Genre: Action

This is a kung-fu film with enough substance and genuine quality to please even the most demanding or cynical movie fan – an assured recommendation.

If you expect a beautiful style over substance film then it will entertain you, and in my eyes it is an improvement over ‘Storm Riders’.

While it doesn’t always engage and could have used a little more oomph come the second half, Feng Xiaogang’s film is still a decent attempt at dynasty drama.

The film stands out as one of the hidden gems of the 90’s new-wave kung fu movement and provides superb entertainment for even the most discerning viewer.

Certainly not subtle but if you can forgive its flaws and instead bask in its blockbuster credentials, then ‘The Battle At Lake Changjin’ delivers some spectacular war movie action.

The film veers between harrowing war bloodshed and comic book daredevil action and while it never shies away from the horrors of war the film is always entertaining: certainly, from an action standpoint.

Some may not appreciate the style-over-substance approach here, but it works well to deliver a sharp, cruel tale of wuxia justice.

Ryoo Seung-Wan’s film is still compelling and stringently efficient like its two protagonists, a fact that outweighs the negatives that poke through.

Mixing tones and styles, ‘The Big 4’ is reminiscent of action films from Hong Kong’s glory days providing stunt-filled chaos to sate action junkies but plenty of laughs and heart in between the action to make us smile.

The final reel of the film is pure energy and a masterful display of martial arts as Bruce goes one-on-one with the factory owner, showcasing some of the best action ever committed to celluloid at that time.

Somewhere on earth, there might a exist a computer than can decipher the meaning of ‘The Black Panther Warriors’ – but that’s doubtful.

‘The Blacksheep Affair’ is an exhilarating action film that firmly puts Vincent Zhao on the map as a possible successor to Jet Li.