My Many MiniReviews

[AlbertV]

SUPREME CHAMPION (2010) Running time: 86 mins.

Stars: Stephan "American Psycho" Bonnar, Daniel Bernhardt, Leila Arcieri, Marieh Delfino, Ted Fox, George Saunders, Igor Jijikine, & 8 MMA fighters

Stunt/Fight Coordinators: Neal "Xingu" Rodil and Kevin Lewis

Dir.: Rich Styles and Ted Fox

SB is Troy Jennings, war hero and MMA superstar. An old flame with gambling debts visits him for help. Troy is lured to the man she's indebted to, Lucien Gallows, a multi-millionaire and former professional fight champion. Gallows hosts underground fights for his own pleasure and strikes a deal with Troy to fight for him and square the girl's debts. Troy falls for Lucien's right-hand girl and seeks to get her and his old flame away from the former champ before they are all killed.

Fight #1 --- Troy vs. a Capoeira fighter

This is the opening fight of the movie and it starts off giving me flashbacks of "Bloodfist 2" which stars Don "The Dragon" Wilson. (You know the drill: a combo of 3 hits are shown and then a few moments later the same footage of the 3 hit combo are shown again.) The fight actually has potential but is ruined by a 3 hit combo of its own: shaky-cam, tilted angles, and white flashes at the moment of impact. Honestly, I was more impressed by the Capoeira fighter than I was by SB but it's his movie so he wins.

Fight #2 --- Troy vs. 2 goons

This is short but SB gets to show off a little more here. It's not to bad. He leads off with a flying knee strike a la Tony Jaa. Then he does a scissor-leg takedown with a snap kick to the guy's face. That was cool. This is getting a little better. (Just a little.)

Fight #3 --- Troy vs. various fighters

Chinese Wushu dude --- This guy has chops. This is actually the fight choreographer, "Xingu". Seriously, he has some skills. But this fight is short and badly edited and there's lots of slo-mo shaky-cam (oh, sure, let's combine those, that'll be great). SB takes him out with 1 kick.

Biker dude --- This fight is even shorter and it's another 1 kick win. Granted, it's a kick to the groin but still..........come on!

Asian chick with Escrima sticks (hey, that rhymes!) --- She's cute but the fight's lame and full of more bad editing. Oh, and he whacks her with one of her own sticks. (So, the Asian chick ain't so slick and none too quick and gets smacked with her Escrima stick. What a.......jerk.)

(The Wushu dude is the only 1 showing any promise as a competent match but he's not really utilized here. These fights all suck!)

Fight #4 --- Various cage fights

Chinese Wushu dude vs. Cannibal, a black MMA fighter --- This is a decent fight! The editing is there as is the choreography. No shaky-cam. There's good give and take but no stand out moves. It's short though.

Krav Maga dude vs. Sambo dude --- This fight is lame and totally 1-sided with a supposed Dim Mak (death touch/punch) thrown in. This fight is even shorter.

Troy vs. Sambo dude --- Lame! Lame! Lame! I've never seen anyone succumb to a choke-hold so fast in a movie like this in all my life. And it's the shortest of the 3.

Then Troy and the 2 girls get caught trying to escape. He's tied up and beaten. The next day they're turned loose to run for their lives through the woods while being hunted by Lucien's fighters. Never have I seen woods so scant of underbrush. Attempts to hide or elude are lame and why bother when you can see fine for 300 feet in any direction? The shoot-outs are awful! Nobody really bothers ducking for cover and what's the point when it's easy to see them when they do? To top it all off, SB uses no MA to take out any of the shooters.

Fight #5 --- Troy vs. Lucien's right-hand man

Oh, this just isn't getting any better. More lame MA. It's just.........why bother!?!

Fight #6 --- Troy vs. Lucien

Well, this ought to be good, right? Not! I mean, it's SB vs. DB. And DB looks good! The choreography isn't too bad but it's really nothing special. This should've been an intense confrontation and it was probably meant to be but it just doesn't come across that way. And it's a short fight, too. Honestly, I wanted DB to win but you know he doesn't get to.

The 8 MMA fighters are mainly cameo roles ---- they don't do any fighting with an exception or two.

SB is probably an excellent fighter. (The opening credits are done over some of his highlight reels.) As a screen fighter, he's terrible. He's shows some skills in places but it is so few and far between. His character is a smart-aleck who wisecracks and mouths off all the time. He looks and sounds like a beefed-up Jason Segel from the TV show "How I Met Your Mother".......but he's not nearly as funny.

I always enjoy seeing DB. Not only do I find him to be a great MA and screen fighter but a very credible actor. His character could give Bond bad guys lessons in cordial and complimentary villainy. He's just too polite and beneficent to hate. Man, I wish this guy would get more starring roles. He's makes for a better hero than he does a villain.

Sadly, from a choreography standpoint, the only fights any good were the opening one (and I thought more highly of the Capoeira fighter than SB in that one) and the 1st cage fight (which SB wasn't even in). SB's only really stand-out fight for me was his 2nd one and it's not all that great and he never delivers in any of his others. Avoid this!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to get rid of it!

I agree with this one. I got to watch it over the weekend and I was very disappointed. I can see why Bonnar's nickname is "American Psycho". He just seemed to have that icy glare for most of the film and I wished Daniel Bernhardt did more in his only fight against Bonnar. Even more, is it just me or did Esteban Cueto look exactly like he looked when he played Sykov in UNDISPUTED III? Same ponytail, same trunks from what I saw.

Going to post review on main page.

[ShaOW!linDude]

THE LAST KUNG FU MONK (2010) Running time: 93 mins.

Stars: Li Peng Zhang, Kristin Dougherty, Justin Morck, Hu Sang, Bing Lei Li, Eric Yang, Major Curda

MA Dir.: Xiaoyu Jiao & Li Peng Zhang

Dir.: Li Peng Zhang

A Shaolin monk named Li (LPZ) comes to New York to take care of the son of his brother and sister-in-law who've died in a crash. This coincides with his having to leave the Shaolin monastery (the reason for which is never explained). While there, he sets up a MA school with a former student who soon exposes him to underground fight bouts.

Fight #1 --- Dueling Monks

This is a neat bit at the beginning. This is some "old school" choreography in a Shaolin setting with great flow and good editing.

Fight #2 --- Li vs. 3 thugs in a restaurant

This isn't too bad. The editing sometimes steps on the fight flow and there's a really cheesy wire-assisted reaction to 1 particular blow.

