1 comments about Street Fighter Saga.

1. For anyone not in the know, The Street Fighter series is the tale of bad ass mercenary Terry Tsurugi (played by THE Sonny Chiba) and his brutal quests for revenge. These films are more exploitation than martial arts mastery but Sonny is still a joy to watch in action, whether punching in a goons skull or ripping his genitals off (WHAT!?). The Street Fighter is the only true classic of the bunch that every self-respecting fight fan should see, however the rest of the films are still a good, violent time on varying levels. This set, released in 2002 by bargain bin DVD company VCI, leaves allot of room for improvement as far as picture, sound, special features, etc., but I've found that with every other Street Fighter release as well (there is a nice Region 2 collection but you need a region free player so...). That being said it's far from the worst of the bunch and looks (widescreen) and sounds (english dub only) pretty good as far as these go. Truly what's nice about this set is that you get 3 out of 4 films uncut (Sister Street Fighter is the R cut) and all on 2 discs in one case (with pretty polished and nice artwork... actually doesn't look as cheap as it is if that type of thing matters to you). I got this new for $7.99 and I'm happy with what I got... until someone more respectable picks these up and polishes them the way they deserve (are you listening Tokyo Shock?) you could do far worse than this affordable set.

3 comments about Sonny Chiba Action Pack [DVD] Virus/Golgo 13/ Bullet Train.

1. Three flicks, and one with Sonny Chiba in the main role. Golgo 13 (the aforementioned main role) was rockin' and worth a watch. In Virus Chiba is in a supporting role but surprisingly the movie overall isn't that bad. The worst of the bunch was Bullet Train, in which he goes from supporting role to a token role, and I didn't care for it at all. If you're a real Chiba fan and already own Golgo 13 I'd not mess with this unless you're the type of person who must have a complete collection of each and every single title in which Chiba had a role.



2. Yes, the version of 'Virus' on disc 1 of this 3-disc set IS the full-length Japanese version, presented in an excellent widescreen print. The picture quality is WAY better than any previous DVD release - although that's not difficult when previous editions have looked more like worn-out rental VHS tapes than professional DVD releases! :)
   
   The Japanese-language scenes have removable English subtitles and, as with most director's cuts, the story feels far more complete in this long version. Those who are familiar with the shorter, strictly chronological 'international' cut may be quite surprised when this version opens with the submarine approaching dead Tokyo ... before flashing back several years to explain how the entire world came to be a graveyard. The long version of 'Virus' is a quite different, ultimately much more powerful cut of a film you may think you already know.
   
   If, like me, you were seeking the full-length 155 minute version of 'Virus' then look no further - here it is.
   
   Hey, as a bonus, you get two other films too!
   'Golgo 13' is the 1977 Japanese film 'Golgo 13 : Kowloon Assignment' and is presented in 2.35:1 with a choice of either the original Japanese soundtrack plus English subtitles ... or a so-bad-it's-almost-funny dubbed English soundtrack.
   
   'Bullet Train' (1975) is, as many people have pointed out, blatantly where 'Speed' (1994) stole its plot from. It's in 2.35:1 and is the US theatrical version with a run-time of 115 minutes. Your only audio option is English-dubbed, but luckily the dub-job is far better than on 'Golgo 13' - in fact, even dubbed into a foreign language, the Japanese actors manage to be less wooden than Keanu Reeves was in the unofficial remake. The original Japanese cut of 'Bullet Train' ran for 152 minutes but, in contrast to 'Virus', the concensus of opinion seems to be that the shorter run-time here is merciful rather than regrettable.



3. Hey the real find in this collection is the full international release of the 1980's Apocalyptic survival tale " Virus " released in the USA in a edited confusing edition, and never released here in a official unedited version that restores the complex and exciting tale of survival. Well if that bothered you, then here it is, a pretty decent print to boot and no goofy overseas sub-titles to distract. Two other films are thrown in as a bonus " Golgo 13" and " Bullet Train " both very entertaining. A must have collection for " Virus " fans and those who admire Sonny Chiba's cool martial arts vibe.

5 comments about The Storm Riders.

1. There is poetic elegance in most Chinese films and I am happy to state this film is no exception. It is one of the main reasons I love Chinese cinema. This film has a playfulness and creativity with an exaggeration of certain qualities and characteristics that seems to be the hallmark of Chinese films. It is whimsical, funny, and entertaining. The costumes are very colorful and artistically designed. The hair styles of the actors and actresses are true to each character, some are modern and punkish, others are classically beautiful and elegant. The natural scenery is breath-takingly beautiful: jagged mountains, various green oriental foliage, a peaceful lake, gorges with multi-layered soil that looks like a modern art painting, and lovely valleys. Lok City is done in ancient Chinese splendor. The architecture and carvings of various buildings are stunning. There is one scene in which cherry blossom are frozen on the trees which creates an eerily glistening creatively beautiful effect. Feng Shui is clearly evident within the interior sets where minimal furniture, wall hangings and carved structures speak loudly of the artistry and creativity of the designers.
   
