Asian Action Cast
Your number one source for Asian Action films and jokes about the perils of Hong Kong stuntmen!
Episodes
Ghost in the Cell
The Asian Action Cast gets locked up with a Ghost in the Cell in 2026! Joko Anwar’s Indonesian horror comedy ("horredy"?) ticks all the boxes in delivering a gorefest of creative killings while ratcheting up the tension, and the comedy too, in one of the year's most satisfying action flicks. Delivered by a masterful and confident story teller, this movie follows the exploits of a ven
Maria
Pedring Lopez’s 2019 Netflix action thriller, Maria, brings Filipino actress Cristine Reyes to the Streaming Screen as trained assassin MARIA! She thought she left that life behind, but the sins of the past never remain dead for long.Cristine Reyes proves she can be a strong, sexy lead with the physicality and agility to be a bona fide action hero, unfortunately Maria is held back by a derivative
Karate For Life
Sonny Chibas 1977 love letter to Kyokushin Karate founder Mas Oyama, Karate for Life, rounds out the trilogy of his exciting exploits.No stranger to fighting bears and wolves, this chapter focuses on his potentially fictitious prowess as a wrestler and TB survivor.Guaranteed eyebrows, intense stares and now violent asthma, Sonny Chiba holds you in his Karate Grip and never lets go, Karate4Lyf fool
The Hits and Misses (Sorry for the clip show)
It's time to kick back, relax and journey back to the past as we showcase some of our favourite clips from the past (nearly) ten (10!) years of the AAC.Episodes covered include Bio-Zombie, Buddhas Palm, Devilman and more. We watch, review, recap and re-vap the best and worst of Hong Kong and asian action cinema.We'l be back in a fortnight with a regular episode, thanks for listening!
Yakuza Weapon
Larger than life, cartoon characters like Tak Sakaguchis Shozo bring hilariously fun fighting for half a film. The latter story does suffer from the whiplash tone change as it explores the tragedy of Jun Murakami’s Tetsu, and fumbles as it blends this with strangely funny/eroti-sex-violence?Yakuza weapon regularly forays into absurdity and lingers a bit overlong, but the colours and characters sur
The Furious
Kenji Tanagaki’s prodigious 2026 martial arts film, The Furious, is a non stop kinetic revelation that ratchets up tension and creativity beyond anything you’ve seen.The Furious reinvents child star Xie Miao into a modern leading hero, blending an all star action cast with Joe Taslim, Joey Iwanaga, Yayan Ruhian, Brian Le and a bevy of har knock stuntmen selling brutal hits.The action is relentless
Blades Of The Guardians:Wind Rises In The Desert
Yuen Woo Pings 2026 Blades of the Guardians spins an epic wuxia tale of murder, betrayal, love, desert, brotherhood…in fact it’s too many tales.The labyrinthine plot and overbloated but underdeveloped character list does hide some great (plentiful) action, if occasionally marred by shaky cam (it’s Jet Li and Wu Jing!) and unnecessary CG.Despite its flaws it is still a media and audience darling, a
Riki-Oh:Story Of Riki
Fan Siu Wongs 1991 ‘splatterpunk’ entry, The Story of Riki, aka Riki Oh, is a great example of cult cinema - the hyper violent martial arts exploitation flick made barely a splash on entry but has gained notoriety after.With sensational blood and gore effects, Siu-Wongs justice laden acts of brutality still invokes awe and revulsion. Directed by SFX veteran Lam Nai-Choi (the Cat, 7th Curse, Peacoc
Once Upon A Time In China And America
Sammo Hung’s 1997 film, Once Upon a Time in China and America, takes Tsui Hark’s beloved franchise off shore with Jet Li in his last outing as the legendary Wong Fei Hung.A surprisingly clumsy handling of triple A property, and with less than half a year production time, it shows. This cobbled together affair is a pale shadow of the far better (produced, acted, plotted) Shanghai Noon which Sammo a
Burning Ambition
Frankie Chan takes us on a moustachioed journey through the trials, tribulations and twists of a crime family full of backstabbing, plots, and melodrama in this Hong Kong game of thrones.Our hairy hero doesn't even show up until at least halfway but his presence is felt both in the writing and as the director in his 1989 vanity project, barely resembling the Shoguns' Samurai from which it
