There’s a lot of great stuff to read, so be sure to check it all out. Also, let me know about the format of the Fight of the Week and what you prefer.
Short teaser for Mortal Kombat Legacy Season 2
Images for Berandal and News on Chinatown
Fight of the Week: The Hunt – Duel (Ep.2)
Trailer for Arena of the Street Fighter
Choose a Weapon with the Stunt People
Background Info
The Kick is a joint-production between Korea and Thailand, making it the first film of its kind. In order to take full advantage of this opportunity, Ong-Bak director Prachya Pinkaew was given control over the film. He teamed up with legendary choreographer Panna Rittikrai and the Korean demo team Korean Tigers. Rittikrai served as the choreography supervisor while the Korean Tigers took advantage of their talents. Did this partnering take action films to the next level, or is it too busy twirling in the air?
Story/Characters
As with any other Thai action film, the story is merely a placeholder for the action. It revolves around the theft of an ancient dagger, and that’s really all we know about it. There is no clear indication as to why the villains want the dagger or why it’s so easy to steal in the first place. It’s pretty evident that story was not a main focus, though I wish a little more effort was put into it because of the fact that is was a joint-production and could have benefited from it more.
On the characters side, there is nothing really bad, but nothing great either. The family is exactly like any other martial arts based family you can think of. The father is a strong leader who only wants results while the mother supports the kids in what they want to do. However, there are a few curious angles that are in the film, mainly with the aspect of dancing and the idea of revenge. The main villain has several opportunities to kill the characters, but always opts out of it for some “higher” reason. After a few of these instances, it’s really hard to accept him as a real villain and not just some static character.
Action/Choreography
Given the title of the film, you know for sure that there are going to be a lot of kicks in this film. I mean, a LOT of them. This becomes a double-edged sword because there are very few punches (or anything else) thrown in the film. The choreography is stylish and inventive at times (like fighting while talking on the phone) but can feel overdone as well. Many of the kicks are impractical and just flashy to look good. One particular sequence comes to mind where a group has encircled a fighter, but only stammer back and forth until they are all sequentially taken out one by one. While most will enjoy the action for what it is, others looking for something more than a demo reel of tricks will likely be disappointed.
Own it, Watch it, Try it, or Skip it?
Elephants…always elephants!
The Kick is a film that showcases style over substance. Like other big Thai martial arts films, it’s all about wowing the audience. In that regard, the Kick is a film that’s good, but not as great as other movies that have come out of Thailand. It feels like more of the same, and some evolution within the genre would have been great. That being said, even the most seasoned movie watcher will be impressed with the talent of the fighters and some of the fights that take place. Even though this movie won’t be knocking Ong-Bak off of the top tier, it’s a fun film that is worth a watch.
Watch it
It’s good to be back home! Be sure to read up and don’t miss a thing!
Posters for The Huntresses and Donnie Yen Creates Super Hero
Fight of the Week: Dragons Forever End Fight Choreo
Stephen Chow to Star in Journey Sequel?
Prachya Pinkaew is a very talented director in Thailand. He’s responsible for making Tony Jaa the big star he is now, and he’s worked on a number of different films to prove he know what he’s doing. For Tom Yum Goong 2, Pinkaew re-teams up with Tony Jaa as well as Panna Rittikrai to ensure the action is as hard hitting as ever. Impact Online had the opportunity to speak with the director, and some great news has come of it.
One of the first things discussed is the “trouble” that has surrounded the film.
I hear a lot of ‘stories’ about our film, often from people who claim to have inside information, but just seem to want to make a lot of noise and get attention for themselves…It’s very easy to say bad things about a production and claim ‘an insider told me’ without saying who it was, and even when the information is false, the damage has already been done.
The shooting of the original Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong took time, we had starts and stops on those shoots too… but at that time we weren’t as well known, so people didn’t hear about those delays or production problems. Now people know who we all are, so they want to hear everything good and bad! (Laughing) I feel very lucky that I work in Thailand, I work with a very good partner, my boss at Sahmongkol Films is very understanding, he understands that we want to make the best movie we can and that might take a little bit more time sometimes than originally planned for.