   In this film, Wind and Cloud are martial artists who represent the righteous forces of justice and goodness. When they combine their energy and forces against an evil immortal named Dai-Sik-Tien (DTS) and his followers, fireworks erupt. DTS has captured Mung, the beautiful wife of Wind and put her into a state of suspended animation. She looks dead as she lies in her coffin made of ice while floating on a canopied raft in the middle of a lake. Wind tries to revive his wife without success. DTS offers him a capsule, with two options: he swallows it and dies so that his wife may live or she takes it and dies, so that he may live. Of course, Wind is generous and loving so he swallows the capsule. It turns out to be a trick: she remains in a state of suspension, neither alive nor dead. Wind turns into al demonic fighter for three days. He is pitted against the very forces he had defended and to which he had belonged. Eventually, the spell breaks and he returns to his previous personality and revives Mung. But the battle lines have been drawn, the population is suffering as the dark forces descend deeper into their lives. With stunning choreography, Wind, Cloud, Wave and several other righteous fighters do battle against the evil fighters. The sword play is outstanding. This brief scenario describes one of the many subplots within this magnificently done film.
   
   In another scene, Wind helps a lady who had stolen something in the marketplace, he heals her injured arm. Little does he know that she is in disguise and part of the evil empire. He escorts her to her destination but along the way, she falls in love with him, tempting him in every possible manner. He resists and does not fall for her trap. While DTS is disappointed, he is very cunning and develops a devious plot to destroy the righteous fighters. In fact, he has won over at least one of the righteous ones to his side. He devises a scheme to destroy the dragon which lives in a gorge in the realm. He engages seven righteous martial arts warriors to join him in a coalition to kill the beast. The fight scenes are stunningly beautiful and highly creative. In one, the seven fighters on signal use their sword to ride ... like a surf board in the sky. In another magnificently conceived scene: the seven fighters stand on each other's shoulders, DTS joins them at the top. They make what looks like an energized totem pole which becomes a huge sword from their combined energy. Needless to say ... the dragon is slain. However, the biggest fight is yet to come as DTS attempts to gain the dragon's spirit all for himself. At the time, the dragon's spirit had split into small fireballs ... each of the seven warriors and DTS managed to retain one for himself. DTS wants it ALL ... Uncle Tsui Fook, an immortal from the righteous realm, joins the warriors in this fight. From this point forward, there are several treats and surprises in store for the viewer. Be assured that I have only touched the tip of the iceberg in describing scenes from this most highly recommended film. It is playful, entertaining, creative and a joy to watch. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]



2. The actor list which includes Takeshi was what prompted me to buy this, but he wasn't in the movie at all! The other thing is that although containing some special effects, it pails in comparison to the earlier movie version made in Hong Kong starring Ekin Cheng and Arron Kwok because the storyline ran a little wide. It is supposed to be the sequel to the story, but seemed more like a poorly made drama serial - any avid drama serial watcher usually is able to tell the diff between the hong kong made ones from the inferior ones made else where simply because the hong kong made ones have better execution, direction and script because of their experience.



3. I bought this because I thought Takeshi Kaneshiro is the lead actor. When I got the DVD, then I realized he is not in it at all. Besides, the actor credit is all wrong for this movie. Misadvertisement. DON'T buy this movie if you are looking for ones by Takeshi Kaneshiro



4. I enjoy good Asian movies particularly when Takeshi Kaneshiro is in one but he is not in this movie! I didn't see Aaron either. I really wish I'd read the reviews before buying and I will from now on, just to make sure the character's listed are actually in the movie. Now who would have thought that was necessary? Of course I could tell from the cover that he wasn't going to be the lead character which was fine with me but I should've realized he's not the caliber of actor that isn't on the cover any more. Is it possible that when they say the movie is by Takeshi they mean he produced it? I'm so clueless and annoyed with their misleading information I could almost scream. If they had't lied about the cast I wouldn't have bought this at all.
   
   It's obviously a television drama edited quite poorly with lots of action, wuxia wire action included, good looking actors and a somewhat confusing plot. If it's a sequel I suppose that explains some of the problems because people pop in and the main characters know them but we've no idea who they are or if they're bad or good though we assume they must be friends or enemies or both depending upon their actions. At one point they're all together a la power rangers forming a giant sword and I didn't have a clue who they were or how Wind even got there working to help the bad guy. I also didn't realize Wave was the brother of Cloud (I think) until much later in the story. It would have packed much more of an emotional punch if I'd known from the beginning but maybe because I was so bored it got past me somehow!?
   
