Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 I just can't watch the straight to video martial arts stuff- Seagal, Van Damme, etc. Even some of the newer guys just don't interest me. I'll watch Borne fight scenes or Bond, and honestly, they don't have as much skill, but I just can't muster the strength to watch caucasian krotty. And I'm a white guy! Anyway, it's probably the production values, and stories. I spent a lot of years getting wasted and watching that stuff, so maybe I just reached capacity. Like listening to Led Zepplin to many times- it's great, but I just got tired of it Now it's just the classics. Anyone feel the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 Yeah, until very recently, I have pretty much stayed away from modern martial arts cinema that isn't Donnie Yen, The Raid, etc.. I am just beginning I explore Adkins a bit, just watched universal soldier and thought it was decent. Although the fights in this are pretty rough too. Yeah, Bond and Bourne may not be skilled, but the fights work, I suppose it's like the difference between bashers and shapes in a way.. That and those movies are just much better in any other way compared to DTV ma flicks, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 Martial arts films inspired by 80s HK fight choreography style with non-stop fight scenes that gets repetitive immediately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 How about some examples DIP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 The Raid films, Undisputed 2 & 3 and Ninja films with Scott Adkins to name some. These new films are duplicating the old HK style to the point that makes me less motivated to try being appreciative. Would rather go back to the roots where the style was new and exciting to watch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member shaolin swords Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 never really got into the modern martial arts movies always kept it in the 60s,70s,80s, its something in those eras that are just special and cant be duplicated no matter who directs it or stars in movies from the 90s 00s it just don't come close just my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member paimeifist Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 I enjoyed The Raid 1 and felt the use of Silat made it stand out, and it was pretty brutal. I didn't like the 2nd one much, and haven't seen anything else you mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DiP Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 Evans is pretty much the main star of the film as he's got exceptional film-making skills. But beyond that, I think the action is stuff I've already seen many times before, even when utilizing silat (Hong Kong had used different fighting styles too under the same choreography paradigm though so styles ain't really mattering). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 You guys are hurting my soul with some of these comments but to each his own. Most of Seagal stuff is unwatchable but a chunk of Van Damme's work is slow in fight choreography but still a lot of fun. No comment on some of The Raid and Adkins opinions I've read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted October 14, 2014 Author Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 I'm talking about Van Damme's stuff in the last 10 years, except JCVD. Cocaine's a hell of a drug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted October 14, 2014 Moderator Share Posted October 14, 2014 I'm talking about Van Damme's stuff in the last 10 years, except JCVD. Cocaine's a hell of a drug! I'm not particularly a big Van Damme fan, but for me 'Universal Soldier: Regeneration' was pretty on the ball. The one-man assault on the enemy base at the end, which featured a number of long one-take shots was pretty impressive, and a great throw down with Dolph Lundgren, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member ShaOW!linDude Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 The Glimmer Man and Exit Wounds were probably the last Seagal films I enjoyed. I never found any of the TapOut films to be worthy my time. After sitting through a couple of those, I wrote the whole lot off. Honestly, not every 60's, 70's, and 80's old school film was a gem. The plots were constant retreads then, too, as they are today. I don't sweat that. I'm less about the plot than I am the choreography. I think that's what this genre boils down to. I do confess that I don't think we get as many standouts today as we did in ages past though. It's all a matter of taste and preference. I go through periods of burnout, too. It never lasts long. Someone posts a clip or clues me into a new/old film I didn't know about, and then the hunt is on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DrNgor Posted October 14, 2014 Member Share Posted October 14, 2014 I still enjoy DTV Steven Seagal films, even if a lot of them aren't that great. With the exception of the Universal Soldier: Regeneration, anything Van Damme has done since The Order has left me cold. While I'll watch Jet Li and Jackie Chan films for completist's sake, their names on projects no longer excite me. CZ12 did that to me for Chan, while Rogue Assassin/War (which I watched in 2010) made me care less and less about anything associated with Li. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator One Armed Boxer Posted October 15, 2014 Moderator Share Posted October 15, 2014 The Glimmer Man and Exit Wounds were probably the last Seagal films I enjoyed. You need to check out 'Urban Justice' & 'Pistol Whipped'....pure old school Seagal attitude! They also happen to be the last of Seagal's movies that I've seen. While I'll watch Jet Li and Jackie Chan films for completist's sake, their names on projects no longer excite me. CZ12 did that to me for Chan, while Rogue Assassin/War (which I watched in 2010) made me care less and less about anything associated with Li. 'CZ12' made you lose your excitement for Chan, but dross like 'The Tuxedo', 'The Medallion', & 'The Spy Next Door' didn't!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Superfly Posted October 15, 2014 Member Share Posted October 15, 2014 Personally I loathe Seagal. Always have. I play this game about who would you put in a rocket that is headed to the sun. He has a reservation on that trip. As for the original topic. I agree. Once I got into "Real" Martial Arts.I had no stomach for the JCVD films and others like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member NoKUNGFUforYU Posted October 15, 2014 Author Member Share Posted October 15, 2014 Li sold out a long time ago, as well as Chan. It's seems like the nouveau riche attitude in China has gotten to the point where they just pander crap that is more of a commercial with product placements, or some virulent nationalism, than the fun under dog action stories they used to create. Also, all the wire work in Li's movies got old fast. Seagal, Van Damme, etc, their time has passed. You can see a cool, well made flick like Captain America 1 or 2, which has great fights and an engaging plot, for the most part- why watch a guy in bicycle shorts scream and do helicopter kicks? I liked some of the fights in Double Team, especially at the end, then I found out that all the cool jump side kicks and double side kicks were a stunt man. Liam Neeson, at 60, looks better than those guys. Here's the thing, Liam Neeson's fights in Taken 1 and 2 looked cool. If you have the right movie and choreographer, you can get a lot done. Donnie Yen still can put out a good flick as well there's hope for Wu Jing. It'll be interesting if there can be a new American or European action star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member DrNgor Posted October 15, 2014 Member Share Posted October 15, 2014 You need to check out 'Urban Justice' & 'Pistol Whipped'....pure old school Seagal attitude! They also happen to be the last of Seagal's movies that I've seen. 'CZ12' made you lose your excitement for Chan, but dross like 'The Tuxedo', 'The Medallion', & 'The Spy Next Door' didn't!? I kinda like the Medallion and The Spy Next Door was harmlessly fun. The Tuxedo is just kinda there. However, since CZ12 was the sequel to one of my all-time favorite Jackie movies, it lost a lot more points for being the childish, poorly-written mess it turned out to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member masterofoneinchpunch Posted October 15, 2014 Member Share Posted October 15, 2014 ... 'CZ12' made you lose your excitement for Chan, but dross like 'The Tuxedo', 'The Medallion', & 'The Spy Next Door' didn't!? I would rather watch all of those than see 1911 again. The first half of CZ12 is pretty bad though with one of the most annoying scenes in the "you stole our treasures." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Lionclaw Posted October 15, 2014 Member Share Posted October 15, 2014 Li sold out a long time ago, as well as Chan. It's seems like the nouveau riche attitude in China has gotten to the point where they just pander crap that is more of a commercial with product placements, or some virulent nationalism, than the fun under dog action stories they used to create. Also, all the wire work in Li's movies got old fast. Seagal, Van Damme, etc, their time has passed. You can see a cool, well made flick like Captain America 1 or 2, which has great fights and an engaging plot, for the most part- why watch a guy in bicycle shorts scream and do helicopter kicks? I liked some of the fights in Double Team, especially at the end, then I found out that all the cool jump side kicks and double side kicks were a stunt man. Liam Neeson, at 60, looks better than those guys. Here's the thing, Liam Neeson's fights in Taken 1 and 2 looked cool. If you have the right movie and choreographer, you can get a lot done. Donnie Yen still can put out a good flick as well there's hope for Wu Jing. It'll be interesting if there can be a new American or European action star. I used to love Double Team, until just like you, I found out almost all the cool moves were done by a stunt double I can't look at it the same anymore. I traded that dvd years ago. I cannot state enough how Jet Li (once my favorite martial artist) continues to disappoint me. His use of wires for the most part made no sense and was detrimental to his talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Secret Executioner Posted October 17, 2014 Member Share Posted October 17, 2014 The worst in Jet Li's case remains Expendables 3. He just stays there and when he gets in action... Well, he's shooting from a helicopter. Not saying he doesn't have any stinker (he has quite his share actually), but I just found him completely wasted in that film. Concerning Jackie... With the Rush Hour trilogy, Tuxedo, Spy Next Door and some others, the pile of shitty films he made is pretty high now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.