Iron Monkey
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Crouching who, hidden what.
  • Iron Monkey...
  • Iron Monkey
  • A great movie
  • Robin Hood
Iron Monkey
Starring: Rongguang Yu , Donnie Yen , Jean Wang , Shi-Kwan Yen , and James Wong
Director: Woo-ping Yuen
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  1. Once Upon a Time in China Trilogy Once Upon a Time in China Trilogy
  2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  3. Hero Hero
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  5. Fist of Legend Fist of Legend

ASIN: B00005V1Y2
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com

Since the late 1800s, the real-life Cantonese patriot Wong Fei-hung has evolved into an icon of Chinese pop culture, a sort of Asian Davy Crockett. He's been a central figure in Hong Kong cinema since the 1950s, most recently in Tsui Hark 's Once Upon a Time in China series. In this thrilling 1993 adventure directed by Yuen Woo-ping, we meet Wong as an earnest boy traveling with his upright pugilist father (Donnie Yen) and drawing inspiration from the activities of the benevolent masked bandit known as the Iron Monkey (Yu Rong-guang). The sheer physical prowess of the stars is often flabbergasting, and the action set pieces (especially an interlude atop a set of "Chinese poles") are staged for maximum dynamism. In effect, this is a powerful combination of the older, Baltic style of kung fu action and the newer body-slamming style pioneered by Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. This is a perfect martial arts picture to screen for any genre skeptics in your midst. --David Chute

Description

With sensational, nonstop martial arts excitment supplied by the acclaimed choreopgraher of THE MATRIX and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, IRON MONKEY is the spirited tale of a mysterious and mythical Chinese legend. In a desperate and unjust land, where government corruption rules the day, only one man -- known as the Iron Monkey -- has the courage to challenge the system and fight back. Under the shadow of night, in the silence before dawn, he fights to give hope to the poor and oppressed. Although no one knows his name or where he comes from, his heroism makes him a living legend to the people ... and a wanted man to the powers that be! Presented by Quentin Tarantino -- don't miss the exhilarating action adventure that critics everywhere have called one of the greatest martial arts films of all time!

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Crouching who, hidden what........2007-08-09

I like this movie more than Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Don't get me wrong. CTHD was awesome! But this movie made me feel like I was 10 years old again all crouched down in my seat at the matinée.
Funny, action, great costumes and Chinese delicacies (morals).
Great job on this one!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Iron Monkey..........2007-02-15

I love this DVD. When this movie debuted in American Theatres, I noticed that several scenes were left out (people here probably figured that they were too violent and probably would have garnered an 'R' rating - thus shutting out many potential patrons). Get this "Chinese" version and enjoy this action flick "uncut!" Five stars...

5 out of 5 stars Iron Monkey.......2007-01-10

Had everything that a martial arts film should have. Had a good strong plot to it too.If your a fan of martial arts movies...get it and part 2

5 out of 5 stars A great movie.......2006-11-02

Watching Iron Monkey was inspiring, out classing "Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon". The fights scenes were more intense, the diversity of weapons used more varied, and the central theme more focused.

Dr Yang was the iron monkey and Miss Orchid his associate. The power of Iron Monkey is the virtue of his heroic efforts. The governor hates the iron monkey. The governor has managed to steal readily from the people by creating an artificial food scarcity. The community is powerless against the Warlord and the Shaolin monks have been paid for with a price and corruptible. The governor is a political pawn to a very powerful warlord skilled in the Buddha palm poison hand technique, who will fight the iron monkey and tiger Jade, lose, and burn to death.

The iron monkey captures the governor's money and distributes the money to the poor. Dr Yang remains free from suspicion as he treats community resident's sick with the plague.

The community protects the identity of the Iron Monkey. The Iron Monkey maintains peace and order in the community.

The governor learns the Royal Minister is coming to visit and wants to capture the Iron Monkey as a prestige boaster. Jade Tiger accidently engages the Iron Monkey in an brief hand-to-hand combat. Jade Tiger and his son are arrested and brought before the governor. The governor learns about Jade Tigers fight ability and forces Jade Tiger to find Iron Monkey, in seven days, holding his Wong Fei-Hong as ransom. Jade Tiger fight characteristic include umbrella jabs, hooks, and block and rapid foot and leg kicks. After the initial confrontation between Jade Tiger and Iron Monkey, Jade Tiger learns how much the community loves Iron Monkey, as he starves for two days without food.

Miss Orchid eventually offers Master Wong Kay-Ying (Jade Tiger) food and a friendship emerges. Jade Tigers son becomes sick and Dr Yang is summoned by the chief to help Jade Tiger's son, Wong Fei-Hong (Jackie Chan great Hero), who is sick with the plague. Dr Yang nurses the boy back to health and a bond between the families is ensured.

The Iron monkey becomes the force to fight against tyranny of the warlord and his servants: the dragon witch and the swordsman. Iron monkey is poison with the Buddha palm and Jade tiger learns his identity. Iron Monkey and Jade Tiger, the Hun Gar, duet combined to defeat the warlord.

The movie has humorous scenes and lines that are more typical with Jackie Chan movies. The Iron Monkey impersonates the warlord and commands the governor too distribute food from the warehouse too the people and give him all his gold and silver. The governor receives 30 lashings and the Iron Monkey escapes.