   When Wind becomes a demon there's no explanation as to how long or when he changes back to normal or even how. He's with Mung, his wife one minute then not the next, she adopts a boy and then he's never seen again until it's his cue to warn her inadvertently that the master has a cold behind. It's just a hodge podge of scenes thrown together that leave you wondering how he or she did/got so and so. I wouldn't recommend this movie at all.
   
   It's filmed more like a soap opera, has that video feel to it and it's simply edited horribly. I was bored waiting to see when Takeshi would appear thinking perhaps he was the nameless one but I couldn't even figure out who the nameless one was. Maybe if they'd followed through with that, whoever they wanted as the nameless one, it might have given it more of a punch. A perfect way to waste one's time.



5. I ordered this movie thinking it would be a good movie to watch, but I HATED it after the first 10 minutes and turned it of! Was finally able to watch the whole movie and man was it disapointing!!!

1 comments about Killing Machine / Shogun's Ninja (Double Feature) [Blu-ray].

1. The image quality is good on both movies. You can't expect them to look like new releases but they look very good for what they are. Soundtracks are the same as on dvd.
   
   The Amazon listing is incorrect, this is not a 2-disc set, both movies are on one disc. Same thing with the "Sister street fighter" release.
   
   As for the movies, it's the first time I watch this kind of Japanese movie. It's funny that they seemed to make them with exactly the same approach they made animation movies with: the plots are melodramatic, the acting and the music are over-the-top, etc. But all of that adds up to a lot of fun. And surprisingly, these two movies are very different from each other.
   
   "Killing maching" is a straight hard-boiled action drama. Something like a Charles Bronson movie but with a lot of sentimental scenes. The gory bits and hard-hitting attitude surprised me. At 90 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome.
   
   "Shogun's ninja" is a crazy action fantasy. It's full of weird touches and it's kind of hilarious. Unbelievable music, cartoony sound-effects, impossible fights... It runs closer to 2 hours but it ends up being much more entertaining to watch than the other one, if only because you're curious about what's the next crazy thing they'll throw in the movie.

5 comments about The Sister Street Fighter Collection.

1. It's too bad New Line didn't release this as an unrated cut, just like they did with the first film, 'The Street Fighter'. This VHS version is not only full-frame, but HEAVILY edited. No blood, not even a crunching bone sound. But you still get to see some breasts. Strange that they didn't edit them out either. If you get the recent DVD versions of the film by companies like Front Row Entertainment and Brentwood, you'll get to see the uncut version in it's widescreen glory. Sadly, the image quality is poor, since it was taken from the laserdisc version of the film.
   As for the film itself, there are better Sonny Chiba films with great storylines and good acting, such as Killing Machine and Champion of Death. Interestingly, those two films has weak fighting choreography, while Return Of The Street Fighter is the opposite - poor acting, poor story, but great fight choreography. It's too bad that New Line Cinema has not treated this film or any of the other Chiba films it owns with respect by releasing them uncut on DVD with the original Japanese audio, and allowing inferior bootlegs to flood the market. While the Street Fighter films are not exactly works of art, they deserve to be seen in widescreen and gore intact, especially in light of the recent success of Kill Bill, a film that took gore to the extreme a la Japanese action cinema. Perhaps one day New Line will get its act together and realize that all the money the bootleggers have been getting out of their DVD sales could have been going to them all along.



2. This is what DVD was made for!
   Forget those bootlegs and earlier editions of SS people!
   Right here is the absolute best quality and presentation ever.
   
   All 4 films(one is not an official SS film but close enough),remastered to perfection.
   
   SS itself has an english track and the rest are in the original language with subtitles.
   
   BCI is definitely the lead dog in the martial arts field at this point with the Chiba,Shiomi,Rarescope and even Tony Jaa's Spirited Killer film coming out like an assault!
   
   And the price is amazing for this package here.
   It comes out to about 10 bucks a film and its worth it.
   You can get it cheaper from the Amazon sellers section which would come out to about 30 bucks with shipping.So 7.50 a flick.
   There's original posters and trailers plus a great booklet with articles and interviews about Shiomi.
   
   Watching these with this level of quality is like seeing them for the first time.



3. This is how they should've done the 10 Faces of Sonny Chiba box, a few years ago. The movies have their original Japanese audio, the transfer is very good, the box is very nice, and there's also an included booklet about Sue Shiomi and the director. Jam-packed with martial hijinks and zany comic book baddies, this set comes highly recommended for the choppy-socky audience.



