in a bid to save the vampire and kid – only to find that her brother has now been turned and is killing everyone around him. Now, with the help of Anna's offering-of-flesh, The Duke must face-off against vampire Fung in an explosive showdown that will put a stop to all the murders!
Long before he made an impression with Hong Kong action fans as the director of Jade Leung's highly enjoyable Black Cat, Stephen Shin made a name for himself directing comedies and dramas such as Affairs, Innocence, Easy Money, Heart To Hearts, It's A Mad Mad Mad World 3, Happy Together, Heart Into Hearts, The Perfect Match, and obviously A Bite Of Love – with the exception of his action-drama, Brotherhood, having a bit of a darker tone than the rest. Of course, at the same time he had been producing D&B Films classics including the Tiger Cage and In The Line Of Duty series, as well as writing for his own films and television studios. And while I've never found him to be the strongest of directors, Shin obviously knew what he was doing, because by the time A Bite Of Love came about he had already been in the industry for a good decade – with the latter half of the 80s proving to be the busiest period of his career. The wonderful Philip Kwok, who is mostly known for his role in Chang Cheh's Venom Mob movies as well as John Woo's epic Hardboiled, handles the film's action scenes which are, for the most part, entertaining enough although aren't exactly martial arts-based to be honest. Keeping in mind though that the majority of the main cast aren't action stars or martial artists (except for one), it's really Fung's thugs who get the majority of the fight scenes and stunt work between them – made up by a host of recognisable faces such as Jackie Chan stunt-team member Rocky Lai, Chan Hon Man, Lee Yiu Ging, Chan Wai To, Derek Kwok, and Tam Wai Man...
The charming George Lam Chi Cheung stars as The Duke, a western-styled vampire who owes more to the legend of Dracula as opposed to his ancestors from the east. While I kind of enjoyed him as the fun-loving vampire, I wouldn't exactly say that it was his greatest role ever. Having made his debut in the film world with Money Trip in 1979, Lam starred in a host of great titles leading up to this production including Disco Bumpkins, All The Wrong Clues, Boat People, All The Wrong Spies, Banana Cop, Owl vs Bumbo, It's a Drink! It's A Bomb!, Easy Money, and Shanghai Shanghai alongside Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. As well as being a popular actor and the husband of actress Sally Yeh, Lam has charmed audiences all over with his singing and music skills, both of which he lends to A Bite Of Love, and has continued to be a big part of the entertainment world from television to film, and more. I did like the fact that the majority of the film was set in London, with the connection that Lam had spent many years of his early life studying and living there from the mid 60s. The beautiful Rosamund Kwan stars as Anna, the Hong Kong fashion designer (which may have been a nod to her role in Armour Of God perhaps) and sister of the gangster Fung. Since she arrived on the scene in 1982, Kwan was kept busy jumping between studios with roles in Millionaires Express, Prince Charming, Project A 2, Armour Of God, Casino Raiders, Tiger Cage 2 and many more. Some of these were also for D&B Films which saw her star alongside Lam in films like the Stephen Shin directed rom-com, Heart To Hearts. Much like Lam in his role, Kwan entertains to a point but never goes above and beyond as the maiden-in-need. Shaw Brothers legend and action star Norman Tsui Siu Keung stars as her brother Fung, a character that hates everyone because of his illness and is the boss of a gang of thugs – although we really don't know any more than that. Tsui plays the role of Fung like many he has done before and since A Bite Of Love, proving to be a hateful bastard that refuses to let anyone get in his way – regardless if it's a kid or his sister. Coming off a busy couple of years leading up to this production, Tsui delivers yet another throw-away role but gets to challenge Lam's 'Duke' as best-dressed-Dracula in the final showdown. Prolific character actor Hui Siu Hung joins his old Shaw Brothers veteran to star as the servant of The Duke, getting to have a much fun as the main characters – and especially when it comes to rescuing his long-term boss. As with Kwan, Hui starred alongside Lam a number of times over the years including the fun It's A Drink! It's A Bomb!, and rom-com sequel Heart Into Hearts with super-cute child actor Cheng Pak Lam, who stars (here) as the little orphan kid that gets caught-up in all the action. Starting his acting career alongside Conan Lee and Cynthia Rothrock in Prince Of The Sun, the young actor managed to star in 11 films over the course of 5 years including The Perfect Match with George Lam, Benny Chan's Son On The Run, Inspector Wears Skirts 4, and Bogus Cops, with Wong Jing's Teenage Master providing his final feature role – which is also known as My Father Is A Hero 2 (minus Jet Li of course).
While it may be far from the greatest Hong Kong film ever, I must acknowledge Stephen Shin and his writers for attempting to bring something a little different to the table during the height of Hong Kong's vampire craze. There are plenty of chuckles, some small stunts, and a few interesting ideas, but at the same time a lot of it just falls flat and never really excites you enough to want to go back for a second watch. And while it's heart may be in the right place, A Bite Of Love fails to leave a mark!
Overall: A tad messy and far from being a competitor to Mr. Vampire, there isn't really much of a bite in A Bite Of Love but it passes the time!
Joy Sales DVD Extras: Trailers, Photo Gallery
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A BITTERSWEET LIFE
(South Korea 2005)
Original Title: Dalkomhan Insaeng 달콤한 人生
Directed by Kim Jee Woon Produced by Eugene Lee, Oh Jeong Wan Action by Doo Hong Jung Starring: Lee Byung Hun, Min A Shin, Kim Yeong Cheol, Jung Min Hwang, Roe Ha Kim Reviewing: Splendid Films/Amasia South Korean Blu-ray Mediabook Release Genres: Gangster / Drama / Action
Rating - 5 / 5
Splendid Film/Amasia South Korean Blu-ray Mediabook Synopsis: With his unique style and an incredibly brutal story, director KimJee-woon (I Saw The Devil) has created an outstanding action masterpiece. For the 15th anniversary of A Bittersweet Life, the genre classic is being released as a limited and serialized 3-disc media book: The Special Edition includes the uncompromising Korean theatrical version in HD for the first time worldwide, the Director's Cut with a new picture master, over 90 minutes of unreleased extras 20-page booklet and Kim Jee-woon's actioner, 'The Good, The Bad, The Weird' Blu-ray bonus disc! Sun-woo is the right hand of crime boss Kang. He always does his job with absolute perfection and keeps a cool head in every situation. When Kang decides to go away for a few days, he hires Sun-woo to babysit his young lover Hee-soo, whom he suspects of cheating on him. If Kang's suspicions are confirmed, Hee-soo and her lover are to be killed immediately. Sun-woo catches them both after a short time, but he cannot kill Hee-soo and lets both of them live. A fatal mistake that turns him from hunter to hunted... (119 Mins)
Tartan Asia Extreme UK DVD Synopsis: Sun-woo is no ordinary hotel manager. He is also the ruthlessly efficient right hand man of underworld boss, Kang. But tough guy Kang has a weakness; his young girlfriend. Suspecting she's unfaithful, Kang orders Sun-woo to take care of the problem. When Sun-woo discovers her with another man, he uncharacteristically grants them mercy. Kang is furious and orders his gang members to hunt down Sun-woo. With nerves of steel, Sun-woo battles the gang alone. With each kill, he takes one step closer to his final confrontation with Kang. (114 Mins)
Views: When I first bought A Bittersweet Life, I wasn't too sure what to expect. I had not seen anything about the film leading up to my purchase, but I knew it was directed by Kim Jee-Woon who had directed A Tale Of Two Sisters, and The Quiet Family - two films that I really enjoyed. Then I watched this – and probably about 4 more times in the first week, showing it to every friend that stopped by. What a movie! I was hooked right from the beginning with its tight direction, great cinematography, and, of course, leading man Lee Byung-Hun. It seems this man can do no wrong, making quite the impression in movies such as The Good, The Bad And The Weird, I Saw The Devil, JSA, and television show's like the wonderful, Mr. Sunshine, and many Hollywood productions also. His looks, fighting skills, and on-screen presence were all just amazing – often coming across like South Korea's answer to Chow Yun Fat. Kim Jee-Woon should be making directors such as Scorsese, De Palma, and Mann, very nervous after providing such an incredible gangster film. For me, this very beautifully filmed production offered much more entertainment than anything I've seen from those aforementioned Hollywood directors in the last 25 years! I've often said that from the turn of the century, South Korean films have impressed me the most. And A Bittersweet Life is one of those films...
In a nutshell, A Bittersweet Life could be easily sold as an exciting tale of gangster revenge, but director Kim Jee-Woon makes it so much more than that. Sprinkled with that typical dark-humour Kim loves so much, we follow Sun-Woo (played by Lee) who plays a hotel manager that also happens to be the right-hand man to his boss and big-time gangster, Mr. Kang. Treated more like a son after working under Kang for 7 years, Sun-Woo gets a break from his hit-man duties when he is offered the easier job of keeping an eye on his bosses new girlfriend Hee-Soo (Shin Mina) - an early twenties cellist who, Kang expects, is cheating on him. This is ironic in itself, as Mr. Kang has a wife and children of his own. After catching a glimpse of the beautiful Hee-Soo and hearing her play, Sun-Woo finds himself quickly falling for her. To make matters worse, after following her home one night, the handsome Sun-Woo catches her with a boyfriend (and someone more her own age). Under his boss's orders, Sun-Woo is to kill them both, but as his emotions override and he sees the fear in her eyes, the hit-man with a heart lets them go. Of course, he understands the consequences of turning on his boss, although doesn't expect the extremities of Mr. Kang's reaction when he finds out about Sun-Woo's decision. Following the long tradition of the gangster underworld, Kang decides to punish his man who is like a son to him. Giving Sun-Woo a chance to explain himself, the big boss reveals that he knows of the hitman's feelings for Hee-Soo. It's a poignant moment as Sun-Woo is knelt in the mud, understanding his predicament in falling for the one girl that has brought him to his knees, that soon sees him buried up to his neck and left-for-dead in the heaviest of rain.
As A Bittersweet Life hits the 1-hour mark, you are forced to the edge of your seat (and if you aren't already, there's something wrong). After he has suffered some intense torture, Sunwoo makes an incredible escape in 5 minutes of solid action that makes similar scenes from Oldboy and other movies, look tame in comparison! Just when you thought the pace and action up to that point were doing a good enough job in keeping you hooked, director Kim decides to crank things up another few notches – just to make sure you're watching. It sets Sun-Woo on a crazy journey of vengeance as he takes on the very men he once controlled, locks-horns with a deadly assassin in a brutal showdown, and of course, gets his revenge on Mr. Kang. It's intense, it's violent, but it's beautiful. And boy oh boy, what an ending!!
Overall: An incredible action-noire that I will never tire of watching, A Bittersweet Life is a modern classic!
Splendid Film/Amasia Blu-ray Mediabook Extras: Korean Cinema Version in HD, Directors Cut with Remastered Picture, 20 Page Booklet, Additional Movie with 'The Good, The Bad, The Weird', Audio Commentary with Director, Audio Commentary with Cast & Crew, Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary, Making of Documentary with Audio Commentary from Director & Crew, The Style of A Bittersweet Life Featurette, La Dolce Vita Director Interview, Tell Me Why – Interview with Cast & Crew, Trailers, TV Spots
Tartan Asia Extreme DVD Extras: Cast & Crew Interviews, Featurette, Trailer, Justin Bowyer Film Notes
Watch my unboxing video for this Splendid Film/Amasia release HERE
A BLOODY FIGHT
(Hong Kong 1988)
Original Title: Lie Xue Feng Yun 烈血風雲
Directed by Wilson Tong Produced by Wilson Tong Action by Wilson Tong Starring: Lau Kar Leung, Gordon Liu, Norman Tsui Siu Keung, Chor Yuen, Shum Wai, Tai Bo, Fung Hak On, Ngai Lau Na, Thomas Sin, Yeung Wah Reviewing: Joy Sales/Fortune Star HK DVD Release Genres: Action / Triad / Martial Arts
Rating - 2.3 / 5
Joy Sales DVD Synopsis: Keung and Fai had been good friends since childhood. They both had keen interest in boxing-matches. Having parted with Keung for more than ten years, Fai had become a police officer. On the contrary, Keung had joined an illegal organization as a professional killer. Keung decided to resign from the organization, but his family died of the explosion set by the chief leader, Mr. Chor. Keung saw Fai again because of Fai's younger sister, Mui. He lied to Fai that he had been working as a sailor for the past ten years. When Fai discovered that Keung was a professional killer,he got furious and expelled Keung away. After Keung had left, Chor's men came. Mui was raped and beaten to death. Keung decided to fight a duel with Chor... (90 Mins)
Views: Directed, produced, and choreographed by the talented Wilson Tong, this late 80s action-thriller sees him reunite some of his old Shaw Brothers team with the wonderful Gordon Liu, Norman Tsui Siu Keung, Fung Hak On, popular studio director Chor Yuen, and a great extended cameo by the late Lau Kar Leung. The film opens to the sounds of a Cantopop version of The Final Countdown as Liu and Keung duke it out in the ring while training, soaked in a sepia-tone filter for the first 4 or 5 minutes until the full-colour footage returns to show that 10 years have already passed. While Liu has become a successful cop in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, Keung has spent his time working as a gangster and criminal for one of Hong Kong's biggest crime-lords - determined to leave so that he can enjoy the rest of his life with his family. Keung soon announces his retirement from the gang - much to the disappointment of his boss, Chor - and sees his family killed in a car bomb that was meant for him. This makes him realise that there is no escape from the life he leads. As he confides in his old friend Leung, the pair are attacked by 20 guys with metal baseball bats that sees Leung shot dead by boss Chor, and Keung barely escaping with his life. Waking up in hospital, Keung is reunited with Liu but lies about his past when he finds out that his old friend is a cop – with Liu welcoming Keung into his home. It doesn't take long for Liu's sister to fall for Keung, and equally for Liu to find out the truth about Keung's past. As tensions build between them, the pair find themselves riddled with bad luck as Liu's sister is raped and murdered, and Chor's men hunt them both down. Together, the friends must get revenge for their families and bring the powerful gangster down!
I have to be honest in saying that I was expecting quite a bit more from A Bloody Fight, considering the talent involved. That said, it's hardly a complete waste of time and still has enough going on throughout to keep fans watching. Although I have enjoyed him in countless roles and as a martial artist, Wilson Tong has never been the strongest director ever and flaws his production with some melodrama that is over-acted by his two leads, as well as some daft moments such as Liu and Keung boxing on a mountainside, playing leapfrog on the beach, or rubbing sand in their faces like they're are 8 years of age while The Final Countdown plays once again. In fact, the music seems to have been borrowed from many different films with a track from Godfrey Ho's Lethal Panther heard, and John Carpenters Halloween score even creeps in at the end. Wilson Tong Wai Shing started life in the Hong Kong film industry around 1969/70 with small roles in films such as Dead End, The River Dragon, and The Invincible Eight as well as many other early Golden Harvest productions. A few years later after he moved into the Shaw Brothers studio, Tong began his foray into directing action under the guidance of the late Lau Kar Leung for his classics Shaolin Mantis, 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Heroes Of The East, and Spiritual Boxer 2. Around the same time, he also managed to score a role as the assistant director on Tyrone Hsu's Boxer's Adventure with Tan Tao Liang and Mang Fei, and soon headed out on to make his directorial debut with the highly enjoyable Kung Fu Genius which was quickly followed by the equally fun, Snake Deadly Act. While he went on to star in a host of Kar Leung's titles (with Leung sometimes returning the favour for him), Tong continued to prove his worth as a director and choreographer with A Bloody Fight and A Fiery Family proving to be two of his most action-packed. The Vampire Combat would prove to be his last as a director in 2001, but Wilson would continue to appear in roles here and there such as To Live And Die In Mongkok, Treasure Inn, and Naked Soldier, as well as appearing in the brilliant Chin Kar Lok produced documentary Kung Fu Stuntmen in 2020.
Wong utilises the friendships he had gained back in the Shaw Brothers studios by bringing in names such as Gordon Liu, Tsui Siu Keung, and the legendary Lau Kar Leung – all of whom were already working together on Leung's self directed and fantastic Tiger On The Beat the very same year – but he also brings in celebrated Shaw Brothers director Chor Yuen, perhaps most recognisable to viewers as the wicked drug boss Koo in Jackie Chan's Police Story just a couple of years before. He plays a similar role here, although it's certainly not as impactful, and is backed by popular character actor Shum Wai who is out to bring Keung down. Then there is the wonderful Fung Hak On who cameos as another villain of the piece, forcing Tsui Siu Keung to strip down to his tighty-whities when he arrives to take him out while dressed as a policeman. Keung must bare all to reveal any hidden weapons, but still manages to take Fung out by ramming a fork down his throat. While I'm a huge fan of both Gordon Liu and Norman Tsui Siu Keung, both of them tend to really over-dramatise everything about their roles here – going so far as to even look awkward during some action scenes. But it has to the great Lau Kar Leung that steals the show, getting to show his worth in the fight scene against 20 guys armed with metal baseball bats before he gets shot down by Chor. It was the highlight of the film for me, although there are numerous other actions scenes throughout to enjoy. Jackie Chan film-regular Tai Bo also appears in a cameo as Gordon Liu's cop friend, and bit-players Mang Ding Goh, Thomas Sin Ho Ying, Tony Tam Chun To, and Wong Chi Keung appear as assassins...
Overall: I was expecting a lot more from all involved, but A Bloody Fight still has it's moments and is worth a watch at least once!
Joy Sales DVD Extras: Trailer, Photo Gallery
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A BOOK OF HEROES
(Taiwan 1986)
Original Title: Huan Le Long Hu Bang 歡樂龍虎榜
Directed by Kevin Chu Yen Ping Produced by Raymond Wong, Dean Shek, Karl Maka Action by Lin Wan Chang Starring: Bin Bin, Chang Fu Chi, Chao Shun, Chen Hui Lou, Hu Hsiung Chih, Yasuaki Kurata, Pauline Lan, Yukari Oshima, Eugene Thomas, David Wu, Yang Hui Shan Reviewing: Joy Sales/Fortune Star HK VCD Release Genres: Martial Arts / Action / Comedy
Rating - 4 / 5
Joy Sales VCD Synopsis: Having learned that the underworld society smuggled a batch of gold, the police authority sent Hu Pai and so on to watch and arrest. But unexpectedly it's robbed by the 5th Rat of another gang. Therefore, Hu Pai was demoted as a traffic policeman. Hu Pai's girl friend Little Wild Cat intended to join Royal Police but didn't know how to get in, and so handled cases often in the name of Hu Pai. One day, when she met the youngest of Five Rats and was ready to arrest him, but was stopped by Risking San Niang. The second boss of Five Rats and Lawyer contrarily accused Little Wild Cat for pretending to be police. The 5th Rat wanted to sell the robbed gold to the 1st boss, but the latter took possession of it and sent Black Baboon to kill the 5th Rat. Before dying, the 5th Rat said "gold drawing, elder sister, fire" Little Wild Cat and Hu Pai started to investigate the 5th Rat's sister Ever Changing Fox. Fox and her partner Smiling Tiger held the picture of hiding gold. The 1st boss, for the gold, started a chasing fight with Fox, Smiling Tiger and Stupid Rat. They used tricks one another with being extremely ridiculous. (81 Mins)
Views: Presented by Karl Maka, Dean Shek, and Raymond Wong over at Cinema City, A Book Of Heroes lets you know what kind of film you are in for from the get-go, and hardly stops to catch its breath until it ends. The story opens with a gang of masked-men riding a forklift truck to a robbery, before they find themselves on-the-run from policeman Hu on a bicycle. The chase takes him into the middle of a bike race which results in Hu winning first place. Shifting to the introduction of our lead girl Little Mei who, after challenging some men in a drinking game, brings on the first action-sequence as she takes-on some gangsters in an wonderfully choreographed bar-fight that sees the arrival of the awesome Yukari Oshima, and delivers some hugely impressive stunts that would make even the most hardened Hong Kong action-fan wince in pain. From here on in, A Book Of Heroes gets even more insane as it follows the adventures of the two cops, a couple conmen, an Interpol agent, a gas station attendant, and some angry gangsters in a race to find the stolen gold before Japanese crime boss Yamashita gets his hands on it!
It's fair to say that this mid 80s action flick is one crazy film – but what else would you expect with director Kevin Chu Yen Ping at the helm? This is the same guy that brought us the equally insane Fantasy Mission Force, the fun Shaolin Popeye movies, the star-studded Island Of Fire, and in recent years the entertaining Kung Fu Dunk and Treasure Hunter with Jay Chou, as well as many other great titles. In fact, his filmography is highly impressive that offers some crazy films and some crackers, but I have to say that I am a fan of his work. Of course, as with the most of his titles from this period, the story and script are so OTT and insane that you must remember to switch your brain off before settling down to watch this one. A Book Of Heroes is a lot of fun and a tad mental at times, offering cartoon-like humour and situations aplenty but at the same time showcases some of the best martial arts fights and stunts ever committed to celluloid, along with a great cast to support it and a fun soundtrack – imagine My Lucky Stars on crack and you've got the picture. This was during a time when Hong Kong action films from Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, and many others, were dominating the box-office, but Taiwanese stuntmen were proving themselves to be on another level altogether. I remember this coming to my attention at an early age while watching the incredibly fun Lucky Seven and being both shocked and amazed at the talent involved. In fact, I'd be as bold to say that some of these very films both offer-up and challenge the action choreography of many great Hong Kong titles – with their only downfall being that their screenplays, directors abilities, and choice of cast weren't always of a higher calibre of what was on offer from their neighbours at this time.
Taiwanese actor Hu Kua (aka Hu Chih Hsiung) makes his film debut as Hu Pai, the young cop with no luck. His character and looks reminded me of Conan Lee's roles in Tiger On The Beat and Prince Of The Sun, and also stars in Chu's Funny Family that was shot the same year. The lovely Pauline Lan stars as Little Mei - a similarly named character like her one in Funny Family that paired her with Hu Kua once again. This little firecracker had only just made her film debut the year before in Yu Kan Ping's little known Myth Of A City alongside prolific Taiwanese star Sun Yueh – most recognisable to fans in the west as the scruffy old guy in Fantasy Mission Force who enjoys singing – and had vanished from screens for almost 2 decades before coming back for a role in Patrick Tam's drama, After This Our Exile, with Aaron Kwok before continuing her career as a television actress through to today. I have to say, doubled-or-not, Lan most certainly impresses in her first action role and delivers some fun moves throughout the many of her on-screen fights. The always impressive Yasuaki Kurata plays the big villain of the piece, complete with a white cat on his lap and glorious mansion. While I know it's not the same place, his house looks exactly like the same set as the Gentleman's Club from Project A (with the double staircase and chandelier) which had obviously came out a few years earlier. By this stage of the game, Kurata had starred in a strong 50+ titles in Hong Kong and Taiwan, starting with his debut in Chang Cheh's The Angry Guest for Shaw Brothers, going on to star in a host of classics for the studio from Four Riders to Heroes Of The East, and other classic titles such as Secret Of The Shaolin Poles, The Magnificent 3, Legend Of A Fighter, Ninja In The Deadly Trap, Aces Go Places 2, A Life Of Ninja, and the awesome Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars. 1986 would see him also star in The Seventh Curse with Chow Yun Fat and give a highly memorable role in Sammo Hung's epic Millionaires Express, making it the second time that year where he would star alongside the amazing Yukari Oshima after A Book Of Heroes.
