THE WAILING
(South Korea 2016)
Original Title: Gokseong
Directed by Na Hong Jin Produced by Hyun Suh Dong, Kim Ho Sung Starring: Jun Kunimura, Hwang Jung Min, Kwak Do Wan, Chun Woo Hee, Kim Hwan Hee, Jang So Yeon, Kim Do Yoon, Park Seong Yeon Reviewing: Kaleidoscope/Well Go USA UK DVD Release Genres: Horror / Mystery / Thriller
Rating: 5 / 5
DVD Synopsis: In this critically acclaimed and incredibly tense supernatural thriller, a foreigner's mysterious appearance in a quiet village causes suspicion among the locals – suspicion which quickly turns to hysteria, as the residents begin killing each other in brutal outbursts, seemingly without motive. As the hopelessy out-of-depth investigating officer watches his daughter fall under the same savage spell, he agrees to consult a shaman for answers – unknowingly escalating the situation. From the globally-acclaimed director of The Chaser and The Yellow Sea, and more than six years in the making, this meticulously crafted thriller is a stunningly realised, visual tour-de-force. Grippingly intense and terror-filled, it will keep you on the edge of your sofa throughout.
Views: With over 30 award wins and a further 50 plus nominations, The Wailing tells a tale about the small town of Gokseong that has been hit with a host of mysterious murders, illnesses, and happenings. As officer Jong Goo and his men reluctantly investigate the strange goings-on, he soon finds the very same problems following him home as he suffers from horrific nightmares and realises that his beloved daughter, Hyo Jin, is coming down with the bizarre illness. After his mother-in-law recommends a local shaman to help, Jong Goo heads out to find the home of a mysterious Japanese man who has been rumoured to be somewhat of a boogeyman to the locals. Accompanied by a fellow cop and a young priest who speaks Japanese, the trio come across an altar of sorts that includes hundreds of photos of townsfolk and victims – along with a single shoe that belongs to Hyo Jin! Returning home to get some answers from her, Jong Goo is shocked to find that his daughters attitude has changed dramatically, and comes across a book of hers filled with sketches of demons. Taking matters into his own hands, Jong Goo and the priest return to the Japanese man only to find the photographs missing, and altar removed. As things quickly get out-of-hand and Hyo Jin's condition worsens, Jong Goo quickly finds his life (and that of his family) on a downward spiral as brutal attacks, gruesome murders, and horrific actions quickly escalate resulting in a brutal shaman versus shaman stand-off that revives the dead and brings more horror to the town than ever before!
Blending some political social commentary with religious beliefs with old Korean folklore, writer and director Na Hong Jin manages to craft a tense and compelling tale that keeps you gripped for its two-and-a-half-hour running time. Shrouded in mystery and mysticism, The Wailing is a film of two halves with the first offering plenty of dark humour as its story builds before shifting into a second-half that proves to be extremely unsettling for the most part. From possessions to exorcisms, things can get more than a little heavy for the average viewer – even the shaman versus shaman battle just after the halfway mark is pretty frigging intense. Unlike that seen in the likes of Sammo Hung's Encounters Of A Spooky Kind, the Mr. Vampire series, or even the classic Black Magic from Shaw Brothers, this is a battle of magic in the darkest of ways that makes you cringe and hold your breath, as opposed to laugh and get excited like the aforementioned titles would make you do. But what else would you expect from the man behind such incredible films like The Chaser, and The Yellow Sea – and with only his third feature film?! It's an incredibly tense and well-written story that is so well done it can only explain why there was a 6-year gap between his second film and this...
Of course, only such an incredible story could be brought to life with the right cast and it's here that The Wailing makes sure it delivers a memorable one. Kwak Do Won stars as Jong Goo, the lazy cop who is easily intimidated and who's daughter has him wrapped around her little finger. Having just been in the business for just over a decade (at the time of writing), Kwak wasted no time in getting strong roles in some fantastic South Korean movies such as Mother, The Man From Nowhere, The Berlin File, and more. As Jong Goo, he delivers one of his best performances to date as he plays a bumbling cop and desperate father who is pushed to the edge in order to save his daughter. The wonderful Jun Kunimura, from films such as Kill Bill 1 & 2, Ichi The Killer, Audition, and Attack On Titan 1 & 2, leaves a lasting impression as 'the Japanese man' and the so-called devil to the story. Starring in what would be his first Korean production since his beginnings in the film industry over 40 years before, Jun offers up a menacing performance that sees him hide behind the corner of every twist and turn, resulting in a final scene that highlights the great work of the effects department in a transformation that I just was not expecting. The brilliant Hwang Jung Min appears as the shaman brought in to help save Hyo Jin, who soon finds himself up against a force he never expected, as well as bringing in his own twist to the story. Launching his acting career back in the early 90s, Hwang has gone on to appear in some amazing titles including A Bittersweet Life, Heaven's Soldiers, The Chase, Ode To My Father, New World, and The Battleship Island, which went on to make him the third actor in Korea to become a member of the '100 Million Viewer Club' in Chungmuro. It's safe to say that everyone involved gives an incredible performance to be honest, from Kim Do Yoon as the unfortunate young priest that finds himself getting in too deep and attacked by a reanimated corpse, to Kim Hwan Hee who does an amazing job as Hyo Jin shifting from a sweet and loving daughter to a possessed, foul-mouthed and violent being that would put the fear of god into anyone.
The cinematography is handled by Hong Kyung Pyo, the man behind the visuals of the Oscar-winning Parasite, Snowpiercer, Burning, Brotherhood, Love Exposure, Mother, Sea Fog, and so much more, and provides some stunning shots that really stand out. These are backed by a great score delivered by Dalpalan who composed the music for hits like A Bittersweet Life, The Good The Bad The Weird, Assassination, and Adrenaline Rush to name but a few. He is joined once again by Jang Young Gyu with both working alongside each other on many of the aforementioned titles, as well as Jang composing for films like Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, Woochi The Demon Slayer, The Yellow Sea, and Train To Busan. Along with Hong's visuals, they help make Na Hong Jin's gripping thiller an amazing experience. I absolutely loved The Wailing. It's such an intense watch that proves to be as gripping as the awesome Parasite and should definitely be seen by more fans of horror/thrillers, regardless of its place of birth!
Overall: Dark, gripping, and highly entertaining, The Wailing is one of the best modern horrors from South Korean cinema, and is most definitely worth the watch!
DVD Extras: Behind The Scenes, Making of Documentary, Trailer
WAKE OF DEATH
(USA 2004)
(aka) After Death
Directed by Philippe Martinez Produced by Alan Latham, Philippe Martinez Action by Tom Delmar Starring: Jean Claude Van Damme, Simon Yam, Philip Tan, Valerie Tian, Tony Schiena, Burt Kwok, Lisa King, Tom Wu, Jacqueline Chan Reviewing: Sony Pictures UK DVD Release Genres: Action / Thriller
Rating: 4 / 5
DVD Synopsis: Action superstar, Jean Claude Van Damme (Universal Soldier, Street Fighter), is back and at his hard-hitting best as Ben Archer, an ex-mob enforcer seeking revenge against a ruthless Chinese kingpin responsible for his wife's brutal murder. When Archer joins forces with his old underworld friends, an all-out war is waged against the Chinese Triad in this pulse-pounding action thriller.
Views: The irrepressible JCVD stars as a mob enforcer Ben Archer, who is on the verge of retirement. Although he has been loyal to his employers for many years, his boss doesn't like the idea of an ex-staff member on the loose with so many secrets that could bring the gangsters down. To make matters worse, his INS social worker wife has brought home a young Chinese girl (Kim) whom she saved during a bust on a human trafficking case – a decision that comes with its own set of problems, as she is the daughter of brutal Triad leader Sun Quan. After killing the girls mother in Hong Kong, Quan arrives in LA to find the daughter he has never met with the help of a dirty cop who has been running drugs with him. While at a restaurant with Kim and her family, Ben's wife soon finds herself face-to-face with the Triad boss who quickly runs a knife across her throat and shoots her parents dead. As the kids make their escape, Ben arrives on the scene to find the body of his wife and in-laws. Now, he must find Sun Quan and take his revenge for their murders while protecting his son and Kim, along with a little help from his old friends in the mob!
Originally set to be directed by the late, great Ringo Lam – in what would have been the 4th collaboration with Van Damme after Maximum Risk, Replicant, and In Hell (all of which are worth the watch), Wake Of Death saw its second director come and go in the shape of indie filmmaker Cess Silvera, who was then fired after 2 weeks into production. It then became 3rd time lucky for the production when French producer Philippe Martinez stepped up to the plate, in what would only be his second feature at the helm after his directorial debut, Citizen Verdict, from 2003. I can't say I've ever seen any more of his work, but with Wake Of Death he delivers a neat enough film that entertains to some degree – but I'd really loved to have seen where Ringo Lam would have took it, to be honest. Regardless, Martinez brings a stylish flair to the project with some quick editing that helps keep the action scenes exciting, and plenty of slow motion and cross-fades for the more dramatic moments. In fact, I'd say that the director took more than a few tips from Lam' style of filmmaking as well as putting his own twist on things, bringing some great brutality to the show that saw lots of cuts in many countries as well as having an 18 rating slapped on it. The script certainly isn't anything spectacular, but it is made a little more palatable thanks to a decent supporting cast. The turn-of-the-century saw Van Damme suddenly lose his status as box-office gold, coming off the tail-end of the 90s with Tsui Hark's highly entertaining Double Team and Knock Off, the well-received Legionnaire, Universal Soldier: The Return, and Inferno. And while I personally enjoyed what followed with Ringo Lam's Replicant and In Hell, as well as The Order from Sheldon Lettich, it looked like the muscles from Brussels was on track for a life of straight-to-video (or DVD) titles, with Wake Of Death proving to be one of the better projects with what followed. I wouldn't say it was a ground-breaking role for Van Damme – I mean he hardly had to flex the acting chops, but it suited him. It's something I would imagine Jason Statham being cast in, if it was to be made today and similar in many ways to films like Safe or Hummingbird, I suppose.