The Iron monkey defeats the Dragon Witch with "A Steel ball" that pierces her sword and penetrates her right eye. Iron Monkey uses a steel chain to twist the swordmans sword into a ribbon and then kill him. Iron Monkey and Jade Tiger fight the warlord on poles suspend twenty feet above ground with heat fuel burning below on the ground.

The martial arts scenes are fantastic. Raymond Chow is probably one of the Best coordinator of fighting scenes in the World. The flying stunts are more innovative than Crouching Tiger and Hidden dragon and the hand-to-hand combat more complex combining numerous techniques of five animal style and shadow kicking by Jade Tiger. The MA form highlight was a Staff form performed by Dr Yang, classic Shaolin kicks, spins, aerial manuevers, and 3D movement. The Man seemed to fly everywhere without any strings attached. Excellent.

The movie ends with the death of the Warlord, restoration of peace, and liberation from the oppressive Governor. The Iron Monkey hero is need no more and Dr Yang can continue practicing medicene for the betterment of the community. Jade Tiger and his son earn new-found respect and admiration for each other and return home.

5 out of 5 stars Robin Hood .......2006-11-01

A Doctor who helps heal people, by night he robs the rich and gives to the poor. How he fights a corrupt government official and comes to the aid of a Herbalist who has a son. His passion for a concubine turns to love and how they form a partnership in business. In the end good things happen. Watch the movie, and judge for yourself.
Zatoichi 16 - The Outlaw
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • #16: ZATOICHI THE TRUCE MAKER?
  • This is the review you been looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • A touching and heroic film. Shintaro Katsu does it again.
  • A great film
  • Zato Ichi & his flashing sword provides humor & fast action!
Zatoichi 16 - The Outlaw
Starring: Shintarô Katsu , Rentaro Mikuni , Kô Nishimura , Yuko Hamada , and Toshiyuki Hosokawa
Director: Satsuo Yamamoto
Manufacturer: ANIMEIGO
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  1. Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 17 - Zatoichi Challenged Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 17 - Zatoichi Challenged
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  3. Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 15 - Zatoichi's Cane Sword Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman, Vol. 15 - Zatoichi's Cane Sword
  4. Zatoichi 21 - The Festival of Fire Zatoichi 21 - The Festival of Fire
  5. Zatoichi 23 - Zatoichi at Large Zatoichi 23 - Zatoichi at Large

ASIN: B0001610OS
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars #16: ZATOICHI THE TRUCE MAKER?.......2006-09-03

This 16th episode of Zatoichi tends to have a more complicated plotline than usual. This may be due to the fact that there are quite a few complicated characters in this film. Farmers in the province that Ichi has wandered into have clashed with the local Yakuza bosses, who wish to see the farms fail in order to increase their revenues.

The champion of the farmers are led by two different groups. One is by benenvolent and caring boss who wants to see the farmers taken care of better, and the other is a sort of philospher-samurai who wants to start an agrarian cooperative of sorts. The Yakuza bosses want to see the farms fail, because it will help increase their gambling revenues. Sound a little complicated yet?

The acting in this episode is very good; however, it seems as if the director Satsuo Yamamoto was trying to put too much into this particular Zatoichi episode. Moreover, lost in this film is the noble qualities that we are used to with the Ichi character. I believe too much reliance on severed limbs, and lots of blood was the major problem with this episode. Yes, I am aware that Ichi lives in violent times and the nature of the swordsman sometimes requires the lopping off of a limb or two. But good writing always takes precedence to the violence.

However, the cinematography in the film is absolutely beautiful as usual: The stunning Japanese countryside is shown in all its splendor. I would not say this was the worst Zatoichi film. It could have been better; however, the storyline just didn't go anywhere with me. Recommended, but with caution.

2 out of 5 stars This is the review you been looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-02-09

Here are the pros and conts:

Good:
* Great cinematography.
* Awesome moves by Zatoichi.
* Great acting.

Bad:
* The dvd trailer fool you by showing a horse battle, barrel battle, daylight forest battle and a bridge battle that didn't appear in the movie!!!!!!!!!!
* There were like 3 action scenes in the whole movie and the only one that was cool was the night forest battle.
* To much blah,blah,blah!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes I think that the best Zatoichi movie is Zatoichi goes to the Festival of Fire!!!

P.S: If you like to see movies like this, I recommend to buy the original Zatoichi in 1962.

Adios!!

5 out of 5 stars A touching and heroic film. Shintaro Katsu does it again........2002-05-25

The best entry I've seen so far in the Zatoichi series. The setting in these films seems so real and the stories touch the soul in a profound nature. I found myself tense throughout this entire movie, desperatley yearning for Zatoichi the blind masseur to distribute justice to those who wrong the innocent. The horrors that the villains commit become more and more unbearable and they really get under your skin. Zatoichi of course punishes the wrong doers in the end producing two very memorable fight scenes and leaving the viewer feeling completely fufilled. It should be noted that this episode contains a satisfying amount of blood and severed body parts, something the earlier entries in the series lacked. Great stuff.

5 out of 5 stars A great film.......2001-10-17

This was an excellent movie. Great martial arts action with the sword as well as a good story, acting and characters. I really enjoyed this film and have ordered more of them to view. Zatoichi is a great character and the sword action is incredible.It's really a unique concept in a movie. I highly recommend it.

4 out of 5 stars Zato Ichi & his flashing sword provides humor & fast action!.......1999-06-15

ZatoIchi, blind swordsman of Japan is at his best. The film portrays a historical period of Japanese history largely unknown to Western Audiences.