Fight #3 --- ? vs. 2 fighters

Not sure who this guy is. (I think it's BLL playing a character named Lam but his name is never given during the course of the film.) He sort of looks like he could be Collin Chou's older brother and will hence forth be referred to as CCOB. Anyhow, these are some great exchanges in a 2-on-1 type confrontation. There's good power and flow to the choreography and he's a brutal fighter which leads to.....

Fight #4 --- Li vs. CCOB

Really good stuff here! It's fast and powerful. There are some wire-assisted falls but it's still a cool fight.

Fight #5 --- Li vs. 7 thugs at his school

Initially there's some awful choreography of the thugs beating up one of Li's students until he steps in. Some of this is really sweet as he strikes at pressure points but then it just gets campy when his blows send guys flying in some more outrageous wire-assisted falls.

Fight #6 --- Li vs. thugs in a warehouse

This is some pretty cool choreography. It begins with aspects that are imitative of Jackie Chan's style of "fighting on the fly" but it soon abandons that. There's some cool techniques and fight choreography displayed up until the end when, once again, there's reliance on "over the top" wire-assisted falls.

Fight #7 --- 3 part end fight

Li vs. some guy: Not bad. There's some nice exchanges but, again, more wire-assists. But it ends with a cool forward flip on the head to the prone opponent's chest.

Li vs. 2 gals: Not too bad. It has a good flow but there is one really awful wire-assisted fall that's almost comical. He actually goes easy on the gals as he seems to fight more defensively against them. (He should really take a page from Sammo a la Skinny Tiger/Fatty Dragon regarding this. 'Hey, if you're going to come at me like a man, then I'll treat you like one.')

Li vs. CCOB: Rematch! This is great! Best fight! Great flow with speed and power. My only gripe was that it could've used a boss finishing move to close out the fight. There is some more wire-assists in this but they aren't too bad.

Hmmmmm. What to say......?

Well, I don't know. I mean, it was okay. It wasn't the worst MA film I've ever seen. And the fights were pretty good. It just......I don't know......I'm not really sold on it, you know?

LPZ is a true to life Shaolin monk and he definitely has the skills. There are places throughout the film where he showcases some empty-handed forms and a very little bit of apparatus (which is cool 'cause you just don't see that like you used to in movies like this). I could see him in more films but I think he should lay off the writing and directing and let someone else handle those chores. There were a lot of things in this that just didn't add up. Examples: he can't cook, clean house, or do laundry. Isn't that all part of a monk's basic training in the monastery? I realize he wants his character portrayed as a "fish out of water" but come on! It's like he can't do anything but order take-out and do kung fu for his nephew who really doesn't even play prominently in this at all. And his English isn't bad but he needs some acting lessons.

I'd love to see him in more of a mentor style role. He's really not leading man/action star material. Love his choreography though. He puts together some great sequences. He just needs to stay away from so much wire-assisted stuff. It was a bit much in this.

Guess I'll hang onto this for a bit. Not sure yet if it's a keeper or not. My suggestion: It's your call. Maybe you can rent it or find it used in a few weeks if you're interested in it.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Found this in the $5 bin at Walmart.

GAME OF DEATH (2011) Running time: 86 mins.

Stars: Wesley Snipes, Aunjanue Ellis, Zoe Bell, Ernie Hudson, Quinn Duffy, Robert Davi, Gary Daniels

Stunt/fight coordinator: Simon Rhee

Fight coordinator: Chuck Jeffries

Dir.: Giorgio Serafini

WS is Marcus Jones, a CIA operative assigned to infiltrate a deal between an arms dealer (RD) and a powerful Wall Street broker (QD). However, he is double-crossed by his backup team who are tired of the unappreciated service to their country and plan to steal the $100M in cash for themselves.

Fight #1 --- Marcus vs. Hitman #1 (Ho Sung Pak)

This is short. Really could've stretched this one out some more but it has a good flow. WS shows fluidity in movement. He performs a nice little somersault over a gurney which segues into an axe kick. It's a pretty sweet move.

Fight #2 --- Marcus vs. Hitman #2

Takes place on a psych floor. This fight is a bit longer and very good. WS is silent and controlled during combat. He seems to employ Aikido with some side kicks thrown in for good measure. (Wish I knew the name of the dude playing the hitman here 'cause he does an excellent job.) {Thanks to AbertV, I now know that this fellow is Efka Kvaraciejus. I'll have to keep my eye out for him.}

Fight #3 --- Marcus vs. Hitman #3

This is a good tussle, too. Some close quarters combat with WS using some Wing Chun techniques at one point.

Fight #4 --- Floria (ZB) vs. Redvale (QD)

ZB gets to strut her stuff a bit here. She's got good hands and sells her kicks.

Fight #5 --- Marcus vs. Zander (GD)

It's a good fight though nothing spectacular. It's marred with typical close-ups and quick cuts (which I don't recall being an issue in the other fights; not to a point of distraction, anyway). Still, the exchanges are good. GD is handy with his feet as always. WS fights rather defensively here until the end, using more grappling moves which erupt into surprisingly devastating arm and leg locks that bring the fight to a vicious end.

I liked this movie for the most part. The plot is simple and nothing new but there's plenty of action and it flows well. There's plenty of gun-play between the hand-to-hand. The acting is good and serviceable.

The letdown is the unused talent and potential that was available. Simon Rhee not only coordinates the stunts and fights but also plays a hitman. Unfortunately he doesn't do anything except engage in a shoot-out. ZB has only the 1 fight and it's not even against WS. (And I just knew based on some of the other scenes and dialogue that it was sure to happen.......not!) GD has only the end fight. He plays the "rogue" agent ruthlessly well and it almost gets comical as he shoots every witness he happens across. I guess it's just as well though. Had he had a couple of fights and built up the showdown with WS, it would only have come across as a greater letdown.

This is WS's vehicle and he looks good in his fights. Some of his best stuff IMO; though they're brief, they're very hard-hitting. Still, I enjoyed this more than some of his latest efforts and I'll keep it for the novelty of his fight with GD. It's your call. Maybe you can find it on the cheap like I did or rent it.

[AlbertV]

Fight #2 --- Marcus vs. Hitman #2

Takes place on a psych floor. This fight is a bit longer and very good. WS is silent and controlled during combat. He seems to employ Aikido with some side kicks thrown in for good measure. (Wish I knew the name of the dude playing the hitman here 'cause he does an excellent job.)

