My Many MiniReviews

[Lady Jin Szu-Yi]

Thanks for the great review of Blood and Bone ShaoW! I remember seeing it shortly after MJW reminded me who the hell he was with Black Dynamite. 

My cinematic memory is poop lately so I appreciate the recap. 

[paimeifist]

Maybe I just need to see more of him before making that claim. I'll admit I'm a bit ignorant on the subject. I base more off of tone than what he actually says(in the two or three interviews I've seen), so yeah, I probably just took it the wrong way.

 

In regards to who would win in a real fight, it's almost a lock MJW would due to the size difference. If MJW was an untrained "screen only" guy, I'd say the size difference doesn't matter much...but that's not the case. 

 

Both of them are screen fighters first and fighters second, I've seen videos of MJWs old competitions, and it's not the same as a professional/amateur boxing or MMA bout at all... With that said, I don't mean that as a sleight against either of them. I just doubt they have had as much true full contact experience as people may think.

 

I recently watched Skin Trade, I loved it.. MJW can still pull of some very special kicks, surprising for his muscularity.

Edited October 18, 2015 by paimeifist

[Morgoth Bauglir]

Amazing kicks for a guy who's almost 50 years old.

[One Armed Boxer]

And that's the point he makes, specifically in regards to weight, in this interview (which is probably what Secret Executioner and paimeifist are referring to). I have to say, I don't see him as coming off as arrogant so much as a matter of fact. He's just plain spoken. Was Bruce being plain spoken or arrogant when he said he could beat anyone in the world? And honestly, I'm sorry, but I'd put money on MJW, with his accomplishments in the martial arts, against anyone in the Expendables. I find his attitude completely different compared to some of the thing Steven Seagal has said regarding his peers/contemporaries. To me, Seagal came across as both dismissive and arrogant.

 

Agreed....he comes off as confident, not arrogant, and has a solid knowledge to back up his claims.  There was a dedicated thread to this interview which generated some interesting discussion, linked below -

 

http://www.shaolinchamber36.com/kungfufandom/index.php?/topic/18880-michael-jai-white-i-can-beat-bruce-lee-and-all-of-the-expendables/

[ShaOW!linDude]

LEGEND OF THE WOLF   (1996)             Running time: 89 mins.

Stars: Donnie Yen, Carmen Lee, Dayo Wong, Lam Kwok-Bun, Edmund Leung, Lai Suk-Yin

 

Action Directors: Donnie Yen, Liu Tak-Wai, Tam Chun-Tung, Mak Wai-Jeung

Dir.: Donnie Yen

 

Synopsis

Fung Man-Hin (DY), a soldier suffering from amnesia, returns to his home village, drawn to the 7 Saints Temple, but not knowing why. He finds Wai-Yee (CL), his childhood love, but then his past catches up to him in the form of a bandit gang, the 7 Wolves, who have a score to settle with him.

 

Fight #1 --- Man-Hin vs bandit gang

This is the opening fight following the credits. It takes place in a dark building. It’s a lot of noise, and you can’t tell what’s going on. It’s DY with a machete taking on a bunch of dudes. There’s lots of clanging, and it’s fast moving, but there’s not a lot of MA on display here. Meh.

 

Fight #2 --- Man-Hin w/machete vs bandits

This is insane! The bulk of the fight is under-cranked to the point of exaggeration. The speed almost obliterates what DY is doing, especially with the machete. The kicks come across okay, especially those shown in slo-mo, which are nice highlights to the fight, particularly: a jumping split kick, a jumping front kick, and a side kick.

 

Fight #3 --- Man-Hin vs bandits & the gang lieutenant w/chain

Good fight. Still hyper-cranked unfortunately. Yen gets off some good kicks, but the fight really gets good when he uses parts of a broken bench as a pair of tonfas against the lieutenant, who uses a chain wrapped up his forearm. It’s still too fast, but there’re some nice combos here.

 

Fight #4 --- Village Raid

It’s a melee! Sort of “basher” in style, but it’s good. It gets even better when DY wades in, mowing down men with his fists and feet. There’s a nice jumping double back kick. The bandit leader (LK-B) also unloads a few kicks of his own, which show his formidability. This evolves into a chase through the forest with DY running like the 6 Million Dollar Man and clubbing foes. He even takes out an eye patch-wearing gunman in a quite bizarre reversal of a thrown knife. It’s crazy.

 

Fight #5 --- Man-Hin vs henchman (MW-J)

Good fight! Insanely cranked! DY fights an opponent who uses spiked palm pads combined with a mix of Tiger & Monkey style. It’s a barrage of blows with Benny Hill sound f/x (like when he slaps the top of the old man’s head). Then DY unleashes his inner Bruce Lee. The punches are fast and devastating, and the kicks are killer!

 

Fight #6 --- Man-Hin vs Bandit Leader (LK-B)

More crazy under-cranking. The fight is brutal, but very repetitive. These guys just hammer at each other. DY goes full Bruce Lee, complete with fighting yells. The end is a bit anti-climactic, too, which is disappointing. It’s a hard-hitting end fight, though it’s just not very satisfactory. It’s just full of hate and rage, and unfortunately while its end is probably meant to be a gruesome delivery of justice, it’s a bit lame.

