KUNG FU KILLER – We Are Movie Geeks

WAMG Giveaway: Win the KUNG FU KILLER Blu-ray

KUNG FU KILLER starring Donny Yen, is the story of vicious killer Feng, who is going round Hong Kong killing top martial arts exponents, leaving a secret weapon called the Moonshadow as his calling card. When convicted killer and kung fu expert, Xia, hears of this, he offers to help the police catch the killer, in return for his freedom. Despite their misgivings, the police release the former police martial arts instructor into their custody. With his help, they realize from the chronological order of the victims that the killer is targeting his victims, all the top masters in their martial arts style, following a martial code of training. When Xia also disappears after a close encounter with Feng, they suspect the worse: that the two are accomplices and Feng was the bait to help spring Xia from jail. But Xia has actually gone back to his home in Foshan to find out more about the mysterious calling card. While doing so, he discovers the killer’s identity and his motivation: the true philosophy behind martial arts was to kill opponents who were weaker than him. Steadfastly, Xia refuses to be drawn into a fight with Feng – until the killer threatens the women he loves most. Only then does he realize that he would have to go against the martial code in order to uphold it.

When Sam Moffitt reviewed KUNG FU KILLER here at We Are Movie Geeks, he wrote: “KUNG FU KILLER is a fight filled action movie, and as you would expect the fight scenes are excellent, Donny Yen is probably the best martial arts actor in Hong Kong right now. It is also a police procedural with the Hong Kong police doing all the forensics and lead tracking and high tech surveillance we are now used to from Hollywood, European and Asian crime films. And it is also a serial killer film, which seems to be modeled on David Fincher’s Seven”…..(read all of Sam’s review HERE)

Now you can own a Blu-ray of KUNG FU KILLER from Well Go USA Entertainment! We Are Movie Geeks has three copies of the Blu to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what your favorite movie is with the word ‘Killer’ in the title (mine is THE STONE KILLER starring Charles Bronson!). It’s so easy! We’ll choose the winners next week. Good Luck!

Well Go USA Entertainment (www.wellgousa.com) is a theatrical and home entertainment distribution label that specializes in bringing top content, including the best in Action, Genre and Independent films from the US and around the world, to North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go’s titles can be seen across a variety of formats, including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Well Go currently releases five to eight films per month. Well Go USA Entertainment’s corporate headquarters are in Plano, Texas, with offices in Taiwan and China.

KUNG FU KILLER – The Review

A martial arts instructor (Donny Yen) convicted of killing someone in a duel is released from prison by a tough as nails woman Police Lt. (Charlie Yeung) in order to help catch a serial killer, who is targeting master martial arts fighters.

A very simple setup leads to a multi themed action movie that is both old school kung fu and a post modern Valentine to the kind of action films that used to dominate Hong Kong film studios like Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest.

KUNG FU KILLER is a fight filled action movie, and as you would expect the fight scenes are excellent, Donny Yen is probably the best martial arts actor in Hong Kong right now. It is also a police procedural with the Hong Kong police doing all the forensics and lead tracking and high tech surveillance we are now used to from Hollywood, European and Asian crime films. And it is also a serial killer film, which seems to be modeled on David Fincher’s Seven.

A handicapped fighter Baoqiang-Wang is targeting, fighting, and killing with his bare hands seven martial arts masters based on seven levels of fighting technique and skill. His motivation? His young wife died of cancer (actually he kills her himself rather than let her suffer) and carries her ashes in an urn. He also makes metal talisman’s of a swallow (while listening to classic Chinese Opera on a battered cassette player, very old school!) which he leaves on each bludgeoned, choked, stabbed and broken body.

What are his victim’s connections to his wife’s death? I don’t know, unless I missed something this guy just wants to prove he is the best and that “martial arts is for killing!” a phrase he repeats like a mantra. You can’t help but sympathize with his victims, they are going about their business before each fight, not bothering anybody, but give it their best shot and still end up another corpse in the medical examiner’s office.

Donny Yen’s character also has a girl friend (Bing Bai) on the outside who gets drawn into the wave of fighting, is close to mortally wounded and gives Donny Yen even more reason to end it. As you would expect the fight scenes are terrific, each one meant to top the last and they all seem to reference older Hong Kong action films. One fight scene even takes place on the set of a martial arts movie where the victim is a martial arts master who is reduced to being a stunt man in movies !?

There also seems to be a connection with a martial arts school which closed years ago, as is usual with Hong Kong and Chinese films in general I think some information is missing in the subtitles. No big deal, when we get to the inevitable final showdown the tension level is incredible as the two masters duke it out right in the middle of Hong Kong’s Container Road, while heavily loaded semi trucks whizz by them on all sides. At one point they even fight underneath the moving trucks, which never slow down, somehow without being run over and mangled! One truck loses a full load of bamboo poles making for handy weapons. Again as expected anything and everything are used as weapons, one victim is dispatched by a box cutter!

