Paradox (2017) - directed by Wilson Yip; action by Sammo Hung

[AlbertV]

Formerly known as Fate, Paradox is an upcoming thriller starring Louis Koo, Tony Jaa, Gordon Lam, Wu Yue, and martial artist Chris Collins as the film's villain, a big time mobster. Wilson Yip is directing the film with Sammo Hung as the film's action director.

All of the action scenes are officially in the can and Wu Yue had praise for Sammo Hung: "Big Brother Hung Kam Bo's action designs are truly very exciting. He used the unique alleys of Bangkok to design the chases and the fights. The action is ferocious."

Koo plays a father looking for his missing 16-year old daughter in Thailand and gets help from local Thai detectives played by Jaa and Wu. They soon come face to face with a mobster running an organ trafficking ring, played by Collins.

At the opening ceremony of the film:
Louis Koo, Tony Jaa, Wu Yue, Ken Low, Chris Collins

Does Wilson Yip got a nice flying knee or what? LOL

Edited January 5, 2017 by AlbertV

[DiP]

First trailer is out.

http://video.mtime.com/64915/?mid=235288

[Drunken Monk]

5 hours ago, DiP said:

First trailer is out.

http://video.mtime.com/64915/?mid=235288

It looks to be more like "SPL 2": a crime thriller with one or two fight scenes. It certainly doesn't look to be action heavy.

[rdenn]

good to see actual action in a first trailer,  looks promising

[mark187]

Paradox is coming out in HK on August 25th. Check the Facebook page for a new trailer! Chinese title now links it to SPL

[ShaOW!linDude]

 

[Drunken Monk]

I'm still not very interested in this one. The trailers just haven't grabbed me. Tony Jaa looks like he's doing the same stuff he's done for a decade now and even the brief glimpses of the weapons fight we've been given haven't really looked that interesting. It looks like a standard action thriller with more emphasis on "thriller" than "action". Sad really. I was hoping a team-up of Tony Jaa and Sammo Hung would create big things.

[laagi]

To be honest this doesn't look all that bad. As long as the action delivers when it hits I really don't mind a good thriller. Goes for SPL 2 as well which I personally liked quite a bit (despite some awful wire work). I'm looking forward to this!

[One Armed Boxer]

Apparently the Chinese title of this now indicates that this is actually 'SPL3'.  Not sure if there's anyone on here that can read Chinese that could confirm this?

[AlbertV]

On 7/6/2017 at 4:44 AM, One Armed Boxer said:

Apparently the Chinese title of this now indicates that this is actually 'SPL3'.  Not sure if there's anyone on here that can read Chinese that could confirm this?

This is a poster I found on Chinesemov.com that has the Sha Po Lang title on it. I saw a SPL2 poster to make a confirmation. It looks like it says "Sha Po Lang: Taam Long".

Edited July 12, 2017 by AlbertV

[Ronin]

New trailer.

[AlbertV]

So from my understanding according to Asian Film Strike, the film is not exactly SPL 3 because apparently that is still going to happen with production at the end of the year. This might actually be a SPL 2.5 maybe? Or perhaps, they are doing a franchise like Tiger Cage and In the Line of Duty films? I don't know. I'm just reading the conversation from the Twitter link. Take a look at the link and take a guess because I'm sure as baffled as heck.

Here's Variety article from March on Paradox and SPL3
http://variety.com/2017/film/asia/sun-entertainment-paradox-packs-powerful-punch-1202007446/

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by AlbertV

[mpm74]

Creamy new trailer. Cum and get it...

 

[DiP]

The previous trailers didn't do anything for me. This however delivers! The change from Nicky Li's mediocre choreography in SPL 2 to Sammo Hung for this is huge. Please let this not be a CGI/shoddy cinematography/wirework-ridden feast like the aforementioned movie was.

[Drunken Monk]

4 hours ago, DiP said:

The previous trailers didn't do anything for me. This however delivers! The change from Nicky Li's mediocre choreography in SPL 2 to Sammo Hung for this is huge. Please let this not be a CGI/shoddy cinematography/wirework-ridden feast like the aforementioned movie was.

Couldn't agree more. This trailer showed WAY more action than the others. Good action, too. Previously I'd had no interest in this. Now I'm tempted to give it a watch.

[KUNG FU BOB]

3 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

Couldn't agree more. This trailer showed WAY more action than the others. Good action, too. Previously I'd had no interest in this. Now I'm tempted to give it a watch.

"tempted to give it a watch"??? @Drunken Monk are you getting salty and cynical as you age my kung fu brother? 

What happened to the old days of "A new Asian action movie? Cool. Thrill me!"??? Sure, we've all (especially us veterans) sat through a lot of stinkers to see the gems, but that's always been the case.

I say- lets keep our excitement from youth alive. This movie looks conspicuously more like a winner than a loser to me.  If I could, I'd even treat you to a ticket to see it on opening day. Fingers crossed that once it comes out, you see it and love it.

