[Fight Scene Friday] DOGFIGHT - HD - Martial Arts Short Film - 2 vs 1 Fight - Hong Kong Style Action

 It's Fight Scene Friday™! This week's fight scene is DOGFIGHT, starring Shawn Bernal (as the Master), Nate Hitpas (as the Rookie in leather jacket), and Jessie Bayani (as the Hunter in tactical vest) in a Lazy Brown Productions scene. The short film was shot, edited, choreographed, and directed by Emmanuel Manzanares. I've written before how much I love Manzanares' choreography, and he really outdid himself here! It also helps when you have a martial arts dynamo like Shawn Bernal performing your choreography! Shawn Bernal should be a huge name in action movies. Hopefully he gets his shot! So, check out this sweet fight scene!

 

Blind War 盲战, (2022) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Blind War, a Chinese action movie coming out later this year! I can't find any information on this movie, unfortunately. All I know is, this movie looks awesome! I need to see this one!

The Shaolin Temple (1982) - A Review

 

Not only was this Jet Li's first movie, but it brought the Shaolin Temple back into prominence in China and around the world.

The Shaolin Temple is a Chinese/Hong Kong martial arts movie released in 1982 starring Jet Li, Yu Hai, Yu Cheng-Hui, Ding Lan, Hu Jian-Qiang, Sun Jian-Kui, Ji Chun-Hua, and Yan Di-Hua. It was directed by Cheung Sing-Yim, with martial arts directed by Ma Xian-Da, Yu Hai, Pan Qing-Fu, and Wong Seung-Hoi. The Shaolin Temple was Jet Li's first starring role in movies.

A young Jet Li plays Jue Yuan, a man filled with rage and bent on vengeance.

In The Shaolin Temple, Jet Li plays Jue Yuan, a young man who is a prisoner of war along with his father under the drunk with power General Wang Ren Ze (played by Yu Cheng-Hui). Yuan's father stands up to the General, who is abusing a slave, and pays for it with his life. Yuan helped his father in the fight, but his father tells him to escape. Reluctantly, Jue Yuan leaves, badly injured. He makes his way to the Shaolin Temple, where the monks find him and nurse him back to health. Sifu Tan Chuang (played by Yu Hai) is in charge of Jue Yuan and the other young monks there that have escaped from General Wang's tyranny.

When Jue Yuan recovers, he helps out with the chores at the Temple. He catches the monks training in Shaolin Kung Fu and is in awe. He becomes determined to learn Shaolin Kung Fu in order to avenge his father's death and kill General Wang. One of the head monks (played by Yan Di-Hua) doesn't want Yuan there, as Yuan has murderous intentions (which is against the monks' Buddhist beliefs). After Jue Yuan leaves the Shaolin Temple to kill the General, and incidentally saves Sifu Tan Chuang's daughter (played by Ding Lan), he returns to the Temple in shame. Sifu Tan then decides he is ready to learn Shaolin Kung Fu.

The year-long training sequence might be the best part of the movie.

After becoming extremely proficient in Shaolin Kung Fu, Jue Yuan helps out an escaped political prisoner, Li Shinmin (played by Wong Kwong-Kuen). The General is on the search for Li Shinmin and Yuan, and the path leads him to the Shaolin Temple. As you can guess, a major battle occurs at the Shaolin Temple, and the Shaolin monks have to make a decision about defending themselves and the Temple, which is at odds with their beliefs...

The Shaolin Temple is Jet Li's debut role in a movie, and a majority of the actors were members of the Chinese Wushu national team. Because of this, the martial arts have an authentic feel to them. Adding to the authentic feel is the fact that this movie was filmed on location in China and at the actual Shaolin monastery. This movie has some beautiful scenery! Also, this movie is the true story of how thirteen Shaolin monks helped Li Shinmin capture General Wang Ren Ze (dramatized of, course).

Authentic Wushu is displayed in The Shaolin Temple.

