"With all the realism and reason in most today's movies, this was briskly anarchistic in terms of boring rules of movie making."

The credits verify this. We have a Perry Boy, Peedoy, D'vultures, Paeng Giant and SOS Daredevils (Filipino’s elite stunt team). There’s an actor called Chang Lee whose name is separated, giving the impression of two one-name actors.

King Boxer 2 seems to be a family affair. We have a trio of Velascos (Joseph, Vivian and Leonardo) and a quintet of Ramos’ (Ruben, Ed, Ever, Segundo and Amber). The disjointed nature of the production may as well have been due to a case of family feud or nepotism that may have occurred on set or off.

The plot is best described as a comedic version of The Gold Connection with everyone getting their necks deep into some priceless treasure all the while a mysterious hit man keeps a watchful eye. The stark contrast in those films is akin to comparing Jackie Chan’s distinctive (to the point of conflictive) 1993 efforts, City Hunter and Crime Story.

However, Bruce Le (a less talented Chinese Jeff Bridges) is no match for James Ho (or Dragon Lee for that matter) and for a Filipino actioner it could have done with Inosanto’s presence to seal the deal on the martial arts stakes. Given today’s climate when it comes to action cinema, I think the whole world could benefit from seeing an authentic Filipino action hero who reveled in the beauty of Escrima and the likes.

I admire Dan for helping Escrima and Jeet Kune Do gain more exposure in the West but his mastery of the martial arts, along with his knowledge of action directing, could have made him an ideal stunt coordinator for the Filipino film industry. His creative input could have easily bolstered the quality and boosted their place in world cinema and right now we would have decent quality films from the Philippines that would rival Ong Bak in their artistry. Daniel Inosanto could have done for the Filipino film industry what Bruce Lee did for the Chinese one.

That may seem like a bold comment to make but bearing in mind that Danny’s experience on Hollywood and Hong Kong features gave him a truly dual-world perspective, an advantage that not many people had back in 1982. As such, Filipino action cinema has been stunted in its growth as a powerhouse in action film-making. Filipino cinema, as a result, has been impeded with the cheap-as-hell tag.

As you can tell from what can be read above, this is a somewhat disappointing film which had the potential to genuinely put Filipino action movies on the market but alas this film is ruined with a loosely connected plot whose unfocused narrative makes the confusing mess of Enter the Game of Death look startlingly linear.

Both movies were made by Joseph Velasco (a.k.a. Joseph Kong Hung) but unlike the latter (which was the film he made prior to this), this one lacks any real sense of coherence despite the protagonist seeming to have more drive and purpose in his actions than in the previous outing. To say there’s plot holes would be a vicious understatement. You’d think bad decisions with the editing, rather than the script, are what caused these gaps.

Unlike their previous collaboration, there are no celebrity look-alikes. For instance, in Enter the Game of Death there’s a Caucasian man with dark hair and facial hair who looks like British comic Jimmy Carr and one of the black martial artists looks like Michael Winslow from Police Academy (I saw this film lately at a house party and one of my friends swears it’s him). Don’t let that put you off King Boxer 2. The film isn’t too far from the term “so bad it’s good.”

The director is the same dude responsible for Bruce’s Deadly Fingers (which boasted having Lieh, Nora and Bolo), Bruce and Dragon Fist, My Name Called Bruce (written by a Zackey Chan), Bruce and Shaolin Kung Fu, Enter Three Dragons (a.k.a. ‘The Dragon on Fire’ which had Philip Ko, Bolo, Lee Hoi San and Bruce Lei or Dragon Lee) and Eye of the Dragon (a.k.a. ‘The Ninja Strikes Back’ with Hwang Jang Lee, Casanova Wong, Bolo, Oddjob and Chick Norris).

He also helmed Return of Bruce (a.k.a. ‘Boxing Brothers’ which also had Lo*) and Cobra (not with Sly Stallone but with Bruce Lei).

…and I’ve not even hinted at the two “special” Leesploitation chop-sockies he did. Hahahahaha!

As with a lot of martial arts movies, what you can always rely on to salvage a film with a weak plot are stellar action sequences but that depends on how good the action director is. Despite there being plentiful chances for culturally diverse slugfests, the film’s bouts of martial combat range from average to slightly above average barring one truly good duel that happens later on in the film. This happens during the course of the third act (in the beginning of said act) and not surprisingly it's with another Chinese fighter but I'll talk about that later.

On the plus side, if you want something that’s unusual to the point of being bizarre (if nonsensical) then you will enjoy watching the eccentricities that are inherent (if not wildly abundant) in this film. The best way to describe this movie is imagine watching a film that was a combination between Godfrey Ho (minus the ninjas) and Ken Russell.

There's a surrealist tone to this film which makes the film wacky to the point of being incoherent. Not quite in league with Chu Yen Ping’s Fantasy Mission Force or Chan Mei-Kei’s The Eternal Evil of Asia but almost vying for the same level of attention. Honestly, after watching this movie, I've come to see Wong Jing as David Lynch.

Let’s see, this film has a bunch of henchmen who are dwarfs (one of whom fires a pistol as if it was a shotgun), a homosexual rapist, a tribe of sickle-armed dwarfs, a very hot snake fist-styled Filipino lady, a group of similarly clad dagger-wielding femme fatales, a murderous obese masseuse, a transvestite who’s accosted by Bruce Le and a team of Shaolin Bronzemen. After all, this was made by the same team who brought us Clones of Bruce Lee. However, the film is misleading with its alternate title of Bruce and the Shaolin Bronzemen as they’re only featured in one scene.

Equally dubious is the title King Boxer 2 as this has nothing in common with Lo Lieh’s breakthrough film. Actually, given the nature of Lo Lieh’s appearance in Big Boss 2**, it would have arguably been more fitting if these two films switched titles. These films would probably have benefited more in reception, especially in the case of Le’s flick since if people can confuse Chinese with Japanese then they can confuse Filipinos with Thais.

