Genre: Drama

It may be a little too simplistic in its narrative for some and others may find the one-man-army slant pushed to its limits but ‘Re:Born’ is a triumph for all involved.

Despite having no conclusion of its own, all of the groundwork of the characterisation and story make the next chapter an exciting prospect.

Part 2 is certainly the superior one, but both deserve individual credit for reviving the dying embers of John Woo’s career.

Beneath the simple premise is a dissection of friendship and finding one’s place in society that is about as good as cinema has ever shown.

‘Return Engagement’ is cut from much the same cloth as many gangster films of the era but differentiates itself with a stronger core storyline.

There’s therefore much to recommend this superior sequel, a film that takes the best elements of the original and invites viewers to contemplate a message beyond the common expectations of the genre.

Despite the tantalising title, this flick has nothing to do with John Woo’s genre defining classics but is rather a cheap cash in from the relentless Wong Jing conveyor belt.

‘The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin’ was a definite achievement in the genre, but this follow-up has its own charm as well.

Not the best example of heroic bloodshed from the golden age but an entertaining footnote in the careers of heavy hitters Chow Yun-Fat and Andy Lau, and certainly worth checking out for completists.

For those of us who have grown up with Jackie Chan, this leaves quite an impression; it recalls an era of cinema, not just Hong Kong but worldwide, that will never be repeated again.

‘Riding Alone For Thousands Of Miles’ offers a pensive 100 minutes with the kind of devotion to China that shows clearly where the director’s heart lies.

This is the definitive Hong Kong action flick of the 80’s, easily on a par with ‘Police Story’ and should take pride of place in any fan’s collection.