Drug dealer Tung (Dion Lam) is caught by Hong Kong police but lost when he's supposed to be handed over to the authorities in the Philippines. Hong Kong cop Dragon (Robin Shou) and his partner (Yukari Oshima) has to fight through the bureaucratic tape but is aided by one the local officers (Phiilip Ko). Uneasy alliances, psychotic criminals, a lame view of the high class gangster world plus multiple excursions into gunplay, Phillip Ko for once gains a whole lot of momentum when turning to the Philippines. Before we had a way too straight, static and basic action frame, something Fatal Chase is supposed to know how to put in overdrive. Change locale and matters are still equally flat, laughable BUT a few times more fun in its attempts to be creative. Ko loads up the squibs with a healthy amount of blood, features a male and female tag team of assassins that loads guns for each other and oodles of poor editing in attempt after attempt to create acrobatic gunplay. But the key is energy, intensity and there is evidence of matters being played for laughs so Phillip scores a good amount of hokey points whatever his intentions across the board were. Also with Waise Lee and a villain looking like Wayne Newton.

Daughter of Darkness and Brother Of Darkness actor Hugo Ng got his wife Lily Chung from the same films to act in his AIDS drama and not so much due Chung's, Ng fails at creating enough of assured content out of a solid dramatic template. Bobby Au is Wah, a newly married truckdriver and father. After his sexdrive goes into overdrive, indeed a fatal encounter takes place in Mainland China. An unnamed beggar (Hung Siu-Wan) offers her services and since skipping on the condom bit, Wah is infected with AIDS. Doing his blood test prematurely and seemingly in the clear, months later Wah's positive diagnosis is confirmed. It all goes to hell from there...

The effect of showing real photographs of young AIDS-victims is evidence of Hugo Ng preaching but the story is certainly filled with the type of aspects in need of re-telling. His other sensible decision is to shoot in synch sound but nothing else in Fatal Encounter registers. In fact, there really is a rookie feel to the drama and ultimately Ng's severely trips over his drawbacks. The gloomy atmosphere is in Mainland China where soldiers and characters overall are no less than evil. On the flipside, Hong Kong is bright and about to be tainted, a possible symbolism in Ng's frame but an ultimate example of him trying to create something relevant comes during his own role as a gay (and very flamboyant) insurance salesman. Making sure to inject prejudice towards homosexuals therefore, this all would of course be difficult for any filmmaker but the fact of the matter is that Hugo is reaching way too high. Not even the grave darkness and tragedy matters despite not being overdone soap-style. Even though final emotions are better aimed, Fatal Encounter is way too ambitious for only your second movie.

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Liang Kwok Tao (Derek Yee) gets ambushed one night by a group of rogue cops acting outside of the law to nail drug dealers. Seeing his wife shot and only able to rescue one of the kids, it turns out the attack was made on the wrong house and Liang now plots his revenge when the police can't help him. Doesn't hurt he's an explosive expert too...

Stephan Yip debuted with the solid suspense thriller Missing Man and continues to deliver serious in tone, well shaped Hong Kong cinema with Fatal Mission. While action oriented for sure, it never strays but the story setup to violence, not action. Yee is strong in the role of a man losing it slowly but surely and action director Alan Chui (who is one of the gang of rogue cops too) delivers hard hitting sights including daredevil like fire gags and short bursts of fights with often gory sights. Saskia Van Rijswijk is perfect as the leader of the rogue cops. Also with Ricky Yi and Frankie Chan.

The crime fighting team of Man Hu (Don Wong) and Chau Lung (Lo Lieh) are separated as the latter dies. Man Hu heads right into depression and develops a lowly, cowardly character. Drug smugglers headed by Chung Tung (Chang Yi) terrorize his now lawless environment and Man Hu needs to snap into action to save his fellow men and himself. Told with a surprising amount of doom and gloom by Lee Tso-Nam, it's welcome even if it's not refined drama by any means. But Fatal Needles Vs. Fatal Fists shows a low budget indie could still make you think a little and coupled with sparse but quality martial arts, it's an eye brow raiser amidst a busy genre.

After not being allowed to complete work on The Big Heat, Andrew Kam had to wait 2 years before another chance came, with Fatal Termination. By the numbers action-thriller initially, Kam gives the film some serious teeth and grit after the half way point, showing us what merciless cinema can be like. A particular outstanding and completely inappropriate scenario involves the little girl of the Ray Lui/Moon Lee unit being hung through the window of a fast moving car. And it's a fast moving car! Only in Hong Kong...

But this is intensity I find extremely thrilling, not ashamed to admit that and Kam doesn't let go until the very end, having fired off extensive bullets and gore by the time the final credits roll by. Big ups goes out to Moon Lee who is very dedicated to the emotional state of her character, be it big or subdued. Simon Yam, Robin Shou and scenery chewing Phillip Ko also stars.

Action-drama about a group of Hong Kong tourists in the Philippines that are taken hostage by a local rebel group.

