Author: Andrew Saroch

Chan Wai-Man and Lau Kar-Wing do make a good Sid James and Bernard Bresslaw-type double-act. Only with more fighting ability.

‘Hidden Strike’ is an entertaining film though the computer effects sometimes lack finesse and the wirework for an ageing Jackie Chan has become too obvious.

Everything is so over-the-top and forced while desperately trying to drag all of those ensemble hits of yesteryear kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The result is a bizarre mix.

While the makers were patting themselves on the back over the look of the film, they decided that any great set-pieces would dilute the view and ensured that none troubled the film.

‘Kabamaru the Ninja Boy’ is the typical ‘fish-out-of-water’ comedy but lacks the necessary qualities to succeed beyond its premise.

The few moments of promise at the beginning do not last long and the occasional flashes of action are merely there to trick us into sitting through the whole thing.

The result is a good big-budget action film though enjoyment will rest on how much Chinese flag-waving you can sit through.

This isn’t a masterpiece of the genre by any stretch, but it’s a more than adequate drama with some well shot chase scenes.

It’s watchable (though don’t dare take your eyes off it for a moment or you’ll miss at least three dramatic revelations) and confidently put together, but satisfying as a conclusion to the big story it is not.

‘The Harvest’ is a slow-burning, independent take on inter-generational tension, focused on the patient reveal rather than the spectacular twist and in this way it feels much more relatable.

For those of us who have grown up with Jackie Chan, this leaves quite an impression; it recalls an era of cinema, not just Hong Kong but worldwide, that will never be repeated again.

Andrew Saroch commemorates the career of Hong Kong actor Richard Ng (吳耀漢).