Chinese Boxer aka Hammer of God
Jimmy Wang Yu’s 1970 trailblazer Chinese Boxer, AKA Hammer of God, may seem quaint now but don’t be fooled. This movie introduced the righteous revenge formula taken to even greater heights by Bruce Lee in Fist of Fury and a myriad other homages. Unique for being the first film to focus primarily on unarmed combat we have a two armed Jimmy Wang Yu who plays a vengeful student who powers up from a
Exiled
Johnny To’s dark, brooding 2006 crime thriller Exiled explores the complex relationship of a group of best friends turned gangsters and killers on opposing sides.A novel take on the blood is thicker than water tale, it is one part Sleepers and one part Reservoir Dogs, but comparisons are reductive to Johnny’s unique flair, humor and pathos.The characters will capture you, from Anthony Wongs confli
Dangan Runner
Sabu’s 1996 Directorial debut, Dangan Runner is an absurdist gang caper comedy that has a lot of humor and heart.Coming out a full two years before Run Lola Run, and Lock Stock, it blazed the trail of nailing cinematic serendipity amidst our heroes’ journey (literally) across Tokyo.Tomoro Taguchi, Diamond Yukai and Shinichi Tsutsumi are our running leads, the loser, the drug addict and the yakuza
The Way Of The Dragon
Bruce Lee’s 1972 directorial debut, The Way of the Dragon, not only teases the beginning of what could have been, but also introduces the world to the indomitable beast, the late great Chuck Norris.With only one line of dialogue Chuck chews almost as much scenery as Little Dragon Lee himself, mugging and slugging their way across the silver screen.A patchy film at best but shines evermore as a tim
City On Fire
On this episode of the AAC the gang tackle the classic 1987 Hong Kong crime thriller CITY ON FIRE.A direct inspiration for the 1992 smash 'Reservoir Dogs' CITY ON FIRE features an effortlessly cool and fresh faced Chow Yun Fat. Chow is an undercover cop trying to bring down a violent gang, but juggling police infighting, trying to earn the trust of the ganghes infiltrating and keeping his
Re:Born
Re:born is a 2016 military action thriller starring Tak Sakaguchi as the impassively stone faced killer, Ghost, who seems incapable of showing emotion whether on the surface, inside, on or off camera.Featuring a very healthy dose of kinetic and frenetic action with amazing stuntwork, great choreography and visceral kills, the lack of plot barely gets in the way of an entertaining watch. You might
Too Many Ways To Be No. 1
This 1997 hidden gem 'Too Many Ways to Be No. 1' from Johnnie To's Milky Way galaxy of genre films comes not just with Golden Harvest's classic Bong Bong but the incredible mind melting enhanced reality of a criminal satire.Featuring a typical Johnnie To understated protagonist Sean Lau as directed by Wai Ka-Fai, what follows is an uneven but incredible intriguing sliding doors sto
The Shadows Edge
Jackie Chan’s 2025 thriller, The Shadows Edge brings our hero firmly into the world of spy vs spy counter espionage genre facing off against the masterful Tony Leung Ka-Fai.Not without its flaws, with incomprehensible 1 second smash cuts, pacing and bloat, what shines though is a genuinely tense mental chess game with real stakes.With an actor (Ci Sha) so handsome he had to be more than one charac
Chinese Cop Out
Buddy cop movie with moustaches sums up this 1989 Melvin Wong produced vehicle, but 48 Hours it is not! Melvin against type plays a good Hong Kong cop with a penchant for getting into trouble. Lam Wai is his mainland moustachied equivalent, crossing the border to help with an organised crime case. Simon Yam is just starting to get into his deranged criminal role phase too. A less well known action
2025 End of Year wrapup and tournament
The Asian Action Cast finishes 2025 in style with the annual tournament to determine the best movie of 2025!We've got plenty of jokes, awards, stats and general tomfoolery for your listening pleasure.Thanks to everyone that has listened this year - look forward to more shenanigans in 2026 and as usual stick around for the remix!
