Martial Arts – Page 3 – We Are Movie Geeks

REDEEMER (2014) – The Review

For my money, there are two truly amazing, ass-kicking action flicks that came out of 2014 and wouldn’t you know, neither of them are from the United States. One of them is the Indonesian sequel called THE RAID 2 and the other is the Chilean film called REDEEMER, written and directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza. If you enjoy your action fast-paced and in your face, then this is a must-see movie starring Marko Zaror as Pardo, a top former hit man for a drug cartel who has gone rogue, taking down bad guys and wrong-doers in an effort to redeem himself for his past sins in hopes of one day seeing his wife and unborn child in Heaven, both of whom were murdered by a rival assassin known as Scorpion, played by José Luís Mósca.

Feared and respected by Chilean gangsters, the tattoo-covered Pardo — known as The Redeemer — carries with him a handgun with a cross embossed in the handle and a single bullet. Before each mission of redemption against a sinner(s) he prays and plays a holy round of Russian roulette. If he lives, he goes forth and cleans another bad soul of the streets. Bodies quickly pile up as The Redeemer gets closer to the drug lord, an English-speaking, sarcastic jackass named Bradock, played by Noah Segan. As Pardo manhandles and punishes anyone who crosses his path, his true test of will and talent shows up out of his past.

Espinoza has crafted a superbly precise punch-fest, showing off some truly incredible fight choreography developed by the star, Marko Zaror, accompanied by the complimentary cinematography of Nicolas Ibieta. Keeping up with these fights while keeping it real and still visually engaging must have been a Hellish task, but that collaboration pays off big time. Not only does REDEEMER have the look and style of what made the best early 90s action flicks so memorable, it also features an equally reminiscent soundtrack with music by Claudio Rocco.

REDEEMER is a success due to many elements. The general plot is not necessarily anything original, but the story itself takes on its own personality and is unique enough to carry itself without ever feeling tired and played out. I found myself watching the film, not distracted, but in the back of my mind thinking about how it has elements of what made films like DESPERADO (1995) and THE CROW (1994) so memorable. Then I also realized it had storytelling elements that reminded me of Jackie Chan films, such as RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (1995), but without the cheese factor. That’s when I realized this is a film seen 20 years past its era, but it never feels dated. This is martial arts action filmmaking at its nostalgic finest.

Zaror is a master of his craft. Some of the fight sequences will literally blow your mind. Seriously. If you’re not careful, you’ll be picking bits of your brain off your widescreen television. In particular, the final fight before Pardo finds Bradock is with Bradock’s right hand man, his captain, so to speak, and this fight is not only long but rich in detail. Espinoza works beautifully with Zaror in capturing the essence of the fight with realism. Not only does the scene amaze with its creativity but the finer details like Pardo sizing up his opponent, noting his weaknesses and finding his opportunities are all present. Furthermore, Espinoza doesn’t make Pardo another unbeatable, perfect fighting machine. Pardo gets hit frequently and does not always have the upper hand. This is especially true once we witness Pardo’s final fight for his life and the life of a young woman.

REDEEMER gets the adrenaline flowing from the beginning and maintains an exhilarating pace, but the film also catches the eyes of more discerning viewers who may appreciate the MMA (mixed martial arts) sensibility of Zaror’s talents and the evolution of Pardo’s fighting style(s) as he adapts his technique depending on the number and abilities of his opponents. REDEEMER does often implement the slow motion camera technique in the editing room, but does so with a very light hand with the purpose of showcasing the more extraordinary spinning kicks and flips and acrobatic awesomeness that occurs on the screen. This is a film about drug dealers and organized crime, so guns do come into play, but are not the focus of the action and Pardo himself favors his feet and fists over guns as his deadly weapons of choice, except when absolutely necessary.

Espinoza delivers a movie that takes me back to the heyday of JCVD (Jean Claude Van Damn) and exposes audiences to a martial arts master otherwise not well known to the world outside of Central and South America. The drug lord played by Noah Segan is occasionally a bit much, cheeky and perhaps trying to hard to channel Christian Slater, but ultimately we realize he’s not the true big bad antagonist to Pardo anyway, which allows the audience to write Bradock off a sort of comic relief. REDEEMER is well worth seeing and, given the opportunity, certainly worth seeing in the theater if you’re a fan of quality action movies.