4. I've only seen 'Sister Street Fighter:Return' but wow! What a movie! The action sequences were well done and were simple yet pleasing to the eye. The story line was pretty deep, and moved along nicely. This is one of the best films I've seen in a while and I plan to buy the entire box collection!



5. I was presently surprised by the job BCI did with there Sister Street Fighter Collection. All 4 of Etsuko Shihomi Sister Street Fighter films are remastered, wide screen, uncensored, and in Japanese with English subtitles. BCI has also included a full color booklet with history on Sister Street Fighter. The 1st 3 Sister Street Fighter films are like a comic book come to life. Etsuko Shihomi's character Koryu Lee fights the most craziest & colorful vilians ever in martial arts film. The 4th film in this collection Sister Street Fighter: Fifth Level Fist is not really a Sister Street Fighter film. Etsuko Shihomi plays a new character Kiku in Fifth Level Fist. Fifth Level Fist does away with the comic book like villians, over the top violence and nudity that are featured in the first three films. Fifth Level Fist with its more reality based story is still a good film in its on way. It is a also good contrast to the other three films.
   
   Now I only wished somebody would treat the Sonny Chiba Street Fighter films with as much respect in region 1. Until that happens those with multiregion DVD players can import Optimum's British Sonny Chiba Street Fighter collection.

4 comments about The Shogun Collection.

1. the movies get 5-stars but the company 1-star.
   no matter how they try to justify their poor quality releases, the buying public are finally catching on that anything released by Brentwood, BCI Eclipse, Deimos (etc.) is going to be a poor effort. they lie about the version(s) on the DVD(s) -- substitute "TV" version(s) instead of the "Theatrical" version(s), call something "Widescreen" when it's a hack-job cutting off foreign subtitles on an English dub print, or just horrible DVD transfers and/or encoding errors. (yet always blames it on "the source material" which is just a weak cop-out)
   so, what are they doing over there at BCI to better their image? well, how about taking movies already released, movies with excellent quality, encoded perfectly, and re-packaging them as THEIRS!? well, that's what you are getting with this box set. these movies were already released by ADNESS. a company who i am guessing is now out-of-business, whose owner decided to become part of the (new?) management at BCI.
   this 'budget' re-pack includes the following titles:
   
   - Shogun's Samurai (Yagyû ichizoku no inbô/The Yagyu Conspiracy) (1978)
   - Shogun's Shadow (Shôgun Iemitsu no ranshin - Gekitotsu/Geki Totsu: The Insanity of Emperor Iemitsu Gekitosu) (1989)
   - Swords of Vengeance (Ako-jo danzetsu/The Fall of Ako Castle) (1978)
   - Shogun's Ninja (Ninja bugeicho momochi Sandayu) (1982)
   
   for those of you who didn't buy the Adness versions, this is a good buy for you. just know you are supporting a company who doesn't care about these movies, or you the customer.



2. After reading the negative review by "The Truth Hurts", I was initially reluctant to make this purchase. Having said that, I went ahead and took a chance, and I'm glad I did. This is an excellent collection of films at a very low price. There are a few things you should be aware of before making the purchase, though.
   
   The films are not all of the same genre. Of the four films, two of them (Shogun's Ninja and Shogun's Shadow) fall under the matial arts category, and are reminiscent of "Lone Wolf and Cub" and "Shadow Hunters". The other two, "Shogun's Samurai" and "Sword of Vengence" are historical dramas more in the vein of "The Seven Samurai" and "Chusingura". In fact, "Sword of Vengence" is a variation of the same story as "Chusingura", another retelling of the 47 ronin. The latter two fims are more plot driven and feature far less action. This is just fine by me, as I enjoy both types of samurai film.
   
   Another thing you should know is that Sonny Chiba is not actually the star of any of these films. He plays a supporting role in all of them. So die hard Sonny Chiba fans may be disappointed.
   
   All and all, this is an excellent purchase for fans of Japanese cinema, especially considering the price. Most Japanese films cost a premium (check out the price being asked for any Kurosawa or Lone Wolf and Cub film), so to get four excellent films for the price of one is a steal.
   
   I don't know anything about the distribution company that sells this, and frankly I don't care. I can tell you that the sound and picture quality of all of these films is excellent. There are absolutely no issues there at all. There is an issue with the misleading marketing of these as "Sonny Chiba films" which I've already discussed, and for that this collection should be deducted one, maybe even two stars, but I'm going to go ahead and award it five to offset the unjustified one-star review.
   
   Highly recommended!



