Country: Hong Kong

In what could be described as a mixture of Indiana Jones and well-known Hong Kong film traits, ‘The Raid’ is a very entertaining 100 minutes of action/comedy.

The cast is not without charm, the idea not without potential, but ‘The Real Iron Monkey’ is a certified dud.

Alongside ‘Invincible Shaolin’, ‘The Rebel Intruders’ ranks as one of the best of the Venoms’ films and one of their most realised.

Episodic and pantomimic, this is a series of not especially interesting scenes sewn together with a completely uninvolving main narrative.

The efforts to downplay the (deservedly) serious subject matter over lengthy diversions into dreadfully unamusing comedy shtick ultimately diffuse whatever real horror ideals it may have had.

As with all of the ‘Pom Pom’ films, the emphasis is on comedy and specifically the interplay between Shum and Ng.

It’s just disappointing that the obvious craft at work by the experienced crew on ‘The Revenger’ never quite translates into a solid, coherent whole.

The two Dereks have provided viewers with a down-to-earth story of sadness that firmly keeps the attention until the final credits roll.

Ann Hui’s version of Emperor Chien Lung isn’t a masterpiece, but is certainly worthy viewing – far more so than ‘The Emperor And His Brother’.

‘The Romancing Star’ might be a product of a particular time and culture, but its problems do not lay there – the fact is that it’s unfunny and annoying.

Although the film is nearly 25 years old, the action is not dated and serves as a breath of fresh air after a decade dominated by wirework.

This sequel doesn’t match the original, but there are enough fresh ideas to make it watchable.