With that said, there are a few scenes which seem similar to The Big Boss with one of the antagonists taking pleasure in watching their hired men spar with each other as well as joining in for a martial arts demonstration. Even some dialogue at the end recalls something Lee uttered in the finale of said film.

Notwithstanding possibly intended allusions to Bruce’s first action film, it’s a shame that there weren’t that many Bruceploitation films that capitalized on The Big Boss. The grisly nature of the film’s violence coupled with the prostitute angle was enough for exploitation movie moguls everywhere to expound upon. There was never a Bruceploitation film that truly quenched the thirst of porn pundits and fed the hunger of bloodhounds. Had there been so, exploitation cinema junkies would have sought highly after these films regardless whether they liked martial arts or not.

Opportunities were also missed on directly cashing in on Enter the Dragon. Given the plot elements of escorts and captives, filmmakers could have remade Enter as a “women in prison”*** movie with tons of sexploitation and lots of multi-ethnic diversity to entice global audiences. If Wong Jing was a director in the ‘70s, he would have explored such a concept. Jingie is an exploitive genius who would have given us enough sex, violence, juicy foul language and ‘70s cultural tidbits to satisfy the most ardent of grindhouse fans.

Back to this movie, which should not be confused with Treasure of Bruce Le (directed by Joseph Kuo****), it is a fairly middling affair with slightly meandering direction in light of both characterization and action. If there had to be one film that is required to be watched with friends and consumed substances, in order to be fully enjoyable and not utterly pointless, then this is the one. Whilst the film occasionally shines with inspired moments, it just plods along aimlessly in search of meaningful direction.

Looking back in retrospect, the main deficiency here is the dubbing. No one is a native English speaker so it’s hard to fully immerse ourselves with the interaction that exists between the characters. The dubbing is notable for having artists whose native language is obviously not English. Everyone sounds Mexican. Bruce Le sounds as if he’s dubbed by a Spaniard who sounds like Antonio Banderas. The guy who does the voice-over for Bruce pronounces uncle as “ancel.”

Another issue with the dubbing is that there’s moments when someone is speaking but nothing is heard, something that becomes quite apparent during the fight scenes where the usually present war cries are fairly absent (this happens with other kinds of sound effects during some of the scenes). This makes for an emotionally detached experience, though (save for a few okay actors) the sub-par acting on offer belittles any substantial levels of engagement the filmmakers were aiming to derive from the audience.

Then again, the dubbing could have thwarted some decent voice acting since I’ve always believed that if an actor is limited facially, they can deliver vocally (take for instance John Hurt in The Elephant Man). Maybe someone felt having foreign dubbing made it realistic but that is a jarring thought to consider since the problems of comprehending the dialogue diminish any well intentions of the sort.

The post-production team could have at least attempted in getting an actor like James Hong (who had lent his talent to several characters for the Li feature Exit the Dragon, Enter the Tiger). Gone are voice artists who sound like celebrities (like the Sean Connery soundalike for the villain in Interpol). No longer do we have dubbers who sound like John DeMita (Li’s role in New Game of Death) or Jonathan Frakes (Lung Fei’s villain role in New Game of Death).

George Lucas once said that film is 50% sound and I think this film displays a stark contrast between quality of dubbing and scoring. King Boxer 2 is testament to how much a decent quality soundtrack can enhance the experience of a film. What the film may lack in its visual components, it certainly does not lag with its audio composites. There are some rousing moments of orchestration which help make the film more achieved than it deserves (the accomplished fight scene with the Chinese hit-man being the highlight).

We’re treated to some classic funkadelic beats (‘70s bass lovers will get a kick outta this flick) and one rip-roaring fight scene with a Filipino gang near the beginning is a notable example. Of course, like a lot of the Hong Kong films during the period, this film contrives some cues from other movies (The Sand Pebbles must have been a huge hit in Hong Kong because its music was ripped off majorly for Jackie Chan’s Dragon Fist).

On the surface, the film seems to have the ingredients of a classic Bruceploitation film but it never really gels those ingredients together in a truly cohesive whole. It starts off like a traditional Kung Fu movie with some guy showing off his repertoire of movements. The only thing here being remotely different is the aspect of lighting with Bruce Le being illustrated fairly vibrantly in a red coat of light in front of a pitch black background (you gotta dig the contrast) then we get taken to some scenic agricultural setting where Bruce is training (with some of the most over the top sound effects ever heard).

Next we see Le trying to survive in the wilderness by hunting for fish and using darts to snatch melons from trees. We then come across his martial arts master in ancient garb and we get the impression this is some period tale but then afterwards we get taken to a scenario with thugs in contemporary attire. In any other movie, this would have been seen as defying audience expectation (since it is common for Chinese people to wear ancient robes in a modern setting e.g. the Waise Lee movie The Cat*****). In this movie, it’s just an example of the filmmakers deciding to make up things as they went along.

Le’s character is questionable morally as when the thugs attempt to rape a woman, he doesn’t do anything until they accidentally kick his pot of cooked fish. There’s nothing wrong with having protagonists whose agendas are with shades of gray (like Eastwood’s in the Dollars trilogy) but there doesn’t seem to be many plot points which allow for these filmmakers to explore the possibility of having a morally ambiguous “hero” (either that or they decided to drop the act after failing to come up with more angles on this). Once more, the would-be rape victim tries to kill Le moments later!

After foiling an ambush attempt by some random goons, Le encounters a mysterious martial arts expert played by Cheung Lik (who played the nunchaku exponent in Enter the Game of Death). Cheung was the fight choreographer for both this and Enter the Game of Death. The problem with this film is that during the group conflicts, it’s more obvious than ever that the stuntmen are just waiting to get hit than to be giving the impression that they’re that involved in the fight.

