There’s literally nothing I can find at the moment for what looks like the latest action crime affair from director Luc Murat. He rejoins actor Pierro Murat (La dernière recrue, À Jamais) to direct Ofast which also has Rogue City actor, cinematic parkour pro David Belle among the cast listed in the latest poster that’s been circulating online for about a month now.
Its French title is called Bronx. Out here in the Western world, Rogue City is the name from writer and director Olivier Marchal, and the official trailer is now here with a cast formidably headlined by the likes of District B13 actor David Belle, and The Doorman co-star Jean Reno.
Actor Li Bing-Yuan is expanding his horizons following credits on Jet Li headliner Fearless and Hark Tsui’s The Taking Of Tiger Mountain to name a few. He’s got moves of his own and judging by the most recent trailer for Defying Chase, enough screenfighting caliber to exhume and showcase for the masses.
It’s especially one seemingly targeting fans of burgeoning martial arts stars like Song Yue in recent memory. From what I’ve sifted from forums online, Li tackles both sides of the lens for the story of a gifted fighter forced to pull out all the moves he has when he finds himself embroiled in contraband jewely – a narrative that ultimately includes some serious head-bludgeoning fight scenery that speaks volumes to hardcore genre fans.
The addition of actor and premiere traceur star David Belle also lends something interesting to the fray in his continued profusion in mainland Chinese cinema in recent years. Rounding out the cast are Bing Lei Li and Yi Xuan Huang with Hong Xiang Wang and Norman Chu also starring for its March 30 release.
I’m not entirely sure if this will see a legitimate overseas release but do check out the trailer and character posters below to stir the interest at least. It’s got its share of the silly too but… yeah, big kicks, brutal fight action, blows to the head and such. Bon appetit!
DEFYING CHASE: Character Posters
Much was ado earlier this season for actor and martial artist Vincent Zhao whose latest with director and co-star Lu Yitong now spawns the retitled period pic, Invisible Tattoo. The project is a 1935-set actioner that takes place in a southwestern salt industry town and there’s no doubt that some thrilling martial arts action will ensue per recent stills and an official teaser now online.
Xu Dongdong, Li Mincheng, Sang Ping, Sawada Ken, Juliet Gama and Wang Shengdi also star along with none other than actor and freerunning stunt extraordinare David Belle in his latest stint in China since last year’s Super Express. That’s all there is to document for now about this movie while the teaser itself is ripe and yours to watch and rewatch to your heart’s desire. Peep it.
Much has been ado over the past few weeks with developments pertaining to the action pic, Tattoo. Leading the way is actor Vincent Zhao (God Of War) fresh from the set of a pair of upcoming projects, one of which saw him reprising the role of Wong Fei Hung among a folkloric ensemble cast for director Jeff Lau’s Kung Fu Big League.
Freerunning extraordinare and actor David Belle is someone, in all certainty, I can vouch for when it comes to film and TV talent. I do profess, however, that it has been a little frustrating seeing him between phases of his career – at one point he’s leading a hit film and its sequel and at another, he’s being pigeonholed into smaller roles. I expected more than this after first catching him in action for the first time in Pierre Morel’s Banlieue 13 (not so much so in that film’s sorely, and poorly mishandled 2015 remake, Brick Mansions).
At best, one can hope that this particular phase changes as Belle moves onward with his career prospects, especially after spotting two trailers last year, one being for concept project called Jaya which also featured actor and late martial arts star Darren Shahlavi at the time. The other, Brutal: A Taste Of Violence, depending on your own tastes, for that matter, has gladly taken shape as its own series which is currently being streamed via Studio+ for mobile users in France and South America, and with any luck, for consumers overseas in due time with possible availability on platforms such as Blackpills or Netflix.
