Month: July 2024

Today’s quick review: Crippled Avengers. As punishment for minor offenses, Tu Tin-to (Kuan Tai Chen) and his son Chang (Feng Lu) cripple Chen (Philip Kwok) by blinding him, Wei (Meng Lo) by deafening him, Hu (Chien Sun) by cutting off his legs, and Wang (Sheng Chiang) by inflicting brain damage. The four men join forces and undergo rigorous martial arts training to overcome their handicaps and get revenge.

Crippled Avengers is a martial arts action movie about four fighters hunting after the men who crippled them. The movie takes a simple premise and fleshes it out with a large cast and varied fight scenes. Chen, Wei, Hu, and Wang develop specific fighting styles to compensate for their missing faculties, and the fight scenes explore how these styles work in tandem. Strong choreography and a serviceable plot make the movie worth checking out.

Crippled Avengers takes a different appraoch to its action than later martial arts movies. The fight scenes resemble stage choreography more than real fighting, giving the action a graceful but artificial quality. The upshot is that the feats of acrobatics on display are superb. The cast moves like they were born for it, and the camera rarely interrupts them in the middle of a stunt.

The movie also features a solid plot progression that serves to supplement the action. The story is a basic cycle of revenge, but the escalation from the initial injuries to the training sequence to the series of fights against Tu’s men is satisfying. Viewers who are looking for nuanced drama may be disappointed by the one-dimensional conflict, but anyone who’s focused on the action will find that Crippled Avengers caters to its strengths.

For a martial arts action comedy with similar quality, the same director, and an overlapping cast, try The Five Venoms. For another martial arts movie about young fighters seeking revenge, try Martial Arts of Shaolin. For a more stylized American martial arts movie about a man who fights using prosthetics, try The Man with the Iron Fists.

[7.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077292/). I give it a 7.0 for impressive stunts and a thin but adequate plot.

Today’s quick review: Legend of the Red Dragon. Seven years after their village was massacred for defying the Emperor, Kwun (Jet Li) travels with his son Ting (Miu Tse), practicing martial arts along the way. While working as a bodyguard, Kwun confronts a con artist (Chingmy Yau) and her mother (Deannie Ip). But the enemies become allies when the traitor Ying Lee (Chunhua Ji) comes looking for a map to a Shaolin treasure for the government.

Legend of the Red Dragon is a martial arts action movie starring Jet Li. The story follows the adventures of a father-son duo who are in hiding from the Imperial Chinese government. What follows is an eclectic mixture father-son bonding, childhood bullying, low-grade criminal antics, resistance to an oppressive government, and fantasy-tinged martial arts. Legend of the Red Dragon has its moments but it is much more uneven than similar films.

Legend of the Red Dragon has plenty of action, but it is less focused than other martial arts movies. The individual fights include one-on-one fights between Kwun and the con artist, contests between Ting and his bullies, brawls with Imperial troops, and fantasy-laden fights with the supernaturally augmented Ying Lee. The stunts are creative and executed well, but the fantasy elements are haphazardly chosen, resulting in some odd conflicts.

The story suffers from a similar lack of focus, chasing tangents that have only a partial connection to the main plot. The premise—a father and son on the run from soldiers and forced to take odd jobs to survive—is a promising one, but the drops it quickly as first the con artist duo and then Ying Lee show up to disrupt the plot. Likewise, Ting’s conflicts with the local children and a plot point about hidden Shaolin treasure never quite fit.

Legend of the Red Dragon is a fairly entertaining watch for fans of the martial arts genre, but both its action and its story are uneven. Those willing to go along for the ride will enjoy the quality of its stunts and the creativity it shows. However, the movie finds itself outclassed by other martial arts films that are more cohesive.

For a more grounded martial arts drama starring Jet Li, try Fearless. For a martial arts action movie that makes better use of the fantastic, check out Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Hero. For a ridiculous martial arts comedy that parodies the quirks of the genre, try Kung Pow: Enter the Fist. For a father-son story set in Prohibition-era America, check out Road to Perdition.

[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110054/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for eclectic action and storytelling.

