My Many MiniReviews

[ShaOW!linDude]

I wouldn't think it would be hard to find. Here are links to 1, 2, & 3 disc dvd sets of it on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Wolf-Samuel-Le-Bihan/dp/B00006ADEM/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339544055&sr=1-1&keywords=brotherhood+of+the+wolf

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Wolf-Directors-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B0019PL2P2/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339544055&sr=1-2&keywords=brotherhood+of+the+wolf

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Wolf-Disc-Collectors-Edition/dp/B00006I04R/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339544055&sr=1-3&keywords=brotherhood+of+the+wolf

[DarthKato]

I wouldn't think it would be hard to find. Here are links to 1, 2, & 3 disc dvd sets of it on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Wolf-Samuel-Le-Bihan/dp/B00006ADEM/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339544055&sr=1-1&keywords=brotherhood+of+the+wolf

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Wolf-Directors-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B0019PL2P2/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339544055&sr=1-2&keywords=brotherhood+of+the+wolf

http://www.amazon.com/Brotherhood-Wolf-Disc-Collectors-Edition/dp/B00006I04R/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1339544055&sr=1-3&keywords=brotherhood+of+the+wolf

:Thanks SD:nerd:

[blue_skies]

isn't there a longer directors cut Of Brotherhood of the Wolf?

[ShaOW!linDude]

The 2nd link I posted is a 2 disc special edition which is a director's cut, I believe.

[blue_skies]

I should go & get this out of storage it's been years since I watched it, actually the last time I saw this movie was on VHS before I got my first DVD player:tongue:

[ShaOW!linDude]

CRYING FREEMAN (1995) Running time: 101 mins.

Stars: Mark Dacascos, Julie Condra, Rae Dawn Chong, Byron Mann, Masaya Kato, Yoko Shimada, Tcheky Karyo, Mako

Stunt Coordinator: Scott Ateah

Dir.: Christophe Gans

Based on the manga and anime series "Crying Freeman" by Kazuo Koike & Ryoichi Ikegami.

Emu O'Hara (JC) is a young single woman who witnesses an execution of a Yakuza gangster's son by Yo Hinomura (MD). Yo is the Freeman, the singular assassin of A Chinese secret society known as the Sons of the Dragons. She then sees him assassinate the gangster himself (Mako) outside the police station. Yo is expected to kill Emu so that she cannot identify him, but instead he goes against his handler, Koh (BM), and seeks to protect her from the Yakuza clan now headed by Ryuji (MK) and Lady Hanada (YS), who would use her to get to him.

Fight #1 --- Yo vs Ryuji & 2 hitmen

Takes place at Emu's house. This is very short but very cool, especially in the way that MD sets himself up to ambush them. He takes out 2 with a knife and then it turns into a brief shootout.

Fight #2 --- Yo vs the Yakuza clan

This is the end fight. It starts off as a big shootout but eventually turns into some pretty cool swordplay. MD gets to showcase a little bit here with some great kicks, even pulling off a barrel roll between 2 opponents slashing at him. (According to IMDb, he and Gans choreographed the end fight.)

I really like this movie. I didn't learn about it until BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF came out in 2001. It was impossible to find in the US, and the majority of the time I checked for it on line, it was either perpetually out of stock or $80. Finally got lucky and nabbed it a few years back.

I've never read the mangas, but I'd seen the anime series, and the film is relatively faithful if I recall. This was MD's first film with Gans, and according to IMDb, Jason Scott Lee was originally the director's first choice for the role but couldn't do it due to other contractual obligations. Mark lobbied for the role and got it. (Also, this is the film where MD met his wife, Julie Condra.)

The film has a nice feel to it. The sets and locales are great. MD sports the character's dragon tattoo. The opening credits are really cool. While I only listed to 2 fights, that's because they're the only ones with any MA, but there's a good bit of gun play in this and it's pretty cool. And actually, that's my only gripe with this film. MD is really underused in this as far as his MA skills go until the very end (though he did perform all his own stunts). And when I watch it, I think of how much better it would have been with about 3 more fight sequences or at least a good boss fight at the end. I don't know what kind of luck you might have nowadays, but this is truly worth searching for. GET IT!!!!!!!

[Drunken Monk]

Try "Dragon From Russia" if you like "Crying Freeman." Same story, with added insanity, including a blindfolded nunchaku fight, if my memory recalls correctly.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Reviewed Dragon From Russia on pg 3. But yeah, there are some similarities.