Ichi once again protects the weak while making fools of the corrupt and powerful. The film provides blend of interesting & unexpected turns of fate with fast paced action.

Definitely a film of the moral high ground. Recommended for all audiences, although some may find the film violent for young audiences.
My Father is a Hero
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • not my favorite jet li movie
  • Some of these JET LI THE COLLECTION movies are really pushing the limits of my patience
  • Easy to forget
  • Dimension destroy another mediocre release
  • question..
My Father is a Hero
Starring: Collin Chou , Mary Ellen Dunbar , Henry Fong (II) , Bonnie Fu , and David Graf
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305131422
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Amazon.com

Probably only the Hong Kong film industry could have produced this bizarre mixture of head-kicking martial arts action and daddy-and-me sentimentality. Veteran HK action director Cory Yuen (Fong Sai Yuk), who staged Jet Li's fight sequences in Lethal Weapon 4, steers the acrobatic Mainlander through a heart-tugging crime saga about a cop who has gone so far undercover that everyone, including his troubled son, thinks he's actually a bad guy. Pop-singing actress Anita Mui (Rouge) is a policewoman from Hong Kong who befriends and protects the kid until father and son reconcile and team up against the crooks. The action episodes, which were performed without stunt doubles or wires, are eye-popping wonders, and the kid, Tze Miu, is a true prodigy. (Sensitive adults may be horrified by some of junior's more extreme stunt work.) The tough-guy emotionalism is often shamelessly effective. But Yuen is a by-the-numbers journeyman director, and for the most part this a flat, square, unimaginative exercise. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars not my favorite jet li movie.......2007-08-22

The original title of this film "My Father is a Hero" describes it best. The movie is about Jet Li playing a father, who is sent undercover on a top secret mission to infiltrate a mob boss - who is one very cold & cynical guy. The mission is so secret, not even his wife and son are informed, and it breaks the heart of his son (who is obviously very close to his father in this film). His wife dies of illness while away, and he fears his son is in just as much danger, when he comes to H.K. looking for his father and also becomes entangled with the mob boss. There are plenty of touching scenes in the film, mostly about family and loss, but leave it to poor English dubbing to ruin the moments.

As with most Jet Li films, you can expect a good deal of action with this one. And unlike his American films, you can expect even more action and longer fights. The only scene that really amazed me was the finale, lasting 7 minutes where Jet Li takes on the boss and his men on the inside of a large boat. The action kind of gets ruined once his son comes in and father uses him as a yo-yo on a rope to take out the guys. Its quite funny looking and obviously totally unrealistic.

The movie didn't flow too well for me, as it proceeds from action to tender moments, back and forth. Just didn't feel right in this film. I might have enjoyed it a little more if the dubbing wasn't so poor. Not a very exciting movie oveall except for some decent action from Li.

3 out of 5 stars Some of these JET LI THE COLLECTION movies are really pushing the limits of my patience.......2006-03-07

I remember when the dubbed voices were somewhat enjoyable, now video game companies do a better job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With that being said, this movie is really bad, very little fight scenes early on, and too many stupid things that happen in what should be life and death situations. Still you can't go wrong with iron monkey vs. jet li. The whole coat fighting with jet just blew me away. I didn't like thwe little kids fight scenes, but it wasn't his fault, the wire work was just way overdone. So overall a pretty stupid movie with outstanding fightscenes, even if they are limited. This movie definitely needs to be viewed in the chinese version though.

3 out of 5 stars Easy to forget.......2004-06-06

Another Miramax chopped up version of a Hong Kong film. The story is half decent, and the action exceptable, but this movie is not hard to forget.

1 out of 5 stars Dimension destroy another mediocre release.......2003-03-26

This is a terrible release of a terrible movie!

For those fans who have watched Jet's movie career go from the sensational Shaolin Temple and Once Upon a Time in China series, it was this movie (along with the Defender) that marked the beginning in Jet's dramatic decline.

This movie is actually called My Father is a Hero, it has been dubbed and cut for American audiences. It is no wonder that many martial arts films are considered plotless and characterless when the US distributors cut them so only action is left!!

The martial arts action is way below par, the kid is more annoying than Macauley Kulkin, and the bad guy's include Ngai Sing, Ken Lo and Yu Rong Guang! These are some great martial artists and the encounter with Jet should have been breath-taking, but there are too many wires and it's a limp finale overall.

buy the asian import of My Father is a Hero, rather than support these butchered US releases. Or even better buy Jet's classic movies (most things pre-1994) + and the Hong kong edition of Fist of Legend

5 out of 5 stars question.........2002-10-09

does anyone know if this dvd is in chinese with english subtitles, or is it dubbed in english?
Zatoichi 24 - Zatoichi in Desperation
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • #24: DARKEST OF ALL ZATOICHI EPISODES
  • Just read this simple review!!!
  • A Strange One
  • UNIQUE ENTRY IN THE ICHI SERIES
Zatoichi 24 - Zatoichi in Desperation
Starring: Masumi Harukawa , Shintarô Katsu , Asao Koike , Yasuhiro Koume , and Katsuo Nakamura
Director: Shintarô Katsu
Manufacturer: ANIMEIGO
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001J0VYK
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars #24: DARKEST OF ALL ZATOICHI EPISODES .......2006-08-30

Many of my friends have commented that this is one of their least liked episodes of Zatoichi. It definetly departs significantly from any of Shintaro Katsu's previous Zatoichi episodes. This entry, which was directed by Shintaro Katsu, is very, very dark and a bit disturbing. Especially when contrasting this episode with Shintaro Katsu's earlier episodes. Missing is much of the humor that one finds with the previous Zatoichi episodes.