Throughout a lot of these fights, they come off as referees overlooking the action before anticipating in the combat. The filmmakers of this could have learned a lot from Last Fist of Fury from the composition of similar-themed fights. Despite this, both movies share scenes involving one of the protagonists being entangled in rope during a melee.

Some of the humour in the feudage helps to give the film an endearing touch even if some of it is quite hokey (if not ho-hum), namely when one of the gang leaders punishes a fellow hooligan by pulling out some of his facial hair.

Bruce Le’s vest, in some scenes, reads Saplot which is also the name of a feature-length presentation sex drama. Which reminds me, King Boxer 2 could have done with some nudity and porn. Given the randomness of the movie, the producers really missed out on going full-tilt with the exploit-everything angle. Nothing beats a good ol’ fuck and fight flick.

The actress who plays the villainess is Lita Vasquez who was thought of as the Philippines’ answer to Angela Mao. Lita can be seen in the Filipino cult classic Darna and the Planet Women.

The scene with the miniscule tribemen was, no doubt, inspired by the popularity of Weng Weng whose major claim to fame was the Bond spoof For Y’ur Height Only******. Weng had fought Lita in The Impossible Kid which was released one year after For Y’ur Height Only.

Yukari Oshima would be the next big female action superstar for Filipino audiences, although her status is surpassed by actress Vilma Santos who is seen as the Filipino Meryl Streep (conversely yet curiously, Cynthia Rothrock’s popularity in Jakarta was such that she was, oddly enough, viewed as a martial arts Meryl Streep).

No Bruceploitation movie could be complete without the requisite humour, even if a lot of it is unintentional (save for a Filipino equivalent to the type of Waylon Smithers-esque role usually reserved for Lee movie expat Wei Ping Ao). A sign on the door of a sauna (for men) reads ‘keep smiling’ (eerily unsettling given the nudity on display). One of the female protagonists informs Le that one of the crooks is as big as an elephant and when Le is at an amusement park, the director attempts to make the statues of creatures look scary but this would only work in a film like Jurassic Park. Here, it comes off as tawdry.

Rape scenes are never intended to be funny (unless you’re Wong Jing) but in this movie some Filipino thugs try to steal this fat guy’s big bowl of white cream (innuendo unintended) and one of them tries to undress him, causing the chubby guy to moan like a puppy dog as he yearns for his food. If Wong Jing was behind the camera (and left to his devices) this would be on par with his scripted James Ho movie, The Lama Avenger (o.k.a.******* The Three Avengers) which, believe it or not, isn’t as tacky as one may think.

A “poignant” scene takes place nine tenths into the film but rather than being tear-jerking, we’re succumbed to laughter as we see Bruce Le became Bruce Banner. Heheheheheheheheheh!

The brawls presented are literally a case of hit and miss but one fight that’s likely to excite viewers is what should have been the true denouement given the limited skills of Lita and the element of suspense that the film was trying to generate with the mysterious Chinese fighter.

The martial joust illustrates what we’re missing in the other fights: a sense of urgency and a feeling of danger. Mr. Lucas once said that a film is only as good as its villain and throughout the majority of this movie we never get the impression that Le is closer to the threshold of death. This is only hinted at with the premise of each fight rather than explored to devastating effect.

Le is engaged in a fast-paced battle of wits involving having to constantly change his style to jinx the concentration of the hired killer. Le and Lik constantly utilize different styles of Kung Fu, back and forth, in a way that makes other Kung Fu films look stilted and formal in their progression of styles. Le uses an assortment of leopard, dragon’s tail, snake, crane and tiger techniques to combat whatever Lik throws at him. There are parts where they even have to engage in the more conventional fisted combat just to gain an advantage. Lee would be impressed.

Describing the structure on a basic chronological format is fairly daunting, let alone describing the way they employ their techniques. Simply put, the duel serves as a master class seminar in how to counteract the other duelist’s style. It would have been the icing on the cake to have had some mantis and eagle (thumb, index and middle fingers) stylings going on. Having some monkey and panther-fist (middle knuckle raised) shenanigans would have been the cherry on top.

The unconventional conclusion of this bout may have motivated the development for the one between Jackie Chan and Don Cheadle in Rush Hour 2. The music even sounds similar but then that’s probably just me.

The finale is pretty exciting for what it is in theme although it’s kinda uneven in that the very final fight scene doesn’t live up to what preceded it: a series of progressively enthralling fight sequences. We have Karatekas with blades, Karatekas with poles and some Escrima exponents thrown in for good measure. To be honest, Le fought so many people that I think I may have left out something.

Now, if we had Dan Inosanto leading a pack of Escrima-styled cronies against Le then this could have rivaled James Ho’s Chinese Stuntman or even Bruce Lee’s Game of Death for that matter. As is the case here, the premise for the third act never really delivers in a way it should, making the likes of Enter the Game of Death look like Tower of Death. Which is all the more insulting to all concerned when you consider that Enter the Game made New Game of Death look like the original Game of Death.

I wonder how big this film would have performed at the Filipino box office had Weng and Dan appeared in it. Perhaps, Dan was offered to join but was weary of Le and Weng may not have been content at doing a cameo as a Filipino Ewok (he still could have played Agent 00 gunning down would-be gunners attempting to foil Le’s path to obtain justice).

Some gaffes can’t be ignored though. For instance, there are two topless guys who are waiting to pounce on Le in some hotel lobby but the receptionist only notices them when they start fighting (bearing in mind that one of them is standing very near her). Le hits a guy’s thigh but the guy reacts like his extended mushroom and bag of prunes (*cough* *cough* *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink*) have been tremendously whalloped.

Some of the kicks don’t look effective since they obviously miss their intended target. Even if people don’t want to get hit, there are ways of obscuring these things with camera positioning but thankfully this never becomes too frequent.

