My Many MiniReviews

[blue_skies]

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

.

great reviews by the way SD:tongue:

10 min worth of cuts, that's a lot taken out of the movie. Is the Hong Kong Legends DVD uncut?

[ShaOW!linDude]

Is the Hong Kong Legends DVD uncut?

I don't know. Maybe someone else will chime in.

Hey, you may be able to find out on David Rees' website about JC films/dvds.

And thanks for the compliment.

[ShaOW!linDude]

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

Stars: Jackie Chan, Carol Cheng, Eva Cobo De Garcia, Shoko Ikeda, Alfred Brel Sanchez, Ken Goodman

Dir.: Jackie Chan

Stunt Choreography: Jackie Chan's Stuntman's Club

JC, the Asian Hawk, is commissioned to find World War 2 Nazi gold that's hidden in the Sahara Desert in a secret base.

Fight #1 --- JC vs 2 Arab henchmen

It's short but there's some beautiful kicks: a crouching back sweep; a tornado kick; a crouching side kick. The flow is very smooth and casual.

Fight #2 --- The Big Chase

This starts off by JC being cornered outside by 2 toughs. He executes a cool low roundhouse kick to the back of 1 guy's knee followed by a snapping kick to the back of his head. This segues into a chase sequence with JC on a motorcycle. This chase through openly populated streets and alleys just blows my mind! (Though it's obvious that Chan isn't doing most of the cycle stunts here, it's still pretty cool.) There are so many near misses! At 1 point, JC drives into a warehouse and ditches his bike. He leaps up stacks of boxes as pursuing cars wipe them out. Finally, as he hangs from a metal overhead joist, he hauls himself up as a car ramps up and flies beneath him. (You can see the safety tether give him a jerk but it's still quite a dangerous stunt. I mean, the car barely misses him by a foot or two.) The chase culminates in a bike jump off a dock where he grabs a laden cargo net as the motorcycle and 2 cars sail out into the water.

Fight #3 --- JC vs 2 thugs in an Indian hotel

This is a good fight that's also a game of "keep away". The comedy doesn't really work all the time, sort of hits and misses, but the action pieces are solid. There's some good kicks here along with Chan's display of agility. (As seen in the outtakes, JC takes a kick to the throat during the filming.)

Fight #4 --- JC vs raiders at the German desert base

This takes place in an underground bunker. This is full of great stunts and JC's classic "fight on the run" style. It's a fun fight with good choreography and the best in the film to me! (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.)

Fight #5 --- JC vs 2 raiders in a wind tunnel

This has some good bits in it, especially 1 kick JC pulls off; a jumping roundhouse. Love it! But it gets silly as he and the combatants (one of which is Ken Lo) fly about as the wind sheer is manipulated and reversed. This really could've been better. Not his best end fight imo.

This is a great movie with the exception of some of the comedy bits that just don't come across all that well. There's a few that do though. And there's very small action bits interspersed throughout the film (I just chose the major ones to comment on.) There's still moments of gum-popping, one of which is used as a ruse to kick a bedouin in the face. (I love that bit!) And the movie is full of JC's physicality. He just seems so nonchalant when performing acts of agility. He makes them look so simple. You or I would break our necks.

So, which is better: AOG or AOG2? Well, if you tax me about it......I don't know. I enjoy the end fights in the 1st more (.....I think). But the 2nd has better stunts especially the chase sequences and is sprinkled with little action bits to keep it moving which the 1st could've used some of.

Regardless, GET THIS!!!!!!!!!! This is still Chan in his prime, doing amazing stunt and fight work, and part of the reason we all clamor for more of the same and cry and moan when our expectations aren't met.

[DarthKato]

Nice review SD.I agree with you that its a must buy. I was wondering, did you know that the first AOG that was released in the US is, in fact, really AOG2. What happened was that AOG2 was reased over here first as "Operation Condor". Then, when they decied to release AOG1, to keep from confusing people, they decied to just say that it was the sequel and Called it "Operation Condor 2: Armour of God".

Just a fun fact I thought you might be interested in.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Yeah, DK, I was hip to that. That's why I kept the original title capitalized and made the retitles parenthetical. That's so goofy. Wonder who the brainiac was that thought that was a good idea!

[One Armed Boxer]

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.

Hey ShaOW!linDude, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but yeah the version you have is the heavily chopped up version, the 10 minutes basically cut out all of the scenes with the band, along with Jackie`s car chase dream sequence.

10 min worth of cuts, that's a lot taken out of the movie. Is the Hong Kong Legends DVD uncut?

Yeah, the HKL is uncut, here`s a link which compares all the available versions -

http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=1831

(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?

I was wondering, did you know that the first AOG that was released in the US is, in fact, really AOG2. What happened was that AOG2 was reased over here first as "Operation Condor". Then, when they decied to release AOG1, to keep from confusing people, they decied to just say that it was the sequel and Called it "Operation Condor 2: Armour of God".

US DVD companies are the worse for re-titling the old HK movies, my favorite is `Meltdown`, which is actually the Jet Li movie `High Risk`, and it`s newly created sequel, `Another Meltdown`, which is actually the Vincent Zhao movie `The Blacksheep Affair`!

GET THIS!!!!!!!!!! This is still Chan in his prime, doing amazing stunt and fight work, and part of the reason we all clamor for more of the same and cry and moan when our expectations aren't met.

I`ll have to check this out again, I have the old Deltamac DVD, a shame HKL or Dragon Dynasty never had a chance to put out a high quality release of this. But your review definitely made me want to watch it again, and that`s what a good review should do! (unless it`s explaining how much it sucks!)

[ShaOW!linDude]

Hey, OAB

So, I take it you have the HK Deltamac version (R 0)?

Hey ShaOW!linDude, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but yeah the version you have is the heavily chopped up version, the 10 minutes basically cut out all of the scenes with the band, along with Jackie`s car chase dream sequence.

While I'm all for uncut films, I'm really more of a stickler only if the action's been cut. Is that the case with this or is just a lame song sequence and a comedy bit of JC's car trying to go all "Christine" on him?

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?

Seriously? Dude, I hope that's not true but I guess it wouldn't surprise me.

I`ll have to check this out again, I have the old Deltamac DVD, a shame HKL or Dragon Dynasty never had a chance to put out a high quality release of this. But your review definitely made me want to watch it again, and that`s what a good review should do! (unless it`s explaining how much it sucks!)

Yeah, it's a fun one to revisit. Would've loved for DD to have done a release of this. (And thanks for the compliment.)

[ShaOW!linDude]

Taking a break from the Jackie Chan kick and thought I'd review something that maybe not too many folks have seen or heard of or watched in a while.

NIGHT OF THE WARRIOR (1991) Running time: 100 mins.

