Malaysian action star, actor and filmmaker Michael Chuah has fascinated me for quite sometime now. I’m a little late since he emerged with Fist Of Dragon in 2011 but he’s stayed mobile with a few acting gigs apart from directing, including 2013 pic Firefly, Special Forces in 2016 and having recently completed Call Me Agent last month; Chuah was also a candidate for a possible transition to American soil with a lead role in Mark V. Wiley’s script for martial arts mob comedy Made In Chinatown during the early stages of development.
As of Thursday, Chuah and co-director Tony Pietra, whose solo directing credits include Cuak (2014), Train Station (2015) and Shadowplay (2018), are at the helm for Red Storm from Evo Pictures Sdn Bhd, Fusion Media and He Nian Media Communication. Chuah is producing the film as well as starring with a cast that combines Chinese and Malaysian talent that collectively lists actors Henry Thia and Zhang Bo Nan with Li Ai Jin, actor Henley Hii and actress Venice Min.
Red Storm centers on Hung Ping, a bodyguard hired by a rich tycoon to protect his daughter from human traffickers. His path soon crosses with Ah Bu, once a top cop now rendered amnesiac following a botched raid two weeks earlier; Having haplessly been entangled with Ru’s kidnapping and ultimately regaining his memory upon discovering their extended connection to the murder of his wife and the death of his squad members, Ah pairs up with Hung to save the young woman and put an end to the criminal organization once and for all.
Director and Producer, Michael Chuah says “This is a good opportunity to showcase the talents from Malaysia and South East Asia to the foreign market as the movie will be released in Asia countries including China. We are also glad to be able to work with casts and producers from different countries to bring to Red Storm to the big screen in the Asian market. I have been working on action films for a number of years, and Red Storm will be the most action packed film I will be making thus far”
Michael Chuah adds “This is also the first time Henry Thia is acting in a more serious role, and audiences will see a different side of him in the movie.”
Select members of the cast also underwent long periods of training and fight scene rehearsals to better suit the action sequences coupled with the film.
Red Storm will be shot in Kuala Lumpur and Port Dickson with a local regional release date currently scheduled for late 2018; As always however, acquisition news may follow suit for international territories, though really it’s a matter of opinion at this juncture. At best, cross your fingers!