His name is Efka Kvaraciejus (Lithuanian descent). He is a veteran martial artist and stuntman and he worked as a fight choreographer on the soon to be released DUEL OF LEGENDS, starring Hector Echavarria. His official website is http://efkastunts.com/

[ShaOW!linDude]

Thanks, AV. As always, you're a wealth of information. I'm amending my review to include his name.

[ShaOW!linDude]

One Armed Boxer hipped me to this on a thread I'd started a few weeks ago. I got lucky and stumbled across a used copy of this while out scavenger hunting on my b'day Thursday. Got to watch it last night.

DEATH TRANCE (2005) Running time: 89 mins.

Stars: Tak Sakaguchi, Takamasa Suga, Kentaro Seagal, Yuhki Takeuchi, Ben Hiura, Honoka Asada, Yoko Fujita

Action Directors: Tak Sakaguchi and Go Ohara

Dir.: Yuji Shimomura

TS is Grave, a warrior who has stolen a coffin and traipses about with it fighting all who would dare take it from him. He is also always looking for a fight and wants to have the ultimate battle. He succeeds when the coffin is finally opened and unleashes the goddess of destruction.

Fight #1 --- Sid (KS) vs. some goth ninja thugs

Short but sweet. There's some "hack-n-slash" swordplay by Sid who also inserts a kick or two and who also uses a revolver. Yep. That's right. A revolver. It's pretty cool actually. He also faces off against Chuck Johnson playing a dude whose weapon is a gigantic meat cleaver of a sword a la Samurai X/Ruroni Kenshin. It's rather short-lived though 'cause no matter how big a sword is, it's pretty much worthless in a gunfight. But it looks cool. (Sid is played by Kentaro Seagal who is the son of Steven Seagal.)

Fight #2 --- Grave (TS) vs. some goth ninja thugs, too

This is a cool fight and the clip OAB showed me which garnered my interest in seeking this film out. Grave starts out using a scabbarded sword as he lays into them. When he becomes unarmed, he resorts to his fists and feet. One opponent uses tonfa guns. Yep. That's right. Tonfa guns. There's some good choreography here and some good MA talent is on display among the stuntmen. TS is fast with his hands and a powerful kicker though he doesn't rely on his feet as much as I'd like.

Fight #3 --- Grave vs. more goth ninja thugs

This is really more of a comical fight in a wooded area. It's still not too bad watching him flail about and knock the snot out these guys. He even takes out one of them and commandeers the guy's motorcycle. Yep. That's right. A motorcycle.

Fight #4 --- Grave vs. Yuri (YT)

Yuri is this weird-looking goth ninja chick. This is a short fight and a bit wire-work-ish. It's mainly some power hits and Grave gets knocked about for the most part.

Fight #5 --- Grave vs. Yuri.......again

This is a bit better and gets into some hand-to-hand. The fight is sort of MMA-ish and TS dominates it. It ends when he roundhouse kicks her to the face knocking her out cold.....and then tells her to shut up.

Fight #6 --- Grave vs. 2 weird spider/vampire dudes

Okay, this is a trip. But it's a real cool fight. There's some neat MA here and it's fast with a good flow.

Fight #7 --- Grave vs. a bunch of black-shrouded.....zombies? (I think)

This is fun to watch. They're slow and lumbering and Grave just wades through them pausing occasionally to catch his breath and glance about puzzled. He just uses whatever the mood strikes him to use: fists, feet, a pair of sticks, his scabbarded sword which turns out to be.....a rifle. Yep. That's right. A rifle. Good stuff.

Fight #8 --- Grave vs. the Goddess of Destruction (YF)

Well..........this is a little out there and full of symbolism I just don't get. But......it's sort of cool and a bit of a visual trip.

It's a good movie and probably takes more than 1 viewing to truly appreciate. The action is good but not really all that I'd hoped for. I'm all about the MA choreography and it has that to some degree but not in the vein I'd've liked. Still, it has some killer action. There's some really cool props used in this but one put me a little off. A monk following after the coffin carries a sword that can only be used by the chosen one (naturally). The handle is black and veined and the end is bulbous. In truth it looks a bit.......phallic. (If I'd been Tak, I'd've sent that back to the prop guy and said, "Yeah.......I'm not gonna use that.")

I never knew Seagal had a son doing films. He doesn't look anything like him to me.....except for the height. But he really doesn't display much here in the way of MA talent as he really doesn't have but the 1 main action scene at the beginning.

Tak is fun to watch and his character's personality made me chuckle a good deal. He just looks so put upon or disappointed if someone manages to score a hit on him during a fight. And in F #3 he just can't stop stomping and kick one of the goth ninjas in exasperation and frustration. He throws good punch combinations and his kicks are great when he uses them. His persona really makes the movie a good fun watch. (I need to see Versus again now.)

It's really your call on this one. I think it's one to have but you may want to check it out prior to committing to that. Maybe you can rent it.

[DarthKato]

One Armed Boxer hipped me to this on a thread I'd started a few weeks ago. I got lucky and stumbled across a used copy of this while out scavenger hunting on my b'day Thursday. Got to watch it last night.

DEATH TRANCE (2005) Running time: 89 mins.

Stars: Tak Sakaguchi, Takamasa Suga, Kentaro Seagal, Yuhki Takeuchi, Ben Hiura, Honoka Asada, Yoko Fujita

Action Directors: Tak Sakaguchi and Go Ohara

Dir.: Yuji Shimomura

TS is Grave, a warrior who has stolen a coffin and traipses about with it fighting all who would dare take it from him. He is also always looking for a fight and wants to have the ultimate battle. He succeeds when the coffin is finally opened and unleashes the goddess of destruction.

Fight #1 --- Sid (KS) vs. some goth ninja thugs

Short but sweet. There's some "hack-n-slash" swordplay by Sid who also inserts a kick or two and who also uses a revolver. Yep. That's right. A revolver. It's pretty cool actually. He also faces off against Chuck Johnson playing a dude whose weapon is a gigantic meat cleaver of a sword a la Samurai X/Ruroni Kenshin. It's rather short-lived though 'cause no matter how big a sword is, it's pretty much worthless in a gunfight. But it looks cool. (Sid is played by Kentaro Seagal who is the son of Steven Seagal.)

Fight #2 --- Grave (TS) vs. some goth ninja thugs, too

This is a cool fight and the clip OAB showed me which garnered my interest in seeking this film out. Grave starts out using a scabbarded sword as he lays into them. When he becomes unarmed, he resorts to his fists and feet. One opponent uses tonfa guns. Yep. That's right. Tonfa guns. There's some good choreography here and some good MA talent is on display among the stuntmen. TS is fast with his hands and a powerful kicker though he doesn't rely on his feet as much as I'd like.

