drngor Reviews

Chong po si wang you xi (1997)

Excellent modern martial arts film in the old school tradition

[10/10 · 1 August 2001]

Everything about this film screams old school. The main protagonist is a martial arts instructor. The movie starts out with a bunch of fights that aren't even part of the plot, they just show off his skills. Most the bad guys use martial arts instead of fighting. The bad guys even hire good fighters to fight the main good guy. This is a REAL martial arts film. Don't get me wrong, I love many of the New Wave martial arts movies that came from Hong Kong. I like most of Jackie Chan's work. However, this is the type of film that I wished Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Michelle Yeoh did more often. Movies that are full of serious martial arts and are only excuses to show off the performers' physical skills.

The storyline is simple. Some evil Caucasian gangster is going after the men who killed his family. One of gets killed. The other guy and his two daughters get saved by a martial arts instructor who must use his skills to protect them. Great stuff.

The martial arts is nothing short of fantastic. Fan Siu Wong is an awesome fighter. His kicks are awesome. We also get to see him fight with tonfa, spear, and sword. There's a female caucasian fighter who is also very talented and she gets to fight w/ her hands, a rope-dart, and a sword. Billy Chow, who's always reliable, plays a Thai boxer. Ngai Sing plays this effeminate Japanese fighter. He does a lot better job here than he did in Bodyguard from Beijing and My Father is a Hero. There's another white guy who's pretty good too. All the fights are amazing.

If there's one thing I didn't like about the movie, it's that there are some very bloody moments that I personally didn't care for. Otherwise, it's highly recommended to any fans of martial arts films. There should be no reason to be disappointed with this film.

Wheels on Meals (1984)

Sammo's choreography takes first chair

[7/10 · 25 June 2001]

If Sammo could ever do anything right, he could choreograph. He's a master of martial arts choreography and many of Jackie's and Biao's best films come with Sammo doing the choreography. This movie is a prime example of this.

The film deals with two Chinese men in Spain who run a food truck. They meet a pick-pocket who turns out to be heir (along w/ her institutionalized mother) to a large fortune, which is coveted by some nasy goons. Sammo plays a detective that's on the case. All this builds up to an excellent climax at a Spanish castle.

One thing that I did like a lot about the movie was the script. The rapport between Yuen Biao and Jackie Chan was excellent, and they get a lot of witty comments, comebacks, and responses to supposedly stupid questions. You have to see the subtitled version to understand.

Like I was saying, the choreography in the film is great. Unfortunately, there are only about 4 fight scenes or so before the climax that are all really short. It really left me craving a lot more. The finale is a true piece of work. Jackie takes kickboxing champ Benny "The Jet" Urquidez in one of the best one-on-one's ever filmed. Yuen Biao takes on Keith Vitale, another karate champ. Sammo takes on the lead villain in a Chinese variation of European fencing.

The action isn't wall-to-wall but what's there is excellent. The relationship between Yuen and Chan is also great. It's a Jackie Chan film worth seeing.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Good but not great martial arts film; overrated

[8/10 · 24 June 2001]

Now I've been watching martial arts films for my entire life. I've been watching Asian martial arts films for years, so I've seen it all. I've seen the old style choreography, the modern kickboxing, the Jackie Chan style of prop fighting, the new wave wire fu of the 1990s, etc. I'm not one of those people that'll go into the film and criticize it because it's unbelievable. After all, I watch films to escape from reality, not to let it get bogged down.

The plot deals with the events that occur following the theft of a legendary sword. These events affect the lives of a swordsman (Chow), a governor's daughter (Ziyi), a master criminal (Peipei), and the leader of an escort service (Yeoh). It's not really important to discuss those in detail.

A lot of the film's praise goes back to the fight scenes. Well, they're good. Yuen Woo Ping is one of the masters of choreography. The swordfight is especially good, probably my favorite cinematic sword fight. But on the whole, it's nothing new. Chow holds his own, but isn't spectacular. Zhang Ziyi looks decent but people like Donnie Yen could do the same things without wires. Michelle is excellent as usual, I think she was underused in the fights, she only gets two scenes (which are the highlights of the film). However, like I said, it's nothing new or ground breaking. And for people that criticize the flying people, IT'S A FANTASY!