This has got to be one of my favourite roles with The Osh, and although she's missing for a good chunk in the middle, the Nipponese nutcracker steals the show with her incredible martial arts abilities and fight scenes. Although she had already starred in Japanese television shows, 1986 would be the year that saw her make her Hong Kong/Taiwanese feature film debut starting with the brilliant Kung Fu Wonder Child (with choreography by Alexander Lo Rei), Kevin Chu's Funny Family and A Book Of Heroes, and her show-stopping role in the aforementioned Millionaires Express. Of course, the following year would define her as the 'one-to-watch' with her villainous performance in Angel/Iron Angels alongside Moon Lee, that would start the high-demand of the ass-kicking femme fatale. The wonderful Elsa Yang (aka Queenie Yang) joins the team as one half of the con-artists alongside David Tao Da Wei – who played a similar role alongside Brigitte Lin in Chu's Fantasy Mission Force. Having started in the film industry in the late 1970s with Five Pretty Young Ladies, Yang went onto star in a host of fun titles including Wandering Dragon, The Fight For Shaolin Tamo Mystique, Gold Queen's Commando, Pink Force Commando, Challenge Of The Lady Ninja, and A Life Of Ninja once again with Kurata. I'd say that A Book Of Heroes was one of her last full roles, along with The Kinmen Bombs for director Ting Shan Hsi, but she definitely holds her own alongside Yukari and Pauline as she kicks-ass and looks good doing it.
The wonderful Chen Hui Lou – most famously known for his role as The Unicorn in Jackie Chan's Fearless Hyena – cameos as Hu and Little Mei's police chief, and child actor Bin Bin (aka Siu Ban Ban) pops-up for a little bit of action. This is the same cute kid from Wong Jing's fun Magic Crystal, who would retire from the film world at the age of 12 after starring in Sammo Hung's Daddy, Father, Papa – although made a brief return in 2015's Sorry Baby, and is now the father of Little Bin and Mini Bin (I kid you not) who have went on to start acting themselves. The brilliant Eugene Thomas appears as Kurata's right-hand man and gets to show-off his impressive skills once again, going up against all of the heroes at one point or another. I adore seeing this lanky fighter in action – having first caught him in the super fun Ninja USA when I got it on video back in 1990. That would only have been his second role after debuting alongside his close friend, Alexander Lo Rei, in the fantastic Super Ninja in 1984 where he would then go on to star alongside him in films such as Mafia Vs Ninja, Ninja The Final Duel, Ninja Condors, and the cut-and-paste effort Ninja The Battalion. I also can't forget that he was one of the highlights from another of my favourite childhood movies, the aforementioned Lucky Seven, which was made the same year as this and also starred a number of actors here such as the hilarious Fang Cheng – the petrol station attendant with the styled facial hair who also stars in Fantasy Mission Force – as well as the impressive Chang Yi Teng, Tsai Chong Chiu, and Chang Chung Yu...
The fight action in A Book Of Heroes is incredibly similar to (once again) Lucky Seven, which leads me to believe that some of the same choreographers and stunt-team were on board for that production the same year. The man in charge here though is Lin Wan Chang, a bit-part actor, extra, and choreographer that appeared in many early Joseph Kuo titles as well as films such as Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu, Sun Dragon, Magnificent Bodyguards, Iron Neck Li, Big Boss Of Shanghai, and played the prisoner that escaped in Fantasy Mission Force. But as well as directing the action for a host of Kevin Chu's titles, including the aforementioned Jackie Chan vehicle, Lin went on to direct a handful of films himself including Kung Fu Kids 5 & 6, Young Kickboxer with Alexander Lo Rei, and City Of Darkness with Donnie Yen, Collin Chou/Ngai Sing, and Billy Chow – each of which also star Chang Yi Teng. The fights in A Book Of Heroes are fast and furious, with some amazing moves and plenty of painful looking stunt work that will have you reaching for the rewind button more than a few times. And while the film may have its flaws on a technical level or via its broad comedy, it still makes for a highly entertaining watch and one that's proving harder and harder to find!
Overall: Crazy fun with awesome fight scenes and mad stunts, makes A Book Of Heroes a must for fans that miss the golden years of Hong Kong cinema!!
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A BROTHERHOOD OF HEROES
(Taiwan 1980)
Original Title: Kua Le Ying Xiong 快樂英雄 (aka) Knights Of Misadventure; The Brotherhood Of Heroes; Happy Hero
Directed by Tsai Yang Ming Produced by Chou Ming Hsiu, Liu Ling Feng Action by Chen Mu Chuan Starring: Chen Sing, Cheung Chung Kwai, Cheung Pang, Ling Yun, Barry Wai Ji Wan, Ko Keung, Shih Ting Ken, Chow Shui Fong, Ha Ling Ling Reviewing: YouTube Release Genres: Traditional Kung-Fu / Wuxia Pian / Comedy
Rating - 2 / 5
Synopsis: A Brotherhood Of Heroes follows the exciting adventures of 3 young swordsmen who uncover the corrupted actions of the Imperial superintendents, only to find further perils. (95 Mins)
Views: Popular Taiwanese director Tsai Yang Ming – also known as Ulysses Au Yeung Jun – who brought us films such as The Prodigal Boxer, 72 Desperate Rebels, Secret Of The Shaolin Poles, Shaolin Drunken Monk, and Gangland Odyssey with Alex Man, delivers another imaginative and busy wuxia adventure that just falls-short of being as memorable as many others that came before it. The film begins with our heroes standing-off against a team of fighters called the Four Ants – who are (believe it or not), four dwarves dressed in different colours that carry a large coffin around on their shoulders for the next person they kill. The English dub makes them sound like adults speaking like children, which is very odd and slightly disturbing, and even though their swords are bigger themselves – they still manage to move pretty well. It doesn't last long, but at least you have an idea of where things are going. Things soon come across a little messy before the film starts getting exciting around the 30 minute mark. At this point, our three heroes have uncovered and helped stopped some corrupt officials, but from here on in, things just don't seem to be in their favour and bring plenty of problems their way!
The film stars popular Taiwanese actor Ling Yun who made his debut in the late 1950s, before going on to star in films such as Killer Clans, Crazy Bumpkin In Singapore, Clans Of Intrigue, Death Duel, Militant Eagle, A Hero's Tears, The Revenger, and so much more. He is joined by Barry Chan (Wei Tzu Yun), a Hong Kong actor who started in the early 70s and went on to appear in titles like The Fists Of Vengeance, The Blazing Temple, Militant Eagle, Swift Shaolin Boxer, 72 Desperate Rebels, Little Hero, and more. Prolific actor and fan favourite bad guy, Yi Yuan, stars as Golden Dog in one of his 225+ roles over the course of his career that spanned 35 years. Sharing the screen many times with his co-stars over the years, Yuan would be most recognisable for his roles in films like Shaolin Kung Fu, The Shaolin Kids, Prodigal Boxer, Blazing Temple, 18 Bronzemen, Shaolin Invincibles, Shaolin Vs Ninja, and as one of the old prisoners in Jackie Chan's Island Of Fire. Taiwanese actress Hsia Ling Ling also co-stars, along with many popular faces such as Peter Chang Peng, Hwa Ling, Shih Ting Ken, Chang Chung Kui, and Kao Chiang. The wonderful Jacky Chen cameos throughout – an actor and choreographer who made his debut in King Hu's A Touch Of Zen, going on to appear in many great films including Enter The Dragon, The Loot, Tai Chi Shadow Boxing, and the brilliant Of Cook's And Kung Fu – as does the legendary Chen Sing, who had just come off 14 titles in 1979 and was working on a further 9 the same year as this. So you can understand why certain roles around this era were often only cameos or bit parts. Of course, Chen would go on to star in over 140 films from the late 60s to the early 90s – with Caged Beauties giving fans one of his final roles. Chen Sing would pass in 2019 at the age of 82, in Jakarta...
As a fan of 70's Taiwanese kung-fu films, I really wanted to love A Brotherhood Of Heroes but it just didn't have enough excitement or fight scenes to win me over (and the English dub didn't help either). That said, there are a few good fights throughout, and more-so after the one-hour-mark, but it really had nothing special to make me want to see it again.
Overall: Slow and messy at times, A Brotherhood Of Heroes has some fun fights throughout, but that's about it!
ACCIDENT
(Hong Kong 2009)
Original Title: Yi Ngoi 意外 (aka) Assassins
Directed by Soi Cheang Produced by Johnnie To Action by Jack Wong Starring: Louis Koo, Lam Suet, Stanley Fung, Michelle Ye, Richie Jen, Monica Mok, Peter Lau, Han Yu Qin Reviewing: Netflix UK Release Genres: Drama / Thriller
Rating - 4 / 5
Netflix Synopsis: A contract killer skilled at staging lethal accidents fears he may be a victim of his own strategy when an accomplice dies in a mysterious mishap. (90 Mins)
Views: It took me a number of years to get to watch this tense thriller from director Soi Cheang. While I have imported the majority of my collection from Hong Kong, there have just been so many other titles that I'd been dying to get my hands on before this. Thankfully, Accident popped-up on UK Netflix a couple of years ago which gave me the chance to finally see it and I must admit, I was only sorry that I had waited so long. Cheang has been working on the Hong Kong film scene for a number of decades before making his directorial debut in the late 90s, starting as an actor and assistant director on films such as Black Mask, Young And Dangerous 2, Bio-Zombie and a number of Johnnie To productions including Drug War and PTU, and I hadn't really seen much of Cheang's work as a director before I owned his amazing Dog Bite Dog soon after its release. Regardless, it was clear the guy had some talent to show and while I've still to see Shamo, Motorway, and many more of his works, I have went on to enjoy his Monkey King Trilogy and the fantastic SPL 2: A Time For Consequences over the last lot of years. With an intense score from Xavier Jamaux (who has scored a small number of films for Milkyway Productions), and stunning cinematography from Edmond Fung – who incidentally shot Dog Bite Dog and Shamo for Cheang – you can't help but get drawn-in to this intriguing world of Accident, even with its slow-burning pace. Although the film is produced by hugely celebrated director Johnnie To, it's clear that Accident carries the influences of a lot of To's movies, but director Cheang still adds enough darkness that harks back to his earlier films and brings us an often intense, violent, and dark thriller that – in my opinion – is quite underrated. Of course, as a viewer, this means stretching the imagination a little as some of the ideas involved rely on coincidences and chance – but not to a ridiculous degree – and of course at the end of the day, it's just a film after all!
Louis Koo plays the Brain (literally) of a small but covert team of assassins who get paid to take out people, all while making it look like an accident. It may sound simple, but the team go to some lengths in their planning to pull of some convincing accidents that makes Death from Final Destination seem like a 60's Bond villain. After a brief but brutal car-crash introduction, we get to witness the skills of Koo and his team as a middle-aged business man comes to a 'pane-ful' end. Set in the tight streets of Hong Kong, he gets stuck behind a car with a flat-tyre, which is driven by Michelle Ye – a member of Koo's team. As she fumbles about while blocking the road ahead, the impatient man turns-right only to find himself hit with more obstacles that leave a large material banner draped over his front window. Having soaked some passing people in the process (after driving through a puddle), the man finds himself alone and gets out to remove the signage. He yanks hard on it, breaking the banner from its catch but, at the same time, triggers something that shatters the large window pane just above it. As the heavy shards of glass come crashing down on him, the man looks up in fear with many spectators watching – some of which are the killer team of Koo, Ye, Lam Suet and Stanley Fung Sui Fan. The next murder comes with a bit more focus, as a 'hit' is bought for a wheelchair-bound, old pawn-shop owner by his only son and minder. Its an incredibly tense set-up as Koo relies on timing, heavy rain, and his competent team in order to make it look like an accident. At the same time, we start to see how paranoid Koo is becoming, as certain events that go-on around him almost seem like he is a victim of his own strategies. As the days pass and the team abort time-and-time again, it seems that they might not be able to pull-off this murder as planned anytime soon. But as the heavens open unexpectedly, Koo quickly calls them into action which leads to the intricately planned death of the old man – and then some. I really enjoyed this moment personally, with some incredible and atmospheric night-scenes captured in floods of rain. The film starts to take a turn-for-the-worst, as plans start to go awry and Brain's paranoia kicks-in leading him to believe that he is now under threat, and a victim to someone else's planning. It all leads to one of the films more shocking moments, which shifts viewers to the edge of their seats (if it hasn't already), and keeps them there for the remainder of its running time.
With so many surprise twists-and-turns to follow, it would be wrong of me to give too much more away, but I can tell you that Accident is most definitely worth the watch. Louis Koo gives a great performance as Brain, (as does everyone else to be honest) and definite offers up a very different character to anything else he was working on that year such as comedies like On His Majesty's Secret Service, All's Well Ends Well 2009, Poker King, and the Derek Yee produced thriller, Overheard. It was great to see Stanley Fung (from the Lucky Stars series) back in such a serious role, and while he has appeared in almost 140 films from the late 1960s, I definitely think this is one of his finest performances that saw him nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 29th Hong Kong Film Awards. Although he plays a major part of Koo's team, Fung's character of Uncle is plagued with early on-set dementia which brings a serious amount of disruption to Koo's plans and a bevy of problems for all involved. Johnnie To regular and prolific Hong Kong actor Lam Suet also appears, delivering another memorable role which was one of his seven performances of the year alongside films like Storm Warriors, Shinjuku Incident, Vengeance, and Poker King alongside co-star Koo. Since he first appeared on-screen in the late 80s, Suet has went on to star in well over 260 films for many of Hong Kong's greatest film-makers and is still going strong today, appearing in films such as The Rookies, Invincible Dragon, A Home With A View, and Dynasty Warriors. While it may have its flaws, and is definitely not supposed to be the kind of film that leaves you feeling happy, Accident is well worth the watch and should definitely have gained more international attention with Hong Kong film fans – not to mention anyone one who loves a great thriller.
Overall: A tense, atmospheric thriller, Accident is beautifully shot with an amazing score and performances from all involved!
ACCIDENTAL SPY; THE
(Hong Kong 2001)
Original Title: Dak Mo Mai Sing
Directed by Teddy Chen Produced by Jackie Chan, Raymond Chow Action by Jackie Chan, Stephen Tung Wei, Jackie Chan Stunt Steam Starring: Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang, Vivian Hsu, Kim Min Jeong, Wu Hsing Kuo, Alfred Cheung, Brad Allen, Scott Adkins, Anthony Carpio Reviewing: Kam & Ronson HK DVD Release Genres: Martial Arts / Action / Thriller
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Kam & Ronson HK DVD Synopsis: It all starts when one normal dullday, Bei (Jackie Chan) follows his instincts to trail two suspicious looking men into an alley. When he realizes that these men are robbing a jewelry store, he jumps into action to foil their plans. Soon after Bei meets Liu, a private investigator who convinces Bei that he may be the long-lost son of a rich Korean businessman. In no time, Bei is on his way to fulfill his dream of adventure and fortune travelling to Korea, and even exotic Turkey. As Bei is drawn deeper into the gameof cat and mouse, he realizes he has become the key to locating a lung cancer virus. With an assortment of characters fighting him along the way, will Bei succeed in fighting the virus himself? (108 Mins)
Universe HK DVD Synopsis: Bei, instinct-driven and well-trained in fighting, is on his way of adventure to Korea to look for his long-lost parent. With the help of a female reporter he travels to exotic Turkey where he finds a huge amount of money and meets a mysterious girl. Against an assortment of characters fighting him along the way, he finally realizes that he has become the key to locating a lung cancer virus... (108 Mins)
Views: After purchasing my second copy of this turn-of-the-century Chan flick, I felt it was only fair to return to my original review and start over again. I had initially purchased the Universe Hong Kong DVD release when The Accidental Spy first came out, during a time when the DVD market was only really kicking-off and the quality on most discs (except major Hollywood productions), were questionable at best. Of course, this is only something we have learned many years later due to digital restorations on Blu-ray, as well as newer DVD distributors which helped make my latest buy of this movie a much more positive experience. It was only a few months back that I had watched the aforementioned Universe release of which the picture isn't HD perfect by any means, with the film presented in a squashed letterbox fashion and its colors looking more than a little washed. So when I found this Kam & Ronson DVD on Ebay for only a few pounds, I jumped at the chance with that hope that their claim of it being 'Digitally Remastered' would hold up. And I have to say, I was not disappointed! Everything from the ratio and picture quality to the color was just fantastic, and while the Universe edition carries a DTS option soundtrack, the same option here actually sounded much more spectacular. It was like watching a brand new film altogether, and was probably the most I've ever enjoyed watching The Accidental Spy!
The film opens with a brutal massacre in Turkey, as a gang of terrorists mow-down some foreign scientists and field workers. Its a violent and beautifully shot action scene that is supposed to set the overall tone of the film. But within minutes, we are introduced to Jackie's character, Bei (or Buck); a gym-equipment sales-assistant who likes to show-off to potential customers as he demonstrates how everything works. It's a light-hearted and comedic introduction to our hero and something we get sprinkled lightly throughout, although without ever distracting from the more serious side of things. After over-doing it during a sales-pitch, Jackie heads-out to lunch in a shopping-mall where he finds himself caught in the middle of a bank robbery. After a neat stunt on the escalators, Jackie takes the robbers on a wild-goose-chase as he runs-off with their loot. He soon gets chased into an elevator where we get to enjoy the first scene of Jackie in action as he ducks and dives, punches and kicks his way out (helped by the hilarious Teresa Ha Ping and her pair of pruning shears). Making a run for the roof with the robbers close behind him – and the police right behind them – Jackie is forced onto the edge. With nowhere to go, the unlikely hero takes a crazy leap onto a nearby crane that is towering over the city. As one of the robbers follows, Jackie makes his way along the arm of it; still clutching on to the bag of money as he risks his life. But when the police open-fire, the robber stumbles into the cabin of the crane and unknowingly hits some buttons that starts the arm moving in the wrong direction, much to Jackie's surprise. In yet another impressive stunt, and one of the highlights of the film, we witness Jackie hold-on for his life as the arm of the crane smashes through the side of a building, tearing through the offices and out the other side before it stops. Shocked at his survival, Jackie is then lowered down to ground-level where he is quickly hailed as a hero.
After plenty of media attention, the great Eric Tsang makes a connection with Jackie, enticing him to take on a mission that directs him to Korea with the possibility of finding his real father. It's from here, that the film starts to get quite dark – which is even more noticeable after its previous action scene – and comes across more like a thriller with its cold-blue filter, darkened shots, and serious melodrama. After finding a man in a hospital who he suspects may be his father, Jackie soon encounters a gang of terrorists that have taken interest in the very same man. This leads to a cool fight scene in the hospital ward and (random but decent) car chase after that. It isn't long before Jackie starts finding more clues in his adventure which takes him to Turkey, allowing for more exotic locations and inventive action scenes that thankfully take us away from the bleak setting of the Korean winter. As the clues and mystery continue, Jackie soon finds himself up against a group of Turkish terrorists who are in search of 'the thing'. That fucking 'thing' that every bad guy wants, yet nobody knows what they are asking for – except 'that thing'. The 'thing' of course, is a new form of Anthrax which Jackie just happens to have in his possession!
Thankfully, this trip to Turkey comes with a number of cool action sequences, including the fun skirmish with the taxi-drivers and the highly memorable fight in the Turkish bathhouse, spilling out to the marketplace where a naked Jackie must use everything available to keep his bits out of view (although still managing to throw a punch or kick whenever he can). This fight is a lot of fun, and definitely proves to be one of the more 'Jackie Chan' moments of The Accidental Spy, but it doesn't take long to get thrust back into Teddy's dark world of terrorism and espionage as Jackie gets taken hostage by the Turkish fighters, forced to fight his way out in a violent and bloody gun-fight. It does make for an intense getaway, but the flip-flop of the moods and tone did start to annoy me. It's like a big budgeted Godfrey Ho movie at times, and I don't mean that it's terrible – I just mean it can start to feel a tad messy. Even the fights seem a little lazy at times (although not all disappointing), and none more-so than the last fight with the late Brad Allen in the back of a convertible. Its hardly anything as exciting as their fights in Gorgeous and plays more like a game of 'slappy-hands', which is a damn shame. This leads to the films big finale, which is another highlight of The Accidental Spy, although something that had become all to common of Jackie's movies from this period – trading a good old fist-to-foot showdown for a big vehicle stunt! Having crashed the convertible into the back of an oil tanker, Jackie must rescue the driver and his family from the burning truck, and all while keeping the huge vehicle moving so that the flames don't race up the tank and cause an explosion. Its a pretty big stunt and very well executed that (finally) brings a bit more excitement to the film, with Jackie executing one of his finest stunts that sees him swinging from some construction netting on a bridge after leaping from the burning truck, before he hits the dirt hard. Impressive yes, but definitely not enough to make The Accidental Spy sit strong in Jackie Chans top-ten.
I suppose in hindsight, before they had went into production, Golden Harvest should really have decided that The Accidental Spy was either going to be more like Jackie's fantastic dark-thriller, Shinjuku Incident, or like a Stanley Tong directed globe-trotting adventure like First Strike or Kung Fu Yoga. Teddy Chen is one of those directors that (for me) often delivers films that prove to be entertaining, yet never seem to nail it. Before this, Chen had directed straight-forward action films Downtown Torpedoes and Purple Storm, both of which had their moments but just never did wow me. Thankfully, The Accidental Spy helped bump him up another level and genuinely offers quality entertainment (even with it's few flaws) and went onto win the awards for Best Film Editing and Best Action Choreography at the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards, with Stephen Tung Wai and the Jackie Chan Stunt Team working their magic on the latter. Interestingly enough, Tung Wai had worked with Chen as the action-choreographer of both those movies, with both teaming up again for Donnie Yen's awesome Bodyguards & Assassins and the hugely underrated Double World, which I really enjoyed.
It's worth noting that while he only has 12 directing credits behind him in almost 30 years, Teddy Chen has been acting in Hong Kong films since 1986, and was working as an assistant director even earlier than that on films such as Man On The Brink, Once Upon A Mirage, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, as well as classics like The Legend Of Wisely, I Love Maria, and A Chinese Ghost Story 2. Joining Jackie and Eric Tsang is the beautiful Vivian Hsu who made her debut in the fun Shaolin Popeye with Jimmy Lin before going on to star with him again in Chivalrous Legend and Heavenly Legend, as well as other Kevin Chu movies such as Hunting List, Super Mischieves, and A Tale Of Rascal. Roles with Yuen Biao in Dragon From Shaolin and Tony Leung Chiu Wai in Your Place Or Mine would take her up to The Accidental Spy, with Hsu going on to star in films like One Last Dance, Fire Of Conscience, The Sorcerer & The White Snake, Warriors Of The Rainbow 1 & 2, and Rhythm Of The Rain through to present day. Wu Hsing Guo, Kim Min Jeong, Alfred Cheung, and Vincent Kwok also appear throughout as well as the aforementioned Brad Allen, Paul Andreovski, Eric Lee, Rocky Lai, Jack Wong, and a young Scott Adkins who all get to relish in the films many action scenes and help with the choreography as part of Jackie's team.