And most touching, when the action finally subsides, Donny Yen gets to stay out of prison and is told his girl will be alright KUNG FU KILLER becomes a lovely Valentine to anybody and everybody who ever acted in a Hong Kong action movie. We get quick shots and the names of the many actors, writers, directors and even producers who did cameos throughout the film, if you’re a fan of these movies or have read any of the many books written about Hong Kong films, you will recognize many of these names and faces. During these wonderful credits traditional Chinese music plays on the soundtrack and the camera sometimes lingers on posters for old school action movies. Proving that even if some actors like Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li and Jackie Chan move on to Hollywood, Hong Kong action films, like a Hong Kong action hero, will never die, always to be reborn, like the fabulous Phoenix, rising again and again.

KUNG FU KILLER plays in St. Louis midnights this Friday and Saturday (May 29th and 30th) only at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater. The Facebook invite for the screenings can be found HERE

Donnie Yen in KUNG FU KILLER – Midnights This Weekend at The Tivoli

KUNG FU KILLER screens midnights this weekend (May 29^th and 30th) at The Tivoli Theater as part of their ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ Midnight Series.

Reel Late at the Tivoli film series usually shows classic cult movies at midnight but this weekend, it’s a St. Louis premiere of a new film, KUNG FU KILLER starring chopsocky legend Donnie Yen and directed by Teddy Chen.

A vicious killer, Feng, is going round Hong Kong killing top martial arts exponents, leaving a secret weapon called the Moonshadow as his calling card. When convicted killer and kung fu expert, Xia, hears of this, he offers to help the police catch the killer, in return for his freedom. Despite their misgivings, the police release the former police martial arts instructor into their custody. With his help, they realize from the chronological order of the victims that the killer is targeting his victims, all the top masters in their martial arts style, following a martial code of training. When Xia also disappears after a close encounter with Feng, they suspect the worse: that the two are accomplices and Feng was the bait to help spring Xia from jail. But Xia has actually gone back to his home in Foshan to find out more about the mysterious calling card. While doing so, he discovers the killer’s identity and his motivation: the true philosophy behind martial arts was to kill opponents who were weaker than him. Steadfastly, Xia refuses to be drawn into a fight with Feng – until the killer threatens the women he loves most. Only then does he realize that he would have to go against the martial code in order to uphold it.

This is a premiere so We Are Movie Geeks has not seen KUNG FU KILLER yet but the critics who have are impressed:

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter writes:

“Teddy Chen’s combination police procedural and kick-ass action film provides a sturdy vehicle for longtime Hong Kong star Donnie Yen, who at age 51 proves he’s still in good enough shape to deliver all the right moves.”

Rob Hunter at Film School Rejects says:

“It’s an exciting watch, but more than that it’s a respectful appreciation of Hong Kong cinema and all those who came before.”

Chris Sawin at Examiner.com claims:

“The versatility of Kung Fu Killer intrigues while the bone crunching action thoroughly satisfies on every level. Kung Fu Killer is a sensational thriller with ferocious action and features Donnie Yen at his absolute best.”

Admission is $8. Hope to see everyone this weekend at The Tivoli! I’ll be there with trivia and prizes!

The Facebook invite for this event can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/1609748559280991/

The Tivoli is located at 6350 Delmar in The Loop. Visit Landmark’s The Tivoli’s website HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

Here’s the Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight schedule for June and July

June 5-6 PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE

June 12-13 THE LAST STARFIGHTER

June 19-20 HOOK

June 26-27 COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE – Subtitled

July 3-4 WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT

July 10-11 THE TERMINATOR (1984)

July 17-18 THE SHINING

The Midnight at the Tivoli Fans Facebook page can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/groups/255754067866051/

The Tivoli Announces the ‘Reel Late’ Midnight Line-Up – SHINING, TERMINATOR, KUNG FU KILLERS and PEE WEE!

“I know you are but what am I?”

Another great lineup of midnight movies for the ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ for June and July. It’s a typically good variety to draw the late night movie buff crowd that includes a premiere, and anime, some ‘80s standards and……HOOK (!?!)

The line-up of midnight movies begins May 29^th and 30^th with the St. Louis premiere of the new chopsocky epic KUNG FU KILLER. COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE is a Japanese animated Space Western action film from 2003, so that should pack ‘em in. THE SHINING always does well and THE TERMINATOR should get everyone jazzed for the upcoming TERMINATOR GENISYS. THE LAST STARFIGHTER and WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT certainly have their followings and PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE just gets funnier with time. Then there’s HOOK. That’s a real head-scratcher in my book, Spielberg’s worst film (why can’t they show 1941 ?) but I’m just the host, not the programmer.

Reel Late at the Tivoli takes place every Friday and Saturday night and We Are Movie Geeks own Tom Stockman (that’s me!) is there with custom trivia questions about the films and always has DVDs, posters, and other cool stuff to give away. I can’t wait to write THE TERMINATOR trivia! Ticket prices are $8. We hope to see everyone late at night in the coming months.

The Tivoli is located at 6350 Delmar in The Loop. Visit Landmark’s The Tivoli’s website HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

Here’s the newly –announced Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight schedule for June and July

May 29-30 KUNG FU KILLER – Premiere! Starring Donnie Yen

June 5-6 PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE

June 12-13 THE LAST STARFIGHTER

June 19-20 HOOK

June 26-27 COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE – Subtitled

July 3-4 WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT

July 10-11 THE TERMINATOR (1984)

July 17-18 THE SHINING

The Midnight at the Tivoli Fans Facebook page can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/groups/255754067866051/

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