Genre: Action

The film never really surprises or grabs in the story department, twists and turns signposted a mile off. But the pace, action and overall energy make up for any shortcomings plot wise.

Yes, there a few passable fights here and there, but they are filmed in that quick-cut style that every director now utilises, obscuring any quality that the performers might have.

An action/fight fan’s dream come true, ‘The Raid’ contains all the brilliantly choreographed fights scenes you could want but is also a damn riveting thriller.

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.

While sometimes over indulgent and not quite as good as the first instalment, ‘The Raid 2’ is still an incredible achievement, a staggering action film and, well, just plain essential cinema.

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

Charlie Nguyen’s film takes a dark and violent piece of Vietnam’s history and for the most part crafts an exciting action ride that unfortunately stumbles somewhat in the drama department.

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

‘The Replacement Killers’ is a film that borrows heavily from infinitely better works and winds up being distinctly average. While the trendy action still makes it watchable, it’s not enough to push it past the 3 star mark.

As it stands it’s some unpretentious trashy action entertainment that won’t do much for those looking for a serious account of the Nanking massacre but should entertain B-movie fans.

Despite the visual opulence on show and a couple of decent set-pieces, ‘The Restless’ is just a bit of a shallow affair and not as much fun as it should have been.

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