The  martial arts/fight scenes are plentiful in The Shaolin Temple. Jet Li was 19 years old when he filmed this movie, and he was in the prime of his martial arts prowess. Jet is just perfection in this. The scene where Jet Li fights the General at his residence is really good! It's Jet Li's version of the Drunken staff against the General's Drunken Sword style. Awesome stuff. The final battle at the Shaolin Temple is where all the monks show off their specific skills. The choreography is good. No, it isn't as perfect or as fierce as the choreographed fights of Yuen Woo-ping, Sammo Hung, Lau Kar Leung, or Jackie Chan, but you get an authentic look at how the techniques would be applied in a real fight. There are no wires or stunt doubles in these fights, either! Really good stuff. Also, things can get brutal: at the beginning a bad guy pierces a hanging corpse's torso, pulling out his intestines! When characters are stabbed, blood spurts out! 

To me, the best scenes are not the fight scenes, but the scenes where the monks are training (which Jet Li watches secretly) and the scene where Jet Li practices multiple styles over a year. Those scenes are not only classic in martial arts movie history, but in movie history in general. The way Jet Li's training scene is shot is pure perfection. You have to see those scenes.

In conclusion, I feel The Shaolin Temple is required viewing for martial arts movie fans and Asian cinema fans. This was the beginning of Jet Li's rise to stardom. It is cool to see such a young Jet move with such precision and grace. A lot of people are down on this movie because of it's basic plot, but I think it's really good. The Shaolin Temple also had a cultural impact with its' release. After it came out, a lot of people from China (and around the world) went to the Shaolin Temple wanting to become monks! At that time, Shaolin was not the preeminent place for people wanting to learn kung fu or practice Buddhism. The Shaolin Temple changed that. One of my goals is to visit the Shaolin Temple, and this movie helps give me a glimpse of what it's like there. Anyways, watch this movie for the legendary Jet Li, the fight scenes, the training scenes, and the gorgeous scenery!

The slip case and cover of the DVD I watched for this review. I need this movie on Blu-ray!

Back of the slip case and DVD case. 

The DVD disc and the inner artwork of the DVD case. It's promoting other classic Hong Kong movies.

Reviewed by David Williams

Dog of Flanders A.K.A. Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) - A Review

 

Dog Of Flanders is a very dark comedy. It's brilliant, actually!

Dog Of Flanders, also known as Barking Dogs Never Bite and A Higher Animal, is an independent dark comedy movie released in South Korea in 2000. The movie stars Lee Sung-jae, Bae Doona, Kim Ho-jung, Go Soo-hee, Byun Hee-bong, Kim Jin-goo, and Kim Roi-ha. The movie was written (along with Song Ji-ho and Derek Son Tae-woong) and directed by Bong Joon-ho in his directorial debut.

Lee Sung-jae as Kon Yun-ju is a very flawed protagonist.

In Dog Of Flanders, Lee Sung-jae plays Ko Yun-ju, a struggling academic who does menial jobs with dreams of becoming a university professor. He lives in an apartment with his wife, Eun-sil (played by Kim Ho-jung) who is pregnant, makes the majority of the money between them, and treats Yun-ju terribly. She gives him no affection, belittles him, and makes him do menial tasks for her at home. As you can imagine, Ko Yun-ju is frustrated with life, and he is especially frustrated with the constantly barking dogs in the apartment complex. So frustrated, that he decides to take matters into his own hands to stop the barking...

Bae Doon as Park Hyun-nam is the underdog you can totally root for. She's excellent in this.

Park Hyun-nam (played by Bae Doona) is a book keeper and maintenance worker at the apartment complex who notices that people in the complex are coming in to get their 'Missing Dog' posters stamped. Hyun-nam wants to become famous after seeing a female bank teller fight off a robber on the news. One day, Hyun-nam and her friend Yoon Jang-mi (played by Go Soo-hee) are on the roof of a building across the apartment complex when Hyun-nam sees a man throw a dog off the roof to the ground below! Inspired by the bank teller (and fame), she chases after the man! Unfortunately for her, she never sees his face, and is unable to catch him.

Empathy and fame make you do crazy things.