3. The Shogun Collection is a bit schizophrenic.
   
   Two of the movies are great historical epic Samurai films from one of Japan's all-time great directors, Kinji Fukasaku. These movies are Shogun's Samurai, and Swords of Vengeance. Expertly directed, very well written, and brought to life by some fantastic actors, both of these movies belong in every Samurai movie fan's collection.
   
   The other two movies are cheesy (by design) 80's action flicks where Samurais and Ninjas can perform superhuman acts (leap tall buildings in a single bound type stuff). They're passable as entertainment as long as you turn your brain off (although Shogun's Shadow does have it's moments - there is the basis of a good script, it just gets overpowered by too much cheese).
   
   The only thing that all four of the movies have in common are supporting roles for Sonny Chiba - who is particularly good in Shogun's Samurai!
   
   The transfers for ALL FOUR of these movies are brilliant! Beautiful anamorphic widescreen, original Japanese language soundtrack with English subtitles - these are some great DVD's! BCI Eclipse has been licensing many different movies and TV series recently, and paying attention to quality. Their licensing deal here with Adness continues that trend. They've come a long way from the "Public Domain" specialists that they used to be (although they still do that as well).
   
   In the end, this set is worth buying for the two Kinji Fukasaku films alone - you can watch the others or, as some have done, sell them on ebay.



4. I'm a new Chiba fan and I only want to buy box sets since it's cheaper and easier that way. I'm happy with this set even though Chiba's not the star. As others have said the picture and sound are very good. Heck the box itself is better than I thought it would be. This is a solid buy for your collection and it couldn't hurt to add Chiba's Samurai collection too.

2 comments about Sonny Chiba - Masutatsu Oyama Trilogy.

1. This is a great set for Chiba fans. You can tell they put some love into it with great picture and sound. All are in widescreen and subtitled with an option for simulated 5.1 sound. For those who haven't seen these movies before it's sort of a Karate action drama based on Chiba's mentor. They're the original uncut versions so there shouldn't be anything missing. Extras are limited to trailers. I'm no expert on widescreen, color saturation or sound so purists may have another opinion. I personally love this set.



2. I am a practitoner of Grand Master Mas Oyama's Kyokushin Karate for over 30 years now. Kyokushin is Japan's strongest and No. 1 style of Karate, very different from the other styles. I remember when the first movie in this triology "Kenka Karate Kyokushin Ken" was released to U.S. movie theaters under the title "Champion Of Death". Starring Japan action star Sonny Chiba, it was a big hit, particularly in drive-in movie theaters in the late 70's. I remember writing a movie review of this film when it played in my own hometown so many years ago. Later, this movie was shown on THE MOVIE CHANNEL and I had it recorded, being the only one around who had a dubbed English language copy of this movie. Eventually, "Champion Of Death" was released on video by a second rate video distribution company. My copy from TV was superior in quality to what was released, even clearer than the dvd that was later released. Now, we have the "Sonny Chiba - Masutatsu Oyama Trilogy" officially released, remastered, in wide screen format, containing all three movies in this series uncut in the original Japanese language with removable English subtitles. A dream come true and so affordable for a 3 disk boxset. I'm sure this movie trilogy was done justice because of the recent interest in action star Sonny Chiba since his appearance in the movie hit "Kill Bill Vol. One". But, whatever the reason, all Kyokushin students should grab this set while it's still available. True, it may be loosely based on Mas Oyama's life story, but it still worth owning as part of your martial arts movie collection. The third movie "Karate For Life" contains the best on screen Karate action in Sonny Chiba's entire career. I highly recommend this exciting dvd boxset. OSU!

1 comments about The Storm Riders.

1. There seems to be a lot of confusion with the purchasing of this movie.
   It seems that I have found three different DVDs on the same subject or movie.
   
   If you type in "wind and cloud" in the Amazon.com search box you will get three top results, in not any order:
   1.Wind and Cloud:The Storm Riders(2006,2004)
   2.The Storm Riders(2001,1998)
   3.The Storm Riders(2005)
   
   I haven't checked out the 2001 version or the 2006 Wind and Cloud version. But if you look at the reviews, "Wind and Cloud:The Storm Riders" (2006,2004) is not the original film, but is a film that is cut from a series.
   
   "The Storm Riders"(2005) is the version I bought. It is Region 0, and I have no clue what that means. It may mean All Regions, but on the product screen, it says that the region is unknown. It still plays fine on my DVD, though.
   
   I can't speak for "The Storm Riders"(2001,1998), but on the product description page there are more DVD features than the 2005 version.
   
   Funny, it should be the other way around-the newer version having more features, but I guess that's not the case.
   
   So, as for the movie, the picture quality is not that great, but the action and visual effects are. This movie is good to watch at least once, so you may fair off better renting it first from Netflix(or another company) before buying.
   
