Hun shen shi dan

Corey Yuen directs this martial arts/action outing set amid the architectural splendour of Prague.

If you've seen any Corey Yuen film before then you'll no doubt know exactly what to expect here; lots of close up, quick edit fight scenes and imaginative wire aided stunts.

Interestingly, the quick cut/edit style is a fairly recent cinematic phenomena. The advantages are obvious; Highly complex combinations of moves (which may well be impossible to film in single takes) can be created via fast editing of smaller combinations of moves or sometimes even single moves. Another advantage and one which Hollywood has keenly exploited utilising this style has been that big name stars who are, shall we say politely, not exactly gifted martial artists, can be made to look good via the same (trick) technique.

Why am I talking about all this?

Simple, it's because I really loath the said style!

For me personally, I want to see more naturally fluid fight scenes, unaided by editing trickery! If the actors can't do it for real then don't bother to do it all all!

But enough of my ranting and back to the film in question…is it any good? Well, aside from some of the aforementioned fighting scenes, the film is actually fairly entertaining stuff. There's certainly never a shortage of action and there's even a pleasant splattering of gore. It's especially great to see the legendary Benny 'The Jet' Urquidez on screen again although even his moves have suffered the editing treatment (and Benny is one chap who most certainly does NOT need any help in fight sequences!)

Overall, whilst far from essential viewing, there are certainly far worse ways to spend an hour and a half of your time.

Solid Hong Kong action movie which would be less interesting but for the presence of Bruce Lee's daughter (as I'm sure she hates being introduced) Shannon. She certainly has the moves and seems to have picked up much of the charisma, plus there are a few cool visual gags which serve to point out her famous heritage (there's a really neat bit where she tears out a bad guy's hair and blows it away, much as her dad once did to Chuck Norris}. Shannon's final fight on the airship is magnificent. Well worth checking out if you can find it.

It seems Hong Kong movies and John Woo/ Ringo Lam films have influenced everybody these days and now it seems even Hong Kong movies have become influenced by the heddy days of heroic bloodshed for which Woo is credited for.

Shannon Lee and her gang are major jewel theives out to rob a diamond (think The Pink Pather but with Kung Fu), but they are also in contention with street pickpockets wanting to hit the big time.

With lots of action underscoring and a lack of characterisation on any of the main characters, its action all the way. Shannon has no personality except when she smiles with her eyebrows. She looks like a Xena meets Trinity.

The main good guy is over the top and sometimes saves the films with his outlandish remarks. The action never lets up, and although some of it is remarkably dull or very similar to Police Story III or other movies, there is a refreshing pace to the film.

Shannon and Benny Uriqudez have a good fight in the end die-hard-in-a-blimp sequence, but it pales in comparison with the Jackie Chan fights with Benny the Jet.

Shannon makes a good effort of being a gymnast-cum-diamond theif who can do quick kicks and quick side-on gags at her father (Bruce Lee) by doing the same things her father does (ie. rip off hair, do that thing with his nose or doing warcries), unfortuently it makes the film, and shannon very silly, she shouldn't be copying Mr Lee, she should do what she wants to do and leave history to Judge Bruce, not silly side on gags.

There are plot silliness to the film, and although a fun film to watch, it isn't the best of Hong Kong Cinema, give it a miss.

Overall: 3/10

I found out about this movie on the internet - it looked good -

Shannon Lee, a Golden Harvest Production,Benny the Jet as the bad guy, directed by the same guy that did the action scenes in Romeo Must Die, so hell I'll give it a go. Well, to put it mildly, this is a very disappointing film - first off it is dubbed and the dubbing and overall sound are terrible. Secondly, Shannon Lee copies many of her fathers trademark moves, and other actions from his movies - i.e. ripping of hair into hand a'la Chuck Norris fight scene from 'Way'. Even the action is poorly done - it is way too fast, so you cant see what the hell is going on, & the story and plot has more holes than the Titanic. The end fight scene between Lee & Urquidez is OK. Shannon Lee is better, and deserves better, than this loads of old cobblers.

Straight of the bat, why the hell they decided to dub over a cast who's first language is English (all but Jordan Chan and Anita Yuen), is beyond me. It makes no sense at all...

From Golden Harvest and director Corey Yuen comes the Hong Kong action debut of Shannon Lee, daughter to Bruce of course. And just for fun, you get moments of her father shining through, such as certain moves she pulls off during fighting, and even the fact that her dead husband is called Bruce. Yes, it's as ridiculous as the overall film!

Set in Prague, the film opens with the ugliest bunch of gangsters ever committed to celluloid, with one team led by Michael Wong and the other by super-fighter, Benny 'The Jet' Urquidez. Director Yuen Kwai tries too hard to make the introductory scene of the film slick and stylish, resulting in dodgy edits that don't help kick things off well - although I did enjoy the chained, burning, jeep action...

Thankfully, it gets better!

It doesn't take long for the cinematography and edits to calm down somewhat and as we are introduced to Shannon Lee's character. Within seconds she gets her debut action scene against Brit-kicker Mike Lambert, which is a lot of fun and typically impressive of the Yuen's choreography making Lee look more like Jackie Chan than her fast striking father.

As much as I love them both, the introduction and terrible dubbing of Jordan Chan and Anita Yuen starts the downfall of the film for me. Brought in as the comedy element, which I'm sure may work in the Hong Kong version using their original language, they come across as idiots for the most of it (mostly due to the horrendous dub in this version)...

Wong is his usual cigar chomping, stone-faced, self hardly offering any excitement except for a few gunfights here and there. Of course, it's all about Shannon Lee's breakout role as an action star, and she certainly gets the higher percentage of it - impressing in her moves as well as stunt-work and gun-play. Yuen Kwai and Yuen Tak certainly did a good job in making her look like a genuine action star!

While the film may be paper thin on plot, and the comedy as weak as a kitten, And Now You're Dead has something about it that makes you want to keep watching. The action (both in martial arts and gun-play) is the films saving grace and there is plenty of it, including a ladder-on-a-helicopter stunt inspired by Police Story 3 that is good fun after an impressive, lengthy shoot-out. We certainly can't deny Kwai's talents as an action director and this definitely delivers in that department.

After a death of one of the team members on the one hour mark, the last 30 minutes takes a mature turn leaving most of the comedy behind for an all-out, action-packed, fight filled finale on a (badly CGI-ed) blimp with Lee versus Urquidez, which is fantastic. It's great to see 'The Jet' back in some Hong Kong styled action!

Overall: Overly flawed but action packed and great fun, And Now You're Dead gives HK action fans what they want, along with some unintentional laughs...