America’s Film Legacy
America’s Film Legacy 2009-2010
Category Archives: Action
Flight Risk review: Demon pilot vs. Deputy Marshall
With a January release date and a cancelled director, Flight Risk is an easy target for critics. I don’t know why Lionsgate decided to open it during the Bermuda Triangle of theatergoing. And it’s hard to defend Mel Gibson’s off-screen … Continue reading
Posted in Action, New Releases
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The Prosecutor: Donnie Yen action thriller
Although he keeps threatening to retire, Donnie Yen is back with another well-executed, instantly disposable action thriller. Yen is just about the last old-school action star still putting out product like this: bright, flashy, paper-thin entertainment that walks a tightrope … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, New Releases
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Diner carnage in the slasher thriller Last Straw
A slasher thriller with solid twists, Last Straw is made with more than enough conviction to satisfy genre fans. Smart cinematography and a strong cast help muscle the movie past troubling gaps in its plotting. Shot on the cheap in … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Horror
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Wolfs review: The Cinema of Privilege
The conmen from Oceans Eleven have aged out of the rackets, lost their girlfriends, and have been forced into real jobs to make ends meet. That’s the basic premise of Wolfs, a lazy bromance that rests on the fading charms … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Streaming
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Crescent City review: Murder in Little Rock
Powerful casting helps compensate for weak writing in Crescent City, a mean-spirited film noir set in Little Rock, Arkansas. Familiar faces like Terence Howard, Esai Morales, and an effective Alec Baldwin have no trouble navigating the twists and turns in … Continue reading
Posted in Action, On demand
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The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: dull WWII spy romp
Every now and then Guy Ritchie makes a film in a crisp, focused style that can be utterly beguiling. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is not one of them. Filled with snark, bombast, and empty violence, this WWII actioner is … Continue reading
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The plight of test pilots in Born to Run
Released theatrically last year, Born to Fly follows pilots undergoing rigorous training in order to test mainland China’s experimental stealth fighter jet. Deeply patriotic and extremely silly, it’s propaganda devoid of suspense, humor, and credible characterizations. The screenplay by Gui … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian
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Tak Sakaguchi is the One-Percenter
For several years Well Go USA has been one of the best distributors of genre films in the country. But the company finds itself in a bind with One-Percent Warrior (aka One-Percenter), a martial arts adventure starring Tak Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian
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Jason Statham back in business as The Beekeeper
Action icon Jason Statham stars as the titular Beekeeper, an assassin retired from a top-secret, off-the-books branch of government designed to eliminate threats when all else fails. Statham keeps his bees at retired teacher Phylicia Rashad’s farm. When evil scammers … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Uncategorized
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Andy Lau stars in I Did It My Way
Andy Lau continues his remarkable resurgence in the crime thriller I Did It My Way, yet another variation on Infernal Affairs. Lau plays George Lam, lawyer for a drug ring so powerful it has evaded legal consequences for its crimes. … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Uncategorized
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