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Distributor CineAsia is preparing to release the action drama Stuntman on digital platforms next month. The movie is a tribute to classic Hong Kong cinema and the world of stunts. The story centers around a washed-up action choreographer whose career has stalled. The industry has changed and no one seems to be returning his phone calls anymore. That’s when he gets the idea to stage an epic comeback, a stunt that will grab the attention of everyone and prove he’s still got it. There are other problems in his life though…in the process, he must find a way to repair the relationship with his estranged daughter. Stuntman stars Terrance Lau and Philip Ng. Also starring is stunt veteran Stephen Tung Wai, a seven-time winner of Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards, making his on-camera return after seven years. The cast also features Cecilia Choi and Rachel Leung.

Twin has landed Japan distribution rights to Stuntman and is set to release in July, riding on the recent surge of interest in Hong Kong films led by the commercial success of Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In.

Hong Kong sales agent Entertaining Power has revealed the deal at Filmart. In their directorial feature debut, twin brothers Albert and Herbert Leung pay homage to stuntmen from the golden age of Hong Kong action cinema. It stars Tung Wai, a seven-time Hong Kong Film Awards and two-time Golden Horse Awards winner for action choreography, as a once-famous stunt director making a comeback.

The 18th annual Asian Film Awards (Afa) announced the winners and special award recipients at a ceremony held at the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong on March 16, 2025. Sixteen competitive prizes and five honorary prizes were given out. The Afa ceremony featured a glamorous Red Carpet and Award Ceremony attracting participants from all over Asia, and was a great success. At this year’s Afa, the Hong Kong actor-director Sammo Hung served as the jury president leading other jury and voting members composed of filmmakers from around the world in selecting the winners. Daishi Matsunaga, along with fellow director Stanley Kwan, served as presenters.

Here are all the awards and nominees of this year’s edition

Best Film

All We Imagine as Light (India, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg)

Black Dog (Mainland China)

Exhuma (South Korea)

Teki Cometh (Japan)

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Hong Kong)

Best...

Payal Kapadia’s Indian co-production “All We Imagine as Light” won best film at the 18th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong, capping a remarkable journey that began with a Grand Prix win at Cannes last year.

Yoshida Daihachi won best director for “Teki Cometh,” while Sean Lau won best actor for “Papa” and Shahana Goswami best actress for “Santosh.” Sandhya Suri won best new director for “Santosh,” capping a strong year for Indian co-productions at the awards, where the country has been a bridesmaid in recent years.

Honors were evenly spread otherwise, with “Exhuma,” “Stranger Eyes” and “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” all collecting a brace of awards each.

Proceedings kicked off with a performance featuring the composer of the film that is the toast of Asia at the moment – “Ne Zha 2,” Chu Wan Pin, alongside Jonathan Wong.

During the awards, Dr. Wilfred Wong, chair of the Asian Film Awards Academy,...

From directing fantasy wuxia (“Martial Universe” and the “Demon Subduing Division” series) to modern day themed action adventures (“Blind War” and “The Comeback”) mainland director Huo is no stranger as far as online streaming movies go. However, with “Second Life”, which features Philip Ng and Yuen Qiu in the leads, he has given viewers a taste of old Hong Kong action comedy but made in China instead.

At the funeral of policeman Shi, the gang boss who had him killed shows up and pokes fun at his pregnant wife Liang Jie (Zhao Xiao Fei). The furious Liang kills him in the heat of the moment and ends up in the prison. A few months later she gives birth to a baby boy nicknamed “Jelly Noodles”. However, after his first birthday, the prison has him transferred to an orphanage. Fast forward thirty years, the much older Liang, (now played by Yuen...

This month brings bad news for action fans, as one of the most underratedmartial arts movies of last year is leaving streaming soon. Released back in May after years of development, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In was met with critical acclaim thanks to its unashamed commitment to balls to the wall action sequences, and now boasts a score of 90% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

The martial arts epic hails from Hong Kong, and is directed by Soi Cheang. Based on the novel "City of Darkness" by Yuyi and the manhua (a Chinese-language comic) of the same name by Andy Seto, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In stars several genre icons, with the cast comprised of Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Raymond Lam, Terrance Lau, Kenny Wong, Philip Ng, Tony Wu, German Cheung, and Ip Man star Sammo Hung. Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In is sadly gearing up to leave...

Get ready for an exciting celebration of Asian cinema! Besides the awards ceremony, the 18th Asian Film Awards presents a series of special programmes, including Asian Cinerama, Masterclasses, and the In Conversation series.

