Genre: Adventure

Working with what is probably a minimal budget by Hollywood standards, Chin Ka-Lok fashions quite an impressive action film, complete with international locations and slick looking set-pieces.

Ultimately, it is Joe Don Baker that makes ‘Golden Needles’ worth tracking down; it’s by no means his best work, but he’s always great to watch.

O Sing-Pui cooks up a stew of heavy-handed comedy, eroticism, romance and horror to send everyone home happy.

The somewhat sluggish pace, the constant need to flashback to an incident from Li’s past, and a surfeit of cardboard characters rob the flick of any adventure fun.

‘Heaven and Hell’ is actually a whole lot more interesting, and engaging, than one would outwardly expect from its (largely) negative reputation.

‘Hero’ has shown that an exquisitely photographed film does not always have to be a case of style over substance.

The whole thing rollicks along at a fair clip and the film has a kind of charming, uncomplicated 1980s fantasy action film vibe to it making it a much more enjoyable experience than one might expect.

‘Hidden Strike’ is an entertaining film though the computer effects sometimes lack finesse and the wirework for an ageing Jackie Chan has become too obvious.

‘House Of Flying Daggers’ has too many trappings of an arthouse production that screams ‘self-conscious’ throughout.

There’s weaknesses in some of the plot twists, but there’s also good action, fine performances and the kind of bold visual statements that linger in the mind.

The film wears its fun proudly on its sleeve and if you can go along with it, ‘Jeon Woo-Chi’ does provide a lot of action packed, sorcery-laden entertainment.

Despite doing some things right in terms of the look and feel of the franchise, it never quite seems to re-capture the atmosphere or the magical abilities to the point where they truly captivate.