sammo hung

RISE OF THE LEGEND Comes Home On U.S. DVD And Blu-Ray On May 24

Expect some more coverage on director Roy Chow’s 2014 treatment, Rise Of The Legend. For this, Well Go USA is proudly releasing the film to home platforms on May 24 with a five-part behind-the-scenes featurette and more as per their newest announcent. The film truly is epic and I still carry high hopes that this will get a follow-up. It’s hugely deserved. My review is over HERE, but stay tuned for more updates and opinion. View post on imgur.com PLANO, TEXAS. (April 12, 2016) – Martial Arts legend Sammo Hung (Ip Man 2) takes on Eddie Peng (Unbeatable), pegged by The Hollywood Reporter as “a serious contender for Next Great Martial Arts Star,” in Director Chow Hin Yeung’s epic action drama RISE OF THE LEGEND, debuting on Blu-ray™ and DVD May 24 from Well Go USA Entertainment. The story follows a powerful martial arts master (Peng) returning to the town […]

The Noble Review: THE BODYGUARD (2016)

Lee B. Golden III

Sammo Hung plays Ding, a retired Beijing bodyguard, who is now living in a small town situated in the northeast of China on the border of Russia and North Korea. His character suffers from dementia and is plagued with guilt from a past experience. In this story, he befriends a young girl, Jacqueline Chen – the daughter of troubled Andy Lau. Thus, as Andy Lau gets in trouble with a lethal gang, Sammo has deep involvement through his special relationship with the young girl. Overall, The Bodyguard is a solid dramatic action film. It is the first time Sammo has directed a film for about twenty years, so it’s been a while coming. It is heavier on the drama than the action but for this film, this is a good film. The first hour of the film has very little in terms of fight sequences. This didn’t bother me. I […]

Sammo Hung And Andy Lau Lay Tracks In Two Music Videos For MY BELOVED BODYGUARD

Lee B. Golden III

Depending on what songs you listen to, action legend Sammo Hung’s new movie, My Beloved Bodyguard (a.k.a. The Bodyguard) can bode either as a fun and family-friendly flick or a poignant and brutal action thriller. On its face, however, is the insistence of both given the trailers we’ve seen and so there’s no doubt that the film will be a see-saw of emotion throughout, and that also comes in the wake of two music videos circulating online ahead of the film’s release Co-star, actor and singing sensation Andy Lau performs the first song titled “Forgive Me”, with second titled “Grandfather’s Love Letter”, as performed by Hung and young talent, Jessica Liu. My Beloved Bodyguard opens next week throughout Asia. (Hat tip to Said Chaou for contributing to this article)

Well Go USA Nabs Benny Chan's CALL OF HEROES

Lee B. Golden III

Louis Koo in “Call Of Heroes” Like clockwork and in a move that only makes sense to martial arts genre fans in the U.S. alike, word from Variety states that Well Go USA has snagged the rights to director Benny Chan’s Call Of Heroes which opens in China later this year. The film looks certainly worth celebrating as well with a cast headlined by Louis Koo who stars as the ultimate villain, specifically as the prisoner of a village now targeted by his warlord father. You can sample a little of this right now in the most recent trailer which glimmers with stunning period action and spectacle with fight choreography by none other than Sammo Hung. Joining Koo are Sean Lau, Eddie Peng, Sammy Hung, Wu Jing, actress Yuan Quan and actor Liu Kai-Chi. Nine other territories have also acquired the film, including Germany, Benelux, the U.K., Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, […]

Sammo Hung's MY BELOVED BODYGUARD Gets A Thrilling New Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

Film multi-hyphenate Sammo Hung will be nobody’s fool on April 1 when it comes to laying a pure smackdown, as we’ve clearly seen him do in footage for the upcoming action thriller, My Beloved Bodyguard. Henceforth, China will have its chance to catch the film on April 1 with further releases pending in Hong Kong and Singapore, the U.S. and so on, and we now have a second trailer that delves further into the intensity of the story and fisticuffs that ensue. Not selling itself short on starpower though, you get Hung joined by a cast that includes Andy Lau, Hu Jun and Feng Jia-Yi, and a line-up of famous faces that include Yuen Wah, Yuen Biao, Dean Shek, Karl Maka and Tsui Hark to name a few. Of course, in dealing in all the action is Hung who stars as a retired soldier waining from age and dementia as […]