Just to note though – avoid the US cut and dubbed version at all costs, which has been cut by 20 minutes, re-edited, re-scored, and badly dubbed with some new plot points. Aim for the original 108 minute HK release (more-so the Kam & Ronson DVD if something even better isn't already available) for the best version, and be sure to keep watching after the fun out-takes during the credits (with a theme song by Jackie Chan and Jacky Cheung) for a post-credit scene that shows Jackie continuing his role as a spy. Given it's success, The Accidental Spy should have led to a sequel, but nothing ever came of it unfortunately with the film proving to be last production Jackie would make for Golden Harvest. Of course, this is a shame as I'd like to have seen where they would have took it from here...
Overall: While it has a few flaws, The Accidental Spy was something a little different for Chan fans at the time, and still proves to be highly entertaining today!
Universe DVD Extras: Stars bio's, Making of documentary, Trailers
Kam & Ronson DVD Extras: N/A
A CHOO
(Taiwan 2020)
Original Title: Da Pen Ti 打噴嚏
Directed by Kevin Ko, Peter Tsi Produced by Wesley Ko Action by Zhang Peng Starring: Kai Ko, Louis Koo, Ariel Lin, Talu Wang, Liu Kuan Ting, Kate Tsui, Vanness Wu, Zhang Xiaolong Reviewing: Netflix UK Release Genres: Rom-com / Drama / Superhero
Rating: 3 / 5
Synopsis: Wang Yi Zhi has always been in love with Xin Xin. Even from their childhood days in the orphanage, the two have always held a special connection. When Wang finds out that Xin Xin is now dating a geeky computer engineer, who is secretly a superhero, he sets out to train as a boxer before he professes his love to her. But when Xin Xin gets kidnapped by a crazed super-villain, Wang Yi Zhi must prove his love and his fighting skills in order to win back the girl of his dreams. (102 Mins)
Views: Originally slated for a release back in 2014, Taiwanese rom-com-superhero-drama A Choo was to be shelved indefinitely after its leading star, Kai Ko, was arrested on drugs charges with the one and only Jaycee Chan. Kai's career took a heavy blow after that, and to make matters worse, writer Giddens Ko got caught-up in his own scandal after he was discovered cheating on his girlfriend of 9 years. It seemed like A Choo would never see the light of day, but now – 6 years later – we finally get the chance to see it...
Based on Giddens Ko's novel of the same name, A Choo is ultimately a love story, set in a world where superheroes exist. It's not a superhero movie like what we see in the MCU or otherwise, even though that's how Netflix seem to be selling it with their teaser. In fact, this rom-com fantasy is a blend of many things that hark back to the genre-blending days of 80's and 90's Hong Kong (and even Taiwanese) cinema. Opening with a pretty cool animation (done comic-book style to fit the tone), we are introduced to our 3 main characters as kids – with the young Wang Yi Zhi proving to be particularly cute in his role. His charm and puppy-love towards Xin Xin is borderline infatuation, something of which he never seems to grow out off!
While escaping some of the orphanage bullies, the young trio of friends come across an old cabin in the woods amidst a lightning storm. Its here that they see a man on the porch, who seems to be pulling the lightning-strikes towards him. Upon seeing the kids, the man runs back into his house, slamming the door behind him. It doesn't take the kids long to confirm that this man is missing superhero, Flash – played by the wonderful Louis Koo. In their late teen years, Xin Xin leaves the orphanage. The boys have now grown-up to be the handsome Kai Ko and Talu Wang (from The Rookies). Both are smitten with her and upset to see their first love go, but it doesn't take them long to head to the city and pay Xin Xin a visit, much to her surprise. It's here that the young teacher gets caught-up in a violent gun-fight between a gang of robbers and the police. As the boys watch helplessly, with Xin Xin now a hostage, beloved superhero Sonic (played by Liu Kuan Ting) comes to the rescue – delivering the first real piece of superhero action which is great fun. After taking the last gunman down, Sonic sweeps in to catch Xin Xin in mid-fall, leaving them in somewhat of a romantic entanglement, that doesn't please the poor Wang...
As time passes, Wang takes to the ring, becoming a human punchbag for the gym boxers – something that leads to a odd-choice of career. Talu has joined the police-academy, taking both friends down a completely different path in life. Xin Xin invites them both to dinner one night, with the intention of introducing her new boyfriend – a geeky, computer engineer who is actually the superhero, Sonic. Of course, the boys aren't too slow in figuring this out, and this reveal now encourages the heart-broken Wang to up his game by any means necessary, in a bid to prove his love. His first stop is begging retired superhero Flash (Koo), to train him as a fighter, and at the same time, help him develop some super-powers. From here, we get to see the extreme (and perhaps unnatural) lengths, the handsome Wang will go to just to win back the girl of his dreams.
In the background, super villain Cube (played with great campiness by Vanness Wu), is keeping an eye on his enemies and soon finds out the true identity of Sonic. His discovery also reveals Sonics relationship with Xin Xin, and before we know it, the poor girl is once again taken hostage – along with the children of the orphanage. She will only be freed in exchange for the Matrix, a powerful weapon that would allow Cube to rule the world. It's here, in this final act, that things suddenly turn dark, with some nice action-scenes when Kai and Talu launch a rescue mission. We also get treated to some more super-powered antics, and while the CGI may not be of MCU quality, it all still proves to be quite entertaining...
A Choo is a bit of a mixed bag, although not in a negative sense. It's blend of heavy drama and romance, with its cartoon-like comedy and super-action may not appeal to everyone. And while it could certainly have ironed out a few of the noticeable flaws, the film still proves to be a charming and highly entertaining watch. With a steady pace and beautiful cinematography, A Choo charms with its romance and cuteness, while offering enough laughs that often seem like cut-scenes from the awesome, One Punch Man. They may seem out-of-place, but I enjoyed them. The action, from choreographer Zhang Peng, isn't anything we haven't seen before, but still entertains. I just wish we had gotten more superhero action, as what was on offer was brilliant – but it almost felt like we were being teased with these exciting characters. Peng has been involved with some crackers such as 47 Ronin, The Wrath Of Vajra, Ninja Assassin, and even doubled Jackie Chan on Rush Hour 3. In fact, the man has even dipped his toes in the superhero genre long before this, working on hits such as Kick-Ass, Scott Pilgrim, Hellboy 2, Wonder Woman, and even the MCU's brilliant, Ant-Man. Let's hope that someday, we get to see a full-blown adventure film of Sonic, Flash and even Cube from the team involved here. I think they deserve it!
Overall: While it has its flaws, A Choo proves to be an entertaining watch and has enough going on for fans that makes it worthwhile!
ADRENALINE RUSH
(South Korea 2011)
Original Title: Kwik 퀵 (aka) Quick
Directed by Cho Beom Gu Produced by Sean Lee, JK Youn Action by Oh Sea Young Starring: Lee Min Ki, Kang Ye Won, Kim In Kwon, Ko Chang Seok, Ma Dong Seok Reviewing: Los Banditos Films UK DVD Release Genres: Action / Comedy
Rating: 4 / 5
Los Banditos DVD Synopsis: Addicted to speed, and oblivious to the rules of the road, courier Kim finds himself with a shipment that's delivery is a matter of life and death. An unwitting piece in a sick game, Kim is trapped on his motorcycle with a time sensitive bomb that threatens to kill him at every turn, forcing him to follow the instructions of a mystery phone voice, making him decide if he is prepared to become a murderer or murdered. Kim has two choices – follow the rules or end up as road kill! (80 Mins)
Views: Adrenaline Rush opens with a bang (in many ways) as we are introduced to its lead guy, legendary biker Gi-Soo; a handsome, cool and moody tween with no regard for rules. Behind him is Chun-Sim – an old girlfriend who is trying to keep up on her moped and in tears at the thought of him with another woman. Behind her – Kim Myeong-Sik tries to keep up as he screams out her name, pushing his Papa Johns Pizza delivery bike to its limits. As they run a red light, all hell breaks loose causing a massive traffic collision that sends Chun Sim sliding under an oil tanker. Concerned for his ex, Gi-Soo zooms up over an overturned car and jumps the tanker – just as it explodes!
If you aren't already laughing by this point of the film, you may as well give up. I'm a huge fan of Adrenaline Rush with its daft humour and madcap action scenes. It's like a Fast & Furious movie directed by Chow Sing Chi and doesn't let up for a single minute...
Some time passes, and Gi-Soo is now working as a courier on his motorbike. He seems slightly wiser and a little more mature. He gets a call about his next collection which happens to lead him back to Chun-Sim who is now a big star singer of a girl band. Excited to see him, Chun-Sim gets on the back of his bike and claims his only helmet. Almost instantly, things take a turn for the worst as a mysterious call reveals that a bomb is in the headgear and will explode if she removes it, or if they separate more than 10 feet (due to the hi-tec wrist watch he wears). As the panic sets in, their mission begins to start making deliveries for the mysterious caller – most of which turn out to be more bombs! Unfortunately, Chun-Sim has a concert to do first with her girl group, which she does attend while still wearing her helmet. This scene alone had me roaring as it leads to some hilarious moments as the two of them try to stay close.
Adrenaline Rush is just mental!! It goes 100mph and hardly slows down due to its great action and chase scenes – incorporating some smart CGI for its wilder shots and moments – and is ridiculously funny on many levels. Ye-Won Kang is just hilarious as Chun-Sim – and the cute Min-Ki Lee does a great job as Gi-Soo. Both actors work so well together and had preciously shared the screen in the 2009 Korean disaster flick, Tidal Wave, as did In-Kwon Kim who plays the trainee-cop determined to stop Gi-Soo and win the heart of Chun-Sim. Incidentally, this was made by the very same producers behind Tidal Wave also. As the madness continues, more and more crazy action fills the screen, more twists in the plot are revealed, and Gi-Soo's love is put to the test when Chun-Sim (complete with a bomb strapped to her) becomes a hostage resulting in a climax on a speeding train. I'll not give away too much more, but I did like how the bad guy had a genuine reason for being pissed off in the end...
This UK release of Adrenaline Rush races in at 80 minutes. The original Korean cut is listed at 1 hour and 55 minutes, so I'd like to see what a difference that makes to the whole feel of the film. As it stands, this is probably the most fun I've had in 80 minutes in a long time and I loved it. Be sure to stick around for some NG's and making of shots during the end credits for some interesting stunts and bike work!
Overall: Fast, funny and furious, Adrenaline Rush is wildly entertaining and a lot of fun!!
Los Banditos DVD Extras: TV Spot, Trailers, Making Of Documentary...
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AGE OF SHADOWS; THE
(South Korea 2016)
Original Title: Mil-Jeong 밀정
Directed by Kim Jee Woon Produced by Kim Jee Woon, Choi Jae Weon Action by Jung Doo Hong, Jung Yoon Hun Starring: Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Yoo Gong, Han Ji-Min, Sin Seong-Rok Reviewing: Thunderbird Releasing/Warner Bros. UK DVD Release Genres: Action / Espionage / Thriller
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warner Bros. DVD Synopsis: During the Japanese occupation, a group of freedom fighters smuggle explosives to destroy facilities controlled by the Japanese forces. A group of resistance fighters led by the leader's second in command try to bring in explosives from Shanghai to destroy key Japanese facilities in Seoul. It's a game of cat-and-mouse as it's up to a Korean-born Japanese police officer to infiltrate the resistance at all costs by befriending an antique dealer who's involved in the plot but never exposed. (141 Mins)
Views: Set in the 1920's during the Japanese occupation of Korea, The Age Of Shadows tells the true story of a gang of freedom-fighters who smuggle-in explosives from Shanghai, in a bid to destroy all key Japanese facilities and drive-out the enemy. As they are led by the revolutionaries second-in-command for this particular mission, the fighters are infiltrated by a Korean-born Japanese policeman, who was once a revolutionary in his younger days. As the game of cat-and-mouse begins, their journey soon takes many twists-and-turns, with the Japanese hot-on-their-heels that all leads to a dramatic and explosive finale!
I happened to watch this amazing espionage-thriller just hours after a re-watch of Kim Jee Woon's amazing, A Tale Of Two Sisters. I have to say, it was quite the experience going from one to the other, as both films offer such a completely different watch. But thankfully, both films are also incredibly made and show what Kim can do working at either end of the film-spectrum (and with so much more in-between). Although it has the odd-spat of humour through-out, Kim pretty much plays it straight for the most-part, keeping the audience gripped with plenty of wonderfully lit visuals, constant suspense, and some fantastic writing. And while most may find that the first hour of this 141 minute movie might drag its feet a little, it certainly doesn't bore with some great character introductions, dialogue and production-design that keep you glued to the screen. Of course, everything after that comes running at us, with some nice action sequences and tense stand-off's as the Japanese close-in – from brutal chase-scenes to an incredibly suspenseful shoot-out on a train, and more. To be honest, as simple as things may seem, there's actually so much to see here that you would probably benefit from watching it again (and again). The Age Of Shadows is a stunningly shot movie, backed with some incredible performances that is now typical of it's South Korean A-list cast.
Leading the way is the wonderful, Song Kang-Ho. Shooting to global fame after the success of the amazing Parasite, where he played the hilarious father of the family, Song has rarely disappointed over the course of his career and has been a long-time talent of Kim Jee Woon's since the directors first film in 1998 called, The Quiet Family – later remade by Takashi Miike as, The Happiness Of The Katakuri's (both of which are well worth watching). Following on with The Foul King, Song worked with Kim on The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and his Hollywood debut with The Last Stand. Of course, fans would also recognise him from massive hits such as Memories Of Murder (which is where I had first seen him), The Host, Snowpiercer, Lady Vengeance, and many more. In The Age Of Shadows, Song plays Lee Jung-Chool, a Korean-born Japanese man, who now works as a highly respected police officer for the Japanese. Forced by Japanese officials to go undercover as a rebel, Lee finds himself torn inside as his journey soon reveals what his heart really wants.
Joining him, and playing Kim Woo-Jin (the second-in-command of the rebels), is Yoo Gong – a face more widely recognised to the Western audience for his role in the epic Train To Busan, where he played the loving father who will do anything to protect his daughter. Shot in the same year, Gong gets to play a major shift of characters between projects, and delivers an equally strong performance here as the freedom fighter out to stop the enemy. His boss, and the leader of the rebels, is Jung Chae-San played by the awesome Lee Byung-Hun in somewhat of an extended cameo. Flitting in-and-out of the story, Jung may be calling the shots, but clearly trusts in Kim Woo-Jin and knows exactly what undercover cop, Lee Jung-Chool, is up to. Much like Song Kang-Ho, Lee has made quite the name for himself in terms of global cinema as well as having shared-the-screen with the latter on a number of occasions. Lee first worked with director Kim Jee Woon on the amazing and dark A Bittersweet Life, before returning to star for him in The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and again for I Saw The Devil, before returning for The Age Of Shadows. And while it may be a smaller role in the latter, Lee's presence and appearance proves to be the cherry-on-top of an already, fantastic cast.
Aside from looking incredible, The Age Of Shadows benefits from an amazing and suspenseful score courtesy of Mowg. Having first worked with Kim Jee Woon on I Saw The Devil, as one of his first films as a composer, Mowg kept himself busy for a few years before returning for Kim's Hollywood debut with The Last Stand. Another few years would see them team-up again for this, then in 2018 for the fantastic Illang: The Wolf Brigade. Without taking a breath, Mowg has brought some incredible music to many hits of Korean cinema such as the twisted Burning, Exit (which is so much fun), zombie sequel Peninsula, and many more. Kim Ji-Yong lends his magic-eye as the cinematographer for The Age Of Shadows, also returning to work with the director since The Last Stand and A Bittersweet Life before that, which was his debut feature as a DOP. Of course, he has shot many more in between such as the twisted Hansel And Gretel, the fantastic Swing Kids, and brilliant Ashfall (also starring Lee Byung-Hun) and never fails to impress with some gorgeous visuals, from lighting to framing – and none more-so than here.
While The Age Of Shadows may seem heavy with its lengthy running-time and story, it does prove to be highly entertaining and worthy of a second or even third watch. Kim Jee Woon is one of South Korean cinema's greatest film-makers, and has proven time-and-time again, that no matter what the genre is – he can still make it a masterpiece!
Overall: Beautiful, tense, and brilliantly made, The Age Of Shadows is well worth the watch for fans of spy thrillers, and Korean cinema in general!
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AGITATOR
(Japan 2001)
Original Title: Araburu Tamashii-Tachi 荒ぶる魂たち
Directed by Takashi Miike Produced by Fujio Matsushima Starring: Mickey Curtis, Yoshiyuki Daichi, Hakuryu, Masato Ibu, Renji Ishibashi, Masaya Kato, Aya Kawamura, Takashi Miike, Hiroki Matsukata Reviewing: Tartan Asia Extreme UK DVD Release Genres: Gangster / Drama / Action
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Tartan Asia Extreme DVD Synopsis: In this epic of Yakuza honour, betrayal and bloodshed, maverick Japanese director Miike Takashi creates a tale that is at once cool and muted yet unremittingly dark and brutal. Featuring all of the outrageous trademarks that audiences have come to expect from this twisted cinematic mind, Agitator adds a degree of intensity to the mix that needs to be seen to be believed. When a young Yakuza torments the customers in a rival crime family's nightclub, it is not long before his dead body is found. Soon, inter-family retaliation follows, resulting in the death of a prominent crime boss. Devastated by this turn of events, the temperamental Kenzaki vows to avenge his boss's death and, as bloody violence ensues, the body count reaches excessive proportions. Ranging from the darkly comedic to the violently stylish, this is a twisted trip through the tattoo-strewn, bullet-riddled world of the Japanese Yakuza that will leave you stunned and surprised. If only all gangster movies were this outrageous... (150 Mins)
Views: As one of the eight film projects Takashi Miike had directed in 2001, Agitator shows no signs of weakness – showing strength in it's 150 minute running-time with strong performances and tight direction. This is backed by a great script from first-time writer Shigenori Takechi, the same man behind Miike's remake of the classic Graveyard Of Honor, Violent Fire (aka) Deadly Outlaw: Rekka, and wonderfully violent, Izo. Set in the gritty underworld of Japan's Yakuza gangsters, Agitator plays like a slow-burning epic for the most part, albeit with less action and violence than the directors other gangster-based movies. That said, when it comes about, Miike is sure to remind you who is behind it with his usual trademarks that have made him such a talked-about and revered director of genre cinema. In a nutshell, Agitator is about loyalty and betrayal as a Yakuza leader is pushed to the edge, when two ambitious underling's attempt to overthrow him and a rival boss in a bid to take over their clans. This begins with an event at a crime family's nightclub, when a few gang members hound and abuse one of the clubs hostesses – that includes raping her with a bottle, which is done by director Takashi Miike who plays the titular agitator himself. As things go from bad-to-worse, betrayal is tested in the ranks as words are exchanged and plans are set-in-action. As with most Japanese gangster flicks, this leads to lot's of yelling, violent deaths, and plenty of discussions as each gang tries to rule in first place!
While probably not as action packed, hyper-kinetic, or wild as some of Takashi's other works, Agitator still makes for a compelling watch and often comes-across like a low budget take on The Godfather at times – albeit in a more, subtle way. Of course, Miike's wicked sense of humour is strewn throughout, allowing the audience to breathe every-now-and-again, as they become focused on it's heavy narrative. This was an exciting year for fans of the director, as Miike offered-up quite a mix of genres with films like Family, Visitor Q, Ichi The Killer, and the insane musical-horror, The Happiness Of The Katakuris. But in amongst the madness of those aforementioned titles, Agitator almost seems like it was allowing Miike to catch his breath somewhat. And while it certainly isn't any less superior than the rest, I often feel like films like this (for Takashi), are fast and easy to produce – which is probably why we see more of this genre from him, than others.
One of the main leads of the film is the handsome Masaya Kato, who plays Kunihiko. This model-turned-actor first came to my attention when he played opposite the awesome Mark Dacascos in Steve Wang's incredible martial-arts, action-comedy, Drive. The year before he also starred alongside Mark in the hugely underrated Crying Freeman, although I've also enjoyed him in films such as Muscle Heat, Aragami, Fighter In The Wind, Shinjuku Incident, and Terraformers – also by Takashi Miike. His boss is played by the wonderful Naoto Takenaka, who also starred alongside Kato in Jackie Chan and Derek Yee's brilliant Shinjuku Incident, and no matter where I see him, Naoto always leaves an impression. The earliest film I remember seeing him in was the fun Hiruko The Goblin, followed by Takashi's Ley Lines, and wonderfully funny Waterboys, as well as ninja flick, Red Shadow. Although often cast in a comedy based role, Naoto proves to be an amazing dramatic actor, and impresses as mob-boss Higuchi.
Although it may take a bit of focus, Agitator is a Takashi Miike film well-worth-watching. It's slow-burn pace helps bring a natural feel to the story, allowing it's characters to breathe and mope-about as things play out. And while flashbacks give us insights into some characters pasts, jumps in time let us see where they are going, with Kunihiko determined to get revenge for the murder of his boss – no matter what the cost...
Overall: Slow-burning, tense, and well-acted, Takashi's Agitator is a great watch and a nice addition to the gangster-genre!
Tartan Asia Extreme DVD Extras: Trailers
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ALONG WITH THE GODS:
THE TWO WORLDS
(South Korea 2017)
Original Title: Sin-gwa Ham-kke: Jwi-wa Beol 신과함께: 죄와 벌
Directed by Kim Yong Hwa Produced by Won Doung Yeon, Kim Ho Sung Action by Seth Ericson, Tim Man Starring: Ha Jung Woo, Cha Tae Hyun, Ju Ji Hoon, Kim Hyang Gi, Lee Jung Jae Reviewing: Wellgo USA US Blu-ray Release Genres: Action / Fantasy / Drama
Rating: 5 / 5
Wellgo USA Blu-ray Synopsis: After dying unexpectedly, firefighter Ja-Hong is taken to the afterlife by three guardians, where only after passing seven trials and proving he lived a noble life will be able to reincarnate. Based on the widely popular web-comic, ALONG WITH THE GODS: THE TWO WORLDS is a star-studded, action-packed fantasy epic about life, death, rebirth, and the unseen forces that guide us through it all. (139 Mins)
Views: I've never had the pleasure of reading the web-comic of which this film is based on, but I had caught wind of this adaptation upon its release and it had intrigued me. My husband and I had spent the majority of the Covid-19 lock-down binge watching some amazing K-drama's on Netflix such as Strong Girl Bong Soon, Mr. Sunshine, Hotel Del Luna, Black, Kingdom and so much more. I have always championed the films of South Korea, and still think it has consistently been the best of Asian cinema since the turn of the century. Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds confirms that with its incredible direction, story, emotion, action and entertainment value! Much like a big budgeted, extended episode of the aforementioned Black series, Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds is an incredible journey into the afterlife offering some stunning visuals and beautiful set-pieces, a few good laughs, some fantastic action sequences, and plenty of lump-in-the-throat moments that really brought tears to the eyes!
Cha Tae Hyun from My Sassy Girl and Hello Ghost, plays Kim Ja Hong; a brave young fire-fighter who loses his life after saving a young girl from a burning apartment block. He is instantly met by 2 out of 3 guardians who are there to guide him through the afterlife, acting as his defence through 7 trials that will take place over 49 days, offering him the chance for reincarnation should he be cleared of all offences. The bonus is, that Ja Hong is considered a Paragon – someone who has died a noble death and led a great life; something that leads viewers to believe that his journey will be somewhat predictable.