Fight #3 --- Grave vs. more goth ninja thugs

This is really more of a comical fight in a wooded area. It's still not too bad watching him flail about and knock the snot out these guys. He even takes out one of them and commandeers the guy's motorcycle. Yep. That's right. A motorcycle.

Fight #4 --- Grave vs. Yuri (YT)

Yuri is this weird-looking goth ninja chick. This is a short fight and a bit wire-work-ish. It's mainly some power hits and Grave gets knocked about for the most part.

Fight #5 --- Grave vs. Yuri.......again

This is a bit better and gets into some hand-to-hand. The fight is sort of MMA-ish and TS dominates it. It ends when he roundhouse kicks her to the face knocking her out cold.....and then tells her to shut up.

Fight #6 --- Grave vs. 2 weird spider/vampire dudes

Okay, this is a trip. But it's a real cool fight. There's some neat MA here and it's fast with a good flow.

Fight #7 --- Grave vs. a bunch of black-shrouded.....zombies? (I think)

This is fun to watch. They're slow and lumbering and Grave just wades through them pausing occasionally to catch his breath and glance about puzzled. He just uses whatever the mood strikes him to use: fists, feet, a pair of sticks, his scabbarded sword which turns out to be.....a rifle. Yep. That's right. A rifle. Good stuff.

Fight #8 --- Grave vs. the Goddess of Destruction (YF)

Well..........this is a little out there and full of symbolism I just don't get. But......it's sort of cool and a bit of a visual trip.

It's a good movie and probably takes more than 1 viewing to truly appreciate. The action is good but not really all that I'd hoped for. I'm all about the MA choreography and it has that to some degree but not in the vein I'd've liked. Still, it has some killer action. There's some really cool props used in this but one put me a little off. A monk following after the coffin carries a sword that can only be used by the chosen one (naturally). The handle is black and veined and the end is bulbous. In truth it looks a bit.......phallic. (If I'd been Tak, I'd've sent that back to the prop guy and said, "Yeah.......I'm not gonna use that.")

I never knew Seagal had a son doing films. He doesn't look anything like him to me.....except for the height. But he really doesn't display much here in the way of MA talent as he really doesn't have but the 1 main action scene at the beginning.

Tak is fun to watch and his character's personality made me chuckle a good deal. He just looks so put upon or disappointed if someone manages to score a hit on him during a fight. And in F #3 he just can't stop stomping and kick one of the goth ninjas in exasperation and frustration. He throws good punch combinations and his kicks are great when he uses them. His persona really makes the movie a good fun watch. (I need to see Versus again now.)

It's really your call on this one. I think it's one to have but you may want to check it out prior to committing to that. Maybe you can rent it.

Sounds like an interesting movie. When you mentioned Ruroni Kenshin, you were talking about

the giant sword that Sagara Sanosuke uses right? Also, the name "Grave" is a really cool name, considering he also carries around a coffin with him.

By the way, Happy Birthday!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Sounds like an interesting movie. When you mentioned Ruroni Kenshin, you were talking about

the giant sword that Sagara Sanosuke uses right? Also, the name "Grave" is a really cool name, considering he also carries around a coffin with him.

By the way, Happy Birthday!

Exactly! I couldn't think of that character's name. Been a while since I've watched any eps of that. But, yeah, that's it. And thanks for the b'day wish. Give it a look. You'll probably enjoy it.

[One Armed Boxer]

Tak is fun to watch and his character's personality made me chuckle a good deal. He just looks so put upon or disappointed if someone manages to score a hit on him during a fight. And in F #3 he just can't stop stomping and kick one of the goth ninjas in exasperation and frustration. He throws good punch combinations and his kicks are great when he uses them. His persona really makes the movie a good fun watch. (I need to see Versus again now.)

Hey ShaOW!linDude, glad to hear you enjoyed 'Death Trance'....you didn't mention the rocket launcher! Yeah, Tak Sakaguchi makes the movie, as is the case with all the movies he's in....he walks the walk, talks the talk, and kicks the crap out of anything that moves...very much a Sonny Chiba for this generation.

He has a similar persona in his other movies as well, most prominently in his latest effort 'Yakuza Weapon', which features a great 4 minute one take fight scene where he takes on multiple opponents with just his fists & feet, reminiscent of the pounding he gives the zombie type characters in 'Death Trance' but in a modern day setting (all be it in this movie one of his fists can turn into a machine gun, and one of his legs is a rocket launcher).

[ShaOW!linDude]

Aw, dude! How could I forget the rocket launcher? Dadgummit!

Well, now it appears I'll have to nab "Yakuza Weapon" at some point. A 4 minute/1 take fight sequence? Definitely have to check that one out.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Been meaning to do this for a while.

BUNRAKU (2010) Running time: 125 mins.

Stars: Josh Hartnett, Woody Harrelson, Gackt, Kevin McKidd, Ron Perlman, Demi Moore

Dir.: Guy Moshe

Fight Coordinator: Larnell Stovall

In a post-apocalyptic world, guns are outlawed and bladed weapons rule the day. A drifter (JH) arrives in a corrupt town run by an ultra-violent criminal named Nicola (RP) aka the Woodcutter aka Killer #1. He teams up with Yoshi (G) who is also seeking vengeance on Nicola.

Fight #1 --- Killer #2 vs rival gang

Killer #2 (KM) uses a scarf and cane. The flow of this fight against multiple opponents is smooth. It has a "dance production" quality to it; very fluid. It's kind of neat. K #2's fighting style is reminiscent of Bartitsu.

Fight #2 --- Yoshi vs 3 Red Army members

Short but is a nice demo of Aikido.

Fight #3 --- Killer #2 vs sparring partner (LS)

This is cool as it happens during a segment of dialogue. It's very short but kind of funny.

Fight #4 --- Yoshi vs 7 or 8 Red Army members

The opponents have various weapons but it doesn't matter as he moves through them easily with a combination of Aikido and Karate.

Fight #5 --- Yoshi vs the Drifter (JH)

Yoshi relies more on Karate and Jiu-jitsu here. Drifter is primarily a boxer/streetfighter. There's some good exchanges here but, of course, they wind up to be evenly matched.

