Hard Hit Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Kim Chang-ju
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Ji Chang-Wook, Jo Woo-jin, Kim Ji-ho
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Mpi Home Video
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ South Korea
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 22, 2022

 

         Hard Hit is a remake of Retribution, Dani de la Torre’s 2015 Spanish thriller, but the story transplants easily into South Korean culture. There have been a number of revenge-themed thrillers in Spanish cinema in recent years, though South Korea still seems to have the strongest hold on these themes. Along with being a remake, the premise shares similarities with a few American thrillers, like Speed, Vehicle 19, and Cellular. It should also come as no surprise that Hollywood also has plans to remake Retribution with Liam Neeson in the lead.

 

Deadly Games Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Scott Mansfield
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Sam Groom, June Lockhart, Colleen Camp, Steve Railsback, Jo Ann Harris
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 32 minutes
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Surround Sound, Widescreen, Anamorphic
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Arrow Video
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 22, 2022

 

         The 1982 slasher Deadly Games begins like many others of its type, with the murder of a nubile young woman at the hands of a masked killer. Unfortunately, it is pretty much downhill from there. After an intense opening sequence, the narrative becomes more preoccupied with the bed-hopping going on with the local married couples. When the sister of the initial victim shows up, her efforts to find the killer are put on hold while she becomes entangled in the romantic sub-plots that threaten to take over the film. With too few kills to be a satisfactory slasher, and too obvious of a mystery to work as a whodunnit, Deadly Games is mostly a deadly bore.

 

Legendary Weapons of China Blu-ray Review

 

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• Director ‏ : ‎ Chia-liang Liu
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Chia-Yung Liu, Kara Wai, Sheng Fu
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, NTSC, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 49 minutes
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ Hong Kong
• Distribution ‏ : ‎ 88 Films
• Release date ‏ : ‎ February 8, 2022

 

         What’s surprising about Legendary Weapons of China, at least in comparison to most Hollywood films, is the fact that the younger martial artist performers in this film don’t end up being the hero. Or the villain, for that matter. By the time the final fight comes around, the young threat played by Gordon Liu quietly excuses himself. And the original protagonist (however confused and misguided he is for much of the film), steps back from the final fight. It comes down to the oldest member of the cast, who also happened to be director Liu Chia-Liang.