 

I like this film on a number of levels. I think the plot is interesting, even the love story line, though it gets a bit trite at moments. (DY keeps having to remind CL that he has amnesia.) There is a rather torrid love scene. It’s not graphic in anyway, but I find it a bit unusual for a MA flick. Some of the characters are stereotypical, too. Still, I find it works quite well.

 

The action is really good, but the speed of it can be a little off-putting at times. I don’t know if that’s intentional, or if it was committed to film, and when they saw it they just said, “Go with it.” All of Donnie’s trademark kicks are on display, and the guys has great hands when punching. Honestly, I can’t understand why he would feel the need to under-crank anything, though I know it was standard operating procedure at the time.

 

Really my only complaint would be the lackluster end fight. It’s good, but gets redundant with DY and LK-B beating each other over and over with the same punch or elbow or kick before switching to another technique. This needed some MA spice very badly.

 

I saw this years ago when I score it and Yen’s Shanghai Affairs at the same time, and I remember the latter one being the better of the 2. While not the best movie in his early days, it’s certainly not his worst. And it’s definitely one for Donnie Yen fans and completionists. So it’s your call.

 

Me? Now I’m hoping to luck up on a copy of Shanghai Affairs.

Edited October 31, 2015 by ShaOW!linDude

[DrNgor]

Great review. The penultimate fight against Mak Wai Cheung is one of all-time favorite fights period. I thought the undercranking worked as it focused mainly on the handwork and made it feel like two supermen unloading on each other. I agree that the climax against Ben Lam could've been way better and the opening fight could've ben cut without making any difference.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I don't think this was standard procedure at the time Dude.  Donnie seems to be going for something unique with this hyper style of undercranking.   After seeing the movie around 10 times I'm still not sure if it works.  

 

I loved Shanghai Affairs the first time I saw it, but it didn't hold up after a couple more viewings.

[One Armed Boxer]

Great review, I've still not seen this one, but it seems to be a very love it or hate it flick.  Does anyone have any opinions on the other Donnie Yen directed movie from the same time period, 'Ballistic Kiss'?  I'd agree with Morgoth that the hyper-cranking technique was very much a Donnie Yen thing, he used it in his TV series' like 'Fist of Fury' as well, although I recall him mentioning in an interview that he did it there because they didn't have much time to rehearse the fight scenes, so it was a way of 'covering up' the lack of finesse.  What his excuse was for it in movies though I'm not sure, as pretty much any Donnie choreographed flick from that era was hyper-cranked, 'City of Darkness' is another example.

[DrNgor]

I really wonder how responsible Donnie was. In his Yuen Woo Ping collaborations, I can imagine him having more say. But CITY OF DARKNESS was choreographed by Lam Maan Cheung and CRYSTAL HUNT was handled by Chui Fat. So did they undercrank it, too? Or did Donnie work on his own fights in those?

[ShaOW!linDude]

Under-cranking was always SOP for HK action films in the 80's and 90's. It helps with the flow of action. Donnie seemed to have a penchant for over-under-cranking his action scenes. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I don't know that it's a problem when he isn't choreographing the action or directing the picture, but I'd have to take a harder look and sort through his filmography.

Ballistic Kiss is not good. A real wasted opportunity. It starts off pretty good, but by the end...well, it's the end.

[KUNG FU BOB]

Killer review 'Dude.

 

Great review, I've still not seen this one, but it seems to be a very love it or hate it flick.  Does anyone have any opinions on the other Donnie Yen directed movie from the same time period, 'Ballistic Kiss'?  I'd agree with Morgoth that the hyper-cranking technique was very much a Donnie Yen thing, he used it in his TV series' like 'Fist of Fury' as well, although I recall him mentioning in an interview that he did it there because they didn't have much time to rehearse the fight scenes, so it was a way of 'covering up' the lack of finesse.  What his excuse was for it in movies though I'm not sure, as pretty much any Donnie choreographed flick from that era was hyper-cranked, 'City of Darkness' is another example.

I don't think this was standard procedure at the time Dude.  Donnie seems to be going for something unique with this hyper style of undercranking.   After seeing the movie around 10 times I'm still not sure if it works.  

 

I loved Shanghai Affairs the first time I saw it, but it didn't hold up after a couple more viewings.

Under-cranking was always SOP for HK action films in the 80's and 90's. It helps with the flow of action. Donnie seemed to have a penchant for over-under-cranking his action scenes. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I don't know that it's a problem when he isn't choreographing the action or directing the picture, but I'd have to take a harder look and sort through his filmography.

Ballistic Kiss is not good. A real wasted opportunity. It starts off pretty good, but by the end...well, it's the end.

 

As I've said before, LEGEND OF THE WOLF is full of things that usually annoy me- over-done under-cranking, hyper-fast editing, too-close framing for many shots- but somehow I love it all in this film. It's way over the top, but Yen makes it work here.

