Tai Chi II

Starring:Jacky Wu, Christy Chung, Billy Chow, Sibelle Hu, Taam Chiu, Mark Cheng, Shun Lau, Darren Shahlavi, Chuen-Hua Chi, Hai Yu
Director: Woo-ping Yuen, Xinyan Zhang
Studio: Tai Seng
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

A fantastic story of action and sacrifice but beware the terrible subtitles
Note nearly as good as my memory of it...
I liked the song
the best of the JET LI COLLECTION DUBS, still sucks, but it is the best
LOL~!!!!

Swordsman II
Starring: Jet Li , Brigitte Lin , Michelle Reis , Waise Lee , and Rosamund Kwan
Director: Siu-Tung Ching , and Stanley Tong
Manufacturer: Tai Seng Video Marketing
ProductGroup: DVD
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New Legend of Shaolin
Swordsman III - The East is Red
Once Upon a Time in China Trilogy
The Legend
The Bride With White Hair

ASIN: B00000JKWE
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Amazon.com

It's not necessary to see the first Swordsman before you see Swordsman II--though some of the characters are the same, the cast is almost completely different. Into the thick of a clan feud in long-ago China comes young swordsman Ling (Jet Li), who has a romantic attachment to the leader of one side of the feud (Rosamund Kwan). However, on the other side is an evil sorcerer, Asia the Invincible (Brigitte Lin), who has found a magical scroll that will give the user formidable powers if the user castrates himself. Not only has Asia done so, over the course of the movie he transforms into a woman. Ling accidentally meets the newly feminine Asia, who remains silent to hide her still masculine voice, and they find themselves in the throes of a powerful attraction. But this much of the plot is only the tip of the iceberg; Hong Kong movies routinely pack enough story for three films into one, and Swordsman II is no exception. What is exceptional is the emotional power of the story, the superb performances, and the spectacular and hyperkinetic cinematography. Lin is completely magnetic and Li is at his buoyant, charismatic best. There's something so delightful and inviting about the special effects in Hong Kong films that it's simply more fun to believe them than not, even if they aren't realistic by Hollywood standards. At their best, Hong Kong fantasies (like A Chinese Ghost Story or Green Snake) become much more than camp. An epic of amazing scope and surprising richness, Swordsman II is quite possibly one of the greatest movies ever made. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A fantastic story of action and sacrifice but beware the terrible subtitles.......2007-02-09

Fans of Hong Kong cinema will definitely want this famous martial arts epic in their personal library. This was Jet Li's highest grossing HK film and it made Brigitte Lin a star. The martial arts are entirely of the supernatural wuxia variety here so don't expect something realistic like Li's "Fist of Legend". The visuals are eye-popping and you won't believe your eyes as you watch ninjas ride supersized airborne shurikans as though they were magic carpets, sexy Blue Phoenix shoot snakes out of her shirt sleeves, and Master Wu's "Essence Absorbing Stance".

In addition to the frenetic action, the plot and character development is interesting, although significantly hampered by the terrible subtitles. Rather than using the subs in the theatrical and laserdisc versions, new, incomprehensible subtitles have been added. A lot of the subtlety has been lost and I particularly was frustrated that villian "Asia the Invincible" was referred to simply as "Dawn" in the new subtitles. The whole point of the movie is that Asia has become seduced by his/her newfound power to the point that she starts referring to herself as "Invincible". "Dawn" just doesn't convey that sense of overconfidence.

Each character wrestles with their own conflicts. Jet Li wants to retreat from the world of martial arts with his "brothers" and do nothing more than drink wine, yet he gets pulled into an epic conflict. Kiddo can't decide whether she wants to be treated like a lady or one of the guys. The tribal leader wants to tell Jet Li that she loves him but feels her first duty is to protect her troupe and find her father. Blue Phoenix wants to be a loyal second-in-command but can't help but mouth off one too many times. And Asia the Invincible makes an incredible personal sacrifice to bring power to the oppressed Sun Moon Sect, but is ultimately seduced by the incredible power without realizing it.

This is one of my favorite HK films, but the awful subtitles kept me from granting it the full five stars it deserves. I have no idea why they got rid of the original theatrical subtitles, but that was clearly a mistake. Still, if you're a fan of over-the-top action and films where characters are trapped between their desires and their duties, this is a must-have movie.

Note nearly as good as my memory of it..........2007-02-02

I had fond, but vague memories of this movie from years back... then watched it again in this dubbed version and was apalled. Even beyond the dubbing, the movie itself is just so cheesily directed and cut that even the martial arts don't play well. It just doesn't hold up to the best of the genre, especially now that it's been taken to such a higher level with recent films like House of the Flying Daggers.

I liked the song.......2006-11-01

Hey Kiddo. Loyalty, and friendship. Swordsmanship and magic. I enjoyed the scenery. Interesting how a woman hides the fact she is a woman and her class mates do not know. Very much like the original Swordsman. La La la la la la, la la la la la. Listen to the singing of the Sun Sect. How two old men unite after many years and sing this song. Jet Li and Kiddo sing as well. How one takes possesion of a stringed instrument. Watch the movie. Makes you want to la la la.

the best of the JET LI COLLECTION DUBS, still sucks, but it is the best.......2006-03-08

I hate the fact that I have to review this movie AND the dubbing. I saw this on spike a year or so ago and thought the dubbing was the worst. I guess that I have been seasoned in watching this stupid Jet Li collection because after watching 10 or so of the american dubs of jet, I watched this again and whoever that guy is who always dubs Jet, puts on one of the better performances of his career.

