Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted May 4, 2013 Moderator Share Posted May 4, 2013 It seems these days that if you have a group of skilled fighters to work with, but don't have much of a budget, then there's only 1 option for your movies story line - have an evil rich person pit the fighters against each other unknowingly in a televised tournament for other rich people to bid on. 'Bangkok Knockout', 'Coweb', 'The Price of Success', 'Man of Tai Chi'....and now 'Raze' presents us with the female version of what for me has already become a stale concept. Twitch have posted a review of the movie which stars stunt woman turned actress Zoe Bell (the review incorrectly states this is her first starring role - it isn't - she was the star of 2009's 'Angel of Death'), and gives it a thumbs up, check it out along with a trailer below - http://twitchfilm.com/2013/05/tribeca-2013-review-raze-a-bloody-and-brutal-female-centered-action-spectacle-headlined-by-stuntwoma.html 6vAs4ZkGGSE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member blue_skies Posted May 4, 2013 Member Share Posted May 4, 2013 I don't know why they keep reusing that story? It's not like as martial arts fans we demand that much in the way of plot as long as the action is top-notch. The Stunt People seem to come up with more on a genuine shoestring budget, I think they should try harder. I doubt I'll bother with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 12, 2014 Member Share Posted January 12, 2014 a few mixed/decent reviews on the movie out there.. some people hated it because 'to much senseless violence" if thats the case..im all over it. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/raze-movie-review-article-1.1569861 http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/raze-2014...anyone seen it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted January 13, 2014 Member Share Posted January 13, 2014 The tournament fighting story has been beaten to death since forever. but at least it has a female character to inject some freshness into this somewhat stale story structure. I like Zoe Bell and she's coming to my town to promote her film at the Alamo Drafthouse here in Houston, I'll be there for sure, can't wait!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted January 13, 2014 Member Share Posted January 13, 2014 I tried watching this yesterday and turned it off. It's not that the action was bad...it isn't. It just seems to lean more towards the torture porn style of film making with a vague sexual element to it. The film just felt all too exploitative to me and while I love a good exploitation film, the balance felt off here. I'll give it another go soon as I didn't get far into it at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member OpiumKungFuCracker Posted January 13, 2014 Member Share Posted January 13, 2014 I tried watching this yesterday and turned it off. It's not that the action was bad...it isn't. It just seems to lean more towards the torture porn style of film making with a vague sexual element to it. The film just felt all too exploitative to me and while I love a good exploitation film, the balance felt off here. I'll give it another go soon as I didn't get far into it at all. Torture porn, another style I'm so mundane to seeing it over and over again in horror movies. Oh well I'll go in the movie with lower expectation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted January 13, 2014 Member Share Posted January 13, 2014 This is next on my list, after I finish Fists of Legend (no, not a remake of the Jet Li film, but the recent Korean MMA film...have half hour left). I'm a fan of Zoe Bell's so I'll just check it out to see her go postal on someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member FrankBolte Posted January 13, 2014 Member Share Posted January 13, 2014 weird movie.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 13, 2014 Member Share Posted January 13, 2014 How are you guys watching it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 How are you guys watching it? I'll be honest and say I'm watching it illegally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 I got a lot of shit on this site for watching movies illegally.. Glad to see I'm not the only bad apple .. But with me.. If I like it.. I buy it 100% of the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member trueth Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 I got a lot of shit on this site for watching movies illegally.. Glad to see I'm not the only bad apple .. But with me.. If I like it.. I buy it 100% of the time As long as you support what you like, I'm not seeing the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Drunken Monk Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 I got a lot of shit on this site for watching movies illegally.. Glad to see I'm not the only bad apple .. But with me.. If I like it.. I buy it 100% of the time That's always the plan, yeah. I watched "Ninja 2" illegally and even though it's on Netflix now I bought a copy. I'll always support the genre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 I started watching this but It wasn't too interesting with pretty standard fight scenes and some gruesome blood effects. Don't think ill be finishing this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 I started watching it and I'm kinda enjoying it.. It's a movie about "mothers" fighting for family's lives.. I don't expect epic fights, I'm assuming these women got sent here and never even been in a fight.. I like the "red" theme backgrounds.. I think it's better than I expected (I didn't expect much) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member AlbertV Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 I'm an hour into it...started to watch it before I went to work...very brutal fight scenes and that's an understatement. There is an emotional scene that I couldn't help but felt for certain characters. Zoe Bell is da bomb IMO! and Rebecca Campbell is just flat out psycho....hope you don't have a weak stomach coming in to watching this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 14, 2014 Member Share Posted January 14, 2014 if anyone wants to watch it.. PM me i got a link.. if u like it support it an buy it.. im not offering people a way to steal it.. just to watch it first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolintemple Posted January 15, 2014 Member Share Posted January 15, 2014 I watched this film yesterday and while I think it's actually a really polished and well made film, it's just so relentlessly soul destroying. I mean your watching kidnapped girls frightened and crying before gouging each others eyes and snapping each others limbs. That said, it's excellently paced, it's thoroughly engrossing and the villains are fucking BRILLIANT. I'm not lying, I haven't enjoyed a bad guy this much in years. Still though, it just crushes your spirit and I won't be revisiting it ina hurry. Easily a 4 out of 5. Strong stuff. On a side note, id be interested to see how this does with the BBFC as it really dwells on the pain and suffering during almost every violent moment. Strangulations that seem to go on forever and I swear one womans death involved about 30 blows to the head, complete with gasps for air and a load of agony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 15, 2014 Member Share Posted January 15, 2014 i will say this..Z. Bell is one of the most bad ass actresses ive seen in a long time. cant wait for her to get into more movies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member kami Posted January 24, 2014 Member Share Posted January 24, 2014 Just saw this movie, it was disappointing. As a martial arts film it's practically useless. There is no choreography, no interesting moves to speak of, most of the women fight like the untrained everyday people they're supposed to play, they suck at fighting. Not helping is the fact all fights rely heavily on quick cuts. Obviously the makers of the movie were more interested in the exploitation factor, which puts the movie closer to HOSTEL than MAN OF TAI CHI. If you like this kind of gory, torture porn stuff you'll have a good bad time since the direction is effective and the emotions run high in a very populist gonzo way, but if you're looking for a martial arts flick look elsewhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Gwai LO Posted January 24, 2014 Member Share Posted January 24, 2014 I disagree. The movie was never marketed as a "martial arts" film so to to disappointed in not seeing it to me is not a fault of the movie. It was marketed as everyday women locked up and had to fight for freedom. The fact these women are "helpless" supports the plot. one women happily killing and another women fighting to protect them, you start to feel sorry for the girls and don't want them to be hurt.. I never noticed any kind of "porn" In the movie at all.. The only hostal connection I can make is just faces being pounded into the floor and lots of useless blood.. It's full of action just not "martial arts".. If you don't mind this style plot and want to see some faces smushed.. It's a good watch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member kami Posted January 25, 2014 Member Share Posted January 25, 2014 We are talking here about the film, in the martial arts-film-section of the kungfucinema-forum, so of course I expected a martial arts-film. And I wrote that as such it's disappointing. If you're into watching faces getting smashed than congratulations, that's your movie. And btw, "torture porn" is a genre label for flicks like HOSTEL, there doesnt have to be porn or even just nudity in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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