Today’s quick review: Martial Arts of Shaolin. Lin Zhi-ming (Jet Li), a Shaolin monk in training, runs away to get his revenge on Lord He Suo (Yu Chenghui), the man who killed his parents. Along the way, he meets up with Si-ma Yan (Huang Qiuyan), a young woman also seeking revenge, and her protector Chao Wei (Hu Jianqiang). But when their assassination attempt fails, the three must flee across the country to escape He Suo’s men.

Martial Arts of Shaolin is a martial arts action movie starring Jet Li. Three young fighters become unlikely allies as they run from the lord they failed to assassinate. Martial Arts of Shaolin features flashy action, a serviceable plot, and touches of comedy that offset the serious revenge story at the movie’s core. Although it has its flaws, Martial Arts of Shaolin is a fine pick for fans of the martial arts genre.

Appropriately enough, the main appeal of Martial Arts of Shaolin lies with its fight scenes. The movie takes a broad approach to its action, with big fights involving dozens of combatants and a variety of weapons. While the fights lack the immediacy and tension of the one-on-one duels seen in other martial arts movies, Martial Arts of Shaolin compensates with large-scale action, flashy stunts, and a final fight that lets its stars show off.

The story is basic but enjoyable. The three heroes get to know one another as they travel together, avoid He Suo’s soldiers, and try to return Si-ma to her home. None of the characters are particularly deep, but they have enough foibles to make them human. Their interactions are enough to fill out the story and give some meaning to the fighting.

Martial Arts of Shaolin fits in comfortably with the other solid hits of the martial arts genre. Neither its story nor its action are exemplary, but they are both interesting enough to entertain. Critical viewers will do better with a more robust martial arts drama, such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Ip Man. But those who are looking for well-choreographed action should give Martial Arts of Shaolin a try.

For an adventure with a similar story but a different flavor of action, try Hidden Fortress. For another movie about the travails of martial arts students in a historical setting, try Sword Masters: Two Champions of Shaolin. For a more fanciful martial arts movie with similar appeal, check out The Five Venoms.

[6.5 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091607/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for good fundamentals.

Today’s quick review: Once Upon a Time in China. During the Westernization of China, Master Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li) runs a martial arts school that trains soldiers for the Chinese militia. His disciples earn the wrath of the governor (Wong Chi-yeung) when they defend Leung Foon (Yuen Biao) from a local gang. Taking the blame for the damage his students caused, Wong must find and defeat the leader of the gang (Yau Kin-kwok) to clear his name.

Once Upon a Time in China is a historical martial arts action movie starring Jet Li. The movie follows a martial arts master and Chinese patriot as he tries to keep his school afloat in a city ruled by foreign interests. Facing damage to his reputation, false accusations of conspiracy, and a slew of dangerous opponents, Wong must fight for his school and his principles. Great action and a decent setup are hurt by slow pacing and rough characters.

The great strength of Once Upon a Time in China is Jet Li, along with the character he plays. Master Wong is a sober, responsible man with high ideals and an unmatched talent for fighting. Seeing him cope with the burdens placed on him is satisfying, and the movie does a good job of keeping him at a disadvantage. The action scenes are also impressive, with skillful stunt work and creative choreography involving guns, ladders, and more.

The trouble is that Once Upon a Time in China does not play to its strengths. The early stages of the plot wander aimlessly, shifting focus repeatedly until the stage is finally set for Master Wong. The movie also indulges in too much comic relief for a film that is ultimately a drama. Characters like traveling actor Leung Foon and Wong’s apprentice Porky Wing (Kent Cheng) hog the spotlight, and their antics have dire consequences.

The outcome is a martial arts movie that has a lot going for it once it finds its rhythm, but which suffers from issues with its tone and pacing. Fans of the genre who are willing to put up with an awkward start should give Once Upon a Time in China a shot; the fight scenes alone make it worth checking out. But depending on your taste in storytelling and comic relief, the action will come with a cost.

For a more serious historical martial arts movie with similar themes, check out Ip Man 2. For another one starring Jet Li, try Fearless. For a martial arts comedy with a similar plot, try The Legend of Drunken Master.

[7.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103285/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for strong action, a meandering plot, and weak comic relief.

