The Shadow's Edge (2025) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Jackie Chan's latest movie, The Shadow's Edge! Here is the synopsis (according to Variety):

  Set against the neon-lit backdrop of Macau, the film stars Chan as a veteran surveillance expert pulled out of retirement by the local police force. He’s tasked with mentoring a crack team of young detectives to hunt down an elusive gang of thieves that has been running circles around law enforcement.

Jackie Chan is working with Ride On (2023) director Larry Yang again on this one, and he once again co-stars with Tony Leung Ka-fai, who he starred with in The Myth (2005). I don't know, this movie looks pretty good! What we see in the trailer is certainly promising. I'm holding out hope this is a good one! The Shadow's Edge releases in China on August 16, 2025. Hopefully it'll come to America unedited soon after that!

 

The Prosecutor (2024) - Official Movie Trailer

 I'm sure you've seen it by now, but here is the latest trailer for The Prosecutor, Donnie Yen's latest movie! Here is the synopsis:

A poor young man is wrongly charged with drug trafficking after being deceived. An ex-prosecutor investigates the case, uncovers a corrupt lawyer team's scheme, and restores justice despite obstruction from evil forces.

Donnie Yen, Kent Cheng, Julian Cheung. Ray Lui, and Francis Ng star in the movie. After a year and a half of work it's finally coming out. To say I am excited for this movie would be an understatement!

The Prosecutor opens on December 27, 2024. Hopefully a U.S. release comes soon after that!

 

Life After Fighting | Official Trailer (2024)

 Check out the trailer for Life After Fighting; written by, directed by, produced by, choreographed by, and starring Bren Foster. Here is the synopsis:

A martial arts instructor is confronted with the disappearance of two of his students, leading him into a direct confrontation with a group of international child traffickers.

I barely found out about this movie today, so it's been off my radar, but dang the action in this looks awesome! I need to see this right now!

Life After Fighting is out now in selected theaters, and you can watch purchase it on places like YouTube and Google Play!

 

Monkey Man - Official Red Band Movie Trailer (2024)

 Here is the trailer for Monkey Man, an action movie written, directed by, and starring Dev Patel. Here is how the YouTube description describes this movie:

Oscar nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.

Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.

After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Not going to lie, I hadn't heard anything about this movie before seeing this trailer on Instagram. I was actually surprised to see Dev Patel being in a movie like this. It will be cool to see Dev Patel using martial arts in a movie since playing Zuko in The Last Airbender (2010) (Patel is a Taekwondo black belt). I am quite excited for this one, that's for sure! 

Monkey Man comes out April 5, 2024 in the United States.

 

BLUE BEETLE (2023) - OFFICIAL FINAL TRAILER

 Here is the official final trailer for Blue Beetle, the latest DC comics superhero movie. Here is the synopsis:

Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

As I've said before, I have high hopes for this movie. It looks like it could be really good! You can see the sentai/tokusatsu influence in the action scenes, too. I am also biased towards this movie because Jaime Reyes is from my hometown (and they did film some scenes here). Blue Beetle comes out August 18, 2023!

 

Revolver Lily (2023) - Movie Trailer

 Here is the trailer for Revolver Lily, an action movie from Japan directed by Isao Yukisada, based on the book written by Kyo Nagaura. Here is the synopsis:

Yuri became a spy at the age of 16. She killed 57 people over a period of 3 years. Now, in 1924, she runs a small bar in Tokyo. Shinta is a boy whose family was murdered. He holds a key to the missing funds left by his father that belonged to the Imperial Japanese Army. Shinta asks Yuri for help and soon they become the target of 1,000 soldiers.

I must say, this movie looks really good! Let's hope this gets an international release! Revolver Lily comes out August 11, 2023 in Japan.

 

HIDDEN STRIKE (2023) - OFFICIAL TRAILER

 The official trailer for Hidden Strike, starring Jackie Chan and John Cena has finally appeared online! The movie finished filming five years ago, and it's finally coming out this year. Here is the synopsis:

When a China-run oil refinery is attacked in Mosul, Iraq, a Chinese private security contractor (Chan) is called in to extract the oil workers. He learns, however, that the attackers’ real plan is to steal a fortune in oil, and teams up with an American former Marine (Cena) to stop them.

After all the trouble and controversy, it's good that Hidden Strike is coming out. No official release date yet, but some are saying it's coming out July 7, 2023...in Turkey. I think this movie looks entertaining; let's hope it is!

FARANG (2023) - Official Trailer

 Here is the trailer for FARANG, an action movie directed by Xavier Gens and starring Nassim Lyes, Olivier Gourmet, Vithaya Pansringarm and Loryn Nounay. Here is the synopsis (from the YouTube description):

Sam is a professional boxer about to get released from prison. While on parole, his past catches up with him and he has no choice but to flee. Five years later, he has rebuilt a simple life on an exotic island in Thailand with his wife and her daughter, but when he gets blackmailed by a dangerous local godfather, he must embark on a dangerous drug smuggling mission which results in a tragedy. Now has only one purpose: to seek merciless vengeance.