When Le defends himself against the masseuse, she actually smiles after she gets hit. This is an inadvertent example of someone reverting from sadism to masochism. Add a few more techniques at the proverbial hands of Le (as well as some suggestive grimaces) and the term sadomasochism would spring to mind too. The director is prone to some bizarre moments of creativity so maybe Le should have fist-fucked her too.

The villainess of the piece tries to invite Le for a swim but even in the shallow end of the beach she struggles. Despite having reasons to distrust her, he helps her anyway only to be attacked then later on he kisses her like as if the whole thing was just a game of hard to get. When Le fights the first wave of Karatekas, they scatter away for some reason (leaving another group to get wiped out) and then they come back again. It’s like the director had suddenly found a way to extend the finale mid-production.

A good example of the lousy film-making apparent is that in one shot we can see the reflections of the film crew in Le’s shades. Thankfully, we don’t get too many shots like this otherwise this film would be plagued in its attempts to take the viewers to a world that seems to exist outside a filmic environment.

This film is so flawed that it makes Last Fist of Fury look like the work of Akira Kurosawa. Yeah, it’s that bad. Writing and directing mean nothing if the lead actor is not capable. Bruce Le, at best, is an average actor who manages to make the minimalistic Chuck Norris look like a subtle method actor. At worst, Le is a bad actor who can convince movie goers that Michael Wong can evoke the presence and mood of Anthony Wong.

Seriously, Le lacks the expressionistic texture that separates good actors from bad actors. Given the animated nature of some of the other talents Kung Fu cinema had to offer, Le can not hold one’s attention when he’s not in action. Le exhibits little of the charisma and charm Li effortlessly conveyed. He also makes Dragon Lee look like Jason Scott Lee.

Like what Michael Caine said, an actor is always thinking if not talking. Unlike James, we don’t get to see much introspection from Le. Maybe it’s the lack of opportunity to explore facets of emotion but Le is as one dimensional as they come. If Ho was in this movie, this would have been an above average feature if not an entirely good one (like the offbeat ‘Bruce Li in New Guinea’ – also directed by Joey Kong). As it stands, this is quite a bad film with redeeming qualities that stop it from being deemed as terrible.

In spite of this, I feel reluctant in calling this a terrible film since it would be an insult to those who’ve seen worse films. This film, whilst not being consistent, is at least unpredictable and manages to deviate from an unbearably slow pace considering its script seems to have been improvised on set. There are some nice scenic locales too.

Even if the film was without merit, watching bad movies can be good so as to help you be aware of what it means to make a good film and certainly watching terrible movies can make you more aware of the overall standards.

On the whole, this film is worth checking out if you’re looking for a film that’s out of this world. It’s not the worst Bruceploitation movie but nowhere near the best, not by a long shot.

The UK DVD, courtesy of 23rd Century, is missing a good part of the Filipino samurai segment where Le gets cut and uses the nunchaku to bring down the Karatekas. The French title for this film is Le Vainqueur which means The Winner.

Joseph Kong Hong’s filmography probably makes Lo Wei look like Chang Cheh but he’s not without his credentials. Yuen Woo Ping’s second job as stunt coordinator was for Joseph’s directorial debut Tough Guy (starring Chan Sing, Fung Hak On and Mars). Ping would go on to work with Joey on Tiger Force (starring Michael Chan Wai Man, Chan Sing and Jimmy Lee Fong). His last effort with Lo Lieh was The Furious (not to be confused with the Dragon Lee movie of the same name).

His last directorial credits were Thundering Ninja and Out of Danger. Joe’s last movie (as producer) was Black Spot, a film which would motivate the team responsible for Police Story 3: Supercop to pull ideas from it (in story and action). To speak of the devil, Jackie also reinvented the playground fight from New Game of Death for Police Story 2.

As much as Chan criticizes the Bruceploitation (or Bruce-spoof) franchise, it obviously left him an impression (intentionally or subconsciously) to the point of lifting the bus fight gag from Golden Sun (a.k.a. Bruce Lee, We Miss You) for the first Police Story. Criticize he may, Jackie can’t deny the importance these JKD rip-offs had.

Call them purid, full-length presentation, comedy sketch-shows or trash-taste crap-fests but if it weren’t for the Bruceploitation sub-genre, Hong Kong action cinema would have not maintained the popularity it did in the West. It helped bridged the gap between Lee and Chan in terms of sheer commercial momentum.

Many would like to think that these films failed in Hong Kong but if they were well and truly turds that stank up theaters, the local filmmakers wouldn’t have felt inclined to make dozens of them. Exploitation cinema doesn’t get more exploitive than capitalizing on people wanting to see their deceased hero. Critically abysmal? Yes. Commercially dismal? No.

At the end of the day, if you wanna watch a Filipino Bruceploitation actioner that delivers and doesn’t disappoint then check out Chaku Master which stars Bruce Ly (he sort of looks like a Filipino Ngai Sing/Collin Chou). One example of classic humour from that film is the uncanny usage of symbolism during an oral sex sequence. Coincidentally, both flicks offer some of the same locations such as the female villain’s Manilla villa. Heck, Le’s appearance in the Bollywood action flick Katilon Ke Katil, starring Dharmendra, is worth watching than this.

In retrospect of how his career turned out, Bruce Le should have concentrated on making either American or Hong Kong movies than working in the Philippines which is seen as the hell to Hong Kong TV’s purgatory for action movie stars.

After making this movie, Bruce Le worked on the fight scenes for a Chansploitation film called Fearless Hyena 3 starring Jacky Chen Shao Lung (which had Bolo Yeung). Bruce would then be choreographed in a film called Treasure Hunters by no other than Bill Yuen Biao (this shouldn’t be confused with the Wong Jing scripted Shaw Bros. movie which starred Al’ Fu Sheng, Wang Lung Wei, Gordon Liu, Lau Kar Wing and Wilson Tong).