[Drunken Monk]

Reviewed Dragon From Russia on pg 3. But yeah, there are some similarities.

One step ahead of me!

Or, in this case, 16 pages ahead of me.

[One Armed Boxer]

Try "Dragon From Russia" if you like "Crying Freeman." Same story, with added insanity, including a blindfolded nunchaku fight, if my memory recalls correctly.

Another HK movie based on the 'Crying Freeman' manga is 'Killer's Romance', directed by Philip Ko Fei back in 1990 it stars Simon Yam in the Dacascos / Hui role, but has the unique factor of being filmed entirely on location in London. Definitely worth checking out, it's a B-movie, as most of Ko Fei's movies where around that era, but it's a good one, and thankfully made before he started churning out his ultra low-grade Philippines based efforts. Check out a clip below -

DX9yUqLkLPo

[ShaOW!linDude]

Very interesting. I like Simon Yam as a dramatic actor, but I just never bought into him as an action star. I'd check this out though. Thanks for hipping me to it, OAB.

[ShaOW!linDude]

THE MILLIONAIRE'S EXPRESS (aka THE SHANGHAI EXPRESS) (1986) Running time: 96 mins.

Stars: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan, Eric Tsang, Richard Ng, James Tien, Phillip Ko, Hwang Jang Lee, Yasuaki Kurata, Yukari Oshima, Richard Norton, Cynthia Rothrock Dick Wei, Yuen Wah

Action Choreographer: Hung Brothers

Dir.: Sammo Hung

Ching Fong Tin (SH) is the ne'er-do-well son of the little town of Hanshui. He returns to atone for his past mistakes by planning to dynamite the railroad so that the train, the Millionaire's Express, will stop thus forcing its passengers to avail themselves of the town's amenities. He is opposed by Hanshui's new security chief, Tsao Cheuk Kin (YB), an upright man of law and order. Aboard the train are gangsters who are determined to steal a map from 3 Japanese samurai. In addition to that, the town is invaded by the gangsters' bandits seeking to plunder both the townsfolk and passengers.

Fight #1 --- Sammo Hung vs Yuen Biao

This occurs at the train stop where Biao finds Sammo stringing the dynamite. This fight is so good! Both take some great falls and their exchanges are hard-hitting. There's great impact, especially with regards to the kicks. A couple of my faves are when Biao jumps off the platform into Sammo's back kick and then later Biao performs a flying scissor-leg takedown to Sammo's head.

Fight #2 --- Big Finale w/Multiple End Fights

Wow, there's a lot going on here! There are lots of mini-fights and stunts. Yukari Oshima takes on a bunch of the bandits with some neat swordplay. Richard Norton and Yasuaki Kurata pair off and while it's a fun fight, I wish it had been just a little more involved. But the best are....

Yuen Biao vs Dick Wei: This is just fantastic and full of great boot work. It starts in the hotel lobby and moves up the stairs and onto a balcony. Biao's acrobatics come into play and he's amazing.

Sammo Hung vs Cynthia Rothrock: I love this fight! And, man, does Sammo take a beating! CR really get to demonstrate her strength in kicking. What makes this so good though is Sammo's performance as he gets worked up during the course of the fight and then finishes it off with a good scolding.

Sammo & Biao vs Hwang Jang Lee: This is short but excellently choreographed. I would've loved for this to run a lot longer, but Sammo and Biao execute a sweet double-team on HJL.

There's a lot of action and stunts strewn throughout the film. One of the best is at the introduction of Biao's character and he performs a cartwheel off the roof of a 2-story burning building in a single one-shot take. The camera hangs back for the stunts and then moves in for his dialogue, so there is no doubt as to his execution of the stunt. I love this guy.

There's also lots of hijinks and slapstick/situational comedy. Some of it works, some doesn't. But Eric Tsang owns me in this movie, especially early on. He's a corrupt security chief and so condescending and abusive of his men.

I have a vhs version of this by the title The Shanghai Express. There are some scenes I remember from it that aren't in this. One is Rosamund Kwan's infatuation with Biao's character in a number of scenes. Then I want to say there is a scene set in the bandits' camp where some fool thinks he can put the moves on Rothrock and she quickly dispels him of that notion. I thought I might find a clip on Youtube but no luck. (Am I remembering any of this wrong?)

This is one of my favorite ensemble cast films. The fights in it are one of the reasons I love Sammo and Biao. I don't know that it matters what version you may find, just get your hands on it. I don't think you'll be disappointed with whichever one you score. GET IT! GET IT! GET IT!