Xavier Gens is the director of Hitman (which I haven't seen) and Gangs Of London (which I have seen). If the action in FARANG is going to be like the action in Gangs Of London, then I think this movie will be quite the wild ride! Jude Poyer (former Hong Kong stuntman in charge of Reel Power Stunts) is responsible for the action in this, so I think we have nothing to worry about fight scene-wise. FARANG comes out June 28, 2023 and I absolutely cannot wait for this one!

 

Blackbelt (1992) - A Review

 

Another classic Don 'The Dragon' Wilson movie.

Blackbelt is an American martial arts/action movie released in the United States in 1992. It stars Don 'The Dragon' Wilson, Deirdre Imershein, Matthias Hues, Alan Blumenfeld, Richard Beymer, Jack Forcinito, and Barbara A. Graham. Blackbelt was directed by Charles Phillip Moore and Rick Jacobson, with fight choreography by Don 'The Dragon' Wilson and Paul Maslak.

Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays Jack Dillon, a tough, no nonsense ex-cop.

In Blackbelt, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays Jack Dillon, a former cop who runs a martial arts school (and also helps those in need... with his martial arts skills). Jack's former partner, Will Sturgess (played by Alan Blumenfeld), tells an up and coming singer, Shanna (played by Deirdre Imershein) to ask Jack to be her bodyguard. Shanna was sent a box of roses with a playing card...and a severed finger with a ring on it. Jack at first rejects the job, but after seeing the results of a prostitute who was killed the previous night, along with another room full of dead men, he accepts.

It turns out the prostitute and the men were killed by a serial killer (played by Matthias Hues); a big, hulking, psychotic murderer who is also after Shanna. Jack also has to deal with Shanna's abusive boyfriend (played by Jack Forcinito) and shady music producer Eddie Deangelo (played by Richard Beymer). Jack will have to show no mercy in order to protect Shanna and make it out alive!

Shanna (played by Deirdre Imershein) is an up and coming singer with attitude.

I have mixed feelings about Blackbelt. The story, a bodyguard protects a singer from a serial killer, is pretty interesting but the execution is a bit off. I'll just say it: this movie is sleazy! This is the kind of movie where after the hero and his love interest brutally murder their enemies, they have a gratuitous sex scene right after. This was the state of martial arts movies in America in the early 1990s. Despite that, there are some good things about it. Don 'The Dragon' Wilson plays the unflappable hero. Don is just a really likeable guy, so it's easy to root for him. Richard Beymer as the sleazy music exec Eddie Deangelo gives the best performance. He is one of the most obnoxious villains ever put on film. There are scenes where he is threatening people while he's eating dinner, and all the chewing and lip smacking he's doing in between saying his lines irritated the heck out of me. Great performance! Matthias Hues gives a memorable performance as the serial killer. He is basically a monster, but he never screams or yells. He is very quiet and subdued. That guy has serious mental problems!

The structure of the movie is pretty good, giving us clues as to why Shanna is being targeted by the serial killer. In fact, the reason the killer is after Shanna is kind of similar to the movie Red To Kill (1994). I wonder if the writer and director of Red To Kill saw Blackbelt first and were inspired to make their own, sleazier, version of it. We will never know. Don and Deirdre Imershein (Shanna) have good chemistry together throughout the movie, whether they hate each other or they like each other. Deirdre is a pretty good singer as well.

The action in Blackbelt is decent, but filmed and edited terribly.

Blackbelt has a lot of action, both of the fighting and gunplay variety. Don 'The Dragon' Wilson choreographed the fights (along with Paul Maslak), and they did a decent job, for the most part. Once again, this is not Hong Kong style choreography, so the action is pretty slow and light-hitting. Unfortunately, you can tell that the fighters were holding back their strikes big time so they wouldn't really hurt each other. The camera angles and editing don't help with the presentation, either. What makes the action worse is the fact that Blackbelt was actually considered too violent, so the more extreme shots had to be edited out. This makes the fight scenes (especially) and the shoot-outs lack a rhythm and flow; and there are a lot of abrupt edits. I will say, though I did not like this movie, I have to see the unedited version. Maybe the fight scenes will be a little better?

As you can imagine, I can't, in good conscience, recommend watching Blackbelt. I will say, the story is interesting and there are some good actors in this, but the action is not that good and the movie itself is pretty sleazy. Only watch this movie if you are a huge fan of Don 'The Dragon' Wilson or you want to watch a violent martial arts version of the the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston The Bodyguard (1992) movie. As a Don 'The Dragon' Wilson fan, it always pains me to pan his movies, but he was one of the few actors we could depend on for martial arts movies in the United States back then. Martial arts movies have come a long way since then!

Reviewed by David Williams

The Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) - Official Teaser Trailer

 The official teaser trailer for The Outlaw Johnny Black dropped today! Michael Jai White wrote and stars in this action comedy, brought to us by the people behind Black Dynamite (2009)! Here is the synopsis:

Hell-bent on avenging the death of his father, Johnny Black vows to gun down Brett Clayton and becomes a wanted man in the process. He goes into hiding, posing as a preacher in a small mining town that's been taken over by a notorious Land Baron.

