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Reviews
Kick-Ass (2010)
Spiderman meets Superbad meets Ninja Assassin
Super Kick-Ass film. The level of bloody action never disappoints with a good dose of humour. I have seen the clips and read the reviews. Thought cool I have to see it to believe it. The story is a about a typical geeky high school kid who's real super power is invisibility to girls until he decided that he can no longer stand and watch the petty crimes that takes place. He donned a rubber costume that he bought on line and decided to do something about it in the form of 'Kick-Ass'. I won't spoil the rest of the story. Just go and watch it. If you are a fan of hard core comic violence you are in for a treat. Especially Hit-Girl. You will feel a bit uncomfortable about what looks like a 11 year old girl with killer instincts of The Bride (Urman Thurman)in Kill Bill, but she is so awesome that every time she is the screen trash talking or mass murdering you will cheer her on. My bad.
Huo Yuan Jia (2006)
Probably the best Jet Li Film
I like Jet Li. I think he is a good successor to the great martial arts idol Bruce Lee, but his films are some what hit and miss. Bad ones are namely films set in modern times with exception of The One. His period pieces are far better. It is a shame that he has vowed that this would be his last period martial arts film. Judging by Danny the Dog and Kiss of the Dragon he should stick to what he does best.
**********Lots of Spoilers************* The film is about Master Huo Yuanjia a man who is obsessed with being the best fighter and love the attention he gets by sycophantic fans and disciples that he forgets his true friends and family. An unfortunate turn of events lead him to he killed a rival by wrongfully defending the honour of one of his followers and ultimately his ego. A circle of revenge killings ensued until Master Huo Yuanjia realises that it was his fault that his child and mother are slain in this brutality.
He ran away and found some solace in a mountain village where he learnt the simpler things in life.
He went back after a few years to start a kungfu school, with help from his friend, where pupils were taught to respect fellow human beings and fighting is only the last resort for defending oneself.
This is however set in the stage of time when China was being slowly occupied by the Europeans and the Japanese. Chinese were considered as weak human being by the Occupying Press and challenges were made to prove otherwise. Master Huo Yuanjia rose to the challenges. I am glad that his European and Japanese opponents in the ring so to speak were not complete cardboard bad guys (with the exception of the German Lancer). Master Huo was eventually poisoned by a 'rouge' Japanese business man and his Japanese opponent gave him the full respect he deserved. Not quite sure whether this is political correctness gone too far or it happened in real life. Historically what happened to the Chinese under Japanese occupation after doesn't bear thinking. I am sure there must have been a lot of honourable good Japanese at the time. It's a shame that like the Germans in those days were manipulated by greedy politicians and venture capitalists.
Bangrajan (2000)
Brave Heart in Spirit
I have to say I enjoyed the film even though I am one of those 'Evil Burmese' :). I am a big fan of Asian cinema being originally from the region. I am happy for the Thais for their world class cinematography and western style action films. Bang Rajan is truly a good action film. One which gets you in the spirit of their struggle and determination to fight off invading foes. However it is a dramatised, one sided, modern day 'propaganda' film. Comparisons to Brave Heart I understand. Like Brave Heart this would have inflamed past bitterness towards the neighbouring country men (and women). May have even resulted in some public disturbance and crime. Film makers should be more responsible in what they make as films do influence the way people think. I have seen this with many historical genres in films such as 'American Indian Wars' , 'The Vietnam War', 'WWI and WWII' etc. Where film makers start off with seeing the other side as the complete epitome of savagery and evil, but later films view them as humans as well. I hope that some Scots and Thais rise up from their past bitterness and see that the people who oppressed them are humans too and things have moved on since those medieval times.
The action here is relentless and blood-thirsty. It does not glorify war. You will see war as it is. Crime against humanity with civilian loss and suffering and not the televised clean stikes against enemy targets like some computer game that you see today .The characterisation is however lacking. If the director had spent a little more time for the audience to get to know the main characters better the overall impact of their courage and sacrifice would have been greater.
Where Brave Heart is a drama set in the background of the Scottish struggle against the English Occupiers, Bang Rajan is a merely an action film about Thai villagers bravely defending their homeland and died free against a much larger superior Burmese invading force. Ordinary Thai citizens stood their ground while the proper Thai armies ran away without even protecting their own Capitol Ciy. Ony if they had such courage as these ordinary folks. A little reminiscent of the Alamo or The Seven Samurais as someone said but not as well polished.