Fight #6 --- Drifter vs the cops

This is a sweet 90 second 1-take shot as JH descends 4 levels and takes out about 20 policemen. It seems effortlessly executed and he pretty much just slugs everybody with the exception of 1 nicely done flying knee strike toward the end. I love stuff like this. Oh, and it's done with video game sound f/x.

Fight #7 --- Yoshi & Drifter vs Killer #4 and parkour gang

This is a pretty intricate fight sequence as there are lots of players. It's well done and ultimately JH takes out K #4 with a barrage of punches.

Fight #8

Drifter vs Killer #7: takes place on a safety net in a circus tent. K #7 is a tumbler, too. It's not bad but I expected more. There is a cool jump-spinning elbow strike delivered by K #7 at one point.

Yoshi vs Killer #8 (?): K #8 is a Wushu stylist using 2 swords against Yoshi with a spear. This is a good fight; really nice exchanges in this. It's the better of the 2.

Fight #9 --- Yoshi/Drifter/Citizens vs Red Army gang

Big group end fight. Drifter vs Killer #6, a Capoeira stylist. This is short but there's some great choreography here. Yoshi w/katana vs another swordsman using a saber: it's short but nice swordplay. Also, LS and WH have a go at each other.

Fight #10

Drifter vs Killer #3 who is also a boxer/streetfighter. This is a great fight! Some really good exchanges.

Yoshi vs Killer #5 who is also a samurai. Classic 1-stroke duel.

Fight #11 --- Yoshi vs Killer #2

Katana vs cane sword and scarf. Great fight!!!! It's so fluid.

The end fight against Nicola is meh. Lots of yakking mainly.

The acting is good; the plot is serviceable. Where this movie really excels is that it's entirely filmed on sound stages. There are no exteriors....well, there are....but they're done on sound stages. The costumes; the color motifs/palette; the sets; are all really cool. This film blends so many genres: western, martial arts, and crime noir into a visual comic book. The music and sound f/x remind me of the "Batman" tv series of the 60's. I really liked it. However......it lacks the grittiness of something like "Sin City" which I think would've helped.

To me, Kevin McKidd steals the film as Killer #2. He is so dapper and deadly with a smarmy Irish brogue delivering his lines. He's a fantastic villain! And his fight sequences are the best in the movie!

I say.....Get this!!! At the very least, it's worth a viewing!

FREERUNNER (2010) Running time: 88 mins.

Stars: Sean Faris, Tamer Hassan, Rebecca Da Costa, Danny Dyer, Ryan Doyle

Dir.: Lawrence Silverstein

Fight Coordinator: John Bernecker

Parkour & Fight Coordinator: Ryan Doyle

A bunch of freerunners (parkour enthusiasts) are tricked, kidnapped, and forced to race through the streets to specific designations or have their heads blown off by explosive collars around their necks for the enjoyment of a bunch of "high stakes" gamblers.

I am not detailing this movie.......because it's awful. Well, maybe not awful. But it certainly didn't meet my expectations. If you, like me, were expecting something along the lines of District B13, forget it.

The parkour is nothing you probably haven't seen before and certainly not of the standard found in the aforementioned film. The fights are nothing special either. They're short exchanges and often nothing more than consisting of 1 or 2 hits with a couple of exceptions towards the end. And the few times heads did go "boom", we're talking real Syfy Channel quality here. I was very disappointed. Don't bother with this. Avoid!

[DarthKato]

Thanks for the review of BANRAKU,ShaOW!linDude . I been thinking about getting it, but did not know if it was any good. I will definitely be picking this one up now.

[trueth]

I thought Bunraku was pretty good, couldve been better. Hey ShaOW!linDude The sparring partner from Fight #3 is actually fight choreographer Larnel Stovall He has a nice little scene in the big group fight near the end too.

[ShaOW!linDude]

I thought Bunraku was pretty good, couldve been better. Hey ShaOW!linDude The sparring partner from Fight #3 is actually fight choreographer Larnel Stovall He has a nice little scene in the big group fight near the end too.

Very true, trueth. I noted that with his initials. That's him and Woody Harrelson fighting each other in the big group fight scene. This guy is just a great choreographer. Hope he's getting more work.

Thanks for the review of BANRAKU,ShaOW!linDude . I been thinking about getting it, but did not know if it was any good. I will definitely be picking this one up now.

I think you'll enjoy it alot.

Thanks for the comments, guys.

[jmungus]

he he. upon reading, at first i thought, by giving the fighting sequences so much room and credit, the dude makes it appear as if he really liked the flick. reading your final words on it, i realize u actually do!!

although i do concur with your suggestion, to at least give it a try. its been slaughtered to ridiculous degrees in other reviews ive come across. not fair, i thought after having watched the flick.

i do not recall any of the fights as being particularly great. not that i didnt like some of em.

the movies` biggest issue: im in favor of pretty much all the elements they`d use, yet in the end, they just didnt work that well.

i rate BUNRAKU 4.5/10 max.

FREERUNNER on the other hand was so god awful, i still couldnt finish it in 2 attempts.

1.5/10 for their efforts and yes, DO AVOID. save yourself some time for the fun stuff in life.

[blue_skies]

FREERUNNER on the other hand was so god awful, i still couldnt finish it in 2 attempts.

1.5/10 for their efforts and yes, DO AVOID. save yourself some time for the fun stuff in life.

apologies for the crude analogy now coming but it sounds like having a bowel movement is more fun than "Free runner" from you guys' comments!

[jmungus]

apologies for the crude analogy now coming but it sounds like having a bowel movement is more fun than "Free runner" from you guys' comments!

for the time being, its the vampire warriors of parcour

i`d still prefer it to bowel movement. while its spinning in the player, i can make time to either repaint my kitchen, roll up 2 dozen blunts, sort and catalogue my movie collection, write a smart thesis on whatever i`d have the urge to write a smart thesis on (like thats ever gonna happen ), enjoy a four-course meal or train to become a champ in flying daggers.

[ShaOW!linDude]

he he. upon reading, at first i thought, by giving the fighting sequences so much room and credit, the dude makes it appear as if he really liked the flick. reading your final words on it, i realize u actually do!!

although i do concur with your suggestion, to at least give it a try. its been slaughtered to ridiculous degrees in other reviews ive come across. not fair, i thought after having watched the flick.

i do not recall any of the fights as being particularly great. not that i didnt like some of em.

the movies` biggest issue: im in favor of pretty much all the elements they`d use, yet in the end, they just didnt work that well.

i rate BUNRAKU 4.5/10 max.