Sammo Hung's BODYGUARD Movie Gets A New Trailer And Poster

Lee B. Golden III

Oddly enough, action film legend Sammo Hung’s latest is undergoing a small identity crisis through its titling. Initially it was The Bodyguard and as of late, it was retitled My Beloved Bodyguard through some of the latest stills that have been pouring out in the past week or so, although hopefully this won’t at all affect the rollout on April 1 when it opens as either title from Edko Films, Ltd. At any rate, Hung is guarding something! Here he plays a retired old soldier living on the Russia-China border who befriends a young girl and ultimately sets out to rescue her when her father gets mixed up with the wrong people. Andy Lau stars along with Zhu Yuchen, Li Qinqin, Eddie Peng and Feng Jia-Yi, and a number of seasoned thesps from classic Hong Kong cinema, including Yuen Wah, Yuen Biao, Tsui Hark, Karl Maka and many more. As […]

Sammo Hung's Re-Titled MY BELOVED BODYGUARD Has New Artwork!

Lee B. Golden III

Director and action legend Sammo Hung aims to make fools of no one on April 1. His newest film has since changed only in-name in recent weeks to My Beloved Bodyguard and still boasts a worthwhile package to feed hungry fans of martial arts with Hung front and center. SYNOPSIS: My Beloved Bodyguard follows a retired bodyguard (Hung) who has settled in the dark and unknown corner of the world where China, Russia and North Korea meet. Suffering from the beginnings of dementia, the bodyguard is befriended by a young girl whose life is threatened when her father (Lau) falls in with the local crime world. When the girl and her father disappear, the bodyguard must call upon his long forgotten skills to save the life of his young friend. A new slate of character posters have now gone viral a la Chinese media and you can view the current […]

Screener Review: RISE OF THE LEGEND (2016)

Lee B. Golden III

I’m pretty new to Eddie Peng, having only seen him in Stephen Fung’s Tai Chi Zero and Tai Chi Hero at the time of the release. However, in the few years since then, he’s appeared to be just the kind versatile actor a director looks for, and maybe even one bold enough to take the lead in the revival of a classic martial arts film mainstay. Leave that effort to director Roy Chow Hin-Yeung whose career compass following Murderer (2009) and Nightfall (2012) now bring him to the forefront of his latest 2014 kung fu epic, Rise Of The Legend, reviving the folklore of martial arts hero Wong Fei Hung with an origin tale that does the work that none of its previous films did, lending plenty of opportunity for something truly fresh to bloom. The film opens with Peng front and center in a big-scale alleyway fight sequence, a […]

Watch The First Trailer For Well Go USA's Release Of RISE OF THE LEGEND

Lee B. Golden III

It’s taken two years to make happen but Universal Pictures International’s global acquisition of helmer Roy Chow’s Rise Of The Legend finally led to a platform over at Well Go USA. Thus, updating from its previous March 8 stamp, the company has officially announced a March 11 theatrical and VOD date, otherwise guaranteeing the big screen experience a fabled once-living martial arts hero commands. SYNOPSIS: A martial artist with extraordinary power (Eddie Peng) returns to the town where his father was murdered to face off against a ruthless crime boss (Sammo Hung) and bring justice back to the people. The official trailer has finally arrived and in proper, smashing fashion. Check it out below!

tmp_rise-of-the-legend__140612095943600303917

Well Go USA Picks Up RISE OF THE LEGEND With A March Release

Lee B. Golden III

Director Roy Chow’s 2014 Once Upon A Time In China reboot, Rise Of The Legend, was warmly received by a number of viewers upon its local release at the time. Personally, it is also one that has fascinated me since Universal Pictures International acquired the rights to the film nearly a year-and-a-half ago, so I’ve been curious about it not having seen it myself apart from a number of others who may have already imported their own DVD copies from overseas. Thankfully, the powers that be have kept their word and the film is finally set to release on March 8 on DVD, Blu-Ray, VoD and Digital HD. Unbeatable co-star Eddie Peng leads in the role of the folkloric martial artist and evident healer, Wong Fei-Hung, in an origin story that ultimately pits our hero against co-star and action legend Sammo Hung (star and director of upcoming action thriller, The […]