Hong Kong superstar Simon Yam stars as Sun Quan, the Triad boss with no compassion. Again, it's not a role that calls for him to do anything he hasn't already done over the course of his wonderful and lengthy career, but it works. With around 250 roles behind him, Yam has always been a treat to watch and had been cast the year before in the box office hit, Laura Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life alongside Angelina Jolie – so it was a clever move in casting him here. Interestingly enough, Philip Tan, who plays one of hi subordinates in Wake Of Death, had also starred with him in the Tomb Raider sequel and has had a healthy career in Hollywood as both an actor and a stuntman from Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom to Showdown In Little Tokyo, and Lethal Weapon 4 to the Martial Law television series with Sammo Hung. It was nice to see the wonderful Burt Kwok appear briefly as Ben's father-in-law, and Marco Polo star Tom Wu star as one of Yam's henchmen. Wu also shared the screen with Simon and Philip in the aforementioned Tomb Raider sequel, as well as carrying roles in Shanghai Knights, Skyfall, Red 2, and Kick-Ass 2 as Genghis Carnage. The rest of the supporting cast is fleshed out with a host of faces I can't say I've ever seen before, but the majority of them did a pretty damn good job – including the kids who managed to avoid being annoying for the most part...
Although it has its flaws, Wake Of Death is a pretty damn good film and a simple tale of revenge backed up by some great action. While there isn't too much hand-to-hand combat going on, the film does deliver some exciting shoot-outs, cool car chases, and an exciting motorbike chase through a shopping mall. Simon Yam doesn't really get to do too much, even though one scene shows him practise tai chi as if prepping him to be a kick-ass opponent against Ben Archer, but Van Damme definitely gets to partake in a mix of fun fights and action scenes. All in all, it's the kind of movie you really don't have to think too hard about and entertains enough to make me want to see it again!
Overall: Brutal, moody, stylish, and enjoyable, Wake Of Death is worth the watch and one of Van Damme's better films of the 21st Century!
DVD Extras: Making of Documentary
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WALK ON FIRE
(Hong Kong 1988)
Original Title: Lie Ying Xing Dong
Directed by Norman Law Produced by Ng See Yuen Action by Tony Leung Siu Hung Starring: Andy Lau, Ray Lui, Cherie Chung, Kent Cheng, Dick Wei, Lau Siu Ming, Shum Wai, Kam Hing Yin, Tony Leung Siu Hung, Bruce Law, Teddy Yip Reviewing: YouTube Release Genres: Action / Crime / Drama
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Synopsis: Bomb suspect and criminal Tong of the Hunan Gang, is sent back to Hong Kong from Macau for his crimes. But his car is attacked along the way and Tong escapes. It's now up to OCTB inspectors Lee and Lo to track him down and stop him.
Views: Hong Kong cops Lung and Ma are given the task of bringing a bomb suspect back from Macau, after he bombed a police station in the city. The suspect is Tong, a member of the Hunan Gang, and is rescued by his men along the way that leads to a shoot-out and car chase that crosses the border into China. With Tong now gone, the cops land themselves in big trouble and are joined by Lam from the Complaints Department to find a way to get Tong back and clear their names. Lam soon meets Chung – an informer for Lung and Ma who has her own troubles with local loan-shark and gang boss Wai, who is also from the Hunan Gang. Offering to scare Wai off for her, Lung takes Chung home but gets attacked by the gangster and his men before being taken away and killed, while his wife gives birth to their 4th child and first son. As Ma and Lam set out to find their friends killers, they track down informer Chung who keeps them on their toes and moves in with Lam to stay safe - with the pair soon falling for each other as time passes!
I must admit, there's quite a strong team behind the scenes as much as there is in front. The wonderful Ng See Yuen produces through his company Seasonal Films, working off a script written by prolific director Wong Kar Wai. Interestingly enough, Wong also penned films like The Intellectual Trio, Rosa, Final Victory, Flaming Brothers, The Haunted Cop Shop, and Return Engagement (as well as all of his own self-directed hits), and provides a pretty solid piece with Walk On Fire. And although Ng See Yuen hadn't directed anything himself since 1985's The Unwritten Law (also starring Andy Lau), he stayed busy behind the scenes producing – with this falling in between the No Retreat, No Surrender Trilogy, as well as the Hsu Hsia directed Mister Mistress starring Cherie Cheung and Eric Tsang. Instead, Ng handed the directing duties over to Norman Law Man who had worked as an assistant director to See Yuen on projects such as The Secret Rivals 2, Drunken Master, Dance Of The Drunk Mantis, Tower Of Death, and more. In doing so, Law proved himself to the big boss man who then went on to make his own directorial debut under the Seasonal Films name with the super-fun Lackey And The Lady Tiger, starring Mars, Hwang Jang Lee, and Linda Lin Ying in her final film role. Walk On Fire came about half way through his directing career, in between A Hearty Response and (Ninja) Vampire Buster, and proves (again) how competent a director Law really was. I'm actually surprised he wasn't behind so much more, to be honest...
The wonderful Andy Lau plays Lam Kwok Wah, the handsome detective and close friend of Lung's who sets out on a revenge mission no matter what it takes. Lau had been climbing the movie star ranks quickly since the early 80s with movies like Boat People, On The Wrong Track, Shanghai 13, The Unwritten Law, Magic Crystal, Rich & Famous and Tragic Hero behind him. 1988 would continue to be one of his busiest years with 10 features on the go including The Crazy Companies 1 & 2, The Dragon Family, Runaway Blues, Three Against The World, and the fantastic As Tears Go By for writer Wong Kar Wai in his directorial debut. In Walk On Fire, Lau plays a role similar to that of many he portrayed in the years leading up to the production and gets the chance to show some heavy dramatic moments, comedy, and action – all while looking as handsome as ever. The equally handsome Ray Lui plays Lung, the unfortunate father and husband who is eventually killed after trying to help his informer. I've always enjoyed seeing Lui on screen in many great roles over the years including Project A 2, Devil Hunters, Guns Of Dragon, To Be Number One, 7 Assassins, and many more. The brilliant Kent Cheng stars as Inspector Ma, partner to Lung and comedy relief of the show. It's hard not to enjoy the big man in any movie and with over 140 film credits to his name since his appearance in the Shaw Brothers film Heroes Two, Cheng has become one of Hong Kong's biggest stars appearing with A-list names like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li, and Michelle Yeoh. He obviously had a close relationship with director Norman Law, having starred in a number of films for him such as The Sweet And Sour Cops 1 & 2, A Hearty Response, the super fun Vampire Buster with Jacky Cheung – one of my favourites as a young teen that I bought as an ex-rental called Ninja Vampire Busters – The Kung Fu Scholar, Bloody Brothers, Mermaid Got Married, and this. The beautiful Cherie Chung stars as Miss Chung, the drug addicted informer who brings about Lung's death (as well as a host of other problems) and falls for Andy Lau's character. I felt that Cherie did a great job here and put up with a lot of abusive stunt-work, as she has done with many of her roles over the years, and has always been a joy to watch. The first time I would have seen her on screen was in Sammo Hung's classic Winners & Sinners, and from there caught her in some great titles such as Postman Strikes Back, The Dead And The Deadly, Peking Opera Blues, Spiritual Love, Wild Search, Once A Thief, Zodiac Killers, and Frankie Chan's The Good, The Bad, And The Beauty. Ultimate Hong Kong movie bad-guy, Dick Wei, stars as Wai – the Hunan Gang thug that kills Lung and takes on Andy Lau in a final showdown. I just loving seeing Dick Wei in any movie! He has such a bad-ass on screen presence and rarely disappoints when in action. Starting life in the industry in the early 70s with Shaw Brothers, Wei went on to star in over 130 movies and quickly became even more popular when he joined Sammo Hung for The Prodigal Son and Carry On Pickpocket – going on to star in films like Zu Warriors, The Champions, Project A, The Lucky Stars Trilogy, Heart Of The Dragon, Yes Madam, Millionaires Express, Dragons Forever, and so much more. As well as crossing paths with many of his Walk On Fire co-stars over the years, Wei managed to direct a handful of titles including the very fun Visa To Hell, A Killing Order, and Ghost Fights Ghosts – almost 2 decades after his last directorial effort. The rest of the cast is filled out with familiar faces such as Lau Siu Ming as the Chief of Police, Shum Wai, Kam Hing Yin, Teddy Yip, Barry Wong, Lam Kai Wing, Maria Cordero, and action directors Bruce Law and Tony Leung Siu Hung – both of whom deliver some incredible action pieces here. While Law would have most likely been behind the car chases, crashes and vehicle stunt work involved, Tony Leung (brother to kung fu super star Bruce Leung) brings alive some exciting shoot-outs, fights, and impressive stunts that help keep Walk On Fire exciting.
With some great cinematography from Horace Wong, the eye behind films such as the A Better Tomorrow Trilogy, Hard Boiled, Barefooted Kid, The Killer, The Big Heat, The Accidental Spy, and The Myth, Walk On Fire often looks a little more polished than many other late 80s Hong Kong productions – sometimes reminding me of Police Story with particular shots. And while it may seem uneven to newer viewers as it jumps between serious action thriller to romantic comedy, this was quite a common flow of any Hong Kong movie at this time and a huge reason of why I fell in love with them. Although the hugely popular Wong Kar Wai may have penned the script, Walk On Fire is a car cry from any of his own self-directed works which may annoy any of his new-age fans. Personally, and with all flaws acknowledged, I quite enjoyed it though and would happily watch it again without a second thought!
Overall: An exciting and action-filled flick, backed by a great cast and production team that makes Walk On Fire a movie worth watching!