Stars: Lorenzo Lamas, Anthony Geary, Kathleen Kinmont, Daniel Kamekona, Bill Erwin, Ken Foree, Felicity Waterman, Arlene Dahl

Written by: Thomas Ian Griffith

Dir.: Rafal Zielinski

Stunt Coordinator/Fight Choreographer: Rick Avery

LL is Miles Keane, who is working off a debt for money to invest in his club by engaging in underground fights for Mr. Lynch (AG). Winning his latest fight, Miles informs Lynch that he is officially done fighting for him and that the debt is paid. But a Korean crime boss (DK), whose fighter Miles bested, wants another match and gives Lynch a monetary advance to set it up. When Miles refuses, Lynch resorts to extortion and strong-arm tactics to coerce him to fight one more time.

Fight #1 --- Miles vs Akkidas (Ray Sua)

This is the opening fight of the film and takes place in a grimy factory bay. This is a good mix up. Both fighters are evenly matched. The choreography is full of good exchanges (though Miles does throw some really wild hay-makers a couple of times that come nowhere near hitting his opponent). LL is a good kicker. He throws some good side kicks from a crouch and the fight ends with a flourishing, spinning back kick. (You'll recognize RS. He was one of the fighters in Jeff Speakman's "The Perfect Weapon". In what is my favorite fight scene in that film, Speakman takes on him and Leo Lee and James Lew in a gym and JS goes kenpo-ballistic on him.)

Fight #2 --- Miles vs 2 thugs

Miles gets jumped in his photo darkroom after refusing Lynch's offer. This really isn't a fight so much as it is LL getting his butt kicked. He sells it, too. He takes some good falls as they use him to toss about and trash his place.

Fight #3 --- Miles vs 3 goons

Miles visits Lynch's club and dispatches 3 henchmen. It's short but rather brutal.

Fight #4 --- Miles vs Hector Sabatei (James Lew)

This is the end fight though the movie runs on for a bit afterwards with other action scenes. This is the best fight in the film and it's vicious!!! JL especially pulls off some brutal strikes throughout the fight: a standing kick with his right foot to LL's face who is standing just behind his right shoulder; an uppercut palm strike to LL's face; a dual elbow strike, first, horizontally to LL's solar plexus and, second, vertically to his face. They're just wicked and look painful! LL pulls off a 4 kick combo from a crouch at one point that's pretty sweet. But it gets dirtier when JL gets his hands on an extendable baton, the tip of which has been sharpened to a point. LL evens the odds with a maiming blow to eventually finish him off. I don't want to ruin it but it's so cool that it makes me cringe!

This is a good movie. The opening and end fights are the major ones and they're both really good. The story is passable and what helps is that the acting is actually not that bad. AG is particularly good as the villain. KF, who plays Oliver, his right hand man is quite good also. You'll hate 'em both.

I like this movie a lot. And LL has other MA flicks, too. (I may have to dig out some of the others that I have now.) LL's a really good screen fighter who sells his fights and takes his punishment and is a better actor than most B-movie stars. GET THIS! Shouldn't be hard to find and for relatively cheap.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Rummaging through my collection and thought I'd review this.

SUPERFIGHTS (1995) Running time: 94 mins.

Stars: Brandon Gaines, Faye Yu, Keith Vitali, Kelly Gallant, Chuck Jeffreys, Cliff Lenderman, Brian Ruth, Patrick Lung-Kong, Jim Steele (Rocha), Keith Hackney, Rob Van Dam, Karen Bill, Sean Foley, Dennis Tosten, Ron Succarotte, Serafin Rivera

Dir./Action Choreographer: Tony Leung

Jack Cody (BG) is a young man who is a big fan of Superfights, a sports entertainment venue which is a mix of professional wrestling and martial arts. When he becomes a local hero, he gets an offer to join the Superfight organization run by Robert Sawyer (KV). But Sawyer is a corrupt businessman who uses his fighters to strong-arm his way into the criminal enterprises of the city. Ultimately, Cody learns of this and also that Sawyer is a Superfighter in his own right.

Opening Credits

This is a mash-up of different fighters in the ring. There's a lot of good choreography on display here in snippets of different bouts.

Fight #1 --- Cody's training session

BG showcases his skills here in a back storage room that he's rigged with props and dummies using ropes and pulleys. He displays his martial talent quite well. There's lots of good kicks and it's fun to watch. (Come on, what teenage boy didn't engage in stuff like this to some extent? Probably not to this degree though.)

Fight #2 --- Cody vs 3 gang members

It's a good fight with some comedic attempts. Still, the choreography isn't bad.

Fight #3 --- Cody vs Sally's grandfather

This is short but very cool. Grandfather dips Cody's hands in flour and then challenges the young man to simply try to touch him. There's some good wushu on display here as well as BG's agility. (The old man is obviously doubled but the end credits don't list who did it.)

Fight #4 --- Cody's training/sparring

Now inducted into the Superfight organization, Cody undergoes training. This is sort of cool. The training room is supposed to be hi-tech but it's kind of campy. Still fun to watch though. It culminates in Cody and Angel (KG) engaging in a sparring match. She's a bodybuilder type but not overly so in a way that ruins her femininity. The choreography is fast and smooth and full of good exchanges.

Fight #5 --- Cody vs The Enforcer (and others)

This is his 1st Superfight. It's pretty good. The choreography is fast, almost too fast at times, and not due to under-cranking. These guys are going all out. Some of the blows don't look like they connect or that the extension is full in places but it still works. (Then what follows is a montage of Cody's various other fights which are meh.)

Fight #6 --- Cody vs Masked Man

He gets assaulted while out jogging. This is a short fight but with some good combo's.

Fight #7

Superfighters Darkcloud (CJ), Budokai (CL), and Nightstalker (BR) jack up a gang beneath an overpass. It's brutal in places but there's some good force shown in the brawl.

At this point Cody starts training in Tai Chi with Sally and her grandfather.

Fight #8 --- Cody vs Nightstalker

It's a snippet of the end of a Superfight match but shows Cody employing a bit of the Tai Chi he's learned. Ends with a good kick.

Fight #9

More gang-busting by Darkcloud, Budokai, and Nightstalker. It's very short but very cool.

Fight #10 --- Sawyer vs 3 goons

Finally, KV gets to strut his stuff and it's fun to watch! There's great speed and dexterity in his kicks and he uses a pair of rings, 1 worn on each hand. Each ring has a little talon extending from it which he uses to strike at vital points.

Fight #11 --- Cody vs Darkcloud (CJ)

Good fight! I love to watch CJ. He's a very talented MA and a great kicker. I wish this would've been a little longer. There's quite a few good kick combo's here.

Fight #12

Cody goes along with the other 3 Superfighters to shakedown the owner of a Chinese restaurant. Of course, they beat up a bunch of waiters.....but there's some good hits here.

