Reviews
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Kung Fu Chefs
‘Kung Fu Chefs’ slipped through the cracks on its initial release, but with its star getting more attention than ever before, it might be worth revisiting.
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Eye For An Eye
Watchable, slickly made, potboiler with a dash of decent action, ‘Eye for an Eye’ may not set the genre on fire but is an unfussy and mostly entertaining quick fix of blind warrior swordplay action.
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The Tai Chi Master
‘The Tai Chi Master’ has all the components you expect – an impressive budget, a handful of beautiful actresses, and plenty of action – but never quite convinces.
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Broken Oath
With choreography by the great Yuen Woo-Ping and Hsu Hsia, ‘Broken Oath’ lets its female star showcase her considerable skill in a multitude of crisply choreographed set-pieces
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Black Rain
‘Black Rain’ excels in its examination of Japanese society, especially in the post-Atomic age. The bomb almost becomes the end of a civilisation as the traditional customs and expectations change forever.
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Stuntman
A fantastic mix of drama and action, ‘Stuntman’ is at once an ode to the action giants of yesteryear and how the modern movie-making world has changed drastically since their heyday, and a touching family drama about redemption.
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Yellow Fangs
‘Yellow Fangs’ is an excellent creature feature that may have slipped under the radar for many audiences. Hopefully, Sanada’s burgeoning reputation worldwide might mean that this changes soon.
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The Young Taoism Fighter
A mixed bag of what is essentially a series of heavily leaning comedy sketches spiced up with some creative action, the Yuen Clan seem to be firing on less cylinders here.
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Taoism Drunkard
Fantastical ingenuity, crazy comedy, outlandish practical effects, and hard-hitting martial arts are thrown together in perhaps one of the best zany action flicks to come from the Golden Era 80s.
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Moscow Mission
Bookended by two outstanding train-based action sequences, ‘Moscow Mission’ starts with a bang before settling into a more standard, yet still entertaining, police procedural.
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Crystal Fortune Run
Despite its strengths and a bit of nostalgia for those of us who remember that early-90s aesthetic, ‘Crystal Fortune Run’ is less than the sum of its parts.
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A Man Called Tiger
Not the best star or director have done but an entertaining slice of super cool 70s style nevertheless and certainly entertaining once Wang Yu erupts into action.
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A Light Never Goes Out
A beautifully shot portrait of grief, redemption and family, ‘A Light Never Goes Out’ deserves the plaudits it is receiving and much more.
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The Valiant Ones
‘The Valiant Ones’ really does deliver on its promise of a group of gifted fighters going after a never-ending swarm of rampaging pirates and fighting them all to the death.
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The Crippled Masters
Few genre films have achieved the cult status that ‘The Crippled Masters’ has and, thanks to a lovely remastered release from Film Masters, it can finally reach a wider audience.
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The Double Crossers
A mainly cool slice of retro 70s exploitation that while maybe not Golden Harvest’s finest, is an entertaining revenge romp for fans of old school action.
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Message From Space
Buoyed by Fukasaku’s energetic direction, copious action, and some still to this day impressive special effects, ‘Message from Space’ delights in being two hours of ambitious infectious fun.
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The Romancing Star
‘The Romancing Star’ might be a product of a particular time and culture, but its problems do not lay there – the fact is that it’s unfunny and annoying.
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Creation Of The Gods I: Kingdom Of Storms
‘Kingdom of Storms’ certainly gives it a good go at adapting the ancient tale for the big screen even though it buckles slightly under its lofty ambitions and reliance on copious CGI.
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Legend Of The Fox
It’s a shame to report that ‘Legend of the Fox’, while peppered with solid characters and decent fisticuffs, is a frustrating experience.
Best New Films
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Broken Oath
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Black Rain
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Stuntman
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Yellow Fangs
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Taoism Drunkard
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A Light Never Goes Out
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The Valiant Ones
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Message From Space
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Chilli Laugh Story
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Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In
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The Swordsman Of All Swordsmen
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Badland Hunters
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The Boy And The Heron
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A Guilty Conscience
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Yakuza Wolf
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Long Arm Of The Law II
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Perfect Days
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Virus
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Godzilla Minus One
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Casino Raiders
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The Wandering Earth II
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Ballerina
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Beach Of The War Gods
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Kill Boksoon
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Cop Image
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The Seventh Curse
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Baby Assassins
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Project Wolf Hunting
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Dreams
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The Bullet Train
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The Big 4
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Broker