Warchild : Genre : M

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Unearthed

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 83

Summary: Based on the original manga, 1-ICHI is a prequel to Takashi Miike's ICHI THE KILLER and a film on its own. Nao Omori reprise the role of Ichi, who we follow during his high school years. Mr. Dai (played by TEACH... best known as Mario from CITY OF LOST SOULS) is the best fighter in school... whenever he fights Ichi is there and has a huge smile on his face. Mr. Dai thinks that Ichi is laughing at him but in fact he enjoys watching the violence that goes through the fights. Everyone is bullying, taunting and making fun of Ichi... even little kids from his karate class. Yet Ichi refuses to let go of his anger and fight others. Just when Mr. Dai is about to get Ichi, a new transfer student (Kôji Chihara) starts to make his own laws... by beating up everyone and breaking their bones! In a fight with the new student, Mr. Dai ends up on the ground, beaten and broked up from almost everywhere. It seems like this new guy wants to fight Ichi because supposedly he is the only one that could give him some challenge (remiscent of Kakihara from ICHI THE KILLER).

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Tokyo Shock

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 80

Summary: Fleeing from enemies, two wounded samurai arrive at a mysterious old temple in a remote location in the mountains. Unable to walk any further, they collapse from exhaustion. One awakens to find himself miraculously healed. His mysterious host tells him the legend of a Japanese goblin that is said to reside in the mountains dining on the flesh of men. He goes on to reveal himself as the demon "Aragami." And Challenges the Samurai to a duel. Wishing to end his own seemingly invincible existence, an existence without sleep or dreams, with a battle against a worthy opponent. The only way for the Samurai to leave the temple is to destroy Aragami.

Theatrical: 1993

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: After years of failure, Zenigata has announce to Lupin that the ICPO has permanently pulled off him off of the Lupin case. His new orders are to take down an international organization called Shot Shell which smuggles weapons and war vehicles. Lupin decides to help Zenigata out on his new case. But Interpol hired an ex-mercenary named Keith Hayden to rub out Lupin and his comrades. From Russia to Hawaii, expect yourself to see a level up on the Lupin TV movies.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Urban Vision

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 128

Summary: The U.S. release of Azumi is almost an exact duplicate(including special features) of the Korean and Thai theatrical release(minus DTS audio). It runs for 128 minutes, I have both the Korean and the Japanese director's cut that runs for 143 minutes. Why? Because I love this film, both versions are worth owning. I will write the difference between the two after the brief description.

In 19th century war-torn feudal Japan, a master samurai takes on the task of raising ten orphans and training them to be assassins. Their ruthless purpose: to do the bloody work of the state by silencing rebellious warlords. After a decade of inconceivably harsh training and discipline, Azumi and her comrades are ordered to assassinate the powerful warlords Nagamasa Asano and Kiyomasa Kato. But burdened with a cruel assignment that means killing friends and enemies alike, Azumi begins to question herself, her master's--and her country's--objectives. Still, Azumi remains determined to see her mission through to the bloody end.

The print of the Japanese/Korean version is a bit superior to the U.S. release. The color palette leans towards earth colors. The missing scenes in the U.S. version are:

1) First encounter with Kanbei. The extended fight scene was cut down. It is missing the significant scene wherein Kanbei observes Azumi in action, he sees her superior skill in combat. Explains in a way how he became obsessed with Azumi.
2) Some scenes overlap to the next scene. Dialogue gets carried over to the next.
3)The scene(memory) with Nachi that sthrengthens her resolve to complete the mission.
4) The Japanese version is a bit bloodier than the U.S version.

This film is phenomenal, I don't care which version you get, you need to see this film if you enjoyed ARAGAMI, VERSUS and Shinobi Heart under blade.
This film is a ROCKIN' GREAT TIME!!

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 108

Summary:

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Magnolia

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 85

Summary: In the near future, the worst ghettos of Paris, France are literally walled off and among the worst is District B13. Controlled by the ruthless crime lord, Taha, a young righteous punk named Leïto is determined to bring him down. When the boss retaliates by kidnapping his sister, Lola, a rescue attempt by Leïto is destroyed by betrayal that gets him arrested and Lola kept in the clutches in Taha. Six months later, a crackerjack undercover cop named Damien is given a urgent mission: a neutron bomb has been stolen by Taha in District B13 which has an automatic timer function engaged and set to detonate in less than 24 hours. Now with time running out, Damien and Leïto must work together to find and stop the bomb, but there is far more to this crisis than any of the field players realize.

Theatrical: 1986

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 99

Summary: Once you settle into the realization that this 1986 John Carpenter ("Halloween") film is not going to be one of the director's more masterful works, "Big Trouble in Little China" just becomes a full-tilt comic blast. Kurt Russell is hilarious as a drawling, would-be John Wayne hero who steps into the middle of a supernatural war in the heart of Chinatown. While kung fu warriors and otherworldly spirits battle over the fate of two women (Kim Cattrall and Suzee Pai), Russell's swaggering idiot manages to knock himself out or underestimate the forces he's dealing with. The whole thing is dopey, but it's supposed to be dopey and Russell's game performance brings an ironic edge. Carpenter directs some nifty spook effects (the sudden arrival of three martial arts demigods from out of nowhere is worth applause), and he also wrote the music. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1971

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 114

Summary: Billy Jack is a half-Indian/half-white ex-Green Beret who is being drawn more and more toward his Indian side. He hates violence, but can't get away from it in the white man's world. Pitting the good guys, the students of the peace-loving free-arts school in the desert vs. the conservative bad guys in the near-by town, the movie plays definitive late-60s themes/messages: anti-establishment, make love not war, the senseless slaughter of God's creatures, the rape of society (figuratively and literally), two-sided justice, racial segregation and prejudices, and basic socialist ideals.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Cross Media

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 95

Summary:

Theatrical: 1976

Studio: Miracle Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 98

Summary: World Champion Martial Artist JIM KELLY is... Black Samurai. A millionaire's girlfriend is captured by a drug-dealing, voodoo-worshipping ring that sells women into slavery. He tries to get her back with heroic results. Martial Arts and "blaxploitation" at it's best.

Theatrical: 2002

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 87

Summary:

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Ikehoman Productions

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary:

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Weinstein Company

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 96

Summary: Daew is a cop who has nailed the evil gunrunner General Yang, but his partner is killed in the case and Daew becomes depressed. However, his sister asks him to join her and some of her athlete friends to a small village to give food and toys to the villagers. What starts out as a trip to help people turns into a nightmare when Yang's men arrive at the village and take over, demanding the release of Yang or a nuclear missile will hit Bangkok. When villagers are killed left and right, Daew and the athletes must start a revolution against the tyranny before it's too late.

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: MGM

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 104

Summary: For 60 years a mysterious monk with no name has zigzagged the globe to protect an ancient scroll - a scroll that holds the key to unlimited power. Now the Monk must look for a new scrollkeeper. Kar is an unlikely candidate, a streetwise young man whose only interest is himself. But when he inadvertently saves the Bulletproof Monk from capture, the two become partners in a scheme to save the world from the scroll's most avid pursuer. Packed with spectacular special effects and martial arts action, the Monk, Kar, and a sexy Russian mob princess called Bad Girl must struggle to find, face, and fight the ultimate enemy.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Baa-Ram-Ewe

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 110

Summary: Zen, a girl who is suffered from autistic syndrome, but a genius in fighting. Zen lives with her mother,
the only person that she truly loves. Zen's life turns difficult when her mother is sick from cancer,
so she needs to get the money from the people who owe her mother. But, those people have a connection
to a villain called No.8, and they're ready to kill Zen. Now, her mother's life is a high bet, Zen is
forced to fight for herself and her mother.