Fight #13 --- Cody vs Masked Man again

This time he's attacked in his apartment. Very short fight but there's good kicking.

End Fight --- Cody vs Sawyer

This starts off in a chain-link fenced cage which is equipped with a pendulum wrapped in barbed wire. KV is amazing with his feet! There are fantastic kick combo's all over the place!

The fight moves outside the cage into the warehouse where Cody takes on Darkcloud and Nightstalker with pieces of pipe. These are short skirmishes but they're very good!

Then Sawyer is at him again, this time employing his taloned rings. Great choreography here! The hits are hard and the kicks are fast! KV just dazzles with his feet! It just blows my mind how much of a versatile boot-man he is! Then Cody goes into Tai Chi mode and starts delivering the beatdown. Best fight of the film with a bloody ending!!!!

This movie is a trip....on a number of levels. The acting is cringe-inducing but not insufferable. The wardrobe and props harken back to the 80's. It cracks me up. Cody is billed as the All-American Hero Superfighter and is dressed in flamboyantly patriotic garb.

What saves it is the topnotch MA talent. Gaines is a good MA who could've gone on to do more films imo but never has to my knowledge. Vitali is just phenomenal! And he makes for a good villain who is smooth and confident not only as a businessman but as a fighter. Jeffreys steals every scene he's in. How has this guy not blown up in action films? (You know what I mean.) He's a really good actor (reminds me of Eddie Murphy in his delivery) and just great in his fight sequences!

Best of all, it seems there's a fight every 10 minutes or so! This is a throwback to the HK fight action I love so dearly and I don't think it disappoints at all!!! GET THIS!!!!!!!!!!

[DarthKato]

Hey SD, nice review. It sounds like it be a fun movie to check out. I been noticing that the "All-American Hero Superfighter" type character was really big during the 80's and 90's. That kind of character is alright sometimes, but they can be kind of annoying sometimes. I believe that this is probably one of the better uses of that type of charater and not just like the Chuck Norris types I have been watching lately.

[kingofkungfu2002]

I've been looking for the U.S dvd of 'Superfights', but it's quite expensive at Amazon (£25)...Don't fancy paying that much

[ShaOW!linDude]

I actually watched this last week but haven't had time to write this until now.

ULTIMATE FIGHT (2004) Running time: 89 mins.

Stars: Cyrus Wong, Horace Lee, Lau Kar Wing, Yoyo Yin, Tong Chun Ip, Kam Loi Kwan, Alice Pang, Fan Man Kit

Dir.: Tony Leung

MA Director: Tony Leung

Asst. MA Directors: Ng Wing Sum, Kam Loi Kwan

Kit (CW), a lounge singer, fancies himself a self-taught MA. But when he's bested in a fight, his new girlfriend, Jojo (YY), takes him to her dad (LKW), an instructor in Gracie Jiujitsu. Kit becomes his student but crosses Lung (HL), his master's former student, who is the Ultimate Fight champ. Eventually another Ultimate Fight tournament is held and Kit determines to seek revenge for his master against Lung.

Fight #1 --- Kit vs 3 punks

While buying a Bruce Lee figurine (that's right), 3 punks harass Jojo, the shop's female clerk, for a refund. Kit chases them down and beats them up to get her money back. This is awful! It's not just heavily under-cranked, it's on fast forward! Plus, it's more of a "basher" style fight with a MA move here and there.

Fight #2 --- Kit vs Sid

On a date, Kit sings one of the cheesiest love songs ever for Jojo. (This is just goofy. The bartender even shakes his mixer along to the music as if he's part of the band. Never stops to pour the drink. Some poor schmuck is probably trying to drink to forget.....this awful song he's being subjected to.) Anyhow, the 3 punks show up with Sid to teach Kit a lesson. It's a 1-on-1 alley fight. The choreography looks good but again, it's in fast forward which makes it look just awful. It is more MA-based, though.

Fight #3 --- Sid vs Feng

This is a fight for patrons at a bar. It's pretty good. Very brutal hits. Some good elbows and kicks, especially a jump-spinning roundhouse by Sid.

Fight #4 --- Lung vs new fighter

This is spectacularly short! But.....it's pretty sweet. A flying leg-lock to his opponent's shoulders; double palm strike to the top of his head; a back-flip leg toss which dumps the dude on his head. Lung is pretty bad.

Fight #5 --- Kit vs Sid and 2 goons

Sid and his pards have just tossed a Molotov cocktail into Jojo and her dad's apartment. Kit runs into them outside. The filming goes all goofy again as if it's fast forwarded and hyper-edited. Still, there's a couple of good kicks thrown.

Tournament fights:

Fight #6 --- Chinese Wrestler vs Judo stylist

Unbelievably, the wrestler wins. The judo guy doesn't do squat. I find that hard to believe.

Fight #7 --- Japanese Aikido stylist vs Kim, female Korean MA

He doesn't want to fight a girl. So, she literally beats the snot out of him with elbows to the nose and finishes him off with an axe kick.

Fight #8 --- Zhang Chi vs Boxer

Zhang Chi is a mystery man seen throughout the film training by using electrical stimulus similar to what Sonny Chiba did in one of his films. This fight is bogus. Zhang Chi simply bearhugs the guy and downs him.

Fight #9 --- Kit vs Jeet Kune Do stylist (with purple hair, no less)

Best bout so far! Kit gets pummeled with kicks. Finally he performs a leg takedown, locks his foe's legs with his own, and puts him in a submission choke.

Fight #10 --- Lung vs Sumo wrestler

Short with a beautiful flying kick.

Fight #11 --- Chinese Wrestler vs Muay Thai fighter

Brutal with a piledriver finish.

Fight #12 --- Zhang Chi vs Kim

He stares her down, psyches her out, and she refuses to fight him. Bogus.

Fight #13 --- Kit vs Tiger kung fu stylist

Good match! Some good leg work with sweeps and takedowns. Kit manages another choke submission hold using the dude's own arms.

Fight #14 --- Lung vs Chinese Wrestler

This is a bizarre fight, man. Twice, when Lung gets in a difficult position, he strikes the wrestler in the......sphincter. (Hey, whatever works, right?) But he ultimately wins with a headbutt.

Fight #15 --- Kit vs Zhang Chi

It's not bad. There's some good exchanges here: a leg sweep and a scissor leg takedown to the head. Lots of power hits. I thought it could've been better but it works. (At least there was no sphincter-punching.)

Fight #16 --- Kit vs Lung

Best fight! It's full of good stuff but turns into a beating for Kit until he rallies at the end. The only bad thing is that it's comically sped up in places and there's evidence of hyper-editing again. There's some jiujitsu used but mainly it's too much of a stand-up fight to be classified as that kind of match. Still, it's a good hard-hitting fight.