Today’s quick review: Once Upon a Crime. Julian (Richard Lewis) and Phoebe (Sean Young), two Americans living in Europe, end up on the lam when they stumble on a murdered body in Monte Carlo. Meanwhile, Neil (Jim Belushi) and Marilyn (Cybill Shepherd), an American couple, get involved with Augie Morosco (John Candy), a compulsive gambler, making them the other suspects in Inspector Bonnard’s (Giancarlo Giannini) investigation of the murder.

Once Upon a Crime is a crime comedy about five Americans who are wrongfully accused of murdering a wealthy old woman in Monte Carlo. Through a series of accidents, the Americans end up as prime suspects, and their attempts to avoid the blame only make them look more suspicious. Once Upon a Crime features chaotic situations and over-the-top characters, but its miscalibrated humor ends up being more blunt than funny.

Once Upon a Crime’s problems begin with its characters. The Americans are high-strung and exaggerated, coming with pre-packaged foibles for the movie to exploit. Unfortunately, the gimmicks the movie chooses are not very enticing. Julian, Neil, and Augie are loud and abrasive, and they earn none of the sympathy needed to make their antics work. Phoebe and Marilyn fare better, but their more understated characters are drowned out by the men.

Once Upon a Crime has better luck with its plot, although it still misplays its hand. The movie has a workable premise, and by the end it settles into a nice whodunit, complete with flying accusations and ludicrous plot twists. But Once Upon a Crime takes way too long to get there, instead wallowing in subplots that have no bearing on the investigation. The result is an unfocused story that cannot make up for the movie’s comedic missteps.

Once Upon a Crime earns a few laughs around the edges, but its boorish characters and rambling plot are a steep price to pay. Fans of John Candy and Jim Belushi will get the most out of the movie, and anyone who doesn’t mind the characters’ quirks will gets something out of the madcap story. But as it stands, Once Upon a Crime is at best hit-or-miss and at worst outclassed by its competition. Most viewers should approach with caution.

For a more focused crime comedy about an American couple vacationing in Europe who are suspected of murder, try Murder Mystery. For a comedy with a similar sense of humor and similar flaws, try The Out-of-Towners, starring Steve Martin. For a better-calibrated comedy that takes place in Monte Carlo, try Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

[5.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101625/). I give it a 5.5 for a promising setup and cast with flawed execution.

Today’s quick review: Be Cool. After witnessing the murder of a record executive by Russian gangsters, movie producer Chili Palmer (John Travolta) goes into business with the man’s widow, Edie Athens (Uma Thurman). As Edie scrounges up the $300,000 her husband owed to Sin LaSalle (Cedric the Entertainer), Chili tries to poach a promising young singer (Christina Milian) from her abusive manager (Vince Vaughn) and his boss (Harvey Keitel).

Be Cool is a crime comedy and the sequel to Get Shorty. The movie follows an ex-loan shark’s further adventures in Los Angeles, this time as he tries to break into the music industry. Be Cool keeps the same lead and overall tone as the first movie but swaps out most of the supporting cast. It scores some points thanks to Travolta’s performance, but recycled jokes and an unfocused plot make it a step down from the original.

Be Cool tries to hit the same beats as Get Shorty, but it has less skill. Many of the gags are lifted verbatim and end up being too predictable. The less direct references take the form of characters and situations that echo the first film but have a new twist. Unfortunately, the new additions are mediocre at best. The characters are not as fresh, the conflicts are not as compelling, and the writing trends towards self-indulgence.

Be Cool can still be a fun watch, largely due to Chili’s unique personality and a slew of jokes that halfway hit the mark. Anyone looking for a light crime movie with a chaotic plot may want to check it out. But anyone hoping for a polished and original movie in the tradition of Get Shorty will be disappointed; Be Cool apes the superficial aspects of its predecessor without carving out enough of an identity of its own.

For another crime movie starring John Travolta and Uma Thurman, check out Pulp Fiction. For a crime comedy in the same vein, try The Whole Nine Yards. For a Hollywood mystery with a comedic bent, try Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Finally, for a chaotic crime movie with more even storytelling, try Jackie Brown.

[5.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377471/). I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for modest entertainment value that’s missing the spark of the original.