Theatrical: 1978

Studio: Sandy Howard/Richard St. Johns Productions

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 102

Summary: A young martial artist, Cord the Seeker, competes for and loses the right to go on a quest for the Book of All Knowlege held by a wizard named Zetan, but he goes along the path to seek Zetan anyway. Along the way, he meets strange tests and challenges by enemies and allies - often having difficulty determining which is which.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Cool Dimension Film Partners

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 75

Summary: Three beautiful female assassins under the control of a mysterious employer find that they're not the only ones after their latest target.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 87

Summary: Action anti-hero Jason Statham is competing with himself to make the most relentless, non-stop action flick imaginable. In "Crank", Statham stars as a hit man named Chev Chelios who's been poisoned by some Chinese toxin; the only way to stave it off is to keep his adrenalin flowing, which requires him to drive at top speeds through crowded traffic, start fights in bars, and run pell-mell down hospital corridors while wearing one of those humiliating smocks that tie in the back. In other words, "Crank" is high-end pop-trash, filled with many preposterous/ingenious stunts and over-the-top performances (Dwight Yoakam, "Sling Blade", is downright droll as a doctor offering Chev assistance), marred by an unpleasant attitude towards women (Amy Smart, "Outside Providence", will not look back on this as one of her signature roles). This is a movie for the audience who enjoyed "Transporter" and "Transporter 2" but wanted Statham's perpetual scowl to become a kind of theatrical mask, a perpetual signifier of intensity that begs--nay, demands--that everything around it rise to a mutual level of absurdity. Fans of Luc Besson ("Leon/The Professional", "District 13") will find "Crank" to be simpatico. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Adv Films

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 102

Summary: A lethal assassin for a secret Chinese organisation, who sheds tears of regret each time he kills, is seen swiftly and mercilessly executing three Yakuza gangsters by a beautiful artist. She is captivated by the grace of his kill and later falls in love with him. An intense power struggle for the leadership of the Yakuza Clans ensues as they seek vengeance for the death of their leader. They soon realise the fatal mistake of underestimating the deadly skills of the Crying Freeman.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 102

Summary: Luc Besson wrote and directed the stylish thrillers "La Femme Nikita" and "The Professional"; though he didn't direct "Unleashed", the script has his trademark fusion of outrageous sentimentality and over-the-top violence. Hong Kong action superstar Jet Li ("Romeo Must Die", "Hero") stars as Danny, a man raised to be a brutal attack dog by a nasty gangster named Bart (Bob Hoskins, "Mona Lisa")--when Bart removes Danny's collar, Danny pulverizes everyone in the room. But a chance encounter with a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby") reveals to Danny the possibility of a less brutal life, and when a retaliation attack gives him the chance to escape, he does--but Bart won't let him go that easily. The fighting in "Unleashed" is effectively jolting; Li and fight choreographer Yuen Wo Ping ("The Matrix") have purposefully stripped away the smoothness of most movie combat (especially with a genuine martial artist like Li) with raw, unnerving results, especially when juxtaposed with the sweet and earnest scenes of Li regaining his humanity with Freeman and his step-daughter (Kerry Condon). This freewheeling cocktail of bloody noses and ice-cream cones isn't for everyone, but fans of both Besson and Li will leave satisfied. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 1997

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 90

Summary: 5-Time World Kickboxing Champion Curtis Bush plays Alex Hunter, an up-and-coming kickboxer whose fiancé and father are brutally murdered by the city's cold-blooded and sadistic crime boss, and he himself tortured and left for dead. Discovered and nursed back to health by a wheelchair-bound Vietnam Vet who becomes his mentor, Alex is transformed into an avenging streetfighter - a one man vigilante and skull-cracking killing machine known as...The Dark Angel. Using controlled fury and a hunger for revenge to seek bloody retribution against low-life criminal scum, Alex's ultimate target is the untouchable crime boss. But a beautiful tabloid journalist who seeks to uncover the true identity of The Dark Angel is hot on the trail, yet that won't stop Alex from exacting his "eye for an eye". First, he must enter the Arena of Death and destroy one-by-one the most savage and deadly fighters imported from around the world by the crime boss. It WILL be the most thrilling, bone-cracking showdown ever!

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Kino Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 97

Summary: This movie, IMO, is the best in the Dead Or Alive series. When I saw this movie I was amazed. I was initially expecting a typical Yakuza shoot em up film, yet this movie delivers a poignant story about lost childhood innocence, friendship, and life and death. It goes beyond expectations.

The movie starts off with an assassination that is supposed to ignite a war between the triads. But, before we know it, this movie takes a 180 degree turn as the two main characters of the film (Sho Aikawa and Riki Takeuchi) return to their boyhood, island home in search of their lost innocence. They were both raised on an orphanage before they became professional killers, so the idea of returning to the island is a return to their childhood when they were innocent. Once they arrive on the island, they meet up with their other boyhood friend, Kohei, who has become a modest fisherman as opposed to a hit man. For a while, Sho and Riki return to their childhood. They play like children, act like children, and live under an illusion of innocence and well-being while all hell breaks lose back in Tokyo because of their prior actions. The best example of this is the juxtaposition of the children's play scene and the ultra violent Yakuza shoot out scene. During this nostalgic visit it is fully realized that these two characters were meant to meet up again, that it was fate for them to join forces and work together as a team. They join forces and return to Tokyo. Once they are there, they start killing off gang members and donating the money to charities for children in third world countries. Therefore, they become angels of life and death by dictating who lives and who dies. They are saving children, yet killing off people in order to do it.

This is basically what Dead Or Alive 2 is all about. Its storyline is not a continuation of Dead Or Alive 1 in the traditional sense, which in many ways makes this film an entity of its own. With this movie, Takashi Miik proves that he is more than a traditional film maker. He keeps things interesting by not outdoing himself, but rather by doing things different; looking at things from different angles and throwing characters into alternate situations. There is no good guy vs. bad guy showdown here, it's just a good-old fashioned nostalgic story of life and death.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Tokyo Shock

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 90

Summary: In an unknown place and unknown time, a lone Samurai known only as Grave (Tak Sakaguchi) thirsts for the ultimate battle. Grave has stolen a mysterious coffin from the holy Tougan Temple — a coffin said to contain a great power. Trapped inside the sealed coffin is the Goddess of Destruction, confined and held at bay from laying waste to this world. Grave fearlessly travels the land dragging the coffin behind him, aware that what lies within is what he seeks — if only he can open it. Unknown to Grave, a young temple monk has embarked on a quest to return this relic to its proper home before anyone can unleash an unstoppable cataclysm. So begins the race to claim the coffin...but who will get there first?

Theatrical: 1974

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 86

Summary: Deep in the mountains of feudal Japan, a group of children endure cruel and unorthodox training in order to become the Shogunate's most secret and deadly weapons - the Demon Spies! Their true identities are hidden - even from each other. Behind their demon masks, they are educated in the deadly arts of infiltration, espionage, assassination - and seduction! If they survive to become strong enough to kill their teachers, they will become - the Demon Spies! Sent on a suicide mission to uncover a deadly conspiracy, five inexperienced Demon Spies must infiltrate a powerful fief, discover the location of its secret arsenal, and destroy it. But Lord Shogen, the Demon Hunter, plans to brutally interrogate, ingeniously torture, and cruelly execute - the Demon Spies!

