It really doesn't matter all that much that martial arts movies aren't
really my thing, fore I strongly feel that even the most hardened genre
nut has to admit that this just isn't a very good movie at all.
It's a cheap looking film, which in itself shouldn't necessarily be a problem for a martial arts movie. After all, there are plenty of low budget example that do work out well, mostly because they use some true creativity, a likable main character and actor portraying him/her and some amazing fights to look at. All things that this movie is sadly missing.
The movie is using a very simple and straightforward story, which again, shouldn't be a problem in itself but it in this case makes the movie a very restrained one and one that too often starts to repeat itself. There is not enough creativity and variety to its story and it doesn't help much that this movie heavily 'borrows' from some other, better known, genre movies.
As one of the character even points out in this movie, it uses a concept that seems more suitable for a video game. And really, if this was a video game, that you could play for yourself, it would had been a pretty good and enjoyable one, most likely!
Still the most disappointing aspect about the movie remains that the fights aren't even much to look at. They are shot terrible and the movie has some bad editing and cinematography in it. Hard to imaging the people involved had experience in the business and with the genre already, fore this movie most definitely would suggest otherwise.
All of the characters are extreme stereotypes and familiar ones. None of them really has a likable or distinctive enough personality and it's therefore also hard to pick a favorite to root for throughout this movie.
And it's obvious everyone in this movie got cast for their fighting skills, as opposed to for their acting abilities. There are some truly bad performances throughout this movie, all across the board, which makes it all the more hard to take this movie very serious.
Overall, it's a far too lacking genre attempt, in about every regard!
4/10
It's a cheap looking film, which in itself shouldn't necessarily be a problem for a martial arts movie. After all, there are plenty of low budget example that do work out well, mostly because they use some true creativity, a likable main character and actor portraying him/her and some amazing fights to look at. All things that this movie is sadly missing.
The movie is using a very simple and straightforward story, which again, shouldn't be a problem in itself but it in this case makes the movie a very restrained one and one that too often starts to repeat itself. There is not enough creativity and variety to its story and it doesn't help much that this movie heavily 'borrows' from some other, better known, genre movies.
As one of the character even points out in this movie, it uses a concept that seems more suitable for a video game. And really, if this was a video game, that you could play for yourself, it would had been a pretty good and enjoyable one, most likely!
Still the most disappointing aspect about the movie remains that the fights aren't even much to look at. They are shot terrible and the movie has some bad editing and cinematography in it. Hard to imaging the people involved had experience in the business and with the genre already, fore this movie most definitely would suggest otherwise.
All of the characters are extreme stereotypes and familiar ones. None of them really has a likable or distinctive enough personality and it's therefore also hard to pick a favorite to root for throughout this movie.
And it's obvious everyone in this movie got cast for their fighting skills, as opposed to for their acting abilities. There are some truly bad performances throughout this movie, all across the board, which makes it all the more hard to take this movie very serious.
Overall, it's a far too lacking genre attempt, in about every regard!
4/10
Watch trailer
Your review caught my eye, how 'it's obvious everyone in this movie got cast for their fighting skills, as opposed to for their acting abilities', but working backwards I also noticed how you'd redeemed yourself: 'Still the most disappointing aspect about the movie remains that the fights aren't even much to look at'.
ReplyDeleteThen, at the top of the review, you said that 'tt's a cheap looking film', but actually IMDB lists the budget at an estimated $3,200,000 (which would be over 3 US, American, million dollars and that's kind of amazing).
It's surprising how much the value of money looks to have dropped, even in the last decade alone. Judging by this movie's cost, it seems that a million bucks has become practically worthless. We should probably all take up martial arts and study these films, with carefully monitoring National Geographic 'Doomsday Preppers', because soon it might hit the fan (teh chit, I mean. :))
The only question remains, as to what could be the cause; Are banks (and governments) just churning money out following supply and demand basically (loosely based on loans and interest, on top of loans and interest - 10% being the only amount with any backing whatsoever -- a principle described in detail so many times now).
Mind you, this isn't a total troll comment, I just let myself run with it: and it clearly demonstrates into what kind of paranoid schizophrenia and psychosis a handful of people had managed to get the majority of us. Kind of nuts, if you think about it. As far as the movie grade goes, I could - perhaps - give it one higher than here: 5/10.