The movie isn't bad. It's not great. But I don't know that I'd really classify it as good, either. My feelings are kind of ambivalent about it. I've had this for a couple of years and this is the 2nd time I've watched it and with a more critical eye this time around. I just don't think it delivers like it could have. The choreography is hit and miss with nothing really special (except for the sphincter-punching) or any "rewind" moments (again, except for the sphincter-punching.....if you're into that.....and I'm not).

A couple of things that really drove me nuts: All the pop song interludes. Was I watching a MA movie or a music video? The songs were so hammy! And the comedic moments mainly consisted of corny bits ending with CW mugging and breaking the 4th wall (when a performer looks into the camera as though making eye contact with the viewing audience).

I don't know what to tell you regarding this one. It has its moments but I really view it as a failure. It's your call. Maybe if you're interested in it, you can find it on the cheap. I think that.....ultimately I will fight the temptation to ever watch this again and put it in the trade pile. And if I don't........I'll sphincter-punch myself.

[DarthKato]

Sounds like it might be worth sitting through for the tourament fights, but the first part of the movie sounds like it was pretty boring. I will probably give it a shot for the tourament(since I am a fan of movies that have them in it ), but I will wait until I can find it dirt-cheap somewhere.

P.S. Another good review SD.

[Fat_Dragon]

I've been looking for the U.S dvd of 'Superfights', but it's quite expensive at Amazon (£25)...Don't fancy paying that much

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00009B8BU/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1325811205&sr=1-1&condition=new

^ theres therees a couple for 8 bucks, and one for 9 in the Uk..

[ShaOW!linDude]

Well, I thought I'd watch and review a few Sammo Hung films like I did of Jackie Chan's recently. So, I'll be doing that over the next week or two. Tonight it was......

SKINNY TIGER & FATTY DRAGON (1991) Running time: 105 mins.

Stars: Sammo Hung, Karl Maka, Carrie Ng, Wanda Jessia Yung, Lung Ming Yan, Woo Fung, Lau Kar Wing (Chia Yung Liu)

Dir.: Lau Kar Wing (Chia Yung Liu = according to IMDb)

Action/MA director: Ridley Tsui

SH is "Fatty" Dragon and KM is "Baldy" (not "Skinny") Tiger, a pair of gung-ho detectives on the police force obsessed with taking down the drug lord, Wing (LKW).

Fight #1 --- Baldy vs 3 robbers

The opening fight takes place in a convenience store. While it's nothing special, it's not bad. It's more of a comical fight but there's some good hits in it. (2 of the robbers sport awful-looking mullets --- a haircut that looks terrible in any culture.)

Fight #2 --- Fatty vs jewel robbers

Impersonating a robber crashing a robbery already in progress, Fatty takes on about 7 dudes. This is good stuff here. Some good kicks that send guys crashing into display cases. (Sammo's fighting style is a slight impersonation of Bruce Lee and plays throughout the film.) He throws a beautiful side kick catapulting 1 fellow backwards. Sweet!

Fight #3 --- Baldy/Fatty vs Ah Lai (CN) and a transvestite

Takes place in a department store's women's dressing room. It's brief but good. It's mainly CN and KM. She can take a hit and throw some of her own. She sells her fights well. There's a short exchange between Fatty and the transvestite who gets away but it's all Sammo.

Fight #4 --- Construction Site Fight

Baldy & Fatty vs a buttload of thugs. Well, mainly it's Sammo taking on everybody while KM deals with CN and a couple of goons. Great fight from Sammo here! Good flow and good choreography! He even uses 2 short pieces of pipe Escrima style against pipe and machete wielding gangsters. He then chases their boss, Tak, into a nearby restaurant kitchen. Sammo knocks him all over the place. Tak then runs into the dining area where a reception is being held for the Police Deputy Commissioner. It's great fun to watch Sammo leaping on and tackling Tak into numerous tables. There's some great falls.

Interlude: Because of their antics, Baldy and Fatty are forced to go on vacation. They go to Singapore where they meet 2 girls and go to a karaoke bar one evening. KM sings while Sammo dances with the 2 girls. This is reminiscent of Jim Carrey's bit in "Once Bitten". I love to watch Sammo dance. He's good! He cracks me up and he really hams it up here. Then it's back to Hong Kong...

Fight #5 --- Ah Lai vs 2 female Thai killers

This is pretty brutal. It's a good fight and CN sells it but she doesn't stand a chance.

Fight #6 --- Baldy vs 2 hitmen

This occurs at his girlfriend's apartment. It's not a bad fight. He especially has a good row with Mark Houghton (playing one of the hitmen).

Fight #7 --- Fatty vs 2 female Thai killers

Great fight! He catches them leaving his apartment after they've attacked his father. The fight moves to an eatery in the alley adjacent to his apartment building. This is a hard-hitting fight! Sammo unleashes some devastating kicks on these chicks! (He is doubled for 1 kick; don't see why. Still, it doesn't detract from the fight sequence.) This is one of my favorite fights of the film.

Fight #8 --- End Fight

Oh, where to begin! It's Baldy and Fatty vs Wing and his gang! It's absolutely fantastic! KM gets some good choreography though his fights are still mostly comedic. His best bits are against LKW who is awesome!

But Sammo goes into full-blown Bruce Lee mode! He even uses nunchucks at one point. There were a couple of wire-assisted bits but they're almost undetectable and there were some quick cuts, too, but it wasn't bad. But as always, Sammo absolutely amazes me as a kicker. He's great about showcasing power-kicks and he knows how to do it. His end fight with LKW is great though there is a little doubling taking place in bits. It even segues into a knife fight for a few moments.

Point of interest: a thread about this film from last year: http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15005&highlight=Skinny+Tiger+Fatty+Dragon noted that some versions of this film were produced with cuts made from the end fight. One in particular was the segment where Sammo fights Mark Houghton.

Forum member, Reel Power Stunts, was nice enough to find it and upload it for us to see. Here it is.

kdmQz3hRDR4

I didn't recall ever having seen this before. But then I haven't watched this movie in a long, long time. Well, imagine my surprise tonight to see this footage included in the dvd version that I have!!!!! Sah-weet!!!!!!! (Also I noted that the end of the fight, the way that Sammo puts Houghton down, is almost move for move the fight sequence from Way Of The Dragon when Bruce Lee dispatches the hitman waiting for he and Nora Miao in her apartment. Cool, huh?)

The version I have is the one put out by Mei Ah Laser Disc Co. Ltd. that I got through Tai Seng. Here's a link to it.

http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Tiger-Fatty-Dragon-Kam-Bo/dp/B00004YKSG/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1326519524&sr=1-1

Well, what can I say? This is one of Sammo's best modern actioners! The comedy is cheesy but the action is great! And it's spread fairly evenly throughout the film. There's a little lag in places but it picks up quick. And hey! He dances! Can't beat that! If you've been meaning to get this but have left it on your wish-list for other films, stop wasting your time! GET IT! GET IT! GET IT!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Just got through watching........