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Cinequest Films

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 94

Summary: "Diamond Dogs" is the story of a group of American fortune hunters, who come to China looking for a long-lost-treasure. During the Soviet crack-down on religion in the 1930's, a priceless Buddhist artifact, a Tangka was taken across the border to China and hidden in the mountains. The diamonds alone, decorating this huge gold-inlaid textile, are thought to be worth $50 million. The fortune hunters need a guide and protection on the trip, so they hire an American ex-pat, Ronson. He's ex-Army and living an existence in Inner-Mongolia of drinks, women and bare-knuckle fights. The group takes off into the Mongolian mountains on a trek that will change their lives forever. For not only is this Tangka wanted by ruthless Russian mercenaries, but it's also protected by something much more sinister. Something that even Ronson can't imagine...

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: GFT Action Films Inc.

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 97

Summary: No wonder with this bad film. One good cop goes against all his squad and testifies they are crooks, now they are trying to kill him.



Story flaws galore in this one. First of all, they try to convince you it is an American city, but make no attempts to hide the fact that it is shot in Toronto. All the close ups of the Ontario licence plates give it away.



The filming style is bizarre. All kinds of unneeded shots of the industrial area of the city when they are suppose to be in the city. There is one scene when they are going to an apartment building but end up in a junkyard in a shoot out.



Dolph Lungren is looking old and skinny in this one and his acting has not improved. He is still better than the girl playing his partner, I'm guessing she went back to her job as a waitress by now. There are a couple of unintentional laughs, like when the cops change cars the director decided to give their cars to the bad guys that are after them. Couldn't they rent a couple other cars to make it look a bit more realistic?



As far as the script, holes in this thing a mile wind. There are too many to mention, but it'll leave you scratching your head. I'd pass on this one unless your cable is out.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Weinstein Company

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 87

Summary: A number of fighters are invited to DOA, an invitational martial arts contest. They travel to the tournament island by plane, until they have to jump out mid-flight with parachutes, and then have until sundown to reach the main island to be entered into the tournament. Fighters are then pooled against one another in a knock-out style tournament, with the loser of a battle sent home, and the winner progressing to the subsequent round. The plot revolves around four female fighters who begin as rivals, but subsequently find themselves teaming up against another force.

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 109

Summary: Look ma, no script! As expected from a movie by Hong Kong action director Hark Tsui, there are many explosive, fast-paced sequences in this Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle. Some are thrilling, others inconsequential. There is also another mumbling, overdone performance by Mickey Rourke, who looks as if he performed his own plastic surgery. Except for an unintentionally humorous ending, the only surprise is Dennis Rodman as Van Damme's partner in exploitation. Rodman has plenty of charisma, but needs someone to weed out those inferior scripts. He plays an eccentric arms dealer coerced by an avenging Van Damme into tracking down the evil and sadistically weird character played by a well-muscled Rourke. It says little for the production that the best sequence of the movie occurs a quarter of the way into the action. It concerns an escape by Van Damme from an island think tank for forcibly retired covert agents. After that, everyone should have gone home. "--Rochelle O'Gorman"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Tai Seng

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 100

Summary:

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Enter One

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 111

Summary: Two Korean women fighting - Cat fight.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Magnolia

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 99

Summary: Dynamite Warrior... the title says it all. Well, obviously not really, but it comes pretty darn close. From director Chalerm Wongpim and the creators of The Protector, Born to Fight, and the popular Ong-Bak, comes a reinvention of the western, Thai style. Khon fai bin, or Dynamite Warrior on this side of the world is a surrealistic combination of old west cowboys and hardcore barefooted martial artistry set in the 1850s.

The plot is simple: Lord Wang is a corrupt harelipped businessman trying to sell the newfangled invention of the tractor to farmers and make the water buffalo obsolete. Jone Bang Fai is a masked warrior who employs a mixture of rockets and knee-kicks to steal water buffalo from wealthy cattle rustlers and gives them back to the poor farmers they were taken from, Robinhood-style. Thrown into the mix is a near-invincible rancher who has the ability to turn his bumbling sidekicks into superhero-worthy fighters, an evil dark wizard, a brawny but brainless ex-con, and a love story... okay, so maybe it's not that simple. But it sure is fun.

Dynamite Warrior is a nonstop action film in the truest sense of the phrase, with characters that are painted in such broad strokes they're almost caricatured, and fight scenes that go on for upwards of ten minutes at a time. Toss in the Black Wizard seeking revenge for a curse placed upon him and it's downright mythic. Although the plot itself might leave something to be desired, there's no question that this is a pulse-pounding martial arts movie. The fact that no writer is even listed on IMDB shows just how important the plot really is to the filmmakers. What matters here is the stupefying fight scenes and the incredible stuntwork. The cinematography is nothing to scoff at either. With breathtaking scenery and remarkable sets, Dynamite Warrior is easier on the eye than it is on the bad guys.

Dan Chupong, a stuntman on Ong-Bak, stars as Jone Bang Fai, and spends most of the movie flying through the air, though he does manage to make the time for the mandatory side love story with the Black Wizard's beautiful daughter. Every character reads as if from the pages of a comic book: the huge escaped convict who uses two gigantic chunks of wood as his weapons, the wretched Black Wizard with his boil-covered visage, and, of course, the masked hero with a mysterious past and a heart of gold.

Dynamite Warrior is the kind of action film that can only be made in the East. Every frame is seemingly filled with the desire to take stuntwork to the next level. Even the cattle ranchers who appear for a split-second on screen have the kind of skills Chuck Norris dreams about. Those looking for a good western or a good martial arts film can stop looking. Those looking for both combined into one film... well, they probably already own it.

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 101

Summary: A tough but burned-out New York City policeman assigned to a remote Long Island precinct uncovers corruption among his fellow officers there.

Theatrical: 1979

Studio: American Cinema Productions

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 90

Summary: A team of undercover narcotics agents is conducting an investigation when things mysteriously begin to go haywire. One by one, the squad is eliminated by an assassin. To help discover the identity of the karate killer, the police enlist the aid of karate champion Matt Logan.

Theatrical:

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: uring the Edo era, violent revenge was not only an acceptable practice, but an official one in which vendettas were authorized by the government. Freesia revives this concept of legal vendetta and brings it to a cold, contemporary Japan. Under the Vengeance Act, criminals receive official notice of their execution and face off in a designated area at a designated time with registered gun-wielding hitmen. Cool, silent, and impervious to pain, Kanou Hiroshi (Tamayama Tetsuji) just joined the Katsumi Vengeance Agency, and immediately establishes himself as an ace hitman with his sharp shooting and emotionless personality. Almost as cold is Higuchi (Tsugumi), who organizes the agency's paperwork. She has some personal vendettas of her own to settle, amongst them against Higuchi's acquaintance Toshio (Nishijima Hidetoshi). These three lonely people are haunted by a common memory, a military experiment years ago that forever changed their lives...

Based on the Matsumoto Jiro manga, Freesia is the latest film from director Kumakiri Kazuyoshi, who came to mainstream attention last year with Seishun Kinzoku Bat. Cool and riveting, the film represents a new stylistic venture for Kumakiri, who is known for his controversial topics and atypical stories. This beautifully shot film balances its sensational premise and slick visuals with calm direction and restrained acting, situating the gunplay and bloodshed against a compelling narrative. Leads Tamayama Tetsuji (Tegami, NANA), Nishijima Hidetoshi (Casshern, Sukida), and Tsugumi (Noriko no Shokutaku) bring inner life to their cold characters, letting unspoken wounds and repressed emotions linger hauntingly beneath the surface.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: Geisha Vs Ninja!

What more could you want?

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: MGM

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 90

Summary: Johnathan Cabot is a champion gymnast. In the tiny, yet savage, country of Parmistan, there is a perfect spot for a "star wars" site. For the US to get this site, they must compete in the brutal "Game". The government calls on Cabot, the son of a former operative, to win the game. Cabot must combine his gymnastics skills of the west with fighting secrets of the east and form GYMKATA!