A Palette of Cinematic Delights — Asian Cinerama

The Asian Film Cinerama will present a selection of nominated films and special screenings, with filmmakers and actors participating in post-screening Q&As to share their creative journeys. Last year, screenings were a full house, with prominent filmmakers including Japanese master Hirokazu Koreeda, Sri Lankan director Prasanna Vithanaga, and China’s award-winning actress Jiang Qinqin discussing their filmmaking experiences. This year, top international filmmakers will return, giving audiences the chance to enjoy the best of Asian cinema on the big screen.

Inspiration from the Legend — Masterclass

Film enthusiasts can attend masterclasses hosted by the biggest names in Asian cinema, diving into the art and philosophy of filmmaking. Last year, the...

South Korea’s Exhuma has topped the field, earning 11 nominations at the 18th Asian Film Awards, followed by Hong Kong’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In with nine nominations.

Hong Kong martial arts legend Sammo Hung will serve as the jury president for the awards, which feature a selection of 30 films from 25 countries and regions, competing across 16 categories. The awards ceremony will take place on March 16 in Hong Kong.

Directed by Jang Jae-hyun, Exhuma gained nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Screenplay, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Adapted from the novel “City of Darkness” by Yuyi, Hong Kong action blockbuster Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In gained nine nominations, including Best Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

South Korean box office hit Exhuma and Hong Kong action blockbuster Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In lead the nominations for the 18th Asian Film Awards, with a jury led by martial arts icon Sammo Hung.

Supernatural thriller Exhuma, directed by Jang Jae-hyun, leads the pack with 11 nods followed by Soi Cheang’s action thriller Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In, which received nine nominations.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Both titles were named in the best film category alongside Payal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine As Light; Guan Hu’s Chinese drama Black Dog,...

The 18th Asian Film Awards, the region’s leading cinema honors, unveiled its 2025 nominations Friday, with South Korea’s horror hit Exhuma leading the pack with 11 nods. Directed by Jang Jae-hyun, the supernatural thriller melds feng shui and shamanistic traditions in a haunting narrative about an ominous grave. The movie was both a critical favorite and a huge theatrical sensation in South Korea, becoming the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. Alongside its best film nomination, the film earned recognition across several major categories, including best director, best actor for Choi Min-sik and best actress for Kim Go-eun.

The Asia Film Awards will return to Hong Kong on March 16 with a glitzy ceremony at the city’s Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District. This year’s lineup of honorees includes 30 films from 25 countries and regions, spanning 16 competitive categories.

The Hong Kong throwback action epic Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In,...

Martial arts legend Sammo Hung has been tapped as jury president for the 18th Asian Film Awards, while South Korean supernatural thriller “Exhuma” and Hong Kong action pic “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” dominate the nominations.

South Korean supernatural thriller “Exhuma,” helmed by director Jang Jae-hyun and marking the return of veteran actor Choi Min-sik, leads with 11 nods including best film, director, actor and actress. The film weaves elements of feng shui and traditional shamanism in its story of an ominous grave investigation.

Hong Kong action film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” follows with nine nominations. Based on Yuyi’s “City of Darkness” novel and set in the 1980s Kowloon Walled City, the film is competing for best film, supporting actor and multiple technical awards.

Soi Cheang’s Hong Kong action film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” follows with nine nominations. Based on Yuyi’s “City of Darkness...

Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s strand in which we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are appearing in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track. So we’re going to do the hard work for you.

Following last edition’s trip to Latvia, we are heading to Hong Kong with Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, a martial arts hit that is making waves at the global box office. Bolstered by an all-star cast, the film follows an illegal migrant, who is also a skilled fighter, as he finds a way to survive in the triad-ridden Kowloon Walled City, invoking Hong Kong’s martial arts movies of the past. Although concrete walls tower onscreen, the film’s success has scaled all blockades,...

The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation is organised by the Asian Film Awards Academy (Afaa), in collaboration with the Singapore Film Society (Sfs), with financial support from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (Ccidahk), Film Development Fund (Fdf) and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Hketo) in Singapore.This programme showcases Hong Kong films across various regions in Asia, allowing audiences to explore the new generation of Hong Kong cinema and emerging talents. It also builds strong connections between Hong Kong filmmakers and the Asian film industry, promoting ongoing growth in the sector.

After successful screenings in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Dubai, the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation will hold its grand finale in Singapore from November 20 to 24 at Gv Suntec City. The programme will showcase eight Hong Kong films, kicking off the Singapore premiere of The Last Dance, starring comedy legends Michael Hui and Dayo Wong. Anselm Chan,...

It is no secret that Hong Kong cinema is a lot different today than what it was in the 80s or 90s and it has been for a while. The one thing it was known best for, its action, is today but a mere shadow of the past and the incredible stunt work that came with it now largely missing. Gone are the days of risky, often illegal ways of filming that ended up giving classics, making way for more controlled, regulated and risk-free filmmaking, which is sometimes credited to have taken away the soul of what made Hong Kong action cinema click. Hoping to relive those days are Albert Leung and Herbert Leung with their debut feature “Stuntman”.