THE WANDERING EARTH
(China 2019)
Original Title: Liu Lang Di Qiu 流浪地球
Directed by Frant Gwo Produced by Liu Ci Xin Action by Yan Hua Starring: Jacky Wu Jing, Ng Man Tat, Jin Long, Qu Chu Xiao, Li Guang Jie, Zhao Jin Mei, Mike Sui Kai, Zhang Yi Chi, Qu Jing Jing, Yang Yi, Lei Jia Yin Reviewing: Netflix UK Release Genres: Sci- Fi / Drama / Adventure
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Synopsis: In the near future, when the inflating Sun is threatening all lives on Earth, governments are united together to carry out an ambitious plan: building thousands of gigantic thrusters on the ground to push our planet out of the solar system. They call it "Project Wandering Earth". 17 years later, the plan is in danger of catastrophic failure when the Earth is travelling near Jupiter. With only 37 hours to spare, teams of rescuers rush to save the Earth from colliding with Jupiter. A young man, Liu Qi, his sister and his grandpa are involuntarily involved in this biggest rescue mission of the history. Together, they will encounter many difficulties along the road, they will revisit their past, and they will feel desperation and hope. This is a story about uniting all humans to face enormous challenges, about strong feelings between father and son, and most importantly, about hope in despair. (125 Mins)
Views: Based on the short story of the same name by Liu Ci Xin, written almost two decades before, The Wandering Earth is an epic tale that challenges even the biggest Hollywood sci-fi movies. Set in the year 2058, the world has finally come together to create the United Earth Government – brought together in a bid to save mankind from the threat of our ageing Sun which is getting closer to the point of engulfing the Earth's orbit and ending all life as we know it. To avoid their possible extinction, the UEG create The Wandering Earth Project in a bid to shift the planet out of its Solar System and into that of the Alpha Centauri's. They do this by using a team of highly skilled scientists and astronauts to build a host of enormous fusion-powered engines, placed all over the Northern Hemisphere and equator, in order to drive planet Earth to its new destination. Chinese astronaut Liu Peiqiang oversees the manoeuvre, and helps navigate his home planet away from the burning Sun . Following instructions to use Jupiter's gravity to assist them, the UEG soon find some major flaws in their plans as the Earth experiences a host of deadly earthquakes and tsunamis caused by a shift in tidal forces due to the gravitational pull. This, in turn, destroys many of the giant engines across the planet! Meanwhile, in the International Space Station, Liu Peiqiang is challenged by the A.I. system known as MOSS, which has made its own decision to alter plans and leave planet Earth to die – opting to seed a new beginning using Earths biosphere while the Space Station will serve as an ark for any survivors. Reluctant to follow the new plans by MOSS, Liu fights to continue his mission to save his home planet, unaware of the troubles and adventures his young adult son is facing in his absence...
I was super excited to see The Wandering Earth get a wide release on Netflix, and even more so to finally see this epic adventure movie! While I've always loved Asian cinema, I've always had a soft spot for the science-fiction genre from classic Hollywood and Japanese titles to many of the modern box-office hits coming out today. The Wandering Earth is one such title, challenging the very best that Hollywood has to offer with its grand story and stunning visual effects. I can't imagine where I would begin with the challenge of creating such a film. Reading up on production notes, it was interesting to find out how much pre-production went into building the design of it all – taking the story theme of the original book, but going on to flesh it out with more focus of the characters, social aspects, politics, economics, and daily life, as well as an outlook on how the world would be after many years of environmental change. The highly impressive VFX were handled by a number of effects teams and are incredibly impressive when compared to other Chinese sci-fi movies such as Shanghai Fortress, and even some titles from the West if I'm to be honest. I don't think I've ever seen a film quite like The Wandering Earth with its ambitious approach both in story and execution – I mean, have we ever seen the planet Earth being driven through the solar system before? It's just insane to see!
The film is directed by Frant Gwo, who also serves as one of the eight screenwriters and one of the producers – as well as making a cameo of sorts throughout the film. Until The Wandering Earth I had actually never heard of Gwo, even though he had directed two features prior to this with the first being Lee's Adventure; a sci-fi adventure starring Jaycee Chan and Henry Fong (who also produced). Gwo followed this up with the rom-com, My Old Classmate, with both films obviously making enough of an impression at the box-office to land Frant the job of directing this epic. To date, Gwo has since went on to direct the equally impressive sequel, Wandering Earth 2, and the Chinese war film, The Sacrifice – a movie very similar to the Battle At Lake Chang-Jin movies with Wu Jing leading the way once again. Initially hired to show up in only one scene, Frant Gwo knew that Jacky Wu Jing was the only major star of the film and started making changes to the script in an attempt to keep him around for longer. But as days turned into months and the production itself went over-budget, Gwo found himself in the position of having to ask the superstar if he would possibly forfeit his fee. Respecting both the directors proposal and the film itself, Wu Jing agreed to give up his remuneration and went onto invest his own money in the production so that it could continue shooting without any more issues. This was a massive bonus for Gwo and The Wandering Earth as Jing had pretty much become China's biggest star due to the success of his career and self-directed record-breaking box-office smash, Wolf Warrior 2, which had come out only a year or so before. I've always been a huge fan of the martial-arts star ever since he appeared on the scene in Yuen Woo Ping's Tai Chi 2 / Tai Chi Boxer way back in 1996. With memorable roles quickly following in Drunken Monkey, SPL, Fatal Contact and Invisible Target (along with many more), Wu Jing quickly went onto become one of China's most bankable stars. He impressed as a director with his debut piece Legendary Assassin in 2008, but it would be Wolf Warrior in 2015 that would confirm his strength as a director. That same year would see him star in the hit film SPL2: A Time Of Consequences, followed by Benny Chan's fantastic Call Of Heroes. Since his critically acclaimed Wolf Warrior 2 lit up screens around the world, Wu has led the way in many big scaled Chinese films such as The Battle At Lake Chang-Jin 1 & 2, The Sacrifice, The Climbers, this and its incredible sequel, and even made an appearance in Jackie Chan's 2022 action-comedy, Ride On. In The Wandering Earth, Wu Jing is joined by a massive Chinese cast with legendary Hong Kong actor, the late Ng Man Tat who plays the grandfather to his son, Li Guang Jie from films such as Drug War, Line Walker, and Shattered Earth: Cloudy Mountain, Lei Jia Yin from Brotherhood Of Blades 2 and Cliffwalker, and Qu Chu Xiao – a television actor who plays Jing's son and has also appeared in Jackie Chan's underrated Iron Mask, The Yinyang Master, and Love Will Tear Us Apart.
Coming in as China's fifth highest-grossing film of all time, and scoring over 30 wins at awards festivals across China and the world, The Wandering Earth is a huge accomplishment on many levels of Chinese cinema, and another well earned notch on the belt of superstar Wu Jing. While martial-arts fans may be disappointed somewhat with the lack of kung-fu action available, one just has to understand that it's not that kind of movie and will still find enjoyment from the many other scenes of action available – most of which are on a grand scale. This is handled by action director Yan Hua, a stable talent of Donnie Yen's crew having appeared in films such as Twins Effect, Dragon Tiger Gate, Wu Xia, Special ID, Kung Fu Jungle, and Enter The Fat Dragon; most of which he also worked on as one of the action directors. The wonderful score is delivered by Roc Chen, a composer who has been behind titles such as The Legendary Amazons, Chinese Zodiac, Running Man, Kung Fu League, and Andy Lau's unfortunate film, Switch. Brought to life by the busy China Film Company – the same studio behind hits such as Aftershock, Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, Blind Detective, Police Story 2013, The Mermaid, Cloudy Mountain, and The Battle At Lake Chang-Jin – The Wandering Earth deserves a look, if not for its awe-inspiring moments of science fiction then for its entertainment value and moments of uniqueness that make it a milestone for Chinese sci-fi cinema. And for those of you who have some unanswered questions, be sure to follow-up (or start) with The Wandering Earth 2; a prequel made just a few years after, that could answer most of them. Amazing film!
Overall: Massive, visually stunning, and hugely impressive for Chinese cinema, The Wandering Earth is an exciting and impressive piece of sci-fi cinema!
Watch my video review HERE
THE WANDERING EARTH 2
(China 2023)
Original Title: Liu Lang Di Qiu 流浪地球 II
Directed by Frant Gwo Produced by Liu Ci Xin, Xian Wu Action by Yan Hua Starring: Jacky Wu Jing, Andy Lau, Wang Zhi, Tong Liya, Ning Li, Jeremiah Blakely, Li Xue Jian, Sha Yi, Zhu Yanmanzi, Temur Mamisashvili Reviewing: Cineasia UK Steelbook 4K UHD Blu-ray Release Genres: Sci- Fi / Drama / Adventure
Rating: 5 / 5
Synopsis: When the sun threatens to destroy humanity and swallow planet Earth, a new government is formed to deliver a rescue plan. Working with the best minds in the world, they create a plan to build giant engines that will drive Earth out of its solar system and away from harm. And while the execution of the plan is challenging enough, those involved must deal with terrorist attacks and other disasters in a race against time before all life as we know it, ends. (173 Mins)
Views: Serving as a prequel to the original box-office smash, and based off the short story of the same name written by Liu Ci Xin who, once again, serves as one of the films writers and producers; The Wandering Earth 2 tells the story of Earth's impending doom and how the United Earth Government comes together to start their plan of shifting the planet from one solar system to another. This means building a test engine on the Moon – a project that is hijacked multiple times by the Digital Life Project, a radical group who believe the best way to save humanity is through mind-uploading technology for digital immortality. While a team of great minds work on the mission from both Earth and the Moon, with rookie astronaut Liu Peiqiang doing what he can to fight against the terrorists and keep the project on track. Back on Earth, Tu Heng Yu, a computer engineer who had worked on the DLP before it was banned, continues to work on a super-computer that will help control the engines that will guide Earth to safety. During his spare time, Tu manages to upload some of his dead daughters consciousness into a simulation – a technological advancement that he later uses on himself in order to help save the planet and, in turn, helping to start their journey on saving humanity and guiding Earth away from the its dying sun!
After being amazed by the first Wandering Earth film, I was extremely excited to hear about this sequel and especially intrigued to see just where things were going to go. While the film initially saw its release at the end of January, a quick turnaround by UK distributor Cineasia saw the film get a big-screen release across the UK and Ireland in selected cinemas almost instantly, and while I was unable to get to any of these myself, I was lucky enough to get access to a private screening from them in the comfort of my own home – although I can't express enough to how much of a big screen movie this really is (The film has since had a Blu-ray, DVD & Digital release from Cineasia, with their new 4K UHD Steelbook released soon after - all of which feature a five star quote from myself which was such a surprise and honour)! It's a rare thing when a sequel (or prequel in this instance) proves to be a much bigger and better ride than the first, but The Wandering Earth 2 just about manages that. Director Frant Gwo brings the wonderful Wu Jing back as Liu Peiqiang and doubles-up the star power with the addition of the great Andy Lau which, no doubt, helped give the film even more appeal with its international audience. Wu Jing had pretty much become China's biggest star due to the success of his career and self-directed record-breaking box-office smash, Wolf Warrior 2, which had come out only a year or so before. I've always been a huge fan of the martial-arts star ever since he appeared on the scene in Yuen Woo Ping's Tai Chi 2 / Tai Chi Boxer way back in 1996. With memorable roles quickly following in Drunken Monkey, SPL, Fatal Contact and Invisible Target (along with many more), Wu Jing quickly went onto become one of China's most bankable stars. He impressed as a director with his debut piece Legendary Assassin in 2008, but it would be Wolf Warrior in 2015 that would confirm his strength as a director. That same year would see him star in the hit film SPL2: A Time Of Consequences, followed by Benny Chan's fantastic Call Of Heroes. Since his critically acclaimed Wolf Warrior 2 lit up screens around the world, Wu has led the way in many big scaled Chinese films such as The Battle At Lake Chang-Jin 1 & 2, The Sacrifice, The Climbers, this and its incredible predecessor, and even made an appearance in Jackie Chan's 2022 action-comedy, Ride On. The irrepressible Andy Lau, who just keeps ploughing-on through the film industry, does a fantastic job as computer engineer, Tu Heng Yu, in an emotional role that sees a man who has lost everything push himself to save the world. While I feel that it wasn't that long ago when Andy was dishing out 12-15 movies a year, he has significantly slowed down over the last decade, sometimes only starring in 2 or 3 productions a year, and it's always great to see him attached to massive projects like this one. It's crazy to think that it has been just over a decade since both he and Wu Jing last worked together, which was in Benny Chan's fantastic Shaolin – alongside Jackie Chan and Nicholas Tse. While their paths rarely cross in The Wandering Earth 2, their stories still coincide and work well together. The pair are joined by Li Xue Jian as the Chinese Ambassador to the UEG, Sha Yi as Liu's mentor, Ning Li as Tu Heng Yu's superior, Wang Zhi who is brilliant as Liu's fellow trainee and then wife (which is such a big development of Liu Peiqiang's story), and a brief CGI cameo of Ng Man Tat who had unfortunately passed in 2021 with liver cancer. You can see in the credits that The Wandering Earth 2 was dedicated to this amazing actor...