Theatrical: 2006

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 127

Summary: In a poor district of Edo lives a young samurai named Soza. He has been sent by his clan to avenge the death of his father. He isn't an accomplished swordsman however, and he prefers sharing the life of the residents, teaching the kids how to write etc. When he finally finds the man he is looking for, he will have to decide whether he follows the way of the samurai or chooses peace and reconciliation.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 110

Summary: I really enjoyed Jean-Claude's earlier films. But, they keep seeming to get worse and worse. The dude kicked like 3 times in the film. The best part of Jean-Claude's films are the fight scenes and these sucked. You know you are getting cheese whenever you watch any of his movies but instead of cheedar this was some moldy government crap! I'm really hoping he'll get with Steven Segal talk about how much they both suck, watch their old movies and then go back to thier roots!

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 97

Summary: Jean-Claude Van Damme, "the Muscles from Brussels," has sought to revitalize his flagging career by working with the most adrenalized directors from Hong Kong action films. His first such effort was this, the umpteenth remake of "The Most Dangerous Game", which teamed him with Hong Kong's most fluid action poet, John Woo. Woo does what he can but, as much magic as he injects into the action, he can't turn Van Damme into an actor. Still, this is above-average fare for the wooden Belgian, in which he plays a guy trying to bust a ring of hunters who pay for the right to track and kill human quarry. And Woo has the ever-reliable Lance Henriksen as the chief bad guy, always a plus. "--Marshall Fine"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary:

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Tokyo Shock

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 129

Summary: Ok, I'd like to think that I've seen my share of crazy Japanese movies. This one took the cake. Maybe I didn't catch enough of the references, or maybe I wasn't strung out on heroin. Either way, this movie was hard to follow. When your movie's hero is crying AND reassuring a woman that things will be ok, because HE'LL rape her instead of someone else... Well, stretch that scene into an hour and a half and you've got this movie.

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 98

Summary: Inside the most corrupt prison in Europe's Eastern Block, the warden pits prisoners against each other in fights to the death for profit. The brutality transforms the inmates into dreaded monsters. The contender is Kyle LeBlanc (Jean-Claude Van Damme, "Derailed"), who is sentenced to life for killing his wife's murderer. Facing the brutality, Kyle starts to become one of the monsters he dispises, but his savage rage may be what saves his life.

Theatrical: 1999

Studio: New Concorde

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 90

Summary: Versatility, thy name is Van Damme! So Arnold cries in "End of Days"? Hah! In this relentless revenge actioner, Jean-Claude not only cries, but has a drunk scene, suffers suicidal despair, does a little slapstick, and still manages to flash his ubiquitous butt. Which, of course, is what his legion of fans want to see him kick plenty of (other people's butts, that is; not his own). Van Damme may no longer generate any box-office heat (like 1998's "Legionnaire", this bypassed theaters to go straight to video), but he at least gives his fans what they want. Originally titled "Coyote Moon", "Desert Heat" recalls that guilty pleasure "Road House", as Eddie Lomax (Van Damme) comes to the rescue of a gallery of colorful characters terrorized by slobbering, drug-dealing bikers and rednecks in a dilapidated desert town. And this time, it's personal. As one denizen ominously observes, "There's trouble on the hoof and it's coming this way" for the three ill-fated bullies who beat up and shot Eddie and left him for dead. Despite its desert setting, "Heat" is an oasis for great character actors who pick up Van Damme's considerable slack. They include Danny Trejo ("Con Air") as Eddie's Native American friend Johnny Sixtoes, Pat Morita ("The Karate Kid"), Larry Drake ("Darkman"), Vincent Schiavelli ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Ghost"), Bill Erwin ("Candy Stripe Nurses"), and luscious Jaime Preslly as Dottie the waitress. The director is credited as Danny Mulroon, a pseudonym for John Avildsen, the Academy Award-winning director of "Rocky". His career, too, seems to be on the ropes, but he keeps punching with some welcome eccentric touches. At one point Johnny gives the recuperating Eddie a foot massage (didn't he see "Pulp Fiction"?). And the script offers such goodies as a lovelorn bus driver (Tom's brother, Jim Hanks) inviting Dottie to see "Yojimbo", and one biker's plea for mercy from a local tough: "Jessie, we were in high school together. I signed your yearbook." "--Donald Liebenson"

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 97

Summary: When the governor of Tokyo is killed in his campaign for election, the former CIA agent Travis Hunter is assigned to find the responsible working together with the rookie FBI agent Sean. Travis was raised in Japan, has great connections with the underworld of the streets and is a master in sword and martial arts, trained by a former member of Yakuza. Travis discloses that there is a war between the old and traditional members of Yakuza and the new generation leaded by the deranged and sick Kuroda, who has associated to the Chinese Tong mobster Chen in a powerful drug dealing business. When his fiancée Nayako is brutally and cowardly murdered by one of Kuroda's men, the mission of Travis becomes a personal issue and he seeks revenge.

Theatrical:

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary:

Theatrical: 1995

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary:

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 104

Summary: Martial arts genius Jet Li explodes onto the screen with an intensity not seen since Bruce Lee. "Kiss of the Dragon" is not merely a thriller but a shocker. (San Francisco Chronicle) China's top secret agent visits Paris on a pleasure trip only to enc

Theatrical: 1998

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 91

Summary: Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in an explosive thriller set in Hong Kongs shady manufacturing scene during the 1997 handover to China!When a shipment of jeans to the U.S. proves counterfeit, Marcus Ray, the "King of The Knock-Offs" (Van Damme) finds himself

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 104

Summary: Michael Rogers, is an inspired American with a passion for the martial arts and a dream to fight in Kumite. His desires for a disciplined way of training take him to Japan. There he trains with Master Yoshima, an instructor for a group of international martial arts students. It's not long before Michael falls in love with a beautiful Japanese girl by the name of Sun Ying Mitusu, nicknamed Butterfly. However, Butterfly's brother, Kasu, disagrees with Michaels' intentions to court his sister, and as always tries to control Butterfly's life. Kasu, is not just Butterfly's brother, but the leading champion in Kumite with the record of 15 years. But nothing, even Kasu, could stop love from coming together. Michael and Butterfly married and Butterfly gives birth to a son named Ben. But Kasu's hatred headed only in one direction, and Butterfly's death through the hands of her possessive and angry brother was unfortunately Kasu' only way. Saddened and depressed by her death, her husband and son returned to the United States. Michael continued with his training, and started the Michael Rogers Karate School. Many years later, Michael received an invitation to enter the Kumite. His decision to participate included Ben's support that would certainly help him through the Kumite.

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Tommy Boy Films

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary:

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 109

Summary: A young man searches for the "master" to obtain the final level of martial arts mastery known as the glow. Along the way he must fight an evil martial arts expert and an rescue a beautiful singer from an obsessed music promoter.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 93

Summary: No emotion. No fear. No pain. They were the perfect soldiers to protect civilization-until the drone police became the perfect enemy. With little hope left for mankind, Tallis, an electronically enhanced soldier, rescues a rebel beauty from a failed resistance mission. A force to be reckoned with, she will learn to fight and think like a machine for the final battle to save the human race.