Throw Down
Stroll with the AAC through Johnnie To’s 2004 neon saturated streets of Throw Down, play in a world full of style and character.The action is just the window into the disparate lives of these meandering souls as they help each other find joy and purpose - the satisfaction of a life fulfilled.Johnny imbues this film with honest moments, stringing gorgeous visuals cobbled together to weave a tapestr
The Invincible Armour
Taking on the INVINCIBLE ARMOUR is no easy feat, but our heroes John Liu and Tino Wong crack the code! Director See-Yuen Ng’s 1977 action romp is a densely packed thriller that goes from fight to fight, it’s thick, fast and deadly.No technique is undefeatable and this movie is a cautionary tale for why it sometimes might be a good idea to wearing a metal chastity belt.
Black Magic 2
For a Halloween special that's twice as nice, we bring you Black Magic Part 2! Same director, same actors as the first but it's turned into a Scooby Doo style mystery in tropical Singapore! Lo Lieh has channeled his charisma into becoming a black magician who keeps zombies in his dungeon. Our heroic trio of doctors (Ti Lung, Tien Ni and Lin Wei Tu) don't believe in magic, but let's
Black Magic
Asian Action Cast's Spooktober celebrations begin with the Shaw Brothers 1975 exploitation horror fest BLACK MAGIC!Starring a wooden Ti Lung and magnificently creepy yet charismatic Lo Lieh, it tells the cautionary tale of why you shouldn’t roofie someone to get them to love you.With incredibly budget effects and jarring musical pivots, the nudity alone cannot salvage this movie, but it is a f
The 14 Amazons
Shaw Bro.’s 1972 historical war epic 14 Amazons sets the bar for fun campy villains who overshadow the ‘heroes’ of the film.Ivy Ling Po and Lily Ho lead our plucky band of (too many) heroines, but they are up against the forces of Lo Lieh’s fantastic 5th Prince and Bolo Yeungs unnamed barbarian wrestler.A ridiculous human bridge sequence is worth the price of admission but the incredible face mugg
Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell
Walk down the Demon Path with us as we gaze into the thousand yard stare of the Lone Wolf and Cub on their last journey before Hell!White Heaven in Hell is the final instalment of the lone wolf and cub movie series starring Tomisaburo Wakayama, and is something of a limbo piece.While much remains unfulfilled, there is action aplenty with moody sets, unsettling action and constant tension. An enjoy
Game Of Death
Bruce Lee’s 1978 post-mortem movie Game of Death is more than a curiosity, it’s a cultural phenomenon that irreparably bashed its way into modern consciousness.It clearly was damaged by Bruce’s untimely passing, but it remains one of the most wistful and hopeful projects of the silver screen.The small flashes of ‘Real Bruce’ invoke pangs of equal parts admiration, longing and tragedy, with the dre
New Kung Fu Cult Master 2
The Sequel to Wong Jing’s most serious adaptation to date, his magnum opus, the Asian Action Cast takes on the New Kung Fu Cult Master pt 2!
