Reviews
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Mission Kiss And Kill
‘Mission Kiss and Kill’ rewards patience with even the fight choreography getting better as the story continues, a duel on empty wine jars being an obvious highlight.
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The Manchu Boxer
A rather by-the-numbers old school Golden Harvest produced fight flick, ‘The Manchu Boxer’ is nevertheless worth a watch thanks to some decent martial arts action and a fun bad guy role for Sammo Hung.
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Yojimbo
From the opening frames to the triumphant ending, every frame in this work of sublime cinema is an unbridled joy, an ingenious mixture of excitement, character and dry humour.
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The Old Woman With The Knife
‘The Old Woman with the Knife’ is a worthy adaptation fuelled by a dark tone, punishing action, and a fantastic lead performance from Lee Hye-Young.
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The Five Venoms
The film that started it all has an intriguing mystery element to it that keeps the viewer engaged in the storyline and Chang Cheh even plays with elements of gothic horror in the way it’s shot.
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Prisoner Of War
Slickly made, ‘Prisoner of War’ may walk some familiar paths narrative wise but feels like a fresh spin thanks to a likeable supporting cast, solid direction, and a good amount of crisply choreographed fight action.
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Shaolin Temple
Rough around the edges it might be, but ‘Shaolin Temple’ is more than a milestone in China’s cinematic history – it’s an ambitious production that manages to pay off.
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A Punch To Revenge
‘A Punch to Revenge’ may not be the best remembered actioner from the HK Golden Era but it’s a tough little flick if you’re looking for something off the beaten track.
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The Villagers
‘The Villagers’ is a fine action-thriller, tackling darker themes while still being able to weave in humour and pathos. Highly recommended.
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The Shadow’s Edge
‘The Shadow’s Edge’ melds old school action and new school technology to entertaining effect and gives Chan one of his best roles in years.
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Vengeance Of A Snow Girl
There’s crisp action throughout, a captivating story, a bittersweet ending and plenty of ammunition to suggest that Lo Wei did know what he was doing.
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Love Hurts
Set on Valentine’s Day, the flick sees the well-worn tale of a deadly killer’s criminal life coming back to haunt him but the 87North team inject proceedings with fun and a truckload of well-orchestrated action.
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Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback
With crisp animation and a more epic cinematic scope than the series, the film is a slick adventure packed with (occasionally predictable) twists and short bursts of action.
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Love Never Ends
A heart-warming love story, a powerful comment on the treatment of the elderly in China (though it can be extended worldwide) and a stunning drama that looks at how the marginalised survive.
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Yadang: The Snitch
For the most part, ‘Yadang: The Snitch’ is a refreshing spin on the gangster/drug/corruption narrative that often soars thanks to its sheer force of momentum and electric lead performance.
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Hitman In The Hand Of Buddha
‘Hitman in the Hand of Buddha’ is often very decent, but its flaws drag it away from approaching the top tier of the genre.
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Out Of Reach
Unless you’re looking to poke fun at it, I’d imagine even the most dedicated Steven Seagal fans will find it hard to recommend ‘Out of Reach’.
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The Hunted
All but forgotten gem from the mid-90s starring one-time ‘Highlander’ Christopher Lambert and from the writer of ‘Under Siege’, ‘The Hunted’ is a savage little ninja movie that deserves more recognition.
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Invincible Swordsman
The action is slick and just about gets the balance right between computer effects and practical choreography, while the cast are appealing.
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Bangkok Dog
Flying fist first as if it’s from the straight-to-video 90s action movie heyday, ‘Bangkok Dog’ is a no frills, fast and furious, fight film.
Best New Films
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Yojimbo
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The Old Woman With The Knife
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The Five Venoms
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Shaolin Temple
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The Villagers
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The Shadow’s Edge
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Vengeance Of A Snow Girl
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Love Never Ends
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Yadang: The Snitch
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The Hunted
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The 14 Amazons
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The Shadow Strays
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The Bells Of Death
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Kickboxer
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The Lady Assassin
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Time Still Turns The Pages
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Sanshiro Sugata
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The Heroic Trio
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Doctor Vampire
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Mama’s Affair
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Everything Under Control
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Black Cat II
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Rashomon
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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