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: New Line

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 116

Summary: A Wuxia adventure out of South Korea, "The Legend of the Shadowless Sword" is a handsome martial arts epic by Kim Yung-jun ("Flying Warriors"). The film's simple story allows for exceptionally creative action sequences about every three to four minutes, while simultaneously building a noble tale full of faith, love, and sacrifice. A beautiful female warrior named Yeonsoha (Yoon So-yi) goes in search of the last, living prince of the Balhae dynasty and its kingdom, overrun years before by the Geordan empire. The prince, Jeong Hyeon (Seo Jin Lee), has been in hiding 14 years as a black market trader, concerned primarily for his own safety and deeply cynical about any thought of going back to retrieve his family's throne. Yeonsoha, however, proves persuasive, especially in light of the many attempts on Jeong's life by a gang of assassins. The shady killers are led by a vengeance-seeking Kun (Hyeong Jun-Shin) and his assistant, (Ki-Yong Lee), another sword-wielding babe who gets into plenty of wild skirmishes with Yeonsoha.
The story essentially follows Jeong and Yeonsoha's efforts to get back to a waiting army of Balhae exiles awaiting a king's leadership. As the hours and days pass, Jeong gets in touch with the man he once was, a fearless warrior whose exploits on the battlefield are well-known to Yeonsoha, whose connection to the prince seems mysteriously personal. The film's numerous fight scenes are never redundant, employing all manner of props and ideas for exciting fights. But it's the performances that really hold everything together, the deep if understated emotions and the excitement of watching two mismatched lead characters slowly realize how important they are to one another. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 121

Summary: Shinnojo, a low level samurai, lives with his pretty, dutiful and loyal wife Kayo. He has come to find his position in a castle as a food-taster for a feudal lord to be boring and pointless, and talks about opening a kendo school open to boys of all castes where he can teach the use of the sword. Before he can act on his dream he becomes ill with a fever after tasting some sashimi made from shell fish, but an investigation reveals that the poisoning was not due to a human conspiracy, but a poor choice of food out of season. After three days he awakes but finds that the toxin from the food has blinded him. Kayo is summoned by Shinnojo's family to explain how the couple will survive. His uncle laments that he no longer knows anybody with influence in the castle, and asks Kayo if she knows of anybody. She relates how Toya Shimada, the chief duty officer in the castle and a samurai of high rank, offered to help and they tell her to act upon his offer of assistance. A message from the castle brings the good news that Shinnojo's stipend of rice will remain the same, and for life but his aunt tells him that Kayo was seen with another man. He has Tohuhei, his faithful servant, follow her. Kayo notices that she is being followed, and although Tokuhei offers to cover for her, she reveals to Shinnojo that Shimada offered to help but with a price, shown when he forced himself upon her. He then solicited two additional trysts by threatening to tell Shinnojo about the first. An enraged Shinnojo divorces her and orders her out of his house. When it is revealed to him that Shimada had nothing to do with maintaining his stipend, but that it came out of gratitude from the lord of the clan himself, Shinnojo seeks to renew his skill with the sword as a blind man to avenge the dishonor of Kayo. Through Tokuhei he sends a message to Shimada to set up a duel, with the additional message to not underestimate him. The two samurai meet at the stables near the river to decide their destinies.

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Victor & Grais

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 94

Summary: Chicago DEA agent John Hatcher has just returned from Colombia, where his partner was killed in the line of duty by a drug dealer who has since been taken down. As a result of his partner's death, John has decided to retire, but his retirement may not be permanent. On the next day, after reuniting with his sister Melissa and Melissa's daughter Tracy, John gets into a shootout against a Jamaican drug kingpin known as Screwface, taking down some of Screwface's men. John brings himself out of retirement when Screwface retaliates by attempting to kill Melissa and Tracy. After the shooting, John is reunited with two old friends - a local high school football coach named Max, and a Jamaican Chicago cop named Charles. John and Max set out to hunt Screwface down, only to discover that Screwface has gone back to Jamaica. John and Max take Charles with them to Jamaica for an all out war against Screwface and his drug empire.

Theatrical: 1996

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 100

Summary: Prepare for Maximum Van Dammage when sexy newcomer Natasha Henstridge (Species) joins action superstar Jean-Claude Van Damme in their most explosive roles yet! Alain Moreaus (Van Damme) investigation into the death of his identical twin brother leads him

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: New Line

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 101

Summary: Based on the popular video game of the same name "Mortal Kombat" tells the story of an ancient tournament where the best of the best of different Realms fight each other. The goal - 10 wins to be able to legally invade the losing Realm. Outworld has so far collected 9 wins against Earthrealm, so it's up to Lord Rayden (Christopher Lambert) and his fighters to stop Outworld from reaching the final victory...

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: New Line

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 91

Summary: Mortal Kombat is an ancient tournament where the Earth Realm warriors battle against the forces of Outworld. Liu Kang and a few chosen fighters fought and defeated the powerful sorcerer Shang Tsung, their victory would preserve the peace on Earth for one more generation. Taking place now where the first movie left off, the Earth realm warriors live a short period of peace when evil forces from another dimension come to invade and wreak havoc on Earth. They are guided by the forces of Outworld leader, Shao Kahn and his generals such as: Motaro, Rain, Ermac, Sheeva and Sindel. Now Liu Kang, Raiden, Jax, Sonya and Kitana must defeat Shao Kahn in six days before the Earth realm merges with the Outworld.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 113

Summary:

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 96

Summary:

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 104

Summary:

Theatrical: 2003

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: Jopog manura 2: Dolaon jeonseol

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: Adness

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 100

Summary: A fortuneteller prophesizes that whoever marries the beautiful Ukio will become the ruler of the world. Naturally, this makes her very popular with those vying for power, particularly the insatiably greedy Lord Donjo. Only the ninja Jotaro can stop Donjo's plan, but to do so, he must first battle the deadly team of "Devil Monks" serving the lord. Will Jotaro succeed in his mission? And if so, will Ukio marry him, thus making him the ruler of the world?

Theatrical: 1986

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 85

Summary: Jason Stillwell, a Bruce Lee fan, is beaten numerous times and trains from the ghost of Lee. Jason then must use his newly acquired skills to save Seattle from a crime syndicate, whose top martial artist is the deadly Ivan.

Theatrical: 1993

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 94

Summary: Poor Rosanna Arquette ended up in this Van Damme potboiler about an escaped convict who moves onto the farm of a widow (Arquette) and her two kids. Stuff happens: a cop who likes her gets jealous and beats up the Muscles from Brussels (but only after handcuffing him), there's a fire in the barn, bad guys are trying to drive her away, etc. The story was first developed by screenwriter Joe Eszterhas ("Basic Instinct") and the late director Richard Marquand ("Eye of the Needle"). Eszterhas wrote the script, but who knows what direction this story was originally going? Van Damme's best film is still "Timecop", and this is a long way from the quality of that. "--Tom Keogh"

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: American Cinema Productions

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 103

Summary: Scott's life is plagued by two kinds of flashbacks. First are the childhood memories of the rigorous training he and a friend endured under a martial arts master. The second is of a mission Scott went on that ended with him watching his friend get murdered. Scott later becomes drawn closer to a vicious crime ring known as The Octagon. As he gets closer to the truth, Scott learns that these may be the men that murdered his friend so long ago.

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 105

Summary: Booting lives in a small and peaceful village. One day a sacred Buddha statuette called Ong Bak is stolen from the village by a immoral businessman who sells it for exorbitant profits. It soon becomes the task of a young man, Boonting (Phanom Yeeram), to track the thief down to Bangkok voluntarily and reclaim the religious treasure. Along the way, Boonting uses his astonishing athleticism and traditional Muay Thai skills to combat his adversaries.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Iyara Films

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 110

Summary: A young Thai boxer learns the skills and inner meaning of martial arts.

