Release Year: 2012

Utilising a premise that is tailor-made for technology-mad Japanese audiences, Yaguchi achieves a partial return to the superlative form of yesteryear.

‘Rurouni Kenshin’ is resolutely pulp entertainment though and while it is unlikely to be mentioned in the same breath as ‘Yojimbo’ in years to come, it hits enough of its targets to satisfy.

Street Fight is a decent attempt by some young filmmakers to make a tournament fighting film.

‘Sword of the Assassin’ is a noble effort from some talented Vietnamese filmmakers which is beautifully shot, buoyed by engaging characters and features a satisfying amount of high flying martial arts combat.

The style of this sequel is just as frenetic as its forerunner, combining visual cues from video games and anime along with the steam-punk vision of 19th century China.

Despite being as absurdly hyperactive as a coffee junkie with St. Vitus’ Dance, ‘Tai Chi Zero’ is fun and snappy for most of its running time.

It hasn’t got the sheer confidence and brash brilliance of ‘Red Cliff’, yet it is a welcome addition to the crowded sub-genre of Three Kingdoms movies.

ordon Chan can certainly do entertaining fantasy action but the various elements of ‘The Four’ just don’t gel meaning there are moments of fun but on the whole it’s all just a little dreary and long winded.

Though ‘The Great Magician’ recalls films like ‘The Prestige’ and ‘The Illusionist’, Derek Yee’s offering is much lighter in tone.

While certainly mounted on a sometimes epic scale and beautifully shot, Lau’s film disappoints due to rushed character motivations, unconvincing drama and an excessive use of slow motion.

Although nobody could say ‘The Silent War’ has a vice-like grip on the viewer, it features a few moments of genuine excitement and gathers quite a momentum by the final third.

It’s a languid, leisurely swordplay film that advances at a glacial pace and is defiant in doing so. Yet that is, along with the crisp cinematography, its greatest strength.