With hindsight, this film seemed to inspire Sammo Hung for some of the comedies he made with Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao. If you were to watch this flick followed by Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars and Winners and Sinners, you’ll see how he incorporated certain elements into better movies. It’s a shame no one started up a Hungsploitation genre, get some Japanese fella and rename Sumo Hung. Hey, even Nora Miao had an imitator – Cora Miao. Hong Kong favourite Cheung Hok Yau was named after Jackie.

The gag of having an action sequence take place at a gambling horse den seems to have influenced Joe Cheung for the finale of Flaming Brothers (with firepower replacing fist- and feeticuffs).

You know, for a critically maligned sub-genre, Bruceploitation offerings have had a fair amount of influence. New Game of Death motivated John Woo with using freeze-frame techniques to emphasize dynamic parts of his films and Storming Attacks (Image of Bruce Lee) was given a sly nod by Wong Jing for his overlooked 1989 action comedy classic, Crocodile Hunter (starring Andy Lau). Then there is the correlation that occurs between The Dragon Lives and Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story along with others.

* How Lieh avoided the label “Lo budget Lieh” is anyone’s guess since his willingness to appear in tacky dreck (like Fist of Fury 2) almost tarnished his respectable reputation.

** Not to be confused with the Dragon Lee movie of the same title which was alternatively titled Dragon Bruce Lee 2.

*** Usually referred to as WIP.

**** Like the American cartoon, ‘Ed, Edd and Eddy’, it would have been canny to have had a production with Koo, Kuo and Kong. Joseph Koo being a film score composer as avid Bruce Lee fans would attest.

***** Which boasts one of the greatest fight scenes ever depicted on film…between a mutt and a feline, it has to be seen to be believed (the action director was Philip Kwok a.k.a. Kuo Chui who also appears in the film).

****** Otherwise known as.

******* Peculiarly, James Ho had done a film prior to Weng’s cult classic which had him up against Oddjob and a mini-me variation of him. - Joseph Kuby, cityonfire.com

Here's the basic plot without any spoilers (promise): Two dorks (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Ronald Wong) decide to rob a bank. Things start to go wrong and they find themselves trapped inside surrounded by an army of Hong Kong policemen. To make matter worse, one of the hostages turns out to be a ruthless murderer (Ti Lung) who ultimately takes over the whole situation with his own personal motives.

If you want to see John Woo-type shoot em' ups (forgive me for using that cliche bullshit line), or any sort of action, you'll be disappointed. If you're a fan of slick entertainment, great dialogue, and want to see one of Hong Kong's best kept cinematic secrets, then, by all means, watch this film.

The performances are stellar. It's great to see a young Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in action. Even back then, the guy was just as intense and charismatic as he is today. Same goes for Shaw Veteran Ti Lung and to a lesser extent, Tony Leung Ka-Fai (who plays a negotiating cop), since he doesn't have any major scenes that really stand out. It's not surprising that People's Hero won a couple of Hong Kong film awards for Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Elaine Kam's acting.

And remember, whether you loved or hated, watched or didn't watch - or even thought Dog Day Afternoon was just "okay" - I still highly recommend People's Hero.

Oh, and to all you whiny "Hollywood-Likes-To-Steal-From-Asian-Movies" assholes? I give this Asian "copycat" film a perfect 10. So, uh, fuck off. Originality isn't what makes a great movie, it's the filmmaker's execution. Got that?

One day, a lone gunslinger, who is also in search of the treasure, rides in the gang-infested town. His solid skills and quick reflexes are immediately challenged by both gangs. Impressed by his skills, the two gangs have a bidding war to recruit the stranger, with each leader promising him a larger share (or better deal) if the treasure is found...

Ennio Morricone took a big ass bite out of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo and made one of the most influential Italian western films ever. Now, Takashi Miike - one of Japan's most loved cult directors - takes that bite back, chews it up, gargles it down, then spits it out on an odd shaped canvas. The result: a fun-filled flick full of violence, humor and wackiness (not to mention weirdness!).

Sukiyaki Western Django is filled with nods to some of the most popular Italian Western flicks we've come to know and love. It even goes as far as having direct references to characters like Django and Yojimbo, as if they existed in the same parallel universe.

Essentially, Sukiyaki Western Django is to Italian Westerns what Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 1 was to Exploitation/Asian films. Both share the same execution... you know, a filmmaker's love for film, making a film for the fun of it, never taking it too serious, yet still packing that creative punch that will eventually make it a cult classic in its own right. And speaking of Quentin Tarantino, he does have a cameo in this film (and he does way better behind the camera).

With all the wisecracks, painted sets, neat perspective shots and quick animated sequences ("The Bloody Benton"), you still get some of Miike's trademark vulgar violence... don't ever expect this guy to pull a punch. I won't ruin any particular scene for you, but there's a moment where one of the "red" gang members says "My color looks good on you" after a traumatic killing. Classic.

The action scenes themselves are entertaining! And I say that again... they're entertaining! Let's just say that the scenes are well choreographed and there's hardly a dull second. Not all the action is gunslinging. There still enough slicing, dicing, explosions and beatings to go around for those who prefer something than just "John Woo" shit.

Sukiyaki Western Django is filmed entirely in English, but keep that subtitle button handy (unless you own the Malaysian DVD), because you can barely understand the cast members. The first time I watched it, I only understood 40% of what they were saying; the second time I watched it, the bad English grew on me, and I understood nearly everything. Go figure. And yes, subtitles weren't an option because I do have the Malaysian version. But in the end, with or without English subs, the movie is still an easy watch.

Sukiyaki Western Django is a great film. If you're a fan of both Asian and Italian Westerns, it's a must. As for the people who thought this film was crap (and I was surprised at how many people didn't like it), they were just taking it way too serious. It's not a remake, it's not a wannabe, it's not a rip-off, it's just a great director having fun while making a cool fucking movie.