The series hails from Save Ferris Entertainment with filmmaker Julien Colonna making his series debut, bringing Belle back into the fold as central protagonist Axel Chen, a former solider making a living as a bouncer in France whose life is immediately thrown into lesser-needed chaos following a late night brawl with three thugs, accidently killing one of them in the process. With his name plastered all over the news, he has no choice but to turn to Marcus, an illegal underground fight promoter for his only chance at an escape, only to land in even thicker circumstances with his next destination in Thailand. It is there that Chen’s journey of self-discovery will decidedly either become one of regret, or redemption when a bet goes awry and forces Chen to fight for Marcus in order to save the gym that took him in, and its humble owner.
I earlier stated the insistence of one’s own tastes be taken into account for the fact that for most of the show’s run time, clocked in at a little over 58 minutes with ten episodes cut in between, Belle has no speaking lines; An earlier action sequence in the first episode sees his role sustain an injury to his vocal chords rendering him silent and unable to talk. This leaves the weight of the scripted drama and dialogue on the rest of the cast, obligating Belle’s acting range to focus more expressively next to the show’s multiple training sequences.
Actor Vithaya Pansringarm (Only God Forgives, Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear) and actress Pim Bubear (The Man With The Iron Fists 2) who play respective father and daughter roles Lao and Lamai who service the fighters in Lao’s gym where Chen trains. Actor Byron Gibson (Only God Forgives) chews up much of the scenery in the commanding antagonist role of Marcus who also hosts the illegal online bouts where people place bets on their favorite select competitors, streamed through a webcam fitted inside of a skeleton which stands out as one of the show’s most interesting props. Pierre Marie-Mosconi and Charles Perrière stir the pot some throughout the series as France detectives Marcovic and Colbert.
The fight and stunt action directed by Laurent Demianoff and Alain Figlarz serves adequate for webseries standards as each segment is an average of six minutes, give or take. Belle’s action performance is a proven feat to watch while, in the process of filming in the all-too familiar Bourne style with shaky cam and frenetic editing at times, otherwise hampers overall watchability, leaving some parts more pleasant than others; One sequence involving a fighter taking a flying knee to the face from another fighter apparently required about four or five cuts even at high-speed lensing. The fights take place in a single constrained space leaving limited possibilities for camerawork to have an impression. Belle’s only parkour scene with Perrière feels a little less congested and offers something worthwhile to the traceur crowd.
As stated earlier, most of Belle’s portrayal of Chen is comprised of physical invocation and training montages. Fortunately he knows how to translate certain nuanced emotions and feelings and when to observe select moments of intensity, thriving on the remainder of the cast. A feasible love story arises between Chen and Lamai in one of the more heartfelt subplots as the stakes are raised nearing the third act.
Perhaps the one underlying thing worth mentioning here is the albeit experimental nature of Brutal: A Taste Of Violence. For the few scenes in which Belle’s character speaks, his voice is dubbed. It’s the third time I myself have witnessed this in watching Belle on screen which leads me to wonder if directors take issue with the way he sounds when he speaks English. I’ve only ever heard his actual voice once to that affect in an undubbed version of his line in Vin Diesel actioner, Babylon A.D.. I grant directors have their reasons for making these choices, but I rather wish I heard Belle speak more. Perhaps he could emerge more to the fanbase and be less obscured.
Or, maybe I have it wrong and his role was intended to be silent anyway. After all, Belle did co-write the script. I’m not sure. Thus, it really is a matter of opinion to those watching Brutal: A Taste Of Violence, for its story and acting stand strong when they do, and not so much on the action, save for a few moments. Gibson is at his best as the villain, and Pansringarm and Bubear lend some poignancy and meaning to what would have otherwise been a shallow story with a hero whose only means of shining on screen is by fighting his way through questionable fight-filming practices, in which case, some parts work, and other parts simply don’t.
One other upside worth pointing out here is that Brutal: A Taste Of Violence does end on a cliffhanger. If there’s more to come for the story of Axel Chen than I hope we get to see a more commanding presence of Belle by then, among other things.