The film is directed by Frant Gwo, who also serves as one of the eight screenwriters and one of the producers – as well as making a cameo of sorts throughout the film. Until The Wandering Earth I had actually never heard of Gwo, even though he had directed two features prior to this with the first being Lee's Adventure; a sci-fi adventure starring Jaycee Chan and Henry Fong (who also produced). Gwo followed this up with the rom-com, My Old Classmate, with both films obviously making enough of an impression at the box-office to land Frant the job of directing this epic. To date, Gwo has directed both Wandering Earth movies and the Chinese war film, The Sacrifice – a movie very similar to the Battle At Lake Chang-Jin movies with Wu Jing leading the way once again. Martial-arts fans can rejoice in knowing that Wu Jing gets to bust a few moves in an exciting fight against some terrorists, and in zero-gravity, and will find enjoyment from the plenty of other action scenes available – many of which are on a grand scale and hugely exciting. This is handled once again by action director Yan Hua, a stable talent of Donnie Yen's crew having appeared in films such as Twins Effect, Dragon Tiger Gate, Wu Xia, Special ID, Kung Fu Jungle, and Enter The Fat Dragon; most of which he also worked on as one of the action directors. And Roc Chen returns to deliver another great score that perfectly accompanies the work of cinematographer Michael Liu – who returns after shooting the first film for Gwo as well as his war opus, The Sacrifice.
Once again, the film was presented by Wu Jing and the China Film Group – the same studio behind hits such as Aftershock, Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, Blind Detective, Police Story 2013, The Mermaid, Shattered Earth: Cloudy Mountain, and The Battle At Lake Chang-Jin. As with the first film, The Wandering Earth 2 impresses on many levels; from Gwo's direction to its high production values, and from the stunning visuals and effects to the incredible action-pieces that will have you on the edge of your seat! While many often complain about the propaganda behind most movies produced by the China Film Group (and others), I really enjoyed how this story was about the world coming together and its use of a decent international cast, leaving any propaganda behind and delivering a couple of heroes whose intention was to save humanity and not just the motherland. While I absolutely loved part one and highly regard it as a milestone of Chinese sci-fi cinema, I feel that The Wandering Earth 2 takes things a little bit further and betters its predecessor on many levels, respectively. With strong performances from all involved, a heartfelt human tale, and some incredible moments of CGI and stunning cinematography, this epic film has proven to be as entertaining as any of the biggest Hollywood sci-fi movies and should not be missed!
Overall: An incredible piece of sci-fi cinema, The Wandering Earth 2 is a hugely entertaining and visually incredible film that challenges the best of Hollywood!
Cineasia Steelbook 4K UHD Extras: Making Of Featurettes, Trailers
Get your copy HERE
Watch my video review HERE
THE WANDERING MONK
(Taiwan 1980)
Original Title: You Fang He Shang (aka) Shaolin Monk Fights Back; The Roaming Monk
Directed by Chang Hung Chi Produced by Chang Ang Yuen Action by One Target Martial Arts Group Starring: Li Ping Hsiung, Lin Hsiao Hu, Chen Chiu Yen, Tsai Hung, Cliff Ching, Kao Chen Peng, Yi Yuan Reviewing: Hollywood East UK DVD Release Genres: Traditional Kung Fu / Drama
Rating: 3 / 5
DVD Synopsis: After a number of deathly mishaps, Monk Lu bravely rescues the bewildered young orphan Cheng, and teaches him the essence of martial arts. The two roam the countryside seeking the murderers of Cheng's father. In a series of spectacular martial arts displays they encounter the brutal killer and him to justice. A brilliant example of the lightning arts that will amaze enthusiasts and the initiated alike!
Views: Good monk Lu wanders the land and soon finds trouble with an annoying teen called Cheng, who takes a disliking to him for unknown reasons. The same kid arranges for an evil monk to come to dinner at the Ma Family home where he attempts to rape master Ma's daughter after feasting on meat and wine, but is quickly chased off by the masters men. Soon after, the good monk arrives at the Ma family home and proves his worth when he takes on his evil counterpart who returns for revenge. After a lengthy battle, the good monk spares his temple brother and begins his journey once again – this time with the annoying teen alongside him. Monk Lu soon learns the truth behind young Cheng's angst, having seen his father murdered and mother kidnapped by an evil doctor, and promises to teach the boy the art of kung-fu as well as find the man responsible. It all leads to a deadly showdown as the pair catch up with their suspect, who has now become the self-proclaimed king of town and leader of a deadly kung-fu sect!
On this particular transfer, The Wandering Monk looks as cheap as chips. It's story and direction really doesn't offer anything new in terms of kung-fu movies, and especially for a production that was made in 1980 when the likes of Golden Harvest and Shaw Brothers were dishing out much more modern looking films around the same time. That said though, the film does prove to entertain with lots of well choreographed fights, simple comedy, and a half-decent cast. Little known actor Li Ping Hsiung stars as the titular character and looks pretty damn good when in action, and child actor Lin Hsiao Hu stars as young teenager Cheng – stealing the show with some brilliant martial artistry in what would be one of his final roles, unfortunately. Lin started life in the film industry less than a decade earlier with a child role in Taiwanese flick, Fist Of Shaolin alongside Pai Ying and Pearl Chang. From there, he went on to star in films such as The Furious Avenger, The Traitorous, Story Of The Dragon, and The Smart Cavalier directed by the great Joseph Kuo, and does a great job here as the young revenger once he gets past his annoying stage. Small time actress Ling Fung also impresses in the action department, getting to strut her stuff a few times such as the fight in the brothel and grand finale, and the great Tsai Hung dons a thick grey wig for his role as the evil sect leader. I'm a big fan of Tsai, having seen him in many of his 150+ starring roles including One-Armed Boxer, The Gallant, Beach Of The War Gods, Seaman No. 7, and The Iron Man – all alongside the legendary Jimmy Wang Yu. Some of his other memorable roles have been in films such as Five Shaolin Masters, New Game Of Death, 8 Strikes Of A Wild Cat, Iron Neck Li, and Joseph Kuo's aforementioned classic The Smart Cavalier, as well as a host of Shaw Brothers titles. While the majority of his kung-fu skills are saved for the grand finale, Tsai impresses with his moves and makes for a fun villain as per usual. As well as a number of other recognisable Taiwanese bit-players popping up throughout, prolific actor Yi Yuan stars as Master Ma in one of his two hundred and twenty-something roles. Yuan started his film career in the late 1950s and stayed on the screen into the mid 90s including roles in films like Angel Or Whore, Shaolin Vs Ninja, Devil Killer, A Brotherhood Of Heroes, Tai Chi Shadow Boxing, and 18 Shaolin Riders and is another actor to re-join his co-stars here from the same 1978 Joseph Kuo production...
Although this is the only credit under Chang Hung Chi as a director, he had spent the decade leading up to his debut as the assistant director on titles such as Queen Boxer (The Avenger), The Peking Man, Journey Through Youth, and Hero Of The Wild starring Chen Sing, Hwang Jang Lee, and Lo Lieh which featured choreography from the wonderful Corey Yuen Kwai and Yuen Biao. I have to admit, he presents a pretty basic storyline and style of direction with The Wandering Monk, but it's certainly not unwatchable by any means and is saved by some very exciting fight action. The only credit I can find for fight choreography is by the One Target Martial Arts Group – a collective of action choreographers who have seemingly only worked on this film under that name. Regardless, they manage to bring together some pretty fun kung-fu battles that allows everyone involved to bust a move and look good doing it. Thankfully, this is exactly what saves The Wandering Monk from becoming just another generic kung-fu flick and makes it worth the watch, at least once.
Overall: Nothing new in terms of story, but The Wandering Monk is saved with some great choreography and a fun cast!
DVD Extras: Photo Gallery
WAR
(USA 2007)
(aka) Rogue
Directed by Philip Atwell Produced by Steven Chasman, Jim Thompson Action by Corey Yuen Kwai Starring: Jet Li, Jason Statham, John Lone, Devon Aoki, Luis Guzman, Mark Cheng, Kane Kosugi, Ryo Ishibashi, Sung Kang, Kenneth Choi, Terry Chen, Nadine Velazquez Reviewing: Lionsgate UK DVD Release Genres: Action / Thriller
Rating: 2.3 / 5
Synopsis: When his partner is brutally murdered by the infamous assassin Rogue (Li), FBI agent Jack Crawford (Statham) vows to find the elusive killer and personally avenge his partners death. But Rogue proves untraceable until three years later when he resurfaces to ignite a bloody turf war between Chinese mob leader Chang and Japanese Yakuza boss Shiro. Eager to capture Rogue once and for all, Crawford leads his team of crime specialists headlong into the conflict. But Crawford's thirst for vengeance jeopardises his professional judgement, and as the violence escalates, Crawford finally comes face to face with his enemy to discover that nothing about Rogue or his plan is quite what it seems.