But it's most certainly not!
During his journey through what seems like an adults Disneyland, the afterlife is suddenly hit by a series of negative forces – natural disasters of the underworld I suppose. These are caused by a vengeful spirit – someone connected to Ja Hong who has just died and has some anger management issues. With only his brother or deaf-mute mother left behind, Ja Hong instantly fears for his mothers life and refuses to move on until he knows of her destiny. His third guardian, played by the great Ha Jung Woo from The Chaser and The Handmaiden, offers to go back to the real world to find out leaving Ja Hong in the capable hands of his two underlings – a job they soon find extremely tricky with their wise boss out of the picture. Once back in the real world, the film starts to really take a turn. As Jung Woo explores Ja Hong's life, he takes us on an incredible ride of emotion and reincarnation as he finds the heartbroken mother alone. This confirms that it is of course Ja Hong's brother who is the vengeful spirit, and gets introduced via an action scene akin to something that looks like it was pulled right from the pages of the wonderful Naruto – or perhaps even a cut scene from one of The Matrix movies...
As Ja Hong's trials continue with their own twists and turns, Jung Woo starts to mingle with the living to find out what happened to his younger brother. This story alone is wrought with emotion, highlighting so much hurt and loss as well as an unspoken love that leads to the death of the younger Kim. Its a shocking moment, and something I don't want to give away as it leads to so much more in the story – bringing on an apocalyptic ending that is highly impressive for a non-Hollywood movie. Its brilliantly crafted to blend the journey of both worlds together, making Ja Hong's tale even more surprising and stronger as it moves on as well as keeping events in the real world, highly emotional!
With a running time of almost 2 and a half hours, Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds takes a lot of commitment, cramming almost every minute with something meaningful, exciting or well worth seeing. With incredibly detailed sets, interesting characters and of course, plenty of visual effects that would challenge that of any Marvel movie, this South Korean epic is such an incredible viewing experience it puts many Hollywood films of the last two decades to shame. Bringing a lump to my throat more than once, I can hardly find a fault in the film and highly recommend it to anyone wanting something a little different, but something quite amazing. Its final moments present an unexpected cameo that leads right into its equally fantastic sequel – The Last 49 Days...
Overall: Visually stunning, brilliantly acted, and highly entertaining, Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds is an emotional and exciting tale that deserves to be seen!
Wellgo USA Blu-ray Extras: Character Introductions, Behind The Scenes, Trailers
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ALONG WITH THE GODS 2:
THE LAST 49 DAYS
(South Korea 2018)
Original Title: Sin Gwa Ham Kke: In Gwa Yeon 신과함께: 인과 연
Directed by Kim Yong Hwa Produced by Won Doung Yeon, Kim Ho Sung Action by Seth Ericson, Tim Man Starring: Ha Jung Woo, Ma Dong Seok, Ju Ji Hoon, Kim Hyang Gi, Lee Jung Jae Reviewing: Wellgo USA US Blu-ray Release Genres: Action / Adventure / Fantasy
Rating: 5 / 5
Wellgo USA Blu-ray Synopsis: The fantasy epic that smashed box-office records in Korea reaches its thrilling climax in ALONG WITH THE GODS: THE LAST 49 DAYS. As the deceased soul Su-hong and his three afterlife guardians face the remaining trials to obtain their reincarnation, the guardians come face-to-face with the buried truth of their tragic time on earth a thousand years ago, culminating in a final battle with a rogue god. (142 Mins)
Views: Kicking-off from the exact moment that closed the first film, Along With The Gods 2 continues its journey of twists and turns, visual splendour and fantasy action. With a few new faces added to the cast and many nods back to part one, this is best watched straight after as it really ties everything together and is pretty much one whole film split into two chapters. With Ja Hong sent forth for reincarnation in the previous film, the same journey now falls upon the same guardians for his brother Su Hong – now awarded the title of a paragon like his sibling, even after the trouble he caused before. Of course, this hasn't went unseen in the afterlife and is brought to the attention of the king who threatens to strip him of his titular benefit because of his actions. His guardians challenge the king's decision and in turn are offered a deal – something they need to consider as getting Su Hong reincarnated means that they too, will be awarded the chance to live again...
That deal is to 'bring in' rebel House God Seong Ju who has been hiding among the living for too long. Ju is played with hilarity by the wonderful Ma Dong Seok, star of Train To Busan, The Outlaws and Marvel's Eternals. Seong is living with an old man, protecting him from the grim reapers so that his grandson won't be left alone in the world. This is the very same old man from part one who kept getting glimpses of the guardians as they gave chase to the vengeful spirit. His super-cute grandson is just brilliant and much like many of the Korean kid stars I've seen, proves to be a scene stealer with his comedic timing, natural performance and incredible range of emotion. Having spent his time in the real world in the first chapter, leading guardian Gang Lim offers to take Su Hong to his trials alone while Hae Won Maeg and I Deog Chun go after the House God – a job they find a little trickier than expected. Refusing to go back with the guardians until the old man and child are safe and well, Ju soon reveals that he himself was once a guardian – and that it was he who ascended the very same guardians who came for him. As they have no memory of their lives before their time in the afterlife, they make a deal with Ju to let him stay providing he tells them stories of their lives before death – a deal that soon reveals a much bigger connection between everyone involved, as well as a dark past that puts some strains on their relationships!
Along With The Gods 2: The Last 49 Days gets incredibly twisted on its journey bringing in many characters and moments from its previous chapter, as well as taking us on a host of flashbacks to the lives of the guardians. It may sound and even seem slightly over-stuffed as it moves along, but the fact of the matter is that director Kim Yong Hwa delivers a very clean and tidy story that just requires a bit of focus. While some great moments of comedy, drama and emotion fill what's going on in the real world, the scenes of Su Hong and Gang Lim's journey in the afterlife are packed with stunning CGI visuals – some of which include Hong being dangled off a boat via a huge fishing pole to encourage a giant fish that helps move them faster; and a tense chase by raptors and a T-rex before ending up in the belly of an over-grown prehistoric whale; all of which happen just in the first hour. Much like its predecessor, this packed sequel stuns and amazes once again with great performances from all involved, some heavy emotional moments and plenty of stunning visuals – both through its CGI and gorgeous cinematography. Where part one wowed us with its new ideas and freshness, part two gives us reason and heart focusing on forgiveness instead of redemption this time. It fleshes out some things that we thought we already knew from before, shocking and surprising us as the film gives more time to the backgrounds of the guardians rather than the journey of the afterlife – being careful not to give us a retread of part one as most Hollywood blockbusters would tend to do.
Stuffed to the gills, Along With The Gods 2 does not disappoint and is one hell of a ride. As mentioned, this should be watched within a reasonable time after the first which keeps things fresh for the viewer and makes even the smallest details, massive. Both films are two of the best I have ever seen from South Korea, and that's saying something considering how many of them are quite simply, amazing. While it may not carry the same lump in the throat, emotional punch as the first, The Last 49 Days holds its own with a powerful last 30-40 minutes that really hit the mark!
*Don't miss the post-credit scenes...
Overall: As amazing as its predecessor, Along With The Gods 2: The Last 49 Days is an epic sequel that offers more in its running time than Hollywood has in a decade!
A MAN CALLED TIGER
(Hong Kong 1973)
Original Title: Leng Mian Hu 冷面虎 (aka) The Man Called Tiger
Directed by Lo Wei Produced by Raymond Chow Action by Han Ying Chieh Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, Okada Kawai, Maria Yi, James Tien, Yuko Minakaze, Han Ying Chieh, Tien Feng, Lee Kwan, Shikamura Yasuyoshi, Lam Ching Ying, Chin Yuet Sang Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Action / Martial Arts / Thriller
Rating: 4 / 5
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Starring Jimmy Wang Yu (The One-Armed Swordsman) and directed by LoWei, the man behind the smash-hit Bruce Lee vehicles The Big Boss and Fist Of Fury, A Man Called Tiger is a martial arts extravaganza released at the height of an international kung fu craze. Jin Hu (Wang Yu) is a formidable martial artist who suspects his father's apparent suicide was actually a cold-blooded murder. His desire for answers – an revenge – leads him to Japan, where he becomes entangled with the yakuza. With the aid of his fellow countryman Liu Hanming (James Tien, Hand of Death) and a nightclub hostess (Maria Yi, Fist of Fury), Jin Hu sets out to infiltrate Tokyo's underworld, expose a criminal conspiracy and uncover his father's true fate by any means necessary. Long rumoured to have been planned as the third collaboration between Lo Wei and Bruce Lee before Lee made his directorial debut with The Way Of The Dragon, A Man Called Tiger instead became a vehicle for another martial arts superstar in Jimmy Wang Yu. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film for the first time ever in the UK froma brand new 2K restoration. (112 Mins)
Joy Sales/Fortune Star HK DVD Synopsis: Lee Kwan Keung us a weirdo appears in Kyoto who uses to get troubles with triad members. However, he just wants to investigate the death of his father. In a bar, Lee saves Masako from Shimizu Group. He gets hotly pursued by Shimizu gangster but manages to escape through the help of a woman gangster, Chang. Soon, she introduces Lee to her boss, Shimizu, who quickly puts him in a high position among his organization. To impress his boss, Lee smashes a restaurant runs by his best friend, Lau. Since Lau knows Lee's plan, he infiltrates another underground body, to investigate the Yamaki Group. Lee and Lau find out Lee's father was jumped off the rooftop of the Pearl Pub, where he had lost all fortune to a gambler called Kushi. The property has now been transacted to Yamako, who owns the club. Though Yamaki's mistress, Lee finds out that his father's property was sold to him by a man called Nagatani, and he's the father of Lee's friend, Emi. Learning that it is Shimizu to blame for his father's death, Lee drives the underground boss to take a fatal plunge from the same rooftop at Pearl Club. (76 Mins)
Embassy US VHS Synopsis: In one of his most exciting modern day adventures, Chinese box-office superstar JIMMY WANG YU stars as Li, the son of an expert martial artist who was murdered by the underworld racketeers. The action is plentiful as Li avenges his fathers death by infiltrating the underworld and clawing his way to the murderers. Axe wielding killers, motorcycle murderers and a skyscraper battle are all part of this modern action thriller. (70 Mins)
Views: Originally created as the next Bruce Lee film and the third project between the star and director Lo Wei after The Big Boss (1971) and Fist Of Fury (1972), A Man Called Tiger would soon find itself in a spot of bother after the pair fell out after the latter. Interestingly, it is said that A Man Called Tiger originally started life under the title of Yellow Faced Tiger, yet Lo Wei would go onto make a film of that very same name soon after starring Don Wong Tao which would go on to be more widely known as Slaughter In San Francisco (1974) – the film that was often thought to be another project Wei had initially created with Bruce Lee in mind. So, with Lee having left A Man Called Tiger to make his directorial debut Way of the Dragon (1972), Golden Harvest and Lo Wei had to think quick in order to keep things going and soon remembered that they had the OG kung-fu star of Hong Kong cinema on their books – the great, late, and incredibly entertaining Jimmy Wang Yu!
Launching his career at the Shaw Brothers studio just less than a decade before, the controversial star had quickly became one of the biggest names in Hong Kong cinema with roles in films such as Magnificent Trio (1966), The One-Armed Swordsman (1967), Golden Swallow (1968), Return Of The One-Armed Swordsman (1969), and The Chinese Boxer (1970) – his directorial debut which would be his last for them. After a run of independent flicks including Zatoichi & The One-Armed Swordsman (1970), The Magnificent Chivalry (1971), The Sword (1971), and Furious Slaughter (1972), Wang Yu would join forces with the new Golden Harvest studios making the fantastic Invincible Sword (1972) and incredible self-directed One-Armed Boxer (1972) with them before starring in A Man Called Tiger. Clearly taking it easy after starring in 12 features over 1972, this would be only one of nine productions Wang Yu would star in in 1973 along with the Golden Harvest produced Lo Wei directed Seaman No. 7 and The Tattooed Dragon, as well as the awesome Beach Of The War Gods of which he also directed. Not to be tied down to any particular studio, Wang Yu would go onto work with Golden Harvest and Lo Wei at different times throughout his career with A Man Called Tiger proving to be one of their most exciting. Here, Jimmy plays the hero Chin Fu, the Golden Tiger, a suave looking James Dean/007 type character who joins a Yakuza gang in Japan to unravel the truth about the gangsters who were behind his father's murder. Crossing paths with new allies and enemies on his journey, as well as a bevy of women, Chin Fu finally comes face-to-face with his father's killer in a fight to the death. Shot in and around beautiful Kyoto, Japan, the film proves to be a very stylish affair with its colourful costume choices leaping off the screen, which often comes across very similar to the many popular Yakuza and Italian gangster movies from this period. Respectively, Jimmy Wang Yu quite possibly looks the best he's ever looked, sporting a new suit in almost every other scene while his co-stars come across as some of the best dressed thugs ever seen in Hong Kong cinema.
These are highlighted even more so through the lens of the talented Chris Chen Ching Chu – the same cinematographer who captured Lo Wei's biggest hits, The Big Boss (1971) and Fist Of Fury (1972), and after this would go onto work with him on titles such as Back Alley Princess (1973), Kung Fu Girl (1973), The Killer Meteors (1976), A Queen's Ransom (1976), and Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu (1978), as well as King Hu's The Valiant Ones (1975), Joseph Kou's World Of Drunken Master (1979), and other Jackie Chan projects such as All In The Family (1974), 36 Crazy Fists (1979), The Young Master (1980) and Dragon Lord (1982) – also known as The Young Master In Love. Once again, the great and prolific Joseph Koo composers the score for the film while the equally talented Peter Cheung does a great job with the editing. Interestingly, this would only be his 7th film as an editor after starting his career in Golden Harvest with Lo Wei's very own film The Hurricane (1972) and Fist Of Fury (1972). Classics such as Lady Whirlwind (1972), One-Armed Boxer (1972), Hapkido (1972), and Way Of The Dragon (1972) would follow with Cheung going onto edit most of Golden Harvest most well known action films including those from Lo Wei and Jimmy Wang Yu, as well as the biggest hits from Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and others.
A fun cast joins Wang Yu on-screen such as Japanese actors such as the lovely Okada Kawai who also starred with the legendary Toshiro Mifune in Red Lion (1969), Nakako Daisuke from Fire & The Law (1966), The X From Outer Space (1967), and The Five Billion Dollar Legacy (1970), Kasahara Reiko from films such as Island Of Horrors (1970), Gamera Vs Zigra (1971), Lone Wolf & Cub: Baby Cart At The River Styx (1972) and Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972), and Kuro Mitsuo. They are joined by Hong Kong stars such as the prolific and great Tien Feng who stars as one of the big Japanese baddies. Of course, Feng had starred with Wang Yu in his earlier Shaw Brothers hits and would be recognisable to many as the master of Jackie Chan in The Young Master. The brilliant James Tien stars in his umpteenth Lo Wei feature as Jimmy's old friend who gets to bust some moves, and look good doing it. Although he was initially supposed to be the leading man of The Big Boss (1971), Tien's role was quickly side-tracked and rewritten to allow Bruce to show his stuff. Unfortunately from there, James Tien has never really found his way back onto the path of leading man and has starred in a host of classics over the years as a c-star or bad guy including a few more with Jimmy Wang Yu as well as Hand Of Death (1976) for John Woo, Iron Fisted Monk (1977) for Sammo Hung, The Fearless Hyena (1979) and Dragon Fist (1979) for Jackie Chan, and many more Hong Kong classics alongside the biggest of stars. A host of other Lo Wei regulars co-star throughout including the often hilarious Lee Kwan who appears as the nightclub manager where Wang Yu often resides. Although his comedy is kept at a minimum here, Kwan still entertains and is always a joy to watch. He is aided by his Big Boss (1971) and Fist Of Fury (1972) co-star, the beautiful Maria Yi,who would go on to star with many of the cast members here in Wang Yu's Seaman No. 7 (1973). Director Lo Wei himself appears in yet another obligatory appearance, and fight choreographer Han Ying Chieh co-stars as the tough-as-nails right-hand-man who takes offence to Wang Yu creeping in on his gang. And finally, eagle eyed viewers should keep an eye out for a young Lam Ching Ying, Chin Yuet Sang, and Luk Chuen – all of whom no doubt aided Han with the great action seen on screen.
Together, they deliver a host of exciting rumbles that sees Jimmy Wang Yu lash out in street fights, bar fights, restaurant fights, office fights, and more. Highlights for action fans can be found in the opening fight scenes that see Jimmy Wang Yu use a belt as nunchaku, long before Jet Li could be seen doing it in the awesome Fist of Legend (1994) and later again in Hitman (1998). Then there's an epic showdown in an abandoned factory between Wang Yu and fight director Han Ying Chieh with both actors displaying some strong brutality and fun moves. That same fight soon makes its way onto a moving cable-car as our hero gives chase to some of his minions, pre-dating a similar scene from the James Bond's Moonraker (1979) by about 5 or 6 years. It's a pretty exciting showdown that sees our hero plunge from a great height into the lake below before re-appearing to swim away – although odds are it was a cleverly filmed shot using a weighted dummy as champion swimmer Wang Yu lay in wait. Then, of course, there's the grand finale that sees Jimmy Wang Yu and James Tien unleash fury in a private gambling den as they go up against an army of axe-wielding gangsters, eventually moving to the rooftop where an injured Wang goes one-on-one with his father's killer. It's a fight that cranks the brutality up a notch and, in true Jimmy Wang Yu style, doesn't fail to entertain right down to it's final moments...
Of course, this all depends which version you are watching with the heavily cut 79 minute export version proving to be the most accessible in the west and missing a chunk of action – especially that of Wang Yu's fun introductory scenes and opening fights. Now though, thanks to the stunning restoration released by Eureka Video, the full 112 minute uncut Hong Kong version is finally available for all to see delivering over 20 minutes of extra drama and action which helps make previous plot-holes a little more understandable. And while the film itself and actions on screen show shades of Bruce Lee elements throughout, it's hard to imagine what would have been had he went ahead with it. As it stands, A Man Called Tiger is absolutely a Jimmy Wang Yu movie and in terms of his modern works, is definitely one of his most entertaining pieces that is worth checking out!
Overall: A great martial-arts thriller that entertains and makes Wang Yu look the slickest he's ever looked, A Man Called Tiger is a worth while watch with some brutal action!
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & Michael Worth, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Alternate Export Version (79 Mins), Video Essay by Brandon Bentley, Music Videos, Textless Opening, Trailer
Joy Sales/Fortune Star HK DVD Extras: Trailer
Get your copy HERE
Watch my unboxing video for this Eureka Video release HERE
Watch my video retrospective HERE
AN ETERNAL COMBAT
(Hong Kong 1991)
Original Title: Tian Di Xuan Men 天地玄門 (aka) Eternal Combat
Directed by Thomas Yip Produced by Yuen Gam Lun Action by Steve Mak Fei Hung, Benz Kong To Hoi, Poon Kin Kwan Starring: Lam Ching Ying, Joey Wong, Shing Fui On, Gabrielle Wong, Anthony Wong, Lau Siu Ming, Philip Ko, Chu Tak On, Hui Siu Hung, Joh Chung Sing Reviewing: Vinegar Syndrome US Blu-ray Release Genres: Fantasy / Action / Comedy
Rating: 4 / 5
Vinegar Syndrome US Blu-ray Synopsis: In late 15th century China, “The Master”, a Taoist priest, has been destined to fight the Japanese “Demon King”, a vengeful spirit who has power over the forest. The Demon King has fallen in love with a woman named Gigi and firces her to be his bride. As The Master begins his fateful battle with the Demon King, they're unexpectedly thrust into a time vortex which transports them 500 years into the future to modern-day Hong Kong wherein they discover Gigi's reincarnation, who is being terrorized by her vicious ex-boyfriend, Ben. Skilfully blending fantasy and wuxia with touches of horror, Thomas Yip's AN ETERNAL COMBAT is a thrilling and fast-paced rarity which stars Ching-Ying Lam (Mr. Vampire), Joey Wang (A Chinese Ghost Story), along with legendary character actor Anthony Wong (Ebola Syndrome) playing the type of deranged psychotic for which he would become famous. Packed with thrilling sword fights, death-defying stunts, along with laser-shooting weaponry and black magic, Vinegar Syndrome Archive is delighted to present the Blu-ray debut of this Hong Kong hidden gem, presented in a new restoration. (95 Mins)
Asian Star French DVD Synopsis: The priest Cho-Lo, his disciple and a freaking warrior are preparing to have a merciless fight against the ghost of a Japanese knight, but a time lift projects the protagonists into the future. Separated, the three fighters will try to reunite to defeat, once and for all, the terrible demon, In their journey, they will have to face the customs of modern life... Driven at a breakneck pace, mixing extreme action scenes and moments of pure comedy, Eternal Combat in no way seeks to bother itself with any coherence and other linearities. Thomas Yip voluntarily signs an uninhibited work, full of Dantesque action scenes, the best fights and frenzied humour. In short, one of a kind. (90 Mins)
Views: A surprisingly tricky film to get, Thomas Yip's wild genre-blending flick is actually a lot of fun. I'm quite surprised this isn't on more peoples radars or has had a decent release in the west, as its blend of A Chinese Ghost Story and The Iceman Cometh should definitely appeal to fans of Hong Kong cinema. Packed with that typically insane HK comedy, the movie opens hundreds of years in the past that sees Joey Wong get attacked by a Japanese, samurai demon. The demon believes she is his old love reincarnated and forces her to marry him. At the same time, a Taoist monk (played by the awesome Lam Ching Ying), along with his bumbling assistants (played by the often funny Gabriel Wong and fantastic Shing Fui On), set out to stop the demon. Its this first half hour alone that really shares its similarities with Tsui Hark's classic A Chinese Ghost Story with Wong playing yet another ghostly role, and Lam Ching Ying taking on the mantle of Wu Ma's character from the same movie. It honours the original material pretty well and almost betters it in many ways!
Lam ditches the Mr. Vampire look for another mystical master, which he shines in doing (although the man hardly ever disappointed), and gets plenty of action as the main character. Gabriel Wong is pretty funny here and works well bouncing-off Shing Fui On; a reincarnated Royal Guard who died after putting a magic potion on his penis. A fantastic forest battle results in the 3 of them, and the samurai, being thrown into a time vortex that leaves them in modern-day Hong Kong. Lam lands in a forest, right in the middle of a film shoot (which is obviously alien to him) that just happens to have a samurai character, who is riding towards him on a horse. Philip Ko cameos as the director, and Anthony Wong an actor – both of which are shocked at the masters high-flying kung-fu abilities that ruin their shoot. Lam ends up in an asylum which is often hilarious, and his assistants (Wong and Shing) end up in a church – right on top of a giant cross behind the priest (played hilariously by Hui Siu Hung) who just happens to be giving a sermon. Their arrival leaves his congregation wide-eyed and is one of the funniest parts for me, as the priest turns to see them come crashing down on top of him...
