5 comments about Kill Bill - Volume 1 [UMD for PSP].

1. This is one of my favorites movies of Tarantino, and see it in the PSP is great



2. Director Quentin Tarantino really blows up minds with this movie. One of the best films made in this time. Tarantino takes us back in time to an almost samurai movie, mixed with today's reality and problems. Uma Thurman's caracter the bride is a "super hero" for women of nowadays. Really great movie, original plot and lot's and lot's of blood and overall ACTION....



3. This film was so bad that after 5 minutes, even the guys in our group were groaning. We all voted to immediately turn it off and watch something else.
   
   A violent version of "Dumb and Dumber and Dumbest (the director)".



4. Kill Bill - Volume 1 (UMD Mini For PSP) was a great movie for the PSP.



5. "Kill Bill" was either a disaster-in-the-making or a one of a kind hit -- a sprawling revenge flick that had to be cut in two and released separately. But director Quentin Tarantino serves up entertainingly mindless gore and twisted thrills in "Kill Bill Volume 1," a salute to homages.
   
   Tragedy strikes the Bride (Uma Thurman) on her wedding day: The Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (DiVAS) attacks and slaughters the guests, the groom, and wounds the very pregnant Bride herself. Her former boss/lover Bill (David Carradine) finishes the bloodbath by shooting the Bride in the head. But despite his efforts, she isn't dead.
   
   A few years later, the Bride wakes to find that she has been in a coma for a few years, and has been being used as a sex toy for rent. After recovering enough to move, the Bride gets a sword sharp enough to "cut God," and goes on a revenge spree against the people who wrecked her life and killed her baby, including Cottonmouth (Vivica A. Fox) and the deadly O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu).
   
   Don't expect cinematic art in "Kill Bill Volume 1." If anything, this is cinematic pop art, a loving tribute to cheesy martial-arts flicks and westerns. Tarantino even inserts a stretch of anime detailing O-Ren's background. It's pure Tarantino, untainted by typical directing methods and immensely entertaining if you switch off your critical faculties, refrain from asking "How the heck could that happen?"
   
   "Kill Bill" isn't for the weak of stomach; over 450 gallons of fake blood are used in both movies. But the blood usage is more "Monty Python" than "Braveheart"; it's so over-the-top that it's silly and sick rather than disturbing. So is the violence -- hacking dozens of people down without getting so much as a scrape is impossible, but it's sure fun to watch.
   
   Tarantino throws out more one-liners than just about any other filmmaker around. The absurd "Trix is for kids" line aside, there are a number of great lines like "Those of you lucky enough to have your lives take them with you. However, leave the limbs you've lost. They belong to me now." The script teems with impossibilities, but they seem plausible enough in this alternate reality that Tarantino has cooked up. Call it Tarantinoland.
   
   Uma Thurman, with her yellow tracksuit and katana, rules the screen as the Bride. Despite the Bride cutting down people by the dozen, it's impossible not to appreciate her. And the best supporting performances come from Liu as the ruthless O-Ren, Carradine in a brief but intense appearance, and the wonderful, underrated Chiaki Kuriyama as evil schoolgirl Go-Go Yubari.
   
   It's silly, it's creepy, it's gaudy, and somehow it's vastly entertaining. Tarantino's special triumph in "Kill Bill Volume 1" is to somehow rope his vast store of movie homages into a gory, action-packed storyline, and one that is, at the very least, hard to forget.

5 comments about Warriors of Heaven and Earth.

1. My brother told me I should watch "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" (2003). Truth to be told, I was somewhat sceptic, as his taste in movies is somewhat different to mine. All the same, I must say that in this case he was right.
   
   This film is quite original, due to the fact that it is set in 7th-century China, but at times seems like a Western. To make it a little stranger, there are some supernatural elements that fit the plot and make this movie something that you are not likely to forget.
   
   One of the main characters is a Japanese warrior (Kiichi Nakai) that has been in the service of the Chinese Emperor for a very long time, and that just wants to fulfill his last task before returning home. Unfortunately for him, that implies finding and killing a Chinese outlaw (Wen Jiang) that used to be a soldier, but that was condemned to death when he refused to kill a group of women and children. The two warriors play a game of cat and mouse, but decide to make a short truce in order to defend a caravan carrying a holy object, that is being attacked by bandits that want to steal it.
   