The other praised aspects of the film is where the line between those who know the genre and those who don't gets defined. This is not the first martial arts film to have a good musical score. Just watch the Swordsman series or the Once Upon A Time in China series. Those movies have awesome scores and far more memorable songs. This is not the first martial arts movie to have a good storyline. Once again, check out the Swordsman movies or the Once Upon a Time in China films (well the first 3) and there you get good stories. Jet Li's Tai Chi Master and Fist of Legend also have good storylines. There are dozens of martial arts films out there that have good storylines. This is also not the first martial arts film to have good cinematography, acting, or characters. People treat it as if it were the first. Sorry people, that's not the case.

It's really an insult to Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Yuen Biao, and a lot of the other classic Hong Kong action starts when people praise this movie so much. Why? Because they've been doing this stuff for years (often times without wires and computer enhancement) and yet they've not gotten the same wide respect from American audiences. Also, it's insulting to them that a film with few actual martial artists (Michelle Yeoh is the main exception) gets so much praise, when the people that really know the stuff can't get the same.

I'm not saying this to say that this isn't a good film. I'm saying that it's overrated and nothing new. People who say this is the greatest martial arts film ever really need to go back and watch a lot of the classics of the genre to understand what I mean.

Shanghai Affairs (1998)

Great fighting

[7/10 · 23 June 2001]

This was actually quite a good film. It was directed by Donnie but the film is a lot more straight-forward than Legend of the Wolf and the characters are lot more likeable and the story is more easy to follow. The movie tells the story of a western-trained doctor that sets up a clinic in Shanghai. He gets into with the local axe gang who are kidnapping and killing children for medical research. Donnie also falls in love w/ the gang leader's sister also.

The fighting is really good with none of the stylistic touches that he used a lot in Legend of the Wolf. Everything is clear and every hit can be seen. Donnie uses his wing chun/wushu combination like in Iron Monkey 2. There is no speeding up in this movie. Yu Rong Guang does a good job as well. There's one fight where both Yu and Yen do nothing but chin na, or joint locks. I wish there was some more or longer fighting.

Overall, it's a good movie. Good plot. Compelling performances. Moodiness. Great, pure martial arts fighting. Athena Chu is pretty. Yup, what more can one ask for?

Legend of the Wolf (1997)

Hyper-kinetic fight scenes make this movie

[8/10 · 23 June 2001]

This movie has gotten a lot of mixed reviews. Some people have praised it and others have called it pure dreck. I really didn't know what to expect from this movie. Well, I found the plot to be slightly confusing. Well, I couldn't figure out what the whole modern day story was about. The flashback told about an amnesiac who returns to a village after WW2 and finds his lost love and some old enemies. A lot of brutal fighting follows.

The fight scenes are the calling card of this film. They're all fast and furious. If you take your eyes of the screen for a second you'll miss some stuff. It's all hyper-stylized, from the camerawork to the exaggerated gunplay and use of projectiles. There's a lot of speeding up, but it actually helps the fighting out; it makes it more intense. The martial arts itself is pretty good. Donnie uses his trademark kicks and also does a fair amount of Bruce Lee impersonating. His fight with the eagle claw guy is just astounding.

There is some fairly disturbing brutality in this film. The slaughter of the village and the scene preceding the final fight are examples. I guess it's supposed to make the movie more powerful.

In the end, I think the great fight scenes overshadow the sometimes confusing narrative and the brutality of the film.

Once Upon a Time in China III (1992)

Good story-line but disappointing fighting

[7/10 · 23 June 2001]

In order to unite the people of China and strengthen their spirit, the Qing government decides to hold a lion dance competition to promote the study of kung fu. This only leads to violence and conflict. Wong Fei Hung, who is visiting Beijing, sees this and is disgusted by the way it's being handled. However, his efforts to get through to the government are futile. He finds himself having to join the competition when he discovers a plot by the Russians to assassinate President Li Hung Chang.