   But, basically, the story is about a man, who while conquering his enemies, takes in two disciples to train and help him in his efforts. Things get twisted, and everybody, basically, starts Kung Fu fighting. But, this is different because some of the characters can bend or manipulate the elements.
   
   ' Great film.

5 comments about Battle Royale 2 Revenge Uncut SE.

1. This wasn't as good as the first. The first is way better. This one went too far off the story line into a whole other type of movie. I did not enjoy this as much as i enjoyed the first, but this is still a good movie.



2. "Battle Royale 2" is exactly what would happen if Michael Moore got all liquored up, had a weekend cheeseburger & rotgut bender in some cheapo New Mexico hotel room, and then remade "Saving Private Ryan" the next morning.
   
   Why not just take all of the first film's fans and shoot them in the face? That would have at least been merciful.
   
   Instead, Kenta Fukasaku, who took the helm of Number 2 when his old man Kinji croaked, rips off everything insane, edgy, dangerous, and gloriously bloodthirsty about the infamous Battle Royale---pretty much "Lord of the Flies" with an NRA membership and exploding necklace IEDs---and turns it into a steaming cauldron of rhinoceros doodle.
   
   Without a doubt the younger Fukasaku was already in an untenable position: #1, he had to finish what his old man had started. And #2, he had to make a sequel to Battle Royale, a wicked, deviant, deeply troubled cult classic, full of sound and fury (oh yes, especially fury) signifying total carnage.
   
   So going in, did I expect Kenta Fukasaku to top his old man? No. But did he have a make this atrocity?
   
   BR2 badly wants to be Battle Royale, like a little changeling dwarf child badly wants to be a real boy. So it has all the ingredients, all the trimmings, all the neato stuff Kenta thought he should include, of the first flick: the graduating class riding together on the bus; the nerve gas interlude; the chaotic broil of soldiers, armor, helicopters, klieg lights, herding Shenizaru Middle School #4 into the Death Room for guns, gear, and a little object lesson in what happens to disobedient children (hint: spare the beeping collar, spoil the child).
   
   This time our class has been drugged and dragooned by their Sensei (Riki Takeuchi, who chomps pills like Rush Limbaugh in a fright wig and later really switches it up for a groovy last-minute mass die-in, donning his rugby gear and death-collar to get into the game, you know, really show you what it means to be the ball, BE THE BALL BABY!)---hauled to a military camp on a desolate beach overlooking, um, Monster Island, and forced to don battle-dress to take out that dastardly bunch of truants, the Terrorists, now doing a little Brand Management(tm) as the Wild Seven. Jeez, and you thought high school Detention was rough.
   
   The rest of the flick goes by the numbers and on the Bounce, as follows:
   
   1) Kids storm the beach! Machine-guns chew up the Kids like they're beef jerky in an all-night truck stop!
   
   2) Gratuitous Syrupy Flashback! OK: the first flick did this too, chiefly as a way to develop character on the fly. But a) you actually cared about the characters in the first BR, and b) the first BR didn't chow down on donkey rungus.
   
   3) Kids/Special Forces/Army/Tac-Nuke Storm the Beach! (see #1, above)
   
   4) Lead Terrorist Guy Emotes! Makes rousing speech!
   
   5) Gratuitous Syrupy Flashback!
   
   6) Kids Storm the Beach!
   
   That's the film, and it goes on for what feels like, uh, eternity. Comparing BR2 to its infamous predecessor is like comparing Bizarro to Superman. The guy's got the color scheme right, you know, same hairdo, red cape, flies around, faster than a speeding bullet and so on, sure, but there's something---wrong. Something off. Like a Hot Fudge Sunday, only with liquid squid sclooge for a topping instead of hot fudge.
   
   It is monstrously terrible. It is ploddingly derivative. It is howlingly incompetent. It can be funny, though---in a "we're laughing at you, not with you" way. Example: the Military kidnapped the kids, bullied and beaten them, shoved guns and billy clubs in their faces, slammed them into the blood-smeared concrete floor, shot one of their number at point-blank range, popped the tops off two others like ripe grapefruit courtesy of their necklace-bombs, and then force-marched the rest out to Monster Island on a suicide mission---and even so, one radio-man slaps his cheeks McCauley Culkin style later in the movie and shouts in shock and surprise "Commander! This is impossible---your class has joined up with the terrorists!" Betrayal! No way!
   
   Credit to Kenta for portraying us (America, baby, yeah!) as the monsters we are. We worked hard for it! That's right: just as a hot crap Sundae would be nothing without a cockroach doodle on top, BR2 manages to underscore and highlight its own inferiority by being pointlessly, gratuitously anti-American. The survivors end up hiding out with the Taliban (and, evidently, a papier-mache tank) in Afghanistan. The chicks are in burkhas. One of the schoolboys is even named "Osamu". GET IT? OSAMU, GET IT?
   