Stuntman is screening at Hawai’i International Film Festival

An on-set accident many years ago in his youth has kept action director Sam Lee away from the set, who now works...

A stunt choreographer tries to recapture his 80s and 90s youth in a movie that pays tribute to Hong Kong action cinema. Our Stuntman review:

Exploring similar territory to this summer’s The Fall Guy, but made with less noisy bombast, Stuntman is a heartfelt ode to the golden age of Hong Kong action cinema. It opens with what looks strikingly like the climactic set-piece in Jackie Chan’s 1985 masterpiece, Police Story – a bruising fight in a shopping mall, with hoodlums being side-kicked down escalators and sent crashing into glass display cases. This, we later learn, is the set of mid-90s martial arts crime movie Operation Vulture, on which Sam (Stephen Tung) was at the height of his powers as a stunt choreographer.

During the making of that film, however, a high-wire stunt involving a leap from a bridge and a moving truck went catastrophically wrong, almost fatally injuring...

Hong Kong action film Stuntman will be released in the UK by Cineasia, and the first trailer has landed too.

Much like recent action comedy The Fall Guy, Stuntman is a Hong Kong movie set in its own film industry. Starring Stephen Tung Wai, it’s about a respected stuntman who’s forced to step away from the spotlight following an accident – something that also happened to Ryan Gosling’s lead in The Fall Guy, thinking about it.

At any rate, Stuntman is getting a UK release courtesy of Trinity Cineasia, and the distributor has handily put out an official synopsis, which goes like this:

Lee Sam (Stephen Tung Wai) was the undisputed king of stunt choreography during the golden era of Hong Kong action cinema in the 80s. After a devastating accident, Sam has stepped away from the industry for 30 years. His old friend, a veteran director, persuaded Sam...

Exclusive: UK-based distributor Trinity CineAsia has acquired Hong Kong action film Stuntman for UK and Irish distribution.

Stuntman releases on September 26 in Hong Kong and opens in UK and Irish cinemas from October 11.

The film follows a washed-up action choreographer who is struggling to find his way in a changing industry. He risks everything to stage a comeback, while also attempting to repair the relationship with his estranged daughter.

The film stars Terrance Lau and Philip Ng, who both featured in recent box office hit Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.

Stuntman also stars stunt veteran Stephen Tung Wai (The Battle at Lake Changjin), a seven-time winner of Best Action Choreography at the Hong Kong Film Awards. The action flick marks Tung’s on-camera return after seven years.

Cecilia Choi (A Light Never Goes Out) and Rachel Leung (The Sparring Partner) also feature in the film.

Stuntman is co-directed by Albert and Herbert Leung,...

Hong Kong has selected box office hit Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In as its best international feature film entry for the 2025 Oscars.

The film’s selection was announced by the Federation of Motion Picture Producers of Hong Kong.

Directed by Soi Cheang, Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In has grossed close to $100 million at the global box office. The film played out-of-competition as a midnight screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Based on Andy Seto’s Chinese comic City of Darkness, the film is set in the 1980s and follows Chan Lok-kwun (played by Raymond Lam), an illegal migrant attempting to pay his way to a fake ID. After having to flee triad boss Mr. Big (played by Sammo Hung), Chan takes refuge in Kowloon City.

The film also stars Louis Koo, Ritchie Jen, Terrance Lau, Kenny Wong and Philip Ng.

Cheang has also directed action films Limbo,...

Action thriller Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In has been selected as Hong Kong’s entry to the 97th Academy Awards.

The Federation of Motion Picture Producers of Hong Kong voted for the film, directed by Soi Cheang, to represent the region in the best international feature film category of the Oscars.

The feature played as a midnight screening at Cannes following its release in Hong Kong on May 1, where it proved a major hit with takings of $13.7m. Recording nearly 1.6 million admissions made it the highest ever ticket sales for a local film in Hong Kong and the second...

Hong Kong's top-grossing movie of the year is director Soi Cheang's Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Set largely in Kowloon Walled City (long since demolished), the martial arts blockbuster pits warring triads in a battle to the death over control of the tenement slum. Caught in the middle: hapless Mainlander Chan (Raymond Lam), whose search for an identity card has made him the target of expert assassins from both sides. Led by heavyweights like Louis Koo, Richie Jen, Aaron Kwok, and the legendary Sammo Hung, Twilight is also a showcase for a younger generation of performers, like Philip Ng, who plays Sammo Hung's top killer King. Philip Ng has starred in action films for almost 20 years, working with the some of the best...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Since its local release in May, Soi Cheang’s action sensation Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In has become Hong Kong’s second-biggest domestic hit ever, earning $13.7 million in a city of just 7.2 million residents. But not only has the film reinvigorated Hong Kong’s fabled martial arts genre; it also has revived — if only fleetingly — one of the world’s most alluring architectural monstrosities: the Kowloon Walled City.