[Drunken Monk]

"Millionaire's Express" has always been underrated in my opinion. I think it's both a solid comedy and a phenomenal action film. And that cast!

Sammo's face during his bout with Rothrock is unforgettable. He really sells the pain and frustration he feels.

[massa_yoda]

I have a vhs version of this by the title The Shanghai Express. There are some scenes I remember from it that aren't in this. One is Rosamund Kwan's infatuation with Biao's character in a number of scenes. Then I want to say there is a scene set in the bandits' camp where some fool thinks he can put the moves on Rothrock and she quickly dispels him of that notion. I thought I might find a clip on Youtube but no luck. (Am I remembering any of this wrong?)

I don't know what edition you watched, but Dragon Dynasty's release has deleted scenes and I think they are the ones you describe here.

Classic film btw. My friends hated it, they call it 'that one movie with the train'. People don't understand that this was a giant homage to the silent comedies of the 20's. Yes the humor is a little much, but that was the point. And the finale is SO amazing.

[ShaOW!linDude]

The version I have is put out by Universe Laser & Video Co., Ltd. (Could this be a bootleg?) I want to say I got it through Tai Seng but I honestly can't remember. I'm going to have to track down that DD version one day if that is in fact the case about those extra scenes. Thanks for hipping me to that, massa_yoda.

[DarthKato]

Sammo Hung vs Cynthia Rothrock: I love this fight! And, man, does Sammo take a beating! CR really get to demonstrate her strength in kicking. What makes this so good though is Sammo's performance as he gets worked up during the course of the fight and then finishes it off with a good scolding.

Good review SD

Sounds like it be worth watching this film just to see those to go at it.

[ShaOW!linDude]

SHANGHAI SHANGHAI (1990) Running time: 83 mins.

Stars: Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Anita Mui, George Lam, Sandy Lam, Tien Niu

Dir.: Teddy Robin Kwan

Action Directors: Lam Di On & Yuen Tak

Set in the 1930's, Little Tiger (YB) is an idealistic young man, newly arrived to Shanghai, and seeking his brother, Big Tiger (GL), an officer in the British army. Through serendipitous events, he is involved in a gangland feud. Mary Sung (AM) is the old flame of Big Tiger and the goddaughter of Mr. Chin (SH), a powerful underworld figure. Little Tiger falls in with an acrobatic troupe, and through more odd events, they end up running a club for Mr. Chin. Mary is involved with the Revolutionary Party and draws Little Tiger in to help recover the funds stolen by her godfather. But Chin seeks to make scapegoats of Mary, Little Tiger, and Big Tiger, and a confrontation ensues at his mansion.

Fight #1 --- The Heaven Cabaret

The club at which a gangland heist occurs. It's really a big shootout, but Biao gets to throw a kick here and there as well as performing a couple of stunts, one in which he drops from a chandelier and then rolls away just as it crashes down on him.

Fight #2 --- Little Tiger vs thugs

A very small skirmish following a public performance by an acrobatic troupe. Not much, as it's so short ,but Biao does a nice double kick off a bench.

Fight #3 --- Little Tiger vs Mary

Takes place at the Heaven Cabaret after Little Tiger becomes its manager. YB and AM have a cool dance sequence. Their dancing is fantastic and laced with kung fu as she not so subtly attacks him.

Fight #4 --- End fight at Chin's Mansion

Mary vs Chin's gang -- AM is really fun to watch here. She demonstrates great kicking ability and even gets in some swordplay (though it's nothing classical). She's obviously doubled for some of the stunts, but she's very impressive selling her fights and beautiful to watch.

Little Tiger vs Chin -- a Sammo/Biao throwdown! It's a good fight! Biao does a few wire-assisted maneuvers but this is still full of hard-hitting old fashioned choreography. Sammo uses some hand shapes and sneaks in his usual back kick. Biao is not so acrobatic in this but his kicking is great, and he pulls off a sweet leg sweep on Sammo at one point.

I sort of like this film. It's not as action driven as I would've liked. There was certainly opportunity to have done more, especially fleshing out some of the early fight sequences. This is primarily a drama-driven film, but the end certainly delivers a bang-up end fight! And while I'm not the biggest Anita Mui fan, I like her in this. Her fight is pretty boss! (The first time I watched this was with a friend who isn't big on Asian cinema, and he was immediately smitten with her.)

