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This review may contain spoilers
It's not very often a martial arts movie comes out with strong fight scenes and even stronger acting. Brotherhood of the Blades boasted a quietly competent cast who elevated this movie above standard wuxia fare. Three Imperial Assassins and sworn brothers, though skilled with their swords had to face down death and deception from various factions. The always troublesome eunuch (this time after he was deposed) who shows up in numerous martial arts movies, once again instigated double-crossing schemes, this time imperiling the three loyal assassins.
Chang Chen led the three sworn brothers. His character, Shen Lian, though loyal to his brothers and emperor, was morally ambiguous. Willing to do whatever the situation called for, he set into motion a sword that would hang over all three of the assassins' heads.
The three hearty friends all harbored a need for money. Shen Lian wished to free a courtesan but lacked the power and money to do so. Wang Qian Yuan, as Lu Jian Xing, longed for promotion, only lacking the amount of money needed for bribing officials. Li Dong Xue as Jin Yi Chuan, the third assassin and the youngest, loved a doctor's daughter and had secrets of his own. The eunuch's waning power and wealth still proved perilous and tempting. The loyal allies had no safe quarter with the emperor and his officials. Blades aimed at them from nearly every quarter, even longtime allies proved treacherous.
The fight choreography was quite good, less reliant on wires and Olympic level gymnastics. The fights were fast, brutal, and bloody. They stretched reality in a few scenes, but so do most action movies. If I have one quibble, it's that the action scenes went on too long and were overused. As the story felt thin, perhaps it distracted from the lack of a more complex plot and character development.
The cinematography though dark and dreary fit the mood of the film. Often monochromatic, the shots worked perfectly for the bloody fight scenes. The costumes and sets were well done, befitting the time period. Brotherhood of Blades was stunning to watch without being overdone.
Chang Chen gave a mesmerizing performance, filling in gaps the script lacked. The supporting actors were all strong even though many of their characters were thinly drawn.
Brotherhood of the Blades battered away at the characters through intrigue and loss. Dark and intense, this film balanced its three main characters on the edge of a knife in the midst of hungry wolves. And set this viewer on the edge of her seat wondering who, if any, of the Brotherhood would survive.
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Music is terrifying and beautiful
Glass Heart boasted one of the more beautiful casts that I’ve seen recently. Satoh Takeru, Machida Keita, and Shison Jun were three-fourths of the band Tenblank. Miyazaki Yu rounded out the band as the lone female member. High on music and low on plot, Glass Heart was more mood than narrative. Fortunately, the music was pretty good for a drama making it a fast, upbeat watch.Musical genius Fujitani Naoki has gathered a guitarist, an on-line music sensation, and finally an amateur drummer who opened his heart back up to music three years ago at an impromptu concert in the rain. The group is an awkward fit at the beginning with the men’s egos and Akane’s lack of confidence. Guitarist Sho takes care of Naoki when he wears himself out. Kazushi’s own writing skills expand Naoki’s mind when it hits a wall. And Akane’s unique drumming style calls him. The band doesn’t realize that Naoki is working against the clock to release the music inside him.
The plot was paper thin and barely a scaffolding for the music videos. Few things happen in the 10 episodes. An estranged brother is reconciled with, a singer with a crush on Naoki as well as a jealous manager have to be dealt with, and the bandmates struggle to keep up with Naoki’s musical madness. Naoki’s old traitorous music partner is the lone source of conflict and doesn’t really cause many ripples in the band’s trajectory.
The performances were all solid, though Sho and Kazushi could have used more airtime. Right now, Miyazaki Yu is listed as a supporting cast member, but I would argue she was the lead. A non-threateningly cute, eager, every-girl, Akane stood in for the female audience and was usually the focus of the story when it wasn’t on Naoki’s genius. As per usual, a big chunk of the male drama population fell in love with her. I saw no chemistry between her and Satoh, though chemistry is often in the eye of the beholder. From the moment Sho princess carried Naoki, that was my ship, right until the moment when Sho asked Naoki, “Is this a proposal?”