   There are plenty of well-choreographed fights, but also opportunity to think about themes such as duty and honour. You will also appreciate the beautiful scenery of the Gobi Desert, and the brilliance with which the director (He Ping) was able to tell this story.
   
   From my point of view, this is not a film that will only please those highly interested in Asian cinema. I think that everybody that is fond of an entertaining movie will appreciate "Warriors of Heaven and Earth", even though those who like epic films will certainly like it more. Recommended!
   
   Belen Alcat



2. I can't fault the Bluray, the movie looks really nice. Too bad it is extremely boring - just rent this instead.



3. Warriors of Heaven & Earth [Blu-ray]
   "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" will excite audiences interested in Asian cinema. This is the story of Japanese soldiers in China during the Warlord period of history when the two cultures (Chinese and Japanese) clash. Japanese soldiers go AWOL (Absent Without Leave) in China and are hunted down by other Japanese soldiers sent to "bring them in" for the Japanese government officials. This film is a cinematic delight filled with action, adventure and superb fight scenes.



4. I ran across the DVD of Warriors of Heaven and Earth and as the price was right I decided to give it a shot. Having already fallen in love with Japanese films I though I could give a Chinese film a try - and I am definitely glad that I did.
   
   Warriors of Heaven and Earth is NOT just a swordfighting action movie, nor is it a martial arts, "Wire-Fu," movie. What Warriors IS is a dramatic story with well rounded characters that has some fantastic action/fight sequences. Actually, I'd say that this movie, in some respects, reminded me of a more dramatic Indiana Jones movie. All the visual splendor is there, all the adventure and excitement and peril is there as in an Indiana Jones movie, and there's even a bit of the supernatural like an Indiana Jones movie. Where it departs from Indiana Jones is in the drama department.
   
   The script for Warriors of Heavan and Earth is very, very good. Many characters are fleshed out and well rounded, the plot makes sense, and the pacing is excellent throughout. This is a touching movie, as the two main characters who are supposed to fight to the death learn to respect and even like each other - but it's not done in a forced or unnatural way. It's done slowly, with their actions providing the foundation for the respect and admiration they develop for each other.
   
   The Amazon.com review mentions Warriors being a bit of a Western, showing more than a little John Ford (particularly The Searchers), and that is absolutely true. Director He Ping (or Ping, He, if you prefer) definitely channeled both John Ford and Akira Kurosawa while he was making this movie. Sure, there are bits of Spielberg and Yimou Zhang (or Crouching Tiger era Ang Lee), but those bits are kept to a minimum, and work to great effect WITH the John Ford and Akira Kurosawa elements.
   
   Now, maybe comparing ANY director to John Ford and/or Akira Kurosawa is unfair. I don't think any director is going to live up to those comparisons, but in this case you can see the clear inspiration for He Ping's work on Warriors of Heaven and Earth.
   
   The DVD itself is very good, with excellent picture and sound quality, multiple language audio tracks, a nice, "Making Of," documentary, and several trailers for this and other films of interest.
   
   If you haven't seen an Asian movie, but like Westerns or historical epics, this would be a great film to start with. If you are already a fan of Asian Cinema, then I think from reading my review and the others already here you've got a good idea of what this movie is like.
   
   Definitely RECOMMENDED.



5. I very much enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Hero was pretty darn good, in my opinion. Slightly less enjoyed House of Flying Daggers though it was still quite good. Jet Li's Fearless was okay.
   
   Read several reviews of recent (post-1990) martial arts movies. The description of Warriors of Heaven and Earth sounded appealing.
   
   Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed. Far from the epic fantasy that I was expecting and hoping for (a la Crouching Tiger or Hero), this movie felt more like a Martial Arts version of a Spaghetti Western.
   
   There wasn't much "heaven" or "magic" portrayed in the movie (barely toward the end) and what little of "Earth" was showed was mainly a few forest shots and then lots of drab Desert.
   
   In all, not the worst movie I've ever seen, some may like it. The fights, though few and far between, have their moments. Thus far, I'm enjoying Curse of the Golden Flower more (I also like the set design and costuming more). I'm also looking forward to watching The Legend of the Black Scorpion. I might pick up "Legend of the Shadowless Sword" once released too. Will let you guys know how those go.
   
   For now, I'd label this one a "rental" unless you're a hardcore fan and have seen everything else. Crouching Tiger and Hero is is not (in terms of artistry, costuming, etc.).