Some of the plot gets confusing and the character development isn't the best....but who cares? The Sammo/Biao fight is the main reason to own this, and it is definitely a rewatchable fight! The choreography is fast and they don't appear to be holding back. I say whether you're a completionist or not, you ought to GET THIS!

[DarthKato]

Good Review SD

Wasn't Anita Mui in "Rumble in the Bronx"? I didn't even know that she could fight.

[One Armed Boxer]

Wasn't Anita Mui in "Rumble in the Bronx"? I didn't even know that she could fight.

Indeed she does...she turns up in a few of Jackie Chan's movies, most notably to almost steal the show from him in her performance as Chan's mother in 'Drunken Master 2'...nevermind about the age difference!

I've actually never seen 'Shanghai Shanghai', although I've had in on DVD for several years, for some reason it's never entered my player. Maybe now will be a good time to check it out after reading another of ShaOW!linDudes excellent reviews.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Here it is.

THE RAID (2011) Running time: 101 mins.

Stars: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donnie (Doni) Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno, Ray Sahetapy, Tegar Satrya, Eka 'Piranha' Rahmadia

Dir.: Gareth Huw Evans

Fight Choreography: Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Gareth Huw Evans

Rama (IU) is a rookie cop sent on an unsanctioned raid led by Jaka (JT). Their target is a building which is the headquarters of a drug lord named Tama (RS). His team becomes trapped between floors as Tama's men kill them off one by one. Unbeknownst to his fellow police officers is that one of Tama's men is Rama's brother, Andi (DA). He is one of Tama's lieutenants along with a lethal killer known as Mad Dog (YR).

***Some spoilers may appear.***

(There are plenty of action sequences but I'm dealing primarily with the fight choreography.)

Fight #1 --- Hallway fight

Rama is carrying a wounded partner and is attacked by thugs popping out of every door and rounding every corner. This is some insane choreography with Iko using a knife and police baton simultaneously! The fighting is so intricate and frenetic, it's crazy! The brutality of Iko's knife-wielding is just unreal; ripping thighs and knees, puncturing throats and arteries! No single assault stands out as they're all so good!

Fight #2 --- Hallway/Room fight

Rama is unarmed now. Forget about it! The 1st guy takes an incredible back-breaking fall in the stairwell! The fights here are fast and vicious against machete-wielding thugs. Lots of knees and elbows. It culminates into a sweet little 1-on-1 fight full of good exchanges.

Fight #3 --- Mad Dog vs Jaka

This is just a brilliantly choreographed fight! Such inventive use of knees and elbows. 2 knee strikes in particular are so cool! And I love when Mad Dog executes a nice head-wringing flip on Jaka that's like a cowboy bulldogging a steer at the rodeo! The expression on YR's face towards the end shows a man in the throes of bloodlust and riding a wave of adrenaline.

Fight #4 --- Drug lab

Rama, Dagu (ER), and Wahyu vs a bunch of goons. This is just crazy cool! This has some great kicks in it! Iko does a sweet knife-fighting segment at one point. It ends with a nice 1-on-1 atop some stainless steel tables that has a great finishing move. Dagu's fights are great and well executed. (ER is a really good kicker and I hope to see more of him in the future.)

Fight #5 --- Rama & Andi vs Mad Dog

This is phenomenal! What a beautiful display of brutality! The choreography is just so complex, it's dazzling! Mad Dog is amazingly lethal. He's nothing but fists and feet. This is so well put together, it's mind-boggling! I can't remember a 2-on-1 fight I've ever enjoyed more. But then they stab him in the neck with a shard of florescent bulb......and it just makes him mad! The impacts! The falls! I can't tell that anyone is wearing padding. YR deserves all the attention he's getting for this. He is an absolutely astounding martial artist. He owns this fight. (And that's not to take anything away from Iko or DA. They take their beating well and get in a fair share of licks.)

What can I say? The film is well shot and the pace is perfect. There's no shaky-cam and the camera isn't so close it ruins everything. The intensity of the situation in the film is such that I was glad when the fights started so that I could relax and enjoy it. And that's saying something.

Rama and Mad Dog are characters in contrast. At the beginning, Rama is shown working out and practicing on a punching bag that is reminiscent of Wing Chun. Then he's shown praying and meditating. He is both physical and spiritual. But Mad Dog....he is truly nuts. For him, the physical is the spiritual. You see it when he faces off against Jaka and then at the end of that fight. He is ecstatic. And when he faces off against Rama and Andi, he motions them apart so that he may get between them deliberately. He loves the risk of endangering himself.

