Rating: 4.0

Tsui Hark very cleverly realised that topping the fight action in part 2 would be almost impossible, and adopted a different style accordingly.

The action (ladder fight excepted) is equal to part 1, but not the dramatic element, and it is certainly not the equal of part 2 for fight choreography.

This is a well acted and written coming-of-age drama with some intense fight scenes. An absorbing and thoroughly enjoyable movie.

‘One Piece Film: Z’ is a really good ‘One Piece’ movie. It has some very solid animation, plenty of action and an engaging story that genuinely feels connected to the show.

Being an action fan it is fair to say I was very aware of the lack of it, but at the same time this is easily overlooked when you consider the quality exhibited in the story department.

This particular effort is easily my favourite so far as it truly understands the heart of ‘One Piece’ and is an absolute joy to watch.

Although it barely scratches the surface in terms of the quality of the show, this is a good example of how to make an anime series into a film without giving away any of the finer details.

‘One-Armed Boxer’, while a little rough around the edges, has lost none of its crazy energy and still packs an almighty bloody punch with its almost non-stop 90 minutes of martial arts fight action.

Without any argument, ‘One-Armed Swordsman’ is therefore a quality swordplay film that has much to offer to viewers today.

Eye-popping displays of martial arts mixed with WWE style chair and table smashing exhilarate the senses.

This film has been elevated to cult status in recent years and has become a huge favourite with a world-wide audience. All of this is thoroughly deserved.

‘Opium and the Kung Fu Master’ is top-notch old school action but it can’t quite get away from some things that used to mar such films.