Views: It was interesting to read that Jet Li himself was unhappy with War, both in terms of making it and how it was received upon release. And I have to say, no matter how many times I watch it in the hope that it will get better, I'm always left feeling a little disappointed myself. After FBI agents Jack Crawford and Tom Lone get into a gunfight with the Yakuza, they bring their case to a close when they put a number of bullets into the deadly assassin known as Rogue. As they move on with their lives, Jack quickly learns that the very same killer has resurfaced when he finds his partner Tom and his family shot, and their home burned to the ground. A few years pass, and a new case reconnects Jack with the Yakuza who are now involved in a turf war with the Triads, initiated by Rogue who has been murdering people across the city. Now, he must take on Rogue and his people before he loses anyone else – although soon realises that everything isn't as straight-forward as it seems!
I must admit, the first time I saw War on its initial release, I was highly disappointed. I thought this was going to be the big martial arts rematch between Jet Li and Jason Statham, after sharing some screen time in the more impressive sci-fi action flick The One, but it was not meant to be. A second viewing didn't really change my mind, but with this latest re-watch – I now knew what was coming and actually enjoyed it a little more. While it may be far from the best of Jet Li's Hollywood vehicles, War isn't completely unwatchable and is mostly stained by a so-so screenplay, MTV style editing, and a plot twist that raises more questions than sense. The screenplay for War was written by Lee Anthony Smith and Gregory Bradley, two first time writers who have continued to work together over the years (although not on anything memorable) and while I congratulate them for getting their story made, it's obvious that the script didn't have a more experienced mind behind it. Interestingly enough, the same could be said (in ways) for director Philip Atwell as War would be his directorial debut on a feature film. Atwell had spent the majority of his career as the director on a host of music videos for singers/rappers such as Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Marilyn Manson, 50 Cent, and more, eventually stepping into the role of second unit director on the Nicholas Cage films National Treasure 1 & 2, before getting to make War. Of course, it's being the box-office bomb that it was, War stopped Atwell's career from ever flourishing and seemingly only ever returned to work as the second unit director on yet another Cage movie, The Sorcerers Apprentice.
Apart from handling the action and fight sequences, the great Corey Yuen Kwai also serves as the second unit director on War, but I'd love to have seen him take full control of the production to be honest, having worked with Jet and Jason many times before. While there really wasn't enough martial arts action for me personally, there is plenty of other action going on – but it rarely gets the blood pumping. The action highlights for me include Jason Statham's fun restaurant fight that reminded me of his role in The Transporter, then there was the scuffle between Jet Li and the Yakuza boss, that saw him warm up in a quick exchange of moves with the handsome (and underused) Kane Kosugi, and the exciting showdown between Statham and Li that makes for a fun finale – although was probably over far too quick. As with the most of his movies, Jet is doubled for his more exciting moves and this time by popular stunt performer Peng Zhang. Starting off in the film industry around 2003, Peng has worked on the stunts and fights on many big titles including Bulletproof Monk, The Last Samurai, The Transporter 2, Ninja Assassin, Kick-Ass, 47 Ronin, Wrath Of Vajra, Ant-Man, and Wonder Woman – and has doubled for many other big stars including Chow Yun Fat, Donnie Yen, and even Jackie Chan. Zhang is currently working as the second unit director on the The Marvels for the MCU, the long awaited sequel to Captain Marvel.
While fans kind of know what to expect with Jet Li and Jason Statham in their roles, although the former doesn't really come to life until the final third of the film, the rest of the cast in War is a mix of recognisable faces such as the wonderful John Lone, Mark Cheng (Hong Kong star and former boyfriend of Yukari Oshima), Kenneth Choi, Devon Aoki, Luis Guzman, Sung Kang, Mathew Patrick, Terry Chen, and the aforementioned Kane Kosugi. Of course, some of these guys have shared the screen a number of times before such as Sung Kang and Devon Aoki in 2 Fast 2 Furious, and the latter with Kane Kosugi in the fun DOA: Dead Or Alive. I really wanted this to be so much better, but unfortunately War just isn't as strong as it should have been and that's a real shame. I should also point out that apart from a change in ratio, this UK DVD release is cut by about 5 minutes in comparison to its US counterpart – although it does have a collection of deleted and extended scenes in the special features to make up for this!
Overall: Not half as exciting as it should have been, War still manages to pass the time but fails to excite fans of Jet Li and Jason Statham!
DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Director Philip Atwell, Audio Commentary with Writers Lee Anthony Smith and Gregory J. Bradley, The Action of War, Gag Reel, Deleted/Extended Scenes, Scoring War
WHO AM I?
(Hong Kong 1998)
(aka) Jackie Chan's Who Am I?
Directed by Jackie Chan, Benny Chan Produced by Barbie Tung Action by Jackie Chan Starring: Jackie Chan, Michelle Ferre, Yamamoto Mirai, Ron Smerczak, Ed Nelson, Ron Smoorenburg, Ken Lo, Kwan Yung, Kane Kosugi, Mike Lambert, Steve Brettingham, Nicky Li, Andy Cheng, Brad Allan Reviewing: Umbrella Entertainment Australian Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial Arts / Action / Adventure
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Umbrella Entertainment Australian Blu-ray Synopsis: A group of covert CIA operatives trialling a potential new energy source are double-crossed by corrupt agent Morgan (Ron Smerczak, American Ninja 4: The Annihilation), who causes a helicopter crash in remote South Africa. The sole survivor (Jackie Chan, Drunken Master), suffering sever amnesia, is nursed to recovery by a kindly native tribe who call him “Whoami” after the question he keeps asking. With the help of a mysterious reporter (Michelle Ferre), and rally driver, Yuki (Mirai Yakamoto, Ultraman Ginga), Whoami pieces together his past and tracks the turncoat agent and his criminal cohorts. (108 Mins)
Ascot German DVD Synopsis: Jackie Chan's groundbreaking mixture of action, acrobatics and breathtaking stunts - combined with a good dose of humor - have made the director, actor, screenwriter and producer an absolute box office magnet for the past 20 years. In 'Nobody' he may have forgotten who he is - but not how to stage a great action banger! After a failed special mission in South Africa, Jackie (Jackie Chan) is picked up by a native tribe. When he comes to, he can't remember anything, not even his name. Jackie wants to find out what happened and sets out to explore his identity. His own investigations took him between Johannesburg and Rotterdam on the trail of corrupt CIA bosses who are using a dangerous silver bullet to endanger world peace. During the crazy hunt across the continents, the 'headless' Jackie slides over more than 20 floors of a sloping roof facade, jumps out of flying helicopters, paralyzes his pursuers with Dutch clogs or beats them up with cement bags, which he artfully whirls through the air beforehand ... (115 Mins)
Columbia Tristar USA VHS Synopsis: Action superstar Jackie Chan (Rush Hour, Supercop) stars in his most thrilling and stunt-packed adventure yet. Left for dead after a brutal CIA double-cross, a lone commando (Chan) must struggle to regain his memory and expose an international espionage ring before they can unleash a powerful and lethal new energy source. With the aid of two beautiful sidekicks, Jackie fights his way across continents and faces armed assassins and sinister plots at every turn. For blistering action and adrenaline-pumping excitement, nobody does it better than Jackie. (108 Mins)
Views: I have fond memories of Who Am I? coming out back in the late 1990s, and after reading many articles about it in my monthly issues of Impact Movie Magazine, I finally managed to pick myself up a copy of the full uncut version on VHS from a video store in Boston's Chinatown. Long before Jason Bourne was around, Jackie Chan was the covert CIA agent with memory loss. After being left for dead by his boss in a pilotless chopper, an injured Jackie awakens in an unknown villager somewhere in Africa. Having been nursed back to health by the villagers, Jackie spends months regaining his strength – learning the ways of the African tribe during his time, picking up many handy survival tips from his new family and friends. After noticing a rally race taking place in the distance, a tribal-dressed Jackie makes his way to the road and soon comes across a Japanese duo who have stopped in need of help. Jackie notices one of them has been bitten by a snake and, after helping to remove the poison, creates an IV drip from a coconut so that they can get on their way. His hurry to get back to civilisation results in him winning the race and with the media attention surrounding his win, soon finds himself chased down by the very man who tired to kill him in the first place. From there, it all becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse that takes Jackie from the plains of Africa to the streets of Rotterdam in a bid to find out who he really is and stop the small army of corrupt agents who are sent to kill him – as well as stopping the deal of a deadly weapon!
While it's fair to say that Who Am I? isn't the greatest Jackie Chan film ever, it still proves to be hugely entertaining on many levels. From its fast-paced fight scenes to its breathtaking stunts, and its gorgeously captured African landscapes to its unintentional comedy (thanks to some dodgy Western actors), I've always had a great time watching it but just wish it had have been a little more perfect. This was Jackie's second film to be scripted and shot in English, with Mr. Nice Guy being the first from the previous year, and did fairly well at the box-office all over the world. Shot between Nambia and the Netherlands, the film follows the traditions of Jackie's globe-trotting adventures – although it seems to lack the polish of his earlier works. Jackie Chan is joined in the directors chair by the late Benny Chan (no relation); a talented film-maker who already had a string of hits behind him including A Moment Of Romance 1 & 2, The Magic Crane, Man Wanted, Big Bullet and others. With the success of Who Am I? behind them, the two Chan's would join forces quite a number of times over the years with Jackie presenting (and making a cameo in) Gen-X Cops, and Benny going on to direct the star in the awesome New Police Story, Rob-B-Hood, and Shaolin (all of which are very much worth watching). It was a great loss to film fans and the Hong Kong film industry when the director died in late 2020, just as his final film, Raging Fire, was coming to the end of production...