Once the most densely populated place on earth, the Kowloon Walled City was an effectively lawless enclave of Hong Kong that grew from the footprint of a small Chinese military fort into a labyrinthine urban microcosm. With no formal infrastructure, its towering, interconnected buildings were constructed haphazardly, creating a dark maze of narrow alleys and secret passages. Before its demolition in 1993, the Walled City had over 35,000 people living in an area of less than seven acres (which amounts to more than...

Your browser does not support the video tag. Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In highlights classic Hong Kong cinema while also opening the door to a new generation of talent. Director Soi Cheang aims for unique action choreography and hopes his new film inspires the audience to reflect on their connection to Hong Kong. Distinguished cast members Louis Koo and Sammo Hung showcased respect for younger actors on set, helping to pave the way for the future of their industry.

A mainstay on the world stage, Hong Kong cinema has always carried its singular identity proudly despite the political changes it has undergone. The neo-noir martial arts film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, from Macau-born director Soi Cheang, is both emblematic of what audiences love about the country's cinematic art while also opening the door to a new generation of talent. Based on the novel City of Darkness and...

The apartment complexes making up what used to be Kowloon Walled City effectively sealed it off from the rest of Hong Kong. Soi Cheang’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In imagines Kowloon as a kind of steampunk ghetto controlled by an aging gangster known as Cyclone (Louis Koo).

Cyclone’s domain is a marvel of production design (by Ip Man‘s Kwok-Keung Mak) and art direction (by Sai-Hung Chow). Cables snake through alleyways and up walls. Clouds of steam billow over clogged drains and trash cans burst with refuse. The homeless perch on corrugated roofing overlooking perpetually gloomy courtyards. They sleep in dingy doorways and stairways, gather around communal TVs, pushing past each other on endless delivery runs.

Part of a wave of Mainland China refugees, Chan Lok Kwun (Raymond Lam) needs an ID card to avoid deportation. He wins a bare-knuckle brawl in a nightclub, only to be...

While Furiosa may have made more headlines coming out Cannes Film Festival this year, another actioner at the festival also had our attention. Soi Cheang’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, which brings together the epic cast of Louis Koo, Raymond Lam, Terrance Lau, Philip Ng, Tony Wu Tsz Tung, German Cheung, Richie Jen, Wong Tak Pun Kenny, Fish Liew, Chu Pak Hong, Cecilia Choi, Lau Wai Ming, Aaron Kwok, and Sammo Hung, will now arrive in U.S. theaters on August 9. Ahead of the release the first trailer has arrived.

Here’s the synopis: “Many years after the bloody turf war that ushered in an uneasy era of peace in Hong Kong’s underworld, the notorious Kowloon Walled City serves as a fortified, lawless safe haven for gangs and refugees alike. But when a skilled underground fighter runs afoul of the most feared Triad boss in Hong Kong,...

"I'm warning you... don't cause trouble in the Walled City." Well Go USA has unveiled the official US trailer for a Hong Kong martial arts action movie titled Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, now ready for a US release in limited theaters this August. It first premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival a few months ago, and we featured the first promo trailer back then just before it opened in Hk. The film is an adaptation of the manhua City of Darkness by Andy Seto. It stars the action legend Sammo Hung as well as Louis Koo as Tornado (龍捲風), a martial arts master who is regarded as a legend within Kowloon Walled City. It's also produced by Wilson Yip Wai Sun and John Chong. The film follows the troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam) as he enters into the Walled City, discovers the order amidst its chaos, and...

Well Go USA has shared the official trailer and poster for Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, which will open in North American theaters on August 9, 2024.

Many years after the bloody turf war that ushered in an uneasy era of peace in Hong Kong’s underworld, the notorious Kowloon Walled City serves as a fortified, lawless haven for gangs and refugees alike.

But when a skilled underground fighter runs afoul of the most feared Triad boss in Hong Kong, a bounty is placed on his head despite his connections to the leader of the infamous enclave.

As his pursuers violate the tenuous territorial truce to exact their vengeance, the fallout reignites old grudges, bringing decades of building tension to a brutal, bloody boiling point.

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In stars Louis Koo, Raymond Lam, Terrance Lau, Philip Ng, Tony Wu Tsz Tung, German Cheung, Richie Jen, Wong Tak Pun Kenny,...