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Geneon

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 116

Summary: A mystical tale set in Japan's Heian era (794-1185 A.D.), when demons and sorcery lent intrigue to the business of ruling the kingdom, "Onmyoji" was Japan's box office king in 2001. The emperor Mikado and his infant son are the targets of evil spells, and someone amidst the Onmyoji, the longtime supernatural guardians of the kingdom, is suspected of betrayal. A bumbling and somewhat cowardly court official named Minamoto no Hiromaki recruits the famed Japanese folk hero SeiMei, an easygoing yin-yang sorcery master, to help solve the mystery. The two develop a Holmes and Watson relationship while trying to thwart the conspirators. The movie fails to achieve much dramatic tension over a long two hours. With the exception of Mansai Nomura as SeiMei, the acting is exaggerated, as in bad theater. Some shoddy scene and sound editing leads to some clumsy transitions, and the special effects and fight scenes are of the made-for-TV quality. Still, with a lineup that includes Japanese pop idols Kyoko Koizumi and Eriko Imai and villains that cackle with such enthusiasm, "Onmyoji" nearly qualifies as a campy guilty pleasure. "--Eugene Wei"

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: 777 Films Corporation

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 89

Summary: Van Damme plays Rudy whose father, Oscar is an archaeologist. His father goes to Israel. When his father disappears, he goes to Israel to find him. The chief of police claims that his father never entered the country, but an old friend of his father's was expecting him and before he could tell him more, some people start shooting at them. He manages to get away, and when he goes back to the police chief, he still refuses to believe that a crime has been committed. He then has Rudy deported, but Rudy convinces the police woman assigned to bring him to the airport not to and help him find his father.

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 91

Summary: Steven Seagal has always been an awkward action hero. Initially, he had a certain amount of credibility thanks to his nebulous association with secret government agencies and mastery of aikido, which helped to excuse his bad acting. But as a self-righteous action hero in the vein of Schwarzenegger and Stallone (which helps to explain his bad acting), Seagal fell into unintentional self-parody faster and more dramatically than either of his two predecessors. In "Out for Justice", Seagal plays Gino Felino, a Brooklyn-born cop known and respected by everyone--both good and bad--in his neighborhood. The worst of the neighborhood baddies is Richie Madano (William Forsythe), a crack-smoking killer who murders his partner and terrorizes the neighborhood. Technically, Felino is a terrible cop--touching evidence at murder scenes, stealing evidence, intimidating witnesses--but only by breaking those rules can he bring in this horrible criminal. As his soon-to-be-ex-wife discovers, he does everything because he cares too much. Julianna Margulies ("ER") has a small but thankless role as Richie's hooker girlfriend, and Gina Gershon ("Face/Off", "Bound") has an equally thankless role as Richie's foul-mouthed, bar-owning sister. The movie plays like a vanity piece for Seagal, and in that vein, it is fascinating to watch. "--Andy Spletzer"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 103

Summary:

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Chanh Phuong Phim

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 103

Summary: 1920s. Vietnam under colonial French ruling. Anti-French rebellions emerge all over the country to disrupt the foreign occupiers. In respond, the colonialist employed units of Vietnamese agents to track and destroy these rebels. The film follows the journey of LE VAN CUONG, a French cultured undercover elite. Although branded with a perfect track record, Cuong's inner conscience is troubled by the sea of Vietnamese blood he had spilled to uphold a French washed ideal. Following an assassination of a high ranking French, Cuong is assigned to seek and kill the notorious leader of the resistance. Cuong encounters VO THANH THUY, a relentless revolutionary fighter and the daughter of the rebel leader. Cuong's superior intends for him to use Thuy as a mean to get to her father but Cuong soon has feelings for her. Thuy's patriotism ignites conflicts between Cuong's consciousness and his cultured faith. Will Cuong discover his inner-self and find love or will he continue his mission? The journey unfolds...

Theatrical: 1985

Studio: MGM

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 121

Summary: An NYPD cop is 'killed' in an accident. The death is faked, and he is inducted into the organization CURE, dedicated to preserving the constitution by working outside of it. Remo is to become the enforcement wing (assassin) of CURE, and learns an ancient Korean martial art from Chiun, the Master of Sinanju. Based on the popular pulp series "The Destroyer," by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy.

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 100

Summary: Jean-Claude Van Damme (star of "Timecop" and "Universal Soldier") plays two roles in this surprisingly good action thriller. "Replicant" also stars Michael Rooker (of "Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer", "The Replacement Killers") as Jake Riley, a cop who's been tracking a serial killer called "The Torch" (Van Damme). Frustrated, Riley decides to retire--and the National Security Department makes him an offer: they've cloned "The Torch" as part of a program to track down terrorists; they'll turn this replicant (Van Damme again, of course) over to Riley as a sort of test run for the program. The idea is that the replicant will slowly recall the original person's memories and lead the cops to the original. It's ridiculous, but no more ridiculous than the setup for the highly successful "Face/Off", and it works just as well as the engine for an effective action flick. What makes "Replicant" more unusual is that the writers actually put some thought into the relationship between Riley and the replicant, which starts to mirror parent-child relationships in emotionally complex ways. Furthermore, while it's no surprise that Rooker gives a solid performance, it is surprising that Van Damme does just as good a job in both of his roles--he's perfectly creepy as the serial killer and genuinely affecting as the quickly developing replicant, projecting a mixture of innocence and turmoil. "Replicant" was directed by Hong Kong director Ringo Lam, the man behind "Full Contact" and "City on Fire". He was clearly working on a limited budget, but the movie looks good, moves with lean efficiency, and has some riveting action sequences and good quality effects--the scenes where Van Damme (inevitably!) fights himself are completely convincing. A satisfying movie. "--Bret Fetzer"

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: CJ Entertianment

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 102

Summary: It is AD 924, at the end of the United Shilla Dynasty. Continuous riots sweep the land ruled by a corrupted government. Evil forces are rampant and malicious demons roam the land. YI Kwak, born with the powers to see spirits, joins the royal demon hunting squad, Chuh-yong-dae after losing his fiancee, Yon-hwa to evil demons. YI Kwak excels as the most talented warrior of Chuh-yong-dae and the royal squad seems to gain momentum as powerful fighters against the forces of darkness. Then one day, YI Kwak drifts into Joongcheon, the world of the dead through a strange shrine. Joongcheon, the intermediate world between Heaven and Earth, a place souls remain for 49 days, preparing for reincarnation.

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: United American Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 85

Summary:

Theatrical: 1982

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 98

Summary: A CONVOLUTED MESS! DON'T MISS IT! What other movie can you name where you get Sonny Chiba as a gambler/magician/cop?

Theatrical: 2003

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 98

Summary: At first, four swordsmen hired to bring back a runaway concubine appear to be competent mercenaries, but soon prove themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. Their leader, Yae-rang, only has one fighting stance: to drop his sword, make faces at the enemy and pinch his own nipples. Yo-i, is just as idiotic, but at least has a touch of humanity as he works as a mercenary only to earn money for his kid sister. The four take the concubine and her lover into custody, but also accidentally manage to somehow ruin the chance for the ghosts of five murdered courtesans to ascend to heaven. The warriors agree to kill the man responsible which will set the ghosts free, but they must be taught a few tricks by the ghosts as their existing martial arts skills are nearly useless.