5 comments about The Super Inframan.

1. This is a must have for your DVD collection
   or at leat rent it.
   
   I saw this on Tv when I was a teen and loved it. Have not seen it since.
   Very happy it has been released on DVD.
   
   If you have not seen it you are in for a treat.
   Its one of those not done the best movies but thats
   one reason it is so good. Surprised it did not become a
   cult classic.
   
   This film came out about the sametime Ultraman started in Japan.
   I read this was Chinas answer to Japans hit Ultraman.
   
   Apparently it was not a hit in China since no other Inframan films were done that I know of.
   
   Remember this was made during the period of the Chinese
   hardline Communist goverment.
   
   The Cd Rom question from a earlier review.
   
   If you cd drive is a dvd is will have DVD printed on the front of the drive.
   
   Put the disk in the drive. When the movie comes up see if the DVD menu will let you get to the Cd rom features. If not stop the movie and close the DVD player.
   
   Click on my computer, then right click on the Cd drive picture there.
   On the menu that comes up click on explore. This will take you to the contents of the disk. Look at the folder names you should be able to tell
   which one has the Cd rom stuff in it. Click on that folder to open it.
   Then click on the files you want to run.
   
   If it has sub folders you can still tell which folder has what by the name.
   Click on the folder you want to open then on the file to run it.
   
   Click= double click
   
   Note- Copy protection on the disk may not allow access to the contents of the disk thru My computer or to the folders on the disk if they come up.



2. I am not normally compelled to write reviews for products or movies online, but when I found out this movie had been released on Region 1 DVD I absolutely HAD to buy it. This disk is so much better than I had imagined I thought I'd spread the word. I never thought in my wildest dreams that a beautiful widescreen print of this 1975 Chinese film with the original bizarre Peter Fernandez-produced English dub would ever hit North America. Thankfully I have finally been proven wrong! Previously only available as a Region 3 disk and VCD, this movie singlehandedly caused me to buy a region-free DVD player. Heavily influenced by Japan's "Ultraman" and "Masked Rider" television series, this cult classic has everything you need: motorcycles, monsters, martial arts, a cyborg superhero and a frenetic pace. The movie is almost non-stop action and is suitable for just about all ages. One word of warning to parents--this disk contains literally dozens of trailers (and other extra goodies) for other Chinese genre movies. The trailer for one particular movie has English subtitles at the bottom of the screen and an on-screen character drops an "F-bomb". Otherwise, you can throw out your grainy, washed-out bootlegs and pick up the best bad movie ever made.



3. In the late sixties and early-to-mid seventies there was an explosion in Japan. That explosion, which rocked the Japanese culture and sent shockwaves clear into the present day, was the advent of Japanese superhero television programs, namely ULTRAMAN and its many popular imitators. In 1975 Hong Kong jumped on the rubber monster-man bandwagon with their colorful and zany, kung-fu choppin' monster fest: SUPER INFRAMAN. What exactly "INFRA" is suppose to mean or imply is unclear. The dictionary lists "infra" as meaning "under, below, beneath or (my favorite) inferior". So, in essence, what we have is "SUPER INFERIOR MAN". I guess that means he not just inferior ... he's SUPER inferior! Regardless of what it's creators had in mind, SUPER INFRAMAN is a fun 88 minutes of creative men-in-monster-suits action (and I do mean ACTION). You'll see karate choppin', super rocket kicking, growing to giant size, flying, laser shooting, head bashing, throwing, x-ray vision, super punching and flip-floppin' all over your TV screen. Although the film was released in '76 it looks fresh and new, the DVD widescreen transfer is absolutely clean and beautiful. The bottom line: If you're a fan of ULTRAMAN or any of its ilk, you're sure to enjoy INFRAMAN. Give it a try, you'll be glad you did!