"Sad Movie" revolves around a group of individuals who are all experiencing some kind of difficulty towards a loved one. One guy is getting dumped by his girlfriend because he has been jobless for three years; a woman is worried because her boyfriend has a dangerous job as a firefighter; a kid and his mom are trying to find happiness towards each other; another girl has a crush on a boy, but is having trouble getting to know him because she can't speak and is ashamed of her physical appearance.

Sad Movie starts out funny and light-hearted. In fact, you almost forget that you're watching a film called "Sad Movie." That's the great thing about it; its ability to shock you even with its spoiler-title. By the end, the movie guarantees what it's advertising in its title.

If you don't at least get a glaze of tear in your eyes while watching this, you're not human. I don't care if you're male, female, retarded, a psycho killer or even Tom Cruise. It made me feel like a little boy who just got his toy box stolen...

There are a handful of known Korean stars in Sad Movie, including Jeong Woo-Sung (Musa), Im Su-Jeong (A Tale of Two Sisters) and Cha Tae-Hyeon (My Sassy Girl).

Highly recommended.

Stephen Chow's answer to E.T. - but without the Hallmark moments - is a fun light-hearted comedy with enough action and adventure to please even the most stoic cynics. Unlike other children's films, CJ7 doesn't rely on "Ugly Duckling" - like cliches in which the lead gets magical powers or becomes a success story overnight. In fact, the picture pokes fun at those ideas by having Dicky re-enact his super-powered dreams [depicted as amusing spoofs of Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer] in real life with disastrous results. No, CJ7 (the name of the alien dog) is as frail as his (her?) child owner. But the pet does aid Dicky's family when they need it most. These moments serve to make the point that true satisfaction comes from having someone who cares about you and vice versa, not your status, or a symbol thereof. The peers of the child star come off as brats, by throwing their weight around, but they eventually learn that respect comes from cooperation and humility, not bullying.

The CG isn't used as extensively as in most Hollywood films, but that's why it works so well. Instead of going the Pixar route of making everything as realistic as possible, Chow opts for making the scenes as cartoonish and whimsical as possible. For example, fights and facial expressions are exaggerated and powers are expressed in minimalistic, but creative terms. [For example, instead of going the infrared route when cheating on a test, Dicky's glasses have robotic flies which spy on other students' papers.]

The comedy is admittedly meant for a younger crowd, but it manages to appeal to older audiences by not coming off childish. One can easily put oneself in the children's shoes without feeling like they've outgrown the setting. And it's refreshing to see kids who act like kids, not know-it-all adults.

At the sneak I caught, Stephen said he modeled his CG dog after a real dog he used to have called a Pekingese, which caused someone in the audience to hoot in response. His experience as a host of a children's show helped prepare him for working with them on a movie. [Though it wasn't always easy for them to stay awake on set....] Ju Xiao was one of thousands of children who auditioned for the role, and was surprised she got picked to play a boy, but seemed to adjust to the part with Stephen's support.

The film was shot entirely in Mandarin, because Chow argued that he wanted to be fair to the child actors, since their primary language was Mandarin. - Ningen

When I heard he was going to be directing Lau Ching Wan again, I got all giddy. Then I heard this new project was going to be a crime-thriller and I nearly busted a nut.

This brings us to "Mad Detective", a film about a man (Lau Ching Wan) with the special ability to see people's personalities (literally!), which makes him a phenomenal detective. On the other side of the coin, he's an eccentric madman (hence, the title)--self-mutilation, starting fights with people for no good reason, and imagining things around him that are not really there. His way of solving crimes is outrageous: in one scene he tells his partner to stuff him in a suitcase and kick him down the stairs; in another scene, he buries himself six feet into he ground--all this just to get his thought process going.

"Mad Detective" is nothing fantastic, but it's entertaining. I dig the creativity brought to us by Johnnie To, Ka-Fai Wai and Kin Yee Au (writers of the film). As always Lau Ching Wan's performance is excellent. I still would rather see Johnnie To/Lau Ching Wan and company do a little something not so far out. Maybe another gangster movie like "A Hero Never Dies" or "Fulltime Killer".

There's some half-groundbreaking stuff happening here. Maybe in a world without an M. Night Shyamalan, "Mad Detective" would have been great.

Anyways, the problem with "Isabella" is director Edmond Pang is trying to be Wong Kar Wai. Plain and simple. It's cool and all, but come on. Too many forced artsy shots of Chapman To smoking a cigarette or leaning against a slot machine; or just some wannabe art house angle of some wall or something.

On the plus side, the performances are great. The music is beautiful ("O Gente Da Minha Terra" by Mariza is a sweet tune and really adds flavor to this average movie, as does the rest of the soundtrack). Isabella Leung (yes, her name is Isabella in real life) is one hell of a sight to look at. The cinematography and exotic location of Macau are classy.

All this makes a great trailer, but a forgettable movie.

I do have faith in Edmond Pang. After some fine-tuning and maybe some of his own original ideas, I'm sure he's capable of making a great movie of this kind.

One day, Chit gets a mysterious call from a cell phone-based "game show" that offers him the chance to take part in a contest where he can win $100 million dollars. The rules are simple: He has to complete 13 tasks given by an automated operator. With each task he completes, large sums of the money are instantly deposited into his account.

Though the first few tasks are easy and fun (e.g. "kill the fly that's buzzing around you with a newspaper"), the ones that come later become unappealing, gruesome and deadly. And just when you think the tasks can't get any worse, they do.

"13: Game of Death" (mostly known as "13 Beloved") is a pleaser from start to finish. I was always in suspense at what, or how freaky, the next challenge would be. Even though the film relies mostly on gore and shock value, there are surprising turns that play an important part into the plot.

"13: Game of Death" is definitely a great change from the typical horror/ghost movies that Asian film directors have been pumping out. Give it a shot.

