Big Bad III: Happy Anniversary, KILL ZONE 2!
Soi Cheang’s sequel to Wilson Yip’s 2005 Donnie Yen starrer celebrated its tenth birthday at the Big Bad Film Fest on Sunday evening.
wu jing
Streaming Sleepers: In Dennis Law’s FATAL CONTACT, Wu Jing Hits Hard, But Emotions Hit Harder
Hong Kong filmmaker and former Milkyway Image (Hong Kong) Ltd. cohort Dennis Law found himself on some pretty green pastures in the early 2000s upon the release of Wilson Yip’s blistering call-to-arms Donnie Yen starrer, S.P.L.. He would team up a few times over with that film’s co-star, Wu Jing, in the years that followed with the production of a few more action-geared titles on their bumper, the first of which would be Fatal Contact, Law’s second directorial gig after 2005’s The Unusual Youth. Law directs the film from his own script starring Wu as Kong, a national martial arts champion and struggling Chinese opera group performer who gets lured into the world of underground fighting. Joined by girlfriend Tin and a hustler named Captain as his fighting coach, making money is the name of the game as Kong finds himself wedged as a key asset between two rival bosses […]
THE WANDERING EARTH II: Trinity CineAsia Announces Blu-Ray, 4K Steelbook Treatment For Frant Gwo’s Hit Sequel
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Frant Gwo’s ambitious hit sci-fi The Wandering Earth or its hit follow-up The Wandering Earth II so I think a rewatch of either or one of those may be in order. The latter is certainly relevant as audiences keen on owning a copy on disc may now do so through Digital, DVD and Blu-Ray on October 30, followed by a Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Steelbook from Trinity CineAsia on December 11. Boasting incredible and epic visuals, this stunning interstellar blockbuster is a fresh prequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time, a $700m box office success, and Netflix global smash hit. Based on the popular novella by science fiction author Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth II is a true blockbuster, directed by Frant Gwo (The Sacrifice) and starring Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers, Infernal Affairs) and Wu Jing […]
THE MEG 2: THE TRENCH: The Apex Predator Is Back And More Terrible Than Ever!
The excitement of fans watching Jason Statham ideally chin-check a shark hasn’t waned since Jon Turteltaub 2018’s summer spectacle, The Meg. The sequel, directed by Ben Wheatley and nodding to Steve Alten’s 1999 novel, is now in toe and with an August 4 release from Warner Bros. Pictures announced following an electric day of social media hype, the official trailer has finally arrived for The Meg 2: The Trench, and it is out to show us its teeth! Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in […]
THE WANDERING EARTH 2 Review: Social Unrest, Grief And Reason For Hope In Frant Gwo’s Prequelized Sci-Fi Epic Revamp
The Wandering Earth 2 is now playing in U.S. theaters from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film will open in UK and Irish cinemas beginning January 27 from Trinity CineAsia. Director Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth, the inaugural adaptation of the titular hit novel upon which its brand new sequel out this Chinese New Year is based, ends in such a way that you probably didn’t think it would have a successor. I can’t say this would be the case for those who’ve read the original book, but Gwo gets all the kudos for not only diving deeper into the story this year but also expanding the narrative for everyone who’s been a fan of this screen property for the last four years. The return of actor Wu Jing into the frame makes this film another discernable entry for the actor who has been fleshing out more and more dramatic […]
THE WANDERING EARTH 2 U.S. Trailer Arrives For The Frant Gwo-Directed Space Epic!
