All Film Reviews

For all its minor shortcomings though, ‘Jump Ashin’ is an affecting production that has enough of a hardened edge to make the eventual redemption welcome.

‘Jung_E’ is some solid grown-up sci-fi that while not always satisfying nevertheless gives one something to chew on in between all the ballistic action.

Having emerged from the debacle that was ‘Kung-Fu Cyborg’, Jeff Lau returns to his beloved sub-genre of the nonsensical and it’s certainly an improvement on his previous effort.

Even as an outsider looking in, this reviewer has to admit that the occasional moments of entertainment sprouted forth from ‘Just Call Me Nobody’.

Amusing (though never crude) and nostalgic (though never overly sentimental), Riley Yip’s gentle ‘coming-of-age’ comedy/drama earns a major recommendation.

By the halfway mark of ‘Justice, My Foot’, most of the interest has disintegrated and the viewer ends up sitting their hoping for something special to happen.

It’s a stylish and enjoyable nod to the adventure serials of yesteryear that for the most part provides some good looking blockbuster thrills.

‘Kabamaru the Ninja Boy’ is the typical ‘fish-out-of-water’ comedy but lacks the necessary qualities to succeed beyond its premise.

‘Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler’ is a unique and very entertaining film if you can get on board with its offbeat vibe and characters. Different but good.

‘Kamikaze Girls’ is a fun, gentle(r) slice of kooky Japanese celluloid with a refreshing female slant and enough gentle kookiness to put a smile on your face.

A mixture of beautifully written, slightly quirky and completely endearing characters, this is the kind of ensemble comedy drama that Asian cinema does so well.

Colourful, comic booked tinged ninja tale, ‘Kamui’ is a fun sword swishing time that packs in action, drama and some striking scenery.

While there is an abundance of neatly choreographed action, there is a vast black hole where a proper plot and believable characters should be.

There are some genuinely witty moments in there and they prove the perfect covering for the many more that end with a whimper.

It’s hard not to come away from ‘Keep Running’ with a feeling of awe for those involved, but also a sense that we’ve come to really get to know the participants by the end.

A cheeky and often funny, if overlong, look at how the need to act tough and prove you can fight never really leaves you, even many years after high school.

Budget restraints are sometimes apparent, but this doesn’t detract from another quality Yuen Biao vehicle.

‘Kickboxer’ is excellent old-school action entertainment, filled with top-notch fights, classic training sequences, and a sublime soundtrack.

Despite attempting to use several of the same ingredients, the serious tone mixed with sub-par fight sequences and an overly familiar plot somehow manages to suck all of the fun out of it.

If you’re looking for a low budget action movie with some explosions and cheap fist fights, ‘Kickboxer 3’ might just pass for some late night entertainment.

‘Kickboxer 4’ feels like an homage to some of Van Damme’s earliest hits but it fails to make the most of its action opportunities.

‘Kickboxer 5’ is far from perfect but it remains a solid action outing that is boosted by the inclusion of such a physically adept leading man.

Certainly tries to recapture some of the magic of the genre defining original but unfortunately ends up a somewhat shallow effort.

It’s certainly a cut above the standard potboilers and, while it may not stand the test of time, it deserves more recognition than its harsh initial reaction gave it.