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TWILIGHT OF THE WARRIORS: WALLED-IN: Trailers Go Live For The New Soi Cheang Actioner Opening In May!

One of the more explosive developments stemming from the 28th edition of FilMart in Hong Kong was the aspirational buzz surrounding Soi Cheang’s latest return to blistering action, Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled-In. Teaser footage for the new action flick went viral in mid-March long after hitting the market floor in the last few years and managing to land itself distribution in multiple territories including North America. Nowadays the inaugural teaser can be found online via Media Asia with plans to roll out in Hong Kong from May 1. Based on the cult 2010 manhua by Andy Seto and “Yuyi,” Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled-In is set in the eighties inside the dangerous and enigmatic Kowloon Walled City, which was a de jure Chinese enclave within British colonial Hong Kong. The film follows troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun as he accidentally enters the Walled City, discovering the order amidst its chaos, […]

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THE JET: New Martial Arts Champ Doc Now Underway, Keanu Reeves And Highly Flammable Shepherding For 2025 Release

Lee B. Golden III

There have been a few updates over the last several years about documentaries and biopics regarding certain martial arts laureates that I’m still curious to see come to fruition if those are still in the works. As of Thursday in a Deadline exclusive, we can now add the name of kickboxing legend Benny “The Jet” Urquidez to the calendar as new documentary, The Jet, is now in production, with Keanu Reeves and Fisher Stevens co-producing. Slated for a 2025 release per Matt Grobar’s report, Jennifer Tiexiera (Emmy-nominated Unveiled: Surviving La Luz del Mundo) is directing the documentary which will chronicle Urquidez’s life in the world of martial arts from childhood. As many fans sports and film fans are aware of, the craft ultimately earned successes for the champion in the ring as well as on celluloid as actor and fight coordinator, with select credits including Hong Kong actioners Wheels On Meals […]

THE WIDE WEST: ‘John Wick 4’ Co-Star And Sumo Champion Joins Alexander Nevsky For New Western From ‘Rio Bravo’ Team

Lee B. Golden III

Casting is reportedly underway in Los Angeles and Tokyo for The Wide West, a new Western starring Alexander Nevsky along with Hiroki Sumi (Netflix series “Sanctuary,” Lionsgate’s John Wick: Chapter 4). The Wide West reunites Nevsky with the creative team behind Western indie actioners Gunfight At Rio Bravo and its sequel of late, Taken From Rio Bravo. Nevsky is producing under his Hollywood storm banner, rejoining Joe Cornet who will direct from Craig Hamann’s screenplay. In addition to Nevsky and Sumi, Cornet will also co-star along with Tatiana Neva (Taken from Rio Bravo), Nick Baillie (Malicious) and Kerry Goodwin (Promise). Plot details are underwraps for the film while it is being billed as heavily inspired by Terence Young’s 1971 Charles Bronson and Toshiro Mifune starrer, Red Sun. The movie also marks a discernible pairing for Nevsky, a three-time Mr. Universe bodybuilding champion who clocks in at 270 lbs. The sizeable […]

Imprint Films Signals WANDERING EARTH II, HERO, ZU WARRIORS For Limited Edition Discs In June!

Lee B. Golden III

Imprint Films’ Imprint Asia has announced a trio of new titles, stocked in limited edition packages and loaded with special features. The titles include Frant Gwo’s sprawling interstellar sci-fi follow-up, The Wandering Earth II, along with Zhang Yimou’s epic martial arts tale, Hero, and Tsui Hark’s wuxia classic remake, Zu Warriors. All three titles are available for individual pre-orders ahead of their June 26 release date from Imprint Asia, as well as a hefty bundle pack you can purchase all in one fell swoop. The banner is Aussie-based so when you ponder opening your wallets, make note of the discs’ regional viability. Beyond that, enjoy the gallery below and sift through the descriptions of each or just visit the official website and have at it!

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PRIMITIVE WAR: Luke Sparke’s Sci-Fi Novel Adaptation Casts Up As Production Readies Gold Coast Shoot

Lee B. Golden III

It’s taken a few years to brew, but director Luke Sparke’s new sci-fi thriller Primitive War is finally moving forward. The adaptation of Ethan Pettus’s debut 2017 novel is set to commence principal photography on Australia’s Gold Coast, employing over 200 local crew members. Heading up the Queensland production are Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Jeremy Piven (Entourage, Old School), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica, Lucifer), and Nick Wechsler (The Boys, Revenge). Rounding out the cast are SAG Award Nominee Ryan Kwanten (True Blood, Glorious), and actors Anthony Ingruber (Age of Adaline, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Aaron Glenane (Interceptor, Danger Close), Carlos Sanson Jr (Bump, Legacies), Ana Thu Nguyen (upcoming Mortal Kombat 2), Adolphus Waylee (Nautilus), Richard Brancatisano (The Messenger, After the Verdict), Marcus Johnson (Talk to Me, Bring Him to Me) and Jake Ryan (Savage, Underbelly). Sparke will direct from his own script a story […]