I enjoyed the music, the found/made family, the reconciliations, and the karmic blow back for the cheaters. It was a quick, enthusiastic binge. Lucky Me ended up being my favorite of the songs and Suda Masaki’s voice my favorite of the singers. For the nice music, beautiful men, call to love through music, Glass Heart was worth the watch for me.
“Music isn’t concerned with who wins or loses. It just plays. That’s why it’s terrifying and beautiful.”
31 July 2025
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"Keep your enemies closer"
Knight Flower was a funny, entertaining cross between a female Robin Hood and Zorro. The story may not have had any surprises, but in this genre as in most. execution is key and Knight Flower kept the action moving and the long boring monologues by the villains to a minimum.Yeo Hwa never even met her husband who was killed on the way to the wedding and has been a cloistered widow for 15 long years. Stuck in the family shrine most days, never being able to set foot outside of her in-laws’ property she only has her maid Yeon Seon for company as she waits on her older brother to finally return and take her with him. What no one in the household knows except for Seon is that at night Yeo Hwa dresses in black and helps the helpless with her money and martial arts. Everything is going smoothly until she runs into the new Capital Defense officer, Park Su Ho. With lots of push and pull between the upright lawman and the vigilante, as well as the requisite romantic tension, the two find they have much in common as well as common enemies.
The first episode felt slow to me, but it picked up the pace as it went along and never slowed down again until the last episode. Given the prison-like existence of the widows and pressure to commit suicide for the family honor, it was a whimsical release to have the heroine running over rooftops and rescuing the male lead on occasion. Of course, only women were held to these standards. Widowers were free to go about and even encouraged to remarry. Repression reconfigured to look like honor.
I enjoyed the story, but stumbled some with the casting, or perhaps the writing. Full disclosure, I enjoy a good noona romance so that wasn't an issue . Nor do I have a problem with an older woman being an action hero, much older men do it all the time. Lee Ha Nee is a beautiful woman but at 40 she did not look 32 nor very athletic. Her character was someone skilled with living a double life for years, but Yeo Hwa could not manage a poker face when needed. Yeo Hwa was quick to act but often slow to catch on to the bad guys’ plans. Lee Jong Won looked like a sweet puppy who adored Yeo Hwa, but added little depth to his character. A quick glance at the cast list and it was easy to pick out who the baddies were going to be. When one used his kind grandpa voice instead of putting a character at ease, chills should have been running down their back. And Jo Jae Yoon can always be counted on to chew up the scenery maniacally.
Knight Flower, aside from bringing up the appalling way widows were treated, was for the most part a romantic action comedy. While there were some fights, they weren’t bloody or deadly. Most of the deaths occurred 15 years prior to the current story. The one murder in the present story actually felt quite deserved. So, if you like your historical dramas light and funny, with a little romance and a little action, this might be a good fit.
21 February 2024
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"It never ends until we're all dead!" That's the spirit!
Mercy for None wasn’t an extraordinary drama but it did what it set out to do-show mercy for none. As far as Korean revenge entertainment goes it succeeded for the most part. For those familiar with the genre there were no real surprises, but they never let the plot or action slow down. During Nam Gi Jun's lengthy revenge rampage they kept the “hero’s” plot armor to a minimum until the last two episodes. If nothing else, it was good to see So Ji Sub in a drama once again.Normally, I’d give a mini-plot summary about now, but this was a revenge drama so despite the twists and turns it was quite simple. Retired gangster Nam Gi Jun is called back into action when his brother is murdered. Nam Gi Seok was slated to be the JuWoon successor so there were plenty of people with an ax to grind. And grind and slash numerous characters did with axes, knives, bats, iron bars, with plenty of old school action. Gi Jun discovers how deep the treachery runs as he pounds through the bodies with his mighty fists. He could have given One Punch Man a run for his money.
So Ji Sub didn’t have to give an emotionally nuanced performance. He did what he needed to do, look fierce and bloody as he fought gangs of men. Mercy for None was a who’s who of ahjussis and harabeojis. The old boys gave a master class in acting. Sadly, there were younger actors who lacked the gravitas and menace required for their roles. With the exception of a female lawyer with a couple of quick scenes there were no women in this world, no molls, no nurses, no mobster mothers, this was all testosterone all the time.