Now that I got that out of the way I can talk about the movie. I watched this without seeing the first swordsman. But I'm pretty sure I'm gonna like Jet more than bucktooth from OUATIC. Even if the fole doesn't fit him very well, jet shows that he really is an actor in this movie. Good battle scenes. Also a good movie to watch with guys so that you can make comments about the always fabulous Bridgitte lin. She is so freaking hot I actually went on a major binge and bough ALL of her movies. So go ahead and check ou Fire Dragon, Bride With White Hairm and my fav. Deadful Melody. I haven't seen the 1st or 3rd movies, but after seeing this, I will seek them out nomatter what it takes.

Truly one of the greatest movies ever and it really makes you think.

EDITED

I got the Meieh version and it is the uncut version(108 minutes). If you are going to get this movie, make sure you buy the Mei-Eh/Tai Seng version under the title of Swordsman II.

LOL~!!!!.......2006-02-05

If you want UNCUT ORIGINAL version, ALWAYS look for ORIGINAL LICENSED Production. NOT US Release. Its a foreign film, it should not be US version to begin with~! HELLO!!!?? Why settle for LESS with US Version where they edit and cut so many excellent scenes especially with Jackie's Fighting Scenes. And US Release ruins the speed and sound as well. I have been collecting JET Li movies both HK and US Release Version for quite some time now. I found HK Version to be MUCH MORE in enjoyable, and HIGHER in Quality. American Market always like to "Americanize" and "Control". Regional Code Regulation thing is one of the example to CONTROL the Market. Why not let everyone enjoy the same HK Original Release move the same way REST OF THE WORLD enjoys it ?? No one makes Hollywood American movies to "French version" or "Chinese Version" ~! This what Americans are doing~! Well, enjoy the cheap "American version" then~! LOL

Average customer rating:

GHOSTFACE KILLER WONG CHEUNG SUAN
Don't believe the hype
Great...but.....
old "skool" kung fu for real
I will admit that I do feel horrible that I have to give this VERSION of this movie a 4/5. THE REAL MOVIE IS EASILY A 5/5.

Ninja Checkmate
Starring: Mark Long (II) , Jack Long (II) , Hsiao Wang , Jeanie Chang , and Suet Kwan Wang
Director: Joseph Kuo
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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7 Grand Masters
The Buddhist Fist
Invincible Armour
Magnificent Butcher
Shaolin Wu Tang

ASIN: B00006CXHK
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Customer Reviews:

GHOSTFACE KILLER WONG CHEUNG SUAN.......2006-08-10

this movie stars the kung fu brother duo of jack & mark long, their great friend li yi min, the legendary simon yuen, jeannie chiang (a protege of jospeh kuo who really cant fight unless trained), the great wong brothers wong wing san & wong chi sang and ricky chi tien chee all 3 of them serving as fight choreographers. the story starts as the ghostface killer (mark long) killing off honorable elderly men but yet it is hard for him to search for the chess king (jack long). he kills one man in particular who happens to be a young man's father that young man being li yi min who swears revenge and in order to seek revenge he has to seek out a master. so he eventually finds one in a old kung fu cook old yuen (simon yuen) but he later learns all he can learn from old yuen and then seeks out the the chess king and later old yuen is killed by the ghostface killer which we dont see. the highlights of the film is the the flexibilty and magnificent kicking of mark long doing roundhouses and the splits so effortlessly. hands down he must be the greatest kicker from taiwan tying between him, alexander lo rei and chia kai, and he might be one of the best kickers of the genre. the acrobatics by jack long, li yi min and ricky chi tien chee are off the meatrack son. but there are 2 flaws the choppy editing and the switched scene near the end. this movie ran for 2 years just like 7 grandmasters another jospeh kuo gem. the fight scenes are mark long vs. li yi min's father, mark long vs. wong wing san as the pole fighter (one of the best fight scenes youll ever see), mark long vs. the martial arts teacher, and of course final fight between the long brothers then li yi min jumps in. overall this a top 20 if not top 10 pick it up you wont be disappointed.

Don't believe the hype.......2006-06-15

I bought this DVD based on the reviews I read here but after watching the movie I was very disappointed.

one of the things I didn't like was how the main villain would roll around and strike poses before and during battle (the guy would actually role around in the dirt just to strike a pose, then get back up and strike another pose). in a lot of the fight scenes the moves just seemed impractical and silly to be honest. the acting and kung fu performed by the main character and his rival classmate was just plain terrible and the plot was nothing new. just wasn't very interesting imo.

I wouldn't recommend this movie and doubt I'll ever watch it again. that's just my opinion though, seems a lot of others enjoyed it.

Great...but............2006-05-23

This is yet another "classic" martial arts film with "old school" fight choreography and lots of gymnastics, acrobatics, and training sequences. There are some wire tricks but not of the "Crouching Tiger" kind. The fights are many and practically non-stop. The training sequences are fun to look at. However, the video and audio quality are sub-par. It would have been great if the quality was on the level of the "7 Grand Masters". Also, it is available only in full-screen so some of the action seems to fly off the screen. What a travesty. For now, this will have to do until someone gives it the remastering it deserves.

old "skool" kung fu for real.......2006-05-12

I rushed out to get this flick based on the hype!! I was truly impressed with this one. It was entertaining from the start to the finished,,great story line,,,and the many fight scenes,there are absolutely no boaring parts. If you walked away at anytime, more than likely you may have miss something sweet!!!! I now have two new martial arts hero to my collection, Jack and Mark Long,,simply amazing!!! I said it before, and will say it again,,,3 words for this flick "TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH!!

This flick is easily up there among my top 5 best flicks ever, I would not be surprized if this movie is not even better than 7 Grandmasters,,which has always been my personaly favourite!!!

This is definately a must have,,no matter what the cost,,there will be no dissapoinments!!