The Bruce Is Loose! Severin Films Brings Their Bruceploitation Documentary, ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, To US Theaters

Shaun Williams

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this monumental day. Perhaps more than my Wedding Day. Severin Films have offically announced not only their 7-disc Bruceploitation box-set, THE GAME OF CLONES: BRUCEPLOITATION COLLECTION VOLUME 1, but that they’ll also be partnering with Alamo Drafthouse to being their much-raved-about documentary, ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, to US theaters. Some screenings will even have appearences from legendary Bruceploitation actor, Bruce Le. Bruceploitation is a hugely paopular sub genre of martial arts cinema so for fans to be getting such a healthy dose of “clone” action is both incredible and a little bit surreal. It’s a category of film that many thought wouldn’t stand the test of time but ended up being the very definition of “cult cinema.” You can find the list of upcoming screenigs below: *4/12 – 4/14 – Alamo Drafthouse DTLA (Los Angeles, CA) + ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH (4/12), THE CHALLENGE […]

CONTOUR: Eric Jacobus And Dennis Ruel Set April Launch With Live Q&A Via YouTube For Hit Indie Martial Arts Flick

Lee B. Golden III

As announced in January, actor, stuntman and filmmaker Eric Jacobus is readying to launch the free online release of his 2006 martial arts comedy classic, Contour, beginning next month. The movie will premiere exclusively on Jacobus’s YouTube channel on April 19 at 7:00pm pacific standard time, with Jacobus joined by co-star Dennis Ruel in a live Q&A to celebrate the film’s twentieth anniversary since its 2004 production. Contour follows the small-time criminal Lawrence (Law) Young, who moonlights as a crotchety San Francisco tour guide. Among Law’s latest guests is Alfonso de la Rosario, the prince of the obscure island nation of Uruvia, who informs Law of a hefty reward awaiting whomever recovers a missing (and very embarrassing) “private video” that belongs to his parents, the king and queen of Uruvia. Law sets out to recover the tape with the help of his criminal contacts, throwing Law and his tourists head […]

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TACFEST 2024 Review: RUNNER: Honoring John McClane

Mike Garcia

This modest italian production does not hide its intention of being a rip-off of 1988 action classic “Die Hard”, in fact, in the final credits there´s a mention honoring John McClane. Nonetheless, this intended homage directed by Nicola Barnaba, tries to bring some of its own personality, adding to the formula a metacinema plot that is key to the story. The plot takes place in a hotel, where a girl is trapped while she runs away from the man who just murdered her lover, while at the same time, she tries to clean her name after being blamed by the murder. As a tribute to such a legendary film as “Die Hard”, “Runner” fails on delivering an action-packed product that could become kind of memorable, coming short in the development of a good bunch of charismatic characters that could hook the viewer deeply into the story. At the end, everything […]

CHINATOWN COWBOY: Help Deliver Jaafar Alnabi’s New Big Apple-Set Neo-Noir Western Short To Justice!

Lee B. Golden III

Aspiring director Jaafar Alnabi wants to make a neo-noir Western set in the heart of New York City’s Chinatown. The project in question? Chinatown Cowboy, which is currently at the halfway point of its Seed & Spark campaign with few weeks left! The Cowboy gets a call for an open bounty for Ming, who has stolen from a hot head criminal Wolf. The Cowboy wanders the streets of Chinatown looking for Ming, talking to the locals, to deliver Ming to Wolf, and reveal a deeper and darker history of the Cowboy, and his relationship with the Wolf. The Seed & Spark page has all the details you need to know about the project, including some cool visual references and aesthetics to note. As Alnabi notes below, in part: “I love seeing stories break the mold of their genres. I love westerns, and I love movies from Hong Kong, so I […]

BABY ASSASSINS 2: Win A Blu-Ray Copy Of The Hit Action Comedy Sequel Releasing April 2 From Well Go USA!