4. This is a great transfer of a great scienvce fiction/kung-fu action monster movie. IT is so filled with wall to wall action that it borders on insane. I remember seeing TV spots for this film in 1977. It has these cool cyborg type villains who shoot mace-like projectiles on springs from their arms. Inframan himself bounces around and does flips and cartwheels as though HE is on springs. A horrible pan and scan VHS tape was released in the early eighties. This DVD has a fantastic picture and is in widescreen. So you wont miss any of the action. The english dubbed track is lifted from that earlier theatrical/video release. It was recorded by Titan sound Inc. and you can hear the voices of Ultraman regulars like Peter Fernandez of Speed Racer. This is really the original Chinese cut of the film, so the animated american opening credit sequence is not here to be seen. This is a shame since it is an improvement over the bland chinese titles. It should have been included as an extra. But, basically, this is the best way to see Inframan. I believe the "INFRA" in Inframan is short for "infra-red". There was a lot of research into this at the time. Inframan's costume is red. And there was an Ultraman spin-off character called Redman in the early seventies, so it all kinda ties in.



5. Welcome to the worst costume party your communtity college drama class has ever thrown. Super Inframan is everything that you expect it to be by looking at the cover and the title. A man is chosen to undergo physical alterations to stop the world from being taken over by Princess Dragon Mom and her eclectic group of monsters... rubber costumes, paper mache props, ridiculous logic and scenarios, awful dialogue and acting, incredibly dated effects, it's all well represented here. Normally this type of movie would be right up my alley, so why didn't it win me over this time? I think the problem is that although the movie is bad, you can tell everyone involved cared and put enough effort into it to raise it above z-grade shlock (it is a Shaw Bros. picture). In fact, for 1975 the movie is actually kinda good (in a really bad way... confused yet?). While I was hoping for a complete and utter piece of garbage filled with unintentional laughs, what I got instead was a mildly entertaining exercise in below average monster movie film making? I'd compare this to a Power Rangers marathon as it seems like alot of fun at first but shortly after it begins you realize the error in your judgement and change the channel. Obviously by looking at all the other positive reviews, this movie provides enough charm and entertainment to appeal to some and I can understand that... it's the little Shaw Bros. "Ultraman" clone that could after all (maybe I just wasn't in the right mood?). All of Image Entertainments Shaw Brothers releases have fantastic picture and sound and this one is no different.

5 comments about Biography - Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon (A&E DVD Archives).

1. This Biography in my opinion was definately one of the best introductions to how Bruce really was. It shows and tells about him as a person all around, a 360 degree profile. From when he was acting as a boy, to becoming the martial arts master he lives on through this documentary of the legend that is Bruce Lee. Out of all his movies, this is the one I've probably watched the most. It helps capture the essence of his character. A very inspirational telling about his art and the steps he had to take in order to achieve the level of fluidity and beauty he produced, or better yet, was produced through him. 5 out of 5 most definately



2. If someone told me "Bruce Lee was a philosopher" a few years ago, I would have laughed out loud.
   I've loved Bruce Lee as Martial Arts expert/performer/action_movie-pioneer for years and years, but the stuff I read about Bruce Lee's philosophy and ideas in general was always muddy, oddly put together, and or tough to read.
   This bio is concise, informative, and not repetitive the way a lot of early A&E Biographies were. And of course, the best thing about this DVD, is that you see and understand that Bruce Lee was more than a physical phenom that moved (more than anyone I've ever seen) in what could be posted in wikipedia as "Poetry in Motion."



3. Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon is great DVD! this video explains the history and biography of the greatest Martial artists of all time, Bruce lee! This documentary video gives you insight on how Bruce Lee became famous! This video has rear clips and video of Bruce lee performing his amazing martial arts demonstration on film and television. It has interviews with Bruce Lee's family and friends including his late son, Brandon Lee. I recommend it.



4. 
   I really liked this biography since I am a big Bruce Lee fan but the only this is that I found it to be very short. I would still recommend to any Bruce lee fans out there.



5. The Biography - Bruce Lee: The Immortal Dragon(A&E)
   is awesome! It tells about Bruce Lee's life and about his fighting skills.
   I'am female fan of Bruce Lee 'til now....I still doing his fighting method; to defend myself from bad people.

5 comments about 3 Ninjas Kick Back.

1. Victor Wong does it again with his cinematic Ninja-y magic, and the boys are back this time and ready to kick some serious booty! This movie is a pure delight.
   
   After the first 3 Ninjas movie, I was thinking how great that these 3 Ninjas can work together to fight the powers of evil, because ninjas customarily work very independently, like a brain surgeon or electrician would. Masters of the ninja sciences know that they are bound by duty, honor, and super high kicks, so to find 3 Ninjas that are on the same page...well, that's just amazing.
   