I cannot properly describe the fights. I just can't. They are all so involved and inventive. To have that sort of muscle memory and make it appear as though it is spontaneous and flow so swiftly....it's just....it's just....it's freakin' wild! I just can't imagine what they could do from here and I dread having to wait and see.

This is a great vehicle for Iko. He has charisma, and he's a fantastic screen fighter. And to take a backseat and let Yayan shine like that is fantastic. Yayan is apt to become the 21st Century Hwang Jang Lee. He plays a great villain and opponent.

Do I really have to tell you? GET THIS!

[ShaOW!linDude]

DEATH GRIP (2012) Running time: 96 mins.

Stars: Eric Jacobus, Nathan Hoskins, Johnny Yong Bosch, Rebecca Ahn, Alvin Hsing, Chelsea Steffenson, Ray Carbonel, Sean Rochford, Edward Kahana Jr, Shaun Finney, Lucas Okuma

Action by: Eric Jacobus & The Stunt People

Writ. & Dir.: Eric Jacobus

Kenny Zemacus (EJ) returns after a long absence to take custody of his mentally challenged brother, Mark (NH). While working a catering job at a gallery, members of a cult led by Torch (JYB) come to steal an ancient silver coin which was one of the 30 pieces of silver used to purchase Judas' betrayal of Jesus. While trying to retrieve the coin, Mark is taken captive and Kenny must rescue him, thus leading to a confrontation with the cult and its leader.

Fight #1 --- Kenny vs 3 ne'er-do-wells led by EK jr

Takes place at a ballpark. It the opening fight and it's a sweet 3-on-1. There is nice interplay here with some hard falls. EJ is a great kicker and incorporates a couple of smooth leg sweeps. The choreography is fast and smooth with an apparent effortless flow that is characteristic of EJ's talent and style.

Fight #2 --- Kenny vs Torch #1

Happens in a men's restroom. This is a fun fight due to a malfunctioning automated commode. It's ingeniously funny as EJ and JYB covertly strike one another while trying not to set the toilet off. Then JYB just uses EJ to demolish the place. There's lots of good falls but not really a lot of fight choreography. Still, it's pretty cool.

Fight #3 --- Kenny vs Vince (RC)

In a darkened office. It's an interesting fight as RC's character is blind and EJ can't see in the dark. Again, EJ is used to physically trash the room. The choreography is fast as he lashes out wildly in hopes of hitting Vince to no avail. I like the premise of the situation and the fight's good, but it ends rather anti-climatically for me.

Fight #4 ---Kenny vs the cultists

Takes place in a big warehouse room. I enjoyed this more on the 2nd viewing. It's very wild; more of a sporadic melee, and demonstrates a complexity to the choreography against a number of foes. There's a cool flying side-kick over a desk, a couple of scissor-leg takedowns, and lots of feet and fists. It gets sort of trippy in places due to the "Kenny vision" (visualizing the fight scenario) and then the actual fight unfolding. But I think it works in this instance. And it's not without its humor and the choreography is really good.

Fight #5 --- Kenny vs Dominic (AH)

Wow! This is just a balls-to-the-wall knife fight! Fast, furious, and freakin' incredible! The speed and intricacy is amazing! I was expecting a cool finishing move to this fight, but there is none. That's not to say that it doesn't have a cool finish, though. Yikes!

Fight #6 --- Kenny vs Torch #2

Dude! Best fight of the film! It's a hard-hitting mix-up with great exchanges on both parts. The kicks are unbelievably fast and the punches are stunning! It's a brutal fight that's well choreographed and shot. And yet....

.....There was some choreography done that is in a deleted scene found in the extras. In it are some amazing maneuvers, particularly a kick combo performed by EJ on JYB. It is fantastic! Superb! Crazy! It is this type of choreography that is missing from the end fight that I was hoping to see.

I love the Stunt People's projects and I'm a huge Eric Jacobus fan. This is his best work to date....sort of.

Here's the peanut butter:

This is a very mature and well done film. The story is interesting; the characters are intriguing and endearing; the production is the best they've ever done. Nathan Hoskins is really good as the lovable, idiosyncratic lummox, Mark. You can't help but feel drawn to him. And Eric's turn as his guilt-ridden brother, Kenny, is well played, too. I find it comparable to the roles of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung in Heart Of Dragon. I think this is the best script Eric's come up with so far, and it shows a maturity in his subject and writing. And his acting's stepped up, too.

