Reviews

The Inugami Family

3.5

Drama, Mystery, Thriller • Japan
May 29

Ichikawa has put together an attractive and professional interpretation of one of Japan’s beloved characters.
Killing

5.0

Action, Chanbara, Drama • Japan
May 25

Tsukamoto proves that he can stand with the filmic legends as he proudly represents a unique sense of style in a densely populated medium.

Kickboxer 4: The Aggressor

2.0

Action, Martial Arts • USA
May 25

‘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.
The Iron Mask

2.5

Action, Adventure, Family, Fantasy • China, Russia
May 19

Chan fans may be disappointed he’s not the main focus but he does feature in an inventive scrap with Schwarzenegger and overall there is some cool action on offer.
Last Ghost Standing

2.5

Comedy, Horror • Hong Kong
May 15

It’s certainly not a film that will rock anyone’s world, but as a throwback to a bygone era of Hong Kong horror it’s a refreshingly rewarding treat.
Time To Hunt

4.0

Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller • South Korea
May 8

Could be a marmite type of film but this reviewer loved it and ‘Time to Hunt’ once again shows South Korea is producing some of the most exciting cinema around.
Once A Black Sheep

3.0

Action, Comedy, Thriller • Hong Kong
May 8

‘Once A Black Sheep’ is solid fare though its relative anonymity should tell you much about its place in Hong Kong cinema.
Indecent Woman

2.5

Adult, Crime, Thriller • Hong Kong
May 1

No Category III classic assuredly, but certainly a pleasantly sexy diversion that makes for pain-free viewing.
Vortex

4.0

Action, Drama, Thriller • China
Apr 27

A searing action thriller about those on the lower rungs of society desperately trying to get their hands on a large sum of cash.
Up The Mountain

3.5

Documentary • China
Apr 22

Hard to categorise, gorgeously shot and occasionally challenging in form, ‘Up The Mountain’ is quite unlike anything else.
Kickboxer 3: The Art of War

2.0

Action, Martial Arts • USA
Apr 22

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.
Ghost Office

1.5

Comedy, Horror • Hong Kong
Apr 16

Clearly a set of well-intentioned, though poorly executed, morality plays, ‘Ghost Office’ proves itself in the long-run to be an enormous flub.
The Captain

2.5

Drama • China
Apr 7

Had ‘The Captain’ focused on the drama on the plane and not felt the need to flick back-and-forth to dull secondary characters, it might have brought the true story to the screen with aplomb.
Astonishing

3.0

Mystery, Thriller • Hong Kong
Mar 30

Well worth giving your time to, as long as you’re prepared for things to go out on a whimper rather than a bang.
The Moon Mask Rider

2.5

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi • Japan
Mar 20

Unfortunately, despite its intentions, its neither deliciously loopy the way you might hope that a Japanese superhero film would be nor is it especially engaging.
Blood Hunters: Rise Of The Hybrids

3.0

Action, Fantasy, Horror, Martial Arts • Philippines
Mar 12

This short, sharp and mostly sweet martial arts vampire actioner may lack budget and a dense narrative but what it does have is oodles and oodles of awesome fight action.
Enter The Fat Dragon

3.0

Action, Comedy, Martial Arts • Hong Kong
Mar 6

Most of the film’s jokes are lame and the plot would be familiar to those who have seen more than a couple of 80s’ Hong Kong movies.
Still Human

5.0

Comedy, Drama • Hong Kong
Feb 28

‘Still Human’ is everything that good Hong Kong cinema can be. It tells a good story without pomp, grounds it in reality and focuses on ordinary everyday folk.
Iceman: The Time Traveller

1.5

Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Martial Arts • Hong Kong
Feb 28

What could have been a fun period set actioner is instead a rushed, confusing sequel which, as other reviews have pointed out, seems to have been cobbled together in a rush from unused footage from the first ‘Iceman’.
Kickboxer 2: The Road Back

2.0

Action, Martial Arts, Sport • USA
Feb 28

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.