Ninjas And Dragons
The hidden 1984 gem Japan-China action collaboration Ninja and Dragons is everything you’d expect, with magic ninjitsu alongside and vs Kung Fu.Starring a plucky ninja Hayate, played by Jun’ya Takagi and his Dragon friend Dong Li, it is a tale of intrigue, vengeance and unsettling villains that will haunt your dreams.Watch it if you can find it, and be dazzled by the colours and wonderful music wi
The Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son is a Wing Chun paradise, combining some of the siliest slapstick and brutal beatings into one tasty bowl. Yuen Biao's kung fu is the worst in Canton, but luckily he's a spoilt rich kid whose father bribes everyone to lose to him. Only opera star and kung fu master Leung Yee Tai (Lam Ching Ying) gives him the beating he deserves, resulting in Leung Chang (Yuen) begging him
Motorway
Slick, tense and intimate, the 2012 Soi Cheang directed vehicle stalker flick Motorway has a surprising amount of style and feeling for what could have been a flat chase movie.Anthony Wong, as always, brings a warmth and charisma to his close to retirement days-of-yore-badass mentoring and living vicariously through Shawn Yue’s high octane speed freak Chan Cheung – all characters are downplayed to
Hard Boiled
This week we revisit 1992’s Hard Boiled, directed by John Woo, part of the Princess Films avalanche of Chow Yun Fat movies coming your way soon on Blu-ray. How does it stack up 30 years later? A cop who won’t take no for an answer, Tequila ends up in the middle of a gangland munitions war. When his investigations reveal an undercover cop, they combine to stop it all from going sky high. Filled wit
The City Of Violence
The City of Violence is a 2006 Ryoo Seung-wan directed friendship thriller starring dapper detective Jung Doo-hong’s Tae-Soo.There certainly is violence aplenty in the city, largely perpetrated by our main cast. Friendships form, falter and fall as snake liquor goes wasted.The violence escalates throughout surprising you how far it’s willing to go, and any action film with sub-boss fights is A-ok
Twelve Deadly Coins
In the martial arts world, even your spare change can become a lethal weapon! Enter 'Twelve Deadly Coins', a 1969 Shaw Brothers production starring the excellent Lo Lieh and Ching Li. When your senior disciple isn't as good as you think, who will protect your treasure convoy against bandits? Fighter Qiao Mao (Lo Lieh) can do it all, but he's also acting a little suspiciously. The l
11 Rebels
What’s more deadly than 13 Assassins? Cooler than 7 Samurai? Gorier than 5 Deadly Venoms? Why its Director Kazuya Shiraishi’s 11 Rebels! This 2024 Samurai Epic is 60 years in the making with ascript written back in 1964!
The Prosecutor
Donnie Yen’s 2025 Dram-action THE PROSECUTOR will have you questioning what you know about legal procedurals with its labyrinthine plot and non stop exposition.If you can stomach Donnie’s soap boxing righteousness for 75% of the film, there’s a really solid 25% of hard hitting martial arts action, including a truly creative and kinetic first person gun/kung fu sequence.Donnie shows no signs of slo
Mr. Nice Guy
In honour of the recently passed great man, Mr Richard Norton, we celebrate his intersection and elevation of Hong Kong action cinema in Jackie Chan’s 1997 Sammo Hung Directed Mr Nice Guy.Richard Norton is irrepressible, chewing scenery and having a blast as he turns the screws on Jackie’s super chef. It is a film of hijinks amidst the backdrop of Melbournes inner city - home to Mr Norton and anot
Who Am I?
Ever forget who you but somehow have access to special forces training, martial arts and parkour moves and hardcore riz with the ladies? No you’re not Jason Bourne, you’re Jackie Chan in his 1998 Amnesia Thriller, Who Am I?