Another aspect that surrounds the film is the aspect of 3D
A lot of Hollywood films, they seem to focus on the surroundings, make you feel like you’re in the location, but to me I really like the feeling of 3D breaking out of the screen and affecting the audience! We’re making a martial arts movie, to me that’s something that is perfectly suited to 3D, lets really make use of the 3D element, make it almost interactive with the audience. I want punches and kicks, and weapons coming right at the audience. I want them to feel like they might get hurt watching the movie!
Of course I don’t want to overdo the 3D, I don’t want to give the audience a headache that everything on screen is constantly poking them in the eye etc, but at the right times totally immerse them in the 3D, make them part of the movie!
I’m glad that Pinkaew took the time to clear things up and get everyone excited for what is to come. Impact Online has a lot of great info on their article that covers Tony’s injuries, Jeeja’s pregnancy, and what’s next for him, so be sure to click the link to read the full interview.
Now, I just need a trailer or teaser to get my blood pumping.
Source: Impact Online
This week was pretty insane. Lots of good stuff, so be sure to look around. Check out the forums too!
Guest Post:Charles Malcolm’s Top 10 Kung Fu Movies
Martial Arts Movie Junkie Forums Now Up
Stuntmen are the most overlooked people in the film industry (in my humble opinion.) They risk their lives to entertain us, and often to unnoticed. This is a universal issue, and some stuntmen are finally getting some deserved attention.
The Stunt is a documentary about the Thai stunt industry. It features some of the biggest names in Thai films right now and gives a private and personal look into what goes on behind the scenes. Here is the official synopsis
The STUNT” takes the audience behind the scenes and reveals the life and career of the stuntmen that risk their lives to bring thrills and excitement to the Thai Film Industry. Through conversations and interviews, we take a look at some of the most prominent Directors, Actors and of course, Stuntmen and see what they have to say about what they do, how they do it and get a better insight into the world of Action Filmmaking in Thai cinema.
Interviewee: Panna Rittikrai, Seng Kawee, Pangrit Saengcha, Ant Vatcharachai, Kecha Jaika, Nhong N.T., Thep Baanrig, Nung Pradit, TIK Bigbrother, Nerun Sreesun, Prachya Pinkaew, Wych Kaosayananda, Gary Daniels.
Check out the trailer below:
Personally, I love these types of documentaries. I watched Red Trousers and thought it was impressive, and I’m sure I’ll be intrigued by the Stunt as well. I’m appreciative of how open everyone is in the trailer, and I can’t wait to learn more about the industry and the risks people take to give us the films that we love.
Source: Twitch
Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!
A TON of New Chinese Zodiac Images
Part 1 of Road to the Grandmasters
Teaser Trailer for Journey to the West
Background Info
After Tony Jaa’s debut film, Ong Bak, stunned everyone around the world, it was time for him to release a follow-up. Tony’s next film was bigger in every respect. Bigger fights, more locations, harder stunts, and a larger number of foes were all added to Tom Yum Goong. Jaa paired up with director Prachya Pinkaew and choreographer Panna Rittikrai to ensure the action never slowed down. Two years was spent on the creation of the film, and Tony even created a new style of Muay Thai just for the film. Would Tom Yum Goong prove that Jaa had what it took to be a staple in the martial arts genre, or was he just a one-trick-pony?
Story/Characters
One of the weakest aspects of Ong Bak was the story, and Tom Yum Goong didn’t get the same level of focus and attention as other aspects of the film. The story follows another stolen Thai cultural centerpiece (this time an elephant) that Jaa must retrieve. There are no real plot twists, and the story is really only there to change locations for fight scenes. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, per se, but it is the most lacking part of the film.
The characters don’t fare much better, as many of them are only present for a fleeting moment. Most of the people that Tony encounters are opponents, meaning they aren’t really there to push the story forward. The main villain seems to just be bad for no reason, and it would have been more interesting to see a deeper reasoning as to why she was doing what she did. Petchai Wongkamalao is there for a few laughs, but nothing is truly standout. In the end, the good characters are good and the bad ones are bad; that’s all there is to it.
Action/Choreography
Just like Ong Bak, the action is easily the highlight of Tom Yum Goong. The fights are fast, frequent, and frantic. While the stunts are not as jaw-dropping as they were in Ong Bak, there are still enough to satisfy even the most hardened viewer. The only real “complaint” would be that things get a little out of hand near the end (how many thugs would seriously follow one another after there is a pile of their friends lying on the floor?) All things said, the fight between Nathan Jones and Tony Jaa, as well as the one-shot fight sequence, more than makes up for these small shortcomings.
