THE STORM WARRIORS: Review

Director: The Pang Brothers. Review: Adam Wing.

The Storm Riders was one of the first Asian movies I fell in love with, based on Ma Wing Shing's best-selling comic, Andrew Lau’s fantasy adventure opened my eyes to a brave new world of cinematic wonder. Boasting the best special effects ever seen in a Hong Kong film at the time, the film went on to break box office records with its blend of comic book adventure, wuxia mythology, overblown action and larger than life characters. Ten years later and The Storm Riders are back, this time directed by The Pang Brothers, two of my favourite Asian directors. Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok reprise their roles as Wind and Cloud, taking on Simon Yam and Nicholas Tse as the villains of the piece. Kenny Ho makes an appearance as Nameless, while the effortlessly adorable Charlene Choi takes over from Shu Qi as chief eye candy (that’s not actually her character name though).

Lord Godless (Simon Yam) and his son Heart (Nicholas Tse) are trying to take over the martial arts world, well it is a day that ends in ‘y’ after all. Our three heroes aren’t strong enough to defeat Godless and his impenetrable body armour, so they seek the help of Lord Wicked (Wong Tak Bun), who convinces Wind that harnessing evil is the only way forward. Godless has other plans though, forcing the Emperor (Patrick Tam) to reveal the location of the powerful Dragon Bone relic. Will Wind be able to control his newfound powers, or will he lose himself to the dark side? What will become of Cloud, and why does the entire movie appear to be set in a cave? Storm Warriors could be the film we have all been waiting for, it could also be the next Ong-Bak sequel (I wonder if it’s the same cave); The Pang Brothers had better not mess this up…Continue reading review here.

Storm Warriors official site

TRON: LEGACY trailer goes live

Cue the fan boy ecstasy, the first teaser trailer for Tron: Legacy has arrived. Whizz through the obligatory plastic..Hollywood..pretty boy leads preamble, stop for a moment to cheer at the fact that Bruce Boxleitner is in it, then head for to the money shots. It looks absolutely stunning, we just hope that the plot matches the quality of the visuals. The 1982 original 'Tron' holds a warm fuzzy place in many a cult movie geeks heart. So please Disney, don’t let the storyline for this suck. Hi-res eye popping goodness at the link.

 

 

 

Tron Legacy trailer

First footage for Malay epic THE CHRONICLES OF MERONG

It was way back in November 2008 that we first covered news of the upcoming big budget Malaysia epic The Chronicles of Merong. Even then we thought Malay movie execs were looking to follow in the footsteps of Thailand’s swathe of blockbuster historical/fantasy epics - including ‘King Naresuan’ and ‘Queen of Langkasuka’ - and now a first promo reel for the movie has arrived, it seems we were bang on the money.

Merong will have huge war scenes, swashbuckling sea battles, and martial arts showdowns featuring a mixture of silat (Malay martial arts), kungfu and sword-figthing, choreographed by martial arts experts from the Jackie Chan team in Hong Kong. All this is being directed by Yusry Abdul Halim, backed by an international cast that includes Stephen Rahman Hughes, Gavin Rees StenHouse, mainland Chinese actress Jeng Lu, Craig Fong, Deborah Henry, Datuk Rahim Razali and Khir Rahman. Surprisingly the movies dialogue will be mainly in English, with only 30% in classic Malay. Now, here’s some blurb and full synopsis from the production companies site…..

“Based loosely on the 16th century historical document entitled ‘The Malay Annals’, ’The Chronicles of Merong Mahawangsa’ is an action-packed epic feature film, with mythical characters, magical moments and dazzling visual-effects sequences. Merong Mahawangsa was a descendant of Alexander the Great, a renowned naval captain and traveller who came to Asia several hundred years ago. The year is 120 AD… a time when the Roman Empire is at the height of its power, during the reign of Hadrian – one of the Five Good Emperors. Meanwhile in China, the Han Dynasty is firmly cemented as the ruling empire and is expanding into Central Asia… one hundred years before the period of the Three Kingdoms. As the Roman fleet made their repairs and traded in Goa, they asked Merong Mahawangsa to escort a Roman prince to Southeast Asia, to wed a beautiful Chinese princess from the Han Dynasty. The Chinese princess and the Roman prince are supposed to meet halfway and be married on neutral ground. However, the pirate nation of Geruda had other plans. They decided t kidnap the princess and use her as ransom. En route to the Straits of Melaka, Mahawangsa’s fleet was attacked by Geruda’s forces while stopping at a small island to replenish supplies. Will Merong be able to rescue the Princess and re-unite her with her betrothed in a marriage that is set to bring together two great civilizations from the East and West?”