The New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center announce the 23rd edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), running July 12–22 at Film at Lincoln Center, with additional screenings from July 22–28 at the Sva Theatre and July 13–15, 18–21, and 23–25 at Look Cinemas W57, plus a special collaborative presentation of films at the Korean Cultural Center New York.

“For so many, Asian films start and end with Parasite or Everything Everywhere All At Once (who could blame them?), but the real action is happening in the trenches of Asian cinema, where audacious auteurs and daring debutantes are unleashing a tidal wave of talent that's about to crash on American shores,” said Samuel Jamier, festival director and president of the New York Asian Film Foundation. “This year's festival is like sriracha sauce – it's spicy, it's tangy, it's got a kick that'll wake up your senses. And it's hard to find right now!

The annual New York Asian Film Festival is about to kick off this summer.

Presented by the New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center, the 23rd edition of the festival will take place from July 12 through 22 at Film at Lincoln Center, with additional screenings from July 22 through 28 at the Sva Theatre and July 13–15, 18–21, and 23–25 at Look Cinemas W57, plus a special collaborative presentation of films at the Korean Cultural Center New York.

This year’s lineup marks the largest list of premieres, with 20 films debuting including the North American premiere of “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In,” which debuted at Cannes.

The opening night selection is the world premiere of Park Beom-su’s “Victory,” a cheerleading epic that’s billed as “Bring It On” meets “Parasite.” Lee Hye-ri (of 3rd-gen K-pop band Girl’s Day) will be in attendance with co-star Park Se-wan and director Park.

Stephen J. Rivele, who shared an Oscar nomination for the screenplay for Oliver Stone’s Nixon and worked on such other biopics as Michael Mann’s Ali, Agnieszka Holland’s Copying Beethoven and Don Cheadle’s Miles Ahead, has died. He was 75.

Rivele had heart issues and died May 17 at his home in Pasadena, California, his son Eli Bocek-Rivele told The Hollywood Reporter.

Rivele wrote on Bradley Cooper’s remake of A Star Is Born and did an early draft for another 2018 release, Bohemian Rhapsody, starring Rami Malek as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.

He also handled uncredited rewrites on the baseball movie Moneyball (2011) and All Eyez on Me (2017), about Tupac Shakur.

Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson enjoyed a 30-year screenwriting partnership. They worked together on Nixon (1995), starring Anthony Hopkins; Ali (2001), starring Will Smith; Copying Beethoven (2006), starring Ed Harris; Miles Ahead (2015), the Miles Davis biopic that Cheadle directed and starred in; Pawn Sacrifice...

Stephen J. Rivele, the screenwriter whose 1995 collaboration on Nixon with Oliver Stone and longtime writing partner Christopher Wilkinson earned the trio an Oscar nomination, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Pasadena, California, on May 17. He was 75.

His death was announced by son Eli Rivele and Wilkinson.

A published author, playwright and poet, Rivele shared a 30-year career with Wilkinson. In addition to Nixon, their credits include Ali, the 2001 Muhammad Ali biopic starring Will Smith and co-written by director Michael Mann and Eric Roth; Copying Beethoven, the 2006 drama starring Ed Harris as the great composer; and Birth of the Dragon, the 2016 martial arts film with Philip Wan-lung Ng as Bruce Lee.

Rivele and Wilkinson had story credits for such other notable biopics as Miles Ahead (2015), directed by and starring Don Cheadle as jazz giant Miles Davis; and Pawn Sacrifice (2014), with Tobey Maguire as chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer.

Born May 6, 1949, in Philadelphia,...

Unfolding in the cramped corridors of Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City (it was one of the most dangerously dense urban areas on Earth before being demolished in 1993), Soi Cheang’s ’80s-set “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” delivers on its blockbuster action promise. However, its martial arts spectacle is scattered across a sprawling refugees-and-triads saga that, while adequately laying foundation for the aforementioned fisticuffs, is seldom coherent or engaging on its own.

Based on the Chinese comic “City of Darkness” by Andy Seto, the film follows Chan Lok-kwun (Raymond Lam), a mainland refugee trying to pay his way to a fake ID by winning bare-knuckle brawls. When he ends up double crossed by remorseless triad leader Mr. Big (legendary actor-director Sammo Hung), the desperate outsider steals a satchel of the head honcho’s cocaine and makes a run for the Walled City, which Cheang and cinematographer Cheng Siu-keung capture as a darkened citadel,...

One of the most anticipated movies of the year, Soi Cheang's “Twilight of the Warrior: Walled In” is a true powerhouse, featuring all those elements that made Hk action one of the most popular genres internationally. And even more so, an all star cast including Sammo Hung, Louis Koo, Raymond Lam, Philip Ng in the protagonists' seat, Kenji Kawai in the soundtrack, and John Chong and Wilson Yip as producers. The story is based on the novel by Yu Yi and the manhua by Andy Seto.

Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In will be released in in UK and Irish cinemas from 24 May, courtesy of Trinity CineAsia

The film begins in a past arc, when Cyclone, a newcomer in Kowloon Walled City, and his gang fought the leader of the area, Lui and his right hand, The King of Killers Jin, eventually managing to win and take over. In the 80s,...

Since it was first announced back in 2013, the nostalgia-fuelled martial arts epic set within the labyrinthine back alleys of Kowloon Walled City has nurtured a mythical status to rival the notorious neighbourhood itself. Development of the project dates back to the early 2000s, with such prestigious names as John Woo, Johnnie To, Chow Yun-fat and Donnie Yen rumoured to be attached at one point or other. Filming finally commenced in November 2021, at the height of the pandemic lockdown, with director Soi Cheang at the helm, and Louis Koo, Raymond Lam, Sammo Hung and Philip Ng headlining the cast for Koo’s production company One Cool Films. Opening under the unwieldy English title Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, the 80s-set gangland throwdown opened...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Soi Cheang’s action feature Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In topped the Hong Kong box office over the Labour Day holiday and opened strongly in mainland China.

The feature took $2.7m (Hk$21.1m) from its first five days on local release (May 1-5), including $677,000 (Hk$5.3m) on its opening day – the second biggest opening day ever for a Hong Kong film.

Set in the 1980s against the backdrop of the now demolished Kowloon Walled City, which was a notorious slum for crime and gangs, the cast includes rising stars such as Raymond Lam and Terrance Lau opposite established stars Louis Koo,...

Trinity CineAsia has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In, the Hong Kong period action drama that will screen at Cannes next month, in a deal with Media Asia.

Directed by Soi Cheang, the highly anticipated feature is set to be released in Hong Kong and China on May 1 before it plays in the Midnight Screenings section of Cannes. An opening date in the UK and Ireland has yet to be announced but Trinity CineAsia said it is “scheduled for release across cinemas nationwide soon after” the festival, which runs May 14-25.

Distribution deals were...

During the early nineties in Hong Kong, the prolific screenwriter, producer, director and sometime actor Wong Jing made quite a number of crowd-pleasing action comedies which was a highly popular genre back then. Although wacky and action packed in nature, his films like “Tricky Brains”, “Royal Tramp”, “Legend of the Liquid Sword”, “Flying Dagger”, “Holy Weapon” and so on were commercially successful productions. Fast forward to 2011 and with a bigger Mainland budget, plus the help of two award-winning actors, Wong ws back and doing pretty much the same old thing. Set in White Horse Town, ancient China, “Treasure Inn” revolves around young Master Kung (Nicholas Tse) and Lo Pa (Nick Cheung), two lowly and underappreciated constables who work in the courthouse kitchen and laundry instead of doing proper investigating duties.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

One day, some thieves break into the Zhang family mansion,...

Kowloon Walled City — one of Hong Kong’s most famous landmarks, or infamous trouble spots, depending on your point of view — fell prey to the developers’ bulldozer 30 years ago. But it remains an icon of the territory’s gritty spirit and is being painstakingly re-created for action thriller feature “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.”

The film is a beacon for how Hong Kong cinema is now evolving. Directed by hot-shot Soi Cheang, whose “Mad Fate” recently played in Berlin and is set for imminent local release, “Twilight” boasts leading stars Louis Koo, Sammo Hung and Richie Jen, plus emerging talents Philip Ng, Raymond Lau and Terrance Lau.

The film’s Hk$300 million ($39 million) budget makes it one of the most expensive Hong Kong productions of all time. But principal backer Media Asia is sparing no expense promoting the title. The company’s corporate booth at the FilMart rights market...

When “Naked Killer” starring Chingmy Yau came out in 1992 and became a cult favorite, producer and scripter Wong Jing followed it up with “Naked Weapon” in 2002 ten years later starring Maggie Q. Fast forward another ten years, the prolific filmmaker Wong resurfaced with another installment of his erotic girls-with-guns thriller “Naked Soldier” this time starring Jennifer Tse and Sammo Hung in the lead.

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The film kicks off with Interpol Agent Ck Lung (Sammo Hung) leading his men to a mansion which ends with a huge drug bust and making headlines everywhere. Next up we see him cooking Christmas dinner for his whole family but before they have a chance to eat, a group of gunmen fronted by Madame Rose (Ellen Chan) storms in and shoots at everyone. Lung fights hard with his enemies and gets shot in the chest.

