America’s Film Legacy
America’s Film Legacy 2009-2010
Category Archives: Action
Life is a cage fight in Rumble Through the Dark
You don’t expect a dark, gritty boxing drama from Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, but that’s exactly what Rumble Through the Dark is. Set in a grim world of fight clubs, liquor stores, traveling carnivals, and orphanages, the film … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Drama
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Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan: Blockbuster is the latest stage in his comeback
Shah Rukh Khan is the whole show in Jawan, his second blockbuster adventure in less than a year. Despite a strong supporting cast, Khan dominates the film, performing the kind of over-the-top heroics that have made him a box-office favorite. … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, India
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Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant: a war story with consequences
It makes sense to approach Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant cautiously. The execrable Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre is a glaring example of how lazy and listless the director’s output can be. Don’t worry. GRTC is worth your time. It’s another … Continue reading
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Donnie Yen’s Sakra: a wuxia epic
A passion project from one of cinema’s greatest martial artists, Sakra is a wuxia of epic proportions. Adapted from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, the film unfolds on a tremendous scale, with towering sets, scores of extras, and phenomenal action set pieces. … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian
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Ride On: a new Jackie Chan film
Thirty years ago Jackie Chan was the biggest movie star in the world. Films like Police Story, Project A, and Supercop were international blockbusters. They changed the face of action films everywhere. Now pushing 69 (I only know because we … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian
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Kill Boksoon: Jeon Do-yeon showcase treads familiar territory
Style trumps substance in Kill Boksoon, a thriller set in a John Wick universe of corporate killers. Jeon Do-yeon stars as Boksoon, at home a single mom struggling to connect with her teen daughter Gae-yon. On the job she’s a … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Film Festivals
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The Wandering Earth II: sci-fi prequel from Frant Gwo
Just in time for the Lunar New Year, Well Go USA opens a prequel to the 2019 blockbuster hit, The Wandering Earth II (or EartII, as the poster has it) expands on the original, building a thoroughly convincing sci-fi future … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, New Releases, Special effects
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Brahmāstra Part One: An Indian multiverse
Years in the making, Brahmāstra Part One: Shiva is the first episode in a trilogy about the “Astraverse,” an Indian take on the multiverse. Astras are superpowers that can take the form of a weapon or a person (a “divine” … Continue reading
Posted in Action, India, Uncategorized
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Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse in Benny Chan’s Raging Fire
A first-rate action thriller, Raging Fire pits dedicated cop Donnie Yen against Nicholas Tse’s gang of killers in a story of betrayal and revenge. It’s sadly the last film from director Benny Chan, who died of cancer in 2020. Raging … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Uncategorized
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Reminiscence review: Stop If You’ve Seen This Before
The future is grim in Reminiscence, a Warner Bros. release starring Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton. Written and directed by Lisa Joy (a Westworld vet), the movie slips time-travel tropes into a well-worn film noir plot. If you’re … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Drama
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