Producer: Barbie Tung

Andrew Lau has a very obvious formula for making comic book adaptations and it’s one that is ultimately not very satisfying.

It’s worth watching, but will not go down as the best film that Hong Kong has produced in recent years – far from it in fact.

‘Chinese Zodiac’ gives Jackie Chan fans (including me), who had been awaiting its arrival especially eagerly, very little to get excited about.

This is truly a masterpiece of the genre with Chan, who was approaching his 40th birthday at the time, on astounding form.

Vitally, ‘First Strike’ is still full of the energy and invention that leaves so many other action films pale in comparison.

It gives me no pleasure to say that I would even consider, if heavily medicated, watching ‘The Spy Next Door’ again rather than this.

Entertaining in parts with a game cast on good form but frustratingly uneven and unsatisfying a film as a whole, ‘Let the Bullets Fly’ lays on the political subtext but forgets to have fun with it.

The performances from all parties are excellent, and Jackie has reinstalled a little faith in me that he is still capable of making a good action movie.

Stanley Tong continues to show his skill in the action genre with more kinetic direction.

The action is far superior to that of any American made film on ten times the budget, and shows Chan at his best shortly after the excellent ‘Drunken Master 2’.

At times frustrating and yet mostly entertaining, ‘The Myth’ may not be vintage Chan, but there are glimpses here of a performer who is still a valuable treasure for world cinema.

‘Vanguard’ tries to be a slick, Chinese version of ‘Mission: Impossible’ but has no idea what made the Tom Cruise film popular with viewers and critics alike.