 

I could not get through the FIST OF FURY series though. The action is all ruined by the Looney Tunes speed of the fights. It just looks stupid to me. I saw that interview where he explained why, but I completely disagree with him. If you slow-mo the action it looks decent. But I can't watch it the way it is.

 

SHANGHAI AFFAIRS is okay. But the second time I watched it I noticed something weird during the climax, later verified by Yen in an interview- the actor he was supposed to be fighting was doubled. If I remember correctly, he was already gone, off to do another film, by the time they filmed this scene. It makes for some awkward shots as they attempt to hide this.

 

BALLISTIC KISS has some great moments (Donnie fighting with weight-lifting plates), but was overall obnoxiously pretentious and seemed driven by an out-of-control ego. There's a gunfight in a small living-room that revolves around a couch that is just ridiculous. Worth seeing once if you're a Yen fan. But this film actually turned my one buddy from a fan into a hater!

[ShaOW!linDude]

BALLISTIC KISS has some great moments (Donnie fighting with weight-lifting plates), but was overall obnoxiously pretentious and seemed driven by an out-of-control ego. There's a gunfight in a small living-room that revolves around a couch that is just ridiculous. Worth seeing once if you're a Yen fan. But this film actually turned my one buddy from a fan into a hater!

 

Yes! I almost mentioned that scene myself. It's something to experience. It's like something straight out of the Police Squad TV series or the Naked Gun movies. It's that ludicrous. 

[Morgoth Bauglir]

I didn't like Ballistic Kiss either.  The best thing about the movie is the title.  But I remember DIP said he loved it so I've been meaning to revisit it some day.  

[ToryK]

I've listened to hours of MJW interviews and commentaries, and the first thing I think of when his name his mentioned is how nice he is.  He's confident, but I can't say he's arrogant.  

 

Precisely! I was surprised to hear his name and the word "arrogant" in the same sentence. He's always seemed like a really nice guy to me, even a little geeky, when it comes to martial arts movies.

 

Nice review on Legend of the Wolf. I'll agree with some of my fellow Fu-heads here - I usually HATE undercranking, but Yen makes it work here, somehow. It's so exaggerated that you just kinda roll with it. Ballistic Kiss, on the other hand, was terrible. The shootout with the couch...WTF? Not one of Donnie's finest hours, that's for sure.

Edited November 3, 2015 by ToryK

[One Armed Boxer]

I didn't like Ballistic Kiss either.  The best thing about the movie is the title.  But I remember DIP said he loved it so I've been meaning to revisit it some day.  

Fair enough, but you have to remember that DiP is Donnie Yen in disguise.

[KUNG FU BOB]

Yes! I almost mentioned that scene myself. It's something to experience. It's like something straight out of the Police Squad TV series or the Naked Gun movies. It's that ludicrous. 

 

Great way to describe it! Yeah, I wonder if I showed that scene to someone out of context, if they'd guess it was from an action film parody?

I didn't like Ballistic Kiss either.  The best thing about the movie is the title.  But I remember DIP said he loved it so I've been meaning to revisit it some day.  

 

Haha ha ha... true!

 

 

I remember liking the music (which I think Yen created) and thinking it had some interesting, moody shots. I kind of got the feeling Yen wanted to make his ultimate I-am-a-real-filmmaker movie, showing that he had matured from his silly days of DRUNKEN TAI CHI and MISMATCHED COUPLES (two films that I love, unlike BALLISTIC KISS), and likely had this epic film in mind, but his budget and the shooting schedule just didn't allow him to come anywhere near what he wanted.

 

 

Precisely! I was surprised to hear his name and the word "arrogant" in the same sentence. He's always seemed like a really nice guy to me, even a little geeky, when it comes to martial arts movies.

 

I've always considered him to be a straight talker, not willing to play possum just because he's in the public eye, and a lot of people see that type of personality as arrogance. As for his comments about Bruce, that's his opinion, and he was asked for it. I don't blame him for saying how he feels about it. As someone that has trained so hard in the martial arts, and like many other atheletes, he has a 'can do' attitude, which is how people like him achieve such high levels of skill. I thought it was interesting that MJW was criticized for being full of himself for saying what he did, but when Bruce was asked about his skill he said (paraphrasing from memory) "If I tell you I'm good, probably you will say I'm boasting. But if I tell you I'm not good, you'll know I'm lying."

 

 

Nice review on Legend of the Wolf. I'll agree with some of my fellow Fu-heads here - I usually HATE undercranking, but Yen makes it work here, somehow. It's so exaggerated that you just kinda roll with it.

 

LEGEND OF THE WOLF is certainly an anomaly in that regard. It should suck. But... somehow it kicks ass! When I first got this film (recommended to me by the only English speaker in a Chinese video rental store- a little boy, about 8 or 9!) I used to lend it to all my friends, and it was about 50/50 love it and hate it reactions. Nothing in between. 

 

 

 

 

Ballistic Kiss, on the other hand, was terrible. The shootout with the couch...WTF? Not one of Donnie's finest hours, that's for sure.