The fights were well choreographed, especially for a drama. They contained more gore than your average Kdrama so if you are squeamish be prepared. This drama was an 8.5 for me until the end of episode four and then the “twists” and “surprises” began to weigh it down. Gi Jun’s fearsome abilities tread over into the supernatural as the drama wore on which took away from it. Despite only being 7 episodes long, it could have been cut to 5 or 6 at the most.
I desperately wanted to hold a class for these career gangsters. Things Every Bad Guy Needs to Know: 1) Round-house kicks are pretty but useless in a fight. 2) Never bring just your fists to a machete/gun/bat fight. 3) Never leave your weapon behind---there will always be another fight. 4) When using a gun, never let your enemy get too close. 5) Never trust someone who works for the enemy no matter how much you used to like them. 6) Be nice to the hired help. It could save your life. 7) Never turn your back on your enemy. Never. Ever. Like ever.
If you are looking for character development or innovative storytelling this is not that drama. If you are wanting to get an action and revenge fix with an easy on the eyes protagonist, you might want to give this drama a try.
13 June 2025
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"I warned that you might regret this"
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I started Going by the Book. The old synopsis said a traffic cop went undercover in a robbery gang and that was far removed from the story in this film. The actual premise might have been far-fetched but it did provide for both tense moments and hilarious ones.Officer Jung Do Man had been a detective until a failed investigation resulted in his demotion to traffic cop. Upright and by the book he is a thorn in his colleagues’ sides. When the new police chief, Lee Seung Woo arrives, he discovers that there have been a number of unsolved bank robberies. After watching a military exercise, Lee decides to hold a police exercise to strengthen police response time to robberies and coordination with the banks. He secretly chooses Do Man to play the robber, a move the officer warns against. Lee learns the hard way that Jung Do Man takes his job very seriously when the simulation becomes more complicated and more public than Lee had planned.
The film started out slow, and I worried that it was not for me. Once the simulation began, that’s when the fun and tension ramped up. Do Man had done his homework and his way of handling the “hostages” was stressful and funny. Despite not wanting to upset the people in the bank, he was willing to see the simulation through to the end. And return his rented videos on time! Jung Jae Young was suited to a tee as Do Man. He portrayed a good cop who didn’t see the nuance in relationships yet could zero in on illegal patterns. Son Byung Ho brought out Chief Lee’s conflicted emotions as Jung had done exactly what he asked but to a degree he never dreamed.
Going by the Book was an interesting case study in hostage situations even if or perhaps because it was fake. People complained, freaked out, and cooperated. Pride pushed the chief to continue on long after he should have called the simulation off. Thankfully, the humor was not slapstick or bathroom oriented. It evolved organically from the claustrophobic and absurd experiment. I laughed out loud numerous times which is a rarity for me. Silly, serious, ridiculous---yet ended up being quite enjoyable.
12 May 2026
Favorite quote (roughly remembered): “In a fight, which one wins, wushu or boxing?” “The one who has a gun.”
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Trust but verify
Dark Figure of Crime was based on the true story of a serial killer in the RoK who played a dangerous game of “where are the bodies?” with a narcotics detective. The killer was aware of how to manipulate the judicial system which made the detective’s job all the more challenging.Detective Kim Hyung Min receives a tip from an informants to meet up with a source who knows where a body has been buried. The source, Kang Tae Oh, is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend before Kim can follow-up on the tip. Kang contacts Kim from prison and promises tantalizing information about other people he has killed. He’s willing to parse out information for contraband and commissary money. Kang is hardly forthcoming with explicit information putting Kim’s job and reputation in jeopardy.
This film paced itself with the speed of a police investigation. The cops were not inept, though the original officers hardly dug very deeply into the missing persons reports they processed. Kim Yoon Seok perfectly encapsulated a dogged detective who was more concerned for the victims and their families than he was about promotions. Good thing, because at every turn someone in the department attempted to discourage Kim from researching the cold cases. His best ally was Detective Jo played by the reliable Jin Sun Kyu. Jo believed in what they were doing even though their cases began to drag him down professionally. Ju Ji Hoon gnawed through the furniture to capture Kang’s malevolent behavior giving much needed energy to the film.