"Finishing the Game" goes for more than just Hollywood's portrayal of Asians in film. It also covers their treatment in this country, sometimes in a vicious and ironic way, sometimes in a straight-forward way. What makes it all work is that Lin tries to have fun with the material. He doesn't fall into the trap of lecturing or talking down to the audience; he simply points it out in an easy-going, albeit matter-of-fact, way. (I guess the closest similar approach I can think of, when I watch this film, is "The Boondocks".)

The actors are believable, and yet unique, in their appearance and approach. It's refreshing to see Asians who actually look and talk like Asians you might know, and not the "One ethnic group fits all" mentality which led to the recent casting decisions for "Memoirs of a Geisha". Of course, the downside is that they look more like people you'd know, if you've lived in L.A., so you might not "get" them as well otherwise. Still, their performances are decent enough, that it doesn't matter if you know them, because you can still relate to them on an impersonal level.

Plus, it also helps to have some familiarity with the martial arts movie scene of that time; but you can also simply accept it all as 70s kitsch-like much of Boogie Nights. My only gripe is that the story gets a little too melodramatic, as one of the aspiring actors, Cole Kim (Sung Kang), takes his relationship issues a little too seriously, and that slows down the momentum of the film. Still, it leads to a great climax, so it's worth it to be patient.

When I attended the weekend premiere in L.A., I found out that 'Game was shot in 19 days, but it hardly looks like it, possibly because Lin was able to get some free sets and clothes from "You, Me, and Dupree". In spite of success, he still finds it tough to pitch non-white casting choices to producers, which is why he prefers the indie route. Lin also feels there's a world of difference between Asian film and Asian-American film in terms of professionalism and success. However, he is happy that he's been able to break down Hollywood's perceived barriers for what is considered "appealing". - Ningen, cityonfire.com

Anyone who starts the film will most likely finish it. It paces well, the plot is friendly, the soundtrack is groovy, the cinematography and editing are great (Yiu-Chung Cheung won a 1975 Golden Horse Award for "Best Film Editing"... okay, I got that from the DVD cover. You gotta admit, it sounded good!) and the film's budget is decent. If there's anything this movie has over a typical Bond film, it's the excessive blood and violence which is a lot more gutsy and raw.

The fight scenes are a mixed bag... sometimes a little too long and sometimes really dull. But for some reason, during the Wang Yu vs. Lazenby finale, the martial arts choreography is a lot more crisp and direct. I got the impression that more quality time was given to this main event. Honestly, I think it's one of the best staged fights of its time. With that said, kung fu fanatics won't be let down.

Those expecting all-round goodness might be disappointed. One thing that really hurts the film is Wang Yu's voice. I'm not sure if it's really him speaking or not (his lips do synch flawlessly), but every time Wang Yu talks, the outcome of his voice/delivery is laugh-out-loud atrocious. What's even worse is that everyone else sounds fine, which makes Wang Yu stand out even more. Seriously, this film would have been 100x better if this problem was fixed.

As of many early-mid 70's Golden Harvest flicks, expect to catch well-known faces with bit parts - Yuen Biao, Corey Yuen and some extended cameos by Sammo Hung (who also choreographs this film) and Andre Morgan (Golden Harvest's white boy producer). Also in the mix is Hugh Keays-Byrne, mostly known for his role as Toe-Cutter in "Mad Max." Even though this film was filmed a couple of years before "Mad Max," he looks a lot scummier here.

"The Man Fron Kong Kong" is a good, colorful, popcorn flick that's worth watching, but nowhere near Wang Yu's best.

Sounds pretty cool in a bizarre sort of way, right? Well, at first it is, but the novelty wears off quick.

Either I'm getting too old for this shit or this movie is just unwatchable. Keep in mind that I'm a rabid Bruceploitation fan and the wackier the film is, the better. But damn, I just can't recommend this one. Not even for shits and giggles. Not even to potheads or drunks.

If you decide to ignore me and seek the film out anyways, here's the plus side: The fights are decent. It has an early appearance by Eric Tsang, who plays Popeye. There's also nudity, fucking and sexual jokes.

It's not all retro, though. There are zooms, extreme bullet close-ups, and all sorts of cinematic surprises that pop up out of nowhere.

The result: a catchy piece of innovative entertainment that's years ahead of its time.

You can just feel the creative energy throughout its 110 minute duration. And just when you think you've think the visual novelty has reached its maximum potential, the next scene happens and your appreciation is renewed all over again.

There's something for everyone -- old folks will appreciate it because it looks like a movie of their time. Women will enjoy it because of the heart warming love story. Action fans will dig the pleasant amount of action and explicit violence. And if you're cool enough to let some kids watch it, they'll be glued to the screen in deep fascination.

Keep in mind that a lot of the scenes are intentionally campy, cartoonish and may go over people's heads. Even then, they'll realize how good this film works.

Tears of the Black Tiger is one of those movies that promises everything you see in the trailer and a lot more.

Loving You was made in 1995 under the Shaw Brothers label, just before Johnny To (and his collaborative partner, Wai Ka-Fai) formed Milkyway Image. Loving You isn't as slick as some of the films he would produce under his new label in the coming years, but it's easy to notice that it's a right step towards perfection, at least in the case of his work with his best actor, Lau Ching Wan. It's not like Johnny To was a stranger to making fine films (See: All About Ah Long and A Moment in Romance), but he tends to outdo (and undo) himself as time goes on.

Bottom line: If you've seen and loved most of the Milkway films w/Lau Ching Wan, give this one a try. Besides, it's a great warm up for the upcoming Johnny To/Lau Ching Wan flick, Mad Detective. Take it from me, because unlike Yi Long, I have fine taste in films.

Each encounter becomes a new lesson for Elizabeth. Not only is she influenced by who she meets, she also becomes a new person in the process.