   The story of 3 Ninjas Kick Back is loosely based on the famous novel "A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," and for history buffs the film is like a whirlwind travelogue set during the decline of the Roman Empire, with very clear allegorical references to the struggles between the infamous Rasputin and Catherine the Great. When the 3 Ninjas find their three backs against the wall, they fight bad guys like they are going out of style!!!
   
   I love 2/3 of the ninjas, but there's one I just can't stand. You know the one I'm talking about. He's lousy.
   
   A brilliant movie that will make you glad to be a ninja or a lover of ninjas.



2. My youngest son loves this movie and my older sons remember watching it when they were younger. Fun movie.



3. If you have the fist and last movie in this trilogy I think you should buy the 3 ninjas kick back because if you like high kicking fun and adventure and in this movie the 3 ninjas traval tha japan to give a knife to the winner of a ninja contest it is geat fun a recomend this movie t0 anybody that is interested in ninja and likes fun moments



4. This and Surf Ninjas are awesome. This movie has slapstick humor and would reccomend for kids or people who are really high.



5. I swear that this should've kept in mind the age difference in this movie. The rest of the films seemed to run quite well except this one where they had Rocky and Colt look like they were 16 or 17!

5 comments about Bulletproof Monk.

1. if you like the fighting movies u will love this one. it was a great movie and i would also recommend any jet li or tony jaa movie as well.



2. It's a good movie, If your into the action and comedy type movie



3. If you like heavy action movies, this one may disappoint. If you like an engaging movie with believable characters, a good plot, believable action sequences and a little comedy thown in, get this movie!



4. Tibetan Buddhism is a pure betrayal of Buddhism, of Buddha himself. It dares go beyond Buddha's teaching and reinvent a divinity of some kind where Buddha had taught there could not be any God anywhere. The great force that leads the universe in the eternal cycle from birth to rebirth via decay and death is transmuted into some kind of prophecy about some kind of truth to keep against human greed in order to save the world, and that truth is entrusted to one person who remains beyond aging, will not decay in other words, for as long as he will carry this trust and responsibility. When the time has come he will have to transmit his responsibility to the newly elected person who fulfills the three prophecies and the guardian will finally age and take a vacation leaving the burden to the new warden. Buddha would be ashamed of such primitive beliefs if he could witness such naïve sagas. And the film goes slightly beyond by deciding that the new warden will be double and will be a man and a woman, a heterosexual couple in one word, Hollywood trying to save Tibetan Buddhism from the righteous accusation of being deeply and profoundly and exclusively sexist, that is to say anti-women, or at least closed to women. It also takes advantage of the film to move Tibet to New York, to add a little bit of Nazism in all that, and to entrust the serious mission to two Caucasian non-Tibetan "goyim" instead of one good old Asian, Tibetan if possible, Buddhist monk. But that is only a film. True. But what a laughable fable. Luckily there are the spectacular fights and contortions and acrobatics to save the whole fairy tale from too much shallowness.
   
   Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines



5. Okay... this is a bad movie. I'm fully aware of this. The story line is cheesy, its historical accuracy is grossly questionable, and a good portion of the acting is overdone. So why in the world did it get three stars from me? I have to come clean, this is a guilty pleasure. I'm fully aware it's not a good movie, in fact I'm probably out of my mind for enjoying it this much, but I thought it was fun!
   
   Basically the movie premise is about this ancient Tibetan scroll that supposedly gives its reader power over the entire world. The movie starts off in the past, around 1943, where a Nazi general comes to find it. Yes, like everyone else, I was wondering why the Nazis were in Tibet in 1943. Chow Yun-Fat is introduced and becomes the protector of the scroll, then the movie fast forwards into more modern times where he ends up running into Seann William Scott's character, Kar. This is where the film takes more of its comedic twist, sometimes Scott's character can get annoying, but I think the movie gets a lot better when Jaime King's character enters the picture. For some reason her character tempers Scott's over abrasive presence on the screen, because he's playing the guy that always has something to prove and she has nothing to prove. It just blended well. Anyway there are people after the scroll and it essentially falls to these three people to protect it. That's basically how the action is generated throughout the film.
   
   I'm not a connoisseur of martial arts films by any means, so I won't even pretend to be. The martial arts and action throughout the film, I found, to be pretty good and entertaining. Though I wish King's character had fought the German guy's granddaughter for a lot longer. There was definitely enough action to keep the film moving. For me I just found the movie fun to watch. Watching Chow Yun-Fat trying to deal with Scott's character definitely had its amusing moments.
   