Of course, a modern-day Joey Wong soon appears as one of Lam's nurses, which is a sign that the Japanese demon is on his way. It doesn't take long for things to get a little crazy, kicking-off with her psycho boyfriend (Anthony Wong) attacking her in the shower bollock naked. As he attempts to rape her, Wong has his ass bitten by a puppy – who happens to be Lam Ching Ying in disguise. Lam is as brilliant as usual, and gets some relaxed dramatic moments with Joey Wong's nurse, as well as the majority of the action scenes. Shing Fui On is a scene stealer for me. I just love seeing him in roles that don't involve him being a gangster and he often has me in stitches here. The great Anthony Wong channels his inner psycho as Wong's crazy boyfriend, boiling down to a kidnapping and violent showdown in a church where Wong slices his own throat as he sings a few lines from 'Singing In The Rain'. This further results in a possession by the samurai demon, leading to a fantastic and action-packed showdown in a scrap-metal yard, where cars and people are flung through the air in a stylishly brutal, wire-fu climax. The final few scenes just tie it all up nicely!
Yip delivers a fantastic film with An Eternal Combat. Having only made a handful of works in his short lived career, including Donnie Yen's Cheetah On Fire which is probably the most popular of them all, I have to say he's done a damn good job here. Although it blends many genres (as did most of Hong Kong cinema of this period), Yip keeps things tidy with the right amount of comedy, drama, action, horror and fantasy. The direction is pretty smooth, with some gorgeous cinematography that actually rivals its peers – especially when set in the past. Although the bigger fight scenes kind of 'bookend' the film, there are still many other exciting bits in between, all of which impress. This is down to a great team of action directors such as Steve Mak, Benz Kong, Tony Poon and Bruce Law. It's a crazy fish-out-of-water tale that results in some hilarious antics, as well as a host of cameos such as Lau Siu Ming, Steve Mak, Chan Kwok Kuen and Ho Pak Kwong to name but a few...
Overall: Underrated and hilarious, An Eternal Combat does well blending its genres and definitely deserves a watch!
Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Interviews with Benz Kong & Anthony Wong
Asian Star French DVD Extras: Trailers, Filmographies
Watch my unboxing video for this Vinegar Syndrome release HERE
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AN EYE FOR AN EYE
(Hong Kong 1990)
Original Title: Wai Ngoh Duk Juen 血洗洪花亭 (aka) Triad Raiders
Directed by O Sing Pui Produced by Eddy Chan Action by Benz Kong, Poon Kin Kwan Starring: Joey Wong, Max Mok, Wilson Lam, Jimmy Lee, John Ching, Ricky Yi, Leung Gam San, Melvin Wong, Lo Hung, Angela Fong Reviewing: Vinegar Syndrome US Blu-ray Release Genres: Triad / Action / Drama
Rating: 3.7 / 5
Vinegar Syndrome US Blu-ray Synopsis: Fung is the daughter of an aging Triad boss attempting to turn his criminal enterprise into a more legitimate business. After her father is arrested by her cop boyfriend, Fung is left in charge and continues her father's mission of ridding the organization of its criminal dealings. Meanwhile, some of the other members of the gang are not happy with Fung's leadership and plan a hostile takeover. Cheong, the second in command, wants to maintain the group's violent reign and sets out to strip Fung of her power by viciously assaulting and blackmailing her. Fung's boyfriend vows to take revenge on Cheong and the organization while simultaneously dealing with his jealous partner, who also has eyes for Fung. Tensions soon boil over, and violence erupts in the streets as warring factions attempt to maintain their power. Heavily censored in Hong Kong upon its initial release, AN EYE FOR AN EYE received a Category III rating, partly thanks to its controversial portrayal of Triad traditions and graphic outbursts of violence. Newly restored from a director-approved studio-supplied master, Vinegar Syndrome is proud to present the director's cut of this gangster opus for the first time of Blu-ray, featuring of its bloodshed intact and culminating in an epic knife fight that literally leaves blood flowing in the streets. (93 Mins)
Views: Opening with a credit sequence that sees simple text appear over a background of moving water that shimmers with a red glow as it reflects the city lights above it, this little-seen 1990 triad thriller immediately catches the viewers attention with it's rich colour palette and polished score. An Eye For An Eye tells the tale of Fung, an innocent young woman whose cop boyfriend, Tats, puts her supposedly-reformed triad father behind bars. Determined to rid his businesses and organisations of their criminal connections, Fung sets to work trying to put things right in order to get her father released. Naturally, tensions between her and Tats start to breakdown while his partner Chung – who has been a long-time friend of Fung's and secretly in love with her – tries to keep the peace and support her. At the same time, Cheong (one her fathers right-hand-men) is determined to take over as the new boss, and soon starts creating problems for Fung that pulls her into a living nightmare. If it wasn't for the wonderful guys at Vinegar Syndrome restoring and putting this little gem out on Blu-ray, I don't think I'd ever have gotten round to seeing it. And I'm sure glad that they did! An Eye For An Eye was a very fun experience, not to mention a fantastically made and often brutal triad-thriller!
The film, which bears a number of similarities to the 1965 Hong Kong production of the same name (aka The Blood Debt) from prolific director Ng Wui, was the fourth feature of actor-turned-director O Sing Pui who made his debut in 1986 with The Story Behind The Concert, before going onto direct the 1987 remake of Golden Swallow and Frankie Chan's Dream Of Desire. But prior to that, Sing Pui cut his teeth behind the scenes working as the assistant director on films such as Tsui Hark's Dangerous Encounter Of The First Kind (1980), All The Wrong Clues (1981), Plain Jane To The Rescue (1982), Aces Go Places 1 & 2 (1982/83), Teppanyaki (1984), and Armour Of God (1986). And while he would direct four more movies after An Eye For An Eye; namely Amy Yip's Easy Money and Sammo Hung's very fun My Flying Wife in 1991, the little seen Island Fear in '94, and then Comic King in 2001 which would be his last to date. Keeping himself busy in between projects, O Sing Pui would serve as the DOP or cinematographer on films such as Made In Hong Kong (1997), Naked Ambition (2003), The Pye-Dog (2007), Ip Man (2008), Gallants (2010), Fairy Tale Killer (2012), Chasing The Dragon (2017), and others. Sing Pui possibly delivers his best work with An Eye For An Eye featuring some brilliant direction along with great performances from all involved, and some slick cinematography by Abdul Rumjahn; the same man who lensed films such as Sing Pui's own Easy Money (1991), Jet Li's Dragon Fight (1989), Aces Go Places 2 (1983), Rich & Famous (1987), Tragic Hero (1987), Mr. Vampire Saga 4 (1988), and many more...
Joey Wong heads up the cast as Wong Fung Yee, the beautiful daughter of the triad boss who ends up behind bars – himself played by actor Foo Wang Tat, seen in films such as Casino Raiders (1989), A Better Tomorrow 3 (1989), Killer's Romance (1990), Godfather's Daughter Mafia Blues (1991), Love Among The Triad (1993), and Never Say Regret (1990). Having made her feature film debut in the mid-90s, Wong had already starred in over 30 films before starring in An Eye For An Eye, gaining a huge fan base after starring in films such as A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), The Legend Of Wisely (1987), Diary Of A Big Man (1988), My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1989), Reincarnation Of Golden Lotus (1989), God Of Gamblers (1989) and others. Throughout 1990, Joey would star in no-less than 11 features with An Eye For An Eye being one of the first. While she delivers a decent performance (in a role she has played a number of times throughout her career), Joey Wong is over-shadowed by that of her male co-stars although still holds her own as one of the very few female stars of the show. In fact, the little known Angela Fong Hiu Hung – who can also be seen in films like Inspector Pink Dragon (1991), Handsome Siblings (1992), and On Parole 1 & 2 (1993) – is the only other actress who springs to mind, starring here as the unfortunate girlfriend of hot-headed cop Chung.
Playing Chung is the handsome and always entertaining Max Mok, another busy actor who starred in a crazy 10 productions that year and had already been entertaining film fans for a good seven years already in titles such as The Lady Assassin (1983), Holy Flame Of The Martial World (1983), Magic Crystal (1986), Last Eunuch In China (1987), The Dragon Family (1988), Pedicab Driver (1989), Seven Warriors (1989) and so much more. I've always been a huge fan of Mok's and his performance here in An Eye For An Eye just confirms it! Painfully hiding his true love for Wong, Chung suffers an emotional blow from all sides as he tries to keep his friends safe, repress his feelings, and watch those around him fall. While he delivers a few laughs along the way, Max flexes his dramatic chops for the most part throughout the film and gets to partake in an exciting nightclub shoot-out when he goes after the villainous Ho. This is one of my favourite scenes of the film, offering a beautifully shot and highly stylised action piece that eventually turns into a chase scene, resulting in an incredible stunt that leaves Chung paralysed. It's pretty damn impressive! Completing the trio alongside Wong and Chung, is Detective Lui – boyfriend of the former and partner of the latter. Lui is played by the equally busy (at the time) Wilson Lam; a man who doesn't excite me at all and has often confused me as to why so many directors/producers have cast him as their leading man. Prior to this, Lam had just made his feature film debut only two years earlier in Wong Jing's How To Pick Girls Up! (1988) before first starring alongside Joey Wong in Law Or Justice? (1988) and again in Reincarnation Of Golden Lotus (1989). That same year he would share the screen with Max Mok in the brilliant Path Of Glory (1989) which was followed by Whampoa Blues and The Fortune Code before this in 1990. The same year would see the trio star together again in Norman Law's intense Family Honor – another fantastic piece worth checking out and a great companion piece to An Eye For An Eye. While I find no appeal in Wilson Lam at all, it's only fair to say that he does a good job in his role as the cop who has to arrest his girlfriends father. Obviously, this puts a strain on their relationship which is only made worse by the love triangle of the three friends, and constant abuse by the evil and twisted Ho Sai Cheong – played with glee by the prolific Lung Fong; probably better known to many as Jimmy Lee.
Starting off in the industry as a bit player and extra in the early 1970s in films such as The Bloody Fists (1972), Black Panther (1973), Gold Snatchers (1973), and The Shaolin Kids (1975) among many more, Fong soon found himself in bigger roles towards the latter half of the decade as well as being drafted to help choreograph the fight action on classics such as The Hot, The Cool, & The Vicious (1976), Scorching Sun, Fierce Winds, Wild Fire (1977), Phantom Kung Fu (1978), Shaolin Invincible Sticks (1978), and Shaolin Red Master (1979) to name but a few. But even with impressive roles in the aforementioned titles as well as films such as the brilliant Big Boss Of Shanghai (1979) and The Rebellious Reign (1980), Lung Fong just wasn't the leading man studios had hoped for – although he did have something! After disappearing from the film scene for a while (and possibly working in television), Fong soon came back with a vengeance as a regular villain of modern Hong Kong action movies; often leaving as big an impression in films such as Casino Raiders (1989), God Of Gamblers (1989) and God Of Gamblers 3: Back To Shanghai (1991), The Fortune Code (1990), Dragon In Jail (1990), Lee Rock (1991), and Moon Lee titles such as Secret Police (1991), Kickboxer's Tears (1992), Angel's Project (1993), and Angel Force (1991) alongside Wilson Lam once again. Of course, his role here in An Eye For An Eye is one such highlight that sees him deliver a character you just love to hate while proving to be the perfect protagonist. All are backed by a fantastic supporting cast including the great John Ching, who would go onto share the screen with Lung Fong in many of the aforementioned titles from the early 90s as well as films like Tricky Brains (1991), Best Of The Best (1992), Pom Pom & Hot Hot (1992), Burning Paradise (1994), The Saint Of Gamblers (1995) and many more. The little seen Angela Fong plays Mok's unfortunate girlfriend Audrey, while popular character actor (who has shared the screen many times with his co-stars) Ricky Yi appears as one of Joey Wong's enforcers. The prolific Leung Gam San delivers another turn as a triad boss, with the popular Melvin Wong appears in an guest role as a police chief. The recognisable Lo Hung stars as another high-ranking triad member, alongside Chris Yeung Wan King, and Yu Man Bing, with Lam Kai Wing, Jameson Lam, Wan Seung Lam, Jack Wong, and So Hon Sang also appearing.
Initially cut be Hong Kong censors due to it's very real reveals of triad actions, hand-signals, gang rituals, and violence, An Eye For An Eye has enough strength to challenge titles of a similar theme from acclaimed directors such as Johnnie To and Wong Jing. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Abdul M. Rumjahn; the man behind the lens of Hong Kong classics such as Aces Go Places 2 (1983), Rich & Famous (1987), Mr. Vampire Saga 4 (1988), First Shot (1993) and more – the film offers some stunningly brutal and fantastic action scenes courtesy of the brilliant Benz Kong; bit player in many classics from Knockabout (1979) to The Great Magician (2012), director of the flawed by fun Twins Mission (2007), and action-choreographer of many greats such as Magnificent Warriors (1987), Black Cat (1991), Best Of The Best (1992), (Ninja) Vampire Buster (1989), Fox Hunter (1995), Seven Warriors (1989), An Eternal Combat (1991), and most recently on the fantastic Stuntman (2024) alongside his long-time friend and collaborator, Stephen Tung Wai. He is aided here by the talented Poon Kin Kwan, a bit-player and choreographer who has worked with him for many years on most of the same projects. Together, they produce a range of intense action moments from stylised nightclub shoot-outs to pain-inducing stunts, and violent gang fights to tight one-on-one brawls, accompanied by some 'edge of your seat' moments that will have you grabbing for the rewind button. Written by Chan Kiu Ying who was behind the scripts for classics such as Cops & Robbers (1979), The Postman Strike Back (1982), The Bund (1983), In The Line Of Duty 3 (1988), and Gen-Y Cops (2000) among others, the film is a hugely enjoyable (if not dark and harrowing) piece that comes from a period of Hong Kong cinema that we'll never get back. And while it may not be wholly perfect or seem fresh by today's standards among the catalogue of triad-related sub-genre of Hong Kong cinema, An Eye For An Eye is still well worth checking out and will hopefully find a brand new audience with it's recent re-release on Blu-ray almost 35 years later!
Overall: Beautifully made and brutally entertaining, An Eye For An Eye is a triad thriller that deserves to be seen and won't disappoint!
Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary with Kenny B & Phil Gillon, Interviews with O Sing Pui & Benz Kong, Cat.3 Video Essay by Sam Deighan
Watch my unboxing video for this Vinegar Syndrome release HERE
THE ANGRY GUEST
(Hong Kong 1972)
Original Title: E Ke 惡客 (aka) The Annoyed Guest; Kung Fu Killers
Directed by Chang Cheh Produced by Run Run Shaw Action by Tong Kai, Lau Kar Leung Starring: Ti Lung, David Chaing, Yasuaki Kurata, Chang Cheh, Chen Sing, Ching Li, Bolo, Law Lok Lam, Lau Kar Wing, Yuen Woo Ping, Yuen Cheung Yan, Yuen Shun Yi, Yen Shi Kwan Reviewing: Black Hill Pictures/Koch Media German Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Drama
Rating - 3.3 / 5
Synopsis: The sequel to Chang Cheh's contemporary actioner Fan Chi - Deadly Vengeance is in no way inferior to Part 1 in terms of fistfights, betrayal and murder. Fan Ke (Chiang) and his brother Wen Lieh (Lung), who runs a martial arts school in Hong Kong, learn that the killer whose leg Wen Lieh shattered in a fight, has escaped from prison. Assisted by the gang of Tokyo-based Japanese Yamaguchi (Cheh), he kills the brothers' mother and captures Wen Lieh's bride Yu Lan. With the help of his whip he wants to blackmail the two brothers until Yamaguchi makes them a lucrative offer. (90 Mins)
Views: The surprising sequel to the 1971 Shaw Brothers hit, Duel Of Fists, sees the 'iron triangle' of David Chiang, Ti Lung and director Chang Cheh return to continue the story of the new-found brothers. I guess a sequel for the legendary director was such a rare thing, as he would often have his heroes killed in some violent way at the end of his movies – something that quickly became his trade. After a brief flashback that reminds viewers of what went on previously in Thailand, the film opens right where it ended (give or take a week). Thai gangster Chen Sing, who had gotten his leg badly-broken during the end battle in Duel Of Fists, has since been locked up but it doesn't take him long to make a plan of escape. After knocking-out a passing prison guard and stealing his keys, Chen manages to abseil down the prison wall with the help of his old friends who are waiting outside! Back in Hong Kong, Chiang is still running his construction site (complete with more fun outfits like before) while Ti Lung is now teaching at their fathers martial-arts school. Life is good, and all seems well until (almost within minutes), the semi-crippled Chen Sing shows up in Hong Kong for revenge – killing off their kung-fu brothers one-by-one. One such victim meets-his-maker right outside the school when Chen drives a truck right into him, and crushes him up against the wall before speeding off. It doesn't take long for our two heroes to give chase on their motorbikes in a scene I was actually quite impressed with, as both actors prove to do it all themselves. With no helmets on, Chiang and Lung weave around on-coming traffic, smash through wooden barricades and climb from their bikes onto the truck, while still in motion. In an attempt to shake them off, Chen drives the truck over the cliff edge – with the truck exploding as it rolls down the hill but like any good villain, he manages to survive. Later that night, Chen returns to the school to cause more trouble and with the actions that follow, you just know that this guy holds one hell-of-a-grudge! Shooting a grappling-hook from the street, Chen climbs the rope with his trusted crutch in-hand and soon gains access to a bedroom balcony. Once inside, he attempts to stab the sleeping person in the bed only to find out he's been fooled by the heroic duo who are lying in wait. A brief scuffle between them is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious lady, who claims to have Ti Lung's girlfriend, Yu Lan, held hostage and offers a trade for Chen Sing to go free – a deal they quickly agree to. With their focus now set on saving the girl, things quickly shifts to Tokyo where we find the mysterious girl and Chen Sing colluding with Japanese gangster and karate master Katsu, played by the legendary Yasuaki Kurata. Once the heroes arrive in the city and get past some lengthy establishing shots, they are escorted to meet the big Yakuza boss, Yamaguchi, who is played by director Chang Cheh himself – a dastardly gangster that enjoys his 'James Bond inspired' villain's set-piece and showing off that blackened smile of his to everyone!
Fight choreographers Tong Kai and Lau Kar Leung also return, and with things kept out of the ring this time round, they get the chance to make the fights a little more exciting. Even though Lau Kar Leung had been an actor and action-choreographer on over 100 films by this stage, he hadn't quite honed his skill as yet - with certain names of talent unable to deliver some genuine moves no doubt. I just found that, while the moves were quick, they still seemed to be quite stilted and uninspiring at times – perhaps more suited to a late 1960's kung-fu flick than a modern-day action film. It would be a couple of years after this before Leung started delivering the fights and choreography that we all talk about today, and became a legendary filmmaker in his own right. Tong Kai, who started acting just a year after Kar Leung, started his career as an action-choreographer in the 1962 film The Flaming Mountain for director Mok Hong See. He went onto choreograph over 190 in total, many of which were alongside Lau and for Chang Cheh respectively, and in '83 made his directorial debut with his first film Shaolin Prince, which starred Ti Lung and Chiang's brother Derek Yee (the famed director). Tong would quickly follow this with Shaolin Intruders (once again with Yee) and the awesome Opium & The Kung Fu Master a year later that saw Ti Lung return. David Chiang, who looks like a boy in this role with hardly an ounce of muscle on him, continues with his usual style of stiff kicks and flailing arms – looking like he took more inspiration from Jimmy Wang Yu, who was definitely not the most graceful of on-screen fighters. But it's really the handsome Ti Lung who shines in the action department, proving once again that he was a much better physical-performer than his equally famous co-star. And while there are numerous small bouts throughout, it would be the last 30 or 40 minutes of the film that really showcases the best of the action. From a throw-down with the great Bolo Yeung (who looks like he just came off-set from a shoot for the latest Village People music video) to a violent and lengthy gang fight, that eventually sees the heroic duo go up against the always impressive Yasuaki Kurata in the grand finale – it does theoretically, save the best for last. I must also note that this was also the Japanese superstar's debut role for Shaw Brothers, and possible in the Hong Kong film industry also. As with Duel Of Fists, there are plenty of recognizable faces to keep an eye for such as many members of the Yuen Clan, members from the original Jackie Chan Stunt Team, Lau Kar Wing, San Kuai, Philip Ko, Yen Shi Kwan, Chui Fat, and many more...
With Duel Of Fists having been set in Thailand for the majority of its running time, it was nice to see The Angry Guest shift from Hong Kong to the colourful and bustling metropolis of Tokyo, from the 30 minute mark. And although there are many moments of unintentional comedy laced throughout (many of which are provided by Chen Sing from his attacks to his death), the mood is still quite dark, the fights are enjoyable, and the clothes are outrageous. The Angry Guest may not be the best of the bunch from the team involved, but it does pass the time and I did quite enjoy it for the most part. One thing I do hate about Chang Cheh's movies though, is when he wastes so much running time showing every single member of a gang revealing something – such as an axe in Boxer From Shantung. Here, it's everyone taking their jackets off to show their matching vests. It's long, it's boring, and by the fifth person we already get it! Regardless, it's a small gripe and doesn't really ruin anything in the grand scheme of things, leaving The Angry Guest as an entertaining piece that has enough good moments!
Overall: Typically 'chop-socky' for its time and a tad over-long for what's involved, The Angry Guest is a fun action-drama that has its moments, yet is far from the best of what the 'iron triangle' involved have delivered!
Blu-ray Extras: Trailers, Photo Gallery
Watch my unboxing video of this Koch Media release HERE
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A QUEEN'S RANSOM
(Hong Kong 1976)
Original Title: E Tan Qun Ying Hui 鱷潭群英會 (aka) Operation Regina; International Assassins
Directed by Ting Shan Hsi Produced by Raymond Chow, Dean Shek, Lu Mao Action by Luk Chuen Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, Angela Mao, George Lazenby, Chun Hsiung Ko, Judith Brown, Ni Tien, Sammo Hung, Charles Heung, Dean Shek, Bolo Yeung, Wu Chia Hsiang, Helen Poon, Han Ling, Shen Wang Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Thriller / Action
Rating - 2.7 / 5
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Perhaps even God can't save the Queen in Golden Harvest's A Queen's Ransom (also known as International Assassin), an explosive action-thriller starring George Lazenby (The Mas From Hong Kong), Angela Mao (Lady Whirlwind) and the legendary Jimmy Wang Yu (The One-Armed Swordsman). As Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Hong Kong for a state visit, a band of skilled mercenaries plan her assassination. Contracted by an Irish Republican (Lazenby), the international group of hired killers includes a Japanese explosives expert (Chang Pei-Shan), a Thai boxer (Bolo Yeung), a Filipino sniper (Peter Chan Lung) and a veteran of the National Liberation Front on South Vietnam (Wang Yu). As the conspirators move to carry out their plot, two police officials (Ko Chun-Hsiung and Charles Heung) work with a young socialite (Tanny Tien Ni) in a race against time to save the Monarch's head – while also trying to manage a crisis that has brought a huge number of refugees to Hong Kong, including a young Cambodian proncess (Mao). Written and directed by Ting Shan-Hsi (Rebel Boxer), A Queen's Ransom was Golden Harvest's attempt to capitalise on the popular success of the political thriller in the wake of Day Of The Jackal. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film for the first time ever on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration. (96 / 92 Mins)
VCD Synopsis: Bar girl Jane reports to the police that one of her customers, a Philippine told her he would assassinate the Queen of England. Since it's the eve of Queen's visit to Hong Kong, Superintendent Ko sends his man Wah to investigate it. George, a reactionary from North Ireland, comes to Hong Kong with his girlfriend Black Rose, planning to assassinate the Queen. His assistant hires six killers for him. Chan, the Philippine is among the list. George assigns the six killers to locate different sites where the Queen is about to pass by, so that they can carry out the plan. Meanwhile, the police get news that large quantities of gold will be smuggled into Hong Kong by some Cambodian governors. When the police get he clues about the six killers and successfully arrest them, the major criminals George and Black Rose disappear. Actually, by using his assistant to transfer the polices attention, they go to get the gold from the Cambodian. After a severe fight between them, lots of people die and get hurt while George is caught by the police. (92 Mins)
Views: Long before Jackie Chan took on the IRA in the fantastic action-thriller The Foreigner, his previous workplace had already tackled a similar subject matter with Jimmy Wang Yu, Charles Heung and Angela Mao Ying in the lead. Golden Harvest was still quite a young studio at the time and after the success of Bruce Lee, big boss Raymond Chow continued his mission of reaching out to a bigger international audience. Of course, what better way to do so than having James Bond himself, George Lazenby, play a Northern Irish republican involved in a ploy to kill the Queen on a visit to Hong Kong. An interesting plot piece considering Northern Ireland was at the height of the troubles during this point in time!