KRU Studios have already pre-sold the film in 25 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and the Middle East, with Universal Studios holding an option to take the flick for North American distro, once filming is completed. Now onto (do your best to ignore the terrible Mr.Voiceover narration) the trailer. If this is just the promo reel we can’t wait to see the finished article!  Chronicles of Merong is due to open In December.

Chronicles of Merong promo

Cast details via Daily Chilli

Dennis Law’s Triad revenge flick BAD BLOOD on DVD

Fatal Move director Dennis Law’s latest triad-themed offering Bad Blood is up for purchase on DVD. Much of the main cast of ‘Fatal Move’ including Simon Yam, Eddie Cheung, Pinky Cheung, and Lam Suet, returned for this latest offering of gangland violence, chock full of martial arts action stars. A hard core gangster who-dunnit, about bloody infighting within a triad clan, on DVD and its region free! It would be rude not to.

Synopsis: Crime lord Lok Cheung runs a smuggling ring in Hong Kong. He gets caught during a failed counterfeit money operation in Mainland China and is executed. After he's gone, a deadly struggle for power breaks out within the gang, with a series of murders and assassinations aimed at members of the Lok clan. One by one, the various sons and daughters, wives and mistresses, brothers and cousins fall as they turn on each other in paranoia. The overbearing Funky (Simon Yam), the seemingly benign Audrey (Bernice Liu), the crippled Calf (Andy On), or the mysterious mute girl Dumby (Jiang Luxia) - any of them could be the mastermind behind all the ruthless killings - or his/her next victim.

Bad Blood trailer

Bad Blood official site

Order the DVD here

Full trailer for French horror thriller IN THEIR SLEEP

We’ve had some good looking clips, now its full trailer time for Anne Parillaud’s (‘La femme Nikita’) latest, the horror thriller In Their Sleep (aka “Dans ton sommeil”). Co-produced by BR Films, who turned out the superb French shockers ‘À l'intérieur’ (Inside) and ‘Frontieres,’ so it would be fair to say we expect good things. In Their Sleep opens in France March 24th. Trailer at the link.

Synopsis: One year after her teenage son's death, Sarah's life is in pieces. Then late one night, her car accidentally hits Arthur, a young man the same age as her boy, who suddenly emerges out of the forest and onto the road. Wounded and frightened, he is running from a mysterious assailant, hunting him down after Arthur caught him red handed in the act of burglary. Sarah sympathizes with him, taking him in, only to be tracked down by the burglar whose murderous rage towards Arthur forces her to take action. Unbeknownst to Sarah, things aren't quite the way they seem...but by the time she finally realizes, it is too late to turn back...

In Their Sleep trailer

Disaster strikes! THE SINKING OF JAPAN: Review

Director: Higuchi Shinji. Review: Adam Wing.

I bet you can’t guess where this one’s headed. Based on Sakyo Komatsu's best-selling novel, Sinking of Japan is Higuchi Shinji’s remake of Moritani Shiro's 1973 classic. It comes complete with a big budget, Hollywood style special effects and superstars Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and Shibasaki Kou in the leading roles. In a nutshell, this is the closest you’ll get to a Japanese disaster movie directed by Michael Bay, but with less emphasis on the words ‘fun’ and ‘cheesy’ of course. Sinking of Japan takes itself very seriously indeed but then, Japan is sinking I guess (the clue is in the title), so its probably not the best time for uplifting dance numbers and jaunty sing-a-longs in the style of Glee. First things first though, the technical bit…

Due to tectonic plate collisions (that’s where it lost me too), Japan is literally sinking into the ocean. Scientist Tadokoro (Toyokawa Etsushi) and submarine pilot Onodera Toshi (Kusanagi Tsuyoshi) discover that it will cease to exist in less than a year's time, which kind of ruins plans for future film nights. With earthquakes, tidal waves, and volcano eruptions rocking the nation, Toshi develops a close relationship with young orphan Misaki (Fukuda Mayuko) and rescue worker Abe Reiko (Shibasaki Kou), but only because ever since James Cameron’s Titanic, the audience has kind of expected it. The one way to save the country is to break off the plate that is pulling Japan into the ocean through strategic deepwater detonations. It’s a suicide mission then, we’re back in Michael Bay territory here, and Toshi is the only one left to operate the submarine. If you haven’t all ready got that sinking feeling, it’s time to put on those ill-advised speedo’s and paddle for all your worth...Continue reading review here.