I will admit that I do feel horrible that I have to give this VERSION of this movie a 4/5. THE REAL MOVIE IS EASILY A 5/5. .......2006-03-17

I have the tai seng version of this, and I don't know what they did with the editing, but I have never seen anyone try so hard to ruin a movie. The scenes are so jumbled, and it is so obviously not 90 min. on the dot. If that were the only problem, I would be fine with this dvd, they discussed on the commentary how they thought that some of the scenes were overcut most likely by the american distubtor. I know joseph kuo movies, and I know his cuts, he does it a lot, but somebody didn't like his cuts and decided to edit this himself. I am going to do some damage for sure......ahhh, at least I gotta see the ghostface killer and the great jack long going at it in this movie again.

The tai seng version I have is good sound and picture, and the commentary deserves at least a 4/5, it has bobby samuels doing it, so I just thought it was gonna be better, but it was pretty good.

As long as this is tai seng and released in 02, it will be the commentary version, the only reason I can recommend this. the fights are great, but they mean a whole lot more when you have all the emotion in them.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable, even if it isn't your usual fare...
GOOD movie to watch
My name is 9, Dragon 9
Chinese Martial Arts Film~ RULEZ!
A surprisingly good movie, very entertaining

The Duel
Starring: Andy Lau , Ekin Cheng , Nick Cheung , Zhao Wei , and Kristy Yang
Director: Wai Keung Lau
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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A Man Called Hero
The Storm Riders
Dragon Inn
Duel to the Death
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ASIN: B00005B6LM
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Amazon.com

Hong Kong pop cinema may have reached its peak in the late '80s and early '90s, but there are still flashes of brilliance to be found--and The Duel is one of them. This amazing fantasy centers around two supreme swordsmen, played by Andy Lau (Savior of Souls, God of Gamblers) and Ekin Cheng (The Storm Riders), who are set to fight a duel on the roof of the royal palace of China, known as the Forbidden City. Only eight witnesses to the battle will be allowed; imperial agent Dragon 9--also known as "Four Eyebrows" because of his thin mustache--is assigned to choose these witnesses. But as Dragon 9 goes about his business, he begins to uncover evidence of a sinister conspiracy that may threaten the life of the emperor himself. Part action epic, part mystery, part romance, The Duel careens wildly from wacky comedy to heroic passion to sweet tenderness, often in the same scene--but the movie is so visually lush, propulsively filmed (with action sequences choreographed by Ching Siu-tung, the man responsible for the kinetic dynamism of Dragon Inn and Swordsman II), and engagingly acted that you'll be swept up in every twist of tone and plot. Movies like The Duel make American action movies seem pale and simplistic; if you're unfamiliar with Hong Kong's unique and dazzling action cinema, The Duel will provide an excellent, thrilling introduction. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable, even if it isn't your usual fare..........2006-06-01

As an American watching a translation, it's sometimes difficult to determine a film-maker's intent. Ever since "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," we in the West have had to re-evaluate martial arts cinema--it's not always about revenge. Sometimes, it seems pretty inexplicable. You know-- different culture, different philosophy, etc. (That's what I'm told, anyway. Since I don't speak Chinese, I couldn't exactly say WHAT gets lost in translation.)

Regardless of culture or genre, the big question always has to be: did you like the movie?

Well, yes, I liked it. I don't know if I get all of it, but I liked it. The action sequences and special effects are soundly executed without taking over the film. The actors are enjoyable to watch, and I actually got the jokes (there were many). At the end of the movie, I felt like I'd watched a story, and not just fluff. There was a theme and hidden plot behind all those flying people with swords. You gotta like that.

GOOD movie to watch.......2006-02-10

EPIC FANTASY-MARTIAL ARTS DRAMA WITH A COMEDIC TWIST
This was a really great movie; the perfect marriage between spectacular swordplay and special effects. Set in imperial China, this movie has everything a martial arts/fantasy fan could want - love, ambition, honor, martial arts, magic and wonderful production values with the added bonus of a wise cracking protagonist. The movie smoothly shifts between the genres of drama, martial arts and comedy through its entirety, the end result being a magnificent martial arts fantasy that is as amazing as it is funny.

Also Recommended: The Bride with White Hair; Iron Monkey; pretty much any Jackie Chan movie that he produced (on an unrelated note, his autobiography " I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action" was a pretty fun read)

My name is 9, Dragon 9.......2005-07-14

Perhaps the best way to think of this movie is as a Chinese equivalent of a James Bond movie, (it even has the James Bond theme in one scene).

The basic plot of the movie is when one of the country's greatest swordsmen, Yip Cool Sung, challenges another, Simon Blow Snow, to a Duel on the roof of the forbidden city on the 15th day of the first month (Chinese new year).
The Benevolent Emperor permits the duel saying "Many would be disappointed if I forbade it."
However as the palace can only accomodate 8 additional spectators, the Emperor issues 8 gold passes, and it falls upon the palace detective Dragon 9 (sometimes translated as 009) to decide who is eligible to see the Duel. It is only after an incident at a local brothel that Dragon 9 suspects that something isn't right, but can't say what it is exactly. Not long afterwards, Dragon 9 and his friend and owner of the brothel, Lord Goldbeard find three carved figurines in the hands of a slain stone carver. While two of these figurines are easily identified, one as been the chief Eunuch Lau, and the other as a gambler named Ma a.k.a. "The dice demon," the third has had the face filed off it leading Dragon 9 to believe that this figurine is a replica of the killer but, without a face on the figurine it is impossible to say who it is.
The killer's identity remains unknown as both Ma and the craftsman asked to restore the face on the figurine are killed, and Eunuch Lau dies mysteriously. But the real surprise is not so much the killer's identity as to what the whole master plan is.

What this movie lacks action-wise, it makes up for in mystery and suspence, humour, softcore sexual references, and certain Matrix like special effects.