Today’s quick review: Get Shorty. Chili Palmer (John Travolta), a Miami loan shark, travels to Los Angeles to collect a debt for Ray Bones (Dennis Farina). While he’s there, Chili makes friends with movie producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman) and horror actress Karen Flores (Rene Russo). Sensing a chance to break into show business, Chili helps Harry put together a new movie project and pay off the money he owes to Bo Catlett (Delroy Lindo).

Get Shorty is a crime comedy about a loan shark who finagles his way into a job as a movie producer. Chili’s talent for solving problems makes him a natural fit for Hollywood, cutting through bad deals, attempts at intimidation, and actor hesitancy to get the job done. His unorthodox tactics give Harry the chance to pull off the deal of his career, but only if they can string along Bo long enough to pay their debt.

Get Shorty has a knack for chaos. Chili, Ray, Harry, and Bo are all working their own angles to get a piece of the cash that’s at stake, including a briefcase of money Bo put up for a drug deal, the massive contract Harry signed for his next film, and the small fortune in fraudulent insurance money Chili was sent to collect. Seeing the men trick, negotiate with, and outmaneuver each other is one of the great joys of the movie.

Get Shorty also gets its characters right. Chili Palmer is just tough enough without being ridiculous, and his calm, polite demeanor contrasts nicely with the chaos around him. Harry is a producer whose creative accounting has landed him in hot water, while his girlfriend and former star Karen acts as the voice of reason. Ray and Bo round out the cast as offbeat criminals who think they can make a fortune by ripping off Chili.

Try Get Shorty if you enjoy quirky characters, sharp dialogue, and convoluted plots that tie together neatly at the end. Get Shorty takes an odd route to get to its destination, following Chili on an adventure with no clear endpoint in mind, but dynamic characters and smartly chosen plot threads see the movie through to a satisfying finish.

For a crime comedy that takes a similar approach toward criminal enterprise, try The Whole Nine Yards. For a darker comedy with a similar attitude and a Hollywood setting, try The Nice Guys. For an even more chaotic crime comedy, try Lucky Number Slevin, Snatch, The Gentlemen, or Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. For a more dramatic, stylized crime film starring John Travolta, try Pulp Fiction.

[6.9 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113161/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for clever writing and a great cast.

Today’s quick review: My Spy. After botching an undercover mission, CIA agent JJ (Dave Bautista) is put on surveillance duty with his partner Bobbi (Kristen Schaal). Their targets are Kate (Parisa Fitz-Henley), the sister-in-law of arms dealer Victor Marquez (Greg Gryk), and her daughter Sophie (Chloe Coleman). But when JJ blows his cover, Sophie blackmails him into spending time with her family and teaching her the tricks of his trade.

My Spy is an action comedy about a spy who befriends a nine-year-old girl to maintain his cover. Dave Bautista stars as JJ, an excellent soldier who lacks the subtlety to succeed in his new career as a spy. At the same time, his compassion makes him a great companion for Sophie, a bright young girl who is struggling to find her footing after losing her father. Excellent leads and some fun action make My Spy a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

My Spy is less of a spy movie than it bills itself as. JJ and Bobbi are on a surveillance mission that isn’t expected to pay off, so their duties are limited to watching Kate and keeping Sophie from telling her mother about them. The action is similarly limited to a few sequences near the beginning and the end, although these are flashy enough to make up for lost time.

But even though the spy side of the story moves slowly, the characters more than pick up the slack. Chloe Coleman is a perfect choice for Sophie, who uses blackmail to get JJ to take her places, teach her spy tricks, and even date her mother Kate. Sophie has a knack for catching JJ off-guard, and their easy chemistry is an endless source of humor. At the same time, the simple ways that JJ helps Sophie and Kate gives the movie some heart.

Give My Spy a shot when you are in the mood for something light, funny, and friendly. The movie is not ambitious for an action movie, but its light tone and organic sense of humor make it a fun time for the right viewer. For a more action-packed comedy about a spy befriending a civilian, try RED, Knight and Day, or Central Intelligence. For another offbeat take on spy work, try Spies in Disguise or Get Smart.

[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8242084/). I give it a 7.0 for great comedy and a good character work.