CARRY ON, PICKPOCKET (1982) Running time: 96 mins.

Stars: Sammo Hung, Frankie Chan, Deannie (Dinny) Yip, Lau Hak Suen, Didi (Diddy) Pang, Richard Ng

Dir.: Sammo Hung

Action Director(s): Sammo Hung, Billy Chan, Ching-Ying Lam, Yuen Biao (who also doubles in some fighting and acrobatics as well as having a cameo as a man in a bank)

SH is Rice Pot and FC is Chimney, a pair of pickpockets who work in a quartet of thieves with Kim (LHS) and his daughter, Anne (DP). They are coerced at one point to begin stealing ID cards in addition to the cash they take during their thieving. Ling (DY), a female police officer Rice Pot falls for, includes him in a sting operation against a mob boss. But Kim manages to get his hands on some of the mob's diamonds and brings the wrath of the crime boss on the 4 thieves.

Opening Credits

This shows the pickpocket gang plying their trade. It's fun and interesting to watch as they use various ruses of distraction to casually bump into their victims and rob them of their wallets.

Dance Scene/Fight #1

Takes place at a nightclub. To impress a girl, Ling (DY), Rice Pot (Sammo wearing a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt) sticks 2 forks into a couple of dinner rolls to create a pair of feet which he makes dance pre-Johnny Depp in Benny & Joon. (This was actually a schtick first performed by Charlie Chaplin in the 1925 film The Gold Rush.) She asks him to dance. It's a slow dance that changes into a fun dance when the disco music kicks in. This isn't as comical as some of Sammo's other dance scenes in film but you just can't deny "the Fat Dragon" has got some rhythm.

But some jerks decide to ruin it for everybody by picking a fight with Chimney (FC), so....Rice Pot cuts in. The fight starts with a jumping double kick and ends with a well-timed belly bump. It's a short fight but SH deftly puts these jerks in their place. It's classic Sammo choreography with fast back-fists and powerful kicks.

Fight #2 --- Rice Pot & Chimney vs gang members

Takes place in a junkyard. It's short but good! Sammo executes a powerful side kick and sends a guy flying through a stack of 5 gallon metal cans.

Fight #3 --- Rice Pot & Chimney vs mobsters

The mobsters (one of which is Dick Wei) catch the pickpockets at their apartment. This is a very brief skirmish but Dick Wei unloads a cool beatdown on Sammo. Later as they're chased through a park which is a popular make-out spot, SH unleashes another jumping double kick on 2 goons.

Fight #4 --- End Fight

Takes place on a docked freight ship. Once the fighting sets off, I cannot even begin to describe just how bodaciously brutal some of the exchanges are. This is some of Sammo's bloodiest fights I've ever seen. The icing on the cake is the final throwdown between he and Dick Wei. And I'll leave it at that. (Though it didn't exactly end like I'd have liked for it to. Still.....)

This is an early modern actioner. It's one of my favorites from Sammo. While the film drags on plot-wise what with the funny bits and romance, the fight choreography more than makes up for it. FC performs his fights quite well. (I'm unaware if he has any formal MA training or not.) Just as amazing to me sometimes is the dexterity shown in how they pick people's pockets. Granted, I'm sure they weren't really doing it in every instance but the techniques are real. It's all about misdirection. It's a form of legerdemain (sleight of hand). It fascinates me.

But the end fight choreography........Man! This is one of the best "end fight" sequences in all of Sammo's films as far as I'm concerned. The first time I watched this years ago, I was physically cringing at some of the hits. I mean, it's full of "rewind" moments. If you're a Sammo fan and you've never bothered to track this down, get on it and GET THIS!!!!!!!!

[massa_yoda]

Totally agree with you about CARRY ON, PICKPOCKET. It's worth tracking down. Not so many fights, but Sammo displays such power in this one. That fight in the dance club is just amazing. And didn't he have on some kind of funny shirt? Like Mickey Mouse or something. The final fight is tops.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Thought I'd do an older, more classic film and give the modern actioners a break. Tonight it was.......

THE IRON-FISTED MONK (1977) Running time: 93 mins.

Stars: Sammo Hung (Hung Ching Pao), Chen Sing, James Tien, Hark-On Fung, Dean Shek, Casanova Wong, Shi-Kwan Yen, Lung Chan, Billy Chan, Chu Ching, Wang Hsia

***(I pulled the cast names from IMDb because I didn't recognize the Chinese names listed in the opening credits. Many of you forum members are far more familiar with those than I am. Please, forgive me.)***

Action Choreography: Sammo Hung (billed as Chu Yuan Long), Hark-On Fung, Billy Chan

Dir.: Sammo Hung (Hung Ching Pao)

SH is Luk, whose father was killed by Manchus. He is taken into a monastery and trained by his sifu (JT). The Manchus, specifically an official's son who is a rapist, are terrorizing the populace and Luk wants to seek revenge. Leaving the monastery, he is told to seek out a monk named Tak (CS). Together they bring an end to brutality of the Manchu official and his deviant son.

Opening Credits

Luk and a bald monk spar. This is classic "old school" choreography and Sammo uses some Tiger & Leopard styles here. This segues into a training session involving many monks at the monastery. While it's nothing extravagant, it's just some cool choreography.

Fight #1 --- Training challenge

Between Luk (using a single-edged sword) and his sifu (using a staff). There's good flow and speed. It's a fun fight with hints of intricacy.

Fight #2

This is a flashback of Luk's father being beaten and killed by some Manchu ruffians. Sammo takes a beating here. Then Tak arrives to defend him and drive them off. It's a short skirmish but there's some good stuff involved.

Fight #3 --- Another training challenge

Luk vs his sifu while monks call out the strategies of the techniques being employed. Sammo's balance during some of the postures amazes me.

Fight #4 --- Luk vs 3 Manchu thugs

Bullying 3 boys and slicing off their queues (ponytails), Sammo steps in and deftly handles them. It's short but very good as he dominates them easily. There's good flow and interchange between opponents.

Fight #5 --- Luk vs Manchu official's son's 5 man entourage

This takes place at a brothel. Great choreography here! Sammo displays fantastic agility. It's a good blend of comedy and fighting techniques. SH even uses one guy's fist to make him punch himself. There's great leg work as well. SH executes a sweet jump-spinning crescent kick at one point.

Fight #6

The Manchus attack an outdoor cloth factory. This is just all manner of kung fu mayhem on display.

