Martial Arts > up to 5 GBP Martial Arts > by Production Year

Advantages: Breath taking martial arts and agility
Disadvantages: Poor story

Ong Bak is the 2003 film directed by Prachya Pinkaew, choreographed by Panna Rittikrai, starring the great Tony Jaa as Ting, and Thai comedian Petchtai Wongkamlao and George (Humlae). The thing with Tony Jaa is he doesn't have the screen presence on Bruce Lee, or the charisma of Jackie Chan, but what he can do is perform fight scenes better than anyone before him. It takes Jaa atleast twice as long as his predecessors to make a movie because of ...
...a ancient buddah statue named Ong Bak has been stolen. The statue is worshipped by the village's people so Ting decides he will find Ong Bak at any cost. This leads him to the big city were he meets his cousin Humlae (Wongkamlao) who has renamed himself George (for reasons I'll let you find out) who takes a interest in Ting's quest after seeing the amount of money the village have given him. The main story isn't exactly the most compelling in the ... Read review

Advantages: Plenty Of Brutal Action, Good Photography and Great Music
Disadvantages: Cut Version Has Nonsensical Plot & Is Too Short!

'Return Of The Street Fighter' - Japan- 1974 Fun sequel to Sonny Chiba's groundbreaking 'Streetfighter' film. Takuma Tsurgi returns (as you would expect) to punch kick and stamp his way through his enemies in this 70s brutalist karate film. Chiba for the uninitiated was an Olympic standard karate master who starred in loads of films in Japan over the seventies and eighties. Chiba is awesome as usual, in the 'Streetfighter' films he plays Takuma ...
...Although not a patch on the original, it's full on and gory (although toned down slightly from the first film), it features tonnes of action, funky music, stylish cinematography and some great 70s kitsch. It has a lighter tone than the original with a plot about the mafia blackmailing karate schools to justify the relentless and brutal fight scenes. However most people won't be watching this for it's great plot, instead they'll be watching to witness ... Read review

Advantages: rock hard movie, fight scenes are mental. and it's a true story
Disadvantages: there are none

Fighter In The Wind- A Review By Addy Fighter In the Wind is a 2004 Korean film that is based on the true story of Choi Yeung-Eui. Forced by circumstances that come to light in the film he changed his name to Masutatsu Oyama, although his preferred name was Choi Bae-Dal to show his Korean ethnicity. He created his own martial arts called Kyokushinkai karate and successfully challenged and defeated every master Japan had to offer. The film is an ...
...what one single person can achieve against all odds. Rarely have I seen a true story where someone goes from having so little and gaining so much. Masutatsu Oyama Born 27th July 1923 Gimje, Korea. Died 26th April 1994 (aged 70) Tokyo, Japan. Film Specs Director: Yang Yun-Ho Release date: 12th August 2004 Running time: 120 min. Language Korean/English Subtitles "Justice without power is empty and power without justice is only violence." ... Read review

Advantages: a decent samurai movie
Disadvantages: dubbing, sound quality in parts as well as picture quality

This is a classic old school samurai film. This film was previously banned in this country for it's violent graphic nature, but nowadays I guess we are made of sterner stuff. If you are easily distressed then this moive is not for you. There are very explicit scenes of swords being buried into heads, heads splitting in half, and more blood gushing than you can shake a stick at. The film centres around Ogami Itto, who is played by Tomisaburo Wakayama ...
...to be referred to has Lone wolf and Cub. Itto is the shoguns chief executioner and a powerful man. So much so that lord Retsudo soon wants him dead out of sheer fear. In the initial attack Itto's wife is slain, and Itto decides to dedicate his life to taking the life of lord Retsudo and all those close to him, {one way of getting rid of the existential angst i guess} In a scene at this point he places a ball on the floor and a sword and he makes ... Read review

Advantages: great action scenes
Disadvantages: death

why oh why does the nice guy have to die at the end of these films i love all these films, this one has a rugged story line but the layout and casting are brilliant, music is heart felt actresses are so right for this film, older warrior trying to steer the young rogue into the right direction, also at the same time trying to keep her emotions for lee mu bai at bay. So a forbidden love is kept still by tradition. Yet another love is cursed, the thief ... Read review