   Anyway, there really isn't much else to be said for this film. Ultimately it's not a good movie, but I had fun with it, which I think is what was intended. It's clearly not meant to be a very serious movie so if you can get beyond that, you might be able to find some merit in it. Granted I don't see how this could ever become someone's favorite movie of all time, but I certainly wouldn't say this is the worst by any measure.

3 comments about T'ai Chi Fundamentals.

1. Here you learn this wonderful and powerful ancient exercise, Tricia makes it so easy to follow. The results are unlimitted, easy to follow step by step. I highly recommend this dvd to anyone who is interested in learning Tai-Chi. This is the best starter tool.



2. "T'ai chi fundamentals" is a system developed in the 1990's in Madison, Wisconsin, by Tricia Yu. It breaks down the core movements that are used in the traditional t'ai chi form and teaches them in such a way that the beginner is able to concentrate on great technique from the outset. In other words, it is not the traditional form, but facilitates learning it. There are very specific ways to breathe, stand, bear weight, balance, etc, in t'ai chi, and these can be overwhelming to Westerners since they're so different from the way we usually tend to breathe, stand, etc. So I think the Fundamentals are a really good way to learn.
   I am studying T'ai Chi Fundamentals with a colleague of Tricia Yu, so I'm getting the training right from the dragon's mouth, you might say. I'm using this video to practice on my own, and thus it's extremely helpful. I can see, however, that it might not be so helpful to one who is trying to learn on one's own, without a teacher. It moves pretty fast and doesn't spend a lot of time on details. The instruction almost seems to assume that you're practicing something already learned, rather than learning afresh.
   I think this would work best as a reinforcement/practice tool for someone who is learning this system.



3. This DVD offers the beginner a way to understand the principles that are essential to Tai Chi practice whithout being overwhelmed. Simple practice sessions with this DVD allow the practitioner to make measurable progress in their own Tai Chi. The demonstrations with the mirrors make this by far the easiest DVD to follow that I have tried. The simple instructions in posture and breathing are enough to make this eries worth it. Consider the companion book as weill since it has some extra warm up exercises that are fun and challenging.

5 comments about Shadow Man.

1. Steven Seagal was never a great actor, even in his prime. He was a good action star though. I've always had some respect for him as he's a 7th Dan in Akido and a respected martial arts practioner. However this is a sadly unconvincing film that does him no credit at all.
   
   Now rapidly approaching the age of 56, Seagal has put on a lot of weight and his acting and delivery is even more wooden than it was. Sure the fight scenes are good, close-up its obvious he knows his stuff and you wouldn't want to mess with him, but as an action star his time has passed. The plot such that there is really isn't worth describing, and the only redeeming element was Imelda Staunton's performance as the American Ambassador, which is a class above the rest of the cast.
   
   My recommendation rent don't buy this.



2. I'm a Seagal fan and this is a must have for all Seagal fans. This is one of his better action movies. I'm giving this movie 5 stars based on the action alone. There is an explosion at the start of the movie which was done very well. This is not the type of special effects I expect in a direct-to-video release. This was more of a big budget movie explosion. A bomb in a car explodes causing a huge fire ball, and the shock of the explosion shatters windows. The second reason this movie gets 5 stars is the action was great. The car chase was excellent. There were many gun fights. The martial arts fights were good. The third reason for 5 stars is the supporting cast was very good. The person who plays the CIA officer and the person who plays the local police chief were exceptionally well acted parts. This movie gets a R for lots of violence and nudity.



3. A great Segal movie where he takes care of a problem that needs to be done.



4. As much as I like Steven Seagal and his movies, I must admit that I found very little to like about "Shadow Man" - Seagal's 25th action feature, directed by Michael Keusch (who would go on to direct the equally poor Seagal flicks "Attack Force" and "Flight of Fury"). Everything from the storyline, production, acting, and action falls completely flat, to the point that I began wondering where the more approving reviews on Amazon came from.
   