Broken Rage
Beat Takeshi (Kitano) subverts your expectations with one of the best and/or worst (!) most polarising films in recent memory in his 2025 film Broken Rage.Director, Star, Writer and Editor: he hits the major chords with a retired yakuza hitman melody, then riffs into unknown territory with an absurdist parody of the same story.And then came the beats is an apt description of the film which is ente
Stuntman (Bonus Episode)
We've all cheered, laughed and been amazed at the phenomenal stunts in Hong Kong action movies over the years: but what about the people behind the stunts? What happens when things go pear shaped?2024's Stuntman shows that sometimes "the good old days'"aren't always that fondly remembered for some and the old adage of "they don't make them like they used to"
Luc Van Tien Kung Fu Warrior
What looks, smells and feels like a Hong Kong Action movie but is not a Hong Kong Action movie? 2017’s Luc Van Tien! Star vehicle for the incredibly agile and talented Vietnamese/German martial artist and Jackie Chan Stunt Team alumni Andreas Nguyen.If you didn’t know before he was a Jackie Fan and collaborator, you’d know by the end of the film, which liberally homages tropes, gags and set ups, b
Rumble In The Bronx
High octane fight scenes, bone crunching action and exhilarating stunts. Jackie takes his blend of action comedy to New York (actually Vancouver but who cares).Non stop thrills and spills with a sexy Francoise Yip, mulleted Anita Mui, Dashing Bill Tung and blink and you miss Emil Chau, it’s the goldilocks of action mayhem.
We are all garbage! It's Rumble In The Bronx!
2024 End of year wrapup and tournament
The Asian Action Cast calls last drinks on 2024! All the movies we watched will go into a no holds barred slugfest to see which one comes out on top. Will it be another victory for Hong Kong? Will we remember who starred in what movie? Do we actually praise Donnie Yen for being a *good* actor??? Tune in and find out.
Thanks everyone for listening and as always, stick around for the remix.
Knockabout
Knockabout is Yuen Biao's outstanding debut film in a starring role, directed by Peking Opera "Dai Gor" (big brother) Sammo Hung. This 1979 action romp is deliciously quirky with some of the best martial arts action of the golden age of Hong Kong cinema.
Talk about showcase - Yuen Biao has to be one of the greatest tumblers of all time and he proves it here. An acrobatic prodigy, Yuen Biao (aged 2
Kill
Take an express train to New Delhi with 'Kill' (2023), a super stylish and rather gruesome Indian Hindi-language actioner. What's the worst that can happen? Murder and robbery, that's what! On a confined train, you want to be careful who you cross. In this case it's Amrit Rathod (Lakshya), an army commando who through a series of events, is now on a journey of revenge. Bandit Fani Bhushan (Raghav
Visa To Hell
Get a ‘Visa To Hell’ in the second of our Spooktober podcast specials! Starring, directed, action directed, presented and planned (whatever that means) by legendary film villain Dick Wei, this Halloween mashup will have you asking, what kind of film has both ninjas and Dracula on screen? A Taoist monk (Lin Kuang-Yung) sends policeman Jiu Mo (Lam Wei) on a journey to hell, to avenge the death of hi
Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead
Donnie Yen in a R rated, Category III sleazefest? Now available in an added nudity theatrical cut on BluRay! Holy Virgin Versus the Evil Dead is the English title of this 1991 movie that has it all: wacky cop comedy, unexplained kung fu powers for all and a mystical schlock plot set in a Cambodian holiday.
Donnie finds himself a suspect of some gory murders, which have actually been committed by
She Shoots Straight
In memory and tribute to the late, great Corey Yuen, we honour his legacy by delving into his 1990 action-melodrama, She Shoots Straight. This action packed Joyce Godenzi vehicle takes us into the lives of a blue-blood-esque police family where (Big) Tony Leung marries Joyce’s Mina and brings her into his family of female cops.Everything is cranked up to 11 with the action being some of the most b
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is the unicorn of Hong Kong action films, bringing the brash and raw adrenaline of the golden age, with a modern aesthetic, a cohesive if not convenient plot and genuine emotions.
Sammo Hung’s presence not only legitimises this film as a proper HK actioner, but his grounded charisma elevates what is already a rock-solid showing by Louis Koo, Raymond Lam, Phillip
Legend of the Fist: Return of Chen Zhen
Always a polarizing figure, love him or hate him you can’t deny Donnie Yen is one of the most prolific martial artists working today. His 2010 love letter to himself Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is wish fulfilment in its purist form.
