the noble review

The Noble Review: THE BODYGUARD (2016)

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 […]

YEAR TWO: A Word From Yours Truly

Lee B. Golden III

Man, what a year! Hello all, Lee here! I just wanted to say how incredible and gnarly it is to have come as far as I have on this site what with all of you having either stuck around or just recently hopped aboard in the past two years and three months that Film Combat Syndicate has existed. I initially didn’t think I would build an audience this high but the virility has certainly been good and does manage to lift my spirits from time to time. I am thankful for each and every one of you who partake in, and maybe even enjoy what I scribble on about here on a regular basis. Other obligations do get in the way and sometimes I lag, but I always try to make up for it as I always do, by being as substantive and as original as possible while engaging in […]

The Noble Classics: VOL. 3

Lee B. Golden III

Actor, martial arts superstar and philanthropist Jet Li was an unfortunate no-show at Cannes last week where the cast rolled in on the Croisette on tanks to represent the upcoming PG-13 release of The Expendables 3. Nonetheless, despite continuing to deal with hyperthyroidism, the actor continues to do what he does best, and fans will soon find out more in director Wilson Yip’s new film, tentatively titled Fengshen Yanyi (The Investiture Of The Gods). In the meantime, our own Graeme Noble has a few picks in mind in case you’ve been longing for the golden days of Hong Kong action. And this is just a handful with more to come. Read on, and have a great weekend! Bodyguard From Beijing – 4/5, a very entertaining movie with some great acting and good dramatic scenes. This is a very good Hong Kong movie but there is a lack of action. The […]

The Noble Classics: VOL. 2

Lee B. Golden III

Rumors and blurbs of international action star and consummate filmmaker Jackie Chan‘s retirement have been nothing short of astonishing WTF moments in recent years, while it is true that past injuries and old age have rendered him unable to perform stunts with the same degree of great danger as he has done for well over four decades. However, as it stands, his consistently as a stunt man and leading action star, and the countless injuries Chan has suffered in the name of film and cinematic martial arts action, are a significant handful of reasons why he, and he alone has become one of the biggest success stories in action cinema history, if not the biggest. In this edition, we host resident contributor Graeme Noble’s weekend pics reflecting on just a mere portion of Chan’s ever-growing legacy as one that inspires millions around the world. And we do this by way […]

The Noble Classics: VOL 1

Lee B. Golden III

Beginning today, Film Combat Syndicate contributor Graeme Noble will be host to wide array of short reviews for beloved old school Hong Kong kung fu and comedy films. Films will be listed in random groups of five depending on titles, actors and franchise, etc. Most of these titles you might be fortunate to find on DVD or Blu-Ray, including today’s list, the Sam Hui/Karl Maka five-film pair and subsequent part six outlining the Aces Go Places film series. Take a look! Aces Go Places – 4/5, a great entertaining and funny movie. Chemistry between Karl Maka and Sam Hui is fantastic and some of the fun action scenes are great. The movie drags in places and it’s old fashioned but it’s a good example of quality Hong Kong cinema! Style: Comedy, 80’s kickboxing The famous thief, King Kong, has stolen a bag of diamonds from a group of gangsters, and […]

The Noble Review: ICEMAN 3D (2014)

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: In the Ming Dynasty, there lives four orphans, Ying (Donnie Yen), Sao (Wang Baoqiang), Yuanlong (Simon Yam) and Niehu (Yu Kang). Raised in Taoyuan Village, the four are as closed as brothers. Their exceptional martial arts skills allows them to reach the highest rank within the imperial guards. After the four successfully killed the Japanese troop leader, the Emperor orders Ying to escort the Golden Wheel of Time from Sindu (now India) back to the capital, which is said to have the power of time travel and foresee into the future. From the correspondence between the Japanese and Ming officials seized from the mission, Mr. Tu, the Chief of National Defence, reveals that he can identify the traitor by the handwritings. On the way of escorting the Golden Wheel of Time in the snow, Ying is surprised to meet Sao, Yuanlong and Niehu. They inform Ying the news of […]

The Noble Review: SPECIAL ID

Lee B. Golden III

SYNOPSIS: Yen takes on the role of Zilong Chen, an undercover police officer deep within the ranks of one of China’s most ruthless underworld gangs. The leader of the gang, Xiong (Collin Chou – JET LI’S FEARLESS, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, THE MATRIX RELOADED), has made it his priority to weed out the government infiltrators in his midst. Struggling to keep his family together and his identity concealed, Chen is torn between two worlds. Upping the stakes, as Chen’s undercover comrades are being dealt with, one by one, Chen fears his days are numbered. Now, he must risk everything to take down the organization and reclaim the life he lost when he took on this perilous assignment. As the action mounts, Chen must do everything he can to protect the SPECIAL IDENTITY he wishes he never had before it’s too late. REVIEW: Special ID is one of the […]