Quotes:

Dragon 9: Nice (playfully slaps sword wielding women on the face) Big ass too (spanks them as he passes through the throng) Hey! love your ass!

(a few minutes later when Simon Blow Snow arrives to fight the Phantom)

Simon:(to Phantom) Live or die?
Dragon 9:Big....I mean live.

(Princess Phoenix and Dragon 9 fall into a pit after finding the slain craftsman)

Princess Phoenix:You cowards have used a dirty trick to trap us, come down here and fight Dragon 9 if you dare.
Dragon 9:Come down here! Copme down and fight me if you dare!
Princess:Didn't you say you're telepathic microstep is invinicible, let's get some backup
Dragon 9:Ok, ready? 1, 2, (they both jump)
Princess:How come it didn't work?
Dragon 9:I forgot to tell you, the microstep's only good for running away.

Dragon 9: (eating a cake starts making choking sounds)This cake....is absolutely delicious.

Chinese Martial Arts Film~ RULEZ!.......2005-06-03

Well if you all watch the Storm Riders, this is the second movie you need to watch. Eventhough i found the martial arst and kung-fu kinda cheesy but the story is not that bad and the casting was perfect. I love Chinese Kung-Fu flicts specially reading some english subtitles (it doesn't bother me anymore). All in all your money won't be wasted in this film.

CIAO!

A surprisingly good movie, very entertaining.......2005-03-18

Other than a handful serious filmmakers, Hong Kong cinema has always emphasized entertainment (and violence and oblique sex and greed and everything-that's-wrong-with-the-world). "The Duel" is a surprisingly good movie, exactly because it's entertaining. It's neither Crouching Tiger nor Matrix, contrary to what the announcer in the U.S. trailer opines. It's a movie that blends all the usual flashy elements of H.K. cinema -- soapy romance, superhuman yet graceful martial arts, lots of blood, light-hearted comedy, plus a little suspense -- and blends them well. There's no motion sickness-inducing camera panning or color shifting as in some recent films, but just good ol' filmmaking with a good storyline, some strong acting, and just lots of fun. I give it five stars because I really enjoyed it -- and I'm not a real fan of H.K. movies (except the "Sex & Zen" trilogy and the "Once Upon a Time in China" series with Jet Li). Whether you are a fan of H.K. cinema or just looking for an entertaining flick, this movie would be worth your time.

Average customer rating:

Cute
Charming, sweet movie...

Magic Kitchen
Starring: Sammi Cheng , Daniel Wu (II) , Lik-Chi Lee , Michael Tong , and Wai Keung Law
Director: Chi-Ngai Lee
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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Good Times, Bed Times
My Left Eye Sees Ghosts
Needing You
Fighting for Love (Ws Sub)
Cat and Mouse

ASIN: B00025ETL4
Release Date: 2004-07-20

Description

Pop icons Andy Lau (The Duel, Infernal Affairs), Sammi Cheng (Love On A Diet) and Taiwanese hearthrob Jerry Yan star in this new romantic comedy on taste and love. Yau (Cheng) is the chef and owner of a speakeasy restaurant who cooks everything by the book. But her successful career can't compensate for an empty love life. During an appearance on the popular Japanese TV show "Iron Chef", Yau bumps into her old flame Chuen (Lau), who is about to marry Yau's best friend. Enraged, Yau decides to use the competition as the perfect chance to take revenge on her ex-boyfriend.

Customer Reviews:

Cute.......2007-03-09

This movie was really cute, funny, and made me really hungry. I enjoyed it a lot and am glad that it is now part of my movie collection.

Charming, sweet movie..........2004-05-25

This is not due in the States for several months but this movie came in a lot of movies I bought off Ebay. It reminds me of "Practical Magic," "Simply Irresistible" and "Like Water for Chocolate..." and it is different in its own right. Sammi Cheng plays a unwilling chef who works in a restaurant more reminiscent of a home kitchen than a restaurant. Most of the scenes in the movie she is entertaining her friends more so than clients. Sammi inherits her restaurant when her mother, the previous owner, falls into ill-health and the story takes place 3 years after she has taken over the restaurant. Her assistant, Ho, (played by hunky newcomer Jerry Yan) wants her to participate in this "Iron Chef"-like (called "King Chef") competition in Tokyo but she doesn't feel ready and resists doing the contest. While in Tokyo to visit the set of "King Chef" Yau runs into an old boyfriend, Chun, which makes her reevaluate her life and her past relationships. Yau comes to terms with the bad relationship she had with her father growing up, getting over her relationship with Chun (played by Andy Lau), and dealing with her two close female friends who are well-intentioned but self-serving and manipulative. "Magic Kitchen" also features Maggie Q as one of Yau's friends and a very funny cameo by Stephen Fung that is one of the best scenes of the movies. Overall this is a very enjoyable film. If you like this you may want to check out Gigi Leung & Takeshi Kaneshiro in "Turn Left/Turn Right..."

Average customer rating:

3.5, but great music, great acting, and an ending that will never be forgotten boosts it up to a 4.
One of the greatest WuXia films
All-Star Disappointment
The Ending makes the movie
Drag On Inn!

