It’s been a crazy week for me, but a fun one. Lots of great stuff to catch up on. Now, I gotta start getting ready for my little trip! Next week will be the old-school filming, sorry in advance!
New Poster and BTS for Once Upon a Time in Vietnam
Donnie Yen to Star in Crouching Tiger Sequel?
Fight of the Week: Joshua Kieser Fight Scene
Trailers for Switch and Fist of Legend
Stallone Turns Down Segal for Expendables 3
Crouching Tiger Sequel Gets a Director?
Many of you are aware of the film Fist of Legend that is coming out. We’ve already talked about how it has nothing to do with the Jet Li film, but I still think it is a gearing up to be a good film. Regardless of title choice, even though it was based off of a Korea comic of the same name, the trailer shows us that the fights are what’s important.
I’ve noticed a lot of these types of stories popping up, like with Warrior and Here Comes the Boom, but I always manage to get drawn into them. Maybe it’s the fact that they are more character-driven or focus on pure fighting, but this movie seems promising. Fist of Legend will be coming out this April.
Next up is a movie that was delayed for the sake of 3D. While I hate this fact, it doesn’t change my opinion about Switch. Switch looks like China’s answer to James Bond, and that sounds like a good thing to me. Andy Lau plays an international spy tasked with retrieving some stolen paintings. Check out the trailer to get the full effect.
I gotta admit that this movie has style, and I’m eager to see more. I personally think that all the money used for 3D is a waste, but I guess there is a demand for it. Switch is currently in post-production and will release later this year.
Sources: Beyond Hollywood and City on Fire
Can the Shaolin spirit be captured in Benny Chan’s film? (more…)
It’s still a good time to be a martial arts movie fan, this week has 2 releases. (more…)
I stated a while back that Well Go USA got the rights to Shaolin, and they are quickly becoming one of my favorite companies. (more…)
Tsui Hark and Andy Lau join forces to bring detective Dee to life.
Background Info
Detective Dee was originally a Chinese folk hero that became popular through several novels. Interest was turned up when Tsui Hark, Andy Lau, and Sammo Hung were all associated with the title. However, could a grand mystery story exist along with action and fight sequences?
Plot/Characters
The plot for detective Dee is a typical setup for introducing a detective character. There is an unexplainable phenomenon that is killing a number of people, and only the exiled Dee has the wit to see the truth behind the murders. There are some good plot twists, and the characters are pretty solid throughout. There isn’t anyone who is blatantly evil, which keeps you guessing who is a friend and who isn’t.
I enjoyed the chemistry between these two
I do have one complaint, though, and that’s the use of supernatural elements. Without going into spoiler territory, I like mystery stories that have logical explanation for everything. No matter how improbable things seem, there is a way it can be done. Maybe it’s because it takes place in older times that they left the mysticism there. Given the elements that they introduce, they do use everything in a rather logical manner, after you suspend your initial disbelief.
Action/Choreography
This fight is one of the stranger ones
Sammo Hung was the action director, but there aren’t very many instances where it shines through. That isn’t to say that the fights are bad, though, they just could have been better. It might have been due to the supernatural elements I talked about earlier, but I just wasn’t as interested as I thought I would be. There were just some parts where I found myself going “really?” Having said that, Hung did create several sequences that didn’t feel tacked on in any way.
Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?
I can’t help but compare Detective Dee to Sherlock Holmes. They both came out recently and both of them incorporate fighting (although in a different manner.) When it comes to the story elements, I think Detective Dee missed the mark a little, but this has to do with my initial complaint. I enjoyed everything else and wouldn’t think twice about seeing another film with Detective Dee in it because the ride was worth it. In the end, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame gives audiences a blend of mystery and action, one that shouldn’t be skipped.
Watch it
Quick sidenote: this film will be available on September 2nd for those that don’t want to import.
Benny Chan’s Shaolin has another trailer up now. It shows a little more of the action, letting you know a movie named Shaolin won’t disappoint. (more…)
Benny Chan’s Shaolin now has a poster and trailer, thanks to EMP. The movie has a host of stars including Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Wu Jing, Fan Bing Bing, Yu Hai, Xing Yu, Xiong Xin Xin, Yu Shao Qun, Liang Jing Ke, Sang Wei Lin, with cameo by Jackie Chan. Wow, that’s a mouthful. (more…)
The Venice film festival has shown Detective Dee, and the reviews are coming out positive. It is competing for the Golden Lion, which should be announced soon. Both Tsui Hark and Andy Lau talk about the challenge of bringing such a beloved character back to life in a refreshing manner. (more…)
Tsui Hark’s new film, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, has an official poster and a new trailer to go with it. The movie has a large cast, including Andy Lau, Tony Leung Ka Fai, and choreography by Sammo Hung. (more…)