Of course, Jackie leads the way as special-ops commando 'Jackie Chan' who would soon become known as Whoami by the African people, due to the question he keeps asking. As any fan knows, this wasn't the first time the superstar had used his own name for a character in his movies – and while it would seem totally ridiculous if any other actor in the world tried it, Jackie just seems to pull it off. Apart from the stunt-doubling and brief moments of his stunt team appearing (such as Andy Cheng, Rocky Lai, Nicky Li, and Brad Allan for example), Jackie is joined by a host offices that are fairly new to Chan-fans. These include Japanese actress Mirai Yamamoto, a fun actress with a lot of energy who went onto appear in films such as Mr. Rookie and Exte, as well as television shows Sky High and Ultraman Ginga, among others. Being one part of the rally-team duo who aid Jackie in getting out of the desert, Yuki gets to join in on one big car chase before she is gradually faded out of the story. Then there is Michelle Ferre, a French-Japanese actress (take that lightly) and journalist who caught the attention of Jackie while interviewing him during production of the film. Intrigued by her bubbly personality, Chan invited her to audition for the movie and somehow she landed the role of a CIA operative who is working undercover as, well, a journalist. To be fair, this was her first ever role and there is footage in the rushes that show her training for action, but that was quickly reduced to a couple of kicks in the final scenes of the film – and even that saw her doubled. English-South African actor Ron Smerczak does a great job as the main villain of the piece, CIA boss Morgan. Since the mid-70s, Ron appeared in a host of notable films including the fun Kill & Kill Again, American Ninja 4: The Annihilation, Cyborg Cop, Dangerous Ground, and more. Unfortunately, Smerczak would pass in 2019. Morgan's boss is played by the prolific and wonderful Ed Nelson, a Hollywood actor who began his career in a host of Roger Corman's B-movies, as well as starring in a number of classic television shows. I really enjoyed him in this role and, while small, Nelson still manages to make an impression. Their gang of heavies features a mix of fighters from around the world including Ron Smoorenburg, a Dutch martial artist who achieved more fame as the guy that pissed Jackie Chan off – a moment that is made quite evident with the footage presented in the NG shots of the film, as well as in many other Jackie Chan documentaries, that saw him doubled by a couple of Jackie's stunt team (such as Andy Cheng and Brad Allan). Once again, this would have been his debut role and the pressure would have been immense, but his kicking skills have kept him in the business with Smoorenburg going on to star in films such as Codename: Puma, Gen-Y Cops, The Avenging Fist, Born Wild, and Martial Angels – as well as a brief stunt role in Tony Jaa's Tom Yum Goong/Warrior King/The Protector. Other familiar faces that show up are Brit-kicker Mike Lambert, Ken Lo, Kane Kosugi, Steve Brettingham, and Kwan Yung; a Hong Kong actor who made his debut in Dragon's Forever before going on to appear in films such as On The Run, Mr. Vampire Saga 4, Gambling Ghost, Operation Scorpio, My Father Is A Hero, Black Mask, and so much more.
Action-wise, Jackie Chan and his team provide enough exciting fights and crazed stunts to keep fans happy. This begins with a brief hint of their lives as commandos – something I would like to have seen a lot more of, to be honest. Some stunt-work in a helicopter keeps things ticking over, but it's not really until Jackie gets back to civilisation that the real fun begins. From there, we are treated to a non-stop ride of car chases and fight scenes, as Jackie tries to escape those attempting to kill him. A fun office fight leads to Chan spinning from a great height like a yo-yo while wrapped in a rope after escaping an his captors, as well as having him leap across and slide down buildings as if it was just second nature (the usual impressive Jackie Chan parkour antics that he's was doing long before it became a sport), and a lengthy, and often ridiculous, car chase that entertains if nothing else before he heads to Rotterdam for even more. Once there, we are entertained numerously with a host of fight scenes – one of which sees Jackie don a pair of wooden clogs to literally kick ass and make his escape. The lengthy and exciting fight on the rooftop is fantastic, with Jackie taking on the aforementioned Ron Smoorenburg and Kwan Yung in a very memorable showdown. This fight sees them trade some neatly choreographed moves as they dance around the edge of the 20+ storey Willmswerf Building, before Jackie beats them down using cement bags and bricks in the run-up to his big stunt. Perched on the top of the very same structure, Jackie leaps off the edge to send himself sliding down the angled glass-roof. It's a breathtaking moment that has fans and viewers on the edge of the seats – and a stunt that could have went so wrong. But also, for me, this is where I feel the film fails to a degree as Jackie opts to bring things to a close Stanley Tong-style; trying to impress with the big Hollywood-esque finish that sees hundreds of Marine, army and police officers arrive in boats, cars, and helicopters as Morgan tries to make his escape. While impressive with its scale, I still felt the finale could have been so much more, although the films sees us out with some great NG shots and another catchy number from Jackie himself.
It's worth noting that all of the western edits come with around 10 minutes of footage missing when compared to the original Hong Kong cut. A lot of this lost footage is taken from Jackie's time spent with the African tribe including a funny run-in with lions, Jackie attempting to flag down a passing plane, and a couple of large scale tribal dances among other moments. In fact, on my German DVD comes a fascinating 30 minute 'Making of Documentary' which shows lots of scenes that never made the final cut, including one that sees Jackie's face badly clawed – perhaps from a wild animal during his time in Africa. Other unseen moments include segments of the car chase on a pedestrian bridge (which was pretty impressive), and shots of Michelle Ferre training in fight-action for extra scenes with her CIA character. A number of moments also highlight the amount of times Jackie would spend on certain shots (which he has quite the reputation for) – and I don't just mean that fight scene with Ron Smoorenburg. Regardless, and flaws aside, Who Am I? is as entertaining today as it was upon release. This was certainly an interesting period for Jackie Chan with his big Hollywood breakthrough happening the same year, courtesy of Rush Hour; and that's when fans would start to see some major changes in his works! Interestingly enough, the film would see a reboot of sorts produced by Jackie for mainland director Song Yin Xi called Who Am I 2015, starring Wang Hai Xiang in the leading role – an actor who appeared with Jackie in Little Big Soldier and Police Story 2013 – and saw Hong Kong stars Yu Rong Kwong and Ken Lo appear. The film was retitled Amnesia for North America, although hasn't really gained much attention since its release!
Overall: Exciting and fun with plenty of exciting fights and stunt-action, Who Am I? makes for a great watch and entertains!
Umbrella Entertainment Blu-ray Extras: Trailer
Ascot DVD Extras: Making Of Documentary, Jackie Chan: My Story Promo, Jackie Chan: My Stunts Promo, Out-takes, Cast & Crew Bios, Jackie Chan Interview, Rumble In The Bronx Promos, Trailers
Watch my unboxing video of this Umbrella Entertainment release HERE
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WFH: RETURN OF THE KING
(China 2017)
Original Title: Wang Zhe Gui Lai Huang Fei Hong (aka) Return Of The King: Wong Fei Hung
Directed by Guo Yu Long Produced by Xu Ning Action by Zhang Qiang, Zhao Zhong Zhen Starring: Xu Jing Chuan, Chen Xi Ming, Gao Xuan Ming, Yu Kang, Danny Ray, Wang Ya Bin, Tong Hu Reviewing: Hi-Yah TV Release Genres: Martial Arts / Comedy / Drama
Rating: 3 / 5
Synopsis: Huang Fei Hong has to get involved in a martial arts competition held by a British businessman, in order to save his student Liang Kuan who uncovered the secret of a conspiracy of an much bigger plan. (80 Mins)
Views: It's 1882 in Guangzhou, China, and the Chamber of Commerce has established a martial arts contest in a bid to find a fighter who will win the 'right' to work with a British merchant known as Mr. Brown. It's a challenge that excites one of Wong Fei Hung's students, Liang Kuan, who gets beaten by an enhanced contender but is saved from death by his master. But as Wong digs a little deeper into the workings of Mr. Brown, he soon learns that there is something more sinister going on in the shadows and must step-up to bring peace to his town once again. Interestingly enough, I watched this film the same day that I watched Vincent Zhao's Unity Of Heroes for the first time, and found that both carried a very similar storyline with the introduction of zombie-like enhanced beings. And while I enjoyed them both for different reasons, I'd have to say that the latter offered a little more enjoyment than this web-movie – but that's not to say you should avoid Wong Fei Hung: Return Of The King by any means!
The third TV feature of director Guo Yu Long, who was also behind the brilliant web-movie Unbending Mr. Fang, this new chapter of the Wong Fei Hung story tries to deliver the charm of the Tsui Hark classics along with a healthy dose of decent humour and exciting fight scenes. The handsome Xu Jing Chuan stars as the martial arts master after roles in films such as Hopping Vampire Vs Zombie, The M Riders: Finding Pangu, animated feature L.O.R.D. and television series The Legend Of Shaolin Kung Fu, alongside the legendary Sammo Hung and Xie Miao – the child actor from My Father Is A Hero and New Legend Of Shaolin. As Fei Hung, Xu Jing Chuan does a fine job and was a similar age to Jet Li when he debuted as the legendary hero. The equally cute Chen Xi Ming stars as Liang Kuan, one of Wong Fei Hung's top students who has a knack of getting into trouble. Donnie Yen film regular, Yu Kang, stars as the corrupt ministerial official who gets to show off his moves a few times throughout. Having started with Donnie on the super-fun Twins Effect back in 2003, Kang has went on to star in many of his films including Dragon Tiger Gate, Wu Xia, Iceman, Kung Fu Jungle, Big Brother, and Raging Fire, as well as assisting with the stunt work and choreography on a number of the same titles. Actor Tong Hu, who played the wolf-armed fighter in Guo's aforementioned Fong Sai Yuk adventure, Unbending Mr. Fang, gets a small role here as a brutal fighter whose motive isn't really explained. This would only be his 3rd role in the wonderful world of web-movies, with him going on to star in more such as The Legends Of Monkey King, Hero's Dream, The River Pirates, Wild Sword, and much more...
While it only runs for 80 minutes, Wong Fei Hung: Return Of The King feels like it still offers a bit more. Yes, the script isn't ground-breaking and it does highlight some lower production values at times, but it still proves to be pretty entertaining for the most part and has enough fun fight scenes to keep fans of the folk hero glued. From saving his troublesome student in the ring to taking on 2 enhanced buxom ladies with blades and umbrellas – that sees Wong blindfold himself so that he isn't distracted with a look that reminded me more of Jet Li's moment in Fong Sai Yuk 2 – and the grand finale that puts Wong up against the handsome blonde-westerner who, after injecting himself with the enhancement drug, goes full Piccolo in order to kick our heroes ass; fight fans won't be disappointed. I'm not too sure who this western actor is, but he can certainly bust a move, act well, and look good while doing it. Zhang Qiang and Zhao Zhong Zhen do a fine job in their debut as action-choreographers, with the former going on to work with Guo Yu Long on many of his other titles including Zhang Sanfeng Against The Forces Of Evil and Unbending Mr. Fang, as well as other films like Goddesses In The Flames Of War, The King Of Arms, and Lady Assassin.
Overall: While it's not the greatest Wong Fei Hung film ever, Return Of The King does entertain and is worth catching if you're a fan of the legendary hero!