Dragon Inn
Starring: Tony Leung Ka Fai , Brigitte Lin , Maggie Cheung , Cheung-Yan Yuen , and Donnie Yen
Director: Siu-Tung Ching , Hark Tsui , and Raymond Lee (II)
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

The Bride With White Hair
Butterfly Sword (Special Edition)
The Duel
Swordsman II
Duel to the Death

ASIN: B000059HA4
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Amazon.com

The young director Raymond Lee (Rebel from China) deserves some credit for daring to remake one of the great King Hu's most impressive movies. The 1967 original looked like a vintage Technicolor Western, and it had more sweep and panache than any other movie of its kind. Filming in Taiwan, Hu relished the possibilities offered by a shrewdly limited situation. The plots of the two versions are identical: Among the guests at a remote inn in dusty Northern China are representatives of the eunuch-controlled secret police that secretly runs the imperial Ming government, and a group of staunch rebels who have sworn to overthrow them. The story line could be described as an excuse for the sword fights, between as many combinations of antagonists as possible. But when the result was so intoxicating, who could complain? In 1992 Lee updated the basic conception with some winking sexual innuendo and snagged an all-star cast: Maggie Cheung Man-yuk (Song of the Exile), Tony Leung Kar-fei (The Lover), and Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia (Peking Opera Blues). But his staging of action feels mechanical, and the movie never comes to life. You may find yourself nodding out over the endless whirlwind swordplay. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

3.5, but great music, great acting, and an ending that will never be forgotten boosts it up to a 4. .......2006-04-11

Now I can't comment on the original, but king hu definitely did not make movies like this. Now if you like movies like the swordsman series than you will probably dig this. I thought that this movie was a little less than action packed. But that was just because the story was a little less than boring, I really needed more action. That is not to say that the acting was not good, just storywise it was very weak. The action though actually features pretty good swordfights throughout. And in one fight we get the confirmation that brigitte's skin looks very good. I would have liked to see more but it is just as good dreaming of her. I can easily imagine what she looks like, she has... Ok, well the reason most people will buy this is for donnie yen, but I bought it for briggite lin and I ended up getting a little more than I expected. Now the political overtones that ric myers speaks about all throughout the commentary I think is true. I don't know if a lot of the things he is suggesting are true or false, but the movie is at least very different in this way. We have all these swordmasters, but we don't have like this one guy who is the master. Well I guess we do, but he doesn't show up until the very end and the part where I saw political meaning is where the whole of them could do nothing to him but it took teamwork and luck to win. Don't really mean to give anything away but I definitely think there is something to be read into their. And man oh man donnie would have made a great bad guy if he did it more than like twice. So all in all still a pretty good film with stuff at the end that may cause seizures.

And of course elvis tsui shows up, what chinese movie is he not in? You mat know him as the guy with the mansion in butterfly sword and chinese torture chamber story, but I am 99.9% sure that this is KAM KANG. There is a reason he always seems like a really good actor, cause he is. he is not just seasoned, he can seriously act. You may remember kam kang from Master of the flying guillotine, he was the master. Now if anyone wants to prove me wrong then bring it cause I haev done my research. But this guy has literally appeared in something like 200-300 movies.

Now the picture for this film is very good. It is a tai seng release so there are scratches. We are also getting 15 more minutes and you always gotta love that. The sound quality is slightly better than average, and NO 5.1 sound option. The trailers are the same old. But the filmographies are very professionally presented. VERY ggod short biographies and limited filmography, but VERY good for a usual throw away special feature. The commentary is ok and has some good info on the stars and briefly discusses king hu's original. He talks about tsui hark being great but my opinion is he is far from that. He has another 10 or so great films to make before he can be considered great. It's true that he has worked on many movies, but his stuff is unique and I respect him for that. But it is not unique enough of the time and he has made some of the worst movies ever so it goes both ways. And ric myers does make a rare really good point on how this film was filmed silently. 99% of chinese action movies are filmed silently, even TODAY it is still being done. Hong Kong knows how to make movies cheaper than we do and they sacrifice a lot. Our movies get brought overseas sometimes but we don't hear about it. Of course crouching, daggers, and hero came over but they were more expensive and more widely known. This movie is a cheapo just like all the rest except it manages to do better than most. When they make these, they make it for kong kong, but it is also going to be distibuteed in lik ea hundred other countries.

So I would tell you to watch this for the 2 hotass women and the end fight, but more for b lin in particular. And IT IS R-rated for a reason. Enjoy.

One of the greatest WuXia films.......2005-11-07

As a Chinese who has watched a lot of martial arts movies I can tell you this is a true classic! If you like the great HK actions movies like A Better Tomorrow, Die Hard, Once Upon a Time in China you will love it. It's better than Crouching Tiger, and it's much much better than trashes like Hero, Heros of Heaven and Earth, House of Flying Daggers, etc.

All-Star Disappointment .......2005-08-12

Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung and Donnie Yen are amazing. I was excited to see a movie that combined their talents, but "Dragon Inn" was a big disappointment. The plot was too absurd for my liking, the characters felt a little two-dimensional and the fight scenes were only a fraction of what they could have been. However, some people really like this movie a lot. My recommendation would be to rent it first.

The Ending makes the movie.......2005-07-27

I would've given this a 3 but I loved the last scene! I still smile when I think of it. Its not bad overall and will keep your interest.

Drag On Inn!.......2005-06-27

The description of this dvd led me to expect a movie like "Musa" or "Warriors of Heaven and Earth"--I'd have even been happy with a movie comparable to "Crouching Tiger"--this movie isn't up to the standards of any of these movies though. More of a farce than anything close to an "adventure"-the scenery is wasted with a lame plot that drags on and makes the movie seem about twice as long as it really is. Perhaps if my own expectations had been lower--I wouldn't be so harsh on this movie--but compared to "Musa" or "Warriors of Heaven and Earth"--it's defintely sub standard. Different strokes--as they say--perhaps you'll enjoy this movie--I didn't!

