Genre: Crime

Although the state of Hong Kong cinema is much approved now, it’s hard to forget the wretched state just a few years ago. ‘Big Bullet’ really stood out when it was released and remains a class act.

‘Black Coal, Thin Ice’ is one of those films that are encountered once in a while that are much easier to admire than feel warm and fuzzy about.

Not a complete waste of time as it does provide some basic gangster movie stylings but ‘Blood Brothers’ is just that: an exercise in style and a style that has been done much better by other films.

Existing in its own heightened reality, ‘Bodyguard Kiba’ is all about making our hero look cool (and indestructible!) and the bad guys as nasty as possible.

Not as riotously entertaining as the first instalment, ‘Bodyguard Kiba 2’ is still a fun watch, mainly to see Chiba strutting his cool stuff and for the impressive fight scenes that open and close the film.

For newcomers, it may prove a little difficult to get into and occasionally confusing but those already enjoying Kitano’s films will easily find several merits here that are synonymous with his best work.

It’s basically just ninety minutes of acrobatic fight sequences, nail-biting stuntwork and laughable plot devices, so enjoy!

Scott Adkins returns to one of his signature roles in this fourth instalment of the ‘Undisputed’ franchise and, much like Parts 2 & 3, he and the film deliver.

‘Breaking News’ is punctuated by tension-filled action set-pieces, but its main draw is the sharp characterisation and the insightful critique of the media that fills most of the running time.

This is a surprisingly exciting and often blackly comic thriller that borrows from ‘Prison on Fire’ but does so with real skill.

Director Fan Haolun seems to be more concerned with playing with flashbacks and flash-forwards than he is with constructing a story of any real depth.

The film carries on down a winding road of raised fists and black eyes but maintains a battered humanity as well.