Action & Adventure > Mandarin Action & Adventure

A Tale of Tragic Love

Advantages: Some of the best cinematography ever
Disadvantages: Plot a little flawed

House of Daggers is a martial arts epic set in the Tang Dynasty 859.AD and directed by the Chinese director, Zhang Yimon who was also responsibe for the direction on the movie Hero which was made in 2004. The title is somewhat misleading as the main focus of the film is the romance between Jin (Takeshi Kaveshiro), a police offiicer who serves his emperor and Mei (Ziyi Zhang), a young woman who belongs to an undercover resistance group, called House ...
...The visual experience of House of Daggers is inspirational and just as good as its predecessor, Hero. I think many people includinng myself, thought that Hero would be the most significant film of the wuxia genre, of all time. But I think that this is a more superior film and out of the two is my favourite. I prefer Shigeru Umbeyashi's musical score. It is more dramatic and sensuous than the soundtrack to Hero. I like the way House of Daggers is ...

Praski 30.03.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of House Of Flying Daggers (DVD)

A great film that isnt well known

Advantages: An excellent martial arts film often over looked by western audiences
Disadvantages: Can be slow at times

...story follows a group of warriors trying to protect a camel caravan from various villians and raiders as it journeys to safety. Some great charcaters, such as the rogue general facing a death sentence because he refused to obey immoral orders (played by Jiang Wen), the Japanese exile non chinese imperial agent hunting him (Nakai Kiichi) and a motley assortment of the rogue generals old comrades such as old one eye who complains hes not as young as ...
...the stylish main villian Great fight sequences including a cavalry battle in a canyon and a motiving battle over a waterskin where the villains surround the caravan daring the heroes to step out and face death by archers or die of thirst. Also includes a siege which is reminisant of the 13th warrior as well as various smaller scale fights. This film is cheap to buy and excellent fun to watch. The only disappointment is that the end although good ...

hardrainfalling 03.02.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Warriors Of Heaven And Earth (DVD)

Shining red and gold

Advantages: Stunning cinematography and sets
Disadvantages: Too much emphasis on the visuals to the detriment of the story

In China's glorious past, Emperor Ping thinks that he has conquered the world...including his beautiful Empress Pheonix. Pheonix has borne him two sons, Prince Jai and Yu, and has brought up his eldest son, Crown Prince Wan. She is not as happy as some might think though, having had an affair with the Crown Prince for several years, and is slowly being poisoned by the Emperor's doctor and his daughter. Prince Jai is concerned for his mother's health ...
...to live quietly with his lover, the doctor's daughter. Slowly, it becomes apparent that the Emperor's rule is not as strong as he once thought. Can he re-establish his power? Or is it finally time for the Empress and Prince Jai to rule? Directed by Chinese director Zhang Yimou, I was looking forward to watching this film, which came out in 2006. I am a big fan of Zhang Yimou's films, and have been long before Hero and House of Flying Daggers hit ...

sunmeilan 03.03.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Curse Of The Golden Flower (DVD)

Awful snake film

Advantages: Jennifer Lopez's sexy body
Disadvantages: Poor script and wooden acting

Anaconda is one of those films that failed on its release due to a number of failings. It is probably more famous for being a flop than any other reason. This film is a horror film directed by Luis Llosa, which is about a National Geographic documentary crew who are in search of lost Amazon tribe to film. When they rescue a hunter, Paul Sarone, he persuades the crew that he can help them in their quest, but it turns out that the hunter has his own ...
...anaconda snake. Sarone manages to take control of the crew’s boat and drags them on his insane and deadly quest. However they soon discover that the anaconda is not a creature to be messed with. The cast for this horror film features the following actors Jennifer Lopez - Terri Flores Jon Voight - Paul Sarone Ice Cube - Danny Rich Eric Stoltz - Dr. Steven Cale Owen Wilson - Gary Dixon Jonathan Hyde - Warren Westridge Kari Wuhrer - Denise Kalberg ...

mozzie76 13.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Anaconda (DVD)

2012, intense, thrilling and full of huge blasts and destruction.

Advantages: fun, thrilling, and full of spectecular special effects.
Disadvantages: The viewer may think that a bit more destruction could have happened.

The fearsome coming year 2012 is a talk of every person nowadays. It is a feared thing by many and no one really knows what will be the face of the world after it. If you want a glimpse of that then do see this movie. The movie depicts very influencially what will happen when we will see Dec 21st, 2012. It shows worldwide destruction and trauma that the earth's alignment with the center of the galaxy will cause. 2012 movie is a film that will make ...
...it be your fate? The movie includes the direction of the genius behind "The day after tomorrow" movie that is Roland Emmerich and tell the real struggle of a man to save his family from the global catacylism that then turns out to be the saving of humanity. It shows that steps taken by the leaders of the world to ensure the survival of the human and other races in erupting volcanoes, tsumanies, and world-wide wave of tension. It is a must-see movie ...

youralibaba 12.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of 2012