Average customer rating:

Not all that good
A Classic Overall Entertain !
Lackluster Performances
Action-packed and Entirely Enjoyable
Twin Warriors 2

Tai Chi II
Starring: Jacky Wu , Christy Chung , Billy Chow , Sibelle Hu , and Taam Chiu
Director: Woo-ping Yuen , and Xinyan Zhang
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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Similar Items:

The Tai Chi Master
Secrets of Tai Chi
The Buddhist Fist
Book and Sword
7 Grand Masters

ASIN: 6305034419
Release Date: 1998-07-28

Customer Reviews:

Not all that good.......2006-11-23

Tai Chi Master was a lot better than this. I was pretty bored watching this movie. No real good moves, just plain boring. I didn't even watch the last 40ish minutes.

A Classic Overall Entertain !.......2006-01-01

Not as good current new Tai chi Movie which using the series to edit but his one is not edit in any way is a movie if u compare this to tai chi movie by jet lee is a very different approance this one a bit more entertain and fun to watch. Fight Scene which not as good as Jet Li one, but plot and acting fit better. Highly Recommaned for Tai Chi Fan or Martial Art Enthurisian fan.

Lackluster Performances.......2005-11-22

This is not as good as the other Tai Chi movies. Unpolished, poor gongfu spoils the good parts. The ending is especially weak... the sudden appearance of "string" aided stunts makes it laughable in a bad way. The lack of a good villian is sure to kill any decent movie, and the bad guys are really subpar in Tai Chi II.

Likewise, I am unimpressed with the storyline... it starts off as a "girl-meets-boy" who already has boyfriend plot and tries to become an old vs. new China (opium wars) flick. Additionally, the young kungfu master goes through no personal jouney (training/failure/rivalry) - I guess I just didnt find it too interesting.

Pass and buy another one in the TAI CHI series.

Action-packed and Entirely Enjoyable.......2004-09-07

Tai Chi II, set during the time of British imperialism and the illegal opium trade, is one of the most action-packed and well-balanced non-"Old School" kung-fu films I have ever seen, ranking up there alongside Jet Li's "The Tai Chi Master."

The movie is cast well, with delightful and memorable characters.
The main plot revolves around the illegal opium trade propogated by the British--to the detriment of the native Chinese, the general clash of cultural values and how various segments within Chinese society adapt to the western influence. Secondarily, there is a romantic side of the plot between the main character, the very lovely leading lady, and her fiance. The film also highlights the strength and interplay of Chinese family relationships--for those reacting to the western presence in different ways--in a wonderful way (remeniscent of the Fong Sai Yuk films with Jet Li). In the end, the moral mainstay of traditional Chinese culture wins the day with a very satisfying resolution of circumstances.

The action choreography is quite well done (bravo! Yuen Woo-Ping!), making good use of multiple angles and very good use of slow motion to showcase the grace, power and superiority of Tai Chi. While there is limited use of wire, it is fairly well integrated with the rest of the fight sequence(s) and does not in any way detract from the general tone of the film, or eclipse the excellent emphasis on the Tai Chi methods.

If at all possible, get the original Hong Kong import version of this film (I bought mine for $7.99 from EDay Movie: www.edaymovie.com). The picture and sound quality are top-knotch, even though the English subtitles display the occasional spelling or grammatical anamoly (which I have come to expect--and even to enjoy(!)--over the years).

All tolled, a stellar offering that easily merits the top-shelf and quite possibly the top-ten in anyone's kung-fu movie collection! Along with The Tai Chi Master, Tai Chi II is easily one of the best non-"Old School" kung-fu film you are ever likely to see.

Twin Warriors 2.......2003-07-26

This is part 2 of Yuen Woo-Ping's Twin Warriors with Jet Li & Michelle Yoeh. Both films are great. In fact all of Yuen Woo-Ping's films are great.

Customer Reviews:

fantastic police story!.......2007-06-13

one of the best hongkong police movies ever viewed. we got all kinds of cops in uniforms. maverick who never played by the rules or disciplines only by his instinct; rigid one with zero flexibility; self-centered bad plain-clothes detectives; pre-retire cop after 25 service; young, cute, enthusiastic female officer who never hesitate to take risk; uniforms dept. v.s. plain-clothes dept., vicious robbers and killers on the loose; car chases and street firefights.
very exciting and very touching at some moments. great storyline, acting, directing and editing. very nicely done in general. highly recommended to watch with other great movies, such as 'ptu', 'the mission'. you could always enjoy these movies, say, if you're not so picky and so difficult to be pleased.

great film.......2006-09-19

Lau Ching Wan plays a cop that is being transferred from the special unit to the emergency unit. I don't know Hong Kong police stuff very well, but non-Chinese will just have to suppose that he is being demoted. Plus this is still when the Hong Kong was in the Brithish's hands so it may not even be applicable today. Well they may be able to demote him, but they can't change who he is. He is a damn good cop and even his superior knows he cannot fire him because he has made so many big arrests.

Well right when he starts with the Emergeny Unit, big things start going down. Only he is not with the special unit anymore and has to do what he is told arresting street hooligans and such. So he can do nothing when a man who is called the Professor(Rongguang Yu) gets broken out of prison. He and his henchmen, one of which is played by Anthony Wong want to get their money back from the cops. They know where the money is because of certain people and they will do all in their power to get it. I love it how this guy goes to jail for stealing money and now he breaks out of prison so he can get it back. Rongguang Yu is very good as the villian.

So the movie has awesome shootouts and even a little hand to hand. When you have the Iron Monkey in a movie, it is a crime not to use his skills. The choreography could have been a little more exciting, but this is some of the best I have seen in a movie that is this good. Also I was cracking up during the entire film. A very good mix of comedy, action and drama. I have to say that Lau Ching Wan is not quite as good as he is in say Johnny To's movies, but this role was not made just for him and he still proves to be possibly the best actor in Hong Kong again. Only my opinion but he is freaking cool!

The Universal and Laser and Video Company version has pretty good picture quality. It is presented in a 16:9 format but all of the subtitles manage to stay in the black bars.