Sinking of Japan trailer

VAN DIEMAN’S LAND on R2 DVD

We’ve been hearing good things about writer-director Jonathan auf der Heide’s debut feature - a gritty, grisly tale of murder and eventually cannibalism - Van Diemen’s Land, so we thought it worth a mention that the film is due for release in the UK on DVD. The movie stars Oscar Redding, Arthur Angel and Paul Ashcroft in telling the true story of Australia’s most notorious convict, Alexander Pearce, and his infamous escape into the brutal interior of Van Diemen’s Land (aka Tasmania). Watching the trail the whole thing has a definite dark and foreboding feel, with some jaw-dropping cinematography. This has the looks of a survival horror, all grown up. VDL goes on sale in the UK in May.

Synopsis: A point of no return for convicts banished from their homeland for repeated crimes, Van Diemen's Land was a feared and dreaded penal settlement situated in the most remote and unexplored region of the British Empire. The entrance to its station, Macquarie Harbour, was named 'Hell’s Gates' by its prisoners, with the legend “Abandon all hope ye who enter here” posted on a sign at the harbour's mouth as a warning to all the souls sent there. 1822, eight convicts escaped Macquarie Harbour in a fateful bid for freedom. Led by ex-sailor and experienced navigator Robert Greenhill, this band of Irish, English and Scottish thieves was immediately hurled into chaos as their plans to escape the island by boat failed and they were thrust into the heart of a harsh and unforgiving terrain. With little in the way of food or equipment, the men struggled to survive in the barren land. As their limited supplies began to run out, exhaustion and hunger combined to drive the men to contemplate the unthinkable.

Van Diemen’s official site

Street racing action in EVOLUTION KL DRIFT 2

Malaysia it seems just can’t get enough drugs, street violence, sex…oh yes and Drift Racing, with the news that Syamsul Yusof is set to release a sequel up to his 2008 hit action movie Evolution KL Drift. Following directly after events of the first film it appears we can expect more of the same; Guys...guns...babes and very fast cars, but this time around they’ve also thrown in a hefty, revenge sub plot into the mix. Evolution 2 opens in Malaysia march 25th. Head to the official site to check out the action.

Synopsis: A life of racing between Zack and Sham has not ended yet. Zack, an illegal racer before, now is a professional drifter. After the accident, Sham no longer drifts because of his broken leg and has to walk with the help of crutches. Then comes a female professional drifter named Aleeya . Joe, who managed to escape death after the accident, wants revenge on Zack. Joe's assistant Ery too wants revenge on Zack because his best friend Karl got locked up in jail because of him. Joe wants to monopolise the whole drug business syndicate in Kuala Lumpur (KL), where Inspector Kamal suspects him of being responsible for several murders. How will this new chapter of the race end? Will they be able to reach the finish line?

Evolution 2 official site

Pang bros horror THE CHILDS EYE 3D opening in June?

Those workaholic Pang brothers, Danny and Oxide have been keeping themselves busy over the last year. As well as putting their latest big budget blockbuster Storm Warriors 2 through post production and release, they’ve also been hard at work on another follow up film to their hit “The Eye” horror series, titled The Child's Eye 3D.

We’re very intrigued to see what those Pang boys have been up to in their 3D world, and signs are starting to appear that Child's Eye is nearing completion. A first piece of teaser art has turned up. A more detailed summary of the plot is out, and now, some of the movies distributors are quoting June as the month for the release. Heres hoping that opening date sticks, because an English subbed DVD release should'nt be too far behind!.

Synopsis: Stranded in Thailand by the political uprising and airport closure, Rainie and her friends were unable to return home. Reluctantly, they decide to stay in an aged and shabby hotel. Among them is Rainie’s almost-breakup boyfriend, Lok, Ling and her brother Rex and Ciwi with her beloved boyfriend, Hei. The moment they check into the hotel…they come across three weird children and a puppy that seems slightly odd. As strange and sinister things start to happen, they begin disappearing one after another………

Japanese bad girls in New York

Oh man, I wish I was going to be in New York in April. From March 31st through April 18th, New York's Japan Society will be running a series called Mad, Bad... and Dangerous to Know - Three Untamed Beauties. The series will feature screenings of 4 films starring Ayako Wakao, 5 starring Meiko Kaji and 4 starring Mariko Okada. How awesome is that?

Check out the full schedule at the Japan Society website. I'm off to look up airfare & hotel prices.

 

Props to Outcast Cinema for the news.

Jija will Rage in the UK this April

Cine Asia has announced it'll be releasing the latest Thai martial arts film starring Jija Yanin, Raging Phoenix, on April 12th in the UK on both DVD and Blu-Ray. No word yet on the special features, but... how much do they really matter? It's the chick from Chocolate kicking people in the face for about 2 hours. What more do you need?