I first heard of this movie seemingly years ago on Michael Jai White's Instagram. I remember him saying it was going to be more of a family film, at the time. I'm cool with that, as long as we see Michael kicking butt, as only he can, in it! The Outlaw Johnny Black comes out, only in theaters, on September 15, 2023. Can't wait to see this one!

 

MR-9: Do or Die - Teaser Trailer (2023)

 Check out the trailer for MR-9: Do or Die, an action movie from Bangladesh starring ABM Sumon, Michael Jai White, Niko Foster, Frank Grillo, Sakshi Pradhan, Oleg Prudius (formerly known as WWE wrestler Vladimir Kozlov), and Dalip Singh (formerly known as The Great Khali in WWE). Here is the synopsis (taken from the YouTube description):

Based on the highly popular Bangladeshi spy novel series Masud Rana. With a code name of MR-9 (ABM SUMON) is a very highly skilled and veteran spy for the BCI, with a muddled past, he is chosen to join forces with an elite group of International Espionage Agents, set up by the CIA operatives Duke (Michael Jai White) and Taylor (Niko Foster) for a joint operation, including an Indian spy Devi (Sakshi Pradhan) in the mix. Together they race against the clock with the mission to stop an international terrorist attack targeted for Las Vegas, organized by RNR, a high tech corporation run by Roman Ross (Frank Grillo) and his insidious plan to change the current world order.

I don't know, I think this movie looks pretty good! Gives me James Bond vibes (I am a Daniel Craig James Bond fan). I really want to see this one! I hope it's as good as the teaser trailer makes it out to be! MR-9: Do or Die comes out during Eid al-Adha (which is June 28-30, 2023).

Here is the link if it doesn't play on this post: MR-9: Do or Die Teaser Trailer

 

A Company Man (2012) - A Review

 

A Company Man is an excellent action movie!

A Company Man is an action movie released in South Korea in 2012 and stars So Ji-sub, Lee Mi-yeon, Kwak Do-won, Jeon Guk-hwan, Kim Dong-jun, Han Bo-bae, and Lee Geung-young. The movie was written and directed by Lim Sang-Yoon, with Jae-Min Shin as action coordinator.

Ji Hyeong-do, played by So Ji-sub. He is an expert assassin not to be messed with!

In A Company Man, So Ji-sub plays Ji Hyeong-do, an expert assassin rising up the ranks at his company. His superior, Kwon Jong-tae (played by Kwak Do-won) treats Hyeong-do rather rudely, so Hyeong-do usually answers him with, "I'm sorry, sir". Their top boss, Chairman Jeon, (played by Jeon Guk-hwan) has very high hopes and expectations for Hyeong-do. It seems Hyeong-do is enjoying his life; his boss likes him and most everyone at the company respect him. It turns out, he is thinking of quitting. He asks a former colleague, Ban Ji-hoon (played by Lee Geung-young) what he should do. Ji-hoon say whether Hyeong-do quits or stays at his job, he will always be a company man...

One day, Hyeong-do is on an assignment with a young temp, Ra Hoon (played by Kim Dong-jun), who tells him about his plans for the money he is making working these types of jobs. After Ra Hoon successfully eliminates his targets, Hyeong-do takes him out. Before Hyeong-do eliminates him,though, Ra Hoon asks a favor of him. Hyeong-do obliges and goes to Ra Hoon's house to give his mother all the money he was saving up. Hyeong-do becomes smitten with Yu Mi-yeon (played by Lee Mi-yeon), and can't stop thinking about her...

Hyeong-do's crush on Mi-yeon causes him to become careless on an assignment. Hyeong-do and Mi-yeon begin to have a romantic relationship, and Hyeong-do finally seems to be happy. Later on, Hyeong-do does not do what is asked of him by the company, and the police are suspicious of him since he was seen with Ra Hoon before he committed the murders; and this causes Hyeong-do to become the next target of the company he works for. Things go terribly wrong, and Hyeong-do becomes determined to take the whole company down.

Ji Hyeong-do and Yu Mi-yeon get along really well.

A Company Man is a dark thriller that examines South Korean work culture through the life of a hitman. You see Hyeong-do struggle with being so good and dependable as an employee that his boss loves him, his co-workers respect him, and he is rising up the ranks. The problem is that he wants to leave the job, and after finding love with Mi-yeon, wants to start a new life with her. This is all very interesting, and you hope he is able to live his life the way he wants to as you are watching it. There is a lot more to the plot and story that I'm leaving out, as I do not want to spoil the whole movie, but let's just say, things get complicated. So Ji-sub plays Ji Hyeong-do in an understated manner, so when he finally smiles... or snaps, it means something. Really great performance from him. Lee Mi-yeon plays Yu Mi-yeon as a humble, yet almost angelic woman who's had a somewhat tough life. You can see why Hyeong-do falls for her. Also a great performance from Lee Mi-yeon. Kwak Do-won as Hyeong-do's direct superior is excellent as an absolute jerk who you hope gets his butt kicked at the end of the movie. I hated that guy!