This was the first movie in the OUATIC series that I saw. I was actually quite disappointed when I first saw it. I thought the fighting lacked intensity and the end seemed anti-climatic. It's not that the choreography is bad. Jet looks fit and is in great fighting shape for the film. However, there are no good one-on-one battles for him. His duel with Xiong Xin Xin in the street is short and disappointing, as is the finale against the head of the oil factory. The lion dance scenes are cool.

The story on the other hand, is really good. It has just the right amount of romance, humor, and historical background to sustain itself between the fight scenes. This would be the last of the truly historically relevant entries of the series, as the following films were either over-the-top or would not even focus on historical matters.

Overall, this is good watching. This is not one of Jet's greatest performances fighting-wise. The story makes up for it. Oh, and let me add that Rosamund Kwan is cuter than ever in this movie.

High Risk (1995)

Lots of action but wastes Jet's skills

[7/10 · 22 June 2001]

This movie would've been a perfect opportunity to translate Jet's skills into a modern setting. We have Die Hard-esque plot with terrorists taking over the building. We have Billy Chow as one of the terrorists. There are only two people (Jet included)who know how to fight. And what do we have? Two fights. One has Jet fighting this impressive General guy with light posts. The other has Jacky Cheung beating on Billy Chow while doing a Bruce Lee impression. Those fights are decent. The rest of the action is some good gunplay. But I don't want to see Jet shooting guns as much as I want to see him go hand-to-hand. Well, on the upside, there's a lot of action and movie rarely lets up. It also has Chingmy Yau, one of my favorite actresses from Hong Kong. It's just that Jet Li doesn't give much of a physical performance in this one.

Tokyo Raiders (2000)

highly entertaining action/comedy

[8/10 · 19 April 2001]

I must say I came into this movie with fairly low expectations. Being that this is part of the new wave of Hong Kong action movies, I expected bad choreography (well, at least not up to the standards of the 1980s through mid-90s films) and a lot of pretty boys who couldn't fight. Well, Ekin Cheng is in it although he does better than I thought he would. The plot is some complicated mish-mash involving a bride left at the altar, a kung fu interior decorator, and a Japanese p.i. They get involved in a search for the man who left the girl at the altar. A lot of twists and fight scenes ensue.

This movie is actually quite a bit of fun. There's a whole lot of schwing women around. Kelly Chen and Tony Leung's women are real eye candy. There's some comedy here and there. The action is served up in spades. While Tony Leung and Ekin Cheng aren't actual martial artists, Alan Sit choreographs the scenes well (with a little bit of wires and fancy camera-work) and they're all entertaining. Imagine a Jackie Chan fight without Jackie Chan fighting in them. The pace is incredibly fast, which is always a good thing. Overall, just a lot of fun.

Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Realistic, intriguing, and entertaining kaiju eiga *possible spoilers*

[9/10 · 16 March 2001]

Godzilla vs. Biollante is an underrated Godzilla film. I know a lot of people have criticized the plot, the music, the direction, etc. However, I simply cannot agree with those people. I first saw this movie several years ago and was enthralled. I even watched it the very next night it was so cool. This movie is one of the best Godzilla movies ever made.

The plot takes place after Godzilla 1985. Godzilla is trapped in Mt. Mihara and a group of scientists/military men are preparing for his possible return. This involves producing a bacteria that is capable of consuming nuclear energy and making a giant mecha called Super X-2. One of the scientists decides to to combine Godzilla's cells with those of a rosebush and inadvertently creates Biollante. Soon, Godzilla is on the loose, battling both the military and Biollante. Meanwhile the humans are racing against time to recover the bacteria which was stolen and figure out a way to defeat Godzilla.

This movie does take some time to get started. However, I found myself a lot more interested in the plot this time around. The whole "dangers of genetic engineering" theme caught me and helped to keep my attention throughout the film. The use of that theme in this movie predates movies like Jurassic Park and all. The movie was very realistic in tone, something I liked. Although I do like the fantastic in these sorts of films, it kept in sync with the tone and realistic approach of it's predecessors (G '85 and Gojira).