   The storyline basically goes like so: Seagal is Jack Foster - a "Fortune 500" business owner, a grandmaster of martial arts, a father of an 8-year-old, and an ex-CIA operative. When travelling to Romania for the 5th anniversary of the death of Jack's wife, his daughter Amanda (Skye Bennett) is kidnapped and Jack is targeted by Romanian officials and mobsters who believe him to be in possession of a devastating new biological weapon.
   That sounds straight-forward enough, but fact is, this is one of the most convoluted Seagal films that I have ever seen. As an action hero, Seagal has never really needed brainiac storylines to get over, but the script of "SM" calls for the plot to take at least two disorienting twists, feature a supporting cast the size of China (only about a third of which are actually of relevance to the picture), and require the viewer to juggle the intentions of several characters amidst the general chaos.
   
   That last aspect might be fine...if there was a single interesting character in the whole movie. Seagal is kept distant not only from everybody in the film, but also from the audience - not displaying any hint of emotion, which ends up making Steven look like a big, deadly jerk. Eva Pope ("Coronation Street") is easily the best performer, but that's not saying much. And after seeing how well he got along with Camilla Belle in "The Patriot", one would think Steven could squeeze out a smile or a convincing hug for Skye Bennett as his daughter, but the ever-cold Seagal even keeps her from shining.
   
   Even the production is sub-standard: the film utilizes the "shaky camera" technique to maddening effect, and action scenes (especially the first car chase) are cut so swiftly and irregularly that you'll hardly have time to register what's going on in half of the shots.
   Oh, and speaking of action scenes, there aren't enough of them; Seagal busts out an aikido move every half hour, but besides some gunfights, that's about it (he does, however, manage to shoot down a combat helicopter with a .45 pistol - that should count for something).
   
   In conclusion, I would only recommend this film if you particularly enjoy Seagal's direct-to-video efforts, because it'll take some commitment to get to like this one.



5. I really enjoyed this movie its one of seagal's better films, he looks alot fitter in this movie which is good to see. yes i must admit that The movie was good but not great, there are many flaws that were quite obvious, The first car chase scene after the explosion was not shot very well, the camera shakes quite alot in that scene and in a few other scenes too and seagal? well, he looks almost too invincible in almost all of the fights/gunfights which were extremely short too and seagal's voice is so soft that you can barely hear what he says in some parts(i think he needs to improve on that).
   
   There was alot of good things i enjoyed though especially the supporting actors they were great, the story was good and the movie is fast paced, so i'm sure most seagal fans will enjoy this movie.

5 comments about Code of Silence.

1. This is Chuck Norris at his best...Being a B-level action hero(after such A-level icons as Charles Bronson Clint Eastwood,and Slyvester Stallone)most of the Norris output was commonplace,with Karate and Kung-Fu taking up a lot of the on-screen action..Here Norris plays a cop in Chicago who is confronting not only a drug cartel,but corruption within his own department..Norris limits the kung-fu moves,and gives what is for him a stand-out performance,battling the bad guys while trying to sort out who is and who is not corrupt on the force...Another plus is the score for this film,written by David Michael Franks,who scored many of the early Steven Segall action films..If ever a gritty,funky,streetsmart jazz score blended perfectly with the on-screen action this was it..When"Code of Silence"came out in the theatres a soundtrack album of this score was released,but on a small independent label..no compact disc version has ever been released,which is a pity..



2. Code of Silence is by far Chuck Norris' best film. Not only is it great by the standards of his martial arts action films, but is actually a cut above many action pictures.
   
   Norris plays a Chicago cop who finds himself caught between a turf war between the Mafia and a Colombian drug cartel. His standing on the force suffers at the same time because he testifies against two cops who are involved in a bad shooting. The Code of Silence ends up being double-pronged - one side being the Mafia's Code of Silence, and the other being the police force's Code of Silence against bad behavior by their own.
   
   Directed by Andrew Davis, who also directed Above The Law, Under Siege and The Fugitive, Code of Silence has great action sequences and a great villain in Henry Silva. This is Norris' finest film. Nothing he has done before or since has been anywhere near as good.



3. A good solid movie, with all the usual 'Chicago Gang', that you see in so many movies shot in Chicago (Above the Law, Fugitive, etcc....). Chuck kicks butt big-time, and Henry Silva plays a great villian. If you like Chuck, you'll love this one. Just one question-'Does this guy ever age'?



4. A GOOD MAN GETS SINGLED OUT BY HIS PEERS. IT DOES NOT TAKE LONG TO SEE WHO THE CORRUPT COPS ARE. PLENTY OF ACTION WITH GREAT MARTIAL ARTS SEQUENCES.