The action in A Company Man is hard-hitting and explosive.

The action in A Company Man is really good. There is a lot of gunplay in this one, and it is really wild. Let's just say, a certain area gets wrecked with all the bullets flying around. There are two or three fight scenes, and they are good as well. So Ji-sub handles himself well in the fight scenes, and is totally believable as being a highly skilled hitman. The fight scenes are not Hong Kong style, I would say they are more Korean style (duh). The camera work and editing are a bit similar to the shaky cam fights of stuff like the Bourne Identity movies, but not as terrible as those. You can see things more clearly in A Company Man, but things do get confusing sometimes. Still, the action is great in this, and worth waiting for.

As you can expect, I highly recommend watching A Company Man. This is a very good action movie! It may not re-invent the action movie genre, but it does the action very well. The actors put in great performances, especially So Ji-sub and  Lee Mi-yeon. I thought the ending was very well done, and it may make you emotional. Watch A Company Man and wallow in the darkness (and I mean that in a good way).

Reviewed by David Williams

Devil Hunters (1989) - A Review

 

Classic, yet infamous, girls with guns movie.

Devil Hunters (also known as Ultra Force 2, Red Force 3, and Megaforce 2) is an action/crime/girls with guns movie released in Hong Kong in 1989 and stars Sibelle Hu, Moon Lee, Ray Lui, Michael Chan, Alex Man, Ken Lo, Francis Ng Chun-yu, and Wong Wai. It was directed by Tony Lou Chun-Ku, with action directed by Chui Fat and action choreographed by Lung Sang. Devil Hunters is most famous for the botched stunt that occurs at the end of the movie.

Sibelle Hu (left) and Moon Lee gearing up to kick butt!

In Devil Hunters, Superintendent Tsang (played by Alex Man) is leading his team in trying to arrest Hon San (played by Wong Wai), a Triad boss. He has his best officer on the case, Tong Fung (played by Sibelle Hu). Unbeknownst to them, Chun Bing (played by Moon Lee) is also tracking down Hon San. Chun Bing ruins the police's big ambush, allowing Hon San to escape. During this, Chai Yuet (played by Ray Lui), the son of a rival Triad boss, helps his father escape. Hon San believes this rival Triad boss was in on the police ambush, so he sends his right hand man Chiu Sing (played by Francis Ng) to assassinate the boss (which happens right in front of Chai Yuet).  

Chun Bing tries to work with Chai Yuet; she wants Chai to bring her Hon San alive, but he refuses. She then tries to work with Tong Fung and the police, but things go wrong, and a beloved officer is killed during an incident with Hon San's gang. Tong Fung is now determined to get Hon San. Eventually, Chun Bing gets Hon San, and she works with Yin Fu (played Michael Chan), one of Hon San's loyal gang members, to get him to the Philippines. Things go wrong, secrets are revealed, and Tong Fung, Chun Bing, and Chai Yuet have to work together to capture the big man responsible for everything...

Ray Lui kicks some serious butt in this!

I first heard of Devil Hunters on an Asian cinema message board in the early 2000s in a topic about the most dangerous stunts/the most serious injuries in Hong Kong cinema. Reading about what happened was pretty shocking. I kept that movie in mind for years, until I finally was able to watch it on Hulu of all places (back when Hulu was free). Finally seeing the actual stunt play out, it was way worse than described in that message board thread! Basically, the three main characters (Moon Lee, Sibelle Hu, and Ray Lui) are supposed to jump out of a second story window as an explosion goes off behind them. Unfortunately, too much gun powder was used, and the explosion goes off a bit early, causing the flames of the explosion to engulf the actors, mainly Moon Lee and Sibelle Hu. Because Sibelle Hu seemed hesitant to do the stunt (she is not ready to jump when the others start their jump), she got the worst injuries. You can see in the movie that she is totally engulfed in the flames as she plummets to the ground. It's brutal. You would think maybe the producers and director would do something different for the ending and not use the botched stunt in the movie, but no. The stunt footage is used at the end, and it is shown from multiple angles! A message is shown at the end of the movie acknowledging the botched stunt and commending and wishing the actors well. The end credits show all the newspaper stories covering the accident. All three actors suffered third degree burns and were hospitalized.

To me, it seems the accident affected the plot of the movie in some ways. Since the action and stunts are usually filmed first, and then the acting scenes are filmed later, the three main actors may not have been available for their scenes (since they were recovering from the accident). As a result, Sibelle Hu disappears during the middle of the film, Moon Lee is not involved in a lot of action until the end, and close ups of Moon Lee and Sibelle Hu seem to be filmed at different locations than the ones the scenes they are in are taking place. Ray Lui (who jumped first and seemed to be the least injured) has the most screen time of the three. Michael Chan also gets his own action scene, to perhaps make up for the lack of Moon Lee and Sibelle Hu action at the end.