The special FX were great, undoubtedly the best in the Heisei series, if not the entire series. Godzilla looks great, very animal and feral in nature. He's a bad guy, but a darn good one. The matte work is also great (there's one short mis-proportioned one, but I don't think a lot of people will notice). The military battles are among the best I've ever seen. Military stock footage along with well designed miniatures and effective camera angles help to maintain the illusion that an 80 meter beast is destroying the military. The pyrotechnics are astounding, especially in the battle between Godzilla and Super X-2 in Osaka and the final showdown with the military. Biollante is an inspired creation. What starts out as a "beautiful" mutated flower evolves into a vicious Godzilla-esque creature. My only complaint with the monsters is that the battles are not long lasting.

Now the music. A lot of people criticize the music in this movie, calling it inappropriate. I liked the military march theme quite a bit as well as the Super X-2 theme. However, the music that is played during the monster battles is ineffective at really increasing the suspense or giving the scene energy. Thankfully, there are various Ifukube themes played at various parts.

Overall, this is a great kaiju experience. Intriguing storyline, realistic tone, excellent special FX, and inspired monster designs make this essential monster viewing.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

90's style Godzilla in a vintage sci-fi story

[7/10 · 11 March 2001]

After I first saw Godzilla vs. Biollante, I thought the whole series was going to head in a (pseudo-)realistic direction. However, this movie sort of proved me wrong. It's not that the story itself isn't entertaining, it's just that I'd like to something a little bit more down-to-earth. It feels like it's an old sci fi flick, complete with robots, time travel, laser fights, and teleportation.

The story involves a group of time travelers who come to Japan to seek assistance in preventing Godzilla's birth. The time travellers as well as some modern day Japanese (one of whom is cute Megumi Odaka) go to an island in the Pacific in the middle of WW2 where they witness a dinosaur fighting off American troops. Thinking that this dinosaur will become Godzilla after the H-bomb is dropped, they teleport the dinosaur away. However, the Futurians have an ulterior motive, and King Ghidorah is created. HOWEVER, due to some unfortunate incident, Godzilla TOO is created, leading to numerous city destruction scenes, monster battles, military showdowns, etc.

The special FX range from cheesy to excellent. Godzilla looks cool as does King Ghidorah. The miniatures of the cities are great as usual. The first fight between Godzilla and King Ghidorah is great. The final battle is quite realistic also, great stuff. There are some cheesy FX that deal with the humans (running in super speed, etc.), but luckily the kaiju are shown in reverence.

My main complaints with the film is that Godzilla himself doesn't appear until over an hour in the film. It seemed to take quite a while for him to get on the scene, and then there's not much time in the picture left. Also, the American soldiers are badly acted.

This movie seems to generally be seen as one of the best of the new series. It's a good movie, the plot is good (albeit a bit Terminator-esque), and the monster action is excellent.

Kids from Shaolin (1984)

Fun little martial arts story

[7/10 · 10 March 2001]

This was Jet Li's second movie and was once again a Mainland Chinese production. The tone is on the opposite end of Shaolin Temple's: light-hearted and fun. The movie tells the story of two families on different sides of a river: Yu Hai's family of Shaolin martial arts'trained boys(one of whom is Jet Li) and another guy's family of Wudang (Wu Tang) swordsmanship-trained girls. There's been a rivalry between the families and that's interfering with the wedding between various members of the families who love each other. Also, there are some vicious bandits who want revenge after Yu Hai rescued the boys and injured their leader.

The cast is made up of authentic wushu stylists, and it shows. Everyone knows how to fight in this movie. The little girls, the little boys, the men, the women, the thieves, etc. Therefore, all the action is pure, authentic Chinese martial arts (pole, sword, 3-sectional staff, etc). The choreography is a lot different than people today are used to. However, if you like your fighting w/o extensive use of wire and special FX, this is definitely worth checking out. My only gripe is that Jet Li has to compete with the rest of the cast in showing off his skills.