While I enjoyed the thorough nature of the investigation, the ongoing minutiae wasn’t exactly riveting viewing. My biggest problem was that I found the characters, despite their determination, to be coldly detached from the events around them which lessened my connection to their struggles and triumphs. One particularly frustrating hole in the real-life judicial system was filled a year after this film came out. Murder no longer had a statute of limitations meaning criminals like Kang could be held responsible for the full measure of their crimes regardless of how much time had passed. If you enjoy police procedurals, this might be one to try as it had strong acting and followed the relentless work of a detective who refused to give up.
11 May 2026
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Cute romcom to lift your spirit
Mentalese Express was one of the cutest short or full length romcom films I’ve seen in a long time. Filmed mostly in an authentic elevator recreation, the actors had to make the most of voice overs and tiny facial give aways.Ssu Tsen Li notices a handsome Japanese salaryman in the elevator she takes, a man she calls #27 for his office floor. Shinji Hayashi also notices the woman with a mole on her neck like his and pleasant-smelling hair. Terrified he’ll be deported from Taiwan for being a stalker or pervert for sniffing her hair, he begins to fear their morning elevator ride as much as he anticipates it.
This short film ran the gamut of relationship stages without either character speaking more than a word to each other. Two awkward puppies overthinking every aspect of their actions and non-actions placed both introverts into romantic hell as they desperately tried to find a way to approach the other person. They had an inadvertent helper in Cologne Man who realized early on that the two were attracted to each other. Oblivious Co-Worker provided a proper female foil and source of jealousy. A rich romantic microcosm existed within the confines of a metal box. Would definitely recommend this short film for anyone who enjoys romantic encounters of the introverted kind.
9 May 2026
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"The world must be a difficult place for a guy like you"
Yakusho Koji gave another brilliant performance in Under the Open Sky as an aging ex-con and former yakuza member. Known as the Brawler from Kobe, recently released Mikami Masao, had much to learn about the world outside of the crime families.At 60 years old, Mikami Masao is released after spending fourteen years in prison. He is determined to be through with his criminal ties and never go back to jail. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, he is set up with a place to live and a modicum of government assistance. He suffers from severe hypertension limiting the few employment opportunities available to him. A television station wants to share his story, especially if they can reunite him with his mother on air. Mikami has lived much of his life on a set schedule with emotional and physical guardrails. Now he must learn to deal with the casual cruelty in the “civilized” general pop he is surrounded by without resorting to violence.
Unlike so many actors who have limited means of conveying expression, Yakusho Koji put on a master class of nuanced acting showing Koji’s every thought and response without the viewer catching him acting. You could feel Mikami’s frustration with the system that treated him like a pariah, coping with the disrespect he was often shown, realization that the world had moved on without him, and joy when he used his particular skill set on a pair of thugs. Mikami was forced to learn patience and self-control around people who were experts at eliciting angry responses. His own body forced him to his knees with debilitating hypertension. And Koji glided through every emotional speed bump and ditch expertly. I loved that Nishikawa didn’t make Mikami perfect. Though generally kind and generous at heart, Mikami had a temper and had no compunction against resolving problems or slights with his fists. Or a ladder.
Director Nishikawa Miwa based her script on the novel Mibuncho. She deftly exposed polite society’s ability to ostracize those who did not fit into a perfect mold. Unhappy people who followed the rules felt entitled to mock those who had strayed or were different. The yakuza was not glamorized and for the most part Mikami accepted responsibility for his troubles. The film also showed how difficult it is for ex-convicts to turn their lives around. Aside from personally changing their ways of handling conflict, they are faced with limited employment opportunities. Most businesses are reluctant to hire anyone who has been incarcerated. It’s not surprising that 50% of released prisoners end up back in jail within 5 years. It’s the same in my country. Once they’ve paid their debt to society, they still need to eat, have shelter, and a way to make a living and going back to the safety of what they are familiar with can be tempting. For Mikami, the crime families never looked down on him and made him feel small whereas he faced rejection constantly in society. Unlike many released convicts, he had a support system of people outside the crime world who came to care about him.