Ko Yun-ju's and Park Hyun-nam's paths cross when Yun-ju comes in to get his 'Missing Dog' posters stamped. His wife bought a dog (who she treats with love and affection), who he then lost while taking it out for a walk. Hyun-nam even helps Yun-ju put the posters up. Things get complicated when Yun-ju finds out the reason his wife bought the dog, and he becomes desperate to find it. Hyun-nam is still in search of the dog killer, and things intertwine from there...

I'm not going to lie, Dog Of Flanders is a somewhat disturbing movie. It has a disclaimer at the beginning claiming that 'No Animals Were Harmed In The Making Of This Movie'. From what is shown in the movie, they must've had state of the art special effects done, because the dog abuse looks way too real! So, there's a warning for those that are sensitive to that sort of thing.

Besides that, this movie is quite funny! It is very dark humor, but it is really good. The things that happen to Ko Yun-ju and Park Hyun-nam are just too cruel. Lee Sung-jae plays a very flawed underdog, who does some incredibly messed up things, but you still somewhat root for him. Bae Doon is also an underdog in this, but you relate to her much more. She is very empathetic and caring, even if she is a little naive. She actually reminds me of my cute friend in college (I miss her a lot). Bae Doon is just amazing in this movie!  There are a lot of other eccentric characters in this that get their time to shine as well.

I highly recommend Dog Of Flanders! It is a must-see from Bong Joon-ho. It contains elements of dark comedy, drama, and horror that make up a movie where you don't know what it's leading to. It also has a deeper theme under the surface. It really makes you think. What can I say? I loved it!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] Osu

 It's Fight Scene Friday™, and this week's scene is a showcase of traditional karate. Osu was directed, edited, choreographed, and filmed by Vlad Rimburg. It stars Nate Hitpas, Micah Karns, and Tony Vittorioso. It's a hard-hitting fight scene, and it gets a little brutal! Check it out!

 

The Last Boy Scout (1991) - A Review

 

An underrated 90s action movie.

The Last Boy Scout is a neo-noir action comedy movie released in the United States in 1991, starring Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Noble Willingham, Taylor Negron, Danielle Harris, Chelsea Field, and Halle Berry. The movie was directed by Tony Scott and was written by Shane Black.

Bruce Willis puts on a great performance as Joe Hallenbeck.

In The Last Boy Scout, Bruce Willis plays Joe Hallenbeck, a self-loathing wreck of a private detective who gets an assignment from his best friend to protect a stripper, Cory (played by Halle Berry). After finding out his wife is cheating on him, Joe meets Cory at the club she works at. Things are a bit tense between them, with Cory's boyfriend Jimmy Dix (played by Damon Wayans) making the situation a bit worse. We find out out that Cory is trying to get Jimmy his job back (Jimmy was a quarterback who got banned from the league for gambling and drug abuse). Things go bad for Joe, Cory, and Jimmy, with Joe and Jimmy being held in police custody over it. When released, Jimmy convinces Joe to let him help with the case. Joe reluctantly agrees, and things get wild from here. Joe and Jimmy escape death numerous times trying to get to the root of the case, with Joe's daughter Darian (played by Danielle Harris) even getting involved! (Keeping it kind of vague, I don't want to spoil the surprises.)

Damon Wayans and Bruce Willis make a great team! They are so good together!

The Last Boy Scout is one dark movie! Bruce Willis plays Joe as a guy who completely hates himself, and doesn't care about anything anymore. He has marital problems, and his daughter absolutely hates him! Despite all of this, we (the audience) still like him and care what happens to him. Though Joe is a good guy, he is very flawed. Damon Wayans as Jimmy is also very flawed, but we also see that he is a good guy deep down. The chemistry between Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans is excellent on screen (which is why it's so surprising that they hated each other off screen). Their characters respect each other, though the reveal is pretty surprising!

Things are dark and grimy (the football scenes at the start of the movie are amazing in how they are filmed), there are a lot of bastards in this movie, the violence is brutal, yet...this movie is hilarious! The Monday Night Football parody song/music video at the start of the movie is great! Bruce Willis as Joe says some of the funniest things in this movie! Damon Wayans is hilarious as well, as expected. A lot of unexpected comedy, too! Not only does Damon have great chemistry with Bruce Willis, but he has great chemistry with Danielle Harris as well. I guess you could classify this movie as a dark comedy because the jokes happen during some messed up situations sometimes!