   Taken another way, "BR2" is the ultimate Daddy Movie, a Far Eastern take on the Big O (for Oedipus, not Oprah): a non-stop cage fight with a barrel of Daddy Issues! The Ingenue & Beat Takeshi---Daddy Issues! The Grown-Ups v. the Kids---Daddy Issues! The Cool Emoting Hero with a Revolutionary Father---Daddy Issues! And best of all, the Ultimate Daddy-Kiddy Relationship, Japan v. the USA---Daddy Issues!
   
   Whatever. BR2 is hardly an act of filial piety: if Kenta wanted to strike a blow at Daddy from Hell's Dark Heart, why not just snort the old man's ashes over a cheeseburger, the Keith Richards way? That would have been kinder (& certainly more interesting to watch).
   
   If I've made this swill seem enjoyable, I've failed: this is shoddily done tedium that is a snooze to sit through. Kenta Fukasaku has made a war flick that really is The Bomb---just not the kind he was hoping for.
   
   JSG



3. I enjoyed the parts of the film I have seen yet, I have bought 2 copies and both seem to be missing footage and the end of the movie. The two copies I bought were from 2 seperate sellers and neither had ever seen the film so they could not answer my question. Has anyone else had this problem?



4. I enjoyed the movie. I'm not going to give anything away, so if you're looking for that, skip ahead. What I will say is that there's enough drama and action for both sides of the party and that nothing seems misplaced or off.



5. The storyline of BR II was stupid and didn't make sense. I own both movies and say BR II was a pale imitation of the first. There was no suspense or surprises. At first, It looked like a remake of the first movie. The only thing that made it worth viewing was that it helped answer a few unanswered questions from the first movie. No major revelations, but it was nice to have a more complete picture about the background of BR I. I would recommend renting BR II if you can find it but not buying it.
   In a side note, although I think BR I is a masterpiece. I do see a flaw in both stories. The kids in BR are supposed to be the worst in the school system and cannot be rehabilitated. They are destined to be the worst elements of society like bullies, future criminals, or Paris Hilton types. In the story, after they are introduced to the game they break character. The school trouble-makers turn into sympathetic, sad, love sick, romantic victims. It was like a bunch of bikers are thrown into prison and suddenly become cute puppy dogs who are just misunderstood. Only 3 characters maintain the tough rebellious characteristics that made them a candidate for the Battle Royale.
   From the beginning, the story tells you that students have become uncontrollable and immoral and to get rid of the worst of them Battle Royale was created. I think the story teller should've made up a reason why there was a mixture of bad and good kids sent to the Battle Royale Island like "you can't punish the guilty without hurting the innocent" or "there's always collateral damage" or some kids were there by accident. Any excuse would've helped me kick that question out of my head during the movie because clearly most of the students didn't deserve to be there.

5 comments about Wind and Cloud: The Storm Riders.

1. There is poetic elegance in most Chinese films and I am happy to state this film is no exception. It is one of the main reasons I love Chinese cinema. This film has a playfulness and creativity with an exaggeration of certain qualities and characteristics that seems to be the hallmark of Chinese films. It is whimsical, funny, and entertaining. The costumes are very colorful and artistically designed. The hair styles of the actors and actresses are true to each character, some are modern and punkish, others are classically beautiful and elegant. The natural scenery is breath-takingly beautiful: jagged mountains, various green oriental foliage, a peaceful lake, gorges with multi-layered soil that looks like a modern art painting, and lovely valleys. Lok City is done in ancient Chinese splendor. The architecture and carvings of various buildings are stunning. There is one scene in which cherry blossom are frozen on the trees which creates an eerily glistening creatively beautiful effect. Feng Shui is clearly evident within the interior sets where minimal furniture, wall hangings and carved structures speak loudly of the artistry and creativity of the designers.
   
   In this film, Wind and Cloud are martial artists who represent the righteous forces of justice and goodness. When they combine their energy and forces against an evil immortal named Dai-Sik-Tien (DTS) and his followers, fireworks erupt. DTS has captured Mung, the beautiful wife of Wind and put her into a state of suspended animation. She looks dead as she lies in her coffin made of ice while floating on a canopied raft in the middle of a lake. Wind tries to revive his wife without success. DTS offers him a capsule, with two options: he swallows it and dies so that his wife may live or she takes it and dies, so that he may live. Of course, Wind is generous and loving so he swallows the capsule. It turns out to be a trick: she remains in a state of suspension, neither alive nor dead. Wind turns into al demonic fighter for three days. He is pitted against the very forces he had defended and to which he had belonged. Eventually, the spell breaks and he returns to his previous personality and revives Mung. But the battle lines have been drawn, the population is suffering as the dark forces descend deeper into their lives. With stunning choreography, Wind, Cloud, Wave and several other righteous fighters do battle against the evil fighters. The sword play is outstanding. This brief scenario describes one of the many subplots within this magnificently done film.
   