The infamous stunt. Sibelle Hu is in the middle.

 Despite all this, the movie is pretty good! The plot may be a little convoluted, but it is interesting throughout. Let's just say, what's going on with the villains is not all what it seems. The acting is very good, with Michael Chan putting in a surprising performance as a family man (if you know the types of roles he is known for, this role is a surprise). Francis Ng is a complete bastard in this movie as well.

The action is excellent in Devil Hunters. The fight scenes are fast, hard-hitting, and creative. Moon Lee is amazing, as always. Ray Lui surprised me with his skills, he's really good! Ray Lui and Ken Lo have a brutal fight at the end. The final fight is great as well, with Moon Lee, Sibelle Hu, and Ray Lui teaming up to take out the final boss. There are a lot of gun battles as well. Lots of explosions, too. This movie has it all in the action department.

So, should you watch Devil Hunters? I say yes. Despite the controversial botched stunt, the movie is good, the action is top notch, and the music rocks too. This is an excellent example of the girls with guns film genre. Devil Hunters is the best and the worst of the girls with guns genre, as well: Awesome action done by awesome actresses, but conversely, the exploitive actions of the producers of the movie using the accident to hype up the movie is lamentable. Watch Devil Hunters and show respect to Sibelle Hu, Moon Lee, and Ray Lui; three actors who almost gave their lives for the entertainment of the audience.

Reviewed by David Williams

Accident Man (2018) - A Review

 

Accident Man is a fun ride with lots of action!

Accident Man is an action/thriller/comedy movie released in the United States and the United Kingdom in 2018. It stars Scott Adkins, Ray Stevenson, David Paymer, Michael Jai White, Ray Park, Amy Johnston, Perry Benson, Ross O'Hennessy, and Ashley Greene. Accident Man was co-written and produced by Scott Adkins, with Jesse V. Johnson directing and Tim Man choreographing the action. Accident Man is based on the comic strip by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner. 

Scott Adkins as Mike Fallon, the Accident Man.

In Accident Man, Scott Adkins plays Mike Fallon, an assassin who makes the targets of his kills look like they died in an accident. He frequents a pub called the Oasis, where other assassins hang out and they receive their assignments. The Oasis is run by Big Ray, a retired assassin and all of the assassins' mentor. The other assassins who come here are Carnage Cliff (played by Ross O'Hennessy) a big brute of a guy who kills his targets with an axe; Poison Pete (played by Stephen Donald), whose method of killing is self explanatory; Mac (played by Ray Park) and Mick (played by Michael Jai White) military special Ops assassins who make their targets' deaths look like they were victims of street crime; Finicky Fred (played by Perry Benson) who comes up with weird ways and weapons to kill his targets; and Jane The Ripper (played by Amy Johnston), an assassin who seduces her targets before killing them with her sword (it is rumored she has a collection of her victims' 'manhood' but the other assassins are too afraid to find out if it is true). They all get along, for the most part, until...

Mike finds out his ex-girlfriend has been murdered, and when he looks into it, the way she died seems very familiar (let's just say, he is friendly with the killers). With the help of the girlfriend of his ex, Charlie (played by Ashley Greene), Mike goes after who he knows is responsible. With each battle, he gets more information that leads to the person who ordered the hit, and he is determined to make that person pay!

Mike Fallon can more than handle any opponent that comes his way.

It has taken a while, but I finally watched Accident Man! I didn't really have any expectations for this movie; I thought it could end up great or it could disappoint me. Lucky for me, it ended up great! Accident Man is full of interesting characters, some dark comedy, and awesome fight scenes! What more could you want in an action movie? The story moves at a rapid pace, and it is never boring. The dialogue is good, too. Being shady people, most everyone in Accident Man uses very salty language. Scott Adkins is great in his role as Mike Fallon; he is an antihero, but even he has his limits. He just wants to find and kill the person who ordered the hit on the love of his life. How can you not root for him? Of course, Michael Jai White kills it in his role, but more on the acting side of things. He just performs his lines so naturally. He really should be a bigger star. It was great to see David Paymer in this movie. I would never expect to see him in a movie like this! He is pretty funny in this, too.

The fight scenes in Accident Man are so good!

But what about the action? Well, the action in Accident Man rocks! Scott Adkins has exciting fights with most everyone in this movie. Scott throws some awesome kicks in this! In the first fight scene, Mike Fallon fights some guys in a bar who are harassing a woman. Here we learn how brutally ruthless he is as a fighter, because he beats them up bad, breaking their bones in the process. I liked the fight scene where an assassin on a motorcycle attempts to kill Mike. This scene was full of Hong Kong cinema homages, from the assassin wearing yellow and black (like Bruce Lee in Game Of Death, 1978), to Mike Fallon using Richard Norton's famous quote ("Painful?"), to Mike Fallon doing an absolutely wild kick that Jackie Chan did in Wheels On Meals (1984). Great stuff! Scott Adkins takes on Ray Park (Darth Maul and Toad himself) and Michael Jai White (Spawn and Black Dynamite himself) at the same time. Great fight scene, and Ray Park does some awesome moves in this one. Scott takes on Amy Johnston in a hard-hitting fight, that is full of sexual tension. Amy Johnston is an awesome fighter, and she holds her own against Scott in their fight. Hopefully we see more of her on the big screen! The fight scenes are fast, hard-hitting, and exciting. Very Hong Kong-style, which I appreciate. Scott Adkins is the man in this movie.