The action is high octane! Some stuff you have to see to believe!

As said before, the action is pretty brutal. The football scene is a classic! Great to see Billy Blanks in a big Hollywood movie like this...though what happens to his character is pretty chilling. This movie mainly has gunplay as the main mode of combat, and it pretty good! You can tell that it was influenced by Hong Kong action movies. Bruce Willis shoots two guns at the same time in one scene, Chow Yun-Fat/John Woo style, and this was in 1991! There are big explosions as well, with the heroes narrowly escaping them. The climactic battle involves a sniper rifle and good old fisticuffs. The person Bruce Willis fights with has a pretty grisly end (you've got to see that scene)!

The Last Boy Scout is an underrated action movie, I feel. Tony Scott really knows how to make stylish action movies as well. The cinematography is beautiful in this. I highly recommend this movie! To think, the last time I saw this movie was in the early 90s, and I was way to young to be watching it as well! It always stuck with me, though. Great dialogue, great characters, interesting story, moody cinematography, fun action, plus it's funny? You can't go wrong watching this movie! Check it out!

Reviewed by David Williams

Broker 브로커 (2022) Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Broker, a South Korean drama movie written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. The film stars Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, and Lee Ji-eun. Here is the synopsis:

A baby box is a small space, where parents can leave behind their babies anonymously. Sang Hyun finds new parents for a baby left in a baby box and makes a special deal with them. He calls himself a broker of good will. Sang Hyun works with Dong Soo in this endeavor. They get involved with So Young, who placed her baby in the baby box, but has now come back for her baby. Meanwhile, Detective Soo Jin and Detective Lee chase after Sang Hyun and Dong Soo. 

Broker comes out May 2022 at Cannes and June 2022 in South Korea! This looks really intriguing!

 

SHIN ULTRAMAN (2022) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Shin Ultraman, the latest movie in the Ultraman franchise! This movie seems to be a re-imagining of the legendary superhero, Ultraman. The director of Shin Ultraman is Shinji Higuchi, who also directed Shin Godzilla, and is written and produced by Hideaki Anno, who is the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion. So yeah, this movie is must see in my opinion! It comes out on May 13, 2022 in Japan. I cannot wait to see this one!

 

甄子丹 搜救 大陸版預告 Come Back Home (2022) Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Come Back Home, Donnie Yen's latest movie! From what I could find, the story is about how Donnie Yen's son goes missing in the snowy mountains after having an argument (or some sort of conflict). Donnie goes out into the bitter cold to find him. This doesn't look like a martial arts movie, it's more of a dramatic action movie. Still looks really good to me! It's release date is unannounced as of this post.

 

[Fight Scene Friday] Yellow Zone - an 80s Hong Kong style fan action short film (2012)

 It's Fight Scene Friday™, and this week's scene is an homage to the awesome Hong Kong fight scenes of the 1980s!  This scene is a collaboration between Mag-Fighters, Reel Deal Action and NDTeam. Andy Long is the star of this one, and he also was the director, editor, and action director of this scene. Khoi Chau is the bespectacled fellow, and Can Aydin is the 'final boss'.

Andy Long is an amazing person! He went around the world to work with the best indie/amateur stunt teams all in a quest to meet Jackie Chan and join his stunt team. You know what? He did it! He is a stuntman on CZ12 (also known as Chinese Zodiac), the third Armor Of God movie. He is the guy Jackie Chan does a spinning headscissors to in the final fight. Talk about living the dream! He is now a professional stuntman and fight choreographer.

There are a lot homages to 80s Hong Kong action cinema in this. The final fight takes place in a park seen in Police Story II. The poses Andy Long and Can Aydin have at the beginning of their fight is the same as Donnie Yen's and Michael Woods' poses at the beginning of their fight in In The Line Of Duty 4. In the outtakes, they visit the mall where the final fight scene took place in Police Story. They also visit the area where the final fight scene takes place in Flash Point. The music during the short is that classic Richard Yuen stuff, and the ending credits song is the Police Story theme sung by Jackie Chan. The final dialogue between Andy Long and Can Aydin is what Sammo Hung says to Cynthia Rothrock at the end of their fight in Shanghai/Millionaire's Express (from the German dub). Of course, the sound effects are from the 80s, too! Awesome stuff all around. Enough of my blabbering, check it out!

