Rating: 2.0

‘The Grand Grandmaster’ barely has enough good material for a TikTok clip though and it should be noted that this drudgery goes on for a full two hours.

Anyone hoping for an exciting big-budget version of the well-known character will be sorely disappointed by this merely functional cinematic rendition.

While certainly mounted on a sometimes epic scale and beautifully shot, Lau’s film disappoints due to rushed character motivations, unconvincing drama and an excessive use of slow motion.

‘The Idiot Swordsman’ is a disappointing use of cast and concept, choosing to tread very tired ground rather than explore the full potential of the story.

If ‘The Invincible Dragon’ had just embraced its barmier B-movie aspects and run with them, then this could have been a fun throwback to action films of yesteryear.

There’s little to recommend this uncomfortable kung fu comedy so don’t be in any hurry to watch it.

With all characters underwritten it seems churlish to criticise performances, but eighties Asian singing sensation Tam is a charisma vacuum and not even the legendary Lin can convince in her thankless damp squib of a role.

The Hong Kong version features watchable new action that is worth tracking down for Chan purists, but as a whole, the film remains on Chan’s ‘avoid list’.

Yes, there a few passable fights here and there, but they are filmed in that quick-cut style that every director now utilises, obscuring any quality that the performers might have.

The cast is not without charm, the idea not without potential, but ‘The Real Iron Monkey’ is a certified dud.

Episodic and pantomimic, this is a series of not especially interesting scenes sewn together with a completely uninvolving main narrative.

Normally I’m the first to find some sort of saving grace in all Van Damme vehicles, but ‘The Shepherd’ is just so under-par that it’s painful.