As you can guess, I highly recommend watching Accident Man. If you are looking for a fun, action-packed movie, this is it! Mike Fallon is such an interesting character, that I hope Accident Man continues as a film series. There is so much they can do with this world. Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday was released in 2022, so it has continued so far (and I've read that it is really good). Scott Adkins is such an underrated action star. He should be proud of what he, Tim Man, and Jesse V. Johnson accomplished with Accident Man. Watch it! Now!

Reviewed by David Williams

Slate (2021) - A Review

A really good martial arts fantasy.

 Slate is a fantasy/action/swordplay movie released in South Korea in 2021, and stars Ahn Ji Hye, Lee Min Ji, Jong Ho, Jo Sun Ki, Jung Jin Woo, Lee Se Ho, and Park Tae San. Slate was directed by Bareun Jo.

Cha Yeon Hee, played by Ahn Ji Hye, just wants to be a heroine.

 In Slate, Ahn Ji Hye plays Cha Yeon Hee, a woman who has wanted to be a heroine since being orphaned as a child. To do this, she has studied martial arts, stunt work, and acting to become an actress in the Korean film industry. She gets called in for an audition for the lead role in an action movie, but she finds out it's not exactly the role she wants. Despite being told that she will never be cast as a heroine, she takes the job anyway. Yeon Hee arrives at the set with her friend early, and as they explore, the friend finds a wooden slate (or clapper/clapboard). As the friend claps the slate, Yeon Hee wishes she was a heroine...

 Next thing Yeon Hee knows, it's evening and she's on a random street. A gang, led by Dong Ja Roo (played by Jong Ho), are demanding money from some townspeople. Seeing the prop sword Yeon Hee is carrying, Kim Ji Na (played by Lee Min Ji) assumes she is the Soul Slayer, the only person who can help her town fight against Taepyeongso (leader of the villainous Dragon Clan). Ghoster, a missing Youtuber (played by Jung Jin Woo), informs Yeon Hee that they are in a parallel world where things are not exactly the same (Korea is in warring states period, there's no internet/wi-fi, and people openly carry swords). After fighting off thugs with her prop sword, Yeon Hee realizes why she is there: to be a heroine! Yeon Hee is up to the challenge, but Taepyeongso is dying and his two top men, Priest (played by Lee Se Ho) and Mr. Phillip (played by Park Tae San) are vying for control. Also, the real Soul Slayer (played by Jo Sun Ki) arrives to deal with Taepyeongso, but is baffled when the townspeople pay him no mind. Everything comes to a head, with betrayals, unlikely allies, and sword fights aplenty.

The Priest, and Mr. Phillip behind him, are not good people.

 Slate is a nice action fantasy movie. The characters and situations are believable (even though this is a fantasy with mystical elements), and even the action is realistic (for the most part). There is some comedy in this, both of the subtle and laugh out loud variety. Jong Ho as Dong Ja Roo provides the comic relief; he is fiercely passionate, emotional, and loyal. Jo Sun Ki as the real Soul Slayer is also funny in his somewhat arrogant, yet humbled role. Even though Cha Yeon Hee is ready and capable of being a heroine, she is not perfect. In fact, she comes out of some fights gravely injured. She is determined to do the right thing and stop the injustice and protect the people at all costs. Ahn Ji Hye does a great job playing Cha Yeon Hee. You can tell she is a strong person in real life. Lee Min Ji, as Kim Ji Na, plays a strong town leader that is beloved by the people. She is great in this. Another thing I liked about this movie was that there was no romance or love interests. Yeon Hee was focused on upholding justice throughout.

Slate has some nice sword fighting scenes. Ahn Ji Hye does awesome in her scenes.

 The action in Slate is all sword-based. There is some nice choreography on display, and Ahn Ji Hye shows that she has some serious skills as a sword fighter. She even throws in some nice kicks as well. Though there is a lot of sword fighting, it doesn't get too over the top with the blood and gore. I would say it is pretty realistic with its depiction of blood loss in this movie. The most graphic scene is a surprise death, and even then the movie doesn't dwell on it.The action is fast and razor sharp, but the choreography is more on the realistic side. There's nothing wrong with that, as the fights are exciting.

 So, should you watch Slate? I would say it's not a must see movie, but if you like action movies, sword fighting, comedy, cool and interesting characters, movies with a nice visual style, and a rocking soundtrack, give it a chance. The plot is easy to follow and understand, the action is good, and the actors all give believable performances. The film references Alice In Wonderland throughout, but there is a bit of The Wizard Of Oz in it as well. I watched it two times for this review, and I actually liked it even better the second time. Check it out, it's pretty good!