Unexpectedly grim and dark coming from Eric Tsang which is why Fatal Vacation ranks as an interesting but flawed 90 minutes. Tsang throws in the odd commentary about the cynical media and the importance of uniting but overall it's a character drama of shaky proportions on offer here. Writer Nam Yin gives sufficient backgrounds to the people from different walks of life that comes together in the face of this hardship but Tsang, while doing passable work, isn't up to the task of getting the drama to greater heights despite good performances from himself and Tommy Wong.

Cinematographer Jingle Ma provides some well-captured images in the Philippines and the action by Ng Min Kan shows an eye for destruction but unfortunately not style as such. Co-starring Irene Wan, Victor Wong, Tang Pik Wan and Nam Yin.

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It's quite a task to try and follow in the footsteps of an effort such as A Touch Of Zen but director King Hu successfully did it with The Fate Of Lee Khan. Largely set in the iconic setting of the inn, also featured to great effect in Come Drink With Me and Dragon Inn, Hu has a much smaller, intimate story to tell despite the rulers vs. the rebels plotline. He almost delights in being tedious for a good 40 minutes as he shows the inner workings of the inn, its sometimes dopey guests, adding a little humour in the process. But as soon as the mighty and ruthless Lee Khan (Tien Feng) and his entourage arrives, Hu kicks the tension into high gear and doesn't let go. His varied staging's within a single location is thoroughly captivating and edgy and his prior light touches only sprinkled with what's to come aids these latter sections of the film greatly. With his regular cast in place, such as Han Ying Chieh and Pai Ying in addition to Golden Harvest and Shaw Brother's profiles such as Angela Mao, Hu Chin and Kok Lee Yan, the stage is populated with dependency and Hu does indeed get excellent performances to aid this tension, especially from Tien Feng and the fiery eyed Hsu Feng as his closest guard.

When the action climax hits (action was directed by Sammo Hung and Han Ying Chieh), it can be argued that The Fate Of Lee Khan goes down conventional territories but for a smaller in scale story, the choice to erupt into fighting is valid and Hung and Han's work registers as exciting. Also with Roy Chiao and Li Lihua.

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Zhao Guang (Wang Hong, also the film's director) has managed to put his village on the map after making a considerable sum of money as a chicken farmer. An orphan who was taken in by the village, him relating this story on TV leads to a huge stream of parents dropping their children off at the village. Now desperate to get rid of them and instead start his own family, Zhao instead follows his bleeding heart for the kids in his situation and tries to educate them like a father would...

Aside from lead/writer/producer/director Wang Hong trying out camera tricks not suitable for a simple Mainland village-set drama (it does comes off as crude editing instead), A Father With His Twenty-Five Children is a fine gift to Mainland cinema. Straightforward but very rich, Wang Hong has a great handle on Zhao Guang, especially when when we see he can do nothing buy sympathize with the children and the pride in his face when his teachings reaches the lot of 25 is wonderful. Veering off its simple path by the end by creating misunderstandings and comical complications, then again kids are kids and scenarios are bound to turn up. However crazy they may be. Compelling cinematography, natural performances and veteran Siqin Gaowa (Full Moon In New York, The Postmodern Life Of My Aunt) adding fine support makes the movie constantly high quality and joins that group of Mainland village dramas that has the skills (the needed ones) to MOSTLY point and shoot to achieve its best magic.

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Also known as Two On The Road, despite the high division pairing of Leung Kar-Yan and Phillip Ko, much of these light shenanigans mixed with pretty well done action choreography not so much annoys but it's simply not funny. Concerning a missing gold shipment the conmen/thieves Leung and Ko plays are accused of stealing, in between there's much twisting, arguing, comedy accentuated with sounds, music (James Bond villain Jaws gets referenced in its own, long action-skit) and it reeks of those unnecessary but inevitable imitations of a better product. At least the martial arts action stands out, especially towards the high concept ending involving the leads and Johnny Wang. With Horse and Dragon Fist featured and therefore the sole noticeable wirework in the film, it's exaggerated fun for a reel anyway. Also with Kong Do and Addy Sung.

Quick, efficient, to the point and with no unnecessary dialogue, Fearless Fighters is one of the very best Wuxia pieces of its kind, providing terrific energy, creative weaponry and only running 82 minutes. There's a good explanation though as to why all of a sudden a production such as this got polished and streamlined. It was a 1971 film originally but picked up in 1973 by Richard Ellman's independent distribution company. Dubbed and re-edited, Fearless Fighters went on to become a noticeable success in the relatively early days of exposure of this genre to American audiences. The now less complex movie features some simple strands of clan feud, betrayal, deceit and a case of gold but what a continually exciting blast it is. Mo Man-Hung (director of fan favourite Stormy Sun) lets the action speak, something that could've gone on a dull repeat but there's a seemingly endless creative force behind the film. Crude creativity but creativity nonetheless. As it's mainly a weapons movie and the US movie poster rightly showcased the versatile range we're about to witness, it's a decision paying off as we see the usual poisonous darts, flying hats but also crippled fighters with sneaky weapons, assassins dressed as vampires, whips, twin swords and more. Chen Hung-Lieh (Come Drink With Me) walks away with the highest honor in cool as the twin sword master.

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