THE BODYGUARD Enlists Legendary New Character Posters

Lee B. Golden III

The latest teaser for action legend Sammo Hung’s new movie, The Bodyguard, released on his birthday last week, and it was one of the best things to ever tilt this side of internet kung fu fandom. Hung is back with a roster of stellar cast members this time encompassing the story of a retired guard battling old age and dementia while forced to deal with seedy underworld henchmen operating on the Russia/China border to rescue a young girl. Of course this means getting to watch Hung in his element once more, and so he goes with the film’s planned April 1 release while we now have a new crop of character posters featuring our top-notch cast, with Hung and actor Eddie Peng, as well as Lau and young actress Chen Pei-Yan as the respective father and girl…and seasoned film thesps Yuen Biao, Hu Jun, William Feng and a one-sheet trifecta […]

Sammo Hung Suits Up In The First Trailer For THE BODYGUARD!

Lee B. Golden III

Today is the day of all days if you’ve been waiting for action legend Sammo Hung to finally deliver some footage for his latest offering, The Bodyguard. Some speculations were circulating around a possible delay in the film’s release but a date has been officially stamped for April 1, 2016, and much to our delight, it’s also Hung’s birthday, pretty much making this a treat for anyone and everyone who loves some Sammo-action any day. SYNOPSIS: A retired bodyguard (Sammo Hung) settles down in a small town on the Russia-China border. He befriends a young girl whose life is threatened when her father (Andy Lau) falls in with the local crime world. When the girl and her father disappear, the bodyguard sets out on a ruthless trail to take down the mob and rescue the girl. Indeed, you can count on Hung delivering the goods here with a splash of […]

Happy Belated Birthday To GOD OF WAR Co-Star Jiang Luxia!

Lee B. Golden III

I spent my Christmas weekend catching up on quite a few titles, including Hung Yan Yan’s 2008 directorial effort, Coweb (unfortunately granted the U.S. title of Ninja Masters by Lionsgate). The film wasn’t exactly the best I’ve seen save for some of the amazing action sequences, but it’s certainly a milestone for actress Jiang Luxia who has continued starring in a fair share of actioners in one role another. Needless to say, it’s quite rewarding that we’ll be seeing more of her in 2016, particularly returning among the likes of action director and co-star Sammo Hung for Gordon Chan’s The God Of War. Filming is still underway with action star Vincent Zhao joining her fellow Once Upon A Time In Shanghai co-star Hung and fellow action star Kurata Yasuaki with a period story that sees a Ming general and a Shaolin master train an army to fight Japanese pirates on […]

Santa Sammo Celebrates Christmas With Two New Posters For THE BODYGUARD

Lee B. Golden III

Sadly we’re still left in the dark regarding action star Sammo Hung’s upcoming action adventure thriller, The Bodyguard. There’s still no release date or any other details about this film, while its also one title I’m specifically trying to keep an eye on for a 2016 release; I dread that this film ends up spilling into 2017 for some reason. Anyway, hopefully the wait won’t be long and maybe we’ll see some things happen by next Christmas. With that in mind, staying off radar hasn’t stopped Hung from getting in the Holiday spirit with at least two holiday posters in promotion of the new movie (hat tip to Asian Film Strike) in which he directs and stars. Hung plays a retired bodyguard living on the Russia/China border who ends up resorting back to using his particular set of skills to help an embattled father rescue his daughter from the clutches […]

Gordon Chan's Period Epic, GOD OF WAR Gets Cast And Plot Details

Lee B. Golden III

Courtesy of MTime We’re more than a month since director Gordon Chan began filming his newest, God Of War, with a report that gave us an early look at actor Vincent Zhao starring. Bona Film Group’s own Yu Dong is producing the film and slowly but surely, just a few more details are finally trickling with several more pictures highlighting cast and costumes. Sammo Hung, his son – actor Timmy Hung, and fellow action legend, Kurata Yasuaki, are joining the new period flick with a script co-written by Chan which forsees Zhao and Hung in the respective roles of Ming general Qi Jiguang and Shaolin Master/General Yu Dayou as they prepare an army to fight Japanese pirates on Eastern coast of China; That’s about as far as the plot goes at this point until further details are finally made clear, but whatever happens, Hung himself will be styling the action […]