 

I dig the way you described it. It almost sounds- for those that haven't seen it- like Yen's enemy in the film IS the couch... As the three-seater leather sofa entered the room startled doves took slow-motion flight, their flapping wings swirling the illuminated dust in the streams of sunlight beaming in through half open curtains. Operatic music swelled as the menacing piece of furniture moved forward with powerful intent towards Donnie Yen's glowering hero. "I'll bet my cushions you won't be leaving here alive today, Mr. Hipster Sunglasses." it said in a low growl as it pulled out two Glocks and opened fire.

 

Fair enough, but you have to remember that DiP is Donnie Yen in disguise.

 

I keep forgetting this! 

[One Armed Boxer]

ARMOR OF GOD 2 (Operation Condor) (1997) Running time: 93 mins.

(Outtake footage shows JC taking a nasty fall from a chain he's climbing. The chain slips down with him and when it goes suddenly taut, he loses his grip and falls, maybe about 10 feet +/-. He hits an outcropping of dirt with his head. This is reminiscent of the fall he took in the 1st AOG film. He needs to give up these 1 point landings.)

Although I can`t tell you where (chances are it was probably on this forum), I remember reading somewhere that it was actually one of the stuntmen who suffered that fall....and for the outtakes they just made Jackie a little dusted and bloodied to make it look like it was him that fell, perhaps there`s someone on here that could confirm it for sure?

It may be almost 4 years later, but like an elephant I never forget!  Fellow forum member @kokuryuha recently confirmed this story over in the 'Did you know?  Far out stories from Martial Arts Cinema' thread - 

 

http://www.shaolinchamber36.com/kungfufandom/index.php?/topic/21279-did-you-know-far-out-stories-from-martial-arts-cinema/&do=findComment&comment=256831

[ShaOW!linDude]

***I will spoil this. You’ve been warned.***

REVANCHIST (1994) Running time: 91 mins.

Stars: Lau Sek-Ming, Zhang Feng-Yi, Chang Jian-Li, Wang Hsieh, Tsai Hung, Alexander Lo-Rei, Teddy Yip Wing-Cho, Tsui Man Wah, Ng San-San, Wong Sai-Goon, Chan Yue-Ching

Dir.: Chong Yan-Gin

Action Director(s): Wong Sai-Goon, Chan Yue-Ching, Alexander Lo-Rei

Synopsis

Cho Fong (LS-M) and Nieh Fai (CJ-L) go to Shanghai as teenage boys and end up joining a gang. Fai kills a man, and Fong takes the rap. Determined to raise the money to free his childhood friend, Fai infiltrates a rival gang known to be collaborating with the Japanese. Flora (NS-S), Fong’s sweetheart, arrives to learn that he is in prison and that her long lost (deadbeat) dad is the head of the traitorous gang. Her father is soon blackmailed by Dick (ZF-Y), his 2^nd in command. He cedes his position to Dick, even promising to marry Flora to him. But Fong is out now, and he has a wedding to stop.

Fight #1 --- Gang ritual

This is just bizarre. In order to be selected for a special mission, gang members (of which Fai is one) scramble up a scaffold to bring down a throne/sedan chair. This is full of wire-work and falls, but it’s kind of cool. Fai wins. While riding in the sedan chair on the shoulders of his fellows, a giant torpedo shoot out from under the chair of the chief monk or gang leader (I can’t remember). Fai destroys it with 1 kick. He is then presented with a tray that holds a long needle, a small gong, and a drumstick. He jabs the needle completely through one hand, hangs the gong from it, and bangs it as he is paraded about. (I am not making this up. Who wants to win that prize?)

Fight #2 --- Dick vs Fai

This is a weird fight. It’s very wuxia-like. There’s tons of wire-work and unrealistic moves. The only good thing about it is the villain’s finishing move. It’s a kick to the groin, and a shot of eggs breaking is interspersed, just so you don’t fail to realize what’s happening. Then you see Fai dead on the ground.

Fight #3 --- Fong vs Dick

Okay…this is either the most epic end fight ever or laughably the campiest. Ever seen a wuxia style gunfight? Well, here you go. (Take that, John Woo.)There’s tons of bloodshed and high impact falls as these 2 guys scrap and fly around. Reloading is a leisurely option. Emptying gun clips is a necessity. At times, they knock one another 50 feet with a single kick. Wait! There’re no more bullets. Not to worry. Fortunately, there’re a couple of samurai swords on hand. Plenty of posturing, but no real swordplay, just a lot of hack and slash. It doesn’t matter. These guys sustain as many wounds as James did as Sonny in The Godfather…and live. And just when you think it’s over…whew! It is.

This movie was sent to me courtesy of One Armed Boxer. (And I’m still not sure whether to thank him or not.)

It’s an odd mix. I mean, the story is relatively good, even though it’s fairly typical. The casting and acting are good, too, as are the characters. The action is strange. I would have thought this had some actual kung fu or basher style action in it, and it did…for about 30 seconds, and that’s spaced out through the film. I’d have to say that about 99% of the action is wire-work. Even in the gunfight scenes. It’s just crazy. And yet it’s humorous, brutal, and unbelievable, all at the same time. And disappointing.

