After reading some comments on the film and seeing that some people loved it and other were a little disappointed, I figured I'd give it a try and hope for the best. It looked promising at least.

I love Korean films from Park Chan-Wook and Ryu Seung-Wan and Bong Joon-Ho. And I usually stick to them because they're safe bets. Seeing a movie with a directorial debut was worth a shot and what a pay off.

Well, I now have my favorite movie of this year so far. Stumbling across this well acted, well written, over stylized, cat and mouse game of suspense was a blessing.

I don't want to actually talk about the film, because going in with no idea of the plot is best, so I can only discuss how much I enjoyed the film. I guess my review is just about how surprised I was to find a movie I absolutely loved without it being from big name actors or from a big name director. It's just a well made film that's very gritty, scary, dark, and emotional.

Just get it, you won't regret it.

After watching the promo material and trailers, hearing about all the training he went through and subsequent breakdowns from over budget shooting, etc., etc., etc., I was expecting the most kick-ass over the top action/stunt movie ever made.

NOT EVEN CLOSE.

Let's keep this short. ALL the action is super generic. It's just a bunch of fighting and people being killed or beaten down. There are no amazing takedowns or creative fights, it's all super plain Jane stuff. Punch, kick, stab, slice. Other than the three seconds of rope dart, nothing special.

No stunt work at all. Other than the flip from on top of an elephant and then landing on a guy, there was nothing here worth seeing.

I railed "Ong-Bak 1" and "Tom Yum Goong" for being just stupid over the top action that wasn't necessary and lacking a coherent story, but I changed my mind. I want the over the top stunts that blow me away rather than a movie without that, and still an incoherent story.

It tries harder this time to make sense, but the ending made NO SENSE AT ALL, and sometimes you had no idea who he is fighting. And there was NO POINT in having the female relationship love drama going on because there is no pay off. She's there, she misses him, sees him again, that's all. There isn't any resolution or purpose to even have her in the film. It's as if they planned to but cut it out or didn't shoot the ending.

Overall, this is not anywhere near as good as it should have been. This was his chance to shine with a real story and some new fighting styles that would really show off his ability. What you get is a generic action movie with no spectacular moments and a story that amounts to dribble.

Donnie Yen does a great job acting instead of just kicking everyone's ass. His portrayal of Ip Man does a great service to show the gentleman he was and how great travesties can shape a man.

Does it feel a LOT like "Fist of Legend"? Yes. Does it recreate a lot of the same action? Yes. But, this is not "Fist of Legend". It takes itself a lot more seriously and the drama is more realistic.

It does portray the Japanese as super evil and as the super villains. While that is all fair for the time, since this is a pretty accurate film, I wish it would do what "Fist of Legend" did and have that feeling of reconciliation--that differences can be worked out, etc. Seeing the Japanese general show respect is nice, but it demonizes them too much still. It just sort of gives that downer feeling rather than something a little more uplifting.

All in all, one of the best films of the year from Hong Kong from an action, stylistic, and dramatic view.

After seeing "City of Violence" and wanting to check out some of Ryu Seung Wan's previous films, and Choi Min Sik after seeing "Oldboy", this was one of those highly recommended films. And after delaying a purchase for so long due to high costs of Korean imports, IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY.

First, I cannot say enough of how well acted this movie is. These guys deserve more credit than is possible for their portrayals of their characters. To have to dig so deep for such emotional scenes and then put themselves through the physical exhaustion of boxing is incredible.

Next, the visual style. As what's become common with Korean film as of late, that dark gritty but yet sharp picture is evident. Lots of gray tones serve this film well and is very pleasing on the eyes.

Third, the action. Rocky Balboa may be the big gun for boxing action, but holy hell it has some stiff competition here. It all looks very real (since a lot of it was). Not to mention a 2 minute scene with no cuts and a camera in the ring with the boxers. Seriously good stuff here.

Lastly, the story is very touching. No matter who you are or what you think of yourself and film, if you don't get emotional by the end, you are dead inside. I'm pretty dead inside myself, but even I can find it within myself to really feel for these guys and get a little choked up here and there with this story.

All I can say is this is a purchase you would never regret. Such a beautiful movie with NO NEGATIVES.

If people think that Jeeja Yanin (is that her name?) is some next generation superstar about to break out, then there must really be a lack of quality action stars out there (yes there is, but still). She's a freakin' gymnast swinging her legs around and then stunt men fall and pretend they are hurt or even got hit. This isn't Tony Jaa kicking you in the head in slow-mo so you can see the guy get creamed, or Donnie Yen hitting Coolie in the face (with a fake fist BTW). It is plain jane action that just isn't as good as other stuff that's out there. If you want female action that's low brow, watch some of the funny Japanese stuff like "The Machine Girl". It's just as bad, but on purpose and much funnier.