   In another scene, Wind helps a lady who had stolen something in the marketplace, he heals her injured arm. Little does he know that she is in disguise and part of the evil empire. He escorts her to her destination but along the way, she falls in love with him, tempting him in every possible manner. He resists and does not fall for her trap. While DTS is disappointed, he is very cunning and develops a devious plot to destroy the righteous fighters. In fact, he has won over at least one of the righteous ones to his side. He devises a scheme to destroy the dragon which lives in a gorge in the realm. He engages seven righteous martial arts warriors to join him in a coalition to kill the beast. The fight scenes are stunningly beautiful and highly creative. In one, the seven fighters on signal use their sword to ride ... like a surf board in the sky. In another magnificently conceived scene: the seven fighters stand on each other's shoulders, DTS joins them at the top. They make what looks like an energized totem pole which becomes a huge sword from their combined energy. Needless to say ... the dragon is slain. However, the biggest fight is yet to come as DTS attempts to gain the dragon's spirit all for himself. At the time, the dragon's spirit had split into small fireballs ... each of the seven warriors and DTS managed to retain one for himself. DTS wants it ALL ... Uncle Tsui Fook, an immortal from the righteous realm, joins the warriors in this fight. From this point forward, there are several treats and surprises in store for the viewer. Be assured that I have only touched the tip of the iceberg in describing scenes from this most highly recommended film. It is playful, entertaining, creative and a joy to watch. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]



2. The actor list which includes Takeshi was what prompted me to buy this, but he wasn't in the movie at all! The other thing is that although containing some special effects, it pails in comparison to the earlier movie version made in Hong Kong starring Ekin Cheng and Arron Kwok because the storyline ran a little wide. It is supposed to be the sequel to the story, but seemed more like a poorly made drama serial - any avid drama serial watcher usually is able to tell the diff between the hong kong made ones from the inferior ones made else where simply because the hong kong made ones have better execution, direction and script because of their experience.



3. I bought this because I thought Takeshi Kaneshiro is the lead actor. When I got the DVD, then I realized he is not in it at all. Besides, the actor credit is all wrong for this movie. Misadvertisement. DON'T buy this movie if you are looking for ones by Takeshi Kaneshiro



4. I enjoy good Asian movies particularly when Takeshi Kaneshiro is in one but he is not in this movie! I didn't see Aaron either. I really wish I'd read the reviews before buying and I will from now on, just to make sure the character's listed are actually in the movie. Now who would have thought that was necessary? Of course I could tell from the cover that he wasn't going to be the lead character which was fine with me but I should've realized he's not the caliber of actor that isn't on the cover any more. Is it possible that when they say the movie is by Takeshi they mean he produced it? I'm so clueless and annoyed with their misleading information I could almost scream. If they had't lied about the cast I wouldn't have bought this at all.
   
   It's obviously a television drama edited quite poorly with lots of action, wuxia wire action included, good looking actors and a somewhat confusing plot. If it's a sequel I suppose that explains some of the problems because people pop in and the main characters know them but we've no idea who they are or if they're bad or good though we assume they must be friends or enemies or both depending upon their actions. At one point they're all together a la power rangers forming a giant sword and I didn't have a clue who they were or how Wind even got there working to help the bad guy. I also didn't realize Wave was the brother of Cloud (I think) until much later in the story. It would have packed much more of an emotional punch if I'd known from the beginning but maybe because I was so bored it got past me somehow!?
   
   When Wind becomes a demon there's no explanation as to how long or when he changes back to normal or even how. He's with Mung, his wife one minute then not the next, she adopts a boy and then he's never seen again until it's his cue to warn her inadvertently that the master has a cold behind. It's just a hodge podge of scenes thrown together that leave you wondering how he or she did/got so and so. I wouldn't recommend this movie at all.
   
   It's filmed more like a soap opera, has that video feel to it and it's simply edited horribly. I was bored waiting to see when Takeshi would appear thinking perhaps he was the nameless one but I couldn't even figure out who the nameless one was. Maybe if they'd followed through with that, whoever they wanted as the nameless one, it might have given it more of a punch. A perfect way to waste one's time.



5. I ordered this movie thinking it would be a good movie to watch, but I HATED it after the first 10 minutes and turned it of! Was finally able to watch the whole movie and man was it disapointing!!!