Genre: Drama

Wisely building to the big combat scenes, ‘The Front Line’ lets us, the viewer, get to know the characters and watch them transform through their actions and what they must go through to survive.

Not only does it contain some of Stephen Chow’s most finely honed comedy, but it also sees him giving one of his more heartfelt and dramatic performances.

Despite its flaws, ‘The Goldfinger’ is an entertaining and well-acted piece of cinema with the highlights being the face-to-face meetings of Lau and Leung throughout the film.

‘The Grand Grandmaster’ barely has enough good material for a TikTok clip though and it should be noted that this drudgery goes on for a full two hours.

There is no arguing that it is an entrancingly shot piece of work with some typically eye-catching Yuen Woo-Ping action choreography.

Though ‘The Great Magician’ recalls films like ‘The Prestige’ and ‘The Illusionist’, Derek Yee’s offering is much lighter in tone.

Only in Japan would a book like ‘The Great Passage’ catch the public imagination, only in Japan would someone then think that this might translate to the big screen and only in Japan would it be a rousing success.

While certainly mounted on a sometimes epic scale and beautifully shot, Lau’s film disappoints due to rushed character motivations, unconvincing drama and an excessive use of slow motion.

‘The Harvest’ is a slow-burning, independent take on inter-generational tension, focused on the patient reveal rather than the spectacular twist and in this way it feels much more relatable.

‘The Hero Of Swallow’ retains a few likeable old-school qualities that just about save it from falling below the three star mark.

For anyone who wants a change from the late-70s kung fu comedy cycle, ‘The Heroes’ is a film that is heartily recommended.

Chang Cheh’s ‘The Heroic Ones’ is an ambitious and sumptuous martial arts epic that set a benchmark for Shaw Brothers at its time of release.