In The Line Of Duty IV
If you want Peak Hong Kong Action Cinema, it’s hard to go past Master Yuen Woo Ping’s 1989 Donnie vehicle, IN THE LINE OF DUTY IV! Sassy police action with young talent, hot bod’s and a new attitude.Donnie Yen is so hard boiled in this he’s practically egg jerky: he plays by nobody’s rules, not even his own. Cynthia Khan wears tight stone wash denim like she was born in them, and worthy alternativ
Raid On The Lethal Zone
Raid on the Lethal Zone is Hermann Yau’s 2023 Chinese border force drama, outlining the trials and tribulations of a special drug enforcement group 8077 trying to stop a narcotics shipment while battling nature’s fury on the southeast Asian Chinese border.The colours are drab, the mood is sombre and the calamities befalling our heroes are unrelenting, much like the rain, floods and mudslides. We f
Godzilla Minus One
The Kaiju film taking the world (and Oscars) by storm, Godzilla Minus One has arrived on the Asian Action Cast. We navigate the bloated deep sea fish to look at Takashi Yamazaki’s 2023 award winning monster epic – and like most of the main characters, we are woefully unqualified for the task.
Return Of The Bastard Swordsman
The Bastard Swordsman Returns! This 1984 Shaw Brothers effects extravaganza brings you eye popping martial arts with the colour and flare that only an SB production can bring.Norman Chiu and Tony Liu headline this epic showdown against the magnificent Alex Man’s charismatically evil Dugu Wu Di, only to find there is a sinister evil lurking in Chen Kuan-Tai’s underhanded Japanese Ega Clan chief.Spe
Outlaw Brothers
You want 90’s Hong Kong action cinema choreographed by Jackie Chan? You got it! 1990’s Outlaw Brothers has some of the best action choreography and stunt work you’ll find in a golden age blockbuster, just no Jackie Chan!Haha, Sike! But you do get a skinnier, moustachier Frankie Chan, Actor, Composer, Martial Artis, Womaniser, Car Thief with a heart of gold. His outlaw bro from another ho, Max Mok
Devilman
The 2004 adaptation of the classic Go Nagai manga 'Devilman' has been widely called 'The worst movie to come out of Japan' by many, but is it really that bad?
Twin boy band actors, random slow motion, motorcycles on the beach and Bob Sapp!? What's not to love? Let the AAC guide you through the highs (?) and many, many lows of Devilman!
Yakuza Wolf: I Perform Murder
Sonny Chiba broods his way through the 1972 yakuza gunslinging romp, Yakuza Wolf! Legendary for his piercing eyes, bushy eyebrows and intense characters, this gem is pre-Streetfighter fame and gives you a peek into the formula before it was perfected.
Exploitation at its most gratuitous, as Toei productions go this one is filled with nudity, violence and questionable morales. There are no heroes h
City Hunter (2024)
Ryo Saeba returns to the big screen in Netflix’s 2024 adaptation of the City Hunter manga, following a
string of animes, movies (Jackie Chan!) and Korean TV shows.
A Better Tomorrow 2
So good we had to return immediately to John Woo’s sweaty gangster tragi-ballad, A Better Tomorrow II, to revel in the blood soaked ballet that inspired so many films (ahem, reservoir dogs).
Cobbled together a year after Woo’s original 1986 smash hit, A Better Tomorrow II brings back Chow Yun Fat (but of course!), Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung, but also presents an uncharacteristically grounded perfo
A Better Tomorrow
What happens when you take a Hong Kong comedy director, old, washed up martial arts star and young desperate actor with nothing to lose? A Better Tomorrow, that’s what.John Woo’s 1986 gangster thriller with Chow Yun Fat and Ti Lung reinvented the genre and guaranteed a better tomorrow of heroic bloodshed and tragic bromances for decades to come.No other movie is so iconic, so fresh and so stylish.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart In Peril
The AAC takes a journey back to 1972 for the fourth instalment in the Lone Wolf and Cub Series. Our vengeance seeking duo of father Ogami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and mullet/sideburns/top knot/rats tail son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa) are tasked with killing female assassin (Oyuki played by Michie Azuma). But along the way there's many, many random Yagyu soldiers to slice.