Also known as International Assassins and Operation Regina, the film opens with an explanation of the refugee situation in Hong Kong voiced over stock footage from the Vietnam war. Incidentally, this would be the same footage that would later be reused at the beginning of Sammo Hung's Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars as a throw away joke. This is followed with footage from Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Hong Kong in 1975 which continues to show throughout, bringing a raw, realistic feel to it all, and I'd love to have known if she was ever aware of her role in a Hong Kong action film. Compared to other Golden Harvest productions of this time, A Queen's Ransom moves along at a snails pace, playing out like a 1960's spy drama with little excitement in its first half but for a quick skirmish between the late Jimmy Wang Yu and great Bolo Yeung. Although it's story is complex and the film well made, perhaps casting a host of well known kung-fu stars in a film that presents itself as Golden Harvest's answer to the Hollywood hit, Day Of The Jackal, wasn't really the greatest idea. This no doubt lead to its abysmal box-office takings during its release, with fans disappointed at the lack of action on offer...
Not only that, but 1976 was a big year for Hong Kong cinema with A Queen's Ransom having to go up against films such as Shaw Brothers titles like 7 Man Army, Boxer Rebellion, Black Magic 2, Challenge Of The Masters, Killer Clans, and The Dragon Missile, along with classics like 18 Bronzemen, Blazing Temple, Bruce Lee The Man The Myth, Hand Of Death, The Himalayan, Killer Meteors, New Fist Of Fury, Master Of The Flying Guillotines, and Michael Hui's Private Eyes which was the highest grossing film at the time. Although the film was seemingly crafted towards an international audience, it didn't gain a UK release until a year later and only hit North America in 1981 with the export cut coming in around 6 minutes shorter, cutting some sex scenes and slower moments as well as intercutting some quick shots of A Man From Hong Kong which came out just the year before. While the story may be somewhat complex and slow, ultimately failing to grip its audience quick enough, there is one thing A Queen's Ransom impresses on and that's the cast involved – including Queen Elizabeth II herself.
A Queen's Ransom sees the re-teaming of Jimmy Wang Yu and George Lazenby, together one more time after their reportedly rocky pairing on The Man From Hong Kong – the former James Bond actors' second film for Golden Harvest after the fun, but slightly crazy Stoner that saw him star alongside the wonderful Angela Mao Ying. Here, Mao Ying plays the Princess of Cambodia who quickly becomes the love interest of a young Dean Shek – the wonderful Hong Kong film legend who also doubles-up as the assistant director. All play roles in the team of international assassins under the lead of Lazenby who stars as a Northern Irish terrorist, along with the aforementioned Bolo Yeung as his heavy, the late great Peter Chan as a Filipino sniper, with prolific actors Chang Pei Shan, Hon Yee Sang, and Chang Ching Po appearing as the rest of his crew. In the good corner, the handsome Charles Heung – founder of the popular Wins Entertainment and China Star Entertainment, recognisable for his role as Chow Yun Fat's bodyguard in God Of Gamblers and others – stars as the cop that attempts to take them on, led by Ko Chun Hsiung who stars as his police chief. The lovely Tanny Tien Ni stars as Wang Yu's troubled long-lost sister and troubled prostitute, while the prolific Hao Li Jen, who starred in over 230 movies between 1957 through to his death in 1978, plays Dean Shek's old uncle.
The action, when it comes about, is handled by Luk Chuen a veteran of the Hong Kong film industry who has worked with Jimmy Wang Yu on a number of projects from his early days with Shaw Brothers. Although probably more recognisable to modern action fans for his role in the aforementioned God Of Gamblers, Chuen has also starred in or directed the action in hits such as A Killers Romance, Casino Raiders, Final Run, and the forgotten Jackie Chan/Lo Wei classic, Magnificent Bodyguards. And while the action here in A Queens Ransom does have its moments, its mostly saved for its great finale with Luk showing up throughout as on of Mao Ying's bodyguards. The film is beautifully shot by Chris Chen – the same eye behind hits such as The Big Boss, Fist Of Fury, A Man Called Tiger, The Valiant Ones, Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu, World Of Drunken Master, The Young Master, and Dragon Lord to name but a few, and has never looked better than it does in this new restoration from Eureka Video. It was directed by Ting Shan Hsi, a man who had been working behind the camera from the late 1960's and was certainly no stranger to the HK film world having penned the classic Come Drink With Me, as well as many Wang Yu flicks such as Furious Slaughter and Knight Errant – both of which he also directed. And although his filmography is pretty long, there aren't many titles that have been hailed as memorable hits. But that said, Ting certainly left his mark – right up to his very last movie with Wang Yu's fun wuxia flick, The Beheaded 1000. And while A Queen's Ransom may not have been one of his most exciting, it still makes for a fun watch – neatly directed, beautifully shot, and an entertaining in its own different kind of way!
Overall: Although its a slow burner, A Queens Ransom makes for an interesting watch at least once, and while fairly ambitious for its time, really should have been so much more!
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & Michael Worth (Hong Kong Version), Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema (International Version), Training George Lazenby Documentary by Michael Worth, Trailers
Get your copy HERE
ARMOUR OF GOD
(Hong Kong 1986)
Original Title: Lung Hing Foo Dai 龍兄虎弟 (aka) Operation Condor 2: The Armour Of The Gods; Mister Dynamite; Thunder Arm
Directed by Jackie Chan, Eric Tsang Produced by Leonard Ho, Lam Chua Action by Jackie Chan Stunt Team Starring: Jackie Chan, Alan Tam, Rosamund Kwan, Lola Forner, Ken Boyle, John Ladalski, Kenny Bee, Anthony Chan, Clarence Fok, Carina Lau Reviewing: 88 Films Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Action / Comedy / Adventure
Rating - 4.5 / 5
88 Films Blu-ray Synopsis: Unquestionably the most popular martial arts actor of his generation, superstar Jackie Chan features in this mid-80s Indiana Jones-esque romp which mixes Hollywood thrills with Hong Kong-style action. Former musician Asian Hawk (Chan) becomes embroiled in a dangerous quest to seek out the last three parts of lost treasure the Armour Of God, in order to save his ex-bandmate's girlfriend from the clutches of a ruthless cult. Heavily inspired by Spielberg's movie series, the style and stunt sequences are delivered with the star's custom brand of slapstick and physical prowess. All the elements come together in a pleasing assortment of comedy, misadventure, and gloriously realised action set pieces. (98 Mins)
Hong Kong Rescue Blu-ray Synopsis: What do you get when you combine Indiana Jones-style globe-trotting adventure, James Bond-style gadget-laden cars and Jackie Chan-style martial arts action? Armour Of God... Jackie's answer to Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Chan plays former musician turned treasure hunter who goes by the nickname 'Asian Hawk'. He must team up with his former band-mate (Alan Tam) to rescue his ex-girlfriend (Rosamund Kwan) who has been kidnapped by a religious cult as a means of blackmailing Chan to deliver the remaining pieces of the legendary 'Armour Of God', a mystical artifact from the Dark Ages. What follows is a non-stop, pulse-pounding, adrenaline ride of precision vehicle stunts, acrobat martial arts fights and high-flying stunts that only Jackie Chan can deliver. Heralded as one of Jackie's all-time classics, the film is also infamous for featuring a flubbed stunt that nearly cost Jackie his life. Thankfully, Chan recovered and returned to complete the film, which went on to break box-office records across Asia. (97 Mins)
Hong Kong Legends DVD Synopsis: Starring as “The Asian Hawk”, a bounty hunter and martial arts expert, with an insatiable taste for adventure, Jackie is blackmailed by a mysterious cult leader into acquiring 'the Armour of God', a mysterious artefact from the Dark Ages, which holds the key to unlimited power. Combing action, romance and Chan's trademark Keaton-esque comedy, “Armour of God” is an explosive heart-pounding martial-arts extravaganza, which is internationally one of Jackie's highest grossing films to date. Featuring a dazzling array of precision driving stunts, high-falls and explosive, high-energy fight action, this is one movie that is guaranteed to thrill from beginning to end. Making this film very nearly cost Jackie his life, and the accident footage is included in the end credits. With an exclusive, remastered DVD transfer, and a selection of exciting 'special features', this is one title no Chan fan will want to miss!! (94 Mins)
Made In Hong Kong UK VHS Synopsis: Jackie Chan, undisputed Hong Kong action king, literally explodes onto the screen as The Asian Hawk, a fearless bounty hunter hell-bent on saving former lover (Rosamund Kwan - 'Once Upon A Time In China'; 'Tiger Cage 2') from the drug-dealing religious sect that has kidnapped her. For her release, the cult demands the theft and safe delivery of The Armour Of God, a priceless collection of ancient, sacred and potentially devastating weapons. Jackie sets out on his bullet-riddled, dynamite-fuelled quest. Both director and star, Chan is - as always - inimitable, effortlessly weaving his trademark split-second comedy and death-defying stuntwork into another outrageous action-thriller classic. Needless to say this film nearly cost him his life. Watch the end credits! (94 Mins)
VPD UK VHS Synopsis: Jackie is something of a modern-day buccaneer. Among the many curious trophies of his adventures are some fragments of an ancient religious artifact, the fabulous 'Armour Of God'. Being of no significance to Jackie, he is happy to sell them to an antique collector called Bannon – for the right price. But there are others who also place a high price on the relics, the followers of an evil ancient cult. They kidnap the only woman Jackie ever truly cared for. To trade the armour for the girl Jackie first has to borrow it back from Bannon. He agrees but only if his beautiful daughter goes along to keep an eye on the treasure. Enlisting the help of an old friend the three quickly become embroiled in a heady cocktail of death-defying stunts, danger and double-cross as Jackie fights to win the day, the love of Bannon's daughter, and the 'Armour of God'. (88 Mins)
Views: Without a doubt one of Jackie's most internationally known and respected films, Armour Of God may be a little rough-around-the-edges, but it still brings me great joy and such a feeling of nostalgia over 30 years later. I'm pretty damn sure that this film was one of the first modern-action Jackie Chan movies that I had ever seen, and while I had been hiring out his Lo Wei classics from a young age, I hadn't quite experienced the modern Jackie Chan we all know and love today – albeit for his brief stint in Cannonball Run. From the first time I saw it, Armour Of God fast became a weekly ritual for me (until I could own my own video tape), as well as one of my all-time favourite Hong Kong movies – and that was only from watching the trimmed original 1980's English dub that was released on video in the UK (it would be another 20 years before I could see this classic uncut). Not too long after that, I managed to catch a great insight to Jackie Chan when Jonathan Ross introduced him to the UK on his television programme The Incredibly Strange Film Show, which ultimately sealed the deal of my love for Jackie Chan and the fantastic film industry of Hong Kong!
It's no secret that this was the film that almost cost Jackie his life. After perfectly completing a simple stunt in the first take, Jackie wanted to get one more which involved him leaping from a wall to a tree branch, before swinging over to safety on the next wall. But he was not to make it. As his hand slipped from the branch, Jackie came falling down; snapping more branches before hitting the ground hard below and smashing his head on a rock. Of course, this quickly brought a stop to the production – and almost his life! Thankfully, one of the worlds top surgeons happened to be in Yugoslavia during the time of the accident and was able to save the legend, allowing Jackie to bring us many more years of incredible entertainment and a long happy life for him. The great Eric Tsang, who had starred with Jackie in The Lucky Stars Trilogy, Accidental Spy and many more, had originally been drafted to direct, completing a healthy amount of the film before the aforementioned accident stalled the production. This included the memorable and exciting opening scene at the castle ruins, where Jackie steals the sword from some African natives in the middle of a sacrifice. After some spectacular acrobatics, slick moves and comedic moments, the Asian Hawk makes his escape which, of course, led to the accident. Another memorable scene completed under Eric's eye, was the attack on the fashion show by gunmen. It's a brilliantly executed scene, that actually proves to be a little more dark and violent than usual for a Jackie Chan movie of that era. One scene in particular shows a gunman fire a bullet through the lens of an unsuspecting photographer, which goes right through his head and splatters the screen with blood. Brutal, but beautiful! By the time Jackie had healed and was ready to come back, Tsang had to move-on due to a clash of schedules, but seeing that hint of darkness delivered by Tsang from his time spent on the production, I'd love to have seen just what direction Armour Of God may have went had he directed the whole thing.
Once in the directors seat, Jackie kicked things off from the moment of his accident. Continuing his getaway, the Asian Hawk slides down the side of the mountain where his hair grows a bit longer by the time he reaches the bottom. It's an odd moment, but funny at the same time – and all down to a very honest reason. Apart from growing his hair to cover the scars from the operation, some older executives at Golden Harvest advised Jackie to get back his long-locks, since cutting his hair short (for the first time in his career) had brought him bad luck – a suggestion that he easily agreed with after almost losing his life. Elsewhere, an army of crazed monks are desperate to get their hands on the legendary Armour of God for the sake of their cult. After finding out that Jackie has the sword, they make an elaborate plan to kidnap Laura (an old girlfriend of his played by Rosamund Kwan), so that they can blackmail the Asian Hawk into finding the rest. It just so happens that Laura, Jackie and Alan used to be in a band together called The Losers – a riff on Tam's own band from his past called The Wynners – along with original band-mates Anthony Chan, Bennett Pang and Kenny Bee, as well as actress Carina Lau, actor Danny Yip, and director Clarence Fok. After learning that Laura is now a famous fashion designer in Paris, the monks send a small army of gunmen to kidnap her which results in the fantastic (and aforementioned) brutal scene, intercut with an epic live-performance of Alan Tam on stage as he sings the highly memorable, Midnight Rider. Giving the audience a bit of a breather after such an epic opening, and probably allowing Jackie a little more healing time – the story slows down a tad when Jackie, who has just sold the sword at auction to the lovely Lola Forner, returns to his hotel to find a distressed Alan waiting for him with news of Laura's kidnapping. After clearing the air about their past love-triangle, the pair start planning her rescue and pay a visit to a local Baron who just happens to own most of the legendary armour. With the promise of bringing him back the rest of the armour (that the monks should have in the possession), the Baron agrees to help the odd couple, along with the addition of his daughter – Lola – the very same girl who bought the sword at auction. Although things slow down, it's certainly not in a boring way. There are a number of comedy sequences that keep things ticking- especially from their time spent in the Baron's magnificent house – and a bizarre nightmare sequence of Jackie getting chased by his car as Alan and Rosamund wave to him as a happy couple. I also really enjoy the montage of the trio on their journey as they head to Yugoslavia in search of the monks hideout, covered by the wonderful song called Friend which is sung by Jackie and Alan.
With the lovely Lola positioned high, sniper rifle at the ready – Alan soon meets the monks and tries to trick them with some scrap metal, in replace of the armour, but a quick scuffle breaks out with the monks gaining the support of about 20 bikers who suddenly give chase to the Asian Hawk and his side-kick. This leads to an incredibly fun, stunt-filled, and wild car chase through the village. This was the first time I had really seen the connection with Jackie and his long-time sponsors, Mitsibushi. I had always dreamed of owning his car here; a slick-silver convertible with turbo boosters and a single motorbike that ejects from the passenger side. While this film was Jackie's nod to Indiana Jones, the car was definitely all about James Bond! Soon after, the guys find their way to the monks mountain home by hitching a ride with a truck load of prostitutes who are destined for the hooded horn-balls. One of these women is Lola, in disguise (of sorts) who surprises Jackie and Alan when they see her - perhaps a nod to the role she played a couple of years earlier in Wheels On Meals. Aware that the heroes have arrived in the monastery, the head monk drugs Laura (Kwan) with an 'obedient drug' and orders her to drug Jackie when they get home. Unaware that the monks have purposely lowered their guard, Jackie, Alan and Lola soon find Laura and escape on the next truck out. That evening at home, we are treated to a fun scene where Jackie tries to stop Lola from finding Alan who is hiding in her bedroom – a situation that reminded me of the fantastically funny and clever sequence from Project A 2 (made just a year later) when Maggie Cheung experiences a host of visitors, all of which much hide from the next ones. Perhaps this was a small inspiration for that moment – After escaping, Alan makes his way into Jackie's darkened room and quickly finds a needle stuck in his ass-cheek by Laura who was hiding behind the door.
With both Alan and Laura now in the hands of the evil monks, Jackie must set-out on a lone rescue mission to save them both, which begins with a crazy abseil down a cliff-face to enter the monastery through an old cave system. This in itself kicks-off a solid 30 minutes of excitement packed with incredible fight scenes, solid stunt-work, plenty of comedy, explosions, and much more. While I'm guessing that this was based on a set in Hong Kong, it comes across as a fantastically lit and epic looking place. The finale of Armour Of God comes in 3 parts starting with Jackie taking on a small army of monks in their dining hall. With such intricate choreography and dedicated stuntmen, Jackie and his team deliver a fight scene that stands-tall as one of his best and most exciting. Busting some incredible moves, Jackie kicks, punches and flips his way to the next stage – almost like getting to the big-boss level of your favourite computer game. Once in the main-domain, with the titular Armour of God in his sights, Jackie is attacked by 4 very tall and very muscular black women – all of who know how to throw a kick. Now, granted that throughout the whole fight sequence 6 of them were his stuntmen and 3 were actually women – it still looks amazing and is one of the highlights of both the film and his career. In fact, kung-fu queen Cynthia Rothrock was originally set to be the final 'big boss' of the show, but was shifted to Yuen Biao's brilliant Righting Wrongs after Jackie's fatal accident delayed schedules. Once defeated, Jackie is approached by the army of monks only to scare them off with his vest of dynamite, which he accidentally lights and literally brings the house down! As the mountain collapses around him, Jackie makes a dash for the cave he entered from where he sees Alan, Laura and Lola nearby in a hot-air-balloon. Without a second thought, Jackie leaps off the cliff-edge and base-jumps right onto the top of the balloon. It's a pretty incredible sight and one hell of a closing scene that launches the end credits, backed by another brilliant song (or 2 depending on which version you are watching), before we get treated to some fantastic behind-the-scenes footage, NG shots, and that crazy accident that almost took this amazing man from us far too soon...
With things up in the air after Jackie's aforementioned accident and prolonged healing time, original director Eric Tsang was moved onto direct the fun Lucky Stars Go Places – produced by Sammo Hung and choreographed by his action team, with Tsang also making an appearance in his classic Millionaires Express the very same year – although it's pretty clear just what scenes he was behind. It's also worth noting just how many assistant directors worked on the film, with the majority of them going on to make a career for themselves in the film world. These include Alexander Chan – a popular actor and industry journeyman who also directed films such as Lover At Large, His Fatal Ways, and The Fiend as well as assisting on Millionaires Express, Dragons Forever, Eastern Condors, Project A 2, and many more. Another is award winning director Stanley Kwan of Rouge fame, who also helmed films such as Centre Stage, Love Unto Waste, and Everlasting Regret to name but a few. They are joined by Wong Ying Kit, Season Ma, and O Sing Pui, an actor and assistant director who has went on to direct the remake of Golden Swallow, An Eye For An Eye, My Flying Wife with Sammo Hung, and more. One thing I really want to highlight about Armour Of God is the incredible score and soundtrack it carries. I absolutely love it and have been singing its songs and humming its tunes to myself for decades now. Apart from some superb songs by both Jackie Chan and Alan Tam, the wonderful Michael Lai Siu Tin gives the film an original score that has lasted forever (and no, its not that Miramax nonsense). Lai was the composer of many Jackie Chan movies such as the Project A, Police Story and Lucky Stars series, as well as other Hong Kong classics such as City War, Duel To The Death, and Miracles before unfortunately passing in December 2019. Even watching it today, 35 years later, I can still see why I totally fell in love with Armour Of God and Jackie of course. For years I was bouncing bubble-gum off walls and doors, perfecting the gum-style of the Asian Hawk and how he ate it, and even after his life-saving surgery, it's hard to deny the man his dues as Jackie Chan shows that he is the king of Hong Kong action comedies; giving a showcase that still blows me away today. Just avoid the US edited version by all means!!
I must also add that, with each edition I have had of this amazing movie over the years, I've had the chance to experience some great extras included (on both the DVD and Blu-ray's of course). With the 88 Films Deluxe Edition, fans are treated to a highly enjoyable candid interview with Jackie on Celebrity Talk Show. This is the second episode of season two, hosted by actor & entertainer James Wong, producer Lam Chua – who produced Armour Of God, Mr. Nice Guy, Robotrix, Story Of Ricky, and Crime Story – and prolific screenwriter and author Ni Kuang, who was responsible for writing the majority of the Shaw Brothers greatest titles. New star Andy Long directs a fan-film with pop duo Side-By-Side called High Upon High: The Armour Of Funk, which sees them revisit most of the films most popular locations and recreate as much of the action as the can for their music video. Action superstar and Hong Kong cinema mega-fan Scott Adkins discusses Jackie's work with Matt Routledge on an episode of his web-series The Art Of Action, and there are a few great audio commentaries to choose from when you feel like going back for a re-watch. This Blu-ray release also carries the same Jackie & Willie Chan interviews from the Hong Kong Legends DVD release, as does the fan-made Blu-ray release from Hong Kong Rescue. While I don't agree with the how the guy produces them by stealing other peoples produced work to compile the ultimate editions and sell them, I simply can't deny the work he puts into the restoration of the prints (which are first class) and compilation of extras. Of these, the exclusive featurette called Under The Armour offers a neatly made bio on the film which offers plenty of unseen stills and footage from Jonathan Ross' Incredibly Strange Film Show and more. High Upon High: The Armour Of Funk also appears here, but the biggest special feature for me is the addition of the Jackie Chan produced Traces Of A Dragon – a full-length documentary that tells the story of his parents and his younger years. This runs for a good 70 minutes and is an emotional tale of the Chan family, directed by Mabel Cheung. The featurette called This Is Jackie Chan offers a neat BTS look at Jackie in everyday life – cleaning the gutters, taking out the trash, and playing with his toys and gadgets. Of course, there are plenty of other exciting extras to enjoy on both releases that should fill the day of any true Jackie Chan fan!