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 115

Summary: Cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, the cameraman behind "Speed", "Lethal Weapon 4", and "The Devil's Advocate", makes his directorial debut with a lively but by-the-numbers film that mixes Hong Kong action pyrotechnics with gritty urban gang drama. Jet Li stars as a jailed cop named Han who hightails it to Oakland, California, to seek revenge for the gang-related murder of his brother. What he finds, though, is a fierce war between his father's syndicate and that of Isaak O'Day (Delroy Lindo) for control of the city's precious waterfront land, as both groups are trying to make a deal with a corrupt football-team owner to build a new stadium. The political shenanigans are basically just a backdrop for the kick-ass action, and to give Li a number of enemies to lock limbs with. It also provides him with a love interest, Trish (hip-hop star Aaliyah), who's O'Day's daughter and like Han, the only straight arrow in a family of crooked mobsters. Li and Aaliyah have a teasing, gentle chemistry, and when they're onscreen together, the movie lights up and glides along smoothly. Li even finds a way to work Aaliyah into one of his action set pieces, using her arms and legs to fight a female adversary because "I can't hit a girl!" However, when these two aren't onscreen (and that's a fair amount of the time) the movie plods along, despite a stately turn by Lindo and Isaiah Washington and Russell Wong as two family allies who may not be as loyal as they seem. Li's action, though, is still phenomenal as ever, from his prison breakout (as he takes out a platoon of guards--strung upside down by one leg) to a knockdown-dragout fight with the agile and dangerously sexy Wong. And despite the "Romeo and Juliet" overtones, this is one mighty chaste romance, albeit one with a happy ending for the star-crossed lovers. "--Mark Englehart"

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Arts Magic

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 122

Summary: Takashi Miike (Full Metal Yakuza, The Black Society Trilogy), one of the most prolific directors in chambara today delivers a haunting tale set in the Tokugawa Era. Framed for a crime he did not commit, Eiji is subjected to the harsh realities of the Ishikawa Island workhouse. Sabu, Eiji's longtime friend, must discover who is responsible for Eiji's incarceration, before the prison life consumes him completely. Adapted from the classic Japanese rites of passage novel by Shugoru Yamamoto, Miike uses the work to his own purpose with his usual flair.

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: First Look Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 93

Summary:

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Weinstein Company

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 153

Summary: As the title indicates, "Seven Swords" is in the epic spirit of "The Seven Samurai" and its American cousin, "The Magnificent Seven". A grittier enterprise, it may not surpass Tsui Hark's 1990s classics like "Once Upon a Time in China", but offers its own unique pleasures--like non-stop action (for which it received a coveted Golden Horse Award). Based on the book "Seven Swordsmen from Mountain Tian", the action begins in rural China in the 1600s. The Ching Dynasty has just banned martial arts, and in response seven dissidents band together to fight against Fire-Wind (Honglei Sun) and his minions. The septet includes Hong Kong superstars Charlie Young (Wu Yuan Yin), Leon Lai (Yang Yun Chong), and "Hero"'s Donnie Yen (Chu Zhao Nan). One of the mountain villagers they save is pretty Korean refugee Green Pearl (So-yeon Kim), who falls for the moody Chu. Filmed on location in scenic Xinjiang, "Seven Swords" is a feast for the eyes. Though some critics have taken Hark to task for the army's anachronistic goth-punk garb, it sure looks menacing. Originally four and a half hours long, this version clocks in at 153 minutes. Hark's soft-spoken commentary, along with Hong Kong cinema expert Bey Logan, is on the first disc. Deleted scenes and other extras are on the second. Because of the cuts, the complex narrative isn't always easy to follow--and the film still feels long--but the gold-tinged visuals and fight choreography by Kar-Leung Lau ("The Legend of Drunken Master") helps to compensate. "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Theatrical: 1962

Studio: Daiei

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 104

Summary:

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Funimation Prod

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 107

Summary: Shinobi centers on the drama resulting from the war between two ninja clans in the early part of the Tokugawa era. In the film, Nakama Yukie portrays Oboro, the granddaughter of Ogen (Lily), the respected Iga clan matriarch, while Odagiri Jo plays Gennosuke, the son of Danjo Koga (Minoru Terada), the powerful Koga clan leader. While living deep within the mountains, the two ninja clans have honed their skills to superhuman levels. Unfortunately, the clans do not get along and are forbidden by imperial decree from sharing their techniques with each other. Viewing the two ninja clans as a threat to his scheme for total domination, the nefarious Nankobo Tenkai (Ishibashi Renji) plots to intensify the rivalry between the two clans. Nakobo creates a contest in which the clans are forced to choose five of their best warriors to participate. The battle, however, isn't just a friendly contest - it's a duel to the death!

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: Geochilmaru

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: Vci Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 86

Summary: Lee Long is a martial-arts champion who the police use as an undercover agent to infiltrate a drug ring responsible for importing heroin from Japan to Hong Kong. When he is identified and imprisoned, the police pressure his sister, Tina Long, to help them locate and free him. She gets the help of Lee's martial-arts school, including the powerful Sonny Kawasaka, for the inevitable battle-royale with the drug gang, which includes masters of many different 'schools' of fighting.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Baa-Ram-Ewe

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary: Nathan Jones, plays Barney Emerald in Somtum. He's a carefree guy, tricked by a pretty woman in Pattaya who later steals everything he owns, including his passport.
Barney heads to the tourist information center to ask for help but the place was already closed. There, he meets Katen
(Noawarat Tacharathanaprasert), an orphan street hustler. Barney is soon confronted by a gang who often harasses Katen but
instead of driving the bad guy away, Barney turns out to be a wimp and too scares to throw some punches. Katen's friend
Dokya (Sasisa Jindamanee), a Muay Thai fighter comes to the rescue.
After the incident, Barney stays in a Buddhist temple, where he's given shelter. On a visit to Dokya's mother's
somtum stall, Barney tries a taste of somtum, a traditional thai salad, out of curiosity. He feels like his mouth is burning and storms out to get some water. What he doesn't know is that when he turns red from the heat of spice, he's grained with a superpower.

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: Vci Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 91

Summary:

Theatrical: 1974

Studio: Vci Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 83

Summary: Terry Sugury is hired to recover one of two tapes containing a formula for making heroin for a price of 200 dollars a pound. But he gets double crossed. So he wants the tape back.

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 110

Summary: Some terrorists kidnap the Vicepresident of the United States and threaten to blow up the full stadium in which is taking place the final of ice-hockey at the moment. There is only one way and one man to stop them...

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: ANTOnline

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 100

Summary:

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Toei

Genre: Martial Arts

Summary:

Theatrical: 1990

Studio: Golden Harvest Company

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 88

Summary: The turtles find out where the Ooze, the substance which made them mutate, came from. Unfortunately Shredder learns about it too, and uses it to enhance himself. So the turtles have to prove again who's the better ninja fighter.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Visualizer Film Productions

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 102

Summary: His country torn asunder by civil war, Zhao, a common man heeds the call of duty and from the humblest of roots rises through the ranks on wings of courage and cunning to command an army charged with liberating the land from an evil warlord. Inspiring by action, honor and a dream of unifying his divided nation, Zhao's heroism becomes legend, but as the years pass and the throne changes hands the war still rages on. When a newly enthroned king decides peace can only be achieved by defeating the warlords once and for all, the aging Zhao embarks on his final and greatest campaign, a road to adventure that will crown his name in glory for all time.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 91

Summary: Seua khaap daap

Theatrical: 1995

Studio: Kaijyu Theater

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 87

Summary: A businessman, Tsuda, runs into a childhood friend, Tajuki, on the subway. Tajuki is working as a semiprofessional boxer. Tsuda soon begins to suspect that Tajuki might be having an affair with his fiance Hizuru. After an altercation, Tsuda begins training rigorously himself, leading to an extremely bloody, violent confrontation.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Weinstein Company

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 108

Summary: In Bangkok, the young Kham was raised by his father in the jungle with elephants as members of their family. When his old elephant and the baby Kern are stolen by criminals, Kham finds that the animals were sent to Sidney. He travels to Australia, where he locates the baby elephant in a restaurant owned by the evil Madame Rose, the leader of an international Thai mafia. With the support of the efficient Thai sergeant Mark, who was involved in a conspiracy, Kham fights to rescue the animal from the mobsters.