Today’s quick review: Central Intelligence. Twenty years after being a high school superstar, Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) leads a depressingly ordinary life with his wife Maggie (Danielle Nicolet). But that changes when his high school friend Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson), now a CIA agent, asks Calvin to help him recover satellite codes stolen by the Black Badger, codes that CIA agent Pamela Harris (Amy Ryan) believes Bob stole.

Central Intelligence is a spy action comedy starring Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. Calvin is an accountant who feels that he never lived up to his early potential, while Bob is a sensitive CIA agent who channeled his self-esteem issues into a muscular body. Central Intelligence plays the two men off each other on an off-the-books mission to save the world. Great chemistry and decent action make the movie an entertaining watch.

Central Intelligence draws most of its appeal from the interplay between Hart and Johnson. The pair are perfectly matched, and their characters play to their strengths. Calvin acts as the fast-talking straight man thrust into a situation beyond his ability to cope with, while Bob continues to throw him curveballs with his mixture of friendly, clingy behavior and dangerous spy gambles.

If Central Intelligence has a main weakness, it is that its plot is not as robust as it could be. Bob’s hunt for the Black Badger provides an impetus for the action but not much else. There is no larger world that the movie is trying to build up, only a small fragment of a generic spy mission for Calvin and Bob to interact with. The characters are also more cartoonish than they could have been, robbing the movie of some needed depth.

Overall, Central Intelligence is a solid popcorn watch that delivers excellent comedy, some entertaining action, and a minimal amount of story. Fans of either of the leads will have a fun time, but the movie gambles on them to the exclusion of all else. Anyone who dislikes either Kevin Hart or Dwayne Johnson may want to steer clear.

For a raunchier comedy about a man in a dead-end job dragged on a dangerous adventure after an encounter with a high school friend, try The Do-Over. For another spy comedy with Dwayne Johnson, try Get Smart. For a similar comedy with Kevin Hart, try Ride Along. For a crime comedy about a dissatisfied hitman at his class reunion, try Grosse Pointe Blank. For a classic comedy with a similar dynamic between the leads, try The In-Laws.

[6.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1489889/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for enjoyable comedy without much substance to back it up.

Today’s quick review: The Transporter Refueled. Frank Martin (Ed Skrein), an elite driver with a special forces background, gets dragged into a war between ex-prostitute Anna (Loan Chabanol) and her abusive pimp Arkady (Radivoje Bukvic) when Anna kidnaps Frank’s father (Ray Stevenson). To free his father, Frank must help Anna steal documents from Arkady’s lieutenants that will give her access to Arkady’s vast criminal fortune.

The Transporter Refueled is an action movie about a driver roped into a series of dangerous crimes. The fourth film in the Transporter series replaces Jason Statham with Ed Skrein, kicking off a new adventure with a new cast of characters. The movie aims for the same blend of high-octane car chases and martial arts action as the previous films. However, basic stunts and a weak lead make it a subpar choice as far as the action genre goes.

The Transporter Refueled never pushes itself as much as its predecessors. The action scenes are passable but not memorable, with the usual car stunts, hand-to-hand combat, and firefights. The movie tries something original with one or two fights, including a fight between two walls of drawers, but these never rise above the level of midly interesting.

The Transporter Refueled also misses with its characters. Ed Skrein makes for a lackluster Frank Martin, with none of the charisma or menace that Jason Statham brought to the role. Ray Stevenson fares a little better as Frank’s dad, a retired spy and ladies’ man, but the move presumes a rapport between them that doesn’t really exist. Loan Chabanol lacks the spark to make her part stand out, making Anna little more than a plot device.

The Transporter Refueled is a marked step down from the previous Transporter movies. Fans of budget action flicks may get something out of the movie, as it checks off the basics of the genre. But even among the budget offerings, there are movies with better stunts, more experimental plots, or more memorable failures. Give The Transporter Refueled a shot only if you’re looking for a bit of action and don’t need to be impressed.

For a better take on the character, try The Transporter or its other sequels. For another Jason Statham action movie that shows more creativity, try The Mechanic or its sequel. For a car-focused series of action movies with larger budgets and sharper writing, try any of the Fast & Furious movies.

[5.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2938956/). I give it a 5.0 for low-effort action, a weak lead, and a mediocre story.