Martial Arts Movies

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Karate Girl (2011)

"Karate is for killing."



Not bad, but not great MA movie. The plot is your usual revenge-for-killing-my-master (who is also the father) stuff. Some of the fights with the masses of good guys or bad guys weren't so hot since it was obvious they failed to block or move when they could. But the principle cast (including the two girls) were pretty good.

[Darth_Primus Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Darth_Primus]

Jean-Claude Van Damme Returning To Kickboxer Franchise

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[Sylent_Asassin Black Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Sylent_Asassin]

I was just getting ready to dig this thread up.

Man of Tai Chi - This had a fairly decent (fight to save the temple) story and okay sparring sequences (with a bit of wire-fu mixed in that I didn't particularly care for), but the ending battle was terrible and unexplained, particularly the art of the invisible fireball or "Chi". Perhaps something was lost in translation with the English dubs and subs. At any rate, you could clearly tell that Reeves was slower and less skilled than Tiger Chen, but he was made to look dominant as a fighter. In addition, Keanu Reeves was wooden and uncharismatic; it was like he was playing a dark Neo character. Not sure if that was intentional or not. Either way, meh. There were too many inconsistencies that should have been fleshed out in this movie for my liking.

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

I saw that end fight on a copy somebody was showing here @work, noted *everything* that U've said about it AND KR's work in it, and decided right then I wouldnt waste my time w/that film......

and for Steve Aust..., uhmm, I mean Space Cop I would recommend the following film (if he hasnt seen it already):






Tazer

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Jean-Claude Van Damme Returning To Kickboxer Franchise

I'm up for a JCVD return and for a Kickboxer reboot, so double yeah.

The guy those movies are based on (Dennis Alexio) is apparently a controversial figure in the MA world. Some people dispute whether he really entered the contest.

Yo.



and for Steve Aust..., uhmm, I mean Space Cop I would recommend the following film (if he hasnt seen it already):

I haven't but I've heard of it and plan to see it.. I'm always slower to watch subbed movies because I can't watch them while I'm doing other stuff like English-language movies.

Steve Austen? Does this have something to do with me calling you on your funny talking?

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

and for Steve Aust..., uhmm, I mean Space Cop I would recommend the following film (if he hasnt seen it already):[Chocolate][/COLOR]

I haven't but I've heard of it and plan to see it.. I'm always slower to watch subbed movies because I can't watch them while I'm doing other stuff like English-language movies...

Actually, it turns out I had seen it. I just had forgotten the title. If it had been called "Savant Ninja Girl Defends Her Sick Mother from Gangsters" I would have remembered. But I supose my title would lack a certain je ne sais quoi.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

13 Assassins (2010)

"There's no samurai code or fair play in battle!"



Surprisingly, this samurai drama (which feels a bit like Kurosawa), was made by gore fiend Takashi Miike. There are one or two moments that are particularly graphic, but otherwise it was a straight up and pretty good samurais fight injustice flick.

[Tazer That Evil, Yellow Bastiche Find all posts View Profile Close Tazer]

Yo.

Steve Austen? Does this have something to do with me calling you on your funny talking?

nah, its cuz U have a red tracksuit & fight Bigfoot barehanded.....altho yur jump-speed is *incredibly* slower than the rest of humanity.

Actually, it turns out I had seen it. I just had forgotten the title. If it had been called "Savant Ninja Girl Defends Her Sick Mother from Gangsters" I would have remembered. But I supose my title would lack a certain je ne sais quoi.

LOL!!




Tazer

[Sylent_Asassin Black Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close Sylent_Asassin]

The Grandmaster - I was a bit disappointed in this as it was WAY heavy on the drama with a smidge of an underlying love story. The Martial Arts sparing was okay, but I didn't care for the wire-Fu aspects; nobody spins around like a whirling dervish when they get hit. Nobody!

The more they make these Ip Man movies, the worse they get. The first was outstanding, the second was okay, the third was meh and I really didn't care for this one.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

I was watching Enter the Dragon yet again and I was thinking when Bruce Lee squares off against Bob Wall that first punch is really fast. So, I watched it in slow-mo and even frame by frame Lee's fists were a blur. That is darn fast.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Blood and Bone (2009)

"I am the punishment of God. And if you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."



I don't know how I missed this movie for five year. It was awesome. Sure, it's predictable (an ex-con works his way up in the street fighting world to pay back a promise to a friend), but it was still really cool with great, brutal (though short) fights.

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Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

"You been watching too much Hong Kong Phooey."



This is one of those that I don't know how I missed it until now. Mind you this is an okay-but-not-great kung fu movie in and of itself, but it achieves legendary status for the mere fact of combining Jackie Chan and Jet Li (who both play two characters and are central to the story). The best part, by far, is where they first meet and fight, which is not only cool conceptually but because they both maintain their unique styles probably due to the choreography of the equally legendary Woo-ping Yuen.

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Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

"You been watching too much Hong Kong Phooey."

This is one of those that I don't know how I missed it until now. Mind you this is an okay-but-not-great kung fu movie in and of itself, but it achieves legendary status for the mere fact of combining Jackie Chan and Jet Li (who both play two characters and are central to the story). The best part, by far, is where they first meet and fight, which is not only cool conceptually but because they both maintain their unique styles probably due to the choreography of the equally legendary Woo-ping Yuen.

This movie has been intended as a sorts of homage to the great wuxia movies which was stressed very much by the writers and director and as that it's a great movie. I enjoy it very much for what it is.
If you're looking for another Fearless, Iron Monkey or A Touch of Zen then you're obviously wrong with this one

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

The Legend is Born-Ip Man (2010)


One of many movies about Bruce Lee's famous teacher; this one about his early years and conspiracy around the Wing Chun school he studies at. Not as good as Fist of Fury or Fists of Legend, but decent.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

...Man of Tai Chi - This had a fairly decent (fight to save the temple) story and okay sparring sequences (with a bit of wire-fu mixed in that I didn't particularly care for), but the ending battle was terrible and unexplained, particularly the art of the invisible fireball or "Chi". Perhaps something was lost in translation with the English dubs and subs. At any rate, you could clearly tell that Reeves was slower and less skilled than Tiger Chen, but he was made to look dominant as a fighter. In addition, Keanu Reeves was wooden and uncharismatic; it was like he was playing a dark Neo character. Not sure if that was intentional or not. Either way, meh. There were too many inconsistencies that should have been fleshed out in this movie for my liking...

Just got around to seeing this. I think I might have liked it more than you (most of the fights were pretty cool) but I see what you mean. The Chi attack or whatever it is could have been fine (although I think a more naturalistic approach would've fit with the tone of the other 98% of the movie) if they just could have elaborated on exactly what it was. The one cool thing about the last fight was seeing how much bigger Reeves was, which added to his imposing quality.


But yeah, it might've been a little easier to believe that he was difficult to beat if Tiger hadn't taken down that big Special Forces guy earlier in like two blows.




Actually, to me, the bigger weakness was in the basic premise--that the point is to make a peaceful and innocent man into a cold killer. That's a fine theme and a worthy threat, but the problem is that from the very first time we see Tiger practice we see that he has an aggressive streak. We don't really get the innocent and peaceful version of him that's supposed to be corrupted.



Anyway, overall, I think it's worth watching for MA fans, but I wouldn't suggest buying it unseen. One cool aspect is the angle of Tai Chi itself as a fight skill (which they make a big deal of).