Agreement:94% of 58 voters agree with Sgt. T's reviews Gender: Male Location: Jackson,MS.
Bio: Born and raised in Chicago, a former Military Police Officer. Now a MS. State Capitol Police Officer. Hobbies include viewing and collecting martial arts films. Reading, weight training, and jogging.
The Spiritual Boxer (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure A kung fu comedy directed by Lar Kar Leung, and starring Shaw Brothers product Wong Yu, not to be confused with the great Jimmy Wang Yu. From start to finish you have some good comedic scenes combined with good martial arts action. If you do not like comedy, this film is not for you; because there is a lot of comedy in this feature.
I like this film because of the great acting performance by Wong Yu. For the most part he always had supporting or co-starring roles in his earlier films. This was the first film I saw besides "Dirty Kung Fu" where he was the lead actor. He did a credible job of making me laugh, and with his fighting scenes!
Again, this feature is only for fans of kung fu comedy!
Heaven And Hell (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Shaw Brothers Studios tries just about anything! Sometimes it works and sometimes it misses the mark badly! This was better than "Nine Demons" but just as strange. We see many familiar faces, such as David Chiang, Alexander Fu Shing, Karie Hui, and of course the Venom Gang.
The movie chronicles the adventures of Lee I Min as he falls from grace from heaven to earth, then his redemption as he battles his way out of hell. This movie has great action, very bizarre and surreal sets, and some good acting. If you like to try different things, I say give this a look. If you are expecting a martial arts film, this is not for your viewing taste; this movie is more of a martial arts musical/horror film done in the Shaw Brothers style! It keeps your interest by the strange plot and not the action.
Stranger From Shaolin (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure "Stranger From Shaolin" is a nice old school kung fu movie chronicling the adventures of Yim Wing Chun, as portrayed by the lovely Wong Hang-Sau. Shaw Brothers fans should recognize her as David Chiang's young wife in the classic "Shaolin Mantis".
Here we watch Wong Hang-Sau study kung fu at Shaolin Temple disguised as a young man, in order to avenge her father's death at the hands of the Manchus.
There are some good fight sequences and training sequences as we watch Wong hang-Sau create the Wing Chun fighting style. A later version of Yim Wing Chun is also portrayed by Michelle Yeoh in a great Yuen Woo Ping feature appropriately titled "Wing Chun". Is this film as good? No. It is, however, a good old school feature for lovers of seventies classic kung fu movies!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
Everything you said was spot on Sgt T, but you forgot to mention that this has a great villain and I awesome final fight scene!
Chocolate [2008] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure The question one should ask after viewing a film is, "Was it entertaining?" For me "Chocolate", starring Jeeja Yanin, was very entertaining. Now, the plot itself was bizarre, about an autistic girl that kicks butt like Tony Jaa; but it was interesting.
This film did keep my attention, and as it progressed the fight scenes with Jeeja got better and better. Jeeja is not Tony Jaa or Jet Li, and her film should not be judged by that standard. Is she as entertaining as the legendary Angela Mao Ying or the beautiful Michelle Yeoh? I think so. "Chocolate" is not for everyone either: you like it or hate it. In any event, action fans and femme fatale fans should love it!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
You are right. This is not a defective Tony Jaa film, but rather a superior Jeeja Yanin film. I find her very appealing.
The Dragon Dynasty version of "Tom Yum Goong" is nothing short of fabulous! You get the English version chock full of extras, and the longer--and in my opinion better--international version.
This follow up to "Ong-Bak" has the same creative team of Prachya Pinkaew, Panna Rittikrai, and star Tony Jaa. This time they have surpassed the incredible stunts and jaw-dropping action of "Ong-Bak". Simply put, "Tom Yum Goong" is a stunt extravaganza!
The plot is a simple one as Kham (Tony Jaa) goes to Sydney, Austrailia in search of his family's stolen prized elephants. Most would consider the plot weak, but it works for me, quite possibly because the mystique of being descended from a line of elephant warrior protectors is revealed and becomes a recurring theme later in the film.
