Genre: Martial Arts

Very 1980s in its tone, a factor which adds to a lot of the fun, ‘The Forbidden Kingdom’, is flashy and harmless and shows the two Hong Kong stars still have charisma to burn.

You’d expect a film with Sammo in would have something special in the action department, but even this is very average and certainly not up to his usual quality.

What makes ‘Gambling Ghost’ an above-average feature is undoubtedly the superb performance by the film’s main star.

When the story steps up a gear and begins to blend in various antagonists, ‘The Gold Hunters’ becomes a joy to behold.

‘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.

Anyone hoping for an exciting big-budget version of the well-known character will be sorely disappointed by this merely functional cinematic rendition.

‘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.

Don’t think about it too much, just go along for the ride and bask in the beauty and talent of the incredible action scenes and the trio of leading ladies.

‘The Iceman Cometh’ remains one of Biao’s finest leading man moments. It’s packed full of great performances, enjoyable kung fu fights and a very unique story.