WHEN TAEKWONDO STRIKES
(Hong Kong 1973)
Original Title: Tai Quan Zhen Jiu Zhou 跆拳震九州 (aka) Sting Of The Masters; Taekwondo Masters; Kickmaster
Directed by Huang Feng Produced by Raymond Chow Action by Sammo Hung Starring: Angela Mao Ying, Jhoon Rhee, Carter Wong, Sammo Hung, Hwang In Sik, Chin Yuet Sang, Wilson Tong, Alan Chui, Andre Morgan, Ann Winton, Wong Fung Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Martial-arts / Drama / Historical
Rating - 4 / 5
Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Queen of Kung Fu Angela Mao and King of Taekwondo Jhoon Rhee join forces in this action-packed Hong Kong classic! In Japanese occupied Korea, resistance leader Lee (Rhee) is captured by the Japanese occupying forces. To rescue him, his pupil Jin (Carter Wong, The Skyhawk) must get help from a Hapkido expert (Mao). Together they fight their way through an army of Japanese villains played by a number of genre favourites including Hwang In-shik (Way of the Dragon), Kenji Kazama (The Streetfighter) and Sammo Hung (The Millionaires Express). Eureka Classics is proud to present When Taekwondo Strikes on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK from a brand new 2K restoration. (95 Mins)
Hong Kong Heroes UK DVD Synopsis: Bruce Lee encouraged his friend Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee to appear in this his only movie with Angela Mao, the original Queen of Kung Fu. Freedom fighter Lee (Jhoon Rhee) and his pupil Jin (Carter Wong:Big Trouble in Little China), attempts to get a list of its members to their contacts in China without the Japanese getting their hand on it. Jin is chased into a church by the Japanese, luckily a priest hides him but for doing so he is imprisoned. Lee gets help from Hapkido expert Wan (Angela Mao: Enter The Dragon) to free the priest, but in doing so Lee himself if captured. Jin and Wan and the priest's niece, Mary flee to China, where they mount a rescue plan, which leads to a series of breath taking fights between the Japanese leaders Wong In Sik (Way Of The Dragon), Kenji Kazama and featuring Sammo Hung (Enter The Dragon) and Biao Yuen as Japanese villains. This martial arts classic movie has more fight scenes than you can shake a fist at! (91 Mins)
Fortune Star/Legendary Collection HK VCD Synopsis: During the period when Korea was occupied by Japan, Bansan Karate House, one of the secret organizations was set up in order to crackdown the Korean patriots. Lee Cheng Tung, a Taekwondo grand master who was the leader of the patriots planed to rebuild their country. He operated from a Catholic church disguised as the gardener. Mary, a priest's niece, became a Taekwondo student. One day, a Korean patriot, Kim Cheng Chuh tried to hide in the church with Bansan's Tairo Inuyama in hot pursuit. Inuyama found out that Lee in the church and tortured him. Fortunately,Mary drove the Japanese away. However, the priest was being caught. In order to rescue the priest, Huang Li-chun, a Chinese girl who was an Akido master-hand came to the aid of the Korean patriots. Huang and Kim flee to northeast China to continue the fight. Later on, Lee was caught as a bait to catch them all resistance leaders. Learning about this, Huang, Kim and Mary attacked Bansan's Liaoyang headquarters and rescued Lee. Then they joined forces to shoot down the enemy. (91 Mins)
Views: Also known as Sting Of The Dragon Masters, Taekwondo Heroes and Kickmaster, When Taekwondo Strikes is packed with a top cast of early 70s kung fu legends, and is still as entertaining today as it was 50 years ago. Set in Korea, When Taekwondo Strikes is a martial arts cinematic classic that tells the tale of a small band of rebels who are out to stop the occupying Japanese forces during World War 2. After a having a fight with some Japanese thugs, a Korean nationalist is chased into a church where he is hidden by his teacher who is acting as the church gardener. But as a result, the priest is taken prisoner and tortured. The gardener, who is actually the leader of the resistance fighters, attempts to rescue the priest but is also taken prisoner by the Japanese and badly beaten. Now, a trio of young fighters – who include the young nationalist, the priest's high-kicking niece, and a Chinese mistress of Hapkido, must band together to save their master!
To today's audience, this early Golden Harvest title may feel that it comes with a pretty standard plot – highlighting ruthless Japanese fighters oppressing the people of China or Korea; a storyline that became incredibly popular after the huge success of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury just a year before. So it's probably worth noting that, no doubt using his superstar status as the biggest name of the still fairly new studio, Bruce Lee was probably the first person to get the ball rolling on this film after speaking to producer Raymond Chow about making a Taekwondo movie with his old friend, Jhoon Rhee, as the leading man. The martial-artists had met less than a decade earlier at a Long Beach karate event, quickly going on to become good friends and training partners. Setting up his schools in the US, Rhee soon became known as the 'Father of American Taekwondo' – respected by millions for his teachings and high-kicking skills over 4 decades before passing in 2018 at the age of 86...
Based on a story by Jhoon Rhee, who actually grew up in Korea during the Japanese occupation, When Taekwondo Strikes gave him the chance to show his skills to the world although being his first ever movie, apart from a very brief role in Bruce's Fist of Fury, Golden Harvest still wanted to play it safe by placing him alongside their new trio stars such as the brilliant Carter Wong, the amazing Sammo Hung, and the beautiful Angela Mao Ying. Interestingly, the latter two would both guest star in Bruce Lee's legendary Enter The Dragon which was shot around the same time as this, elsewhere in Hong Kong. In fact, they would only be 2 of 16 productions that Golden Harvest studios would produce in 1973 alongside films such as Jimmy Wang Yu's Seaman No.7, A Man Called Tiger, The Tattooed Dragon, and epic Beach Of The War Gods as well as many others. Of course, 1973 would forever be remembered as the year Bruce Lee died, with many film titles from every Hong Kong studio failing to light-up the box office while the country was mourning the loss of the little dragon. Naturally, When Taekwondo Strikes would be one such title – also proving to be Jhoon Rhee's first and last film project with the man quickly departing from the industry after the loss of his good friend.
Although she had made her debut in the 1968 Taiwanese flick, The Eight Bandits, Angela Mao Ying quickly became the original poster girl for the new Golden Harvest studios, starring in at least 6 features before this and quickly become a box-office sensation. Aside from Lo Wei's Invincible Eight and her appearance in Enter The Dragon, the rest had been under the watchful eye of Huang Feng and Sammo Hung which included the fantastic and similarly themed, Hapkido. In fact, to some degree, When Taekwondo Strikes almost plays like its sequel to it, with Hapkido being made just a year before with Angela Mao, Sammo Hung, and Carter Wong sharing the screen once again. While they played different characters, both films are set during the same time period with Mao Ying's character here being recognised as a master of Hapkido. Of course, the trio would work together many, many times over the years, and fast became favourites for kung fu movie fans around the world. Once more, the film was directed by the brilliant Huang Feng, an actor, writer, and director who first started in the industry with a role in The Dog Murderer in 1952. Not too long after that, Huang would start delivering script after script as well as working as an assistant director through to 1971 where he would then make his directorial debut with the fantastic Angela Mao wuxia adventure, The Angry River and would he would quickly prove to be influential in the early development of Golden Harvest. While working as the assistant director on The Iron Buddha just a year before, Huang got to see a young Sammo hung work his magic as the action choreographer – bringing him onto The Angry River as an action-director and bit-player, which would set in place their extensive working relationship through to the late 70s on titles such as The Fast Sword, Bandits From Shantung, Lady Whirlwind, Hapkido, Stoner, The Shaolin Plot, and more.
Of course, the legendary Sammo Hung had already been in the business for over a decade by the time this came about since making his debut as a child actor in 1961's Education Of Love, and fast became a respected player in the world of film entertainment as a fight choreographer, actor, and stuntman respectively. Here, Sammo stands out as a menacing Japanese fighter who gets in on the action more than a few times as well as doubling up his duties as the fight-director alongside Chan Chuen who also appears with him. The great Carter Wong, who had only just made his debut in the aforementioned Hapkido the previous year, returns to co-star in a supporting role. With only Back Alley Princess and The Opium Trail in between the two films, its clear that Wong was still finding his feet although very quickly went on to become a fan favourite for many and starred in a host of kung-fu classics over the years – not to mention score a memorable turn in John Carpenters epic Big Trouble In Little China. The popular Chin Yuet Sang lights up the screen as another crazed Japanese troublemaker, gaining his introduction in the beginning and hanging around for most of the story. Often remembered for his role as Sleeping Wizard in John Woo's Last Hurrah For Chivalry, Chin appeared in well over 100 films as well as choreographing for many and directing 5 of his own including Lion Vs Lion, Hocus Pocus, and Ghost Lover. Korean super-kicker Hwang In Sik – recognisable for his roles in classics such as Way Of The Dragon, The Young Master, Dragon Lord, and A Fistful Of Talons – stars in another bad guy role, also returning with the cast of Hapkido and going on to work with them in titles such as The Skyhawk, Stoner, The Association, and The Tournament. Director Huang Feng also appears as the Lieutenant of the Japanese army and, along with the aforementioned main actors of the show, stars alongside many recognisable faces such as Chan Chuen, Wilson Tong, and Alan Chui, with Peter Chan, Billy Chan, Yuen Biao, and Lam Ching Ying often appearing in the background or as stunt doubles. Prolific Korean actor Kim Ki Joo also co-stars, as does Japanese actor and martial artist Kenji Kazuma. And finally, Golden Harvest producer Andre Morgan makes his acting debut as the suffering French priest along with American 'Jhoon Rhee black-belt student' Ann Winton, who stars as his ass-kicking, no-nonsense niece and pretty much steals the show at the same time...
Heavily cut for its original UK release to remove brutality such as the whipping of the priest, kicks to the head, chain attacks, and more, When Taekwondo Strikes doesn't really stand out as anything too different or too special from this era of Hong Kong film-making, but thanks to its great cast, neat direction, and constant stream of powerful martial arts action, will forever be seen as a genuine classic of kung fu cinema – and now looks the best it ever has thanks to this new stunningly restored Blu-ray release from Eureka Video!
Overall: While perhaps a little typical by today's standards, When Taekwondo Strikes still shines as an early Golden Harvest classic and absolutely entertains!