The main flaw of this film is that although everyone in the cast are martial artists, the ensemble casting and numerous sub-plots take away from character development and not every subplot gets to be developed. The story jumps from one character's story to the next, and therefore not everyone gets to be fully developed.

I must say that the story and the children made the film more endearing. Jet Li is probably at his most likable (he's up there with his performance in Fong Sai Yuk). The little children are pretty enjoyable little scamps, just don't go into the film expecting a dead-serious martial arts movie. It's light-hearted and fancy free.

Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983)

Delightful attack on the senses

[8/10 · 3 March 2001]

Because this movie was made in the 1980s, I did not expect the special FX to be the equivalent of anything made in the states, or even up to the level of The Stormriders. However, I found this film a lot more enjoyable than the latter. This film is almost a non-stop ride full of swordfights, optical FX battles, flying people, and it still leaves room for some interesting themes also.

The plot deals with a soldier being disillusioned by the endless civil wars that have been fought. He goes to a mountain where he joins a swordsman, a monk and his apprentice, Sammo Hung, and some lovely ladies in a quest to defeat the Blood Demon, a being of pure evil. On the way, the soldier (Yuen Biao) and the monk's apprentice (Mang Hoi) must find some swords to use in the battle.

The action is nearly non-stop. It first starts out with some basic swordplay. Once Yuen reaches the mountain, than everything shifts into overdrive. Optical FX fly across the screen at dizzying speeds. Humans and demons fly across the screen at dizzying speeds. People get frozen alive. Women fly around with swirling cloth in their wake. Men fly around chained to boulders. Eyebrows are used to contain evil. All I can say is...wow. Only Ching Siu Tung could come up w/ some as imaginative as this.

As I mentioned earlier, there are some interesting themes involved. Tsui Hark seemed to make a statement against world leaders who start senseless wars and kill innocent people. Also, he talks about how battles become futile when people won't set aside their differences for a common cause. If we want to save the world or even ourselves, we all have to work together.

Of interesting note is the International dubbed version. That version makes the film into a dream sequence and turns the war parable into a love story spanning many generations. A lot of scenes are cut and shortened, giving the Zu mountain segment a very rushed feel. Overall, the subtitled version is a lot more preferable.

Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth (1992)

Epic feeling makes for a solid Heisei entry

[8/10 · 27 February 2001]

The fourth movie in the Heisei series, this Godzilla movie is a fairly solid entry in the long-running Godzilla series. This was the most successful Godzilla movie of the Heisei series although critically, it's seen as one of the lesser films in the second Godzilla series.

The plot deals with a meteor crashing on earth, awakening Godzilla, Battra, and uncovering Mothra's egg. Battra attacks mankind for poisoning the environment, Godzilla attacks EVERYTHING, and Mothra tries to protect mankind from both menaces. There's a sub-plot thrown in dealing with a treasure-hunter and his ex-wife, as well as some not-so-subtle themes about the environment and Megumi Odaka as the psychic Mike Saegusa (sadly, her role is thin in this one).

The special FX are great for the most part. The kaiju battles are fierce, although a bit too flashy (due to the nature of the monsters). There are some memorable scenes: Godzilla rising out of the volcano, Godzilla destroying Yokohama, Mothra coming out of its cocoon, and some others. The main liabilities in the special FX is Godzilla's return to his old roar (as opposed to the one he used in the previous 3) and Mothra's attack on Tokyo doesn't look too convincing.

Overall, a good monster movie. The pace moves reasonably well. The monsters are fun and exciting as always. The preachy manner of our need to protect the environment isn't handled well, but it's not like it matters too much. After all, I watch these movies to see monsters fighting.

Street Fighter Alpha (1999 Video)

Good animated fighting

[7/10 · 10 February 2001]

Whenever I watch an anime film based on a fighting game, I expect FIGHTING. I don't want some ramshackle plot that detracts from the whole reason I enjoyed the game in the first place. Even the presence of a good plot can not justify in my mind any fighting game-based anime that contains little to no action.