Well Go USA is taking the reins this week with the first title on its 2023 roster, The Wandering Earth 2. The company announced its acquisition of the film a few days ago via Instagram with a teaser poster, launching a brand new campaign that now has its first official trailer dating its January 22 release which which you can view below, just beneath the company’s description. The much-anticipated prequel to 2019 sci-fi blockbuster THE WANDERING EARTH—the #5 highest-grossing non-English film of all-time—lands in North American theaters just in time for Chinese New Year. In the near future, after learning that the sun is rapidly burning out and will obliterate Earth in the process, humans build enormous engines to propel the planet to a new solar system, far out of reach of the sun’s fiery flares. However, the journey out into the universe is perilous, and humankind’s last shot at […]
THE WANDERING EARTH 2 Challenges Mankind To Go Beyond In The Latest Teaser Trailer For Frant Gwo’s Epic Sci-Fi Sequel
The compelling story that inspired director Frant Gwo’s hit sci-fi adventure adaptation is back in the spotlight, with a sequel coming this year with The Wandering Earth 2. Wu Jing, who headlined the inaugural hit movie, which became one of history’s biggest all-time box office grossers, is back for the film with lead actors Andy Lau and Zhang Fengyi. Humans built huge engines on the surface of the earth to find a new home. But the road to the universe is perilous. In order to save earth, young people once again have to step forward to start a race against time for life and death. That’s right, after the perilous task of moving the Earth, humans have to do it all again, because space sucks! I mean it’s nice and all but the circumstances… golly! The Wandering Earth 2 sets adrift into theaters January 22, 2023.
THE BATTLE AT LAKE CHANGJIN Review: An Immersive Patriotic Wartime Epic
The concept of watching three hour movies is nothing new. All the same however, neither is the shared sentiment of arduously watching a movie with such an extenuating runtime, although whatever the case may be, a film like The Battle At Lake Changjin is just the kind of film you would expect to see have three major directors on board. The Chen Kaige/Tsui Hark/Dante Lam-helmed Korean War period epic immerses moviegoers into this latest chapter from world history, one that’s become a major global box office hit as the most expensive mainland-produced Chinese film. Its ceremony hasn’t been without its share of disaccord, however, in the wake of dissenting opinions and criticism regarding historical accuracies and brouhaha over its inherently propagandistic overtones and nature. Do with those aspects what you will, regardless of your culture or creed. The Battle Of Lake Changjin certainly lends quite the bang for the box […]
INVISIBLE TARGET : Benny Chan’s Cops & Robbers Martial Arts Action Epic
With Raging Fire currently tearing up theatrical screens and digital/VOD releases, not to mention receiving well-earned rave reviews, let’s take a look back at Benny Chan’s very similar action thriller from Universe Entertainment Ltd. back in 2007, Invisible Target. (The following review will be as light on spoilers as possible). A dark, morally-questioning revenge driven tale centered around insane stunts, brutal fight scenes, solid performances and some genuine plot twists elevate what could’ve been standard HK action cinema fare. Benny expertly weaves all these elements together, keeping the film moving at a brisk, fast pace without ever dropping into exposition-heavy scenes which could slowed or padded the run time. The cops, led by Nicholas Tse’s Detective Chan, squares off against the criminals led by Wu Jing’s Tien Sent. Fists, kicks, bullets and angry stares ensue. But when you go into a Benny Chan film you expect action, and boy does […]
THE WANDERING EARTH Sequel Sets CNY 2023 Release Date, Hints At Wu Jing’s Return
It’s been close to a year since director Frant Gwo signaled a sequel to his 2019 blockbuster hit, The Wandering Earth, based on a classic sci-fi novella by Liu Cixin about the global coalition to engineer Earth to travel to a new solar system away from the deteriorating sun. With prelim teaser art already making the rounds, reports are now confirming with an official release date stamped for Chinese New Years Day on Sunday, January 22, 2023, and with statementsfrom Gwo himself, and producer Gong Ge’er, who are both returning in the same capacity. “After two years of pre-production and thinking about the script, we’ve decided to initiate our shooting plan for ‘The Wandering Earth 2,’ and at the same time have set our release date for New Year’s Day 2023,” said Gwo at this year’s Golden Rooster Film Festival. “Next, we will try to begin new production processes, and […]