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, Audio Commentary with Samm Deighan, Feature Length Documentary – The Best Of The Martial Arts Films (1990), Interview with Billy Chan, Trailers
Hong Kong Heroes DVD Extras: Trailer, Stills Gallery
Get your copy HERE
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WORLD OF DRUNKEN MASTER
(Taiwan 1979)
Original Title: Jiu Xian Shi Ba Die (aka) World Of The Drunken Master; Drunken Dragon
Directed by Joseph Kuo Produced by Joseph Kuo Action by Yuen Cheung Yan, Yuen Yat Chor Starring: Jack Long, Lung Fei, Mark Long, Li Yi Min, Chen Hui Lou, Lung Tien Hsiang, Jeannie Chang, Yu Sung Chao, Chien Te Men, Simon Yuen Reviewing: Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Release Genres: Traditional Kung-Fu / Comedy
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Eureka Video Blu-ray Synopsis: Capitalising on the success of Jackie Chan's Drunken Master, The World Of Drunken Master tells the origins of Beggar So and his friend Fan Ta-Pei, and how they learned their drunken boxing fighting style.
DVD Synopsis: The cast and crew of 'Mystery Of Chess Boxing' return in yet another action packed classic – Jack Long and Simon Lee play two kung fu fanatics who learn the secret art of Drunken Boxing to prepare them for an onslaught of rage and terror from 'The Killer of a Thousand Drunken Masters' – The dreaded Ghost Faced Killer. Choreographed in the style of 'Drunken Master' by Yuen Cheung Yan who later was responsible for the high-kicking action in 'Charlies Angels'.
Views: Joseph Kuo's World Of Drunken Master reunites the cast of Mystery Of Chess Boxing to tell the tale of how the infamous Beggar Su came about, spanning a number of decades alongside his old friend Fan Ta Pei. After receiving a letter that summons them to a meeting spot, the old friends are soon trading moves before the sit down to reflect back over the past 30 years. Back in their younger days, the two friends made their living by selling stolen grapes – a stunt that sees them captured and punished for their actions under the watchful eyes of old drunken master Qi, who runs a popular winery where they are both put to work. After learning some kung-fu, the friends put it to use when they try to help some town folk who are being bullied for protection money. But during their fights, Su and Fan catch the attention of an evil Eagle Claw master – an old enemy of their master, who goes out of his way to destroy their lives and kill everyone close to them. In order to keep them safe, master Qi teaches his students the drunken fist – accompanied by his niece who also captures both of their hearts. But as the evil doers close-in, the trio of drunk fighters are put to the test and must fight for their lives against some deadly opponents – a fight that spans years and sends each of the friends on their own journey!
I have to admit, I totally loved World Of Drunken Master! Joseph Kuo was pretty smart with bringing Beggar Su's backstory to life – hot on heels of the massive success that was Drunken Master from Ng See Yuen, Yuen Woo Ping, and Jackie Chan. In fact, the movie is often sold with shots of Simon Yuen himself (the original Beggar Su) as the main star, but truth be told he actually only has a brief cameo at the beginning of the film before he gets replaced by Yu Sung Chao (and of course, Li Yi Min in his younger years). I actually forgot that I had this movie on DVD and never did watch it, but thanks to its release by Eureka Video as part of their Joseph Kuo collection box set called Cinematic Vengeance, I finally got the chance to see this classic for the first time – gorgeously presented in full HD which looked as if it was made yesterday, highlighting the stunning cinematography captured by Chris Chen Ching Chu who also captured classics such as The Big Boss, Fist Of Fury, A Man Called Tiger, The Valiant Ones, Killer Meteors, Half A Loaf Of Kung Fu, The Young Master, Dragon Lord, and many more. In fact, it'd be fair to say that this is now one of my favourite Joseph Kuo movies and a title I will be going back to again and again. It was amazing to think that over the course of a year, Drunken Master would inspire a vast collection of copycat titles that were either inspired by or tried to better the original, although some (like this) presented itself as a sequel or prequel to some degree. From Snake In The Eagles Shadow and Drunken Master in 1978, Simon Yuen would star in another 20 films right through to his passing in 1980 – no doubt worked to death reprising similar roles in films like Kung Fu Master Named Drunk Cat, Drunken Arts & Crippled Fist, The Mystery Of Chess Boxing, Sleeping Fist, Dance Of The Drunk Mantis, Crystal Fist, Story Of The Drunken Master, and Six Directions Boxing, as well as many others. There's no denying the man was an important part of Chinese cinema, having starred in over 340 films since the late 1940s and giving the film world the wonderful Yuen Clan – better known as his sons Yuen Woo Ping, Yuen Shun Yi, Yuen Yat Chor, Yuen Chun Yeung, Yuen Lung Kui, and Yuen Cheung Yan who actually served as the martial arts director on World Of Drunken Master.
As a fight choreographer, I would have to say that this film probably showcases some of Yuen Cheung Yan's finest work ever – aided by his younger brother Yuen Yat Chor. Having been on the scene since the mid 60s, Cheung Yan had already made a name for himself as an actor and martial arts director over at Shaw Brothers, choreographing for films such as The Killer, King Eagle, The Deadly Knives, Killer Clans, Dragon Missile, and Web Of Death to name but a few. Before this, Yuen would choreograph the amazing fight action on Joseph Kuo's classic 7 Grandmasters alongside Corey Yuen Kwai – which is another one of my favourite Kuo flicks. And while his brother Woo Ping definitely gets a little more attention for his directorial work on the original Drunken Master, I'd say Cheung Yan has come pretty damn close here to matching him with what he brings in World Of Drunken Master – offering fight scenes that deliver some incredibly detailed moves, impressive acrobatics, and an execution of the drunken style that almost betters his brother's work. Of course, he has the wonderful talents of the incredible Peking Opera School brothers Jack Long and Li Yi Min to help bring it to the screen, as well as a host of other talented names from classic kung-fu cinema. Although Long Shi Chia gets praised often for his roles – most notably in Kuo's own 7 Grandmasters, 36 Deadly Styles, Born Invincible, Mystery Of Chess Boxing, this production and films like Ninja Hunter/Wu Tang Vs Ninja, Five Fighters From Shaolin, and many others – I still think he is highly underrated and often forgotten about under the wider range of bigger names from Hong Kong cinema. The same could be said for his brother Mark, who also appears in World Of Drunken Master, with both performers often delivering some incredible moves that stand out as some of kung-fu cinemas finest. Jack is fantastic as Fan Ta Pei, the character who carries the majority of the film's story. Unlike that of Beggar Su, Long gets to play Fan as both a young man and again in his older years – but that's nothing new as the guy is forever being aged as the older master in many of his movies. Getting to toy with plenty of fun comedy sequences as well as some dramatic moments, Long delivers some of his best kung-fu moves on-screen that both wowed me and left me wanting more, in terms of knowing what happened to the character of Fan Ta Pei afterwards.
Li Yi Min (aka Simon Lee) impresses as the young Beggar Su, and while I'm not the biggest fan of the actor, have to admit that I really enjoyed him in this role. Staring his acting career in the late 1960s, Li quickly joined the Shaw Brothers studios before heading back to Taiwan where he would star in a number of Joseph Kuo movies and other independent titles. Li was the son of actor Li Tung Chun and brother Li Long Yin who starred in a host of classic films himself including New Fist Of Fury, My Life's On The Line, Big Boss Of Shanghai, Thundering Mantis, The Loot, Legend Of The Drunken Tiger, and more. Li started life at the Lu Kwan Peking Opera School alongside Jack Long (and his brother), as well as prolific director Robert Tai and swapped film acting for television as the 90s crept in. Working alongside his old classmate (which he has done a number of times), Li shines in his role as Su and impresses with some great shapes, kung-fu moves, and acrobatics that could be some of his best. Their teacher is played by prolific actor Chen Hui Lou, a highly recognisable face who starred in almost 120 films from the early 70s including titles such as Marco Polo, Seven Man Army, Killer Meteors, Fist Of Fury Part 2, To Kill With Intrigue, Fearless Hyena, as well as King Hu's Raining In The Mountain and Legend Of The Mountain. I've always enjoyed Chen showing up in any film ever since I first saw him as the character of Unicorn in Jackie Chan's Fearless Hyena, and in World Of Drunken Master he does not disappoint – although does get doubled at times for the more acrobatic moves by the Yuen brothers. The brilliant Lung Fei stars as the villain known as Tiger Yeh, a man who is determined to destroy the drunken fist and happily takes-down anyone who gets in his way. I'm a huge fan of Lung Fei, star of 175 films and the favourite co-star of Jimmy Wang Yu who has appeared in dozens of his movies such as Magnificent Chivalry, The Invincible Sword, One-Armed Boxer 1 & 2, Furious Slaughter, Seaman No.7, Beach Of The War Gods, 10 Fingers Of Steel, and many more including New Game Of Death, Bruce Lee Against Supermen, Shaolin Death Squads, Flash Legs, 7 Grandmasters and even Ringo Lam's City On Fire where he would retire from the screen soon after. The wonderful Mark Long cameos as Li Chan, a fighter that challenges Fan towards the end which gives viewers the chance to see the Long brothers duke it out with a great display of kung-fu moves and acrobatics, and popular Taiwanese actor and Shaw Brothers star Lung Tien Hsiang plays the role of Lung Fei's right-hand-man who gets to kick ass a number of times throughout, and look great doing it.
One other thing I really enjoyed about World Of Drunken Master – aside from the excessive kung-fu battles – was the fact that the film had a total of 3 closing fight scenes. The first would be with the younger versions of Su and Fan as they aid their master in taking-on the evil Lung Fei and his minions. It's a fantastic fight scene with some beautifully choreographed moments, that sees Su and Fan inspired to fight after they witness Qi's niece falling off the cliff. The second closing fight (which I then thought was the grand finale) saw the middle aged heroes go up against each other, that seemed to be leading to how the friends went their own way – but no, they are soon interrupted by Mark Long's Li Chan who suddenly gets wiped out by an unknown attacker who continues to exhaust Jack in a mind-blowing, and highly impressive grand finale! It's an incredible final third that rarely lets the viewer catch their breath, and delivers many memorable and impressive moves that doesn't disappoint even the most hardened fan of old-school kung-fu. The final scene itself is somewhat disheartening mind you, as Fan is left alone by his friend after taking on the two evil masters alone, with the feeling that things have been left open for a sequel – but a sequel that never happened of course. This is a shame because, as mentioned before, I'd love to have seen more on Fan Ta Pei's life since we know so much more about the character of Beggar Su as seen in a number of adventures over the years. Regardless, World Of Drunken Master is a gem of a movie and I just loved it – even more so with this gorgeous print from Eureka Video on Blu-ray. Well worth the watch!
Overall: A kung-fu classic that is probably one of Kuo's most underrated films, World Of Drunken Master is well worth the watch!
Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng & Michael Worth
DVD Extras: Trailers
Watch my unboxing video of this Eureka Video release HERE
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