Having spent nearly half his life in prisons, Mikami Masao just wanted to be an ordinary person. What he found was a whole new set of rules. “Let it slide…Don’t get involved…Look out for yourself.” The weak and other were still bullied and preyed upon by “good” citizens, but in acceptable manners. He not only had to learn to trust and love again, but also to look the other way. I enjoyed this bittersweet story of Mikami’s resiliency and determination to change his life no matter the challenges and to seek out the beauty hidden under the open sky.
“You have to be patient out here. Patient with few rewards. But at least you can live under the open sky.”
8 May 2026
Trigger warnings: Bare bottoms and breasts but not in a gratuitous manner
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A young man is asleep at his desk with pieces of an action figure he is working on scattered around him. The film doesn’t say for sure what the young man’s issue is, whether it’s agoraphobia or another anxiety disorder, but it’s clear he’s highly uncomfortable being outside of his cluttered apartment. The only organized space is his bookcase of neatly ordered action figures he has assembled. When a delivery man haphazardly slides a package toward his door but not near it, our introvert is in a conundrum. In his endeavor to stay partially within his safe space and still retrieve his precious box, he accidentally locks himself outside. Thus begins his awkward and strangely pleasurable journey to the locksmith.
I found this short film soothing and refreshing. This young man was thrown into his worst fear and while there were negative experiences he was also shown kindness and had the chance to show kindness to another. Definitely worth ten minutes of your time. I only wish it had been longer, I would like to have seen if his forced adventure had any long-term healing on his life.
5 May 2026
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"Fail and it's treason. Succeed and it's revolution."
12.12: The Day has been lingering in my PTW for some time now. Knowing what the film covered was going to be distressing, I needed to wait until I had the proper frame of mind to tackle it. I’m not sure there’s ever a great time to grapple with the gut-wrenching betrayals, knowing the blood and tears shed following the coup, but I did my best to comprehend the dark events that occurred on 12-12-1979.After President/Dictator Park’s assassination, unease flows through the government and military as people within jockey for prestigious positions. Three key figures rise to the top, at least momentarily. Jeong Sang Ho is the new Martial Law Commandant. Chun (Jeon)Doo Gwang leads the Defense Security Command and also the shadowy Hanahoe. No one moves or says anything that he doesn’t know about due to his intricate network of spies and phone taps. Last, but not least, is the reluctant new commander of the Capital Garrison Command. Lee Tae Shin is loyal to his oath and his country with no political aspirations. When Jeong assigns influential Hanahoe generals and colonels to far flung places to reduce their influence, Chun decides to act. He gathers the leaders from Hanahoe to consolidate his military might and seize control by arresting Jeong and using the troops to take over. In order to repel the rebels, the virtuous Lee must outwit the Hanahoe who has infiltrated nearly every level of the military and firmly planted corrupt politicians in their pockets.
Watching a film like this was painful as I already knew how the day was going to end. Greed and the desire for power and unquestioned authority are always attractive to wannabe tyrants and the cronies hoping to cash in on an authoritarian regime. Successful dictators tend to be good at branding and Chun was no exception. “Only if we fail is it called treason. If we succeed it’s called a revolution.” Or a “grand revolution.” Nowhere in the film did any of the traitorous team members express a dream for peace and prosperity for all the people of the RoK. Not when it would be so much fun to be in charge and torture whoever got in their way.
Korea’s Hydra organization was the Hanahoe. General Lee simply could not compete with soldiers more loyal to Hanahoe’s leadership and organization than the country. Chun was also aided by the rigid hierarchies in the society including age, regional favoritism, and seniority. Different commanders gave conflicting orders leaving much of the rank and file confused and with no choice but to follow the truck or soldier in front of them. And then there were the cowardly and/or greedy politicians who gave up before the battle had even begun.