 

 

 SALUTE!!!

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

The Man From Nowhere (2010) - A Review

A cool, yet brutal, action movie.

 The Man From Nowhere is a thriller/action movie released in South Korea in 2010 and stars Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hee-won, Kim Sung-oh, Thanayong Wongtrakul, Kim Hyo-seo, and Song Young-chang. It was written and directed by Lee Jeong-beom, with action by Park Jung-ryul.

Won Bin as the dark and brooding Cha Tae-sik.

 In The Man From Nowhere, Won Bin plays Cha Tae-sik, a quiet, brooding man who runs a pawn shop. His only friend (though he is not really friendly) is a little girl named So-mi (played by Kim Sae-ron). She is a bit of an outcast, with no friends and an... unfit mother. Though Tae-sik seems very aloof towards So-Mi, he shows that he genuinely cares about her.

Kim Sae-ron as So-mi. She is really good in this!

 One day, two thugs show up in Tae-sik's apartment. They aggressively demand an item he has in his pawn shop. He gives them what they want, but he makes the thugs pay for threatening him. Unfortunately, So-mi and her mother are kidnapped, and the only way they will be released is by Tae-sik making a drug delivery to a crime boss (played by Song Young-chang). Tae-sik makes the delivery, but everything goes wrong; he gets arrested and he learns So-mi's life may be in serious danger. He escapes the police station and starts a brutal quest to rescue So-mi...

Thanayong Wongtrakul as Ramrowan; a ruthless assassin who is determined to kill Cha Tae-sik.

The Man From Nowhere is an excellent movie. Of course, with my vague synopsis, it doesn't sound that interesting, but trust me, the plot is gripping. The movie is dark, riveting, and violent. Just when you think the villains couldn't be any more evil, they sink to a new low. Throughout the movie, we find out why Cha Tae-sik is the way he is, and it makes sense why he is so driven to save So-mi. Won Bin as Tae-sik is amazing. Though Tae-sik is a man of few words, through Won Bin's performance, you can feel and understand what he's going through and what's driving him. Kim Sae-ron as So-mi is also great. For such a young person, her performance is phenomenal. So-mi is nice, caring, and funny all while hiding the pain of dealing with a 'troubled' mother and having no friends. Not going to lie, some of her scenes are heartbreaking and may bring you to tears (I almost cried, but I successfully held it in).

 This movie is full of violence and tragedy. It is a revenge movie, basically, and there is nothing wrong with that! I've read that it is similar to Man On Fire (2004) and John Wick (2014). With regard to Man On Fire, there are some similarities (the plot of a man rescuing a little girl, using brutal violence to find her), but The Man From Nowhere is its own movie (I still haven't seen John Wick, so I cannot compare the two). To think, I saw this movie on sale for a very long time at the store years ago, but I never bought it. I did not know what I was missing!

The action is brutal and bloody.

The Man From Nowhere has some brutal action scenes. Truthfully, there are not that many action or fight scenes, but when the action scenes do occur, they hit hard. Cha Tae-sik uses guns and (his opponent's) knives, but his main weapon is a small blade that he expertly uses. The way the fights are filmed and edited is similar to Batman Begins (2005) or The Bourne (2004-2016) movies (though not that bad); the fights are shot up close, and you don't really see any of the strikes connect. There is no shaky cam, thankfully, but it seems like some interesting moves are being performed, but you can't see their effect. The final fight is filmed and edited a little better; you can see more of what the fighters are doing and the effect it has on them. Despite all of this, the action is still brutal and exciting to watch.

 I highly recommend watching The Man From Nowhere. The plot is thrilling, the characters are interesting, and the action is brutal. This movie is very emotional, as well. You may cry during certain scenes. The Man From Nowhere is just a cool movie. Won Bin and Kim Sae-ron kill it in this film. It is also one of the best movies I've watched this year. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

Reviewed by David Williams

As Good as Dead (2022) - Official Trailer

 Check out the trailer for As Good As Dead, the latest movie starring (and written by) Michael Jai White.  Here is the synopsis:

Bryant (Michael Jai White), a man with a mysterious past moves to a small Mexican border-town to start over and live the simple life. While there, he reluctantly befriends a troubled local teen who has recently lost his mother and is being recruited by the local street gang. Bryant keeps the boy on the straight and narrow by introducing him to martial arts and taking on the role of mentor, teacher and father-figure. As the story unfolds we learn that Bryant is much more than a man who moved to Mexico to live the simple life. Bryant is running from a complex, violent past that he believes he left behind. As his past catches up with him, he is forced into a life and death struggle to clear his name, save the boy and get back all that he left behind.

This movie looks pretty interesting to me! I've got to check it out! As Good As Dead premieres in theaters and on digital December 16, 2022 (TOMORROW, as of this posting).

 

Raging Fire (2021) - A Review

Raging Fire was director Benny Chan's final film. He left us a good one!