SAIGON BODYGUARDS Is Getting A Remake Starring Chris Pratt And Wu Jing For Universal Pictures
Chris Pratt (Guardians Of The Galaxy/MCU, upcoming The Tomorrow War) and Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior franchise) are teaming up to headline a reimagining of Ken Ochiai’s 2016 action comedy, Saigon Bodyguards, for Universal Pictures. Thai Hoa and Kim Ly starred in the original film which was produced by Rhomhus Media and CJ Entertainment, and focused on two pals – polar opposites working as professional bodyguards who are assigned to protect a rich brat, only for the job to go completely downhill. The new film will be in the hands of Universal Pictures with Pratt and Jing starring from a script by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck (What Men Want, HBO’s Veep). Pratt is producing through his Indivisible Productions banner, marking a reunion for both actors with powerhouse film duo Anthony and Joe Russo who had their hands on multiple titles within the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Pratt stars a […]
Wolf Warrior I & II REVIEW: Wu Jing fights for the motherland for the sake of entertainment
Back in the 80’s, this type of movies were made by Americans with Chuck Norris or Sylvester Stallone as action heroes, but now the world has changed and that kind of badass war action films, loaded with cheap cinematic patriotism to highlight all the virtues of the action hero are made in China. Some of them are even produced by the goverment with propaganda purposes. Some are big blockbusters as Wolf Warriors, but others are just low budget productios with zero interest that surfaces in the VOD niche. Wolf Warriors is a military action thriller directed by Wu Jing himself, in which he played a Chinese special force soldier that is confronted by a group of dangerous foreign mercenaries who are hired to assassinate him by a vicious drug lord. 90 fast paced minutes of action fest with Wu Jing as action hero, supported by Nan Yu (The Expendables 2) […]
THE CLIMBERS: Win A Copy Of Wu Jing’s New Survival Thriller
Well Go USA’s latest release, The Climbers, is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, and we’re giving away three physical copies of the film for you to enjoy. The film marks action star Wu Jing’s latest collaboration with director Daniel Lee, here for the cinematic retelling of the true story of a trio of trailblazing Chinese mountaineers who gather a team to climb Mount Everest to not only make history once again, but also to get it on record. To win a copy, e-mail us at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com and simply answer the following question (it’s a bit tricky and will take a little more than using Wikipedia): Using its idiomatic spelling, what is the Tibetan name of the mountain? The contest extends only to readers in North America and ends on March 7. Good luck!
Daniel Lee’s THE CLIMBERS Lands A February Blu-Ray/Digital Release From Well Go USA
Invariably one of the most fun screenings I had last year was director Daniel Lee’s The Climbers, a compelling and epic survival drama with Wu Jing and Zhang Ziyi. It’s a film that this website is especially proud to have reviewed with respect to now sharing the frontal artwork for its home release in a quote from our review in September. Here’s a longer excerpt from that piece: Lee’s take on the historic journey of The Climbers is beholden to the usual array of interpersonal relationships to cohese to drama and enhance the imminent danger our protagonists face. Wu’s Fang proves to be the most physically apt and capable through as he performs impressive feats of climbing, course running and stunts – from what would have been one of the most endearing on-screen marriage proposals, to pulling grand-scale feats of life-and-death manuevers akin to those seen in movies like Cliffhanger […]
THE CLIMBERS Review: A Wild And Wintery Survival Tale That Endures The Elements
You can’t deny that the last several years have been the most versatile for actor Wu Jing. Any expectations of him always being the pound-for-pound heavy-handed screenfighting contender for every scene he’s done continues their descent out of the proverbial window and down the canyons of the Himayalas where the celebrated cinematic action hero journeys next in Daniel Lee’s The Climbers. 1960 was the year that three surviving members of the Chinese Mountaineering Team summitted to the top of Mount Everest (“Qomolangma” in Tibetan). For laureates Fang Wuzhou (Wu Jing), Qu Songlin (Zhang Yi) and Lin Jie (Chen Long), their harrowing climb to the top was the greatest moment in history with a notable national heroism cosigned to their efforts in the years to come. It was also resigned to a short celebration in an unfortunate turn of events brought to light by questions surrounding a lack of photographic and […]