Hwang Jung Min’s Chun bordered on maniacal. He splendidly portrayed Chun’s bone chilling menace that both terrified and enthralled the military officers in his circle. His intensity bordered on scenery chewing a time or two, but he accomplished his dramatic mission—to make us loathe Chun. In contrast, was Jung Woo Sung’s calm and ethical Lee. This general wasn’t afraid of making the hard decisions even in the face of overwhelming odds. He also wasn’t afraid to parse words. My favorite quote that I wish had come true, “All of you stay right there. I’ll bring the tanks myself and crush your f*cking skulls.”
The RoK would go through one of its hardest self-inflicted painful periods in history. The disappearances, torture mill, and Gwangju Uprising were about to kick in because of ineffectual leadership, a sinister network, and a nefarious general willing to risk everything to rule the country like a despotic king. 12.12: The Day was tightly written and superbly acted for a day no one wants to remember but must in order to protect it from happening again.
1 May 2026
Notes: Due to libel laws or some such reason, the names of historical figures were changed.
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"The slower you go, the further you can reach"
Wings Over Everest felt like a patchwork of other mountain climbing films going back to the Eiger Sanction (1975) or the Archer Sanction (2015) for that matter. It might have worked if they had grounded the mountain climbing in some measure of realism. Not even Yakusho Koji could save it.What I liked:
There were beautiful shots of the mountains. Score one for Mother Nature!
Yakusho Koji-I would watch him in anything and this film is exhibit A of that dedication.
Austin Lin made for a cute Cowboy helicopter pilot. Zhang Jing Chu as Xiao Dai Zi portrayed a feisty heroine who did what was needed to be done to save herself and her team.
The cast was an interesting international crew: China, Japan, Canada, and Taiwan though with some questionable dubbing at times.
What didn’t work as well:
The bad guys were obvious and their motivation was weak.
The opening scene let the audience know to check their brain at the door regarding mountaineering and rescue. Dai Zi may have been a great climber but she had a terrible habit of falling off of cliffs. I stopped counting at 4 times. Perhaps due to unacknowledged oxygen deprivation or hypothermia, she also had strange hallucinations.
Oxygen schmoxygen. Who needs it? Or protective goggles? Or any gear to protect from the frostbiting wind and cold, not to mention (literally) blinding sun.
I know the final mountain scene was supposed to be touching yet was so ridiculous it reminded me of a scene from Ice Age: Collision Course (2016). Why couldn’t there have been a dinosaur or UFO? Go all in on throwing logic off the mountain! That might have bumped my score up!
There were times when I turned my brain off that the film had its moments, but they were few and far between. Stupid logic and stupid laws of physics interfering with movie magic. To “summit” up and not to “be-lay” the point but Wings Over Everest was an okay movie if you like the actors and/or scenery but it likely won’t “rock” your world.
27 April 2026
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"If I can't save a city, I will save those close to me"
When I saw that Zhang Jin was in The Wild Blade of Strangers I was sold. The story and editing had a few hiccoughs but the action was solid for the most part, the main reason for watching a film like this.Tian An Ye and his older friend, Zhao Qian Sun make and sell charcoal. When they head to the walled city to sell their product, they end up saving a wounded woman and her baby. The palace had recently gone through a change of management, accomplished with deceit and at the end of a sword. Nie and her baby found themselves on the expendables list and in desperate need of a hero. Tian had no intention of stepping in until old Zhao convinced him to provide the two vulnerable people protection with his very special skill set.
The plot was thin and obvious which wasn’t super important once Zhang Jin jumped into action. A real martial artist, his moves were believable. How well you’ll like this film may depend on whether you enjoy his screen presence. I did and could have bumped this up to an 8 if the story and editing didn’t have a few issues including one very politically incorrect character that would have been out of place 20 years ago with the terrible depiction. Another actual martial artist, Jiang Lu Xia, as the mysterious Qi, held her own with the choreography. Her character reminded me of one Brigitte Lin might have played back in the day.
You didn’t have to wait long for action scenes. The film had several fights that utilized a variety of weapons and traps. The choreography veered into martial arts dancing on occasion. In this case I was willing to overlook it when Tian spun around because the moves didn’t have a thousand slow-mo pore counting close-up edits. The only disappointing fight was the first one between Tian An Ye and the formidable Zhang Xu Qing. The wire work was extremely awkward and conspicuous, reminiscent of 1970s kung fu flicks. Their rematch was thankfully much smoother and faster. As with many heroes, Tian’s superior fighting skills waned when the script called for it.