Overall: Though it may hail some minor flaws, Armour Of God still proves to be one of Jackie's greatest films with amazing fight scenes, incredible stunt-work, great comedy, and an awesome soundtrack that still entertains as much today!
88 Films Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration, International Cut (88 Mins), Audio Commentary with Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng, Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Audio commentary with Kenneth Brorsson & Phil Gillon of the Podcast On Fire Network, The Art of Action with Scott Adkins & Matt Routledge, Jackie Chan on VHS - The VPD Years with Steve Lawson, Rise of the Phoenix - Radek Sienski on Armour of God, Celebrity Talk Show (1989) Season 2 Episode 02 (57 Mins), Short film High upon High – The Armour of Funk (2016). Produced as a 30th-anniversary music video and was shot at original location from Armour of God, High Upon High - behind the scenes with Andy Long Nguyen & Side-by-Side, Hong Kong Movie Tours - Then & Now, Japanese Closing Out-takes, Interview with in-house Golden Harvest editor Peter Cheung, Archival Interviews with Jackie Chan &Willie Chan, Hong Kong Cantonese Trailer, Hong Kong Mandarin Trailer, English Trailer, Blu-ray Trailer
Hong Kong Rescue Blu-ray Extras: Alternate Miramax Version, Traces Of A Dragon Documentary, Image Gallery, Restoration Featurette, Under The Armour Featurette, Jackie Chan & Willie Chan Interviews, Outtakes, Trailer Gallery, Japanese Promotional Archive, That Same Question Featurette discussing Jackie's injuries and footage of The Wynners, Short film High upon High – The Armour of Funk (2016), Jackie's Oscar Win, Officially Amazing Featurette, This Is Jackie Chan Featurette, There Can Only Be One Featurette, Comedy Special Featurette, HK Cinema 101 – A series of short documentaries from The University of Hong Kong, Charitable Chan, 'Sing Lung' Sings, Working With Jackie – A short film showcasing Martial Club's project with Jackie Chan, Hong Kong Rescue Trailer
Hong Kong Legends DVD Extras: Jackie Chan Bio, Trailers, Photo Gallery, Interview with Jackie Chan & Willie Chan
Made In Hong Kong VHS Trailers: Police Story, Once Upon A Time In China, Fist Of Legend
VPD VHS Trailers: Black Eagle, Police Story 2, Priceless Beauty, No Holds Barred
Watch my unboxing video of this 88 Films release HERE
Buy your copy HERE
ARMOUR OF GOD 2:
OPERATION CONDOR
(Hong Kong 1991)
Original Title: Fei Ying Gai Wak 飛鷹計劃 (aka) Operation Condor; Operation Eagle; Operation Condor: Armour of God
Directed by Jackie Chan Produced by Leonard Ho, Raymond Chow Action by Jackie Chan, JC Stunt Team Starring: Jackie Chan, Carol DoDo Cheng, Eva Cobo De Garcia, Aldo Sanchez, Ken Lo, Jonathan Isgar, Daniel Mintz, Mark King, Vincent Lynn, Bryan Baker, Ikeda Shoko, Bruce Fontaine, Wayne Archer, Steve Tartalia Reviewing: 88 Films UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Action / Comedy / Adventure
Rating: 5 / 5
88 Films Blu-ray Synopsis: The Asian Hawk is back! Undeterred by nearly dying while making the first Armour Of God, Jackie Chan returned to battle for a sequel that's bigger, better and even more daring. This time, Jackie's intrepid treasure hunter is in a race to recover some Nazi gold but finding it will not be easy, let alone safe. The most expensive Hong Kong film produced at that time, Armour Of God II: Operation Condor showcases some of Jackie's best stunts and action, building up to an epic climax that will blow you off your feet. (107 Mins)
Deltamac HK DVD Synopsis: Jackie the Condor is having more than his share of adventures, including a shotgun marriage, when Baron Scappis calls on him for help. The Baron tells Jackie this story: Near the end of the World War II, Nazi Germany was on the brink of defeat. The Nazis decided to hide the gold they had robbed of Europe in a secret fortress in the Sahara Desert. General Count von Katterling assigned the mission to his trusted aide and 18 guards. Nothing has ever been heard from the men since. The United Nations wants to have the gold recovered and used on humanitarian projects. So the Baron tells the Condor: you go there, locate the gold and take it back. And the Baron gives Jackie an assistant, Ada, a Chinese scholar, very pretty, very proud. Ada of course does not approve of Jackie's happy-go-lucky ways... (107 Mins)
Entertainment In Video UK VHS Synopsis: Jackie Chan is Condor, an adventurer hired to track down a lost hoard of gold buried in the North African desert by a German patrol as the Nazi war machine crumbled at the end of World War II. The hero is joined by three beautiful women in a race to get to the gold and outwit the evil forces relentlessly pursuing them. (100 Mins)
Views: When Operation Condor first got its UK release on VHS, it certainly wasn't graced with the most attractive or exciting cover-art. With Jackie's wrapped face filling the most of the video box, it was hardly enticing to anyone looking for an exciting movie to watch – let alone the fans. But this was pretty typical of the 1990's video releases by VPD and Entertainment In Video. Of course, if you wrapped the latest Jackie Chan movie in a brown paper bag, it still wouldn't stop me from wanting it. As the years passed and the DVD revolution set-in, I was always keeping an eye out for this to get some sort of re-release, a well-deserved clean-up as such from the likes of Hong Kong Legends or the CineAsia label. But by this stage, Hollywood studio and distributors Miramax had already secured the rights – renaming, re-editing, and ruining Armour Of God 2: Operation Condor along with most of Jackie's back catalogue (all of which I would advise steering-clear from). I eventually managed to get a Hong Kong DVD release from Deltamac, which was nice to have, but still nothing amazing in terms of what this incredible film deserved. Then thankfully, in 2020, the wonderful team at the UK label 88 Films, gave this Hong Kong classic the release it finally needed – and on Blu-ray at that, complete with stunning cover-art by the wonderful Kung Fu Bob!
The very same release gives viewers the chance to watch 2 different versions of the film, both of which have been remastered in 2K from the original negatives. The first is the original Hong Kong version at 107 minutes long, but the one I'm watching is the rarely seen extended version that clocks in at 117 minutes...
Jackie Chan continues his nod to Indiana Jones (and James Bond) as he takes the character of the Asian Hawk on another globe-trotting adventure, cranking things up a few levels on budget, stunts, story, cast, comedy, and fight action, in one of my all-time favourite Hong Kong action-comedies. Much like Armour Of God, the film opens with Jackie attempting to steal a treasure from a native tribe – arriving in style on their island by paragliding over. As he plucks the large gems from the stone carvings, he is encouraged by a few of the natives to take more. Surprised, Jackie thanks them and continues to do so. Before he leaves, the Asian Hawk takes a moment to fill his water-bottle from the small waterfall that pours over the same stone. As he takes a sip to show the tribesmen how it works, Jackie gets a shock as the armed natives quickly get to their feet – soon joined by a small army of warriors. As our hero tries to figure out his options, he notices a scrawny Chinese man who steps out from among the painted people. He announces to Jackie that the water is sacred, and that he himself made the same mistake many years ago – a mistake that left him stuck there for the rest of his years, married to the biggest woman of the tribe. Jackie makes a run for it!
The scrawny man in question is played by the fantastic Chen Chi Hwa – the very same man who started a relationship with a young Jackie Chan as the director of his early works such as Shaolin Wooden Men, Snake And Crane Arts Of Shaolin, and the fun Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu. Around the same time, they both would also work together on Dance Of Death and 36 Crazy Fists, with Jackie stepping in as action-choreographer. As the 80's kicked in and Jackie Chan was taking over the world, the roles reversed and Chen went on to work for Jackie as an executive director (and often uncredited director) on many of his films including Police Story and Armour Of God 2: Operation Condor. But another well known name of the Hong Kong film world would also be a part of Jackie's adventures over the years, and was one that helped create a trio of talent that was often over-looked or shadowed by his infamous on-screen moments with kung-fu brothers Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. That man was the great Frankie Chan – director of classics such as the hard-hitting Burning Ambition, The Good, The Bad And The Beauty, the crazy Oh! Yes Sir!, and fantastic Outlaw Brothers – a film that would benefit from having Jackie Chan and his stunt team as the action choreographers. As well as starring in his own movies, fans will recognise Frankie Chan as the main bad guy from the epic Prodigal Son who takes part in one of the most incredible end fights when he goes toe-to-toe with Yuen Biao. He would also star alongside Sammo Hung in the fun Carry On Pickpocket and The Fortune Code. But Frankie Chan has so much more under his belt, as well as being an actor and action-movie-director. With over 130 credits to his name as a composer. From early Jackie Chan works such as Cub Tiger From Kwan Tung in 1973 (aka Snake Fist Fighter), right through to Wong Kar Wai and Jeff Lau's Chinese Odyssey 2002, Frankie Chan has been the man behind some incredible scores of many Hong Kong classics. Much like Chen Chi Hwa, Frankie has always had a connection with Jackie Chan with both directors helping each other out on each others projects, including Jackie even producing Legendary Amazons for Frankie as his big come-back movie. Although there was an incredible amount of talent behind it, the film ultimately failed to impress critics as well as many Hong Kong film fans, but I really enjoyed it myself. Regardless, both Chan's (and Chen) would prove to be a force to be reckoned with, working together as a team over many decades on hit-after-hit which would also see Frankie step in as assistant director on this, and once again on the unofficial sequel to the series, the fantastically fun Chinese Zodiac...
Back in Operation Condor, Jackie makes his escape with the help of a tiger-poster and a large, inflatable zorbing ball that gives us an exciting opening-stunt as he (or one of his stuntmen) bounces off the edge of the mountain, and down into the thick canopy of trees below. Regardless of who was inside, it still proves to be a highly impressive sight and, having spent time in a zorb-ball, can honestly say I don't envy the person who did it. Taking a well deserved break, we find Jackie fishing on his jeep – which is also his boat – in the middle of an ancient volcano, which is another amazing sight and just lets us see how epic the film is going to get. He soon receives a fax that ends his vacation quick, and just as he hooks a monster fish that most definitely doesn't look like it belongs there! Before we know it Jackie is in Madrid bumping into a host of characters that will all take part in his journey this time around. These include Japanese market seller Ikeda Shoko, German tourist Eva Cobo, and two unfriendly Arabs who are following her – played by Dan Mintz and Jonathan Isgar. Jackie has been called upon by the Baron, played once again by Bozidar Smiljanic who starred as the same character in Armour Of God. It's a shame Lola Forner, who played his daughter and Jackie's previous love-interest, didn't return or her absence explained. Saying that, Lola is replaced somewhat by the wonderful Carol DoDo Cheng who plays an assistant to the Baron. Revealing a special key he has had in his possession, the Baron announces that he wants to hire the Asian Hawk (also known here as the Condor) to find a secret, hidden Nazi bunker in a desert that is rumoured to house millions of dollars worth of gold. Of course, Jackie accepts and soon sets of on his adventures that kick-starts a host of hilarious and action-packed scenarios.
After a tip-off, his first stop is at the home of the aforementioned German tourist, Eva Cobo De Garcia. Finding that no-one is home, Jackie breaks-in (in the coolest of ways of course) to look for more clues that will help him on his journey. Jackie fumbles about in the dark with a mini-flashlight in hand, and soon gets a shock when Eva bursts through the door. As she charges through the house to get to the bathroom, Jackie ducks and dives to stay out of shot in a hilarious moment that never fails to entertain me. After managing to sneak by her, and with his foot almost out the door, Jackie suddenly hears some commotion from Eva's bedroom where she is being attacked by the two meddling Arabs. In a wonderfully choreographed and funny moment, the Asian Hawk comes to the rescue, resulting in some laughs, great moves, stripping Eva naked, and letting the attackers go. Without letting viewers catch a breath, Jackie next heads to a highly respected locksmith to see if he can unlock any secrets of the key given to him by the Baron. But some dodgy looking guys are hot-on-his-heels, and before we know it, we are treated to another fun scuffle. Thinking he has gotten rid of his problems after disarming them, Jackie returns to his motorbike but soon finds himself being chased by as host of vehicles resulting in a fantastic car chase – much like what we got in the first, only ramped up even more with some crazy stunt-work that highly impresses. Hugely popular French stunt driver Remy Julienne and his team return once again to deliver some incredible vehicle work, that ends with Jackie driving off a ramp at the docks and catching hold of a hoisting net while flying through the air!
With Eva having revealed that her grandfather was part of the Nazi desert operation, she easily persuades Jackie to let her come along – much to Carol Cheng's delight. Soon, the adventurers and their posse are on their way to Morocco in a wonderful montage of laughs and gorgeous cinematography, backed by yet another fun and catchy song from Jackie himself. They soon arrive a desert hotel, hosted by a fast-talking and money loving manager who more than looks after his guests, but always for a price. As the rift between the girls becomes more apparent, we soon find that someone else has been tailing them, ransacking each of their rooms in search of the key. This whole sequence at the hotel is a definite highlight for me, and a hugely entertaining part of the film. As more characters appear, including the meddling Arabs and some tough-as-nails mercenaries, more-and-more comedic situations arise. You can't help but sit with a huge smile on your face as laugh-after-laugh blends with some great action moments, and things just get hilariously worse for the gang due to the absolute nuttiness of the female characters that results in the very funny Eva Cobo getting her hands on a massive machine gun, before she pretty much decimates the entire hotel. It's such a fantastic scene overall, and a big part of what makes this film highly entertaining for me. While it looks incredibly authentic, the Moroccan hotel in question was actually built on the Golden Harvest back-lot which really allowed for Jackie and his team to go wild. It's one of the most impressive sets I've ever seen in a Hong Kong film, with every little brick and bend highly detailed, with some beautiful lighting that compliments every corner of the building.
As they continue on their journey, Jackie and his team soon come across the Japanese market seller, Ikeda, who is seemingly wandering the desert roads alone – perhaps looking for another place to sell her crafts. As they all pitch camp for the night, the explorers are suddenly attacked by some desert bandits that literally look like they just stepped out of an Indiana Jones movie. In a bid to stay alive, Jackie feigns his death after faking a scorpion bite by Ikeda's pet, Ding Dong. It's a funny moment and it works for him, allowing Jackie to survive so that he (and Ikeda) can go rescue Eva and Carol who have been kidnapped. Finding both women being sold-off as slaves at a night market elsewhere in the desert, Jackie and Ikeda arrange their rescue, with the Asian Hawk dressing as a local so he can buy them both – something that offers plenty of laughs once again and a few nice-but-brief moves from our hero. If this was a Hollywood movie, this gang of crazy characters would be home-free and getting somewhat of a break after their ordeal, but not here. As the rest of Jackie's team is getting shot up and slaughtered back at camp by the mercenaries that have been following, Chan and his ladies get taken prisoner (once again), this time by the two crazy Arab's who just won't give up. But as the heat beats down on them and the water runs low, Jackie soon makes his move and sends both men rolling down a huge sand dune, allowing the four of them to get back to camp where they find an unwanted sight awaiting them.
Reduced to a trio as they say their goodbyes to Ikeda, Jackie leads the adventurers to the spot where they believe the hidden Nazi bunker is. Once again, we are treated to another amazing set-piece (which actually looks like it was on location) as tunnels of sandstone and secret doors make for an exciting chase sequence, when some deadly tribesmen try to kill the 3 of them. As Jackie and the girls are backed into a corner, the ground suddenly gives-way. The trio fall through the sand, sliding down into the very place they have been looking for – the Nazi bunker – filled with spider webs, Nazi flags, and lots of skeletons, one of which is Eva's grandfather. It's another incredible set piece that showcases the work of the Hong Kong set designers from that era, both in scale and detail that simply looks amazing. Of course, it doesn't take long for the mercenaries to catch-up, led by the one Nazi that escaped the killing of his regiment in a bid to keep the gold a secret. They also have Ikeda in-tow as a hostage so, after some quick thinking, Jackie and the girls make their first attempt to escape which kicks-off an incredible final 30 minutes of action (well, at least in this extended version). This has got to be one of my favourite finales to any Jackie Chan movie, and while it may not host an epic one-on-one battle like Jackie vs Benny The Jet in Dragons Forever or Wheels On Meals, it totally delivers in terms of martial-arts-action and awesome stunt-work, offering plenty of fighting that will keep even the most hardened fan happy! I have always praised Jackie as the king of parkour – long before this now over-used style of free running was a 'thing', and here we get to see plenty of that in action, blended with his incredible action – all of which are highlighted even more as to how real they were, with the bloopers and NG (no good) shots at the end of the film!
Of course, to allow viewers the chance to breathe in this grand finale, the team take a break from fighting when they finally come across the tons of gold bars that are hidden. But I'm only talking a few minutes before Jackie is suddenly trading hits again, this time with the fantastic Ken Lo and Vincent Lynn. The only problem is, they have gotten trapped in a giant wind tunnel, and as the girls hit each and every button in the control room in an attempt to help Jackie, things only go from bad-to-worse when they trigger the self destruct button as well as turn on the giant turbine. It's a moment that leads to much hilarity and some fun action, as the old Nazi decides to help Jackie and the girls escape after a change of heart. In an extremely wild and explosive ending, we watch in awe as Jackie, Carol, Eva and Ikeda get sucked up a giant air-duct, and shot out of the sand like bullets. Yes it's maybe a little over-the-top, but why the hell not? The whole film has been like a live-action cartoon, so why not go out big?
Armour Of God 2: Operation Condor is a massive amount of fun! Jackie proves why he is the king of martial-arts-action-cinema both as a star and a director, delivering an incredibly fun adventure that quite simply, does not fail to entertain. I've heard folks say that even the shorter version could have been trimmed, but I still find this extended version to be fantastic. Once again we are treated to some great songs by the star, as well as a memorable and fun score by composer Chris Babida who had also worked on Hong Kong films such as Bury Me High, Black Cat 2, Butterfly & Sword, and other Jackie projects such as Wheels On Meals and Winners And Sinners. I absolutely adore this film and clearly can't praise it enough, and while I love Armour Of God, this sequel definitely takes things to the next level and betters it. Just stay clear of the massacred US version by all means!!
Overall: An incredible action-adventure, with fantastic fight scenes and epic stunt-work that proves that Armour Of God 2: Operation Condor is one of Jackie Chan's finest moments!
88 Films Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restorations, Extended Version (117 Mins), Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder & Arne Venema, Interview with Bruce Fontaine, Trailers
Deltamac HK DVD Extras: Trailer, Star Biographies
Get your copy HERE
AROUND THE WORLD IN
80 DAYS
(USA 2004) 4.3
Directed by Frank Coraci Produced by Hal Lieberman, Bill Badalato Action by Jackie Chan, Nicky Li Chung Chi, Jackie Chan Stunt Team Starring: Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Cecile De France, Robert Fyfe, Jim Broadbent, Karen Mok, Daniel Wu, Sammo Hung, Ian McNeice, Ewen Bremmer, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maggie Q, Rob Schneider, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Mark Addy, John Cleese, Kathy Bates, Ken Lo, Marsha Yuen Reviewing: Entertainment In Video UK DVD Release Genres: Action / Comedy / Adventure
Rating: 4.3 / 5
Entertainment In Video DVD Synopsis: An eccentric London inventor, Phileas Fogg (STEVE COOGAN), has come up with the secrets to flight, electricity, and even in-line skates, but the establishment has dismissed him as a crackpot. Desperate to be taken seriously, Fogg makes an outlandish bet with Lord Kelvin (JIM BROADBENT), the head of the Royal Academy Of Science: to circumnavigate the globe in no more than 80 days! With his valet Passepartout (JACKIE CHAN) and thrill-seeking French artist Monique (CECILE DE FRANCE) at his side, Fogg is headed on a frantic, heart-pounding round-the-world race that takes our heroes to the world's most exotic places by land, sea, and air. (100 Mins)
Views: Many fans and critics slated Jackie Chan's globe-trotting adventure-comedy upon release, leaving it to be one of the years biggest flops and a movie that got tossed to the side. I don't know what they were watching, but I personally found it to be highly entertaining for its two-hour running time, with genuinely hilarious comedy, and some great action that showed Jackie at his most 'Hong-Kong-Chan' in any Hollywood production he's done to date!
After stealing the Jade Buddha from the Bank of England (and escaping in style), Jackie accidentally hides-out in the house of eccentric inventor, Phileas Fogg (played by Steve Coogan). Mistaken by Fogg to be his new help, Jackie agrees to take on the role of his valet and instantly gets to work, suffering as a guinea-pig for Fogg's mad inventions. Soon after, Fogg takes Jackie along to a meeting at the Royal Academy of Science, where the new valet tricks the laughed-at-inventor into making a bet with the head of the academy (played by Jim Broadbent in a hilarious, over-the-top role). That bet is for Fogg to circumnavigate the world in 80 days, with the prize being that of of Broadbent's position. But should he lose, the eccentric Phileas agrees to give up inventing for the rest of his days. It's a deal that Broadbent and his very staunch, old, and conservative friends certainly can't turn-down! Of course, Jackie's ploy is to get the Jade Buddha back to his village, where it was originally stolen from (unknowingly) by Broadbent, with the help of the Black Scorpion Gang – led by the wonderful Karen Mok (here, credited as Karen Joy Morris) from So Close, Black Mask, and A Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2. As Fogg and Jackie set-off on their adventurers, the evil Broadbent and Mok lay out a number of obstacles around the world, aimed to stop (or even kill) them on their journey. Naturally, this results in a collection of mad-cap action scenes, and some very funny situations.
Along the way, they meet the charming and beautiful Monique La Roche – an amateur artist and resident of Paris, who aids the odd couple at an art exhibition where some members of the Black Scorpion Gang have tracked them down. This results in the first exciting and fun fight sequence, as Jackie takes on host of familiar faces from the JC Stunt Team (most of who play Karen Mok's henchmen), in a creative and energetic battle that sees Chan create a painting with each strike of the fist. As the pair leave the gallery via a secret door in a painting, led by the overly-excited Monique, they stop for a moment at a location that looks exactly like the same place Jackie and Alan Tam first discussed Rosamund Kwan's kidnapping in Armour Of God (the beautiful historic estate with the large fountain and pond). After convincing Fogg to let her join them, the trio zip past the ticket seller of a hot-air-balloon (played by Richard Branson), and make their escape by air – with Jackie running after the rope as he fights-off the last of the gang members on the ground. It's another hilarious moment that sees the superstar almost mimic his own highly-praised rope ladder stunt, from Police Story 3: Supercop, as he bangs and bumps off statues and buildings while he holds-on for his life. He even takes a moment to save singer Macy Gray and her child, from a fire in their apartment. It also makes for one of my favourite comedy moments as a little-old-lady chases after them, when her handbag gets stolen, and comes crashing over a wall – landing right on her face in the most painful (but hilarious) looking way!
As they continue on their journey, Monique soon figures out who Passepartout (Chan) really is, and after listening to his explanation, agrees to keep his secret. Monique is played by the wonderful Cecile De France, who is outrageous and a scene stealer for the most of it. Her charm and comedy was such a great addition, and while they may seem like the oddest trio of people to travel the world together, they really do work well as a team. I first caught Cecile in the violent and fantastic Switchblade Romance (aka High Tension), that had come out just a year before. Around The World In 80 Days gives her a challenge in delivering a role that sits right at the other end of the scale, from what she had just given us in Alexandre Aja's twisted horror...