This brings me to my review of Street Fighter Alpha the movie. The plot, such as it is, concerns Ken and Ryu teaming up with Chun Li to battle some maniacal scientist who's trying to harness the "Dark Hadou" within Ryu. The "Dark Hadou" is sort of the Dark Side of Ryu's martial arts. Also thrown in the plot is Sakura as an admirer of Ryu and Rose as a being who tries to help Ryu understand his destiny.

The animation is pretty good. The character design is quite different than Streetfighter 2: The Animated Movie. I liked the "ultra-muscular" design of its predecessor more than the "huge hulking creature" design of this film.

The fighting is the films calling card. There's a lot of it, and it's well "choreographed" and animated. A lot of brutal, high impact martial arts with just the right amount of energy attacks thrown in. My only complaint is that Chun Li and Sakura don't get any memorable one on ones. I loved Chun Li's duel with Vega in this film's predecessor, but there aren't any moments for her in this (not that she doesn't fight). Overall, an entertaining animated movie.

Zeiram 2 (1994)

Respectable follow-up to the original

[7/10 · 3 February 2001]

This sequel to the 1991 hit Japanese movie is just as entertaining as the first movie. The plot contains a lot of elements from the first movie (i.e. being trapped in the Zone, etc.). With that said, the film covers a lot of familiar territory, although there are some significant differences. Zeiram's design is a lot different; he's a lot slicker, he has more weapons, and he's one heck of a fighter. There are also some new characters that appear in this film. Yuko Moriyama, reprising her role as Iria, is still beautiful and a joy to watch onscreen. Once again, this movie treats us to lots of gunplay, hi-tech kickboxing, interesting gadgets, and some cool looking monsters. The action scenes were a lot more exciting this time around. My only complaints are two graphically violent scenes (they're short though) and the fact that Zeiram doesn't evolve into some cool stop-motion monstrosity at the end. However, the end duel was quite fun. Overall, a solid entry in the series.

Zeiram (1991)

Fun sci-fi action thriller

[7/10 · 3 February 2001]

This movie is quite an entertaining little romp if you watch it with an open mind. It's full of interesting gadgets, lots of weapons, explosions, monsters, stop-motion, talking computers, Japanese babes, etc. The plot concerns an intergalatic bounty hunter, played by the beautiful Yuko Moriyama, who tracks down an unstoppable alien killing machine named Zeiram. The plot also throws in two male comedy foils, although Yuko could easily carry the film on her own. There's lot of action, some of it hand to hand (it's always a treat to see women fighting) and some of it with hi-tech guns and such. While this is isn't a perfect movie, it's a good way to spend an evening...cool-looking monsters, kickboxing babes, explosions...what more can one ask for.

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

One of the Classic Kaiju Films

[10/10 · 25 January 2001]

Godzilla has made 23 films now. His movies have been fairly popular worldwide and his name is recognizable virtually everywhere. Although Godzilla wasn't the first kaiju (monster) to grace the big screen, he's been the epitome of staying power as far as screen creatures go. There have been dozens of giant monster movies made since Godzilla first appeared. This movie is one of the true classics of the genre, all nations considered.

The plot is simple: Godzilla attacks Japan when an egg carrying his offspring is taken by scientists. His appearance in Japan prompts the G-Force to battle him with MechaGodzilla, an supreme cyborg creation. Before long, buildings are being destroyed, tanks are crushed, and death rays are fired in an attempt for both sides to accomplish their goal. Although people may criticize the plot, it's simplicity prevents the film from developing unnecessary plot threads and subplots or lapses in logic.

The best part about this movie is the action and special FX. There's more than enough to go around. There are a total of 4 monster battles in this movie. Godzilla looks cool. Mechagodzilla is quite sleek and smooth in his new incarnation. Rodan, who makes is reappearance here, looks decent also. All three monsters have their beam weapons, which all look cool (esp. when Mechagodzilla and Godzilla have a "ray firing contest"). The matte work is also great, blending Godzilla in w/ citizens fleeing in terror.

The music is cool. I liked Garuda's theme, it was real catchy. There is also a choral theme that was pretty touching. The rest of the music is fitting as well (Ifukube brings back the theme that he used in Ghidrah and Monster Zero).

