Genre: Drama

‘Sword of the Assassin’ is a noble effort from some talented Vietnamese filmmakers which is beautifully shot, buoyed by engaging characters and features a satisfying amount of high flying martial arts combat.

I would not recommend this to anyone but die-hard Rothrock fans, and those curious enough to see Kurt McKinney in action after so many years. Otherwise, steer clear.

Providing meat for the mind as well as fireworks for the senses ‘Sympathy for Lady Vengeance’ is one of the best films of 2006.

It doesn’t deliver as much as it promises and doesn’t quite hit the mark as a complete unit due to a less cohesive second half and not enough time spent establishing Dong-Jin’s character.

‘Table For Six’ blends wit with appealing characters, and the dynamic between the sextet is a real strength for the film.

Despite being as absurdly hyperactive as a coffee junkie with St. Vitus’ Dance, ‘Tai Chi Zero’ is fun and snappy for most of its running time.

Packed full of superbly choreographed fight sequences and sporting solid leading performances, it is definitely one of the finest kung fu movies to emerge from Hong Kong during the 90s.

This is certainly a good looking film and the young cast try their best but are hampered with a narrative that has scenes just go on and on explaining everything ad infinitum.

If you want to see simple but effective story telling, characters you could easily bump into in the street and three of Korea’s best young actresses then just ‘Take Care Of My Cat’ for a few hours.

Even a few moments of magic from Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Gary Daniels do little to improve the overall picture, and it has to be said that this is a sorry excuse for a ‘Tekken’ movie.

At the end of the day, ‘Temple Of The Red Lotus’ works as more of a historical artefact than a genuinely exciting swordplay feature.

As pleasing as ‘Temporary Family’ proves to be – and it balances comedy, drama and a scintilla of satire – it could have been even better with a few tweaks here and there.