Jing Xing's portrayal of Madame Rose, the gangster force behind Kham's troubles, was very good. Though most of the character developement in this film suffered to present some amazing action sequences, I did honestly enjoy what was there.
The fight scene in the church with the capoeira fighter was magnificent. The fight in the restaurant as Kham went up the winding levels was outstanding. The grand finale against Rose and her henchmen culminated into one of the best action films of the decade! A must-have for all action lovers!
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Prachya Pinkaew, Panna Rittikrai, and Tony Jaa have put together an outstanding martial arts feature showcasing Muay Thai combined with some awesome acrobatics.
The plot is simple as soon to-be-ordained priest Tony Jaa ventures forth into Bangkok, in order to retrieve the head of the village idol Ong-Bak. The head was stolen by unscrupulous antique thieves. What follows is Tony Jaa's unique Muay Thai style, combined with fantastic acrobatic moves, as he smashes the bad guys! The club fight, chase on carts, and cave fight were outstanding and well choreographed. I loved the use of slow motion combined with live action during the end fights!
Tony Jaa displays great screen presence like the legendary Bruce Lee! A must-have for all action fans!
This film is my personal favorite of all the movies Jet Li has done, and probably the best of an outstanding selection of great martial arts features starring Jet Li Lian-Jie. This is a great remake of the Bruce Lee classic " Fists Of Fury " and is also a classic on its own as the best remake of a Bruce Lee film. Not only is the martial arts action and choreograrhy astounding, but the acting is great also. Nakayama Shinobu is cute and sweet as Jet Li's love interest, Chin Siu-Ho turns in a great performance as Jet Li's foster brother and rival for leadership of their school. Let's not forget one of the best fights and acting performances by the legendary Yasuaki Kurata as an aging Japanese master that teaches Jet Li a thing or two about fighting.
This is a solid movie all the way around and the Dragon Dynasty 2-Disc Set provides us with both the English language version and the original language version which I happen to like more. Again what makes this film great besides the awsome fighting, is the quality performances by Jet and his supporting cast! This movie is a must have for any martial arts fan!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
Right on, brother! The new 2-disc set is a dream come true. And it's been so great re-discovering this film again. It's even better than I remembered it.
Perils Of The Sentimental Swordsman (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure A beautiful wuxia fantsy classic, based on a novel by Ku Lung and directed by Chor Yuen. This picture has some colorful sets and characters along with great sword fighting sequences. Ti Lung turns in his usual great performance as a legendary master on a mission full of crosses and double crosses. This feature is pretty good, but it feels like it could have been better. A must-have for Ti Lung fans and Chor Yuen fans!
The Way Of The Dragon (product link) Martial Arts This outstanding film was released to Western audiences as "Return Of The Dragon" after Bruce Lee's untimely death. Unfortunately some of the more comedic scenes were edited out when I initially saw this film as a young tyke. This film shows how versatile the great Bruce Lee was. He directed, produced, wrote the initial plot, and did the fight choreography! I know some people do not like comedy in their martial arts films, but Bruce was great as the naive country bumpkin that saves the beautiful Nora Miao and her restaurant business. Then we have one of the top five cinema fights of all time between Lee and the great Chuck Norris! This film is a must-have for any Bruce Lee fan!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
I am usually averse to a lot of comedy in martial arts films, but Bruce Lee's original vision is extremely good. Part of the charm of him playing a provincial bumpkin is that the audience knows the real Lee was cosmopolitan and far from naive.