THE HIT LIST – November 16, 2015

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been a rather sobering weekend for some around the globe. I’ve personally kept busy with a few things myself to keep my spirits up though, and that included putting this week’s Hit List together, chock-filled with exciting, wacky and dazzling imagery to share, and I sincerely hope this week’s entries do something for you. So, as always to start with the first of the Hit List presents a slew of spectacular stunt reels, but I’m starting this bad boy off in the only way I could this week, and that comes from Hong Kong Cinema superfan Tony Coates with an extensive and well knit montage of career highlights centered on action legend Sammo Hung Kam-Bo. He’s called Big Brother for a reason and you need only look at his work of over fifty-four years and still counting to see why with more from him in store, including choreography on […]

THE MONKEY KING 2 Unveils Its Heroes And Villain In New Character Posters

Lee B. Golden III

With director Soi Cheang‘s 2014 fantasy flick, The Monkey King, grossing well over $180 million globally last year and drawing huge franchise potential, clearly the way was paved for a sequel. Thus, with actor Donnie Yen branching out, the mantle is now left to action choreographer Sammo Hung and actor and singer Aaron Kwok, no stranger to action films and certainly no less familiar to the mythology the new film continues, having previously portrayed the Bull Demon King in last year’s film opposite Yen. As such, we now have a full glimpse of Kwok in full garb for The Monkey King 2 ahead of its 3D release on Feburary 8 in time for the Chinese New Year. Accordingly, the new character poster slate also features Feng Shaofeng as the Buddhist monk, Xuanzang, comedian Xiao Shenyang in the role of humanoid pig Zhu Bajie, Law Chung-him in the role of water […]

THE DEADLY RECLAIM Sports A BTS Featurette With Benny Chan, Sammo Hung & Co.

Lee B. Golden III

Just off the heels of completing his latest role in The Bodyguard, yes, action legend and choreographer Sammo Hung is still making movies, and this time he’s with director Benny Chan for the current production of period war flick, The Deadly Reclaim. Chan reunites with quite a few of the cast from previous films, namely The White Storm lead actors Lau Ching-Wan and Louis Koo, as well as New Police Story co-stars Liu Kai-Chi and Sammy Hung, and Invisible Target antagonist, action star Wu Jing in his latest role since his last two films were so physically tolling they nearly put him out of commission. SYNOPSIS: The story is set in 1941, China was trodden by incessant civil wars then. The central government had lost its power while warlords claiming their territories. The law and order in Puchang, a remote village, were temporarily enforced by a civic police led by […]

What's With These Four Teaser Posters For THE MONKEY KING 2 3D

Lee B. Golden III

Imaginably, director Soi Cheang‘s most recent duties on next year’s 3D release of The Monkey King 2 have been anything but monotonous. It’s a task undoubtedly worth undertaking following thuurned to the set in late 2014 for the epic continuation of the mystical martial arts saga based on Wu Cheng’en’s epic novel, Journey To The West, which now sees actor Aaron Kwok switching gears from playing the villain in the first film to the title role in this second outing for its pending Chinese New Year kick-off on Feburary 8, 2016. Sammo Hung takes the helm for the action in this one with a cast headlined by Kwok in the company of Curse Of The Golden Flower star, actress Gong Li as The White Skeleton Demon with William Feng as the holy monk, Tang Sanzang, and his disciples, Xiao Shen Yang as the pig, Zhu Bajie, and actor Him Law […]

Johnnie To Headlines Alongside List Of Acclaimed Directors For An Eight-Part Hong Kong History Epic

Lee B. Golden III

It’s imaginable to be excited these days if you’re a fan of acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To. The Triangle and Blind Detective helmer is already the prime subject of a remake effort over at Sony for his 2009 crime pic, Vengeance these days, although if a wee bit of Hong Kong history and some martial arts are your preference these days, then you’re in luck. Word from Twitchfilm states that To will be heading an 8-part anthology ensemble project, focusing on Hong Kong’s history within the last seven decades, with each portion attributed to seven other legendary directors, namely reuniting with fellow Triangle co-helmers Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam, in addition to attaching Ann Hui, Patrick Tam, John Woo, Sammo Hung and Yuen Woo-Ping. The project is reportedly one of three newly announced titles in development under To‘s watch, including a new crime pic with Drug War star Louis […]