For those new to Zatoichi, I would recommend watching his earlier episodes; and in fact, by starting from Shintaro Katsu's first episodes in chronological order. In this way one can see how the character Zatoichi progressed throughout the years the series ran. Many of the episodes are great, if not greater than many of the so-called Samurai Masterpieces of cinema. Just look at "Festival of Fire" to name just one episode.

In this entry, Zatoichi accidently causes the death of an old woman on a bridge. She was on the way to see her daughter. Feeling responsible for the death of this woman, Zatoichi attempts to locate the womans daughter. He finds out that the daughter works in a brothel as a prostitute. Her name is Nishikigi [Kiwako Taichi]. Zatoichi attempts to buy her freedom, but things get a little strange from here. This is the dark part of the film. Things do not go very well for Zatoichi.

Zatoichi is beaten up and tortured in a very horrible way. [I will not give this part away] Also, unlike past episodes, Ichi is OVER-ABUSED in a very rough manner: as the evil men he is up against are much darker and vile as in his previous episodes. Never fear however, Zatoichi does exact vengeance on those who cross him. The cinemantography is great as usual. However, this episode may not be to the liking of many viewers, other than die hard Ichi fans. Recommended. [3.5 STARS]

3 out of 5 stars Just read this simple review!!!.......2004-11-10

This Zatoichi movie is not THAT good!!!
because:
* No awesome moves by Shintaro Kaysu (Zatoichi).
* No action until the ending.
* Zatoichi fight with his hands tied to the swordcane all the time except in the beach scene.
* The ONLY good thing is the BEAUTIFUL colors of the movie!!!

Thank you for lisen.

5 out of 5 stars A Strange One .......2004-08-08

I still give this one five stars , because it is part of What they are outlining as Zatoichi's life and the fact is that he can't see what is going on around him but we can , so with that in mind you can only imagine the reallness that this movie in particular adds to the saga. I will say that I was surprised, as was the friend I watched it with . It is quite a depressing story by itself and I would not reccomend it being the first Zato you veiw but if you choose to don't say I did not warn you. This story in general touchs on the very essence of others and mainly Zatoichi because he is caught up in this huge mess and can't see, so you kind of sit there and feel for him but are helpless, It's really quite ironic , I mean, these are some bad people he's dealing with . I think this one outlines the really really really bad side of human nature that we seldom deal with or see in such an emotional way that is why this movie in particular comes off as quite intrusive to the viewer, it left me scratching my head and kind of quiet like. I will say that the picture sound and overall look of the dvd is outstanding as are all of the Animeigo labeled ones. Perfect.

4 out of 5 stars UNIQUE ENTRY IN THE ICHI SERIES.......2004-06-11

I have about 20 Zatoichi movies, and this one is quite a departure.
It's far darker and grittier than the others. Less humor, but more drama and trauma. But, fear not, the expected carnage; red geysers, flying body parts.

Starting with Ichi accidently contributing to a grandmother's death, going through torture and deaths (beatings, sex abuse, suicide) of children, vividly abused prostitutes, to Ichi's torture and subsequent violent revenge, it stands apart.

Even the music and editing seem experimental. Very 70's. I suspect actor/director/producer Katsu Shintaro was trying to be Michelangelo Antonioni (BLOW UP) or Richard Lester (HELP!).

For Z-collectors, this may be a must. For newcomers, maybe it's a bit harsh.
I knocked off a star because although it was a noble departure/experiment, it
often went a bit too far. I look forward to reading others' opinion on this one.
Revenge of the Kung Fu Master
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Not as good of an editing job as the first double disc set, but still mroe than worth a watch
  • Donnie Yen Delivers
  • Excellent Taste of Asian TV KUNG-FU, Audio Comm Awesome!
  • Conclusion to the Kung Fu Mater
  • =(
Revenge of the Kung Fu Master
Starring: Lo Lieh , and Donnie Yen
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  1. The Kung Fu Master (Special Edition) The Kung Fu Master (Special Edition)
  2. Fist of Fury: Sworn Revenge Dubbed & Spec Edition Fist of Fury: Sworn Revenge Dubbed & Spec Edition
  3. The Tai Chi Master The Tai Chi Master
  4. The Legend of the Wolf The Legend of the Wolf
  5. Shaolin vs. The Devil's Omen Shaolin vs. The Devil's Omen

ASIN: B0000AGQ64
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not as good of an editing job as the first double disc set, but still mroe than worth a watch.......2006-08-26

Let's see here, the 18 bronzemen, Pai Mei, and Fong Sai Yuk. I could keep going but this thing literally tries to be every kung fu movie ever made all rolled into one. Unfortunately we only see a glimpse of all these elements. The directing job is awesome but the editing job just leaves out too much. We get an ending but not a pleasign one. And they even skipped over the general's death. :(

The kung fu is not as good as the first bu overall this is a better story. Well, you actually have to see the full TV show to see what I am talking about. Full screened and cheap looking, but a GREAT TV show!

The commentary is good even though it is only 1 guy and not 5 altogether like the last one. It's all good though, commentaries are rare for kung fu movies and this one by Bey Logan was VERY enjoyable.