Actor, stuntman and parkour extraordinare David Belle has been an outstanding talent for many years now since breaking out with a lead role next to French action talent Cyril Raffaelli in Pierre Morel’s 2004 hit, Banlieue 13 and its Ultimatum sequel. He’s also popped up in a few titles thereafter with credits on both sides of the camera in Babylon A.D. and coordinating stunts in Oliver Megaton’s assassin thriller, Colombiana which is currently up for a sequel (he’s also been my personal pick for a hopeful spot as the lead for Fox’s Gambit movie – though I’ve learned to accept its current star if the film happens at all).
So, with a resumé that’s nothing short of ripe and impressive, Belle has also been rare to hear from and only now are we starting to finally see his name make the rounds once more with projects that have been brewing for the past few years with his involvement. For this, we turn to Studio + where filmmaker Julien Colonna is paving the way for a terrific-looking ten-part series now in the form of Brutal: A Taste Of Violence with Belle leading. Scribes Christophe Tomas and Jean-Charles Felli are producing the show which follows Belle as Alex Chen, a former soldier-turned-nightclub bouncer in Thailand who is forced to fight for his survival in an underground arena after being framed for murder and turning fugitive.
Actress Pim Bubear from The Man With The Iron Fists 2 and Only God Forgives co-stars Byron Gibson and Vithaya Pansringarm join in along with Ron Smoorenburg and Damian Mavis, and features action sequences designed by Laurent Demianoff (Lucy, The Transporter Refueled). A premiere date and platform are yet to be announced but the news isn’t far too off following the most recent trailer which you can now take a look at below.
Hollywood Streams: BTS Of Brick Mansions:
Moviegoers are just a few weeks away from the release of Camille Delamarre‘s directorial debut, Brick Mansions, a redux of the 2005 French original, Banlieue 13. And this week, we are offered just a little more insight into the production with a brand new six-minute B-roll featurette and a brand new clip to get a whiff of the action that will hit the big screens in North America on April 25.
For some, the footage may be a bittersweet offering after the death of actor and philanthropist, Paul Walker, who stars opposite David Belle reprising his role from the initial film. As it stands, the film was meant to mark a new movement for the actor as a bonafide cinematic action hero following the spectacular success of Universal’s hit franchise, The Fast And The Furious. By some notable accounts, that very commitement to the job and the willingness to meet the physical demands represented more than just a great day at the office.
“The set was like a playground for Paul,” Belle says in a recent statement quoted at USA Today. “Sometimes, he would make me laugh just before a take when I was all serious and focused. I would have to get my wits together. There was always joy and fun with him.”
The director also stated his own observations of the late actor, who completely finished all post-production work on the film just days before he died. “It was a big triumph for Paul — he had never done a movie like this,” says Delamarre of Walker and Belle. “He pushed himself so hard here, and the results are better than we could have ever hoped for. They are incredible.”.
Catch Brick Mansions in theaters on April 25, 2014.
Opinions may still be up in the air on just how well Camille Delamarre‘s forthcoming directorial debut will fare in the latest remake to hit the big screen, Brick Mansions. One thing is certain, however, is that there will be plenty of freerunning action from the cast, including lead actor and premier Parkour originator, David Belle who you can now check out in a brand new clip for the film below.
The clip teases the opening spectacular sequence as Belle reprises his role as Lino (a new iteration of the former name, Leito) from the first film in 2005, Pierre Morrel’s Banlieue 13. Joining in the action is late actor Paul Walker taking the reigns as the undercover cop, Damien (formerly played by Cyril Raffaelli) who forms his reluctant partnership with Belle‘s character to infiltrate Detroit’s most dangerous walled-in ghetto to stop a notorious crimeboss bent on unleashing hell on Earth in the form of a nuclear bomb.
Brick Mansions releases theatrically on April 25!
H/T: Crave Online
Actor Paul Walker‘s tragic death has been a high point of focus for a few of the studios currently responsible for completing and promoting the late actor’s last two films, one of which include the upcoming Parkour action remake, Brick Mansions. Unlike the forthcoming release of Fast And Furious 7, Walker had already completed all of the post-production work he was needed for on Brick Mansions within days before the sudden car crash on November 30, 2013 that claimed his life and that of friend and businessman Roger Rodas. And in the months since, EuropaCorp and Relativity Media made it clear that they would revamp their promotional campaign before it began so that they could promote the film in a way that would honor the actor’s memory.