The Wild Blade of Strangers made good use of stock wuxia characters and political infighting. The film was at its best when Tian was wielding a sword, lethal bamboo, flaming cloth, or guandao (I think). When it relied on the narrative, the plot holes revealed themselves along with the shallow character development. Overall, I enjoyed this film and could recommend it to people who like their sword fighting with a small serving of political intrigue thrown in for good measure.
25 April 2026
Trigger warnings: People lost their heads, but without spewing blood or rolling noggins. The only scene that bothered me was a torture scene though it did yield a spikey weapon for Tian to employ as a weapon.
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"If you lose yourself, you'll be digging your own grave"
Hero (1997) is a remake of Chang Cheh’s 1972 The Boxer from Shantung. Shaw Brothers was on the downhill slide when they had Corey Yuen helm this bloody blast from the past starring Kaneshiro Takeshi.Ma Wing Ching and his brother Tai Cheung flee the drought-stricken Shandong Province to start over in Shanghai at the beginning of the 20th century. Their new home is filled with people looking for work and people looking to take advantage of them. Ma makes a strong impression on benevolent crime lord Tam See who was also from Shandong. Tam befriends the hothead as Ma makes his presence known in town. Malevolent crime lord, Yang Shuang, is determined to eliminate Tam and Ma for good.
The storyline was thin, with most of the characters being the same depth of cardboard. Despite Kaneshiro’s screen presence, Ma Wing Ching was hard to root for as he was overly proud and easy to anger. Plus, everyone was involved in crime, including the police. Yuen Biao played the “good” crime boss and Yuen Tak chewed the scenery as the “bad” crime boss. Yuen Wah and Corey Yuen provided comedy relief on occasion as did Jessica Hester. Jessica had little to do as the romantic interest. Valerie Chow was featured more prominently as the femme fatale.
Corey Yuen and Yuen Tak were the martial arts directors which meant the fights were wild featuring kung fu, hatchets, flaming hatchets, swords, chains, bamboo spikes, pistols, automatic weapons, hidden knives, a canon, and even holy Looney Toons---an anvil! There were two intricately choreographed fights centered around a horse. The credits stated that no animals were harmed or killed and I really hope they were telling the truth. My biggest disappointment was that badass Yuen Wah wasn’t showcased during the fights being relegated more to emotional support or humorous moments.
During the first half of the film, it was a challenge to invest in the story as Ma picked fights, staked out his territory, and arrogantly ignored the advice of people with his best interests at heart. As stunning as Kaneshiro was during his brutal encounters, I found his character difficult to like. Ma’s redemption arch required copious amounts of blood and limbs. My score is based largely on the creativity and fierceness of the fights. It was also fun to watch Yuen Biao and Yuen Tak take each other on in a ferocious kung fu battle. They did not disappoint. The final free for all was ridiculously over the top, hilariously so at times, yet entertaining. Graded on a mild kung fu curve.
23 April 2026
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault. A fight that littered the street with limbs. Gruesome impalements. Almost continuous smoking. Sometimes it was hard to see the characters' faces due to the clouds of white. Yuen Wah's dreadful haircut.
Connection note: The Yuens in this film all attended Yu Jim Yuen’s China Drama School.
Slightly spoilery observation below:
Characters survived catastrophic injuries, recovering quickly from wounds that should have killed them, left giant holes in the characters, and/or would have caused deathly infections. Never underestimate kung fu plot armor!
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"Do you know what the rich want?...To get richer"
If you watched the first three Roundup films then you know what to expect from The Roundup: Punishment. Our wrecking ball ahjussi hitter takes on cyber crime this time around with his team and comic relief criminal sidekick.Detective Ma makes a promise to a grieving mother that he will find the criminals responsible for her son’s death. The investigation takes him and his team into the world of cyber gambling and sundry crimes. What he’s not initially aware of is he’s dealing with The I.T. Genius and his vicious, knife-wielding enforcer. Ma will have to call in help from the police department’s own I. T. crowd and also the shady Jang I Su.