5 out of 5 stars Donnie Yen Delivers.......2005-08-12

"Kung Fu Master" and "Revenge of the Kung Fu Master" are nothing short of incredible in my book. Originally action mini-series for Asian television, they effectively combine almost every main stay of the wu xia (heroic swordplay) epic. My recommendation would be to buy both at once.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Taste of Asian TV KUNG-FU, Audio Comm Awesome!.......2004-06-17

Martial arts movies have gone through a number of recyclings, and The Kung-Fu Master and Revenge of the Kung-Fu Master are not overly unique or different than the films of previous generations, but have encapsulated and paid homage to a generation of martial arts filmmakers. The superb cast and abovepar martial arts sequences have come together in a fairly interesting and exciting tale of martial arts involving the Han Ming rebels versus the infamous Manchurian Chings. If this is your first foray into martial arts films, best to start elsewhere, if you have seen martial arts films and crave something different, then the series is well worth watching. Keep in mind, the series is based on Asian Television programming and will have the look and feel of TV, but the production value, acting, and scenes are on par with the best of Asian films. What makes the series so endearing is the overall length and character development of famous martial artists seen in past great kung-fu films such as Wing Chun, Fong Sai Yuk, Master Killer, New Legend of Shaolin, Executioners of Death, and many more films, ie Shaw Brothers. From step one you follow the amazing Donnie Yen as title character Hung Hei-Kwun (Hung Hsing Kwan) from his humble beginnings to the great destruction of Shaolin Temple, along the way you meet a cast of characters, all as interesting and talented as Donnie Yen. Considering the series is edited from an entire season into a few hours on each DVD and still manages to tell a cohesive story is truly amazing. In addition, both DVDs offer dubbed or subtitled soundtracks, I prefer sub but the dubbed version is pretty decent, and the audio commentary from both films merits a 5 star rating automatically. The foremost experts on Asian films and Donnie Yen (1st one only) give insight, humor, and history into the making of the series. This is a true must own for any martial arts film fan and the cost is the same as one mediocre Hollywood action film. Enjoy and keep watching.
Yours truly, John Dae Min

5 out of 5 stars Conclusion to the Kung Fu Mater.......2004-03-11

These two DVSs contain the second part of the story of Kung Fu Master, bringing the original 30-episodes TV show from China to a conclusion. The series on DVD (both Kung Fu Master and the Revenge of the Kung Fu Master) has been re-edited to bring coherent storylines and as well as to cut out some lengthy conversation scenes from the original series. I thought the editing wasn't too bad considering how much they had to cut out. They've edited these episodes to flow well and to create a faster-paced movie out of the series. There are plenty of action, great fight scenes, good character development and interesting story line. I've always enjoyed watching Donnie Yen and I though he did really well here. There are several audio tracks, presented in DDigital 5.1 and DTS in Cantonese, an English track in DDigital 5.1 for those who don't like to read subtitles (I think subtitles are better though), and commentary by Bey Logan a kung fu expert/D.Yen's friend. There's a 12 minute "Making Of" feature. All in all, if you are a Kung Fu fan, this would be something you'd want to check out. We are fortunate to experience a Chinese TV Kung Fu saga edited for us.

2 out of 5 stars =(.......2003-11-05

Kung fu master was a favorite of mine in the martial arts genre due to its solid story and the main character being portrayed by Donnie Yen (Great actor). However, Revenge of the Kung fu master (the second half of Kung Fu Master) is an utter mess. The pacing of the story is absolutely out of control, important key events are not delved into far enough, such as the survival of certain key characters, and a lot of areas made honestly no sense whatsoever.

I have a strong feeling that a lot of the scenes were cut since the story didn't exactly flow very smoothly at all. It's like getting from one side of a canyon to the other without having to deal with the gapping hole that stands inbetween.

Honestly, I would only recommend this dvd package for those who want a conclusion (note: not a very good one) to Kung Fu Master.
Last Hero in China
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
  • What?????
  • a big present in the final fight
  • Jackie Chan is NOT in this movie!
  • Awsome!!
Last Hero in China
Starring: Jet Li , Pak-cheung Chan , Chung-Shun Chu , Tiet Wo Chu , and Alan Chui Chung San
Director: Woo-ping Yuen , and Jing Wong
Manufacturer: Beverly Wilshire
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  5. Once Upon a Time in China and America Once Upon a Time in China and America

ASIN: B00004ZES2
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Unfortunately, I was disappointed........2007-01-10

I am writing this review without having even seen the movie itself, for the shock I got as I received this product was enough. I got the dvd, and the first thing that hit me was that the cover did not fit on the box well.. why? because it was printed on a home printer, and when I opened it, the product itself apparently was burned at home as well. Basically, I paid for an original movie and got a bootleg.

4 out of 5 stars What?????.......2006-02-28

This was such an awesome movie.

Remove everything you ever knew about the Once upon a time in china series from your head, except for Jet Li playing the serious Wong fei-hung. Then make this movie one of the craziest and funniest movies ever and stick Wong fei-hung in the middle of it. What you have is a very enjoyable movie. And as much as I did like it, the music was the best part for me. For those of you that know the OUATIC series, you know Tsui Hark was the first ones to put lyrics in a movie to the Wong fei-hung theme song. Well then Jing Wong was the second. Great Soundtrack.

All you people trying to stick through it all the way, please wait until the end fight.

