Country: Hong Kong

‘When I Look Upon The Stars’ is mercilessly padded in many areas and there are constant moments when the narrative almost grinds to a halt.

‘When Taekwondo Strikes’, while still falling foul of the prosaic nature of the narrative and its uninspiring characterisation, is thankfully lifted above the mundane.

The unrealistic and slightly uncomfortable relationship that is the film’s centre never lets the film be anything more than a watchable film from a director who more should be expected from.

This is an above par HK action comedy and would please all fans of the genre – especially fans of Sammo like myself.

‘Whiplash’ may not be a particularly well known film, but with such a skilful blend of characterisation and robust fight scenes it really should be.

‘Who Am I?’ may not be the ‘Drunken Master 2’ successor that many fans are searching for (in vain), but it does still contain plenty of top notch action and enough enjoyable Chan-isms to make it well worth a watch.

A few moments allow you to think you’re watching a better film than you actually are and Jingle Ma utilises his former skills as a choreographer to make Beijing look as splendid as possible.

Kent Cheng gives the best performance of his career in a role that always manages to avoid histrionics.

It may be a little tame for serious Category III fans and it does border on pretension on several occasions but overall, ‘Wild’ is an engaging, offbeat thriller about a narcissistically doomed couple living on the edge.

The tonal shifts may jar some but overall ‘Wild Search’ is a satisfying experience showcasing a renowned filmmaker flexing his creative muscles.

‘Wing Chun’ is not a bad film by any means. In fact, it is quite enjoyable, but only for those partial to Hong Kong style zany comedy, and wire-worked action sequences.

Unfortunately, just as you find yourself warming to his style, Wong Jing falls prey to the failings that would long be associated with him.