My Blueberry Nights is notable for being Wong Kar Wai's first U.S. feature. As many know, WKW is one of Hong Kong's most respected art house filmmakers. Films like Chungking Express, In The Mood Mood For Love and Happy Together have brought him worldwide recognition and he is considered one of the best directors of our time...

So how's his first Hollywood outing?

Well, it ain't no Chungking Express. That's a given. It's definitely not In The Mood For Love. It's not even half of Fallen Angels.

The main problem with My Blueberry Nights is that it comes off more like a WKW-wannabe movie. You get the feeling - with each frame, with most of the characters and settings - that it was modeled after Chungking Express, his most loved and well known film in America. The guy is not dumb. If you're gonna emulate the essence of one of your films, why not go for the gold. The only problem is we all remember Chungking Express so vividly that it's easy to see he's applying the same ingredients to a weaker structure.

And all this philosophical object bullshit is just that... bullshit. Again, it worked with Chunking Express (stuffed animals, pineapple, rags, etc); but the whole key thing (you obviously won't know what I'm talking about until you see it) is so artificial and forced that it becomes what Bruce Li is to Bruce Lee: an imitation. And the whole film feels this way.

Most, if not all, of the performances are okay, but the majority of the characters are uninteresting and boring. The only one you can really feel for is David Strathairn's role. With very little said, you seem to know the whole guy's deal. The others just come and go...

I don't mean to sound blunt, but WKW should stick to Chinese films and import the shit to us like he usually does. He comes up with great stuff that way... but more importantly, stop making a Bruce Li out of yourself.

You'll probably like it a lot more if you're not familiar with WKW's past work.

It's only when an up and coming actress named Faye Ng (newcomer Huo Siyan) walks into his life that he realizes the importance of his existence. Faye Ng, a fan of Poon Ka-Fai's past work, urges him to be her personal mentor/manager. Poon Ka-Fai finally takes her under his wing and proves he has the natural ability to make her an outstanding actress. Little does he know, she also becomes an influence that leads him to a more positive lifestyle.

For the most part, My Name Is Fame is entertaining. The plot is refreshing, inspiring and solid. Lau Ching Wan is in top form with all sides of his acting abilities covered. Co-star Huo Siyan is believable as a new actress trying to make it the top. With all the bullshit comedies, boring period flicks and endless Infernal Affair-ish crime duds, it's a pleasure that Lawrence Lau actually took the time to make something different and good.

My Name Is Fame is not perfect. Here and there you get the impression that they ran out of ideas for certain little scenes, so sometimes the scenarios are lame, which leaves the film uneven in some spots. No big deal though.

Even if you watch if for Lau Ching Wan's performance alone, it's worth it!

I can clearly understand why Miramax buried this gem for so many years: people would find out that Kill Bill "borrowed" its color scheme. While 'Tiger admittedly swipes action from Woo and Lam, too, at least you can tell it's its own film. From the ethnic wedding outfits to the lily ponds, no expense is spared on creating the sense of a different world which isn't quite a traditional Western, but isn't quite a traditional interpretation of Thailand, either. For example, bazookas are included in gun-fights, and churches and Buddhist statues are equally used for ceremonies.

And the back-drops are so gorgeous and full of detail, that even the ones you know are fake look too good for you to care! The music is very emotional and adds to the atmosphere. The camera-work is very slow, but sweet, allowing you to absorb the settings without getting tired of them.

The dialogue is a little bit on the hammy side, because of the way characters drawl when they walk. In addition, the gratuitous violence is casually mixed in with more "quaint" settings. But the drama more than makes up for the campy side of this film. It's just amazing how much depth you get from such intentionally two-dimensional caricatures and scenes. (One of whom has a moustache painted on his face!) It probably helps that-unlike most movies nowadays-there's no subtext, no sub-plots, and the violence isn't milked so much(i.e. shock and awe) that it becomes snuff. You just get normal people who aren't slackers or wise-cracking gangsters, but who nonetheless have important desires and motivations which help them break them out of their molds. I wish more "indie" films were this deep.

Tears of a Black Tiger is an art film, an homage and a cult film rolled into one. But what makes it work where other similar movies would fail [I'm looking at you, Sky Captain and Grindhouse!] is that it doesn't let the genres it's referencing drag down the story. I can "get" the joke and still enjoy what's happening on-screen, not have to worry about whether I "know" what the's director seen in the past.

NINGEN'S RATING: 10/10 for the visuals; 6/10 for originality; 9/10 for the characters; 8/10 total

Tears of the Black Tiger is a Thai Western flick, a romance-drama and an ultra violent spectacle all rolled into one; But here's the kicker - it was filmed in black and white, then artificially colored, tinted and tweaked to make it look like a classic 1950's classic Thai film.

It's not all retro, though. There are zooms, extreme bullet close-ups, and all sorts of cinematic surprises that pop up out of nowhere.

The result: a catchy piece of innovative entertainment that's years ahead of its time.

You can just feel the creative energy throughout its 110 minute duration. And just when you think you've think the visual novelty has reached its maximum potential, the next scene happens and your appreciation is renewed all over again.

There's something for everyone -- old folks will appreciate it because it looks like a movie of their time. Women will enjoy it because of the heart warming love story. Action fans will dig the pleasant amount of action and explicit violence. And if you're cool enough to let some kids watch it, they'll be glued to the screen in deep fascination.

Keep in mind that a lot of the scenes are intentionally campy, cartoonish and may go over people's heads. Even then, they'll realize how good this film works.

Tears of the Black Tiger is one of those movies that promises everything you see in the trailer and a lot more.

MIGHTY PEKING MAN'S RATING: 8/10 (10/10 if you pause any shot with Stella Malucchi's face)

The movie opens with Lu Feng, a warlord who uses a golden spear, bemoaning that kung-fu has become useless. Guns are being introduced to China, and no one wants to learn the martial arts anymore. Lu's protection agency is suffering, but he still finds time to trick what few kung-fu fighters he can find into coming to his town, so he