REDEEMER opened in theaters and Video On Demand on June 12th, 2015.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Fest 2014: KUNG FU ELLIOT – The Review

KUNG FU ELLIOT is not what it first sets out to become. In fact, by the end, you’ll find out — once more — that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. From the very beginning of the film, it takes every fiber of your being to resist the inclination of writing it off as another mockumentary. Oh, this is just another take on what they started with This is Spinal Tap some three decades ago. Wrong. What you are about to watch is actually a documentary, and perhaps, one of the most compelling, honest and revealing of the year… even though, ironically, the film is so heavily rooted in deception.

Filmmakers Matthew Baukman and Jaret Belliveau set out to document the life of a somewhat peculiar but fascinating character they discovered by chance. Elliot “White Lightning” Scott, the self-proclaimed “first action star of Canada” is an amateur low-budget filmmaker from the neighbor up north. He is beginning production on his third film, titled BLOOD FIGHT, when the filmmakers begin their journey with Elliot and his girlfriend Linda, who also produces Elliot’s films, and his best friend who also acts in his films. What they discover over the course of filming, a revelation that is slowly riveting as it is hilarious, is that things are not as they appear in Elliot’s life.

KUNG FU ELLIOT is as much, if not arguably more of a comedy than a drama, despite its non-fiction origins. Audiences will certainly empathize with Linda, Elliot’s unbelievably patient and tolerable partner, as she puts up with his day dreams of fame and complete lack of financial and practical worth as a member of society. On top of paying all the bills, providing food, clothes and shelter for Elliot, Linda also bankrolls his films and literally every other aspect of his life. She even forks out for him to attend acupuncture school and travel to China with his class to study abroad, where we learn that his narcissistic ego knows no borders.

Whether disbelief replaces disgust with mockery and laughter, or you just plain develop a seething hatred of the film’s central character, one thing is for sure about KUNG FU ELLIOT… you’re not going to like him very much. After watching the film with my wife, the first words out of her mouth upon recovering from the shock, were to say “I f*cking hate this guy!” Strong words from someone who has never met him in person, but it perfectly conveys my point. Elliot does not carry himself as someone who purposely goes out of his way to be a douche bag, he just is and fails to realize the truth of his existence in the world.

What is truly heartbreaking about the film, you know, in the solemn moments between rolling in laughter on the floor and shaking your head, wondering if what you just saw really, actually happened in real life, what’s truly heartbreaking is that everyone else in the film, all the others in his life — at least the few he has in his life — are counting on him to make good on these pipe dreams of which he seems truly, honestly convinced will come true. Elliot plays these decent, albeit eccentric, human beings in a way that they buy into it hook, line and sinker, perhaps because Elliot himself has taken his own bait, or so it seems.

KUNG FU ELLIOT is a film that’s easy to get lost within the surface qualities, making the unexpected conclusion of the film even more shocking. Not only has he played his partner and friends, but he’s player the filmmakers and the audience as well. If you recall the documentary CATFISH (2010) then you understand the underlying deceptive quality of the story, minus the technology of the internet. The primary difference here is that KUNG FU ELLIOT oozes with authenticity, whereas CATFISH always had this sense of integral doubt of authenticity that lurked around every corner of the film. KUNG FU ELLIOT wears its deception on its sleeve, we just don’t realize it until Elliot rolls down his sleeves.

KUNG FU ELLIOT is making appearances at Film Festivals worldwide.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

THE RAID: REDEMPTION – The Review

Once more, an incredible film emerges from an once unlikely corner of the world, to many a place virtually unknown to Americans. This time, its Indonesia and the film is THE RAID: REDEMPTION. Do you think you know action? No, not Schwarzenegger and Stallone, but true badass, butt-kicking, jaw-dropping action that sticks to your ribs like so many seen brutally busted? If so, then this is one film you had better not miss… or else!

THE RAID: REDEMPTION — from here out referred to simply as THE RAID — is written and directed by Gareth Evans. You may be wondering why or how a film from Indonesia is made by a guy who certainly doesn’t sound Indonesian, but really… who cares?!?! [From what I gather, Evans is Welsh-born and a cinephile uniquely obsessed with Eastern culture. I’m down with that.] Evans clearly has a firm grasp on the culture, the setting and the hardships of the Indonesian people. The film takes place in a crumbling, urban setting, primarily a towering housing complex/fortress controlled by the local drug and crime boss who rules with a heavy hand, blatantly providing safe haven for all the worst type of subhuman beings — for a price — mocking the authorities who fear to enter his domain, as many have tried and failed.