Raging Fire is a martial arts/action movie released in China and Hong Kong in 2021, starring Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Ray Lui Leung-Wai, Ben Lam Kwok-Bun, Ken Lo Wai-Kwong, and Yu Kang. It was directed by Benny Chan (in his final film), with action directed by Donnie Yen.

Donnie Yen as Bong Cheung. He always does the right thing.

In Raging Fire, Donnie Yen plays Bong Cheung, an unwavering righteous cop who refuses to deal with the shady parts of being in the Hong Kong police force. After refusing to work with some powerful (and shady) businessmen, Bong and his team are left out of a drug bust, where all of the police officers involved get killed by a crew of masked men. The men who killed these police officers are experts in their field of robbery and assassination. These masked men have a past with Bong Cheung.

Yau Kong-ngo (played by Nicholas Tse) is the leader of these masked thieves, and he has little patience for mistakes. We find out through flashbacks how Yau and Bong know each other, and why Yau and his crew are killing certain people in brutal fashion. Bong and his team have to find out who is killing these people, and stop them before they kill their next victim. As you can imagine, the conflict becomes personal between Bong Cheung and Yau Kong-ngo, and it becomes inevitable that they will have to face each other one last time...

Nicholas Tse as Ngo. He is one cool, calculated, and vicious villain.

Raging Fire is really good! It has great action, complex characters, and an interesting (if a bit basic) story. Donnie Yen plays the stoic, righteous cop who loves his wife. His character is put in tough situations, morally and physically. You really root for his character to overcome the odds that are stacked against him. Nicholas  Tse plays the morally corrupt villain who will do anything to get what he wants. He is cool, calm (for the most part), collected... and also vicious. Through flashbacks we find out how he became this way, which is pretty tragic. He is a ruthless criminal, though, so my empathy for him was limited. You can tell Bong and Yau respect each other, but their difference in morality will keep them at odds. Great performances from Donnie and Nicholas.

One thing I really liked about this movie was the scene where it shows Bong's battered and bruised body after a fight, and his wife's reaction to it, and his response to her reaction. It's something that's not regularly shown in action movies, and it really brings home the consequences of being in a fight. I also liked the flashbacks; they give the backstory of all the characters, and where their motivations come from. I can't believe some reviews complaining about the amount of flashbacks. I had no problem with them (everyone is different, though). Also, there are some parts of this movie that remind me of Jackie Chan's New Police Story (2004), which was also directed by Benny Chan.

The action in Raging Fire is top notch!

Plain and simple: The action in Raging Fire rocks! There are two main fight scenes and one shoot out, and as you can imagine, they are hard-hitting and intense. The first fight scene involves Bong being surrounded and majorly outnumbered! Bong has to fight his way out to safety, and he does not hold back against his numerous opponents. In the shoot out, it's Bong's squad against Yau's crew, and there's bullets and explosions galore. The shoot out is intense, and there aren't many that are left unscathed. The final fight between Bong and Yau is awesome. There are hard-hitting strikes, grappling, and weapons involved. There is even a little callback to SPL (2005) when Bong reveals his weapon of choice. This fight is brutal, actually and worth the price of admission. Really great stuff in this fight. There is more action in Raging Fire, I just highlighted the major scenes.

As you can guess, I highly recommend Raging Fire! It is the epitome of modern Hong Kong action. Interesting plot, complex characters, and incredible action. What more could you want? Benny Chan's last movie is one he can be proud of. Raging Fire also shows how always doing the right thing is actually very difficult. You have to deal with the consequences, and deal with those who prefer to take the easy way out. Nonetheless, Raging Fire is just great entertainment!

Reviewed by David Williams

Last Resort (2022) - Official Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Last Resort, an action movie starring John Foo! Here is the synopsis:

A former special forces soldier becomes a one-man-army when his wife and daughter are taken hostage during a bank robbery. As he brutally neutralizes the gang of thieves, the lives of millions hang in the balance when a highly lethal toxin is stolen from the vault. The Last Resort is an intense action thriller powered by breathtaking fight choreography.

Jean-Marc Minéo wrote and directed Last Resort, and it stars Foo, Alex Santi, Clayton Norcross, Julaluck Ismalone, and Angelina Ismalone. It comes out in select theaters on January 6, 2023 and comes out on demand on January 10, 2023. This movie looks pretty intriguing, I must admit. I hope the action is as good as it seems to be in the trailer!

 

HYDRA (2021) - Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for HYDRA, an action/crime/thriller film released in Japan in 2021. Here is the synopsis:

After retiring as an assassin, Takashi leads a quiet life as a chef at a sushi bar, where he secretly watches over the daughter of a former associate. His peace is short-lived: soon, he is recruited for a final job that he simply can’t refuse.

HYDRA stars Masanori Mimoto, Miu, Tasuku Nagase, Takaya Aoyagi, and Takashi Nishina; and was directed by Kensuke Sonomura. It is available to watch in America on Digital (streaming), Blu-ray and DVD right now! This looks really good! The action looks like it's going to rock! I have to get this on Blu-Ray!