Rating: 3.0

At the end of the day, ‘Temple Of The Red Lotus’ works as more of a historical artefact than a genuinely exciting swordplay feature.

For those seeking a fast-paced fantasy film with no pretensions, ‘The 13 Cold-Blooded Eagles’ fits the bill very well and, while not comparable to genre classics like ‘Swordsman II’, is worth a look.

Kuo lets the odd moment of peculiar editing affect an otherwise slick kung-fu drama; the final twenty minutes in particular seems far too rushed in comparison to the majority of the film.

If you are a big Chan fan, then you will undoubtedly want to own this movie, as will anyone who wants more than just action.

‘The Admiral’ is often thrilling and stirring, if a little over stretched on the running time, and it’s refreshing to see a war film not just rely on lots of huge battles scenes for entertainment.

‘The Adventurers’ itself is a breezy romp with a good cast, some smart action sequences and enough momentum to make its duration enjoyable on a standard level.

Like an ultra-violent episode of ‘Hercules’, ‘The Assassin’ is enjoyable while it lasts. Evidence suggests it was not intended to be anything more.

If you expect a beautiful style over substance film then it will entertain you, and in my eyes it is an improvement over ‘Storm Riders’.

While it doesn’t always engage and could have used a little more oomph come the second half, Feng Xiaogang’s film is still a decent attempt at dynasty drama.

Certainly not subtle but if you can forgive its flaws and instead bask in its blockbuster credentials, then ‘The Battle At Lake Changjin’ delivers some spectacular war movie action.

The film veers between harrowing war bloodshed and comic book daredevil action and while it never shies away from the horrors of war the film is always entertaining: certainly, from an action standpoint.

If, like me, you loved the 80’s action style of people like Yuen Kwai then this is a good purchase, as the fights stand up to repeat viewings even if the rest does not.