Fight #7 --- End fight

Luk & Tak visit the Manchu official's residence. Dude! These 2 are just devastating! The choreography is great! There are some fantastic kicks here! They cream the Manchu henchmen easily. Then.....

Tak fights a Manchu who uses a metal ball attached to a thin chain. He turns that to his advantage and uses it against his foe, even killing him with it. It's harsh! I love it!

Luk fights 2 Manchus, one using a single-edged sword and wicker shield and the other a Chinese spear. He acquires the spear, kills the guy, and then duels the other. This is some sweet weapon choreography!

Next, Tak faces 2 Manchu imperial guards who use single-edged swords with elongated handles. Dispatching them, he then fight the Manchu official himself who uses Eagle Claw style against Tak's Snake style.

Luk fights the Manchu official's son who uses Mantis style. Luk counters with Leopard & Crane styles.

The fights overlap with a brief interchange of opponents to return to side-by-side duels. This is some outstanding kung fu with dazzling choreography. It's fast and hard and I can't even begin to parse out any one particular, standout move. The whole end fight is one big "rewind" moment!!!!!

This is a different movie from Sammo Hung. While there are moments of comedy, it doesn't really play a major role here as in most of his period piece MA films. This has some darker moments and I warn you: there's a pretty graphic rape scene even by today's standards. The Manchu official's son is a particularly loathsome villain as a coldblooded rapist. The sets are great, especially the brothel. Sammo plays his role well, looking a bit wild and harried, but the man can flat out fight. Chen Sing is amazing in his fights. The end fight is nothing but almost 15 minutes of awesomeness! You absolutely need to GET THIS!!!!!!!

[One Armed Boxer]

But the end fight choreography........Man! This is one of the best "end fight" sequences in all of Sammo's films as far as I'm concerned. The first time I watched this years ago, I was physically cringing at some of the hits. I mean, it's full of "rewind" moments. If you're a Sammo fan and you've never bothered to track this down, get on it and GET THIS!!!!!!!!

Oh man...the worst thing about reading this review for me was that I actually do have this, & have had it for many years! Somehow it managed to sit in my 'to watch' pile for far too long, and now it's on the other side of the ocean at my parents place in the UK...your review might be just enough to make me send them an e-mail requesting them venture into my wildly disorganized DVD vault and try to dig this out and send it over to me!

FC performs his fights quite well. (I'm unaware if he has any formal MA training or not.)

As far as I'm aware he doesn't have any formal training, but he definitely seems to have a smiliar gift to Leung Kar Yan in his ability to pick up choreography. Actually he is most famous for being a movie soundtrack composer, the music for this movie as well as countless other classic HK movies was more than likely done by Frankie Chan, and he's also a decent director....he helmed the Yukari Oshima movies 'Outlaw Brothers' and 'Burning Ambition'...and also directed the recent 'Legendary Amazons', as well as serving as assistant director on the upcoming 'Armour of God 3: Chinese Zodiac'.

For me personally, I'll always remember him for the final fight against Yuen Biao in 'Prodigal Son'....pure class!

Well, I thought I'd watch and review a few Sammo Hung films

Keep them coming! I'd love to hear your thoughts on 'Magnificent Butcher', 'Eastern Condors', 'Encounters of the Spooky Kind', or 'Millionaires Express'!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Thanks, OAB. I alway appreciate your remarks and encouragement.

Actually, I think I noticed that F. Chan did the music for Iron-Fisted Monk.

I plan on doing some more Sammo reviews but I'm gonna give him a rest for the moment.

Oh! And get the folks to send you that dvd!!! You'll be glad you did!

[ShaOW!linDude]

For a change of pace, thought I'd review some MA films not normally discussed.

RAGE (1995) Running time: 95 mins.

Stars: Gary Daniels, Kenneth Tigar, Fiona Hutchison, Jillian McWhirter, Peter Jason, Mark Metcalf, Tim Colceri, Dave Powledge, Doren Fein

Fight Choreographer: Art Camacho

Dir.: Joseph Merhi

GD is Alex Gainer, a 2nd grade school teacher, who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's kidnapped and taken to a lab to be used as a subject in an illegal scientific experiment. (Is there any other kind?) He's injected with a chemical that causes a person to be prone to fits of violence. He escapes the lab and a massive manhunt ensues while he tries to clear his name and get back to his wife and daughter.

Fight #1 --- Alex vs lab techs and security guards

Bound in a straightjacket, GD cuts loose with some furious feet. This displays his kicking dexterity quite nicely. The choreography isn't bad though it looks to get off track once or twice. It turns into a shootout. (The security guards are sporting Mac-10's. Huh?) He's finally subdued by not 1 but 2 jolts with a stun-gun to the groin. Yeowch!!!

Fight #2 --- Alex vs sheriff and a couple of agents

Taken to a remote area to be disposed of, GD comes to and gets beaten up by the fat crooked sheriff. But he turns the tables and fights his way to safety. The choreography here is okay but nothing special. He does give the sheriff a nice forearm to the groin though. (Is there such a thing as "a nice forearm to the groin"?)

Fight #3 --- Alex vs bondage couple

He stumbles into a house where a husband and wife are engaged in a little S & M. (Can you engage in just "a little S & M"?) While pilfering their fridge for something to eat, they attack him. I mean, out the blue, the husband just starts whaling on his head with a frying pan. This is a fun but bizarre fight. The wife is an Amazon who stands a foot taller than her husband who gets tossed about like a rag doll. (During the fight, I mean.) GD then encounters 2 cops as he leaves. This is some nice stuff here but it's short. He uses a nice arm-bar and back fist and ends it with a flourishing spinning back kick.

Fight #4 --- Alex vs 3 agents

Takes place at his home. This is short but vicious. The choreography is tight. Good fight; should've been longer.

Fight #5 --- Alex vs more agents

Takes place in an indoor shopping mall. This starts off with some great MA before segueing into a shootout interspersed with stunts. Best fight! It's a good showcase. There's some powerful kicks and a couple of nice throws. Lots, I mean lots, of broken glass.

This is a good B-actioner if you've never seen it. The plot is serviceable and the acting is pretty good. It's full of stunts though many just don't seem plausible to the character. Maybe if the story had touched more on his back ground other than a random mention of the fact that even though he's a school teacher, he spends more time practicing martial arts than some people watch tv.

This really doesn't have any standout fight moments though; nothing you'd rewind to watch again. (Well, maybe the opening of the final fight. Good stuff there.) Still, it showcases Daniels' potential as a MA film star and the guy is a great screen fighter. If you've never seen a Gary Daniels film, it's a good introduction. He's a decent actor and he's got charisma. You won't be disappointed.....but he's done better. It's your call but I recommend it.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Watched another Gary Daniels film.

RECOIL (1997) Running time: 97 mins.

