Rating: 4.0

‘Iron Fists’ is packed with varied action, good performances from luminaries like Chen Kuan-Tai and Mang Fei and is constructed in a way that does no shame to its lofty inspiration.

Powered by Wu’s lean direction and vision and Li’s brilliant star turn, ‘Iron Road’ should win new fans for both.

For a low budget, rushed production, the emotional content of the film and the quality of its cast save the day providing us with a kung fu influenced ‘Shawshank Redemption’ wannabe.

With brains, brawn and cool, cruel style to spare, ‘Japan Organized Crime Boss’ is a fantastic entry point to Fukasaku’s earlier movies.

Perhaps the only downside is that I would still rather watch one of Van Damme’s straight action pictures.

If you think Japanese horror cinema is becoming mired in recently coined cliché, or you simply love being scared, the troubling, dreadful world of ‘Ju-on’ is required viewing.

While ‘Ju-on 2’ is another rewarding journey through a landscape of fear and loathing, now is the time for its creator to terrorise avenues new.

‘Juliet In Love’ could be well-described as an economic and perhaps minimal love story; there are no grand gestures or over-the-top histrionics.

For all its minor shortcomings though, ‘Jump Ashin’ is an affecting production that has enough of a hardened edge to make the eventual redemption welcome.

It’s hard not to come away from ‘Keep Running’ with a feeling of awe for those involved, but also a sense that we’ve come to really get to know the participants by the end.

Budget restraints are sometimes apparent, but this doesn’t detract from another quality Yuen Biao vehicle.

Unlike many Hollywood takes on a similar subject, ‘Kikujiro’ prides itself on its unpredictability and genuine heart.