4 out of 5 stars a big present in the final fight.......2004-06-24

Not widely regarded as an extension of the "Once Upon A Time In China" series, "Last Hero In China" tends to go unmentioned as far as guilty-pleasure entertainments go. I believe that the film's quality (though the Wong Jing humor is debatable) is right on par with the series, as once again Jet Li braids his hair to assume the identity of Wong Fei-Hung and rip some naughty miscreants a new one. Yes, Jet Li is in the role NOT Jackie Chan, as Amazon's blurb mistakenly implies. Though both actors have personified the role, it is in this film's final fight that I finally got to see Jet Li's bout at Drunken Boxing for my first time ever (thus the review's title). If he does it in older movies, I haven't seen it yet. But he demonstrates the stance with all the effortless acrobatic ability his legions of fans have grown accustomed to. Plus, Yuen "you only wish you could choreograph action like me" Woo-Ping offers us a shot at Fei-Hung delving into Chicken Style against a ten-man centipede, plus numerous other wire-fu goodies that'll put a stoned grin onto any viewers face.
No real special features on the disc to even mention save the inherent but ever-necessary widescreen, but then again I own the HK version. The only drawback...? Where's Auntie 13 (Rosamund Kwan)? She writes Fei-Hung a letter in the movie, but that's all we get. Sigh... But enjoy -- this is as ridiculously fun a movie as you could want from Sir Jet.

3 out of 5 stars Jackie Chan is NOT in this movie!.......2004-03-01

I'm not sure what movie Amazon thinks this is, but it's actually a Wong Fei Hong pic starring Jet Li. And it's not his best, either. Yuen Woo-Ping did do the action choreography so it does have great fight scenes. Story was lacking though. Please, Amazon, try to get the titles and stars on these Chinese movies correct for once.

5 out of 5 stars Awsome!!.......2001-05-03

This movie is very cool. I rented it and now I went out and bought it. It's an amazing movie, the story is interesting, but the fighting scenes are really incredible. During the movie, a fight breaks out nearly every 2 minutes and what really got me was the unique fighting style. The quality of the film is mediocre, but what can you expect from a film made in 1978. I think 16 dollars is a little pricey for a movie that is this old and with nearly no quality improvements on DVD. But overall I highly recommend this movie to any Kung Fu enthusiast; it's one of the best Jackie Chan classics.
Venom Mob Films Presents - Old Skool Killaz: Young Hero
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Venom Mob Films Presents - Old Skool Killaz: Young Hero
    Starring: Aaron Kwok , Lung Ti , Maggie Cheung , Chien-lien Wu , and Kenneth Tsang
    Director: Johnny To
    Manufacturer: Crash Cinema Media
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    ASIN: B0009Q0FF0
    Release Date: 2006-03-21

    Description

    Hwang Jang Lee's form and high kicking highlight this film, a tale of revenge and counter revenge. The fists fly and the kicks are high as Young Hero makes its DVD debut!
    Enter the Invincible Hero
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Average at best, but Dragon Lee fans will for sure love this one
    • Great Action...Hmmm?
    • Old' skool" Kung Fu!!
    • LIKE FISTS OF FURY AKA BIG BOSS BUT BETTER
    • Dragon Lee is my [man]!!
    Enter the Invincible Hero
    Starring: Chui Man Fooi , Dragon Lee , and Casanova Wong
    Director: Godfrey Ho
    Manufacturer: Ground Zero
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    5. Secret Rivals 2 - Revenge of the Gold Fox Secret Rivals 2 - Revenge of the Gold Fox

    ASIN: B000059H7G
    Release Date: 2001-02-27

    Customer Reviews:

    2 out of 5 stars Average at best, but Dragon Lee fans will for sure love this one.......2007-08-08

    Dragon Lee stars as a young man who meets up with his long lost brother (played by Cassanova Wong) and decides to help an escort service. He keeps getting robbed and finds out that his brother is behind the robberies. He fights his evil brother when he finds out he is behind the robberies, but his kung fu isn't good enough. Dragon is forced to leave town and he trains really hard so he can come back and defeat his brother.

    The movie is like any other Godfrey Ho movie. The story is as basic as it gets, and the movie has all sorts of odd cheesy touches to it. There are not enough fight scenes, but there are a couple of good ones at the end.

    The fighting is a lot of fun. It is very sloppy and cheesy, but there is just so much energy put into it. Guys are always flying around doing kicks and flips and Dragon Lee is trying to do Bruce Lee impersonations every chance he gets. Dragon Lee's movements look pretty silly, but you can tell he has some talent. Dragon Lee could have been much more successful if he had worked with better fight choreographers. Cassanova Wong looks spectacular in this movie. Kim Won Jin and Hwang Jang Lee are probably the only ones in kung fu cinema history that can stand up to Cassanova in kicking abilites. He is the fastest kicker I have ever seen. And you don't know cheesy martial arts action until you have seen a Dragon Lee movie. In one scene he finds out his opponent's special power is located on his belly button. The same thing actually shows up in Revenge of the Drunken Master.

    2/5

    3 out of 5 stars Great Action...Hmmm?.......2007-03-19

    Yeah this movie did have great action in it, but my reason for a 3'star rating was because of the picture quality and editing miscues, but overall it's pretty good! Plus maybe i need to more movies of Dragon Lee or Fake'Lee...he's decent with his skillz but i still say the end fight with tha Master', he should have lost! They could've thrown Bruce Li' in there and he would've made a better showing ( more charisma)! This movie should be remastered to get a better rating....but a good pickup for true kungfu fans!!!