[Drunken Monk]

1 hour ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

"tempted to give it a watch"??? @Drunken Monk are you getting salty and cynical as you age my kung fu brother? 

What happened to the old days of "A new Asian action movie? Cool. Thrill me!"??? Sure, we've all (especially us veterans) sat through a lot of stinkers to see the gems, but that's always been the case.

I say- lets keep our excitement from youth alive. This movie looks conspicuously more like a winner than a loser to me.  If I could, I'd even treat you to a ticket to see it on opening day. Fingers crossed that once it comes out, you see it and love it.

Don't get me wrong, I'll see it. I tend to purchase most modern releases, these days. and I'm hopeful this one will feed my kung fu hunger. I'm just...let's say apprehensive. The drama-to-action ratio doesn't look too good in this one. Most of the action scenes look like they come from the same fights.

With that said, I want to eat my words. I hope this one more than impresses me. Even more so with my guarded expectations. I have my fingers crossed.

Admittedly, I have become more of a cynic over the course of my 35 years.

[KUNG FU BOB]

3 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

Don't get me wrong, I'll see it. I tend to purchase most modern releases, these days. and I'm hopeful this one will feed my kung fu hunger. I'm just...let's say apprehensive. The drama-to-action ratio doesn't look too good in this one. Most of the action scenes look like they come from the same fights.

With that said, I want to eat my words. I hope this one more than impresses me. Even more so with my guarded expectations. I have my fingers crossed.

Admittedly, I have become more of a cynic over the course of my 35 years.

Hey man, you're still on here discussing the genre films, so that says a lot about your continued passion for them.

Like you, I'm hoping for the best from PARADOX!

@Drunken Monk, out of your 35 years, how long have you been into kung fu cinema? I started late, around 14 or 15. Though I always enjoyed martial arts in films, I hadn't watched any Asian cinema as a kid (except for a bit of FIVE VENOMS, which I mistook, based on it's title, as a horror movie).

[Drunken Monk]

27 minutes ago, KUNG FU BOB said:

Hey man, you're still on here discussing the genre films, so that says a lot about your continued passion for them.

Like you, I'm hoping for the best from PARADOX!

@Drunken Monk, out of your 35 years, how long have you been into kung fu cinema? I started late, around 14 or 15. Though I always enjoyed martial arts in films, I hadn't watched any Asian cinema as a kid (except for a bit of FIVE VENOMS, which I mistook, based on it's title, as a horror movie).

My brother handed me a copy of "Drunken Master" when I was 13 years old. That was the day it all started for me. 

I went out and bought my first ever kung fu VHS shortly after that: "Shaolin Red Master". Not a stellar purchase, granted, but it fueled my passion for the genre even more.

[KUNG FU BOB]

17 hours ago, Drunken Monk said:

My brother handed me a copy of "Drunken Master" when I was 13 years old. That was the day it all started for me. 

I went out and bought my first ever kung fu VHS shortly after that: "Shaolin Red Master". Not a stellar purchase, granted, but it fueled my passion for the genre even more.

Wow, awesome intro to the genre!

[mark187]

I wasn't blown away by the first trailer, but the 2nd and especially the 3rd have helped ramp up expectations a bit, which initially were very high upon announcement. It looks like Tony Jaa will probably just have that one fight scene against Chris Collins so it better count. Still looks like a good solid movie and it's Wilson Yip's first real modern action film since Flash Point so I'm definitely excited, plus it's awesome seeing Tony in HK films! With the premiere next weekend, expect to see reviews popping up soon. If well go doesn't release it this year, then it'll have to wait for the HK blu which I'm sure will be out before Christmas time. 

[ShaOW!linDude]

I'm waffling about this one myself. I had high hopes for it, and this trailer looks to showcase more action than the previous ones. However, for me, I'm seeing a lot of wire-assisted stuff, and while if it's good, I don't mind it too much; what I saw looks like it could go either way. Thus, I already feel tainted with a tinge of disappointment. I fear this will have a decent plot and acting, good all around action, and sub-par choreography. Don't think I'll be running out to nab this right off the bat.

[mark187]

http://screenanarchy.com/2017/08/review-paradox-scores-another-hit-for-the-spl-franchise.html

 

sounds like Wilson Yip has got another winner

[AlbertV]

The film made 500 million RMB in China and $6.5 million HKD at the box office, making it Hong Kong's summer winner! Paco Wong did confirm that he would be interested in a sequel, but the script must be good enough to move the audience and cast. Louis Koo said if there is going to be a sequel, then he's willing to return.

http://hktopten.blogspot.com/2017/09/20170904-paradox-becomes-summer-hong.html

Louis Koo and Hanna Chan

Edited September 6, 2017 by AlbertV

[DragonClaws]

Two greats from different generations.