Reluctant but loyal to his duty and eager to do his part in ending the reign of criminal terror, this is where our hero Rama (Iko Uwais) enters the story. Rama is a young, but lethal soldier for justice, a husband and soon-to-be father with a glimmer of giving his unborn child a better future twinkling in his eye. This will ultimately be what drives Rama through the pain as he takes on the highrise from hell. What Evans does that I appreciate is to introduce our hero in a way we’re not normally accustomed to seeing, a montage cutting between shots of Rama training in solitude and shots of Rama praying in solitude as well. He’s a complete man, father and husband, at peace and clear-headed… making him dangerously focused and powerful.

THE RAID spends a little time up front introducing the characters on both sides, a little time setting up the premise for what is about to take place on screen, then quickly throws the audience right into the police raid which rapidly unravels into chaos and bloodshed, a vertical monsoon of bullets followed by a barrage of unbelievable feet and fists that will have you on the edge of your seat. The fight choreography in THE RAID is superb, and without the (apparent) use of wires, this is a feature film showcasing a whole new cast of awe-inspiring martial artists. At first, hot lead is everywhere, followed by cold steel and hardened fists when the bullets run out. This is when the fun really begins and the pain takes hold.

The story, while simple and direct, has a team of SWAT-like police infiltrating the corrupted high rise with the implied intent of ridding it of the criminal cockroaches plaguing their city. What eventually reveals itself is a twist at the end, one I will not divulge, but will elude to it being a fairly formulaic but effective plot tool which takes a backseat to the great portion and focus of the film, which is the magnificent fight choreography, conceived by Yayan Ruhian (remember this name) and Iko Uwais himself. Truly amazing stuff on display here guys, and gals. THE RAID features more moments of phantom pain amidst the audience than I can recall in so many years. I found myself on multiple occasions reacting with an “Oooh, ow!” or flinching or briefly turning away, then morbidly looking back for more. Busted heads, broken backs, faces, ribs, necks, limbs… it’s all demolished on both sides of this epic conflict with fantastic, painful realism. I do love Jackie Chan, but these guys make his real-life stunts and fight choreography look tame in comparison.

Remember that guy whose name I said to remember? In addition to co-choreographing THE RAID, Yayan Ruhian also plays Mad Dog, the crime boss’ enforcer, opposite his right hand man, who has a secret of his own to be discovered when you see this film. Mad Dog is the little psycho killer who could, and seemingly NEVER FREAKING DIES! This short, long-haired little mutt’s bite is way, way way worse than his relatively quiet bark. It’s rare that I find myself actually rooting in a way for the bad guy, but Mad Dog in a monster in a small package. He does more damage to this crew of tactical enforcers of good than Godzilla has down to Tokyo. Pain is his middle name and he prefers fists and feet to guns, as he explains before utterly annihilating Rama’s #2 guy Jaka (Joe Taslim), but not without a lengthy and spectacular fight to the death.

THE RAID only has one, relatively minor flaw, hence receiving 4.5 rather than 5 stars. The film is light on depth of plot and back-story, but not so much that it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the film. Hey, sometimes you just want to be entertained by extraordinary, excessive violence, right? Otherwise, why would mixed martial arts be so popular? Speaking of which, imagine the best MMA fighters being thrown together into a massive multi-level royal rumble a la Donkey Kong and you still wouldn’t have the level of awesomeness available to you in THE RAID: REDEMPTION. ‘Nuff said!

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

THE RAID: REDEMPTION opens today, April 13th, in Saint Louis at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre.

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Fantastic Fest Films

Poster created by Mike Saputo

The time is nearly upon us, the annual gathering of genre hounds, eager to experience the greatest, the most shocking and exhilarating collection of fascinating feature (and short) films of 2011 — Fantastic Fest, presented by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas.

Look, the truth is, this is my first time. Yes, I am a Fantastic Fest virgin, but I am overwhelmingly excited to finally be experiencing this tradition that promises to be more than just a film festival. Having recently announced in three waves its lineup of feature films, as well as its short film lineup and even its special events, Fantastic Fest is now speeding towards us at full throttle, barreling into Austin with the force of a Texas-sized stampede of longhorn steers jacked full of Red Bull and Viagra.

With such a diverse and eclectic mix of films, and so many to choose from, here’s a sneak peak at the Top Ten films I am most looking forward to at this year’s edition of Fantastic Fest. Read it and weep, but only if you’re not going to be in Austin from September 22-29.

Honorable Mention:

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)

You are absolutely correct. This is NOT a new film, nor is it one of those dreaded remakes we see so much of these days. No, this is the John Landis classic, considered by many to be one of the best werewolf flicks, and the crowning jewel of Rick Baker’s incredible special FX makeup career. The film will have a 30th anniversary screening at Fantastic Fest and special effects maestro Rick baker will be in attendance. I’m thrilled to be seeing this in the theater for the first time.