Stars: Gary Daniels, Gregory A. McKinney, Tom Kopache, Billy Maddox, John Sanderford, Robin Curtis, Kelli McCarty, Maurice Lamont, Richard Foronjy

Dir.: Art Camacho

Action Dir.: Spiro Razatos

GD is Ray Morgan, a police detective, who arrives during an attempted bank heist involving heavily armed, body-armored robbers. Chasing down the final robber, he and 4 other police officers gun him down. The robber turns out to be an unarmed young man who is the son of a crime boss. The mobster goes after the cops responsible and takes revenge while Morgan is away on vacation. On learning of the other cops' deaths, Morgan takes his family into hiding but is ambushed on the way. His family murdered but surviving the attack himself, he goes after the crime boss and his remaining sons.

Fight #1 --- Morgan vs the mob

Takes place at the crime boss' house while he's hosting a pool party. (How rude!) Killer fight! Excellent choreography! GD shows some good boot work, especially a jumping split kick. There's also a good mix-up with 1 knife-wielding henchman. The only bad thing is that towards the end it devolves into a minor shootout.

Fight #2 --- Morgan vs top henchman

Takes place atop a white stretch limo. There's no real MA to speak of. The 2 stuntmen are hanging out of the sun-roof as the limo slaloms through traffic on a bridge. Still, it's pretty cool.

Fight #3 --- Morgan vs goons and lab techs

This is at the drug lab in an old refinery. Good stuff here! Lots of cool take-outs and about 3 really good mix-ups. The choreography is great with plenty of Daniels' fantastic kicking! Best fight sequences of the film! Of course, it ultimately segues into a shootout, too.

This is another really good B-actioner from Gary Daniels. The plot and acting are serviceable once again. It's full of good stunts (though some of the chase sequences are waaaaaay too long with what looks to be reused footage). Here's the kicker (pardon the pun): The MA choreography doesn't even start until about the 1 hour and 5 minute mark. But when it does......brother, it's sweet! That's really the only bad thing about this movie. It needed more MA in the action sequences throughout the film. Still, what you get is well worth the wait and it has a few rewatchable moments. Hey, you can always fast-forward to fights and save yourself an hour. Get this!

[ShaOW!linDude]

DEADLY BET (1992) Running time: 92 mins.

Stars: Jeff Wincott, Charlene Tilton, Michael DeLano, Ray Mancini, Steven Vincent Leigh

Dir.: Richard W. Munchkin

Fight Choreographer: Eric Lee

(There's a lot of cameos and bit parts by MA screen fighters: Gary Daniels, Gerald O'Hamura, Leo Lee, Art Camacho, Ian Jacklin, Mike "Bam Bam" Petroni, Jason Lee, Steven Ho, to name a few.)

Set in Las Vegas, Angelo (JW) is a hopeless gambler. He and Isabella (CT) are leaving to get him away from the town's temptations. Stopping to pay off a debt to Ricco (SVL), a fighter who has succeeded in creating a thriving business with underground fights, Angelo allows himself to be coerced into a foolish bet and puts Isabella up for collateral. After losing, he languishes about town making small bets and working for a bookie to whom he owes money. Finally, an opportunity presents itself to face Ricco again and win back Isabella.

Fight #1 --- Fletch (GD) vs Al

Angelo places a bet on Fletch to win against Al, a big brawlin' black dude. It's a really good fight giving GD a chance to shine. Goods hits and even exchanges; GD ends it with a sweet jump spinning roundhouse kick. (It's his only fight in the film sadly.)

Fight #2 --- Angelo (JW) vs Ricco (SVL)

This is a totally 1-sided fight. Ricco dominates. SVL shows good power and control. He throws some vicious uppercuts and great kicks including a sweet axe kick.

Fight #3 --- Red Gi fighter vs Black Gi fighter

This is at an Asian club where Angelo goes to try to win some money. This fight is sweet!!!! These 2 guys execute some cool choreography! It's well paced and has a great flow. There's some beautiful kicks here.

Fight #4 --- Angelo vs 2 fighters (one of which is Leo Lee)

JW dominates here and again the choreography is well paced. The hits are hard and he demonstrates he's no slouch with his feet. He uses crescent kicks like it's 2nd nature to him.

Fight #5 --- Hodge Podge

While Angelo hangs out at the Asian club listening to a game he's bet on, he watches 3 bouts. All 3 are really good in their own right. It's great choreography making for some brutal matches the last of which is a duel with nunchuks.

Fight #6 --- Angelo vs 3 thugs

This is cool with some very brutal hits. JW even displays some Escrima skills against them.

Fight #7 --- Angelo vs a debtor

Forced to work as a collector for a bookie, he rouses a dude who also owes money. It's short but sweet. JW delivers kicks in cowboy boots. (You know that's gotta hurt.)

Fight #8 --- Ricco vs African-American fighter

It's short but good. Again SVL dominates, fighting with a flourish that accentuates his power and physique.

Fight #9 --- Angelo vs 5 guys in a bar

It's short and pretty brutal. He takes some licks but wins.

Fight #10 --- Ricco's tournament

This is really just vignettes of Angelo, Ricco, and Killer Conroy, a vicious black martial artist, dispatching opponents on the way to the semi-finals. There's really nothing special here.

Fight #11 --- Angelo vs Killer Conroy

This fight is okay. It's really just a lot of power hits. Some of them look cool but this could've been a better choreographed fight.

Fight #12 --- Angelo vs Ricco rematch

This starts off with power hits, too. It's sort of slow but it gets better once Angelo rallies from the beatdown Ricco's been giving him. Then it's some solid fighting with good exchanges. Still, I think it could've been better.....but it works. There's some good bootwork and a few knee strikes. But what really would've helped is a little more intricate choreography.

This is another good solid B-actioner. The plot is nothing new but it works and the acting is slightly above average. Some of the fights are hampered by the editing and close-ups but not irritatingly so.

I'm a fan of JW and most of his films. (The sad thing is that his best MA films have never gotten a decent dvd release. It's a shame!!!!) He's a good actor and an excellent screen fighter. This movie is not his best but it is far above his worst. He has a number of good fights. SVL is good as the villain and his character doesn't really seem to be such a bad guy. But he comes across as a poser-fighter. It gets old after a while, plus he doesn't have many fights. But really it's all the filler fights that make this movie so good. I recommend it as good to have around to watch on occasion.Trust me, you've seen much worse. Get this.

[ShaOW!linDude]

I have been extremely patient waiting for this to finally hit dvd. And now it has....right as my unemployment has run out.

MANDRILL (2010) Running time: 88 mins.