Overall, a highly entertaining entry in not only the Godzilla series, but the kaiju movie as a whole. Great action, special FX, music, and Megumi Odaka is as cute as can be.

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

A piece of me died as well

[8/10 · 20 January 2001]

When I first read about the existence of this film, I was horrified to learn that Godzilla died at the end. My first thoughts were, "how could Godzilla die at the hands of another monster." As I read more about it, I learned that that wasn't the case. However, that didn't change the fact that Godzilla passes in the next world at the end. As much as I knew about the ending, I still couldn't help but feel a part of me die also.

The movie takes the Heisei series full circle by connecting the origins of the monster Destroyer with Godzilla's original foe, the Oxygen Destroyer. Godzilla's offspring has grown from that rather-silly looking creature from Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla into a monster that looks like his father. Mix those elements with a Godzilla that is rapidly approaching the bring of self-nuclear destruction and you have this final blowout for the big "G".

This movie is quite entertaining. There are some good fighting moments and the finale is quite good. The battle between Godzilla Jr. And Destroyer was exciting also. The special FX for the most part were good, with a few cheesy scenes. Destroyer was quite a formidable foe and his various incarnations were very cool-looking. I especially like the hack n' slash scene where Godzilla and his enemy are tearing each other pieces, literally.

Also, there are some poignant moments in this movie. The finale left me with quite a lump in my throat. Godzilla finding Jr.'s body at the aquarium were also quite touching.

Well, all in all, this is a good kaiju film. Lots of monsters. A cool opening scene. Lots of cute Japanese girls, especially Megumi Odaka. A rousing Akira Ifukube score. Great.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)

Not as bad as most people say it is

[7/10 · 20 January 2001]

This is one of those movies that it infuriates me to see so many people get very analytical on. Most people find all so many things to harp on, they forget this movie (and most of the series) is made to entertain. Lots of people criticize the plot, but who really goes into a kaiju fighting movie looking for deep meaning (there are a FEW exceptions)?

Setting that aside, let's get to the review. The plot deals with a monster bred in space that comes to earth to battle Godzilla. It's origins are ambiguous: Biollante or Mothra are responsible in one way or another. After Godzilla is defeated in the first encounter, both monsters retreat and then both tear up Japan as they head towards the final battleground: Fukuoka.

Personally, I thought Space Godzilla was cool. He was quite a difficult opponent to fight. Godzilla's breath for the most part wasn't effective. I liked his design also. The final battle goes on for quite long as Godzilla and a robot ally, MOGUERA take Space Godzilla in a giant crystal fortress. There were some ambitious ideas involving telekinesis; both Space Godzilla and Megumi Odaka use it during the film. I liked the score, it's a lot better than it's given credit for. My favorite part is the destruction montage of Godzilla destroying various cities on his way to Fukuoka. Great special FX and great musical accompaniment.

Overall, an entertaining film.

Encounter of the Spooky Kind (1980)

Now THAT'S what I call horror

[8/10 · 2 January 2001]

I rented this movie after hearing a lot of good things about as far as action, comedy, and inventiveness was concerned. I must say I wasn't disappointed. This movie is off the wall; anyone who isn't used to Hong Kong cinema, their heads will explode by the finale. The movie has vampires, ghosts, possession, kung fu, comedy, monkey talk, random acts of violence against poultry, Lam Ching Ying, and then some. The martial arts choreography is good and the acrobatics are great, esp. for Sammo. Overall, a movie that needs to be seen to be believed.

The Dragon and the Tiger Kids (1979)

One of the better old-school kung fu films

[8/10 · 27 December 2000]

I had read two reviews on this film before I saw it: one review highly recommended it and another criticized the lack of kicking from Hwang Jang Lee, the Korean super-kicker. I found myself agreeing with the former. I thought it was a really good martial arts film in the Drunken Master vein. The acrobatics performed by the leads are excellent. The choreography is very complex, but never too slow. Hwang gets to show off his excellent legwork, more so than I was led to believe. He does some great kicks in the long finale. There were some violent moments that I didn't care for. Overall, a fine kung fu movie.