There is something about Ma Dong Seok I find compelling to watch, even if he’s just throwing hands at bad guys and little else. I thought Ma “no cartilage” Dong Seok moved smoother in this film which was probably due to better choreography and shorter scenes. His punches and ducking were swifter and of course with a little movie magic, always highly effective. The bad guys, led by Kim Mu Yeol’s Baek Chang Gi used knives which I’m not a huge fan of and didn’t think the knife fight choreography was particularly creative. I was only invested when Ma and his meaty fists entered the room.
The film which bounced between the Philippines and RoK lost focus a few times, which may have been more to translation issues. Ultimately, when the big hearted, pounding hitter wasn’t on screen, the story’s momentum faltered. I enjoyed Roundup Punishment for what it was, and in that I wasn’t disappointed. If you’ve watched the other entries in this franchise this is one to give a try. The Big Guy with No Cartilage rarely disappoints.
10 April 2026
Ma has quipped that he has “no cartilage” in interviews before. Glad he’s still able to make the movies he wants for now!
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"A cozy place to stay"
There is no denying Black Tavern’s similarity to King Hu’s Dragon Inn (1967), but there were enough differences for Shaw Brothers’ inn at the end of civilization to carve out a bloody spot of its own.A wandering monk sings a tale of an official carrying a trunk filled with treasure cultivated from a lifetime of bribes. Ears perk up in the tavern with everyone making a hasty exit to find said official. Eventually, the criminal element condenses upon the remote Black Tavern on a snowy night, coming in waves. The first to arrive is Zheng Shou Shan aka The Whipmaster and his disciples. A “hero” named Zha Xiao Yu who saved Zheng and his crew on the road asks to be cut in on the deal for the price of his sword. Soon the swords and whips are flying as the thieves descend upon the tavern. Official Hai with his trunk of treasures seeks shelter from the storm at the inn on his way to retirement which only increases the feeding frenzy among the murderous lot. A mysterious swordswoman appears who could change the balance of life and death.
Ku Feng dominated this film with his lethal whip, a surprising star turn for the hard-working actor. He's one of my favorite supporting actors, but here he stole the show. Tung Li was the dashing swordsman who always seemed to materialize when needed. I squealed a little bit when I realized that Shih Szu was the swordswoman with a connection to The Lady Hermit. This time Wang Hsieh was already dead when she arrived on scene. Her screen time was rather limited but she was in the final fight. Dean Shek sang many of his lines as the annoying, I mean wandering monk. He had a rather important part to play in the final outcome. Numerous familiar faces popped up trying to steal the treasure and then were as quickly dispatched. Wu Ma and his Five Ghosts of Xiang Xi, which included Yuen Wah, pretended to be hopping vampires. Was hoping for the real thing, that would have made this film perfect! Jackie Chan was briefly on screen as Official Hai’s servant who was killed just before the hour mark if you are trying to spot him. Stuntmen Mars and Little Unicorn also had time on screen.
Simon Chui and Chui Chung Hok designed brutal fights with a variety of weapons. Nearly every inch of the inn and courtyard were decimated as the fighters used whatever was around them to fight with or defend themselves with. Nothing felt repetitive as the different groups of villains remorselessly attacked. The big finale was vicious and creative. Ku Feng was relentless with his whip and physical onslaught. Did I mention, I really enjoyed his performance?
No evil eunuch or army threatened anyone. This time it was just wave after wave of crooks attempting to make their fortune off someone else’s misfortune. I must say that Official Hai was nonplussed at having to walk around the bodies to enter the inn. With every passing moment they stacked higher, disappeared and more bodies hit the ground to take their place. The atmosphere wasn’t as claustrophobic as Dragon Inn, but the fights were exciting and nearly nonstop. I’ve learned from watching these films that it’s important to avoid inns on the edge of nowhere. And if you must eat there, always order the vegetarian platter. I graded on a curve as I do with all of these old martial arts films.
23 March 2026
Trigger warnings: Several decapitations, disarming scenes, severed body parts, eyes pulled out, cannibalism.
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