America’s Film Legacy
America’s Film Legacy 2009-2010
Category Archives: Action
Kill Boksoon: Jeon Do-yeon showcase treads familiar territory
Style trumps substance in Kill Boksoon, a thriller set in a John Wick universe of corporate killers. Jeon Do-yeon stars as Boksoon, at home a single mom struggling to connect with her teen daughter Gae-yon. On the job she’s a … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Film Festivals
Leave a comment
The Wandering Earth II: sci-fi prequel from Frant Gwo
Just in time for the Lunar New Year, Well Go USA opens a prequel to the 2019 blockbuster hit, The Wandering Earth II (or EartII, as the poster has it) expands on the original, building a thoroughly convincing sci-fi future … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, New Releases, Special effects
Leave a comment
Brahmāstra Part One: An Indian multiverse
Years in the making, Brahmāstra Part One: Shiva is the first episode in a trilogy about the “Astraverse,” an Indian take on the multiverse. Astras are superpowers that can take the form of a weapon or a person (a “divine” … Continue reading
Posted in Action, India, Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse in Benny Chan’s Raging Fire
A first-rate action thriller, Raging Fire pits dedicated cop Donnie Yen against Nicholas Tse’s gang of killers in a story of betrayal and revenge. It’s sadly the last film from director Benny Chan, who died of cancer in 2020. Raging … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Reminiscence review: Stop If You’ve Seen This Before
The future is grim in Reminiscence, a Warner Bros. release starring Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton. Written and directed by Lisa Joy (a Westworld vet), the movie slips time-travel tropes into a well-worn film noir plot. If you’re … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Drama
Leave a comment
The Fatal Raid review: Old-school gunplay
Released in 2019, The Fatal Raid was originally intended as a sequel to 2016’s Special Female Force. A couple of that film’s performers reappear, notably Jade Leung as Wong, an undercover cop. But The Fatal Raid is essentially a standalone … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, Streaming
Leave a comment
Marvel’s Black Widow: So Much Money
Delayed by COVID-19, Black Widow arrives in theaters and online July 9 carrying the weight of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on its shoulders. No one could have anticipated that a pandemic would disrupt the movie industry for the past 16 … Continue reading
Posted in Action, New Releases
Leave a comment
The Vault: a bank heist in Madrid
A professionally executed heist movie that still misses the mark, The Vault is smoothly entertaining but curiously low on suspense. The goal — break into the Bank of Spain’s impregnable basement vault — is intriguing, the plan just this side … Continue reading
Posted in Action, On demand, Streaming
Leave a comment
Foiling terrorists in SAS: Red Notice
In spy parlance, a “red notice” gives agents legal authority to find and arrest suspects. Adapted from a novel by former special forces operator Andy McNab, SAS: Red Notice takes that one step further, sending vacationing agent Tom Buckingham (Sam … Continue reading
Posted in Action, On demand, Streaming
Leave a comment
Dante Lam’s action spectacle The Rescue: review
Director Dante Lam built his reputation on gritty action films like Beast Cops and The Viral Factor, works marked by relentless drive and exceptional action sequences. His last two films, Operation Mekong and Operation Red Sea, were huge hits in … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Asian, New Releases
Leave a comment