What, or rather who, was not disappointing was Zhang Feng-Yi, who played the villainous Dick. And yes, he was. (Wait…what?)

This guy is a complete psychopath. He’s fearless. He’s coldhearted. He’s a dirty fighter. He brown-noses who he needs to. He’s a master manipulator. He’s an amoral rapist who asks his victims if they enjoyed him. He’s an egotistical misogynist whose go-to technique for dealing with women, who stand up to him, is to slap them in the face. He’s a deadeye shot in throughout the movie until the end, when he becomes a worse shot than a Star Wars storm trooper.  And he’s fascinating to watch.

I don’t know if this movie is easy to find. I don’t know if you’d want to. I don’t know if I’ll ever watch it again…maybe the end fight because it’s nuts. I just don’t know. But I do know that it’s your call.

(And my apologies for the juvenile pun earlier.)

Edited November 22, 2015 by ShaOW!linDude

[DrNgor]

Wire-fu gunplay? Disappointing? Sounds like it could be watched on a double-bill with ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 5.

[One Armed Boxer]

Fight #3 --- Fong vs Dick

Okay…this is either the most epic end fight ever or laughably the campiest. Ever seen a wuxia style gunfight? Well, here you go. (Take that, John Woo.)There’s tons of bloodshed and high impact falls as these 2 guys scrap and fly around. Reloading is a leisurely option. Emptying gun clips is a necessity. At times, they knock one another 50 feet with a single kick. Wait! There’re no more bullets. Not to worry. Fortunately, there’re a couple of samurai swords on hand. Plenty of posturing, but no real swordplay, just a lot of hack and slash. It doesn’t matter. These guys sustain as many wounds as James did as Sonny in The Godfather…and live. And just when you think it’s over…whew! It is.

 

The finale to this movie pretty much makes it, I don't think I've ever witnessed such an off the wall action scene, were the filmmakers just seem to have said "Let's go crazy!"  One part of the finale that you didn't mention in your review, but which I particularly loved, is that during the course of it the set (a grand wedding hall) gets completely destroyed.  Through a mix of bullets and characters being unintentional human wrecking balls, the place gets smashed up to the point that, by the time the dust settles, it's little more than a hollow shell.  Highly entertaining stuff.

 

This movie was sent to me courtesy of One Armed Boxer. (And I’m still not sure whether to thank him or not.)

 

Fine, be like that.

[KUNG FU BOB]

REVANCHIST (1994) Running time: 91 mins.

 

This is just bizarre...

Okay…this is either the most epic end fight ever or laughably the campiest...

I don’t know if this movie is easy to find. I don’t know if you’d want to. I don’t know if I’ll ever watch it again…maybe the end fight because it’s nuts. I just don’t know. But I do know that it’s your call.

 

I completely understand your reactions to this film. For me however, it was some mighty entertaining madness. I was shaking my head in disbelief, and laughing with shocked laughter throughout at it's insanity. I felt like it would've been a great film to watch with a bunch of friends something that would be better appreciated by adding more incredulous viewers. 

Wire-fu gunplay? Disappointing? Sounds like it could be watched on a double-bill with ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 5.

 

The film takes itself more seriously than that one, but is even more over the top (if you can believe it).

 

The finale to this movie pretty much makes it, I don't think I've ever witnessed such an off the wall action scene, were the filmmakers just seem to have said "Let's go crazy!"  One part of the finale that you didn't mention in your review, but which I particularly loved, is that during the course of it the set (a grand wedding hall) gets completely destroyed.  Through a mix of bullets and characters being unintentional human wrecking balls, the place gets smashed up to the point that, by the time the dust settles, it's little more than a hollow shell.  Highly entertaining stuff.

 

I also loved that aspect of it. The destruction of walls and furniture was so crazy that I half expected the fight to end with the entire building collapsing and killing the fighters.

 

 

I'd recommend REVANCHIST, with an appropriate warning, to everyone I know. Thanks to One Armed Boxer for bringing it to my attention, along with 21 RED LIST.

 

[ShaOW!linDude]

I'd only recommend watching the finale of Revanchist and nothing else, though Zhang Feng-Yi's scenery chewing performance I find captivating for some reason. But the better movie by leaps and bounds fight action wise is definitely 21 Red List. 

Thank you, OAB. You've certainly broadened my horizons with both of these.

And you're spot on, KFB. Watching this with a handful of other people would be a good way to view it. Some of the subs were cracking me up. I'm sure a lot was lost in translation.

[ShaOW!linDude]

CLOSE RANGE            (2015)  Running time: 85 mins.