Stars: Marko Zaror, Celine Reymond, Alejandro Castillo, Luis Alarcon, Juan Pablo Aliaga, Miguel Angel De Luca, John Francis Meany

"Tres Hermanos" --- Victor Gonzalez, Francisco Castro, Danilo Castro

MA Choreographer: Marko Zaror

Stunt Coordinator: Victor Gonzalez

Dir.: Ernesto Diaz Espinoza

MZ is a hitman known as Mandrill. As a young boy, his mother and father were murdered by a man known as The Cyclops. Mandrill's handler learns that a hit has been issued for his family's killer. Mandrill goes in search of the man's daughter, Dominik (CR), with the intent of using her to find her father and exact revenge. His seduction play backfires and he falls in love with her. But when the opportunity finally arises, he takes revenge. Then he finds himself having made an enemy of the woman he loves who now seeks to exact her own vengeance on him.

Fight #1 --- Mandrill vs 2 bodyguards

This is the opening fight sequence and it's very, very short but it showcases what you're in store for. MZ pulls off a back flip kicking 1 guard on the ascension and the other while descending. Sweet!!!!!

Fight #2 --- Mandrill vs Wasco (MADL)

Takes place at Wasco's villa. Great fight! Very fast, very smooth choreography! MZ delivers a sweet spinning back fist to the back of his opponent's head at one point that sends the guy into a forward somersault. It's so cool!!!!

Fight #3 --- Mandrill vs security personnel

Takes place within the hotel and there are various numbers of guards and locales. There's a 3-on-1 fight in a hallway which has MZ executing a great kick combo. Best fight! A 1-on-1 in the parking garage. Fantastic hard-hitting choreography! Really good exchanges!

Fight #4 --- Mandrill vs more security personnel

This is a fight-on-the-run up and down a stairwell and it's full of great combo's.

Fight #5 --- Mandrill vs Colotho (JFM), Dominik's bodyguard

It's okay. More of a brawl actually. Still, MZ does work in some of his trademark moves. Could've been better.

Fight #6 --- Mandrill vs Tres Hermanos

Great fight!!! Good, intricate choreography delivered with great speed, timing, and execution! 1 foe sets MZ up for the 2nd to attack which sets him up for the 3rd to attack. Kicks are flying all over the place! I enjoyed it so much I wish it were longer.

This is a great action film and fun to watch! MZ is a great screen fighter but he's also a decent actor. There's good chemistry between he and CR which helps to keep the plot from lagging during the middle portion of the movie. But what really makes it fun is the fact that it is also an homage to B-movie/exploitation films and his character's flashbacks to watching scenes from his favorite action hero are good for an enjoyable laugh. (The end credits even contain a list of directors and actors whose films were an influence for the character.)

Marko Zaror is phenomenal to watch on screen. He performs back flips and barrel-rolls like he can't help himself; it's as though he has a physical form of Tourette's or something. For someone so tall he is amazingly agile. And he's as fantastic with his feet as he is with his fists.

GET THIS! GET THIS! GET THIS! And if you've not seen his other films, check out: Chinango; Kiltro; and Mirageman. I may have to watch those again now!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Here's another I recently scored.

KING OF TRIADS (aka BAD BLOOD) (2009) Running time: 94 mins.

Stars: Simon Yam, Bernice Liu, Andy On, Lu Xia Jiang, Kenneth Low (Ken Lo), Wai Man Chan, Xin Xin Xiong, Pinky Cheung, Siu Fai Cheung, Suet Lam

Dir.: Dennis S. Y. Law

Action Choreography: Nicky Li

When the head of a crime organization is executed in prison, a surge for power erupts between the members of his family and his lieutenants.

Fight #1 --- Hung (KL), Kong (XXX), & Calf (AO) vs pursuing cops

Takes place in a junkyard and an abandoned building. Starts off with feet flying! Good choreography! I'm liking this already! It's especially nice to KL and XXX showing their skills.

Fight #2 --- Calf vs Dumby (LXJ)

Dumby is a mute girl and uses an iron spike/knife with a rope tether. Good fight! Very well choreographed with hard-hitting kicks. AO is impressive here.

Fight #3 --- Dumby vs street gang

Good stuff! LXJ is a kicker! She throws a beautiful jump-spinning back kick. There's some good stunt falls here, too, especially off the top of a semi-trailer.

Fight #4 --- Sparring sequence

This is between Calf and Dumby. It's short but kind of cool.

Fight #5 --- Calf vs Kong

Takes place at Kong's gym. Fantastically intense knife fight! Fast choreography with great flow! AO sneaks in roundhouse kicks with smooth deftness. XXX takes some good falls.

Fight #6 --- Calf & Dumby vs Zen (WMC), Hung (KL), & gang

Takes place in a parking garage. Holy cow, this is a pretty boss fight! KL w/baseball bat, WMC w/katana, and a gang armed w/knives are taken on by AO w/knife and LXJ w/2 pieces of pipe she uses like Escrima sticks. AO is absolutely lethal with his kicks. The choreography is fast and intricate! Awesome fight!!!

Fight #7 --- Audrey (BL) vs 6 fighters

This is apparently the dance class she's always saying she goes to during the movie. She offers the fighters money to see if they can beat her and then kills them. The fights are good, though not on a par with the rest of the film so far. Still, it establishes her as someone to contend with later on.

Fight #8 --- Audrey vs Funky (SY)

It's a sword fight. It's not too bad and, boy, does she booger him up. Lots of quick cuts in this one though.

Fight #9 --- Audrey vs Dumby

After Dumby slashes her way through umpteen bodyguards, it's a chick fight in the living room......and not a very good one. I mean, it has its moments but this should've been so much better. BL just dominates, which sux after having seen LXJ display such good skill throughout the film. The end is surprising though.

I enjoyed this movie for 2 reasons: Andy On's fighting was very, very impressive and there's way more MA in this than I thought there would be. Bernice Liu plays her role well and it's interesting to watch the metamorphosis of her character. Plus, all the great actors/screen fighters in this. I do wish that KL had been given a little for time to showcase. His kicking ability leaves me wanting more and he and AO didn't really get to throwdown like I'd hoped.

There are really only 2 hindrances about this movie: The end fight was just not what it could've been and the unnecessary re-title. Bad Blood is definitely a more apt title than King Of Triads. There are no triads and none are ever mentioned. It's just a crime organization tailored more like the mob than the triads. Plus, the theme of the film doesn't just pertain to bad blood between the lieutenants and the family members but the family itself. There's a history there that is revealed in bits and pieces and the caring consideration for one another is really nothing more than a cover for spiteful insidiousness and the chance to seek opportunity to remove someone who is regarded as an obstacle to wealth and power.

There are lovers and haters of Dennis Law's films. I've only ever seen this and Fatal Contact (which I like) and this is nowhere near as depressing and surprising as that.

This movie is good strictly for Andy On's fighting performance and the quality of the fights in it. GET IT!!!!!