Thanks for your comments, jmungus.

Yeah, I don't know if you've read any other of the reviews but I try to focus on the fight choreography mainly. Typically, I'll usually mention at least 1 that I think is the best fight of the film. But you're absolutely right; while the fights in this were good, there wasn't anything jaw-droppingly great about them. I think another area it failed in is that there's no real throwdown with Nicola at the end. I mean....come on! This is supposed to be Killer #1. That was a letdown.

I thought the elements worked okay. I guess they could've been better. I just found it to be a fun movie to watch. If I did # ranking, I'd give more of a 6-7/10.

[ShaOW!linDude]

TEKKEN: BLOOD VENGEANCE (2011) Running time: 92 mins.

CGI animated film

Jin is after a former classmate, Shin, who was used in an experiment regarding a mutant "devil" gene which gives one immortality. His field agent is Nina. His brother, Kazuya, is also after this former classmate. His field agent is Nina's sister, Anna, who recruits a young teenage girl, Xiaoyu, and puts her in Shin's school. Xiaoyu meets Alisa, another girl who has a crush on Shin. All things lead to an ultimate duel against Jin and Kazuya's father, Heihachi.

Fight #1 --- Nina vs. Anna

This is a good fight but short. It contains some really good takedowns and some great kicks.

Fight #2 --- Xiaoyu vs. Alisa

Interesting. Starts off as a good match-up and then gets a little......hi-tech. Still, it's good choreography. Then Anna and some goons show up. Xiaoyu and Alisa team up against them. There's some nice kicks used against the goon squad.

Fight #3 --- Jin vs. Kazuya vs. Heihachi

This is a great throwdown though it's mainly power-hits. Still, it contains some good punches and kicks in a 3 way free-for-all as they battle one another. Then.....they all go into "devil" mode.

This was filmed using motion capture performers. The graphics are fantastic in this movie. It's beautiful to watch.

One problem is the plot. It's a tad lame and drawn out. And it focuses primarily on Xiaoyu and Alisa (who are cute but let's face it......if the women are to be the main stars in the film, it should be Nina and Anna). Another problem is the cast. It's too limited. Where are all the other characters; the ones I'd hoped to see? They're nowhere to be found; not even as cameos. Another problem is the fights.....or rather, the lack of them. There's only 3 in all actuality and the 3rd gets really fantastical as the fighters are demonic. It's some cool brawling but it lacks in the MA department.

Look.....it's a good movie. But not what I'd hoped for. Why didn't they do the Tekken tournament like the game and showcase the fighters? That's what this should've been! I really feel this could've been so much better. Still, the fights are fun to watch and I thought they were well choreographed. Ultimately, it's your call. Worth a rental at the least.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Due to the recent discussion on Jackie Chan's best films (and worst....like we needed to go there), I've been jonesing for some Chan-tastic fight choreography. So, I opted to watch a film of his I've not seen for some time.

MIRACLES {aka "Mr. Canton & Lady Rose"; aka "The Canton Godfather"; aka "Black Dragon"}

(1989) Running time: 127 mins.

Stars: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Richard Ng, Wu Ma, Lo Lieh, Chun Hsiung Ko, Bill Tung

And if you look close you'll notice Ken Lo (I did, though he really doesn't do any fighting) and according to Wikipedia, Yuen Biao playing a beggar (I didn't; may have to go back and look for him).

Written & Directed by: Jackie Chan

Fight/Stunt Coordinator(s): Jackie Chan and his stunt team

Set in the 1930's, JC plays Cheng Wah Kuo, a country boy new to Hong Kong. He happens to save a gang boss from an attempted hit. But when the boss stills dies, authority of the gang is mistakenly thrust upon Cheng. He assumes leadership, tries to steer the gang into legitimacy, hires Luming Yang (AM) as a nightclub singer/moll, and must ultimately contend with the rival gang boss, Tiger (CHK), and a traitor within his own organization, Fei (LL).

Fight #1 --- Cheng vs 2 goons

This is very, very brief but foreshadows what is to come. Love the way he deftly twirls a flower basket over the head of an opponent and yanks him back.

Fight #2 --- Cheng vs 2 of his own gang members at the nightclub

This is a fight in order for Cheng to demonstrate his fighting ability. It's short but serves to whet your appetite even more. It ends with a beautiful, flourishing combination: a tornado kick into a reverse crescent kick then dropping into a forward leg sweep. I can watch this over and over. JC makes it look so effortless; it just flows so beautifully.

Fight #3 --- Cheng vs Tiger's gang #1

This occurs at Tiger's restaurant where a meeting takes place to "encourage" Cheng to sign over half his nightclub's profits. This is fantastic choreography in Chan's typical fashion. I wonder how many takes it took to capture some of these actions on film. The flow and editing are superb. Chan's ability to fight while on the run is thrilling to watch and his maneuvers and use of props are ingenious. Great fight!!!

Fight #4 --- Cheng vs Tiger's gang #2

This takes place in an outdoor marketplace in the cobblestone alleys. This is fantastically laced with feats of agility. The choreography is full of comedic bits, great use of props, and stunts; the best of which takes place incorporating the use of rickshaws. (JC suffered a deep cut over his left eye performing a stunt in this segment as seen in the outtakes during the end credits. In the film, it appears that another stuntman performs the feat and almost suffers the same injury.) You can't help but to smile at the amazing physical humor Chan displays here.

Fight #5 --- Cheng vs Tiger's gang #3

This takes place at a rope factory. Billy Chow, as one of the workers, serves as JC's main opponent. This is just phenomenal!!! What an ingenious location to stage a fight!!! The choreography is rife with fighting, falls, and stunts. It's astounding and complex! This is probably one of my favorite fight sequences of all Chan's films! 2 standout pieces are: a) JC leaping about and kicking at 3 foes with a rope tied to his right ankle all the while entangling them and a triple kick combo against Billy Chow consisting of a jump-spinning back kick into a crouching back sweep into a standing spinning back kick. That equals 3 full rotations!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!

This is a great film. And it has some really funny moments in it. The only problem I have with it is that I struggle to get through the middle of it because the focus is on situational comedy rather than the action. Still, it's worth it for the end fights. One of the fun bits in watching this is seeing JC play with his fedora; the way he flips it, twirls it, and tosses it without looking to hang it up. The end credits show outtakes from some of the scenes though not as many of the action ones as I'd have liked. Oh, that he could develop a project similar to this to do today. This is Chan in his prime! GET THIS! GET THIS! GET THIS!