And what is with all the transvestites? The bad guy has a posse of man-women to protect him. WTF? This movie is truly laughable.

This movie is sooo freakin' beautiful and well made, it hurts to know that another movie of this caliber will not hit screens for quite some time. You only get a film this good every year or so (Johnnie To does work fast).

The whole style over substance argument seems silly here. Yes, it is all style, but there is plenty of substance here. You don't need a long backstory to explain the characters, there is no important theme or lesson to be taught, it doesn't matter what happens and why. This is an enertaining movie with all but the minimum needed to tell a story. No more, no less.

Same thing with "Exiled", another movie with style over substance. I don't know what people wanted. It's the same story. You get wonderfully different characters, unique locations and views of Hong Kong, interaction from everyone, and fresh ideas of how to handle mundane film genres.

Whatever the case may be, this is an absolutely brilliant film that looks good, plays good, has good acting, and a story that makes sense (at least in terms of movie logic). If you want a deeper experience, watch "There Will Be Blood" or "Election" 1 and 2 (all great movies as well). But here you get something that is so unique and different that it is a masterpiece.

Andy Lau feels out of place which sucks because he was so natural in A Battle of Wits.

As for the movie itself, it is typical semi-period (there are guns, so not too far back in history). Action is pretty good, story flows well, actors are all well portrayed, and the set pieces are all very well made.

But be honest, it's about Jet Li. That's why you should see the movie. He's awesome and he's not just kicking everyone's ass.

If you even somewhat understand how Hollywood works, this movie is a mockery of the entire system, with good cause. It makes fun of every little thing that happens in movie making, the stuff that goes on behind the scenes normal folks wouldn't believe. Add to the fact that you're looking to replace Bruce Lee at the peak of his career and everyone wants to make a quick buck, and you've got certified gold on your hands. Think about how many movies came out about Lee or claiming to have Lee in them after he died, watch this and you'll understand why.

If you're a fan of Justin Lin ("Better Luck Tomorrow", "The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift"), you'll already love this film. If you've never seen his previous works, it's time to hop on and learn to love him. It's great to see the same cast from previous films return in new roles with some great new additions.

It is really cool to see him spar with a pole wrapped in blankets as a makeshift punching bag. And the fight scenes are OK. I'm sure Dragon Dynasty will release a really good edition with great info and commentary.

Worth seeing at least, just nothing you're gonna remember or think about later on.

As a cool side note, Coolie from Kung Fu Hustle is featured during a fight and has a decent scene.

With such a great actor as Louis Koo being in this movie, his performance was severely lacking. After seeing him in Election 2, this is a huge drawback. I was excited to see him paired with Donnie Yen, but he gets no room to act and generally falls very flat.

So, how about the action? Meh. Yeah, that kind of subdued reaction is what one gets out of this movie. Does Coolie from Kung Fu Hustle finally get to show off some awesome moves? No. Are there long shots of uninterrupted action showcasing great martial arts abilities? No. Well, is there a final action scene that blows everyone away a la SPL? Not really.

The last fight scene seems to drag on a little too long with repetitious blows being dealt back and forth. Not too mention how horrendous some of the gunfighting was at the end. You'll know what I mean if you see it. Yet, Donnie Yen pulls out a few awesome tricks, but it feels too much like a copy of SPL with the MMA and grappling stuff. It was okay when it was fresh then, but I'm over it now.

Really, I was expecting the re-teaming of Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen paired with a great actor in Louis Koo to really produce something amazing with over the top action to rival SPL, but it turns out to be a watered down copy without anything innovative or mind blowing (except for the punch in the face which can be seen in the trailer). But what's really sad here is that it's still the best thing out there right now from Hong Kong. So it's worth seeing, but not worth owning.

And the cool neat-o box that comes with the limited edition is complete garbage. Now it doesn't fit with the rest of my movies and it looks bad and it opens retardedly and just ugghhh. . . Just get the regular edition, save your money and enjoy ease of use.

Bordering on the look of a student film, it is obvious this is no Hollywood production. Yet, if you take the whole thing with a grain of salt and just really watch the movie, it is enjoyable.

Most of the time, the jokes are funny, while a few times you think to yourself, "Should have left that out." Same goes for the action. Most of it is really really good, and a few times not so hot. But for this level of film making, no one has been able to make something this good so far. It's leaps and bounds above normal indie stuff, especially the choreography.

This is a GREAT starting point as this crew can only get better with a real budget and some professional help. The potential is there, it just needs a little work. Overall, definitely a must see and a group to look out for in the future.