 

Project S: Once A Cop (AKA Supercop 2) (1993) - A Review

 

Project S is a spin-off of Police Story 3: Supercop.

Project S: Once A Cop (also known as Supercop 2) is an action/martial arts movie released in Hong Kong in 1993, and is a spin-off movie featuring Michelle Yeoh's character from Police Story 3: Supercop. This movie stars Michelle Yeoh, Yu Rongguang, Emil Chow Wah-Kin, Fan Siu-Wong, Athena Chu, Dick Wei, and Bill Tung. Project S was directed by Stanley Tong, with martial arts also directed by Tong.

Michelle Yeoh plays one tough and determined cop.

In Project S, Michelle Yeoh plays Jessica Yang Jian Wa, a tough and very heroic cop in mainland China. At the start of the movie, Yang stops a terrorist hostage situation at a hotel with the help of her boyfriend, David Chang Fung (played by Yu Rongguang), a security guard at the hotel. For risking her life, Yang receives a medal, which she is more than satisfied with. Chang thinks it is unfair that she only got a medal for risking her life, he thinks she should've gotten more. He tells her that he's leaving China to make a fortune in Hong Kong with his friend, and that he will come back a rich man to take her away. Yang is surprised by this, and even more surprised with how quickly he leaves.

Months later, a highly organized robbery occurs in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong police ask for assistance from Chinese Public Security. Yang is sent to Hong Kong to work on the case, with Inspector Lee Ming (played by Emil Chow Wah-Kin) and Kuo Shao Long (played by Fan Siu-Wong) as her partners. Inspector Lee is the one in charge of the other two,is very by the books, and he is romantically interested in Yang. Kuo is the young, somewhat inexperienced cop who is going out with Lee's sister (played by Athena Chu).

Our heroes, from left: Emil Chow Wah-Kin as Inspector Lee, Michelle Yeoh as Yang, and Fan Siu-Wong as Kuo Shao Long.

Things start off kind of rocky for the three cops, but they eventually grow to trust each other. Then, the cops find out the location of the gang's hideout, and this is where things get complicated. The case gets personal for our heroes and the villains, so much so that Yang is taken off the case! The gang is planning a huge heist, and Yang and her colleagues are the only ones who can stop it...

Yang and Chang rekindling their relationship...

Project S is a pretty interesting movie. Michelle Yeoh got to play a cop who was in love, and wasn't afraid to show it. Of course, the relationship between Yang and Chang gets complicated, and some tough choices have to be made between them. Inspector Lee's romantic pursuit of Yang is nice as well (I usually don't like stuff like that, but here it's okay). The movie is very 90s Hong Kong, which is good and bad. The movie moves fast; there is a certain darkness in the tone of the movie as well. The fight scenes, though... Also, Jackie Chan only has a cameo role in this movie, in an unexpected scene!

I first watched this movie in 2000, but it was the American edited Dimension release. As you can imagine, I did not like this movie back then. I thought it was boring, and the soundtrack, dubbing, and sound effects (all the stuff Dimension changed) sucked to me. Eight minutes were cut out as well, which explains why watching Project S a couple days ago felt like I was watching a totally different movie. I watched the Hong Kong version for this review, and I enjoyed it so much more this time. It's really good!

Yep, it's Michelle Yeoh kicking butt as only she can!