Lee B. Golden III

It took scrolling to a random tweet in the past week or so to inform me that a third installment of the hit lo-fi hit Baby Assassins franchise is well on the way for later this year. So, I guess we can add this on our 2024 calendars going forward. In the meantime, the second and latest release from Well Go USA with Baby Assassins 2 is coming next week to Digital and Blu-Ray, and we’ve got two Blu-Rays to give out to the masses. All you need to do is share with us your favorite action scene from any of the works of the film’s action director, Kensuke Sonomura, and write your answers to filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com. This contest expires after 11:59pm EST on April 1, and is available only to residents in the United States. Good luck, and be on the lookout for the film’s Hi-YAH! streaming launch on July […]

Eureka Entertainment Line Up Sonny Chiba’s BEAST FIGHTER Films for A June Release

Shaun Williams

Eureka Entertainment continue their long line of stellar Blu Ray releases with the upcoung double-pack of Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bearfighter. Both films star the iconic Japanese badass, Sonny Chiba (The Street Fighter), and are based on the Manga, Karate Baka Ichidai, which ran 1971 to 1977 (and was later adapted into an anime series). Directed by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, director of the fan favorite, Sister Street Fighter, the films focus on Masutatsu “Mas” Ōyama, the world reknowned karate master and Sonny Chiba’s real-life teacher: In Karate Bullfighter (or Champion of Death), a karate tournament is crashed by an enigmatic martial artist calling himself Ōyama (Chiba), who arrives in tattered rags and beats all who dare challenge him. But Ōyama’s entrance into the world of karate has unforeseen consequences, and soon he is fighting for far more than sporting victory. Then, in Karate Bearfighter, Ōyama is expelled from the karate community for refusing to pull his punches. With nowhere […]

BADE MIYAN CHOTE MIYAN Pits Heroic Muscle Mavericks Against A Villainous Psycho And His Army In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Just when you think Bollywood cinema can’t grow bigger, bolder and more bodacious, the official trailer for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan arrives to shut that conversation down, forthwith. Ali Abbas Zafar is at the helm for the two-hander led by Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. With their contrasting personalities and maverick methods, Bade Miyan and Chote Miyan need to overcome their differences and labor together to transport the offenders to impartiality and preserve the day. The offenders in question would be the army led by the masked madman who apparently wants to destroy India. Alas, what better way to meet such a thriller head on than to call the Kumar/Shroff calvary? How it all pans out is a mystery though as the trailer below sees the two characters duke it out, providing plenty of intrigue to measure against the beefcake bravado and blockbuster ambitions here. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan arrives […]

Eureka Entertainment To Release Yuen Woo-Ping’s Madcap Classic, THE MIRACLE FIGHTERS, This June!

Shaun Williams

It’s a good time to be a Hong Kong cinema fan! Eureka Entertainment recently announced they will be releasing a Blu Ray of Yuen Woo-ping’s masterclass in madness, The Miracle Fighters, in the UK and the US on June 25th. Many people know Woo-ping as being the man responsible for the action in films like The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Kill Bill but in the early 80’s he, with help from his brothers (aka The Yuen Clan), created some of the most innovative and inventive productions to come out of Hong Kong (including Donnie Yen’s first film, Drunken Tai Chi). To say that The Miracle Fighters has to be seen to be believed is an understatement. It’s off the wall in all the right ways During the Quing dynasty, marriage between Manchu and Han people is outlawed. When it is discovered that high-ranking official Kao Hsiung (Eddy Ko) has taken a Han wife, the Emperor […]

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Boston Underground 2024 Review: In FEMME, Lessons In Pain And Purgation

Lee B. Golden III

“…By putting a queer protagonist at the heart of our revenge story, we aimed to put our own stamp on a genre that we love but from which we have often felt excluded.” Per the partial directors’ statement, Sam Freeman and Ng Choon-Ping have a point. Queer protagonists are a rarity when it comes to certain genres, particularly regarding the kinds of films that sites like mine usually cover. I’ve even had conversations with mutuals about films like these over the years and some ideas they’ve had which sort of just sat on the shelf and were never fully realized. With circumstances like these, a film like Femme feels like a breath of fresh air. I was keen to start this review by exclaiming how on the edge of my seat I was for the better half of this movie. It’s a very different kind of film that tackles the […]

BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE Trailer Sees Will Smith And Martin Lawrence On The Run!

Lee B. Golden III

The Adil & Bilal era of “Bayhem” action cinema is certainly living up to the task in the years since Will Smith and Martin Lawrence made the Bad Boys franchise a household name with its first two installments. Sony’s Bad Boys For Life proved ample in its revival under the stewardship of the creative duo behind Black (2015) and Gangsta (2018), in addition to the casting of Expend4bles co-star Jacob Scipio in a key role that ultimately paved the way for the events laid out in the 2020 threequel. The same can be said for actor Dennis Greene in the role of son-in-law Reggie, and while we’re at it, we can also extend this to actor Joe Pantoliano in his franchise reprisal. I won’t go into the ins and outs of it in my article if you haven’t seen Bad Boys For Life yet. The good news is that official trailer […]

TACFEST 2024 Review: WHITE DRAGON (Dragón Blanco) Short film: Hooking trip to a violent underworld