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 92

Summary: Ex-Special Forces operator Frank Martin lives what seems to be a quiet life along the French Mediterranean, hiring himself out as a mercenary "transporter" who moves goods - human or otherwise - from one place to another. No questions asked. Frank's newest transport seems no different from the countless ones he's done in the past. He has been hired by an American known only as "Wall Street" (see Rule Two) to make a delivery, but when Frank stops along route, he notices his "package" is moving. Violating his own personal rules, Frank looks inside the bag, finding its contents to be a beautiful, gagged woman.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 87

Summary: Professional driver Frank Martin is living in Miami, where he is temporarily filling in for a friend as the chauffeur for a government narcotics control policymaker and his family. The young boy in the family is targeted for kidnapping, and Frank immediately becomes involved in protecting the child and exposing the kidnappers.

Theatrical: 1992

Studio: Warner Home Video

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 103

Summary: The battleship Missouri is about to be decomissioned. Casey Ryback is Captain Adam's personal cook. And Ryback is always butting heads with the ship's XO Commander Krill but the Captain always intercedes. One day, after the President visits the Missouri, which is also the Captain's birthday, the Captain learns that a helicopter has been cleared to land on the ship by Commander Krill, which he was not informed of. When questioned Krill tells the Captain that it's a surprise for his birthday, the Captain then allows it. Later after another one of their scuffles, Krill has Ryback locked in the freezer. During the party, the rock band reveals themselves to be mercenaries, led by William Stranix, a CIA operative, who is in league with Krill to unload all of the ship's nuclear warheads. They lock up all of the crew and make preparations to remove the warheads. And Krill remembers Ryback, Stranix sends two of his men to take care of Ryback, only thing is that Ryback took care of them. Upon discovering their bodies, Stranix deduces that Ryback is more than a cook. He then sends Krill to check on him, and Krill discovers that Ryback's a NAVY SEAL, who got busted down to a cook after an incident in Panama. And Ryback continues to create trouble for them, so Stranix tries to hunt him down. Along the way, Ryback meets Jordan, a former playmate, who was supposed to entertain at the party but was also forgotten.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Intense Productions

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 95

Summary: In the UK suburbs, an underground tournament is set to challenge twelve fighters from different backgrounds to compete for the price of £500,000. They have been handpicked for a no-holds barred competition that will push each fighter to their limit. Each fighter has their own reason for competing, and each will give everything they've got to take the prize...but there can be only one winner.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 101

Summary: Jean-Claude Van Damme stars in this bone-chilling, Dark action-packed thriller as Anthony Stowe, a down-and-out detective addicted to heroine whose days always seem to go from bad to worse. Lowe is coming off of a drug deal, in which two officers were killed, and the primary villain, the drugs, the money and the surveillance tapes are still at large. He is also dealing with his wife, who has just informed him that she is pregnant - but the child is not his. After a gunfight in which Stowe comes very close to death, After being severely wounded and losing all will to live, His body gives up and falls into a coma. After an inner battle with himself, He gains again the spirit to live again. While on the road to recovery, Stowe finds himself in a very personal battle to make amends with his kidnapped wife and to take revenge on his assailant once and for all.

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 95

Summary: While Urban Justice is not without it's problems, the most obvious being the embarrassing DVD cover art, this is the first Steven Seagal film since Exit Wounds to actually remind me that at one point in the action movie world, Seagal was king. It's a low budget DTV and as such it suffers. Most notably the script with some dreadful dialogue scenes also interior locations looking like the cheaply dressed sets they are and second rate actors filling out the cast. Concentrating on Seagal, he delivers in the action department. His fight scenes are all Seagal, no body doubles in this one. Arm's and necks are broken, opponents are thrown across rooms and into objects, Seagal is fast without speeded up camera tricks making him all the more believable. I can't remember the last time I saw Seagal lift his leg above knee height, in Urban Justice he kicks several opponents and actually kicks one opponent in the face. I also did not see the large gut so prominent in past DTV's. As for Seagal's acting, as anyone will know, he will never win Oscar but he can deliver a believable performance as much as is expected in a martial arts action movie when he feels like it. In Urban Justice, I did not get anything except Seagal playing Steven Seagal for the first 50 minutes or so but in the last half hour he seemed to make an attempt at giving some kind of dramatic performance and I did begin to believe that his character had lost a son and he was hell bent on revenge. There is also no voice dubbing in this, roughly 5 fight scenes involving Seagal spread out over the running time but the camera at times is to close to see Seagal in his full martial arts splendor which has been diluted with some choppy editing, one very badly edited and unimaginative boring car chase that made no sense, one very brutal and bloody shot out involving Seagal and an entire gang coming to wipe him out and the main one on one showdown at the end with the villain who killed Seagal's characters son. One thing I was disappointed with was that there was no dialogue during the final fight. I would have thought that Seagal's character would have taken some pleasure in torturing the man who murdered his son but it wasn't to be. Eddie Griffin did ok as the villain but the script did not give him any room to do much with his character and he became annoying towards the end. Danny Trejo, looking like a Mexican Charles Bronson appears for about 3 minutes and almost steels the film from everyone and ended up having the best line when one of his girls serves him some drinks. It was good to see Seagal and Trejo back on screen together again since Marked For Death. I have mixed feelings about Urban Justice. I can not stress enough how much of an improvement this is compared to Seagals past DTV's but it's also a low budget DTV with a very generic dead son revenge plot with so so direction, a bad script, and some inferior acting. The dreaded fake driving sequences with rear projection also shows it's ugly head again. There were rumors that Urban Justice could get a limited theatrical release but in my opinion it is strictly of DTV quality and nothing more. It's hard to believe that it's now 15 years since Under Siege but Seagal actually showed with Urban Justice that he is still up to the action challenge so it leaves a bitter sweet taste to see what he can do in an action film but to have to see glimmers of it in some dreadful DTV's that he has been involved with in the past. If Seagal had been making DTV's up to this production level standard this past 6 years I'd say give him another shot at a theatrical release and I'll put my money down and go see it. Urban Justice deserves to do better financial than it is going to do but Seagal has only himself to blame for that as fans left in droves because of the terrible films he has at times been involved with since Half Past Dead. Martial Arts action performance wise this is Seagal's best DTV so far however Urban Justice taken as a whole, I'd have to say Mercenary For Justice and Belly Of The Beast are still Seagal's best DTV's for my viewing enjoyment with Urban Justice slotting into the third spot.

Theatrical: 2008

Studio: Phra Nakorn Film Co. Ltd.

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 98

Summary:

Theatrical: 2003

Studio:

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 117

Summary:

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Magnolia

Genre: Martial Arts

Duration: 98

Summary:

Theatrical: 1969

Studio: Toho

Genre: Monster

Duration: 92

Summary: Using footage from previous films, the story revolves around a boy who uses his imagination to take him to Monster Island so he can escape the pains of real life.

Theatrical: 1980

Studio: Alligator Inc.

Genre: Monster

Duration: 89

Summary: Ramon the alligator is flushed down the toilet as a baby, and grows into a gargantuan monster by eating the corpses of laboratory animals who have undergone dubious hormone experiments, thus providing all the ecological and social subtext that one could possibly wish for, even if one doesn't normally go for films about giant alligators eating people left, right and centre - which is the inevitable and tragic result of Ramon's decision that the outside world looks rather more interesting than the sewers...

Theatrical: 1957

Studio: Los Altos Productions

Genre: Monster

Duration: 62

Summary: A group of scientists travel to a remote island to study the effects of nuclear weapons tests, only to get stranded when their airplane explodes. The team soon discovers that the island has been taken over by crabs that have mutated into enormous, intelligent monsters. To add to their problems, the island is slowly sinking into the ocean. Will any of them manage to escape?