    4 out of 5 stars Old' skool" Kung Fu!!.......2006-07-02

    Based on the hype, right here on amazon, I rushed out the get this flick, and yes,,I do agree it really is an amazing old school performace by Dragon lee,,aka,,Casanova lee. I really enjoyed this from the start to finish,,,there were really no boaring parts. This is definately a must have,,,you can't go wrong!!

    5 out of 5 stars LIKE FISTS OF FURY AKA BIG BOSS BUT BETTER.......2006-05-31

    yo! when you watch this movie you might think this is a ripoff of the "fists of fury aka the big boss" and it kinda is but with a little more flavor to it. instead of bruce lee you have dragon lee 6 years later. he like bruce lee takes on an army of lackeys to get to the traitorous boss who deceives the people played korean superkicker casanova wong. the action inb this movie is great but 1 descrepency they look like they are not hitting each other and the typical godfrey ho soundbytes. the battle between dragon lee and marty chu is kinda entertaining because marty chu seems to be a great hand specialist much like tsui siu keung but not nearly as talented. dragon lee vs. casanova wong is worth the price of admission alone. i mean its kicks against kicks galore. and you can dragon lee in the beginning having fun beating down the great lee hoi sang so pick this one up and dvd features, picture, sound quality is great.

    5 out of 5 stars Dragon Lee is my [man]!!.......2001-08-09

    The first time I went to N.Y. C. Time Square was when I was little,and my dad took me to see two Dragon Lee flix. He is mad crazy!Built like Arnold and with Bruce's face.Dude makes these weird face expressions.he's off the hook. So I can understand why the Wu Tang family would put Dragon Lee in they line up. All the flix I've seen with him have been wild,including this one.He fights this snake fist dude,and a iron Belly master and other strange styles. RZA talks this up before the flick. It's a crazy flick,but you'll really like it. Bring some friends over and kick back with Dragon Lee!!Peace!!
    Born to Defense
    Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
    • Bad, just bad
    • Weak plot, and bad acting
    • JET LI'S BEST MOVIE TO DATE
    • Great movie!!!
    • Jet's only foray into directing!
    Born to Defense
    Starring: Kurt Roland Petersson , Jia Song , Paulo Tocha , and Erkang Zhao
    Manufacturer: Dimension
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    ASIN: B0001KL3A0
    Release Date: 2004-05-11

    Amazon.com

    Kung fu superstar Jet Li (Romeo Must Die, The One, the Once Upon a Time in China series) makes his directorial debut with Born to Defense. When a Chinese soldier (Li) returns from fighting Japan, he discovers that his home town has become a base for the American navy. The arrogant and abusive sailors treat the locals with brutal disrespect, stirring up anger and violence. Of course, Li comes to the defense of an old friend and his daughter, who's been forced into prostitution. It's a good thing Li hasn't quit acting; the script is pure melodrama and Li's fledgling direction doesn't rise above that. But, as ever, the fight sequences are many and vigorous, especially a lengthy one-on-one donnybrook in a rain-drenched boxing ring between the diminutive Li and a huge naval officer. --Bret Fetzer

    Description

    Unstoppable international superstar Jet Li ("Cradle 2 The Grave," "The One") makes his directorial debut while delivering unbelievable hand-to-hand action in this sizzling martial arts thriller. After returning from war, a young soldier (Jet Li) finds his humble hometown occupied by a corrupt foreign navy. With rampant corruption compounding the hardships he encounters every day, the time is soon at hand for Jet Li's character to stand up and use his incredible martial arts skills to defeat dishonest sailors. Loaded with realistic, high-impact fight scenes, BORN TO DEFENSE brings you all the hard-hitting excitement you expect from the legendary Jet Li! Written by Sze Yeung Ping and Jie Er-Ge. Directed by Jet Li.

    Customer Reviews:

    2 out of 5 stars Bad, just bad.......2006-03-06

    I saw this on TNN, and NOW I have heard the worst dubbing job ever. The storyline isn't very bad, but everything else sucks in this movie. It sucks that it was Jet Li himself that put him in this position. That being said, he is VERY young in this movie, and can't act. It's surprising he is as good as he is in the Once Upon a Time in China series, because he showed no promise here. The fight scenes are almost watching in this, but highly NOT recommended by me.

    2 out of 5 stars Weak plot, and bad acting.......2004-06-06

    Had it not been for the few decent action scenes, this movie may have never made it past editing. Jet was young in his career, and was unfortunately handed the script for this film.

    The movie starts off with Jet, a solider, engaged in a heated battle with the Japanese. He and a friend later return to the city only to discover that it has drastically changed. Foreigners are everywhere belittling the Chinese culture. Jet soon makes enemies with an American soldier, who will try relentlessly to destroy him.

    Unless you buy the 3 DVD pack that includes Shaolin Temple, Bodyguard from Beijing, and this movie, I'd honestly suggest avoiding this at all costs.