THE CLIMBERS Ascend To A U.S. Release In The Official Trailer
Not to many formalities here… Just a great, big, grand-scale and epic AF official trailer to share for the North American release of Daniel Lee’s new survivalist adventure opus, The Climbers. Fans can check out this release in IMAX in sync with its China roll out on September 30 before a wide theatrical release on October 4. Based on a true story from award winning director Daniel Lee (Three Kingdoms, 14 Blades), featuring China’s biggest stars Wu Jing (Wandering Earth, Wolf Warrior 2) and Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Grandmaster), and with a special guest appearance from superstar Jackie Chan. THE CLIMBERS is a cinematic retelling of the first Chinese climbers to summit Mount Everest – the first ever to do so from the North Ridge. Well-known as the most challenging side of the mountain, the perilous journey takes its toll on the mountaineers, […]
THE CLIMBERS: Wu Jing Takes The Leap In The Official Teaser
A festive mood in Shanghai encompassed a raft of reveals this weekend, including the first official teaser for The Climbers. Rejoining director Daniel Lee and producer Tsui Hark, the film is officially poised for a September 30 release. May 1960. Mount Everest, the second step under the cliff. The four members of the China Everest Climbing Commando are attacking the most difficult and most difficult “second step”. This is their fifth assault. The first four failures have cost them too much physical strength – …finally, the wind and snow stop the gap. Lee co-penned the script for a cast led by none other than actor Wu Jing whose box office returns have enjoined him with great favor in the industry with hits like Wolf Warrior 2 and The Wandering Earth. Zhang Ziyi also stars along with appearances by Jing Boran and Zhang Yi among others, including an expected appearance by […]
CLIMBERS: ‘Dragon Blade’ Star And Director Reteam For Wu Jing Mountain Climbing Epic
This news already dates back a few months when Twitter rumors began circulating over Jackie Chan’s involvement in a Wu Jing-led biopictoral climbing action epic. Alas, The Hollywood Reporter is now freshly confirming out of Hong Kong that Climbers is now underway, reteaming Chan with Jing eight years since co-starring in Andy Lau’s Benny Chan kung fu actioner, Shaolin. May 1960. Mount Everest, the second step under the cliff. The four members of the China Everest Climbing Commando are attacking the most difficult and most difficult “second step”. This is their fifth assault. The first four failures have cost them too much physical strength – …finally, the wind and snow stop the gap. Chan further reunites with Dragon Blade director Daniel Lee who directs from a script co-written with Ai Lai. Also starring are Monster Hunt star Jing Boran, The Grandmaster actress Zhang Ziyi and Chan’s 1911 co-star Hugh Hu […]
THE WANDERING EARTH: Wu Jing Goes Above And Beyond To Save Mankind In The Final Trailer
Actor Wu Jing conquered the world of action with the second installment of his Wolf Warrior franchise a few years ago and is now on par for the course in his latest big scale sci-fi efforts with writer/director Fan Gwo. Thus, the final trailer arrived this week for the Liu Cixin novel adaptation, The Wandering Earth, which sees a team of scientific experts implementing thousands of fusion-powered engines to transport planet Earth away from its collapsing solar system to an orbiting star 4.5 light years away to save mankind. Directed by Guo Fan, The Wandering Earth is an adaption of a book from a Hugo Award winner and the most iconic Chinese Sci-fi writer, Liu Cixin. It stars Wu Jing, Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie,Wu Mengda and Zhao Jinmai and tells the story of Earth in peril. With the imminent destruction of the sun and their solar system doomed, a group […]
THE WANDERING EARTH: Mankind Tries To Move A Planet In The Official Trailer
Aiming for bigger and better is still the pattern for China these days and director Frant Gwo is making his case with an adaptation of Hugo Award-winning author Liu Cixin’s short story, The Wandering Earth. A new teaser trailer is online delving aplenty into the post-apocalyptic veneer of Gwo’s sci-fi foray that also saw Weta Digital lending morsels of its own muscle to aid its production. Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior 1 & 2), Li Guangjie (Drug War) and Qu Jingjing (Birth Of The Dragon) stakes their claim in the cast with the heavy-handed sci-fi underway as a bold new program is implemented to find a new solar system for Earth after succumbing to deadly climate change, forcing mankind underground. An official release date hasn’t been set yet, though it’s safe to say this one probably won’t see the light of day until 2019, so sit tight and keep warm until […]
You must be logged in to post a comment.