Based on the true story of the Kekexili Mountain Patrol, a group of volunteers trying to stop poachers from killing off the Tibetan antelope and selling its treasured wool. Led by former military officer RiTai (Duo Bujie), they take with them a Beijing journalist (Zheng Lei) who has been sent to Kekexili (a region of China bordering on Tibet) to find out more about the murder of one of the men and about the patrol. Along the journey he discovers a different kind of battlefield, riddled with a different kind of humanity out to fight the greed...

Written and directed by Lu Chuan who follows up his frantic debut The Missing Gun in a completely different style and within its harsh shooting locale, Kekexili: Mountain Patrol is a grand, angry, disturbing yet calm experience. Showcasing one of many world problems now thankfully solved, it's still a harrowing portrait of emotionless greed and how the humane needs to fight the inhumane with questionable tools. Taking details from the actual article that arose great attention in China upon publishing in 1996, Lu Chuan is obviously preaching that there may very well have to exist hypocrisy in a good cause, as long as it's solved. With his incredibly immersing subtle outbursts, be it in violence or emotionally, it's a low-key, uplifting, dark piece that is easy to grasp, easy to sympathize with and easy to praise. Also a movie up for debate, Lu has not chosen a middle ground for his opinions, which could serve as a potential warning. Nonetheless, how ever much hardships the enemies in the film MAY have endured before going on a financially winning path, it still doesn't make the extermination of antelopes right. It seems to go far beyond a need and well into evil.

The unknown actors do a marvelous job commanding their particular part of the frame, especially Duo Bujie and the eerie old man played by Ma Zhanlin. A surprise winner at the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards (Mainland Chinese films rarely gets the top honors), the film was handed the Best Picture and Best Cinematography statuettes.

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HK Flix.com
Yesasia.com

IFD tries to prove that ninjas alone don't make or break their cut and splice fun. Kickboxer From Hell definitely makes sure it breaks mostly, but stripping apart and re-tooling the original Japanese (by the looks of it) horror flick sees a worthlessness transforming into cheap, camp worthlessness instead. Strangely enough, the original film still appear just as dull as it actually looks, with a dead spirit vengeance plot lingering over it and IFD's nuns going undercover to stop Satan-injected storyline doesn't exactly interact smoothly. You do wonder if IFD were somewhat geniuses though, looking at the newly shot footage with Mark Houghton, because this is simply beyond bad, ranging from directing to performing (the profanity bombs fly, in the most ill-performed way). It's also the sole nonsense Kickboxer From Hell can offer up and in reality isn't far off the mark IFD usually hit, with or without ninjas.

TROY'S REVIEW: Well first off, may I bestow kudos upon the scriptwriter for this um... amazing flick. Truly, whoever is responsible has the art of evoking screen tension even better than the likes of the late Alfred Hitchcock! Having said this, I do have a curious proclivity to fabricate matters somewhat... Yes, in actual truth, it is entirely obvious that for whoever wrote the script for this flick, the sole method of creating dramatic tension in proceedings is to have the protagonists utter as many profanities as is humanly possible in each and every sentence. Indeed, if one were to base a drinking game for every time a character fires off an 'F' bomb, you'll probably pass out long before even the midway mark. But enough of the waffle; What is the film actually about you might ask? Um... well as briefly as possible; Harry works for crime boss and kickboxing champion on the side, Rough Tati (a fantastic name). However, with his conscience constantly nagging him, Harry decides to quit. A bad decision as it turns out for Rough doesn't like deserters. Consequently when Harry ends up in jail, Rough decides to have him bumped off within the prison confines. An attempt which goes miserably wrong and consequently sees Harry and a group of other characters (from another Filipino film no less!) escaping. Needless to say, Harry is now hell bent on revenge and in a predictable climax, challenges Rough in the ring in a somewhat boring fight to the finish. As with most of IFD's output, there's plenty to giggle about in this entry, not least of all the previously mentioned dialogue issue. However the film does sadly outstay its welcome slightly with the final half hour or so of its running time being a bit of a chore to sit through. Oh well... I must make mention of the best scene of all which occurs quite early on; Watch in amazement as Harry takes a close up whack around the head with a shovel (in glorious slow motion!) and seemingly unhurt, carries on fighting! What a man! Also known as American Kickboxer King.