Their next stop is Istanbul where the train they are now on, is forced to a stop when Prince Hapi sends an order to have the trio join him for dinner. Prince Hapi is played hilariously by Arnold Schwarzenegger, complete with a wild hairstyle, cheesy lines, and a love for a statue of himself – which of course becomes collateral when Chan and Fogg try to rescue Monique from becoming the Prince's seventh wife. Their next stop is in India, where the police are on the lookout for them all, led by Lord Kelvin's (Broadbent) crooked cop, Inspector Fix (played outlandishly by Ewen Bremner). Before we know it, the Black Scorpion Gang are hot-on-their-tails, one of which includes the awesome Maggie Q in a cameo. It's here we get treated to another exciting and inventive fight scene, that pays tribute to Jackie's own Project A 2 when he and Fix are handcuffed together, and try to fight their way past some warriors. After a close escape, the gang finally end up in China – with Jackie finally returning home, giving him the chance to return the Jade Buddha statue, and see his family. Of course, this still has to be hidden from his boss who still doesn't know the truth behind his 'French' valet.
This is one of my favourite sections of the whole movie as it brings Jackie back into familiar territory, and makes for some great comedic, dramatic, and action-packed moments. It also gives us one of my favourite cameo's as the legendary Sammo Hung appears alongside Jackie, as one of the 10 Tigers Of Canton (and playing Wong Fei Hung no-less). After a drunken celebration, Fogg soon finds out who Passepartout really is and, feeling let-down and used, says his goodbyes. Unfortunately for him, this leads to Fogg's capture by the infamous Black Scorpion Gang, who have arrived in great numbers. With both Monique and Fogg now in cages, Jackie must challenge their leader (played by the wonderful Daniel Wu from Into The Badlands) for their freedom. It's definitely the highlight of the movie for martial arts fans, that sees the arrival of the 10 Tigers, and gives us Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung fighting alongside each other for the first time since 1990's Island On Fire (from director Kevin Chu). It's a fantastic fight sequence that offers a lot of incredible moves, great choreography, and some nice stunt-work!
Leaving Jackie and Monique in China to continue his journey and win his bet, Fogg ends up in San Fran where he gets robbed, sleeps in an alleyway for days, and meets homeless nutcase Rob Schneider before getting slapped in the face by director Coraci, in his brief cameo. As he reaches the lowest of low, Fogg finds light at the end of the tunnel when his 2 old friends turn-up to help him win his race. Getting their journey back on track, the trio soon breakdown 'somewhere in the desert' that gives us another great cameo by Luke and Owen Wilson, as the Wright brothers (inventors of the airplane). It's a fun moment, more-so for the fact that Chan and Wilson had just starred in the exciting and hugely popular Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights the year before this. A quick train journey across America takes them to New York, where crowds of fans are waiting for them – as well as the Black Scorpion Gang and their leader, Mok. Trapped in a warehouse, that just happens to house the upper half of the Statue Of Liberty, we are treated to another amazing and fantastically choreographed fight scene in and around the head of the French lady – that makes for some incredible moves, painful looking stunts, and hilarious moments. In fact, I'd say its one of my favourite Jackie Chan fights from any of his Hollywood movies – and also gives the brilliant Karen Mok the chance to kick some ass.
Having been delayed in battle, the trio miss the boat to England – but manage to hitch a ride on a smaller vessel with Captain Mark Addy (The Full Monty) in quite a funny cameo. As their fuel burns low, the Captain agrees to let Fogg build a flying machine from the decks of his boat, in return for some new nipples (of which he lost when a shark bit them off) and a new boat. Taking inspiration from the Wright brothers blue-prints, the wacky trio set-off on the final leg of their journey by air, on a cartoonish and wild looking wooden plane that defies all logic – but then again, what hasn't here?! Still, it makes for some great laughs, including a welcome cameo from the great John Cleese in a Monty Python inspired moment. As the people of London all watch with excitement when Fogg, Chan and Monique come-in for a landing, Lord Kelvin and his men do what they can to block the final passage that would allow Fogg to win his bet. As the evil Lord monologues, he puts his own foot in his mouth after he insults Queen Victoria, who just happens to be standing behind him. Played by Kathy Bates, the queen proves to be a big fan of Fogg and has even put some money on him to win the bet. Realizing they are well ahead of time because of the international date line, Fogg, Chan and Monique climb the steps of the academy to cross the finish line and celebrate their win, that sees its viewers out with a memorable music number, but unfortunately – no end bloopers or NG shots which was probably the most disappointing part for me...
Regardless, I just love this movie! I never tire of it and even though it has its flaws (of course), it never fails to make me laugh-out-loud on a number of occasions. I must admit, director Frank Coraci was an odd choice for the gig. The man had only made one 'serious' independent flick - Murdered Innocence - before going on to bring us two of Adam Sandler's biggest hits in The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy. Unfortunately for him, after this and the surprisingly fun Sandler film Click, he seems to have went downhill with any projects that followed. And because of it's constant nutty, comedy, I'd half-expected this kind of project to have been handled by someone like Tom Shadyac or even Chris Columbus, but the fact-of-the-matter is, Frank Coraci does a damn good job! Yes, everything is played in a theatrical, over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek kind of way, but that's what makes it work. Taking its cue from the classic David Niven version, this journey really shakes things up with a ton of slapstick, larger-than-life characters, a great cast, and of course, colour! I don't think I've seen a more colourful movie in a long time. Even as they travel from country to country, we are treated to a beautifully animated transition that was so different and looked fantastic, obviously inserted because its running time was already lengthy. Imagine if they had stopped at every country? If only Netflix had been about in 2004, this actually would have made an incredible series for all involved, and probably would have proved to be a much bigger hit.
As it was mostly geared towards a western audience, I feel that people have forgotten that this is a Jackie Chan movie. He is the executive producer, the fight choreographer and of course, the star. And even though the famed tale of Fogg's journey is the title of the film, this is really Chan's story of getting a sacred relic back to his people. Steve Coogan plays Fogg wonderfully and makes a great partnership with Jackie as an on-screen duo. He does have many hilarious moments along the way, as well as winning the girl at the end – which, as a Chan film did seem very odd, but it's a minor gripe. And then of course, there is the action! As I mentioned, this is about the best Hong Kong styled Jackie Chan in a Hollywood movie we have seen. His fight scenes, comedy and stunt work are all classic Jackie, and while toned down somewhat for the family audience, they still offer some amazing moments of imagination, physicality and martial arts. The village fight, where Daniel Wu gets to face off against Jackie, almost harks back to the days of Chan's Drunken Master, and even The Young Master as he uses a wooden bench as a weapon. Its also just a bonus to see Hung and Chan back on the big screen together, and such a shame they didn't get Yuen Biao involved also which would have been epic!
Regardless, Around The World In 80 Days is a lot of fun! Its supposed to be silly and cheesy, its supposed to have over-the-top acting (highlighted mainly by Ewen Bremner, Broadbent, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hilarious cameo), and its supposed to be a classic-adventure-comedy that makes you feel good while you laugh hard at its nonsense. After all, it is a Disney movie! For me, it does all of the above, and in the most entertaining of ways. It's harmful fun and I do love it...
Overall: Underrated and lost, Jackie Chan's Around The World In 80 Days is one of his best Hollywood movies ever and hugely entertaining!
Entertainment In Video DVD Extras: Director and Cast Commentary, Making Of Documentaries, Jackie Chan Documentary Stunt Featurette, Deleted Scenes, Alternate Chicken Reel, Music Video
THE ART OF WAR BY SUN TZU
(Taiwan 1979)
Original Title: Sun Bin Xa Shan Dou Pang Juan 孫臏下山鬥龐涓 (aka) Sun Tzu's Art Of War; Challenge Of The Invincibles
Directed by King Weng Produced by King Weng Action by Chen Hsin-I Starring: Yuen Hua, Eddy Ko, Wong Ling, Chang Fu Chien Lui Wan Biu, Wei Ping Ao, Wang Li Reviewing: YouTube Release Genres: Traditional Kung-Fu / Drama / Historical
Rating: 3 / 5
Synopsis: Excellent martial arts film depicts the exploits of the legendary Chinese scholar, Sun Tzu, the author of the world renowned book, “The Art of War by Sun Tzu” This film adaptation is filled with great fight scenes and battle stratagems. (88 Mins)
Views: This late 70's kung-fu comedy (and I use that description sparingly), opens on a riverside beach with the five main characters gathered – seemingly to take the piss out of their bumbling friend, Lui Wan Biu. As he begins his antics, Lui is backed-up by a music track that bears an uncanny resemblance to the 1968 hit, Lazy Sunday by The Small Faces. Among these five are Yuen Hua (playing the titular Sun Tzu), Eddy Ko, Chang Fu Chien, and Wong Ling who all have the same master, played by Wei Ping Ao from Bruce Lee's Way Of The Dragon, Fist Of Fury, and many more. The Art Of War By Sun Tzu quickly falls into generic-plot territory with a crazy old master, random training sequences, double-crossing students, and nonsensical comedy situations that really offers nothing new to fan's of old-school classics...
The real action kicks-in around the 25 minute mark, with students Yuen Hua and Eddy Ko leaving their master to go their own ways. From here, the film expands somewhat in cast and scale allowing for a bit more story after Eddy Ko saves a young King from an assassination attempt. To reward him for his efforts, the King makes Ko a general – a job that the fighter quickly accepts. As 3 years pass, Ko's student brothers and sister come to visit, causing trouble on arrival and soon finding him, with Yuen Hua following soon after. Offered jobs under the King, Yuen and company are soon put in charge of creating and building an all female army. It's a bizarre scene as the uniformed women refuse to listen to him, but after Hua orders two of them to be killed – with their heads coming back on a tray – everyone starts to take notice. His decision makes Ko uneasy – something that mirrors an action that Ko did in front of Hua, earlier. For a moment, it makes you question just who-of-the-two may cross into the dark-side, but within minutes all is quickly confirmed as Eddy tries to drug his 'sister' in an attempted rape. Her rescue, by the two younger brothers, results in Chang Fu Chien losing both his eyes, with Lui and Wong Ling escaping. Later on, as his jealousy gets the better of him, Ko traps brother Hua in the dungeon when he attacks and destroys his legs – putting him in a cell with the blinded Chang. After escaping, the pair come across an abandoned house and soon find Lui and Wong in a fun scene that touches on the horror theme, although without getting ridiculous. It all leads to an impressive and fun showdown, as the team pull together to defeat Ko with the help of an old book left by their master!
Actor, fight-director, and Lam Ching Ying look-a-like Chen Hsin-I, looks after the kung-fu choreography, delivering plenty of fun fights through-out. While nothing stands-out in particular, the choreography still proves to entertain, especially when Eddy Ko and Yuen Hua are in action. Chen will be a familiar face to fans of old-school classics, starring in films such as One Armed Boxer, To Kill With Intrigue, Lady Constables, Snake And Crane Arts Of Shaolin, and much more. As a choreographer, Chen has put his skills to use on the likes of Marco Polo, Shaolin Avengers, Killer Meteors, To Kill With Intrigue, and Filthy Guy, as well as directing the Bruceplotation flick, The True Game Of Death – made the same year as this. Director King Weng (also known as Kuang Hui) directed 14 films over the course of his decade in the industry with The Filthy Guy starring Sammo Hung, being the only other one I've seen. And while The Art Of War By Sun Tzu may be a case of the same old, Weng delivers a neatly directed feature with plenty of colour through sets and costumes, crazy characters, and crisp cinematography courtesy of Li Shih Chieh – DOP and cinematographer of many great titles such as Jimmy Wang Yu's One Armed Against The Nine Killers, John Liu's Mars Villa, The Dynamite Trio, and modern films like The Chinese Ghostbuster with Lam Ching Ying and Wu Ma, and the low-budget Tiger Angels with Cynthia Khan and Yukari Oshima.
I think the biggest disappointment is that the actual Art Of War is hardly touched upon overall. Rather than a war-themed ending with armies battling, King Weng opts for a typical fighters vs villain showdown that sees Ko fall victim to his own trap – closing things with a couple of lines of dialogue over the end credits that explain what Sun Tzu went on to do. With that in mind, the film is probably better suited to it's alternate title, Challenge Of The Invincibles, and shouldn't be seen for anyone looking for a film based on war strategies and battles!
Overall: Far from dreadful, The Art Of War By Sun Tzu is an enjoyable kung-fu flick with some silly moments, but plenty of decent fight-action!
A SNAKE OF JUNE
(Japan 2002)
Original Title: Rokugatsu No Hebi 六月の蛇
Directed by Tsukamoto Shinya Produced by Tsukamoto Shinya Starring: Asuka Kurosawa, Yuji Kotari, Shinya Tsukamoto, Fuwa Mansaku, Terajima Susumu Reviewing: Tartan Asia Extreme UK DVD Release Genres: Drama / Thriller / Erotica
Rating: 4 / 5
Tartan Asia Extreme DVD Synopsis: During an insistent June downpour in an anonymous Japanese metropolis, a dark erotic force infiltrates the lives of Rinko, a reserved career woman in her thirties, and Shigehiko, her obsessively clean work-a-holic husband. Invading the most private aspects of the couple's lives, a mysterious stranger sends an anonymous envelope bearing the inscription “Your Husband's Secrets”. Inside are photographs of Rinko masturbating. Soon, mysterious phone calls follow, but the male voice does not demand money. Instead, it demands that Rinko follows strict instructions to go out in public wearing a miniskirt and purchase a vibrator... A deliriously perverse tale of buried sexual desires, Shinya Tsukamoto's surreal journey to the dark side of obsession is as stylish as it is totally unforgettable. (77 Mins)
Views: Tsukamoto's sexually-driven, mystery-thriller is a film that would make most mainstream film fans scratch their heads with confusion, or at the very least, have them question just what goes-on outside the realms of the Hollywood film industry. While it's pretty straight-forward overall, Shinya throws in enough surreal moments to make viewers question things. Welcome to the world of Asian cinema – and more so, that of Japanese film!
I was first introduced to Shinya's work when I caught the incredible Tetsuo: The Iron Man on television in my early teens. As I was only just getting deep into the world of Hong Kong cinema and Asian films, I couldn't actually take-in what was going on but I still loved it and also it's sequel Tetsuo 2: Body-Hammer, that followed a few years later. While he had been directing films (mostly shorts) from the mid-1970's, Tsukamoto really caught peoples attention with his first 3 major titles – the Tetsuo movies, and the crazy-fun Hiruko The Goblin. And although it has been out for over 20 years (at time of writing), I am only-now getting to see A Snake Of June for the first time...
Once again, wrapped in sexual tension and complete perversion, the film tells the story of Rinko Tatsumi, a telephone suicide-counsellor who lives with her husband, Shigehiko. While years divide them, Shigehiko's odd-habits and lack off sex-drive sees them sleep in separate beds – something that often drives Rinko to please herself, masturbating when she can and at her own discretion. One morning an envelope arrives for her, filled with voyeuristic photographs that have captured her in such an act. A phone-call follows from the photographer, who makes threats to send them to her husband if Rinko does not agree to play his game. This includes some strict instructions to wear a (very short) mini skirt in public, and buying a vibrator so he can watch her every move. As things get out of hand, Rinko finds herself trapped in a relationship with her stalker, with more threats on her life if she reveals what's happening. As the heavy rains pour down and the half-way mark creeps in, A Snake Of June turns it's attention to husband Shigehiko – taking things on a different path, and letting Tsukamoto deliver even more bizarre moments of surrealism than before.
If you've never experienced a Shinya Tsukamoto film before, A Snake Of June is quite possibly a good place to start. The first half of the film plays like an erotic-thriller from Brian De Palma – albeit a little more stylistically – but second half is where Shinya really starts twisting things up. Doused in a cool blue filter for it's complete running time, you can't help but be engrossed at what is going on. This is also down to some stunning visuals and lighting courtesy of Tsukamoto himself, who proves to be quite the hands-on film-maker from writing, producing and directing, to shooting and editing, as well as starring as the twisted stalker of the tale. This is all backed by a fantastic score by composer Chu Ishikawa, who has worked on many of Shinya's films including The Tetsuo Trilogy, Bullet Ballet, Tokyo Fist, Vital, and more, as well as some titles for the equally acclaimed Takashi Miike.
Rinko is played (wonderfully) by Asuka Kurosawa, a 90's television and movie actress who made her mark on the film world with her role in A Snake Of June. Both her performance and overall involvement of what had to be done here, was nothing short of brilliant and something that most young actresses would not have went with. While managing to avoid anything as crazy since, Asuka has went on to impress in films like Memories Of Matsuko, and Himizu, as well as a long list of television shows. Yuji Kotari plays the OCD plagued husband, in what was only his second-and-last acting role to date, since his first in 1993. While coming across as an average, middle-aged, Japanese actor – Yuji still gives an impressive turn in both his subdued home-life, and torture scenes. As mentioned, Shinya himself plays the stalker and has actually been acting in his films since he began directing in the mid-to-late 1980's. He also starred as Jijii in Takashi Miike's brilliant Ichi The Killer and appeared in the well-received and fantastic, Shin Godzilla.
Coming-in as one of Shinya's shorter features at 77 minutes, A Snake Of June does not outstay it's welcome and ties things up pretty quick. It's a highly watchable piece, although clearly not for everyone, and will most certainly give you something to talk about on your next coffee-date!
Overall: Twisted yet captivating, A Snake Of June is a stylish erotic-thriller that leaves an impression and entertains!
Tartan Asian Extreme DVD Extras: Trailers
THE ASSASSIN
(Taiwan/China 2015)
Original Title: Ci Ke Nie Yin Niang 刺客聶隱娘
Directed by Hou Hsiao Hsien Produced by Liao Ching Sung, Stanley Tong, Stephen Shin, Huang Wen Ying, Ren Yue Action by Stephen Tung Wei Starring: Shu Qi, Chang Chen, Zhou Yun, Ni Dahong, Yong Mei, Nikki Hsieh Reviewing: Studio Canal UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Wuxia / Drama / Arthouse
Rating: 4 / 5
Studio Canal Blu-ray Synopsis: 9th Century China. A 10-year-old general's daughter Nie Yinniang (Shu Qi, Chinese Zodiac, Legend of the Fist) is abducted by a nun who initiates her in the martial arts; transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. From the critically acclaimed director Hou Hsiao-Hsien (Flight of the Red Balloon) comes an exquisite and captivating tale of love, death and the importance of honour. (105 Mins)
Views: Director Hou Hsiao Hsien returns at an 8 year break, with a film that garnered him worldwide praise, as well as becoming Taiwan's official entry to the 2015 Oscar offerings. But was the wait worth it? Well, in some respects – yes! Set in 8th century China, 10 year old Nie Yinniang is handed over to a nun who begins to train her in the ways of the martial arts, in a bid to turn the general's daughter into an amazing assassin. Over the years, Nie (who grows up to be the beautiful Shu Qi), is sent on many missions to assassinate corrupt and evil governors, doing so with exact precision and beauty. Having failed a task in killing one such man as he holds his sleeping son, Nie returns to her mistress with regret. In a cruel twist of fate, the nun sends Nie back to her birthland and home, with orders to kill the very man she was betrothed to as a child – her cousin, who also happens to be the leader of the largest independent military in North China. Now a stranger, Nie struggles to fight her memories and feelings, while confronting her parents on their decisions and choosing to ignore the orders of her mistress for the man she loves...
If there's one thing I need to say about The Assassin, it's that this film is often painfully slow! While incredibly beautiful in every aspect, I don't think this is the kind of piece that will appeal to a modern audience at all – especially those looking for the next Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero. But once that initial disappointment is over, Hou's arthouse epic certainly does the job!
Although I have known about him for some time, I haven't watched a lot of Hou Hsiao Hsien's films. In all honesty, they just aren't the kind of films that appeal to me, but I wouldn't turn them down if they were set in front of me. The Assassin was definitely sold as more of an action movie when it started getting advertised online and in the UK, and with the gorgeous Shu Qi as the lead, it was a film I had looked forward to seeing. But as early reports came out of its lack-of-action, I must admit, I did delay my purchase of the Blu-ray for some time. That said, Hou has delivered an incredibly stunning film, delivered mainly in 4:3 ratio, yet still managing to capture some incredible images. It does flit to widescreen the odd time, which quickly reminds you of this (now unusual) approach, which has still managed to keep your eyes locked on the screen, no matter size its aspect ratio is. The amazing art-direction by Weng Ding Yang is only promoted more by the beautiful cinematography of Lee Ping Bin (aka Mark Lee). This Taiwanese cinematographer has quite the credits to his name working on some incredible films such as Runaway Blues, Tiger Cage 2, Fong Sai Yuk 2, In The Mood For Love, and Hou's very own Flight Of The Red Balloon, as well as many more. This is, without a doubt, some of his finest work – and while I praise the change in aspect ratio, I do think seeing Lee's work in full widescreen would have offered even more beauty to the overall experience. The action, when it comes about, is still quite nice to watch. Some fight scenes offer the grace and balletic moves of a Ching Siu Tung choreographed battle, while others look like they have been lifted from a King Hu classic such as A Touch Of Zen for example. They are often brief and over too soon, yet at the same time, actually fit the story wonderfully without ever detracting from the hurt and drama of Shu Qi's character. The fight choreography is handled by Liu Ming Zhe, who has worked as the assistant and main choreographer on films such as the epic Red Cliff 1 & 2, The Great Magician, and with Donnie Yen on Bodyguards And Assassins, as well as Painted Skin and a bit-part in Ip Man. And while I mention that the fights here are a bit too brief, Liu still manages to excite and deliver some nice moves that will excite those in need of action.
The Assassin features a large cast, most of who will be unrecognizable to a mainstream audience, but this is also down to a lot of new faces. I think director Hou made the right choice though, in putting Shu Qi and Chang Chen as the leads. I've been watching the stunning Taiwanese Shu Qi since the 90's in films like Street Angels, Young And Dangerous 5, Black Sheep Affair, and Gorgeous where her career seemed to keep rising, taking her into Hollywood with The Transporter, and back east for a host of fantastic titles. She rarely seems to disappoint, whether its with action or drama, and also never seems to age. The role she plays here, is akin to something I would have seen Michelle Yeoh pull-off if this film was made 20 or 30 years ago. The fantastic Chang Chen plays her unfortunate cousin, and leader of the Chinese military. Chang first came to the worlds attention when he starred in the epic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – only a few years after his role in Wong Kar Wai's Happy Together. Since then, he has impressed in many modern greats such as Chinese Odyssey 2002, The Last Supper, Brotherhood Of Blades, and Wong Kar Wai's 2046 as well as The Grandmaster.
I have to say, I really enjoyed The Assassin more-so the second time around. While it's definitely not a happy movie, it still impresses on many levels and is one of the most beautiful films of recent years. It reminded me of Feng Xiao Gang's 2006 epic, The Banquet – albeit a with a more subdued approach and a lot less action, but it's most certainly worth the watch...
Overall: While misleading to Asian action fans with its title and artwork, The Assassin still proves to be a stunning watch, with an incredible performance from Shu Qi and all involved!
Studio Canal Blu-ray Extras: Behind The Scenes, Making Of Documentaries