Father and son are
M.D.S Geist
M.D.S Geist is your 1986 granddaddy of modern adult anime. We watch the 1996 directors cut of Koichi Ohatas debut, building the template of ultra violent animation and grim anti-hero’s.
The Owl vs Bombo
You could be forgiven for not seeing Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh’s cinema debut in Sammo Hung’s 1984 film, Owl vs Bombo. A pretty face and far cry from her future baddassery, she could not save Sammo's cringy self indulgent movie.
Pairing with George Lam's Owl, Hung's Bumbo busts more dance moves than skulls, insistent on pedalling the most awkward romance ever. Credit for not having M
Hidden Strike
Are you a Jackie Chan fan? Or maybe a fan of John Cena? Have I got your attention? Well, 2023’s Hidden Strike is more than just lip service. It will reel you in with the clickbait and will hold your attention for its booming 1hr 45min runtime. Who would have thought I would say that last sentence without irony! No one on the Asian Action Cast, that’s for sure.
High & Low the Worst X
Are you looking for impressive hair, smouldering looks, screaming and school turf wars? Do you like your movies to be no talk and all action? Love the sounds of the Exile Tribe and all their offshoot acts? High & Low The Worst X is the film for you. What better way to dip our toes into the High & Low series by starting with the 7th movie and based on a collaboration with 2 mangas we haven
Sister Street Fighter
Remember a time when Sonny Chiba’s THE STREETFIGHTER roamed the streets of Japan? Kazuhiko Yamaguchi’s 1974 pulp spin-off Sister Street Fighter proves it takes a woman’s touch to truly twist the neck off thugs.Etsuko Shihomi’s Li Koryu plays the titular Sister Street Fighter and like any vengeance fuelled martial hero, goes from stunning to psychotic in less than 3 seconds. One of Sonny Chiba’s pr
2023 End of Year Wrap Up
The Asian Action Cast wraps up another year of the best (and worst) of Asian and Hong Kong action cinema. Numbers and stats: got 'em. Talking over each other because it's online: in spades. Our yearly tournament having some really unfair matchup brackets? You know it's true! All movies reviewed go into a tournament, and only one movie can be crowned number one. Which movie will reign
New Kung Fu Cult Master Pt 1 (2022)
Wong Jing’s 2022 remake of his 1993 Wuxia epic, Kung Fu Cult Master (Pt 1) is proof that practice makes progress. 30 years of experience gives you special effects, less toilet humor, a wizened Donnie Yen and an actual, honest to god filmed and released sequel (Kung Fu Cult Master (Pt 2) released in the same year.
Ballerina
Deep down we’re all the Ballerina. Lee Chung-Hyun’s 2023 film Ballerina is a character study of quiet pain and loss, punctuated with visceral, over the top action and a villain you love to hate.Starring Jeon Jong-Seo (Rachel Jun) as a cold and detached security specialist in what is sure to put her on the map, Ballerina has a painfully methodical and unspoken narrative. Sparse though it may be, wh
Legend of the Red Dragon / New Legend of Shaolin
Wong Jing’s 1994 Lone Wolf parody, New Legend of Shaolin, or Red Dragon as its known in the west, teams up Jet Li with his martial arts prodigy on screen son Mo Tse to kick some old school poison boogie man ass.