Own it, Watch it, Try it, or Skip it?
Looking back at this film, I don’t think that Tom Yum Goong had the same impact that Ong Bak did with people. Granted, that film was the first time a lot of people heard of Jaa, so expectations were higher. That being said, the fights are still very fun to watch and will entertain almost everyone. Tony did the right thing by making everything bigger and better, showing the world that he could make magic happen once again onscreen. Even though the story takes a backseat, it gives Jaa the opportunity to do what he does best: fight people and look good doing it. With so many great sequences and memorable locations, it’s easy for me to recommend this movie for any true fan.
Own it
Tom Yum Goong Blu-Ray (HK Version)
The Protector Blu-ray (US Version)
The Protector DVD (US Collector’s Edition)
Just for fun: I gotta share this “amazing” Japanese trailer for the film. Just…wow.
Tom Yum Goong Japanese Trailer
I’ve been coming across a lot of new info lately, and I feel like if I don’t address it in one big article, some might slip through the cracks. Hope you guys don’t mind the overload of info!
First up is Jaycee Chan’s next film, titled Double Trouble. The film is directed by Wen Jiang, most recently known for Let the Bullets Fly. Here is the synopsis for the plot:
Two security guards — one from Beijing, one from Taipei — are forced to work together to track down a legendary Chinese painting that has been stolen by international art thieves. Jaycee Chan, Xia Yu, Deng Jiajia, Jessica C and Shoko star in this ballsy action comedy from the action director of “Let The Bullets Fly”!
I’m not too sold on the film, and I feel like Jaycee is trying too hard to fit the mold his dad created. This movie is getting a limited US release, though, so I might be able to check it out when it comes out on June 8th. Check out the trailer below:
Next up is news that Prachya Pinkaew will be working on a prequel to the Tekken film that was released in 2010. It will be titled, Tekken: Rise of the Tournament and that’s about all we know right now. No actors have signed onto the project, but Crystal Sky Pictures has said they are looking for finding thespians that look like the characters instead of big name actors.
Wait, was the original film supposed to have big name actors? Nothing against the cast, but I thought they were trying to be authentic the first time around. Tekken: Rise of the tournament will be aiming for a theatrical release, but VOD and DVD are much more likely for this prequel.
Anybody remember that Snow White film that was called the Order of Seven? If not, I wouldn’t be surprised. I only wrote about it once. Well, don’t worry anymore, because it has been cancelled by Disney. The film was supposed to star Soairse Ronan and was going to have a Asian feel to it. While there are reports saying that money was an issue, the fact that two other Snow White films are coming out doesn’t help much either. This one is probably for the better, to be honest.
It appears that the Iceman Cometh 3D remake has not been cancelled after all. Stephen Shiu Jr took a moment to answer some questions, and revealed that Yuen Biao will have a role in the film.
Yes, he promised to act in the movie. This is the most exciting part, I think, because two generations of Icemen Cometh will fight in the same movie.
This is pretty awesome news, and it makes me want to get ahold of the original again. While I’m not too sure how the 3D will factor in, it would be cool to see Yen and Biao exchange blows. I’ll be following this closely to see if any more footage or images are released.
You can read the full interview on Asian Movie Pulse’s site here.
Finally, to finish off this mad list of news, is another interview by Gareth Evans about the Raid. Before you roll your eyes, let me point out that every one of his interviews have been different and equally as interesting.
Here was my favorite quote:
So what’s the one great movie fight scene you wish had been yours?
Oh, there’s tons of them! Jackie Chan versus the monks in Armour Of God is one of my all time favourites. I love that scene so much! Project A, Part II, the whole fight inside a restaurant with Chan Wai-Man, and he ends up kicking him over the balcony and the stunt guy goes right through the china vase.
I got loads, man! The entire mall sequence from Police Story! Wheels On Meals, Jackie versus Benny ‘The Jet’ Urquidez – that’s incredible! The whole fight thing in Wheels is just legendary!
There are a lot of good questions in the interview, and it really shows you how much Gareth cares about the genre he’s helping shape. You can read the full interview over at Eastern Kicks. Give it a read!
Phew! Okay, that’s everything in the mainstream world right now. I feel a lot better catching up and I hope you guys got some nice reading material.
There are some good signs that point to a US release for the Kick. (more…)