Stars: Scott Adkins, Nick Chinlund, Caitlin Keats, Madison Lawlor, Tony Perez, Jake La Botz, Anthony L. Fernandez, Scott Evans, Randy Hall, Jeremy Marinas, Ray Diaz, Julien Cesario

Fighter Choreographer: Jeremy Marinas

Stunt Coordinator: David Wald

Dir.: Isaac Florentine

 

Synopsis

Colt Macready (SA) is a former soldier with a problematic past. He’s angry, friendless, and doesn’t care who knows. When his niece Hailey (ML) is kidnapped by the El Antibalas Cartel, he goes to Mexico to retrieve her at the behest of his sister Angie (CK). Returning to his family’s farm in the border town of Nogales, he runs into Sheriff Jasper Calloway (NC), a corrupt lawman on the payroll of the cartel, which is on its way. When Colt rescued his niece, he also inadvertently took a flash-drive containing vital information on the Latino criminal enterprise. The leader “El Jefe” Garcia (TP) wants it back at all costs, and his righthand man JJ “Loco” Cruz (JM) wants revenge for Colt killing his brother. Soon the family farm becomes a literal Mexican Standoff, and Colt aims to win it.

 

Fight #1 --- Colt vs cartel gangsters

This is the opening fight, and it’s a doozie!!! Using only a 3” knife secreted in his belt buckle, SA mops the floor with these guys. I think only 1 kick gets thrown in the entire fight. It’s mainly knife fighting, hand techniques, and some of the most fast and vicious throws I’ve ever seen. Some of the falls are just brutal! Their impacts look very damaging! (Point of interest: this takes place in what looks to be some sort of federal building, and Dennis Ruel plays one of the officers. He only has a couple of seconds of screen time, and while these are last 2 guys that Colt takes out in sequence, sadly he doesn’t get to throwdown with SA.)

 

Fight #2 --- Colt vs Cruz (JM)

Best fight!!! The combos are fast and have a terrific flow. Here the fighters don’t stand back and wait for the other guy to get up. No, they jerk one another up as soon as they hit the ground and keep whaling on them. There are some surprising takedowns that seem to come out of nowhere, particularly an arm lock with a knee that SA performs. The only thing I really didn’t like was the finishing move. This needed something a little more epic.

 

Fight #3 --- Colt vs Pablo (Craig Henningsen)

Good fight! It takes place in the kitchen. Some good combos here, and while it’s short, it’s full of good hits, especially a jumping knee strike by SA, and it has a sweet finishing move.

 

Fight #4 --- Colt vs Zavala (Jimmy Chhiu) & Montez (Bryan Cartago)

Good 2-on-1 fight!!! There’s a lot more kicks from SA in this: a back sweep, a jumping back kick, a scissor leg takedown. The impacts are great, and choreography flows nicely as he segues from one guy to the next. After taking a knife from one fighter, SA dispatches them both rather quickly, even making the last dude able to sing soprano…if he could.

 

Plot wise, this isn’t a film you haven’t seen before, and it has quite a few flaws. The acting isn’t the best, the delivery sometimes coming across as campy. The dialogue gets a bit trite as it’s basically rehashed from any number of other films. Adkins’s character just seethes rage, with only a couple of moments where he’s relatively calm and almost personable. Still, I liked him, and his back story is left quite vague with just a touch of detail. I thought that was cool, and wonder if we might not see more of Colt in the future at some point.

 

Probably the worst incident of the film takes place between the sheriff and Colt in a Mexican standoff. All the camera angles, multiple quick cuts, and dramatic music turn this into something that made me snicker out loud, and I doubt it was meant to. But I mean, come on! The quick cuts began coming so ridiculously fast, my TV screen was flashing like a strobe light.

 

So you’re reading this and saying, “Wow, this sounds like a stale retread of other stuff, there’s only 4 fights that ShaOW!linDude is listing, and this is a Florentine/Adkins venture. What the…?”

 

People, trust me. You get your money’s worth. This film is loaded (pun!) with action. There are some great gunfights, and the movie abounds with minor choreography that is too numerable to address. As far as pacing goes, it hits the ground running, and it don’t stop! My only complaint is that Fight #2 takes place way too early in the film. This should have been the end fight.

 

The movie isn’t all I’d hoped it would be, but I’m by no means disappointed in it. I liked Adkins’ film The Gringo, and it didn’t have anywhere near the action this one did. In fact, this is what that movie should have been. Still, SA is a beast here, and with his close-shaved head and whiskered face, Colt comes across to me as Boyka’s American cousin. With Undisputed 4 on the way, this only put me in the mood for Undisputed 2 & 3. I think it’ll do the same for you. GET THIS!!!!!!!

Edited February 18, 2017 by ShaOW!linDude

[ShaOW!linDude]

TIME RUSH               (2016)             Running time: 85 mins.

Stars: Dean Alexandrou, Selina Lo, Ron Smoorenburg, Byron Gibson, Kecha Khamphakdee

Dir.: Daniel Zirilli

Fight Choreography: Kecha Khamphakdee, Jaika Stunts, Ron Smoorenburg, Dean Alexandrou, Charlie Ruedpokanon

Synopsis

Alex (DA) awakens outside in time to see 3 soldiers murder another man. Then he runs for his life, only to be tracked down and killed. But he awakens to the same scenario again and again. Caught in what seems like a time loop, he eventually learns that he has escaped from a secret government trial study of a new drug called Prevara. The drug toys with his memory, but allows him to see and retrace his actions. But can he complete the cycle without getting killed?