The action in this movie is very 90s Hong Kong. The gunplay is very good! The fight scenes are done in that sped up way where everything looks herky-jerky, and almost cartoonish. I am not a fan of these types of fight scenes, but I know others are. Michelle Yeoh kicks butt in this, as you would expect! At the start of the movie, Michelle Yeoh and Yu Rongguang take on terrorists in a hotel, and Yukari Oshima plays one of the terrorists! Unfortunately, Yukari Oshima does not get to show her full skillset in this fight scene (which bothered me when I first watched it in the 90s, and still bothers now). What a waste! Fan Siu-Wong (who I didn't even remember was in this, so it was a nice surprise seeing him in this) also has some nice fight scenes in this. His character lacks experience, but is a great fighter! The final fight scene involves the heroes having to fight a crew of big buff guys (one of them played by the guy with chains at the end of Drunken Master II). Michelle Yeoh is much smaller than them, so she has to use enhanced tactics to take them down. Even though I didn't like the way the fight scenes were presented, the choreography was pretty good!

In conclusion, Project S is a pretty good movie. I think you should see it, just for Michelle Yeoh at the very least. If possible, try to watch the original Hong Kong version, as it is so much better than the American edit. This movie shows how tough it can be to be an honorable cop in a complicated world, especially in a world where love complicates things even further. Michelle Yeoh is the best. That's it.

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] JACKIE CHAN STYLE FIGHT - SUPREME ART OF WAR 孫子兵法

 It's Fight Scene Friday™, and this week's scene is a short film by the Martial Club crew! Martial Club are really moving up in the world, with Andy Le playing Death Dealer in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and both Andy Le and Brian Le having roles in Everything Everywhere All At Once, as well as choreographing the fight scenes in it!

This is one of my favorite short films from them. Andy Le (red hair) plays the hero, Brian Le plays the buff henchman, and Daniel Mah plays the big boss. Andy Le and Kevin Le wrote and directed this film. Enjoy the insanity! 

 

Snake In The Eagle's Shadow (1978) - A Review

 

The beginning a of a legacy...

Snake In The Eagles Shadow (usually shortened to SITES online) is a martial arts comedy movie released in Hong Kong in 1978 and stars Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, Hwang Jang-Lee, Dean Shek, Paul Chan, and Roy Horan. The movie was directed by Yuen Woo-ping, with Yuen Woo-ping and Hsu Hsia serving as Martial Arts directors (Brandy Yuen Jan-Yeung, Yuen Shun-Yi, and Corey Yuen Kwai serve as Assistant Martial Arts directors). Snake In The Eagle's Shadow was the movie, along with Drunken Master later that year, that shot Jackie Chan up to superstardom in Hong Kong.

In Snake In The Eagle's Shadow, Jackie Chan plays Chien Fu, an orphan taken in by a kung fu school who does nothing but menial jobs there and is used as a punching bag by the assistant instructors (played by Dean Shek and Paul Chan) demonstrating kung fu moves for their students. The only friend Chien has at the school is the cook. One day, Chien finds an old beggar (played by Yuen Siu-tien) getting beat up by a rival kung fu school. He decides to help out, despite having no fighting skills. The old beggar guides Chien's movement in order to help him defeat the mob of attackers. A Christian missionary (played by Roy Horan) comes upon the scene and breaks the fight up.

Jackie Chan plays the ultimate underdog in this movie.

Chien takes the old beggar to his kung fu school to recover. They begin a friendship, and eventually the beggar teaches Chien how to avoid getting hit and how to defend himself. The old beggar teaches Chien snake style kung fu. When the assistant kung fu instructors use him to let a new student beat him up, Chien finally defends himself. Later, a champion from the rival kung fu school comes to Chien's school and demands respect from the assistant instructors. The champion beats them up and takes all of the school's students. The master of Chien's school returns to find the place deserted, with only Chien there cleaning. Chien tells him what happened, and the master confronts the champion martial artist. The master can't beat him, so Chien defeats him, to the shock of everyone.

Unfortunately, Sheng Kuan (played by Hwang Jang-Lee), an Eagle Claw master in search of a master of snake style kung fu named Pai Cheng-tien, sees Chien's skill and is intrigued. Sheng Kuan is on a mission to kill  Pai Cheng-tien, the last surviving master of snake style kung fu, and any other practitioners of the style. Sheng Kuan asks Chien who was his kung fu teacher, and Chien describes him, not knowing Sheng Kuan is a really bad guy (or the old beggar's true identity). This all leads to a final battle between the old beggar, Chien Fu, and Sheng Kuan. There are a lot of deaths, fights and betrayal on the way there!