Fist Of Fury [1972] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This feature, as we all know, was released to Western audiences as "The Chinese Connection". For me this is probably my all-time favorite Bruce Lee movie! I first saw this at a drive-in with my family and it literally blew my mind. Bruce Lee was incredible in this film! His charisma and screen intensity for this masterpiece are second to none. This is one of the best Chinese versus Japanese movies ever made, and it does withstand the test of time! Bruce demonstrates all his amazing skills, including a beat down of the enemy Japanese school complete with nunchuks. My opinion will always be biased when it comes to this film, also starring the ever beautiful Nora Miao as Bruce Lee's love interest! If you collect martial arts films, this classic is a must-have!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
Although Bruce Lee had more control over "The Way of the Dragon," this remains my favorite of his films.
The Big Boss (product link) Action/Adventure / Martial Arts This film, as every one knows, was released to Western audiences in the United States as "Fists Of Fury". What makes this film so good is that it introduced Bruce Lee into mainstream martial arts movies. This film was a low budget production that benifited greatly from its star. Bruce not only shows us his style, which actually changed the course of martial arts cinema, but he shows great screen presence and a charismatic flair for the camera. I also enjoyed the performances of Maria Yi, James Tien, and Liu Yung. I recommend this film to all Bruce Lee fans, this is a classic that formally introduced the Dragon to the silver screen. For new fans of the great Bruce Lee, remember that this film was produced in the seventies. Again it was low budget, but it's old school kung fu at its best!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
I prefer Lee's three other completed films, but of what other star can it be said that the least of his films is this good?
Ringing Sword (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I probably would have given this 1969 Taiwanese wuxia feature two and a half stars for the colorful characters, but it dragged in places. This film was okay if you keep in mind the time it was made, but there are a lot better wuxia classics out there. This is for hardcore wuxia fans only.
The Tai Chi Master [1993] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Great Jet Li film co-starring Michelle Yeoh, and Chin Siu-Ho. I loved the Dragon Dynasty version with the Chin Siu-Ho interview. The Dragon Dynasty version is also re-mastered and un-cut in both English and the original language. This is an awesome tale of friendship and betrayal as two childhood friends take different paths in life. Both are expelled from Shaolin Temple and must ultimately face each other in a battle of good versus evil. Some may not like the Yuen Wo Ping special effects, because there is plenty of wire-fu in this film. Me personally, I just took it in stride with the movie. There are some great acting performances, especially from Chin Siu-Ho, as we see him transform into a power mad tyrant. Overall the martial arts action is outstanding, but it is laced with Wo Ping's trademark nineties wire-fu, which I happen to like!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
Dragon Dynasty made an awesome dvd version. This movie is a classic-it has great fights, and stars.
Return Of Bastard Swordsman (product link) Martial Arts / Swordplay/Sword(s) I found this sequel just as entertaining and outrageous as the first film. Norman Chu is back in this Lu Chin-Ku-directed feature. Watch as he battles the invincible clan's leader, and a band of ninjas led by Chen Kuan Tai! As in the first film, there are great special effects as we see plenty of magic and wire-fu. Again like the first, this film is not for everyone. It has over the top comic action and characters. It is however fast-paced and very entertaining!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
This is not the sub-genre of martial arts I usually favor, but this is a hugely entertaining romp.
Bastard Swordsman (product link) Martial Arts / Swordplay/Sword(s) An outstanding special effects-laden feature for its time, starring the always underrated Norman Chu (Tsui Sui Keung). This film has larger than life characters, complete with super powered martial arts skills, resulting in lots of magic and wire-fu. This film is not for everyone. If you like traditional martial arts action with the standard old school revenge plot, watch something else. If you want something different with fast-paced cartoonish entertainment, this one is for you!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
I thought this would be something else entirely, and was very pleasantly surprised. Having seen some of his later films, I never would have expected Norman Chu to be so appealing in this sub-genre. Fantastic as the events are, his performance is strong.