Fight #1 --- Alex vs 3 soldiers vs gang vs 2 cooks

What? Yeah, it’s a big mixed bag of fights, but there’s some neat stuff on display. DA and RS really get to showcase here a bit. RS is smooth and powerful. He looks good, but his kicking skills aren’t used much. DA is a bootman. He pulls off a nice split kick on 1 gangbanger, and later unleashes a nice kicking combo on 1 cook.

Fight #2 --- Jane vs 2 assailants

Meh. It’s okay. It’s obviously a fight designed to show off Selina Lo’s flexibility and skill. There’s nothing spectacular to see, but she has a couple of good kicks. There’s just not a lot of impact in this one.

Fight #3 --- 3 soldiers vs martial arts school

Good fight! It could’ve been better. RS is fun to watch, and he had good impact when he hits someone. It is KK who really gets to shine in a 1-on-1 against a black fighter. They have some good exchanges, and there’s a nice 360 roundhouse kick. It’s a pretty brutal fight.

Fight #4 --- Alex vs 2 soldiers (RS & KK)

2 good fights after a somewhat lengthy game of “cat & mouse” in an abandoned sky-rise building. They’re both short, but action-packed. DA’s fight against RS has some sweet kicks here, especially 1 particular combo ending in a leaping axe kick. DA’s fight against KK is a bit one-sided and ends when KK utilizes a karambit (hooked knife often used in Silat) to make short work of Dean in half a dozen slices.

Fight #5 --- Alex vs 1 soldier (RS)

Good fight!!! Now this is some excellent choreography, utilizing both screen fighters’ skills. RS shows his versatility and range with his kicks. DA is fast and agile. There’re some nice combos and sweet aerial moves, and RS performs a picture perfect flying side kick. The impacts are good, the blows look powerful, and everything is relatively well framed. This should’ve lasted longer, but it has a few rewatchable moments.

Okay, forget about the acting because it’s just bad. Some of the lines are laughable, like when Dean utters that he feels like he drowning or suffocating in oxygen. (What? Is that possible?)

Also, forget plot. Oh, it has one, and I can kind of tell what it’s supposed to be, but it doesn’t come across very well. This is partially why the movie fails. It deals with time or the perception of it. Therefore, Dean relives or re-imagines how things play out. Here’s where the principle of “less is more” should have been applied. At the most, this technique should have been incorporated about 4 times. Honestly, I lost count, and even though the movie only has an 85 minute runtime, it seemed to drag because of this.

The plot is crammed in right towards the end. I think it should have been layered throughout. Granted, you get a lot of action sequences, a few of which are repetitive, but it would have helped tremendously. . There’s a lot of CGI blood in this. Probably cheaper to do. And there’s a couple of wire-assisted falls that really look great. The action sequences are another thing. Like I said, there’re a lot of them. However, they just never seem quite up to snuff. There’s parkour, but it’s tame compared to what we’ve seen in films like District B:13 or Tony Jaa’s films. Some of it’s not too bad, but it never gave me that Wow! sensation. The choreography is good and solid, but again, I just never wanted to go “Dude!” And when the fights really stepped up, they were over too soon. And this is where they needed to really sell the movie because the plot was too convoluted to do so.

As far as performance, Dean Alexandrou has potential as a good screen fighter. He just needs to step up his game. As far as leading man material? Ummm…yeah, I don’t know about that. Selina Lo is very pretty and seems to have some MA chops. I’d like to see her step up her game, too. Ron Smoorenburg? The guy always brings his “A” Game as a screen fighter. As an actor, he just isn’t given that much to do except growl out his lines and chase after Dean.

I bought this because the trailer I’d seen made it look very appealing and I want to support new talent and indie films. It’s a solid effort. I just think they could’ve done a lot more with it. I’m not saying it’s bad. Not at all. It just could’ve been better. If they get a chance at a second effort, maybe they’ll push the envelope like they should have.

I don’t want to tell you to avoid it completely, and yet I’m leery of telling you to drop cash on it, too. Honestly, I’m still waffling about it, but it did have some pretty good segments in it. So it’s your call. Maybe it’ll pop up on Netflix or Redbox.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Trying to replace mini-reviews lost in the Blackout of 2016. I don't think it was very many, but I'll start with this one.

NEVER BACK DOWN: NO SURRENDER   (2016)   Running time: 101 mins.

Stars: Michael Jai White, Josh Barnett, Gillian White, Esai Morales, Stephen Quadros, Nathan Jones; cameos by Jeeja Yanin and Tony Jaa

Dir.: Michael Jai White

Fight choreographer: Larnell Stovall

(Involved in some stunts & the pre-viz/utility stunts were members of LBP Stunts: Brendan Huor, Emmanuel Manzanares, & Vlad Rimburg.)