Big Bullet Delivers with Big Thrills........2006-01-14

In Benny Chan's Big Bullet, Lau Ching Wan is a hard-boiled cop demoted to the emergency unit after punching a jackass superior. Lau ends up being in charge of four cops who eventually realize that he's an outstanding policeman. The group becomes an excellent team by following Lau's leads and they go to war with two psychotic drug-lords. This action packed film sports an awesome supporting cast. You can't miss with Anthony Wong and Yu Wing Gong as the villains. Add Jordan Chan, Francis Ng, and Theresa Lee to the mix and it's almost an overkill. Director Benny Chan lets everyone shine and the results are fabulous. Big Bullet will add flavor to any action fan's collection.

Good action thriller with cool characters.......2001-03-11

The characters are particularly memorable in this movie, which is saying quite a bit about the quality of this action flick. Lau Ching Wan plays a tough well-respected cop who gets demoted to the Emergency Unit (after he punched a superior) and joins with four other cops, each with very different personalities. The characters are excellent and the way they play off each other is quite endearing, dramatic, and funny. And then, there's the two evil druglord villains whom they must eventually tangle with. Action scenes are fast and furious (occasionally confusing), and story moves quite quickly. A highly entertaining movie.

As for the DVD, I found it pretty okay, as there are some extra trailers of other movies which was kind of nice, although DVD didn't allow me to skip through the the studio/warning setences and stuff in the beginning.

another good HK action police story worth watching.......2001-02-13

After assaulting his superior officer, well decorated cop Bill gets reassigned to the less glamorous Emergency Unit. Circumstances put Bill on the trail of escaped international criminal Professor, and his accomplice Birdie. The mechanics of this film are truly mediocre - it's a standard plot with cookie cutter characters. But the enormously talented cast, subtly humourous script, and one very well choreographed action sequence make this film quite enjoyable. Lau Ching Wan is in top form, Jordan makes the best of his cliched character, Theresa shows the same energy she had in _What A Wonderful World_, and Spencer even gets to do some football play-by-play. Francis Ng Chun Yu doesn't ham it up, for once, and puts in a solid supporting role. If you enjoyed this film, you may enjoy _In The Heat Of Summer_ even more. -P

Average customer rating:

How It's Done
Whoa...COOL!
Everybody loves Jackie!
Wonderful
Jackie Rocks!

Jackie Chan: My Stunts (Chinese Import)
Starring: Bradley James Allan , Anthony Carpio , Jackie Chan Stunt Team , Andy Cheng (II) , and Rocky Cheung
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Jackie Chan: My Story
Art of Action (Sub)
Jackie Chan's Project A
The Myth
New Police Story

ASIN: B00000IBY8
Release Date: 2001-01-09

Customer Reviews:

How It's Done.......2004-10-17

This DVD is wonderful. Here Jackie takes you behind the scenes and demonstrates and explains how stunts and different special effects are done in his movies. He also goes over the stunts scenes in several of his movies, and you get to meet his stunt crew.

Whoa...COOL!.......2002-05-16

Sitting in awe of Jackie and this DVD. That man is amazing. A must have for any Jackie Chan fan. Long live (and love) Jackie Chan!

Everybody loves Jackie!.......2002-02-10

Whether you are a die hard Jackie fan or a passive visitor of the infinite Jackie video libraries you will find this "documentary" highly entertaining. This isn't a typical type of documentary because it features Jackie and his stunt crew showing off how the intricacies of their action sequences. It seems Jackie actually took the time to film this twice, one where he speaks his native language and another time where it is filmed in english. He didn't simply dub it, there are two sides to the DVD.

Pay attention as Jackie nails the camera while demonstrating how they use fake blood...what a pro!

Wonderful.......2002-01-10

Excellent behind the scenes type video explaining and detailing everything you could want to know. Too bad we don't get to see Chan do much execpt for when they show some of the greater moments from past movies. Get it!

Jackie Rocks!.......2001-03-30

This DVD is a must have for any Chan fan! Take a tour behind the scenes as Jackie gives an in depth look into the art of making a classic "Jackie Chan movie." You'll see exclusive footage and fighting sequences choreographed by Jackie and performed by his stunt guys and students. You'll go behind the scenes on the set of Who Am I? and Rush Hour, take a bus tour in Hong Kong with Jackie hanging by umbrella for a look at Police Story revisited, listen as Jackie tells fascinating stories about stunts gone awry, visit the Jackie Chan Stunt Lab. You'll learn what it is that makes his fight sequences so spectacular, get a glimpse of their training techniques, hear some of Jackie's ideas and plans for the future and so much more! This DVD is high quality stuff, and the JC Group went all out to make this documentary as a gift to his fans. In fact, some of the stunt men were actually hurt in the filming! If you truely love Jackie's movies you must have this DVD! It is so much fun!

Average customer rating:

last reviewer, "manystyles" is right, this is not wu tang something with mark long as the monk as jack long as the evil priest
Stop retitling..don't I have this move under another name
ONE OF THE BEST MARTIAL ART VILLIANS EVER
Action packed, over the top, old school buttkicking.
A classic known by another name.

The Ninja Hunter
Starring: Jack Long (II) , Tien-chi Cheng , Alexander Lou , Chen Shang , and Mark Long (II)
Director: Wu Kuo Jen
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Super Ninja
A Life of Ninja
Revenge of the Ninja
Rage of Honor
Ninja in the Deadly Trap

ASIN: B00005IAQU
Release Date: 2001-07-17

Customer Reviews:

last reviewer, "manystyles" is right, this is not wu tang something with mark long as the monk as jack long as the evil priest.......2006-05-09

They must have changed the picture, because the tai seng, martial arts theater release of sholin hero has mang fei, Leung kar-yan(beardy), and phillip ko in it.

