Genre: Action

The strength of Karl Maka’s slice of entertainment is its wilful exuberance and obvious intention of creating a fun atmosphere.

‘The Thundering Mantis’ is a three star film that earns a fourth for its remarkable ending and Leung Kar Yan’s virtuoso performance as the hero driven straight over the edge.

While it hasn’t aged well in comparison to ‘Come Drink With Me’ and even some of Chang Cheh’s early work, it still proves to be a mildly diverting Shaw Brothers’ swordplay film.

Those of you assuming that Thai action cinema could do no wrong will be bought back down to earth with a bump after watching ‘The Tiger Blade’.

Despite having all of the benefits of being made under the Shaw Brothers’ banner – solid production values and a notable cast – this is insipid film-making.

‘The Top Bet’ is that very parochial fusion of gambling and ‘nonsense comedy’ (mo lei tau) that many of us are still baffled by after all of these years.

A big-budget mess that occasionally makes good use of its actors, this is a movie that has few strengths to rely on.

It hits all the disaster movies tropes and delivers some spectacular sequences of destruction, mayhem and general disaster insanity.

A four-star movie that, due to its heavy-handed closing shots, loses half a star; the same idea was used with much more sophistication at the end of ‘Anonymous Heroes’.

All in all, this is a solid action flick that should appeal to those who enjoyed ‘Kiss of the Dragon’ and similar adrenaline-fuelled fare.

The set pieces in general are nice, while the cinematography and the musical score do stand out but again, as a whole the film just doesn’t do what it says on the tin.

The simple fact is that ‘The Tuxedo’ would probably have been just as enjoyable with any other star in the lead role – there’s nothing to say that this is ‘a Jackie Chan film’.