TROY'S REVIEW: Is it just me or is there something drastically amiss in regards to the historical accuracy in this flick? Well, with IFD releasing this you can bet your arse that historical accuracy is of course immediately thrown right out of the bloody window! You see, despite the fact that this is ostensibly set between the first and second world war, the newly edited in footage proudly portrays the protagonists milling around in modern day attire and jewellery and speaking (not to mention swearing to excess) in very up to date lingo! Yes, what we have here is a typically inept and entirely careless IFD production but unforgivably, a particularly tedious one in this case also to put it mildly.

TROY'S REVIEW: First things first: You should immediately and entirely disregard the front cover of the Eden Entertainment release of this as being in any way, shape or form, representative of the actual content of the film! Whilst the chap on the cover does indeed appear in this flick, he is most certainly not the main character. In fact, it's actually kind of hard to pinpoint any main protagonist in this typical Godfrey Ho atrocity!
Let me try to explain what I actually managed to glean here; In one story (an old Filipino flick) we have a fairly depressing tale of two rival gangs and their ever escalating feud. Sounds simple enough? It is thankfully! Hallelujah! However edited into this, we have the thoroughly disjointed story of an illegal kickboxing circuit plus a shady manager who is orchestrating a spot of match rigging on the side. As it transpires, when the unscrupulous manager's top fighter decides to quit, he subsequently attempts to coerce and manipulate a new (and decidedly odd looking!) fighter called Buster into throwing a fight. Bad move as Buster turns out to be an honourable little chap and point blankly refuses. Somewhat irked by this lack of cooperation and in order to apply a bit of an added incentive, the boss takes the liberty of having his brother kidnapped. Didn't that plot contrivance also feature in a VERY similarly titled flick starring Jean Claude Van Damme? Typically inept effort from the Ho'ster featuring the usual quota of ridiculous scenes, hilarious dialogue and illogical plot tangents which are sure to leave you smiling throughout... providing of course that you are seasoned to VERY bad movies that is! Also known as The Fighter The Winner.

Based on the same true life kidnapping case that Crime Story portrayed, this Wong Jing scripted production appeared in theatres merely a month after, and starred Kent Cheng once more in a variation of his nominated role in the mentioned Kirk Wong film. This time the filmmakers sets up the kidnap victim Wong Chak Fei (Paul Chun) as a much more sinister man who drives cop Ching (Cheng) to the edge of crime. The film might've served as an interesting comparison piece and social commentary, especially since the final events seem to correspond slightly more to the sad outcome of the real crime (unless the Chinese only text coda says something different) but director Ko Sin Ming can't do anything but to put the audience to sleep. When the only memorable moments are Wong Jing's sophomoric humour sections (the scenes that surely elevated the rating to a Cat III), any movie should feel doomed. A solid cast, that also includes Francis Ng and Cheng Pei Pei, also can't put forth anything but throwaway acting.

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Yesasia.com

For half of its duration, this Taiwanese kidnapping drama is awfully talky and mundane, only to better itself in the second half as the questions of mending rips in relationships in the face of tragedy inevitably enters. The best strengths shown by director Ke Yi Zheng is in the portrayal of the kidnapped kids and how they maintain and heightens their united power against opposing forces, leading to fair tension but also a sweet and telling ending for a movie that takes quite a while to warm up. Sylvia Chang and Eddie Chan stars.

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HK Flix.com

After the success and effect of The Shaolin Temple, cast and crew reunited for Kids From Shaolin. Also known as Shaolin Temple 2, this is unrelated stuff that echoes the Wu Shu-spectacle of the first film but adds in "comedy" in between. Almost fully unbearable as it displays the acrobatic skills of its kid performers but also the full on annoyance of them performing in various lighthearted skits along the way, Jet Li in the midst of this doesn't elevate matters either. Basically a battle of Shaolin vs. Wudong, families live on opposite sides of the river and are in need of completing elements of their respective families if you will. Lighthearted rivalry, singing, misunderstandings, Jet Li in drag, glorious Mainland Chinese landscapes and an excruciating 100 minute running time, there's no strength that can outweigh this full on misfire (although it did do good business). There is a group of villains literally waiting to go into action and while the extensive end battle does contains some wonderful staff work from Jet Li and gore, to wait for that is one painful trek. I suggest not.

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Yesasia.com