I believe ninja hunter is the other name of the one with the long's and lo rei.

This one starts off with beardy(willow) saving a chick. And this girl likes beardy casue he saved her I guess. Well we find out this girl really loves mang fei, a master swordsman. Mang Fei(rocky) wandered off a while ago I guess. Now he has come back for his girl, even though we don't get a good explanation of why he left. So we find out there is a girl who has formed a secret society to destroy everything about willow(leung kar-yan). Why because when willow saved the girl at the start, she killed this one guys brother. Wait a minute, no, the girl just wants to destroy him. But phillip Ko comes on at the end to fight mang fei and willow becasue willow killed HIS brother. No set up to his character whatsoever, and only one kind of short scene(around 7 minute final fight), btu man I love phillip ko. I hd no idea he was so sweet with a sword. So obviously the story is non existant and too confusing for having a stupid freaking plot, but the fights are plentiful and GOOD. The death shots really suck but I think that a very competent choreographer must have done this movie. I can't remember the name of the guy who did hero, daggers, dragon inn, and the swordsman series, but he might at least of had a hand in this.

So all in all I have to say that it was really a HORRIBLE movie, btu the fights are surprisingly good, especially the one at the end with ko fei and his AWESOME sword. So if you don't like sword movies, you probably won't like this, but if you are a real kung fu fan you will find this good for at least one watch.

If anybody does actually know the real name of this, please tell me, I would really like to knwo who did the action choreography and the god awful directing job.

Stop retitling..don't I have this move under another name.......2002-04-05

Possibly the worst dubbing I've ever heard.. Although I must say the action is constant and throughout and the costumes are adequate however the actors names(Rocky & Willow) and their actions are enough to cause you to seek therapy. The climax(spoiler) oh soo stupid, consisting of a villian(who youv'e never seen) who for some reason does not know when he's won(but enjoys a good laugh!) and practically begs our dim heros to vanquish his azz. By the by this movie has nothing to do with Shoalin the cover clearly misdirection. Another strange Ocean Shores Joint!

ONE OF THE BEST MARTIAL ART VILLIANS EVER.......2002-02-24

Not that many movies,especailly martial art movies,that has a villian that takes two generations to defeat. basically the movie is about the villian,abbot white's,quest to destroy the shaolin temple. While doing so he sides himself with three japanese ninjas who control an army of ninjas. armed with iron skin & the ability to make people explode/implode just by pointing at them. attempts to destroy the temple. You have to see the method of which he maintains his iron skin. I could describe it but it's best for you to see

Action packed, over the top, old school buttkicking........2002-01-12

This is a really fun movie. It is quite cheezy, 70's style kung fu with terrible dubbing but if you don't take it too seriously (the movie does not take itself seriously) you will really enjoy it. Hardly a minute passes without either some crazy kung fu action or some unbelievably bad acting, costumes, or hair to make you laugh. There is actually quite a bit of impressive movie style kung fu here, but the real joy of this movie is the campy old school attitude. Recommended, especially if you are going to watch with friends who also enjoy this sort of thing.

A classic known by another name........2001-07-26

Also known as Wu Tang & Ninja, this film stars Alexander Lo Rei as a young student of shaolin caught up in a plan set by The Wu Tang high Priest and a group of japanese ninja to take over Shaolin temple. Through Rigorous training he tones his skills to where he thinks he can match the Ninja. and if he is lucky enough to make it alive through that he still must fight the white haird priest. Can you guess where his weak point is?

Customer Reviews:

Great Fun! Hong Kong Mission Impossible.......2006-01-30

I just watched this movie for the 4th time and enjoyed it the 4th time as much as the 1st. It has the same improbable plot and circumstances as Mission Impossible but with great HK action sequences. Takeshi Kaneshiro is one of my favorite actors and he doesn't disappoint! You won't regret it taking the time to see this one.

Entertaining flick, but DVD is so-so.......2001-05-09

A hip, modern Hong Kong flick inspired by Mission:Impossible (and more fun), that manages to be big, flashy, and entertaining. Fast-paced action, excellent editing, cool stunts, and energetic direction make it feel like a slick, animated Japanese cartoon. Particularly noteable is Jordan Chan in the film, who does much of the movie's cool fights, dodging, and running. Takeshi Kaneshiro, however, doesn't do much here, other than look pretty for the female audience. Needless to say, at around 90 minutes, you won't get a whole lot of character development, but there's plenty intriquite action, nice European locations, twists with plenty plot-holes (yet "cool" nevertheless). If you're looking for substance in your film, you won't find it here, but you will get a "fun," entertaining, spy flick with speedy Hong Kong action, at least more entertaining than a James Bond flick (although it makes just about as much sense). Not bad if you want to be entertained for 90 minutes. As for the DVD: The DVD I got didn't have any extras, which was a shame. The english subtitles were part of the image.

Quite interesting... but that's it........2001-03-01

As far as I know, this movie was incredibly influenced by "Mission Impossible" (the first one) with Tom Cruise. Well, I may say that this movie is kinda like that with more HK style action and humour. So it's quite exciting to watch after all.

But as for an entertaining action "blockbuster typr" movie, this one's story was quite a little bit too complicated and too up-and-down. But who cares, when Takeshi Kaneshiro is in there?

Interesting movie.......2000-09-22

I really enjoyed this film although some of the technology seemed a little far-fetched. It had a lot of hongkong type action and a lot of flash in it. I have watched the show several times and have found it to be quite entertaining. I suppose the presence of my favourite actors helped a bit, Jordan Chan and Takeshi Kaneshiro!

DVD:

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Bad Man of Deadwood

Company: Inigo and His Jesuits

Meet the Hollowheads

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Kir Royal