Mike Garcia

White Dragon presents a tale of misfits making their way through a hostile underworld, using as unique toool for survival their immoral way of living, the plot revolves around Salvador, a real estate speculator and low-level drug dealer, leads a group of gangsters using a Chinese restaurant as a cover. The truculent past of one of the members of this small-time gang will endanger his business and their own lives. Rodrigo E. Marini Valsechi and David Santamaría González teamed up on the director´s chair to grip the spectator into a sordid universe frequented by characters of the worst kind, where treachery and a past that could never be left behind could become the easiest road to meet their maker. The short film is virtous on hooking the audience into the story, shocking them with its grity and raw representation of violence, disposing some well elaborated action sequences on the screen […]

THE POWER OF POSITIVE MURDER! Signals Troma’s Latest Production, Lloyd Kaufman Directing

Lee B. Golden III

Monday was the official alert for Troma Entertainment Inc.’s latest production, The Power of Positive Murder!. Founding Troma exec and in-house creative Lloyd Kaufman is back in the director’s chair for the flick inspired by Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”. Troma Entertainment Inc. executive VP and co-founder Michael Herz announced the project rejoining Kaufman with Tromeo & Juliet, Terror Firmer and #ShakespearesShitstorm actress Debbie Rochon. The news marks a rollback after it was expected that #ShakespearesShitstorm would be his curtain call. “I lied about #Shakespeare’sShitstorm being my last film as director,” says Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Entertainment. “Now, The Power of Positive Murder! will definitely be my “last hurrah” if I live through it. I’ve always loved the novel Crime and Punishment, especially with all the slapstick and ribald hilarity. Therein, Martin Murray will soon join the pantheon of genius writers discovered by Troma, like James Gunn, Trey Parker […]

Boston Underground 2024 Review: FATAL TERMINATION, Andrew Kam’s Formulaic Crime Flick Underscores The Bygone Perils Of Hong Kong Action

Lee B. Golden III

The heydays of Hong Kong cinema are no more. Instead, it is through physical media and receptive film festivals that the renowned genre will stand the test of time, recounting the surmounting efforts of directors capturing the industry’s envelope-pushing style of action and stunts, oftentimes to degrees that would never be accepted today. 1990 action thriller Fatal Termination is no exception, marking director Andrew Kam’s solo directorial outing after sharing the helm twice prior with The Enigmatic Case, and 1988’s The Big Heat. Kam directs from a script by Jimmy Pang, with a relatively simple story that pales about halfway. Simon Yam plays Jimmy, an inspector tasked with looking into a what he suspects is a potential haul of weapons and ammunition heading to the Middle East via Hong Kong. Front and center is co-star Robin Shou in the role of Wai, the corrupt head of customs sought by elusive […]

KINGDOM: RETURN OF THE GREAT GENERAL Sets The Stage For Vengeance In New Promo Teaser!

Lee B. Golden III

Early Sunday Japan time, Toho released a stunning new pair of assets for Kingdom: Return Of The Great General. Shinsuke Sato directs the fourth installment based on Yasuhisa Hara’s hit manga with a screenplay by Tsutomu Kuroiwa. Enclosed below is a new teaser and visual featuring first look at actress Yuko Araki in the role of Kyo, one of the six great Generals of Qin. Her inclusion in this next installment marks just the latest in a major setup for a heated confrontation that finally sees legendary General Ouki return to the battlefield and face his ultimate rival, Houken. Those roles are respectively played by Takao Osawa and Koji Kikkawa, who join reprising leads Kento Yamazaki, Ryo Yoshizawa and Kanna Hashimoto. Shun Ogiri is also expected to make his return following his cameo in the role of Riboku in last summer’s hit threequel, Kingdom: Flame Of Destiny. Kingdom: Return Of […]

DARKNESS OF MAN Trailer unveils the return of Jean Claude Van Damme in the new dark action Thriller

Mike Garcia

Jean-Claude Van Damme is back to business to please his fans around the world on this upcoming dark action thriller, Darkness Of Man, in which he takes the role of Russell Hatch, an Interpol agent who becoms the protector of Jayden, the son of an informant killed in a routine raid gone wrong. Written and directed by James Cullen Bressack (Beyond The Law, Fortress) from an original story by Van Damme, this first trailer reveals a somewhat more careful work than previous works by its director, with a motivated Van Damme giving some good hints of action and probably exploring his dramatic skills, portraying a more suitable character to his age. On this new action vehicle, Van Damme will be supported by Kristana Loken (Terminator 3, Rise of the Machines, Mercenaries) Eric Roberts (Best Of The Best, Runaway Train) Shannen Doherty (Charmed, Mallrats) Spencer Breslin (The Cat in the Hat, […]