[DarthKato]

Due to the recent discussion on Jackie Chan's best films (and worst....like we needed to go there), I've been jonesing for some Chan-tastic fight choreography. So, I opted to watch a film of his I've not seen for some time.

MIRACLES {aka "Mr. Canton & Lady Rose"; aka "The Canton Godfather"; aka "Black Dragon"}

(1989) Running time: 127 mins.

Stars: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Richard Ng, Wu Ma, Lo Lieh, Chun Hsiung Ko, Bill Tung

And if you look close you'll notice Ken Lo (I did, though he really doesn't do any fighting) and according to Wikipedia, Yuen Biao playing a beggar (I didn't; may have to go back and look for him).

Written & Directed by: Jackie Chan

Fight/Stunt Coordinator(s): Jackie Chan and his stunt team

Set in the 1930's, JC plays Cheng Wah Kuo, a country boy new to Hong Kong. He happens to save a gang boss from an attempted hit. But when the boss stills dies, authority of the gang is mistakenly thrust upon Cheng. He assumes leadership, tries to steer the gang into legitimacy, hires Luming Yang (AM) as a nightclub singer/moll, and must ultimately contend with the rival gang boss, Tiger (CHK), and a traitor within his own organization, Fei (LL).

Fight #1 --- Cheng vs 2 goons

This is very, very brief but foreshadows what is to come. Love the way he deftly twirls a flower basket over the head of an opponent and yanks him back.

Fight #2 --- Cheng vs 2 of his own gang members at the nightclub

This is a fight in order for Cheng to demonstrate his fighting ability. It's short but serves to whet your appetite even more. It ends with a beautiful, flourishing combination: a tornado kick into a reverse crescent kick then dropping into a forward leg sweep. I can watch this over and over. JC makes it look so effortless; it just flows so beautifully.

Fight #3 --- Cheng vs Tiger's gang #1

This occurs at Tiger's restaurant where a meeting takes place to "encourage" Cheng to sign over half his nightclub's profits. This is fantastic choreography in Chan's typical fashion. I wonder how many takes it took to capture some of these actions on film. The flow and editing are superb. Chan's ability to fight while on the run is thrilling to watch and his maneuvers and use of props are ingenious. Great fight!!!

Fight #4 --- Cheng vs Tiger's gang #2

This takes place in an outdoor marketplace in the cobblestone alleys. This is fantastically laced with feats of agility. The choreography is full of comedic bits, great use of props, and stunts; the best of which takes place incorporating the use of rickshaws. (JC suffered a deep cut over his left eye performing a stunt in this segment as seen in the outtakes during the end credits. In the film, it appears that another stuntman performs the feat and almost suffers the same injury.) You can't help but to smile at the amazing physical humor Chan displays here.

Fight #5 --- Cheng vs Tiger's gang #3

This takes place at a rope factory. Billy Chow, as one of the workers, serves as JC's main opponent. This is just phenomenal!!! What an ingenious location to stage a fight!!! The choreography is rife with fighting, falls, and stunts. It's astounding and complex! This is probably one of my favorite fight sequences of all Chan's films! 2 standout pieces are: a) JC leaping about and kicking at 3 foes with a rope tied to his right ankle all the while entangling them and a triple kick combo against Billy Chow consisting of a jump-spinning back kick into a crouching back sweep into a standing spinning back kick. That equals 3 full rotations!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!

This is a great film. And it has some really funny moments in it. The only problem I have with it is that I struggle to get through the middle of it because the focus is on situational comedy rather than the action. Still, it's worth it for the end fights. One of the fun bits in watching this is seeing JC play with his fedora; the way he flips it, twirls it, and tosses it without looking to hang it up. The end credits show outtakes from some of the scenes though not as many of the action ones as I'd have liked. Oh, that he could develop a project similar to this to do today. This is Chan in his prime! GET THIS! GET THIS! GET THIS!

I got this one a while back and I agree that it was really good. Fight #5 is also one of my favorite, coming second only to the final fight in Police Story.

[ShaOW!linDude]

I'm on a Jackie Chan kick at the moment.

ARMOR OF GOD (Operation Condor 2: The Armor of the Gods.....stupid re-title.)

(1987) Running time: 89 mins.

Stars, Jackie Chan, Alan Tam, Rosamund Kwan, Lola Forner

Stunt Coordinators: The Jackie Chan Stuntmen Club, Lau Kar Wing, Yuen Chun Yeung

Dir.: Jackie Chan

JC is the Asian Hawk, an adventurer who specializes in searching out relics. Having secured the sword of the Armor of God of which there are 5 pieces, he sells it at auction. May (LF) is the highest bidder as representative for her father who is a wealthy and powerful private collector and has 2 of the pieces of armor. But a cult with evil ideas has the other 2 and desire the entire set. They kidnap JC's former girlfriend, Lorelei (RK), with the intent of making JC trade the other 3 pieces for her freedom. Alan (AT) is JC's former friend and Lorelei's fiance and he persuades the Asian Hawk to put aside the enmity between them and help rescue her. May tags along to keep guard of her father's interests.

Fight #1 --- JC vs a tribe of natives

This is the opening sequence and has some good bits in it. One of my faves is a double back-flip off of an idol into a crouching back sweep. Love that! This is mainly comedic, acrobatic bits with a little fighting interspersed into it. (This also contains the stunt of JC leaping into a treetop. The limb he grabs breaks and he falls to the rocky ground causing a head injury to the back of his skull. According his autobiography, this halted production on the film for 6 months. It's also the reason his hair is grown out for the rest of the film where it was cut short for this sequence. I forget who it was but one of the execs or producers superstitiously thought the accident was due to Chan cutting his hair prior to production.)

Fight #2 --- JC vs cultists

This has a spat of fighting initially but segues into a car chase that showcases some cool stunts. 1 that especially blows my mind involves a jeep flying down some cobblestone steps and narrowly missing pedestrians.

Fight #3 --- JC vs cultists in the monastery mess hall

This is classic Chan, man!!!! Great fight! There's some good kicks here but what's really great is the fist combinations on display. The back fists are savage. The final 2 cultists go down in some amazing falls.

Fight #4 --- JC vs cultists in cavern chamber

This is short and really more of a segue-way but it's packed with great choreography including an aerial triple kick delivered on the run by JC.