    5 out of 5 stars JET LI'S BEST MOVIE TO DATE.......2004-05-18

    THIS MOVIE WAS DIRECTED BY JET LI IN 1985. IT WAS RELEASED FOR YEARS IN VHS AND DVD FORMAT WITH BAD PRINTS. NOW DIMENSION HAS TAKEN IT AND ADDED IT TO THE JET LI COLLECTION. GIVING IT A SHARP RAZOR CRISP PICTURE. THE MOVIE TELLS THE STORY OF A SOLDIER RETURNING FROM COMBAT. HE MEETS UP WITH HIS OLD FAMILY AND FRIENDS. BUT LUCK WILL HAVE YOU GETS INTO A FIGHT WITH THE LOCAL AMERICAN SOLDIERS STATIONED THERE. IM GUESSING THE MOVIE WAS SET IN A PORT CITY DURING CHINA WWII. THE FIGHT SCENES DONT INVOLVE FLING AND DEATH DEFYING. THEY RELY ON JET'S RAZOR SHARP SPEED AND AGILITY. I GUARANTEE IF YOU WATCH THIS MOVIE YOU'LL BE SHOCKED TO SEE JET LI USE THE FIGHTING STYLES HE DOES. AND HOW HIS FACE GET BEATEN TO A BLOODY PULP EVERYTIME HE ENGAGES IN A FIGHT. AFTER A FEW BLOODY BRAWLS AT THE LOCAL TAVERN WITH THE SOLDIERS, THE SOLDIERS CROSS THE LINE AND MURDER THE TWO PEOPLE JET HOLDS DEAR. THEN HE GOES INTO A KILLER FRENZY. JET LI IS ONE OF THE BEST ACTION STARS IN CURRENT MOVIES. HIS LAST MOVIE "HERO" SHOWED HE IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING SERIOUS DRAMATIC ROLES. JET IS THE LAST OF A DYING BREED OF MARTIAL ARTISTS WHO DIDN'T RELY ON COMPUTERS TO AIDE THEM IN THERE FIGHT SCENS. HE DID IT ALL BY HIMSELF WITH SOME GOOD STUNT CHOREOGRAPHY AND HERE HE DOES JUST THAT.

    4 out of 5 stars Great movie!!!.......2002-08-21

    Jet Li does a good job of directing this film. It's a good tale of revenge and all out hardcore fighting. Jet does a reely good job of acting in this film, the Americans don't do that good. Jet doesn't do that much "real" boxing since he uses his legs sumtimes in the ring. Anywayz I reely like this film a lot and the fightings reely good all out hardcore blood shed fighting. At the end Jet and the Tall American commander go all out using ther legs and chains, hammers, huge screws and etc. Good stuff. You''l be cheering jet on as he beats down the ones who black mailed him and killed his Uncle and neice.

    4 out of 5 stars Jet's only foray into directing!.......2001-10-18

    "Born to Defense" is the first-- and only-- film directed by Jet Li. Personally, I consider it a worthy film, even though it is not among his finest. Jet portrays a Waorld WarII vet who, upon returning to China with his army buddies, finds that the American and British troops are receiving the heroes' welcome, while the Chinese who fought alongside them are neglected. This intolerable state of affairs comes to a head when some thuggish US Navy members begin assaulting Jet and some of his friends. Naturally, this film can only end with Jet ripping these guys to pieces! Interestingly, Jet displays a talent for boxing, something I've seen in none of his films before nor since "BTD." There are some pretty good action scenes if you can handle the atrocious acting by just about everyone in the film, and the boxing scene that evovles into a full-blown bar brawl is quite good. This DVD has one of the most horrible transfers I've ever seen; it appears to have been hanging around in someone's bathroom for the past fifteen years. The four-star rating is just for the film itself. "Born to Defense" may not please the casual fan, but Jet's fans shouldn't miss it.
    Hero of Shanghai
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A genre classic!
    Hero of Shanghai
    Starring: Hero of Shanghai
    Manufacturer: Videoasia
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

    GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
    BetrayalBetrayal | By Theme | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
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    ASIN: B00009WHT9
    Release Date: 2003-08-19

    Description

    The place: Shanghai. The time: 1921. The Japanese aggression towards China is getting stronger each day. Enter Hsueh Ao-Lin (Chen Kuan Tai), an agent of the government sent to uncover the Chinese traitors helping the enemy. Once inside, Hsueh must fight both the Japanese and his countrymen for his sake, and the future of China. Shaw Brothers superstar Chen Kuan Tai plays a classic heroic role, much like his previous films Bandit from Shantung and Man of Iron. The blood-soaked climax is among his best. Definitely in the Shaw tradition!

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A genre classic!.......2003-09-14

    This is the perfect film for those of us who love the classic Shaw Bros. films of the 1970's.Films like Vengeance and Man of Iron.
    Shaw star Chen Kuan Tai is in fine form,using his Monkey Fist expertise to great use.
    Production value is top notch.Only drawback is a sagging story line.But the action more than makes up for it.
    The DVD is hosted by Shaw Star Philip Ko Fei,who gives a great interview and demonstration.
    The highlight extra is a documentary on the Shaw Studio,hosted by David Chiang.
    A great film in a great package!

    DVD:

    1. Jackie Chan's Police Story (Special Collector's Edition)
    2. Kathy Smith - Cardio Knockout
    3. KICKBOXING #2 - D
    4. Killers, They Never Mess Around
    5. Kontroll
    6. Lady Iron Monkey/Eagle Fist
    7. Lamborghini: A Living Legend
    8. Las Muertas de Juarez
    9. Last Alarm
    10. Legendary Pirate Movies (Captain Kidd / The Son Of Monte Cristo / Long John Silver's Return To Treasure Island)

    DVD

    DVD