A scene from Undercover Punch & Gun. Courtesy of Sil-Metropole Organisation

Fasten your seat belts for this high-octane Hong Kong crime story. In Undercover Punch & Gun (aka Undercover Vs. Undercover), Wu (Philip Ng) is an undercover cop, firmly embedded in the upper echelon of the local smuggling and drug trade. There are several factions with tenuous associations and rivalries, all poised to switch on short notice. Or less. As is often the case, Wu not only faces the constant concern over having his cover blown, but, as is often the case for these dramas, develops personal relations with some of his targets that add layers to the suspense.

Don’t worry about the story; nothing new intended or to be found there. It’s all a setup for the slew of action sequences which are a whole ’nother matter. But for those who care about such things, Wu stays undercover for...

"How would I know you were undercover?" Well Go USA has released their official US trailer for a Hong Kong martial arts action film titled Undercover Punch & Gun, on VOD in the US this June. This already opened in China back in 2019, and it also goes under the strange title Undercover vs. Undercover. It's about two rival police agencies being forced to team up together after a drug trade goes wrong. Undercover police Wu, played by Philip Ng, teams up with unlikely allies in order to fight a major drug dealer and take down a drug smuggling ring. The full cast also includes Vanness Wu, Andy On, Chi Shuai, Joyce Feng, Aaron Aziz, Kitty Jiang, and Aka Chio. This didn't get the best reviews when it originally opened, made by two screenwriters both directing for their first time here. But at least the fight scenes look like fun, that rad spin around them shot.

The efforts to present films that reach the standards of the golden age of Hk action cinema, and particularly of the works of Jackie Chan and Johnnie To, are quite numerous during the latest years, with a plethora of Chinese productions moving in that path. Lui Koon-nam and Frankie Tam in this case tried to combine the two styles, in a rather difficult effort. Let us see how they fared.

Through a rather impressive series of introductory scenes, which include Xiao Wu, the protagonist of the story, escaping from a wooden crate he is locked into, and feature actors like Nicholas Tse and Suet Lam, we are introduced to the rather labyrinthal story. The aforementioned is an undercover cop who has infiltrated a small drug ring, but has gotten a little too much into the whole thing, even dating the boss’s daughter, Xi Chen. When the boss is killed,...

To ensure more sound fortune and prosperity for the next thirty years, a young TV station boss Chow Ah Keung (Kelvin Kwan) wants reputable Taoist Master Charlie Chiang (Yuen Biao) to perform the ritual of digging up his grandfather’s grave and exhuming the remains. Because of a horrific experience that happened to Charlie’s father while doing a similar task many years ago, he turns down the job. Ak Chow, as he likes to be addressed that way, consequently seeks the help of another less skillful Taoist, Leopard Man (Ricky Yi) to do the deed and sure enough, things go terribly wrong. Due to a storm earlier on, they’re forced to store his grandfather’s remains at the TV station for the night. Before long, he turns into a vicious and hungry vampire and starts hopping around looking for human food. Luckily, the trustworthy Taoist comes back and...

"Don't let his huge belly fool you... Ten men can't defeat the chubby hero." Well Go USA has released an official Us trailer for the Chinese comedy Enter the Fat Dragon, which is opening in Us theaters later this month after first opening in China / Hong Kong recently. Yes, as the title indicates, this is a parody of Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon, but about a fat martial arts hero instead of a super skinny one. Oh boy. A new action-comedy movie from martial arts superstar Donnie Yen. A police officer's suspect suffers a mysterious death, now he must team up with an undercover inspector and wok-wielding restaurant owner to solve the murder mystery. Donnie Yen stars as Officer Zhu, with a cast including Teresa Mo, Niki Chow, Wong Jing, Jessica Jann, and Philip Ng. I guess China is catching up with the fat suit comedy trope, because this looks...

In mixing real and fictional movie stars in Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino helped his cause by casting performers who were careful not to do impressions, but bite sized performances as iconic stars who in moments are eerily reminiscent of those subjects. Margot Robbie captured the essence of Sharon Tate, and Billions and Homeland star Damian Lewis perfectly channels Steve McQueen in a scene at the Playboy Mansion. A performance people are also talking about is Mike Moh’s brief but memorable turn as Bruce Lee. It is one of the funniest scenes in the movie, when Lee locks up with Brad Pitt’s stuntman character Cliff Booth in a disagreement over how the iconic Bruce Lee, all 5’8″ and 141 pounds of him, would fare in a brawl with the 6’3″ 200+ pound heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali.

Moh’s road to a role that might put him on the map...