Here's the jelly:

The fights.....the fights.....see, my love for the Stunt People really is rooted in the fights. And the fights in this film are great in relation to this film. But I didn't really find anything that just astounded me like those in Contour or the end fight of Detective Story (which I recently watched again while waiting for my copy of this to arrive).

For his next project, I hope to see Eric bring these 2 together for something really special and spectacular. Now that'd be a sandwich!

And some folks weren't too keen on the "Kenny vision" facet. It was cool with me. I found it to be an inventive, and I'm sure, fun experiment for Eric. And I'd encourage more of that.

And Eric is great about including a ton of extras on the discs. Really cool stuff like....his personal experience with a stomach muscle cramp.

And you've got to love the disclaimer at the end: "No animals were harmed in the making of this film. Many humans were, though.":tongue:

The Stunt People deserve our support! GET THIS!!!!!!!!!

[KUNG FU BOB]

More great reviews bro. Very nice. Glad you finally got around to seeing (and loving) THE RAID!

Good Review SD

Wasn't Anita Mui in "Rumble in the Bronx"? I didn't even know that she could fight.

I don't think she has a martial arts background, but she was a famous performer- singer/dancer. So like many other performers with dance backgrounds (my girl Michelle Yeoh) these skills helped her with action choreography.

You have to check her (and Michelle Yeoh and the gorgeous Maggie Cheung) in HEROIC TRIO- a slightly futuristic, completely OTT female super hero movie. It has baby snatching, flying guillotines, and three beauties kicking ass. 'Nuff said?

There's also a (more futuristic) fun sequel starring the same three ladies called THE EXECUTIONERS. They are early 1990's Hong Kong action classics.

I've actually never seen 'Shanghai Shanghai', although I've had in on DVD for several years, for some reason it's never entered my player. Maybe now will be a good time to check it out after reading another of ShaOW!linDudes excellent reviews.

This was handed to me with the statement "A gangster drama with a great cast", so I was shocked at the cool fights. And blown away by the climactic fisticuffs. Definitely check it out!

[ToryK]

Yayan is apt to become the 21st Century Hwang Jang Lee. He plays a great villain and opponent.

And the scary thing is that this isn't an exaggeration. He really is that good.

Awesome review(s), dude.

[One Armed Boxer]

(ER is a really good kicker and I hope to see more of him in the future.)

While not Eka Rahmadia, Joe Taslim who plays Jaka has got a role as the villain in the upcoming entry to the Fast & the Furious franchise, 'Fast Six', which should at least make it worth a watch - http://twitchfilm.com/news/2012/07/fast-six-joe-taslim-raid.php

Fight #6 --- Kenny vs Torch #2

Dude! Best fight of the film! It's a hard-hitting mix-up with great exchanges on both parts. The kicks are unbelievably fast and the punches are stunning! It's a brutal fight that's well choreographed and shot. And yet....

.....There was some choreography done that is in a deleted scene found in the extras. In it are some amazing maneuvers, particularly a kick combo performed by EJ on JYB. It is fantastic! Superb! Crazy! It is this type of choreography that is missing from the end fight that I was hoping to see.

I'll be the first to admit I've been really anticipating reading your review of this movie, & it's no small statement but I pretty much consider your reviews on par with Mark Pollard's lengthy entries of kungfucinema's yesteryear, great to hear your opinions on 'Death Grip'.

It's funny because I actually anticipated you making this comment! Yes the choreography was more intricate in the couple of deleted fight scenes, but as you mentioned the movie was deliberately shifting it's focus from that type of choreography. Very brave move, and one which I mentioned myself in my own review, post 12 here - http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18294&page=2

The fights.....the fights.....see, my love for the Stunt People really is rooted in the fights. And the fights in this film are great in relation to this film. But I didn't really find anything that just astounded me like those in Contour or the end fight of Detective Story (which I recently watched again while waiting for my copy of this to arrive).

Probably the most accurate statement to sum the movie up that I've read.

And you've got to love the disclaimer at the end: "No animals were harmed in the making of this film. Many humans were, though."

Ha ha, yeah, & if you look just a few lines up, 3 precisely after the 'Shot on location in Oakland, California' credit, you'll see my name! Finally, I made it into a movie credit roll!

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

I'm dying to know what your top 5 films of the year are ShaOW!linDude...