Magic Crystal
The Magic Crystal is Wong Jing’s 1986 first collaboration with Hong Kong Heartthrob Andy Lau, in his most fetching, handsome Puma activewear. This is a globetrotting adventure quest movie equal parts Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Armour of God, E.T., the list goes on - the amazing thing is, its actually pretty good and unequivocally Wong Jing in style. Also, Cynthia Rothrock and the enigmatic Richar
Zom 100: Bucket List of The Dead
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is Netflix’s latest 2023 foray into live-action-ime, adapting Haro Aso’s Manga and anime of the same name. We at the Asian Action Cast could not help but compare it to the (better) anime but still found sparks of joy to warm our zombie hearts.The perpetually optimistic and effervescent Akira Tendo (played by an equally diabetically sweet Eiji Akaso) revels in a zom
Crippled Avengers aka Return of the Five Deadly Venoms
The Crippled Avengers (also known as Return of the Five Deadly Venoms and Mortal Combat!) smashes its iron limbs into your brain this week on the Asian Action Cast, ironically spreading the crippling they received. This 1978 Shaw Brothers. martial arts schlock action fest is exactly what the Kung Fu movie genre needed to get it back on its legs.
Bastard Swordsman
Bastard Swordsman! This Shaw Bro’s 1983 Wuxia extravaganza packs it all in, epic sword fights, trademark jaw dropping sets, costumes and unforgettable cast of characters. But this is not a drill, this is a movie imbued with love, care and the iron will to deliver a fatal fist of wonder straight into your cerebral cortex.Rarely well-paced for a Wuxia epic ‘Bastard’ has truly wondrous and plentiful
Shin Kamen Rider
Grasshopper Power – Activate! The Shin Kamen Rider returns in Hideaki Anno’s 2023 love letter to the original Kamen/Masked Rider, starring pouty Sosuke Ikematsu as titular rider, Takeshi Hongo. Take a journey through visceral action and ambiguous self loathing as the Grasshopper
avenger tears apart his enemies as much as he tears apart his soul.
Organised Crime and Triad Bureau
What happens when Triads and Organised Crime run rampant on the mean streets of 90’s Hong Kong? You call the ORGANISED CRIME AND TRIAD BUREAU! No nonsense hard-boiled, grizzled cliché tough-as-nails Cop-Man Danny Lee leads a semi-shirtless Fan Siu-Wong on a crusade to catch…an even harder, wily, ice-cold Anthony Wong!Kirk Wong’s cat-and-mouse caper is hardly cerebral with contrived stand-offs, con
Punish Evil
The Asian Action Cast Punishes Evil with Colin Chou’s 2022 crime thriller from director Jiang Xiaotong. A violent cat and mouse with Chou’s unhinged thief leading Zhao Da’s Detective Song Hai on an increasingly frustrating and violent goose chase.
The tension builds but the action is sparse and spaced out, don’t expect Colin Chou’s trademark crisp martial arts choreography here. Where fists fly
Samurai Reincarnation
Sonny “The StreetFighter” Chiba? Hiroyuki “Duke” Sanada? Ninja’s, swords, magic, samurais and exploitations? AN EYEPATCH?!?!! Yes folks, take our money indeed. We revelled in this gem from the 1981 SHOUT! Sonny Chiba Collection from Director Kinji Fukasaku starring an impossibly young Duke Sanada and his mentor Sonny Chiba, grizzled one eyed samurai Jubei.No question this film was ‘homaged’ almost
Blonde Fury/Lady Reporter/Righting Wrongs 2
Mang Hoi’s 1989 Action Adventure Thriller BLONDE FURY (plenty blonde, not so much fury) kicks a lot of ass, and with style! Cynthia Rothrock’s she-devil (sporting hilariously unflattering nicknames throughout the movie) demonstrates why she is the foreign queen of the Hong Kong Action Box Office.Rounding out her F.R.I.E.N.D’s are Chin Siu Ho’s less capable sex pest, Elizabeth Lee’s sweet but windo
Dreadnaught
The criminally unknown film, Dreadnaught, is one of Master Yuen Woo Ping’s most underrated films. An ensemble cast with a young Yuen Biao taking the everyman role, everyone from Bryan Leung’s Foon to Yuen Shun-Yi’s truly unhinged villain White Tiger just chew up every scene they’re in.The legendary Kwan Tak-Hing’s Wong Fei Hung delights in all the right ways and very wisely and sparingly used for