The master and student relationship/friendship is portrayed so well!

Snake In The Eagle's Shadow was the movie that finally put Jackie Chan on the map in Hong Kong. Prior to this movie, Jackie was stuck in a film contract with Lo Wei's production company, with all of the movies made with Lo being complete failures. Jackie Chan was considered box office poison at this time! Lo, who directed The Big Boss and Fist Of Fury (Bruce Lee's break out hits) was trying to make Jackie into the next Bruce Lee. Ng See-Yuen, owner of Seasonal Films, wanted to use Jackie Chan for a two-picture deal. Lo, tired of losing money, agreed. Finally, Jackie Chan was able to work with people who wanted to try something new and different. This was also Yuen Woo-ping's directorial debut, and what do you know, Jackie Chan and Yuen Woo-ping were a match made in heaven!

This is the movie that set the template for Jackie Chan's next few movies, and also most all martial arts comedies from then on. So many movies have the same type of format; from Magnificent Butcher to No Retreat, No Surrender. In this movie, the relationship between Chien Fu and the old beggar is warm and caring. You believe that they care about each other. The movie is funny, but it is not over the top like later Jackie Chan movies (not saying either is a bad thing). Jackie Chan plays the underdog so well in this movie! You root for him one hundred percent!

For some reason, I avoided this movie back in the day. It looked like a weaker version of Drunken Master to me. Yes, I believe Drunken Master blows this movie out of the water, but Snake In The Eagle's Shadow is still a really good movie. This movie is the genesis of the Jackie Chan we all know and love.

Jackie Chan and Hwang Jang-Lee kick butt in this!

With Yuen Woo-ping directing and choreographing the fight scenes, you know the fights are good in this. The intricate choreography Yuen Woo-ping is known for is there, but it is a bit more subdued. Hwang Jang-Lee gets to show his powerful kicks in his scenes, and even knocks out one of Jackie's teeth for real in the final fight. Yuen Siu-tien, as the old beggar, has quite a few fight scenes; and despite his advanced age, he shows he can still move with grace. Yuen Woo-ping choreographed around his father's limitations, I'm sure. Jackie Chan fights with such energy and enthusiasm in this. He gets to show off his acrobatic, martial arts, and comedic skills in his fights. Even when he's fighting 'untrained', it's great to see how awkward he is trying to fight a mob of bad guys. The style Chien Fu invents to defeat Sheng Kuan is interesting as well, very unique movements! The fights are fun, and there are plenty of them in this movie!

So, should you watch Snake In The Eagle's Shadow? I would say, yes! It's a fun movie with great action and comedy. It is cool to see Jackie Chan and Yuen Woo-ping begin to develop their styles in this movie. You even see Jackie Chan with his front tooth knocked out! This movie even has some weird space-age type of musical soundtrack! Watch it and appreciate where Jackie Chan came from and where he has gone since then!

Reviewed by David Williams

SPIRITWALKER (2022) Official Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Spirit Walker, a South Korean action movie starring Yoon Kye-Sang, Lim Ji-Yeon and Park Yong-Woo and is directed by Yoon Jae-Keun. Here is the official synopsis:

 After waking up from a car crash unable to remember anything about his life, a man begins regaining consciousness in a new body every 12 hours. Now, he must piece together his identity, all while evading attacks from pursuing agents and dangerous criminals alike. But with no memory—and no allies—his time is running out. 

Spirit Walker comes out on Digital download and Blu-Ray on April 12, 2022. This movie looks awesome, and I am definitely planning on getting the blu-ray!

 

[Fight Scene Friday] Do the Damn Thing: An Ode to Rising Tiger: Jay vs. Jami

 It's Fight Scene Friday™, and this week's scene is a classic from Fernando Jay Huerto and the Jabroni Pictures crew! I used to love this scene so much back in the day. It always makes me laugh! It stars Fernando Jay Huerto, Jami Yaeger, Neil Aguilera, and John Alspaugh. Check it out!