Fight #5 --- JC vs 4 Amazons

This is so cool!!!!! These chicks are like Donna Summer and the Pointer Sisters on steroids and high heels!!!! While they're obviously doubled in places, these girls are all talented MA's. Not only does JC take some good falls but everyone of these gals do, too. The best is when one of them leaps at JC off a catwalk. As she's about to land on him, he strikes out with a roundhouse kick to her legs and sends her into a forward flip to crash land face first. This whole sequence is a classic piece of film! (Could this be where the idea for all the transgendered villains/villainesses in Thai films are coming from?)

I love this movie. The pace is a bit hampered by the plot and lack of action in the middle. Chan is actually more serious there. The comedic Chan kicks in with the action. Still, there's lots of stunts here and it's hard to image coming back from the trauma of a head injury and doing the rest of this film. Unreal! But then......he's Jackie Chan. Making our jaws drop in amazement is his thing. And he does it well. GET THIS!!!!!!!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Thought I'd post another list of movie review contents. I did this previously on page 6 of this thread. Picking up from with the movies I've reviewed so far.......

Page 6

UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION --- Get it.

HARD REVENGE MILLY/HARD REVENGE MILLY: BLOODY BATTLE --- Get it!

Page 7

THE RESTLESS --- Avoid!

DOGS OF CHINATOWN --- Get this!!!!!

IMMORTAL --- Get this!!!!

UNDERCUT --- Get this!!!!

DETECTIVE STORY --- Get this!!!!

CIRCLE OF IRON --- Rent/dvr it.

Page 8

HUNT TO KILL --- Rent/dvr it.

LEGEND OF THE FIST: THE RETURN OF CHEN ZHEN --- Get it!

TEKKEN --- Get!

THE BLACK NINJA --- Avoid!!!!!!!!!!

THE ELIMINATOR --- Avoid!!!

CLASH --- Get it!!!!!!

Page 9

DOUBLE TEAM --- Your call.

SUPREME CHAMPION --- Avoid!!!!!

MERCURY MAN --- Avoid!

AMERICAN SAMURAI --- Get it!

Page 10

CLASH OF EMPIRES --- Avoid!!!!

NEVER BACK DOWN 2: THE BEATDOWN --- Get it!!!

BANGKOK KNOCKOUT --- Get it!!!!

Page 11

THE LAST KUNG FU MONK --- Your call.

GAME OF DEATH (the Wesley Snipes film) --- Your call.

DEATH TRANCE --- Your call but worth a watch.

Page 12

BUNRAKU --- Get it!!!

FREERUNNER --- Avoid!!!!!!!!!

TEKKEN: BLOOD VENGEANCE (animated) --- Your call.

MIRACLES --- Get it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Page 13

ARMOR OF GOD (Operation Condor 2) --- Get it!!!!!!!!

That's another 30 films. Man, there were some stinkers in there, too! (About 7 to be exact.) But there's also some really killer films with some fantastic choreography! (8 that really stood to me.)

[One Armed Boxer]

Fight #1 --- JC vs a tribe of natives

This is the opening sequence and has some good bits in it. One of my faves is a double back-flip off of an idol into a crouching back sweep. Love that! This is mainly comedic, acrobatic bits with a little fighting interspersed into it. (This also contains the stunt of JC leaping into a treetop. The limb he grabs breaks and he falls to the rocky ground causing a head injury to the back of his skull. According his autobiography, this halted production on the film for 6 months. It's also the reason his hair is grown out for the rest of the film where it was cut short for this sequence. I forget who it was but one of the execs or producers superstitiously thought the accident was due to Chan cutting his hair prior to production.)

It`s a top scene! I`m pretty sure this opening sequence was directed by Eric Tsang, but when production re-started Chan completely took over everything.

I love this movie. The pace is a bit hampered by the plot and lack of action in the middle. Chan is actually more serious there. The comedic Chan kicks in with the action.

Agreed! I would actually say the criticism of the `mid-movie lag` could be applied to a lot of Chan movies from that era. I read somewhere before that this was the period when Chan wanted to make his movies more appealing to an international audience, and he thought the best way to do it was by putting more elements of non-action into his movies. Hence why the international print of `Police Story 2` which Dragon Dynasty released isn`t quite as exciting as it sounds - most of the additional scenes are pretty mundane dialogue exchanges about the investigation etc., nothing is added in terms of action. Out of curiosity which version did you watch? I know the Miramax release has almost 10 minutes worth of cuts.

Still `Armour of God` is a definite classic, I know you don`t do requests but I`d love to read one of your reviews of `Operation Condor` if you have the chance, from my memory the action was even less sporadic in that one, and I remember feeling a little unsatisfied with the overall movie.

Fight #5 --- JC vs 4 Amazons

This is so cool!!!!! These chicks are like Donna Summer and the Pointer Sisters on steroids and high heels!!!! While they're obviously doubled in places, these girls are all talented MA's. Not only does JC take some good falls but everyone of these gals do, too. The best is when one of them leaps at JC off a catwalk. As she's about to land on him, he strikes out with a roundhouse kick to her legs and sends her into a forward flip to crash land face first. This whole sequence is a classic piece of film! (Could this be where the idea for all the transgendered villains/villainesses in Thai films are coming from?)

Regarding your last comment, I would have to say no. I think the whole cross-dressing villain theme that constantly recurs in Thai movies is more of a cultural connection to Thailand`s ladyboy culture which is very much a part of daily life there, hit any bar on any given night in Thailand and no doubt there will be a few transgender guys/girls hanging around. They`re as much a part of Thai movies as elephants are.

Unreal! But then......he's Jackie Chan. Making our jaws drop in amazement is his thing. And he does it well.

Amen to that, like you I also watched a lot of Chan movies from his golden era recently that I hadn`t seen for a long time, thanks to the movie festival that was dedicated to him here in Tokyo. It was great to see Chan in movies again that really get your adrenalin pumping, it`s easy to forget that her really was THAT good.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Hey, OAB.

Here's a link to the version I have. It's the remastered Dimension Home Video copy. It'd be my luck that this version is similar to Miramax's and also has 10 mins. worth of cuts, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Operation-Condor-2-Armour-Gods/dp/6305433860/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1323894861&sr=1-1

Still `Armour of God` is a definite classic, I know you don`t do requests but I`d love to read one of your reviews of `Operation Condor` if you have the chance, from my memory the action was even less sporadic in that one, and I remember feeling a little unsatisfied with the overall movie.

Hah! Funny you should mention that. I actually plan on trying to do that this weekend.

That's an interesting bit of info concerning Thai culture. I was unaware of that. Thanks for cluing me in.