Shogun Assassin (1980)

Hyper-violent samurai epic

[8/10 · 16 December 2000]

I've wanted to see this movie for a long time now. Ever since Genius/GZA had excerpts from this film on his first album and I learned about the Lone Wolf series, I've really wanted to see this movie. I must say that I wasn't disappointed. This is a highly entertaining film. The shogun's executioner and his son go out on the run and must contend with samurai, female ninja, and 3 killers called "The Masters of Death." There's a lot of sword fighting, all of it is over-the-top bloody. This guy is one bad mutha...that's for sure. The only scene I didn't care for was when him, his son, and a woman try to keep themselves warm after fleeing a ship, I thought it was essentially unnecessary. I liked the child's narration, it went along good with the movie. And check out the way the Master of Death with the club gets it...whoa boy.

Crystal Hunt (1991)

Impressive fight scenes highlight usual low-budget nonsense

[7/10 · 15 December 2000]

You know, Donnie Yen has made a number of low-budget films during his career. In an interview he said that he made them only because he needed to pay the bills...otherwise he hated them. Crystal Hunt is one of those movies that I believe he hated. Having said that, the movie is not all that bad.

The plot is some nonsensical mishmash about a magic crystal and the various parties that are looking for it. There are a lot of characters to keep track of. Ultimately the plot really doesn't matter...the fight scenes do.

There is a good number of fight scenes in this movie. Like many of Donnie's films in the 1990s, the fight scenes are often undercranked. However, for the most part, it isn't too bad. Donnie is in good form. His wushu/kickboxing is always great to watch. Sibelle Hu, Carrie Ng, and Fujimi Nadeki get to cut loose and bust out some cool moves. Ken Lo (of Drunken Master II fame) even has one decent fight scene. Also, I have to rate this movie as John Salvitti's best martial arts performance. He really outshines his work from ITLOD 4 and Tiger Cage 2. Micheal Woods does alright too. The end is entertaining, in not too brutal.

Overall a pretty good action film for fans of the genre.

Tai Chi II (1996)

Excellent Kung Fu Movie

[8/10 · 13 December 2000]

Once again, Yuen Woo-Ping has directed another highly entertaining period kung fu movie. He seems to be very good at that. The story is fairly typical, revolutionaries and opium smugglers in turn-of-the-century China. The action is what counts. There is a lot of martial arts in this movie. Jackie Wu, who I believe studied at the Beijing wushu institute, is impressive. He does a lot of good wushu and tai chi. Yu Hai and Billy Chow also show up and do some impressive moves. The bad guy from Fong Sai Yuk 2 and New Legend of Shaolin makes an appearance and copies "Iron Head Rat" from the original Drunken Master film. There are a lot of wires as well as authentic wushu and tai chi so be warned. I also liked the fact that there is actually a relationship in this movie that goes somewhere, something I rarely see in a kung fu movie. Sibelle Hu and Christy Chung are also pretty. Overall an entertaining kung fu flick.

Super Lady Cop (1993)

Very similar in tone to City Hunter, Cynthia Khan is wonderful though

[7/10 · 11 December 2000]

Boy, this movie is unbelievably odd and crazy. The characters in this film act with an idiocy that rivals that of City Hunter. I mean, these people are just plain goofy. The plot, for whatever it's worth, deals with Cynthia joining up with a cop to battle three awol cyborgs. The first half of the film is mostly comedy that eventually gets annoying (Cynthia doesn't need so many idiots around her). There are a few fights, but things don't pick up until the second half. That's when things really get started. The fights are fast, furious, high-flying, undercranked, and all together entertaining...as long as you take it in good fun. There are some interesting wire tricks used, but they essentially don't get in the way of the stars' skills. The finale has Cynthia transforming into Chun Li and fighting. I must say, she looks many times better than Jackie Chan as Chun Li. She is very beautiful in this film. Overall, a lightweight film that is enjoyable if you watch it in the right mindset.