Dragon Squad [2005] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Considering the all-star cast, this film could have and should have been a lot better. I think the director tries to do a little too much with the characters. You have a crack team of police specialists, led by a reluctant Sammo Hung, going up a against a team of trained terrorists, led by Heo Jun-Ho and Michael Biehn. To me the director tries too hard to get the audience involved with the main characters of both groups. He uses a lot of slow motion and glitzy MTV-inspired flashbacks to tell the various stories of the characters. There is plenty of action but it could have been done better. The biggest bright spot is the acting of Heo Jun-Ho, and the two fight scenes with Sammo Hung! This and the uninspired scenes of Maggie Q as a sniper for the enemy, equal up to about three stars. Decent police drama that cannot quite pull all its pieces together.
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
I'm conflicted whether to give a Y or an N. The veteran Chinese performers are good (I can't say that of the American), but the younger are less than pale reflections of them. I don't like most of the models turned actors who confuse posing with acting.
Lightning Kung Fu (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure Awesome feature starring Chen Kuan Tai in one of his best acting roles! This movie kept my attention from start to finish with a compelling plot and great supporting actors like Ku Feng and Jason Pai Paio. In this one you find yourself rooting for the Manchurian constables (Ching Dynasty), led by Chen Kuan Tai. The action is plentiful but not what you would call spectacular. It is good enough to balance out this tale of Chen Kuan Tai's unyielding, hard-as-nails constable, who soon learns that not everything is in black and white--especially when it comes to people!
The Absurd Brave (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I was very disappointed after viewing this 1969 Taiwanese made wuxia classic. The only redeeming features for me in this film were the colorful heroes and villains. The swordplay choreography was very basic and slow. I guess I've been spoiled by such wuxia classics as "The One Armed Swordsman" and "The Golden Swallow". The acting was okay but it was marred by the bad swordplay and inconsistent plot. The end was very disappointing due to the fact that a lot of plot threads were left dangling. It feels like a sequel or sequels were created to resolve the issues from the first film, and to continue the adventures of the main Hero, "Master Ou". Overall this was a bad film. I can only recommend this to the most hardcore old school wuxia fans, and only as an oddity!
Outlaw Of The Forest (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure This film opens with a good old school knockdown, drag out fight, between Liu Chia Yung and Ti Lung. It just gets better from here, starring Ti Lung as a no nonsense hero, imprisoned for killing his brother's murderers. Our hero soon gets caught up in intrigue as he helps the prison chief's son regain control of a paradise named "The Happy Forest". Unfortunately the prison chief's boss is the hidden enemy who wants to secretly keep control of the town. This leads to betrayal and a bloody finale that shows how Ti Lung becomes Monk Wu San from "The Water Margin", and its sequel "All Men Are Brothers". We clearly see great acting as well as action from Ti Lung and a good supporting cast. A must-see for all Ti Lung fans!
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
It's difficult to pinpoint what works about this film, but it is very appealing. I suspect it would have amounted to very little without Ti Lung's presence. I wouldn't go quite as far as ****1/2, but it's quite worthy.
Fearless [2006] (product link) Martial Arts / Action/Adventure I thought this was a very entertaining film from the standpoint of Jet Li's acting. This was one of his best and most versatile performances that I have seen. Quite frankly there are better Jet movies when it comes to martial arts action and fight choreography. Take a look at the "Once Upon A Time in China" movies, "Fist Of Legend", "The New Hero Of Shaolin", or "Tai Chi Master", to name a few. However in this particular offering I thought Jet Li Lian-Jie gave a very heart warming performance as Chinese folk hero Huo Yuanjia, in this action/drama/ biopic. Four and a half stars for the acting and wonderful supporting characters. Three stars for those who judge this film only as a martial arts movie.
AGREE?
READER COMMENTS
AUTHOR
Y
Once again I agree with you Sgt T. Jet Li's performance is what made this film great.
yes i totally agree with you sgt.t this film is very entertaining i own the uk version of the film i cant wait to get my hands on the 2 disc directors cut.its without doubt jet li's best film in recent years.
I agree- I wish the newer Jet Li flicks were up to par with Fearless, though it was his martial arts outing, and it was incredible with the story, acting, & of course the fights.