5. "If I want your opinion, I will beat it out of you" says Chuck Norris to an entire pool-hall of coked-up Columbian gangsters. Need I say more? Good fight scenes, horrible, wooden dialogue, and Chuck taking on a Columbian cartel in Chicago (and police corruption) pretty much single-handedly. This may be his "best" movie.

5 comments about Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

1. I loved the first one, this one is just horrid.
   Horrid story, horrid acting, horrid script.
   Horrid everything!!!!!!!!
   Thank God they stopped making Mortal Kombat movies after this one.
   If you're new to the franchise, rent the first one and skip this Hollyturd.
   AVOID!!!!!!!!!!!



2. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation was a good movie to me but there where some things that i like and some that i did not like.
   
   BAD THINGS: at the end of the first movie they had there clothes where they defeated shang tsung but in the begining the some how had different clothes.
   i did not like how they killed johnny but it was in mk3 so yea,and what was up with shou kahn green ball attack alot of people said it looked like a hakooden or watever they call that stuff from street fighter,and i did not like replacing the original rayden.
   and some people and me were not happy that alot of villians got to fight in this movie like: sheeva,rain,night wolf. and why could it they bring kung lao in it.
   and somehow at the end when everybody was giving up every body did not give up thats good but some people thought that was power ranger like.
   
   GOOD THINGS: THERE ARE ALOT OF FIGHTS AND SHORT FIGHTS.
   AND I LIKED THE SCORPION VS SUB-ZERO FIGHT
   
   So that all i could say about this movie so see you u guys later



3. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
   This was strange to see, as the original Mortal Kombat movie was a great movie. This movie is cheap and badly done. I really suggest avoiding this one and checking out the first movie instead.
   
   After our warriors return from the Mortal Kombat tournament, Shao Kahn's and his thugs assault them. Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Princess Kitana, and Raiden are in shock and cannot defeat him. Shao Kahn kills Cage and escapes with his gang. Before leaving Shao Kahn reveals that he is merging Earth Realm and Outworld. This is causing Raiden to become weaker and weaker. Raiden must help his fighters discover what they need to defeat Shao Kahn. Liu Kang and Kitana seek out Night Wolf to find Kang's animality. Sonya travels to find her partner, Jax. Raiden questions the Elder Gods about how the realms can merge despite the mortals winning Mortal Kombat.
   
   There are a ton of new characters in this movie. The list includes Sheeva, Rain, Motaro, Shao Kahn, Night Wolf, Jade, Queen Sindel, and many more. Also, Jax makes a good return to replace Johnny Cage. Sub Zero also returns for a fight scene; only this time he doesn't have his mask.
   
   I think the only good thing that this movie had was some decent fight sequences and good, yet repetitive music. You will hear the same few songs over and over again. It gets old but at least it matches the movie. The action is good, but really weird on its execution. Sometimes people will fall down and the camera will cut to them falling in a completely different spot. Still, the action is fairly well done despite the constant weird falling.
   
   The acting is almost unbearable. There decent characters in Shao Kahn, Liu Kang, and a few others. For the most part though you'll have to suffer through horrible dialogue through the entire movie.
   
   Other gripes come in random, pointless characters. Sheeva, who is a four-armed woman, dies within seconds of becoming anything in the movie. Sub Zero tells Liu Kang that he is going to help him, but ends up disappearing. In the final battle, Sonya fights with a random character in red. I have no idea who he is, and it's never told during the movie either.
   
   This movie has its good moments with action, but overall it's garbage. If you love Mortal Kombat, go check out the first movie. Any fan of the series can easily overlook this movie.



4. I do not see this movie as a sequal to Mortal Kombat. I can't be. Where are the actors, the great hellish locations, signature moves, where are they.
   
   Instead we get lots and lots of kung-fu fighting, phony 3d Animality animations, a weak Shao Kahn, very uninteresting foot soldiers and extremly boring locations.
   
   Oh, how I hated this movie, it's one of the worst sequals, others being, Escape from L.A. and Blues Brothers 2.
   
   Avoid, really, I mean it. I don't care if they pay you to watch it, don't. Believe me, even if you're collecting garbage for a living, your time is more valuable.



5. Not bad but they completely forgot mortal kombat II and went right for MK3. This one should have been MK3.