Island of Fire (1990)

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Island of Fire (1990)

Cool Hand Luke meets La Femme Nikita in this promising drama – a Hong Kong homage to the Hollywood prison movie capitalising on the heroic bloodshed films of the time. The all-star ensemble cast is enough to spark interest (all of which appear in a bid to help relaunch Wang Yu‘s film career), yet Island of Fire is a muddled film. Vengeful characters inhabit a tough HK prison somewhere in the near future. Tony Leung – the movie’s real star – is a policeman sent undercover to sniff out corruption. Sammo Hung keeps escaping to visit his young son. Wang …

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Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979)

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Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979)

John Woo’s themes of male-bonding and complicated antiheroes are clearly prevalent in this cracking kung fu movie. The film features a combination of Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest talent, and there is a lavish sense of style with colourful sets, vivid characters and a textbook array of quirky villains. Here we see a young Woo honing his style within the cliched confines of a period genre piece, long before he would gain international acclaim for replacing swashbuckling sword battles with gun fights. It’s still blinding fun, if a little bit moody, as the brilliant Lee Hoi-san wipes out Cheng Lui’s …

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Tiger Over Wall (1980)

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Tiger Over Wall (1980)

Great vehicle for Phillip Ko, who cuts a stern central figure as a young patriot targeted by traitorous local police in league with “foreigners”. A rich gweilo loses his pet boxer dog and the cops put a whole team on the case (haven’t they got anything better to do?). They frame the dim, trusting locals, inevitably involving the kung fu school and events turn bloody. Cheung Lik is the prodigal son who returns in time to help his brethren out. Hwang Jang-lee wears another strange moustache as an evil police chief and brothel owner who confronts Phillip Ko in the …

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Invincible Shaolin Kung Fu (1979)

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Invincible Shaolin Kung Fu (1979)

In this variation on Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Lee Yi-min plays the dopey orphan kid who works as a dishwasher for an unscrupulous boss. He lives with a stern, blind grandfather who teaches the boy discipline and ‘butterfly’ style kung fu. A plot is revealed involving the murder of local beggars by the very same nutcase who slaughtered Lee’s family 18 years previously, so revenge is soon on the cards, masterfully exacted in a flamboyant duel in the middle of nowhere. Typically, this cheap kung fu movie comes badly unhinged during the dramatic moments and slapstick routines, with some atrocious …

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Fist of Fury Part II (1977)

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Fist of Fury Part II (1977)

One of the better Bruce Lee spin-offs manufactured throughout the 1970s, this low-budget exploitation film is less of a sequel and more a rehash of the original script. Chen Chen’s brother, Chen Sen (a bravado performance from Bruce Li), takes revenge for his sibling’s death by landing in Shanghai and promptly kicking Japanese butt. The Chinese Ching Wu students take a thrashing, a helpless local police sergeant battles with his stricken loyalties, and violent racist oppression is everywhere. Luckily the endless kung fu fighting is enough to distract us from all that. It’s mostly scrappy stuff with the only decent …

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Daredevil (2003)

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Daredevil (2003)

A stylish but ultimately unsatisfying comic book caper which is not too dissimilar from your standard Marvel blockbuster but with a refreshingly embellished level of kung fu action, which is good to see. The majority of the cast get involved, most notably Garner and Affleck, who both come out looking great in the fight scenes. The supporting cast, however, play it incredibly broad with the criminally over-the-top Farrell being the worst offender. Designed to be Marvel’s next big franchise following the success of Spider-Man and X-Men, this film centres on the exploits of a blind lawyer whose heightened senses manifest into …

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Shaolin Ex-Monk (1978)

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Shaolin Ex-Monk (1978)

John Liu is at his heroic best in this great kung fu adventure. He plays an undercover Sheriff keen to put an evil ex-monk behind bars. The mysterious monk has turned his back on the holy life and become a dangerous martial bandit. Blacky Ko plays the lovable young rogue caught in the middle, torn between his loyalties to his new sifu and his mysterious uncle. Cheung San-yee’s movie is a lot of fun and features some insane early wire-work and a riotous music score, culminating in an exhilarating kick-fest finale that will have you wincing in your seat. In …

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Miracles: The Canton Godfather (1989)

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Miracles: The Canton Godfather (1989)

Based on Frank Capra’s Pocketful of Miracles (itself a remake of his earlier Lady For a Day) and lifting heavily from Hollywood gangster films, Jackie Chan‘s most famous underachiever is actually a glamorous, glossy action drama with a keen artistic sensibility and strong attention to detail, evident in both the film’s intricate fight sequences (although they are sparse) and wonderful style. The story is pure sentiment. A poor rose seller is made Queen for the day to entertain her travelling daughter who is set to be married. Chan plays the paying host – a wet-behind-the-ears type who inadvertently becomes a …

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The Legend is Born: Ip Man (2010)

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The Legend is Born: Ip Man (2010)

In a rush to capitalise on Wilson Yip’s masterful recounting of the story of Wing Chun master Ip Man, with Donnie Yen in the titular role, comes this engaging fight film. Marketed as a prequel – albeit unofficially, even if many of the original cast return – this focuses on Ip Man’s formative years in Foshan and his studies in Hong Kong. In contrast to Wilson Yip, Herman Lau never quite shakes off the film’s distinct made-for-TV feel, but as a close study on the Wing Chun style, the film delivers a helpful degree of authenticity thanks to a supporting turn …

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Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

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Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Strange spy film which attempts to spoof the James Bond formula as well as revel in brash and at times unpleasant humour. The cruder moments highlight just how brilliant Vaughn’s 2010 film Kick-Ass was in balancing stylised ultra-violence with genuine warmth and charm. This doesn’t manage it, but at least it is light years better than the ugly Kick Ass 2, and allows Vaughn to indulge in the giddy and graphic violence forbidden in his X-Men movies. As a director renowned for delivering the unexpected, there are gloriously irreverent moments in Kingsman akin to some of his best work. He …

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