Stars: Billy Magnussen, Philip Ng, Xia Yu, Qu Jingjing, Jin Xing, Simon Yin, Van Ness Wu, Ron Yuan, Terry Chen | Written by Stephen J. Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson | Directed by George Nolfi

Directed by George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau), this account of a life-changing real-life fight between kung fu superstar-in-waiting Bruce Lee and martial arts grandmaster Wong Jack Man is less a of biopic and more of a fictionalisation based on a true story. Taken on those terms, it’s a lot of fun, though it’s likely to frustrate Bruce Lee aficionados looking for a more faithful approach.

The story begins in San Francisco in 1964, where a not-yet-famous Bruce Lee (Philip Ng) is teaching martial arts and focusing on becoming a superstar. When Shaolin monk Wong Jack Man (Xia Yu) arrives in San Francisco, Lee is rattled by his presence and challenges him to a duel, believing that the martial...

This soulless biopic portrays the young kung fu master as insufferably smug

Loosely based on a real-life fight, this martial arts drama purports to explore the early years of Bruce Lee. The takeaway from the story, however, is that the martial arts hero and the star of films such as Enter the Dragon was kind of a dick in real life. As played by Philip Ng, Lee’s weapon of choice was not so much the famed “one-inch punch” but the insufferable smirk of superiority that accompanied it. The film, which is set in 1960s San Francisco, hinges around an epic showdown between Lee, the young pretender who has outraged the martial arts community by teaching westerners to fight, and kung fu master Wong Jack Man (Yu Xia), over in America from China to do penance for a grave misdemeanour. The fight sequences are slick, but this is a soulless slog.

Stars: Billy Magnussen, Philip Ng, Xia Yu, Qu Jingjing, Jin Xing, Simon Yin, Van Ness Wu, Ron Yuan, Terry Chen | Written by Stephen J. Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson | Directed by George Nolfi

Directed by George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau), this account of a life-changing real-life fight between kung fu superstar-in-waiting Bruce Lee and martial arts grandmaster Wong Jack Man is less a of biopic and more of a fictionalisation based on a true story. Taken on those terms, it’s a lot of fun, though it’s likely to frustrate Bruce Lee aficionados looking for a more faithful approach.

The story begins in San Francisco in 1964, where a not-yet-famous Bruce Lee (Philip Ng) is teaching martial arts and focusing on becoming a superstar. When Shaolin monk Wong Jack Man (Xia Yu) arrives in San Francisco, Lee is rattled by his presence and challenges him to a duel, believing that the martial...

The romanticised touches don’t help this account of a private bout involving the martial arts star, pre-fame, in San Francisco

This is an odd, romanticised take on an incident in the early life of Bruce Lee in San Francisco, almost like a superhero “origin myth” story. It is based on the semi-legendary private bout he had in 1964, before he became famous, with the Shaolin master Wong Jack Man. Philip Ng convincingly impersonates the cocky, athletic Lee, and Wong – who is incidentally still alive at 77 – is played by Yu Xia. In real life, their fight may have been due to Wong disapproving of Lee teaching kung fu to Westerners, or it may have been a regular alpha-male faceoff. It certainly had nothing to do with the fanciful explanation concocted here: a gallant contest to appease local Chinatown gangsters who would stand to gain from betting and so agree to release...

Loosely inspired by true events, and particularly an article by Michael Dorgan, which was first published on Official Karate in 1980, “Birth of the Dragon” attempts a recreation of the events that led to the infamous fight between Bruce Lee and Wong Jack Man in San Francisco, in 1964.

Birth of The Dragon is being released in UK cinemas from Altitude Film Entertainment, starting February 23rd

At the time the film takes place, 24-year-old Bruce Lee owns and operates a martial arts school, and is on the verge of making a break into the show business, with “Green Hornet”. He is hip, cocky, and willing to go to extremes to introduce himself and kung fu to the world. However, everything changes when Wong Jack Man, a Buddhist monk who is also a martial arts master and a man, who, according to Lee, can unravel everything he has accomplished, arrives in town. Lee...

Author: Euan Franklin

Biopics never have a firm grasp on the truth, and any reasonably intelligent moviegoer understands this. Often, it’s obvious (merely by watching) what’s fact and what’s fantasy and it doesn’t hinder our enjoyment. In George Nolfi’s Birth of the Dragon, facts are kicked into the dirt of gangster-ridden Chinatown.

Set nine years before the release of Enter the Dragon, a young Bruce Lee (Philip Ng) is a martial-arts teacher (known as a sifu) in San Francisco. He is performative and egotistical, eager to introduce kung-fu to the Western world. But when Wong Jack Man (Xiu Yu) arrives in San Francisco, as penance for a sin committed in China, he threatens Lee’s aspirations – believing kung-fu shouldn’t be taught to Westerners. This builds to the famous (real) fight between the two of them – the results from which remain ambiguous.

The fantasies of...