 

Synopsis

Case Walker (MJW) has come out of self-imposed exile to get back into the fight game. After a match, he runs into his old friend and professional fighter Brody James (JB). Brody has a big fight coming up in Thailand, and he wants Case to come there and train him. He’s to face Braga (NJ), the hulking fighter of promoter Hugo Vega (EM). Case accepts and soon learns that Brody has some serious issues with staying focused on the fight. He’s too busy enjoying the press attention and being a party hound. On top of that, Case’s reputation begins to outshine his friend’s, and Vega takes note of it. The fight promoter wants a good turnout for the bout, and a big return on his investment. He no longer thinks Brody can help bring that about. So when Brody is suspiciously injured during training, the roles reverse, and now Case finds himself set to take on the rage-fueled Braga.

Fight #1 --- Case vs fighter (Ron Smoorenburg)

It’s a fairly good opening fight. MJW as Case comes across like a beast, and RS is the sacrificial lamb (which is a bit disappointing to me ‘cause he’s such a good screen fighter). Still, there’s lots of good stuff, though it’s a short bout. MJW is fast, powerful, and throws some devastating shots as well as a scissor-leg takedown.

Fight #2 --- Case vs Cobra (Eoin O’Brien)

Great fight!!! Case decimates another fighter. What is so cool about it is that the fight mingles a demonstration of his techniques with the application of them during the fight. It’s done so well, and goes to show that Case isn’t just a fighter, he’s a warrior.

Fight #3 --- Case vs Brody

Brutal! What should be a training match gets personal, and Case goes into beast mode. There’s 1 kick that MJW changes up at the last second into a hooking side kick, and it’s really sweet because it slips right past Brody’s defenses. (Note to self: never, ever knee MJW in the back of the head when he’s down.)

Fight #4 --- Jeeja vs fighter (Brahim Achabbakhe)

Oh, this is sweet! She looks so good here (I’m talking Chocolate good), and BA makes it so. There’s a beautiful front kick and a series of knees and elbows that take him out. More please! Wait…that’s it? Aw.

Fight #5 --- Case vs Braga (NJ)

Best fight! As Braga, NJ is a mountain of a man (though he looks to have dropped some muscle mass and streamlined his physique somewhat). He’s more of a brawler and wrestler, but he throws a kick or two, and his arms power pile-driving punches. The only bad thing is he’s a bit slow in execution. MJW unleashes all manner of blows on him, but after a cheap shot to the groin, he goes into warrior mode. (Note to self: never, ever hit MJW with a crotch shot.) He hits Braga with a punch to the ribs, and then systematically and repeatedly works that spot over with assorted punches and knife hand strikes. There’s a flying side kick, and the finishing move is killer!!!

Well, it’s pretty obvious that I really dug this movie. This is MJW’s sophomore effort directing (he had also directed Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown). I think he does a solid job. Granted, there’s room for improvement, but he’s working with a good script and a fairly good cast of actors. Speaking of which…

Josh Barnett is okay in his role as Brody. The character is one you like, but who is also a bit of a schmuck. Fortunately, he comes around. Barnett’s acting needs work though, however, he does have one particularly humorous line. Esai Morales is always a good performer, and as the fight promoter, he exhibits the selfish ambition we all love to hate in our villains. Then there’s Gillian White, MJW’s wife in real life, who plays his love interest. She’s good, very comfortable in the role, and wholly believable as a woman caught between her boss and the man she’s interested in.

Nathan Jones as Braga is quite underdeveloped. He only appears briefly at the beginning and then shows up for the end fight (wearing a t-shirt that reads “Eat Sleep Destroy”). The guy has serious anger issues, and Case makes a particular verbal jab that sets things off.

The action throughout is quite good. MJW is always a joy to watch because he’s so technically proficient and can really sell his fights. The added benefit of again working with choreographer Larnell Stovall brings forth some very dynamic segments in the fights. These guys are putting peanut butter and jelly on film, and I love it! One thing MJW has begun to incorporate into his movies is facets of martial philosophy and with a little bit of focus on technique and its application. I love stuff like that. It’s like getting a free lesson.

Regarding the Case Walker character, in the previous film he was very much an anti-social man. In this film, he starts out no different. He doesn’t want to play the fight game and draw out a bout simply for the sake of doing it. And at the Thailand gym, he doesn’t care about fitting in the other trainers. He’s there to do a job, and that’s all he’s interested in. It’s very strange to see him enticed out of that shell (by a woman of course), and there are a few comical moments because of that. But I don’t know that I want Case the socialite. I think I prefer Case the loner.

As for the end fight, and as much as I enjoyed it, I do think it could have been built up to in a better fashion. It would have been nice to see Braga in action or doing something that would have created a sense of dread in facing him. And as I said, he comes across as more of brawler. Case really needs an opponent that can challenge his technical proficiency, who is every bit the warrior that he is. Still, at least MJW has the good sense to have an end fight rather some stunt-heavy action sequence, and it’s not some little affair. This is a fight that rocks on for a while, with some good exchanges, and fascinating martial displays. And a bonus is that Case doesn’t just get mad and unload on his foe. He wisely uses strategy. He notes a weak defense, causes an injury in it, exploits it, and then unloads on his opponent. That’s what a warrior does.

It’s a solid movie on all counts, and one you should definitely support. GET THIS!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2017 by ShaOW!linDude