More info as it comes.

Check out the trailer.


Thanks to DVDActive for the heads up.

KILL ZONE aka SLP: R2 DVD review

Director: Wilson Yip. Review: Adam Wing.

It’s taken an eternity to reach our shores, but finally the wait is over for R2 action junkies. Hong Kong martial arts superstars Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung star in the explosive crime thriller Kill Zone (SPL) from director Wilson Yip. Inspector Chan (Simon Yam) has a personal vendetta against local mob boss Wong Po (Sammo Hung), but Wong Po holds the city in a vice-like grip. Inspector Ma (Donnie Yen) is sent in to take over Chan's unit. Chan has just three days to bring Ma up to speed before he retires, and even though Ma is determined to play by the book, he’s just as committed to bringing Wong Po’s empire crashing to the ground. It’s action city central then, where themes of loyalty, honour and duty fight side by side with stunning action sequences and staggering fight choreography.

I can’t get enough of Donnie Yen, he’s an absolute legend in my mind, and Kill Zone provides further proof of his undeniable screen prowess. Having Sammo Hung and Wu Jing provide back up doesn’t hurt of course, and all three action stars are in exhilarating form on this one. Yen, who also served as action director on the film, saves all of the best moments for himself, but who’s complaining when the face-offs are this enticing. The alleyway knife fight against Wu Jing’s henchman is all ready considered to be one of action cinemas finest moments, and that’s just an appetiser for the battle we’ve all been waiting for. Donnie and Sammo square off in one of the most eagerly awaited big screen match-ups of all time, and man does it deliver the goods...Continue review here.

Kill Zone trailer

Mystery and murder in MOSS

Korea continues to follow the trend in Japan of plundering their own back catalogue of Manga for movie plots, with the news that veteran producer/director Kang Woo-seok is working on a screen version of Moss (not to be confused with Chi-kin Kwok’s Hong Kong crime drama of the same name) a popular web cartoon thriller by Yoon Tae-ho.

Starring Park Hae-il and Jung Jae-young Moss follows the story of a man who returns to the remote village where his parents lived to attend his father's funeral. There he tries to figure out the mystery of his father's strange and untimely death, whilst all the time the oddly strange villagers watch his every move. Is it just us or does that have the ring of a Korean "Wicker Man" about it?

The movie is slated to open in July - the absolute prime season in Korea for scare flicks to be released - so hopes around these parts are that this has a large slice of horror chills, to go with the thrills. More as we get it.

 

Moss teaser poster 

Korean horror thriller TRUCK on DVD

Well over a year after it opened in Korea, Hyung-jin Kwon's intense ride of a horror thriller Truck - starring veteran character actor Yoo Hae-jin (Public enemy) - is finally released on English subtitled R3 DVD. Why they took so long to get this out there is a mystery, but now they have, at least they’ve gone to the trouble of giving it a very nifty 2 disc special edition with tons of extras.  

Synopsis: Chul-min is a simple truck driver whose usual cargo is liquor, vegetables and other necessities. When his daughter is diagnosed with heart disease, he trys to borrow money from friends to pay for the operation. Unable to raise the cash, he tries his luck at gambling. When he loses everything, the gang boss who runs the gambling house gives him an unusual job: to deliver some freshly stabbed corpses to a faraway province. On his nerve-racking journey carrying dead bodies in his truck, Chul-min turns to the radio for company only to hear about a serial killer on the loose. Spotting a car fallen into a ditch, he is flagged down by a policeman who is heading to the same province. When Chul-min unravels the real identity of his passenger, his nightmare really begins...

 

Truck trailer

Order the DVD here

New on set cast pics from SHAOLIN TEMPLE

Further to our story last October, some new pics of the cast of Benny Chan’s new action movie Shaolin Temple have appeared over on Chinese site CRI. Along with that comes news of some unexpected production problems. You’d imagine that making an action movie about Shaolin monks (including a stellar cast including Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Wu Jing and Fan Bingbing) and given permission to film on location at a real Shaolin monastery, would be any HK directors dream come true. Not it seems if you’re Mr Chan. According to CRI, the constant stream of tourists visiting the shrine, plus the worry of damaging the ancient structures has rather put Chan off the idea of filming there any longer. So instead he decided to up sticks and have a full size replica of the temple built, costing an eye watering US$1.47 million. Worth every penny we say! Shaolin is set to open later in the year. On to the stills at the link.

Shaolin Temple cast

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