Take that in mind as we now look at the latest second trailer for the film, marking Luc Besson protegè Camille Delamarre‘s directorial debut. While much of the analysis among observers so far is that it basically resembles the original 2004 Pierre Morrel helmer almost beat for beat, today’s second trailer does carry a more definitive effect as we are offered small, split-second glimpses into the depth of Walker‘s character, Damien, and the rift between him and actor RZA‘s role as the villain, Tremaine. In my view, aside from the similarities drawn between both films, this particular promo does an exceptional job at putting Walker front and center with actor and parkour impressario David Belle as the driving force of the high-speed action both actors will endure. In my opinion, whether or not you approve remakes, I think Brick Mansions is going to deliver a fine spectacle with tons of action and a good story, with a largely exceptional cast headlined by one leading man in the middle of his finest hour in the world of cinema.
Brick Mansions opens April 25. Support this film. Don’t let it tank.
SYNOPSIS:
In a dystopian Detroit, abandoned brick mansions left from better times now house only the most dangerous criminals. Unable to control the crime, the police constructed a colossal containment wall around this area to protect the rest of the city. For undercover cop Damien Collier (Paul Walker) every day is a battle against corruption. For Lino (David Belle), every day is a fight to live an honest life. Their paths never should have crossed, but when drug kingpin, Tremaine (RZA) kidnaps Lino’s girlfriend, Damien reluctantly accepts the help of the fearless ex-convict, and together they must stop a sinister plot to devastate the entire city. With stylized action featuring thrilling Parkour stunts (David Belle is the co-founder of the physical training discipline), Brick Mansions puts an entertaining twist on the action genre.
UPDATE: You can now watch two trailers for the film, including an international version of the trailer at the very bottom.
The aftermath of late actor Paul Walker continues to draw a bittersweet level of anticipation fans still have a few films to look forward to, one of which includes director Camille Delamarre‘s upcoming action thriller, Brick Mansions, which is getting a theatrical release in Belgium and France on April 23, 2014. Deadline has reported the film’s newly announced North American release date set for April 25, 2014, with freerunning trendsetter and action hero David Belle and actor RZA co-starring.
The film is an English-language revival of Pierre Morrel’s 2004 French freerunning action thriller, Banlieue 13, written by Luc Besson and Bibi Naceri for an American audience, and sees Walker reliving one of two lead roles previous played by action star Cyril Raffaelli, as a cop who infiltrates a walled-in ghetto to put an end to a crimelord’s reign of terror with the help of a streetwise insider, played by Belle reprising his old character.
While the good news was that Walker had already finished post-production for his scenes three days before the tragic crash that killed him and friend Roger Rodas, Walker‘s death crippled any chances of the film’s screening and trailer release while the folks at Relativity regrouped to figure out just how to promote the film while honoring Walker’s memory. It appears that those efforts have brought the film one step closer as April draws near, so keep tuned in for more updates on Brick Mansions in the days and weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Walker is expected to make his final big screen appearance with the April 10, 2015 release of Fast And Furious 7 which is currently filming in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates under helmer James Wan for Universal Pictures.
On Thursday, Collider took to the web to share a new set of photos from upcoming releases and current productions, including one photo featured over at Indiewire, the first from the set of director Camille Delamare‘s American parkour action thriller remake, Brick Mansions, based on Pierre Morrel’s 2004 French-language hit, Banlieue B13, which starred Parkour trendsetter, actor David Belle and actor/fight choreographer Cyril Raffaelli. The photo features lead actor Paul Walker, inheriting Raffaelli’s previous role as a cop reluctantly partnered with a street smart freerunner to recover a weapon of mass destruction from a major drug pusher within the ghetto known as “Brick Mansions”.
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