Rating: 2.5

Everything is so over-the-top and forced while desperately trying to drag all of those ensemble hits of yesteryear kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The result is a bizarre mix.

Aside from the odd comedic highlight, ‘Battlefield Baseball’ feels more like a swing and a miss than a home run.

Not a complete waste of time as it does provide some basic gangster movie stylings but ‘Blood Brothers’ is just that: an exercise in style and a style that has been done much better by other films.

Much of the story could have been padded better, with the format really revolving around getting to the next action sequence when more depth to the characters would have been far more beneficial.

Obviously I still wouldn’t call it good in the traditional sense, but it is a familiar slice of cheese that certainly goes down easily.

If you’re just looking for a quick burst of schlocky, action-packed fun then this will certainly make the grade.

‘Manhunt’ travels the same well-worn path as its predecessors (particularly ‘Bloodfist IV’) with a very predictable plot and some low grade action.

What puts it slightly above most is the charisma of a youthful Van Damme coupled with some decent action.

‘Bloodsport II’ is an improvement over its predecessor due to the greater quantity (and quality) of the action.

Joo Won and the stunt people do give it their all and there are some creative sequences on show, but it doesn’t quite come together into a satisfying whole.

‘Chanbara Beauty’ is an uncomplicated, intermittently fun, undead actioner that will please fans of the genre and the videogames.

Patrick Tam’s ‘Cherie’ is, simply put, little more than a moderately average eighties romantic comedy and decidedly underwhelming when compared against any of the true “greats” of the era.