Asian Action Cast

Ryo Saeba returns to the big screen in Netflix’s 2024 adaptation of the City Hunter manga, following a string of animes, movies (Jackie Chan!) and Korean TV shows.

So good we had to return immediately to John Woo’s sweaty gangster tragi-ballad, A Better Tomorrow II, to revel in the blood soaked ballet that inspired so many films (ahem, reservoir dogs).

Cobbled together a year after Woo’s original 1986 smash hit, A Better Tomorrow II brings back Chow Yun Fat (but of course!), Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung, but also presents an uncharacteristically grounded performance from the late great Dean Shek, and pre-Stephen Chow villainous Ng Man Tat.
It’s been established that Chow is the thief of our hearts, stealing scenes aplenty, but this instalment has some great performances with multiple nominations and awards with huge shout outs to Leslie’s Cheungs heartbreaking phonebooth scene and Chow’s legendary ‘Apologise to the Rice’ scene. Put on your suits and ties, grab your shotguns and gear up with us.

What happens when you take a Hong Kong comedy director, old, washed up martial arts star and young desperate actor with nothing to lose? A Better Tomorrow, that’s what.
John Woo’s 1986 gangster thriller with Chow Yun Fat and Ti Lung reinvented the genre and guaranteed a better tomorrow of heroic bloodshed and tragic bromances for decades to come.
No other movie is so iconic, so fresh and so stylish. Chow’s Mark is the definition of scene stealer, the late great Leslie Cheung plucks up as the young cop. Essential viewing if you’re a fan of Hong Kong cinema, relive it with us.

The AAC takes a journey back to 1972 for the fourth instalment in the Lone Wolf and Cub Series. Our vengeance seeking duo of father Ogami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama) and mullet/sideburns/top knot/rats tail son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa) are tasked with killing female assassin (Oyuki played by Michie Azuma). But along the way there's many, many random Yagyu soldiers to slice.

Father and son are walking the demon path to hell, can anyone stop them? Does that pram have suspension? How painful would that tattoo be? Join us and find out.

You could be forgiven for not seeing Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh’s cinema debut in Sammo Hung’s 1984 film, Owl vs Bombo. A pretty face and far cry from her future baddassery, she could not save Sammo's cringy self indulgent movie.

Pairing with George Lam's Owl, Hung's Bumbo busts more dance moves than skulls, insistent on pedalling the most awkward romance ever. Credit for not having Ms Malaysia herself as the target of his affections; the cringe to action ratio is leaning the wrong way.

The action though, is trademark Sammo Hung and golden era Hong Kong fight cinema. A youthful Dick Wei owns every scene he’s in, with glimpses at James Tien, Chin Kar Lok, Phillip Chan, Stanley Fung. Filled with promise but ultimately as disappointing as a dinner date with Sammo, we watched it so you don’t have to, hear our doves cry.

Are you a Jackie Chan fan? Or maybe a fan of John Cena? Have I got your attention? Well, 2023’s Hidden Strike is more than just lip service. It will reel you in with the clickbait and will hold your attention for its booming 1hr 45min runtime. Who would have thought I would say that last sentence without irony! No one on the Asian Action Cast, that’s for sure.

Are you looking for impressive hair, smouldering looks, screaming and school turf wars? Do you like your movies to be no talk and all action? Love the sounds of the Exile Tribe and all their offshoot acts? High & Low The Worst X is the film for you. What better way to dip our toes into the High & Low series by starting with the 7th movie and based on a collaboration with 2 mangas we haven't read? Genius!

Remember a time when Sonny Chiba’s THE STREETFIGHTER roamed the streets of Japan? Kazuhiko Yamaguchi’s 1974 pulp spin-off Sister Street Fighter proves it takes a woman’s touch to truly twist the neck off thugs.
Etsuko Shihomi’s Li Koryu plays the titular Sister Street Fighter and like any vengeance fuelled martial hero, goes from stunning to psychotic in less than 3 seconds. One of Sonny Chiba’s proteges she takes to the silver screen mugging, jumping and killing with lethal efficiency in this homage to Bruce’s own 1973 epic, Enter the Dragon.
With more Bruce look-a-likes than you can shake a nun-chuck at, this is unashamedly a celebration of evil masterminds and their villainous lairs and collections of dangerous things. Full of colour, it is fun, vibrant and entertaining, do what we do and see it with a crew - then go roll the mean streets of Yokohama to avenge your captured family!

The Asian Action Cast wraps up another year of the best (and worst) of Asian and Hong Kong action cinema. Numbers and stats: got 'em. Talking over each other because it's online: in spades. Our yearly tournament having some really unfair matchup brackets? You know it's true! All movies reviewed go into a tournament, and only one movie can be crowned number one. Which movie will reign supreme? 

Thanks listeners, for your support this year. As always, stay for the remix!

Wong Jing’s 2022 remake of his 1993 Wuxia epic, Kung Fu Cult Master (Pt 1) is proof that practice makes progress. 30 years of experience gives you special effects, less toilet humor, a wizened Donnie Yen and an actual, honest to god filmed and released sequel (Kung Fu Cult Master (Pt 2) released in the same year.

Deep down we’re all the Ballerina. Lee Chung-Hyun’s 2023 film Ballerina is a character study of quiet pain and loss, punctuated with visceral, over the top action and a villain you love to hate.
Starring Jeon Jong-Seo (Rachel Jun) as a cold and detached security specialist in what is sure to put her on the map, Ballerina has a painfully methodical and unspoken narrative. Sparse though it may be, when the action hits, it hits hard with some genuinely creative storytelling in the brutal ballet of violence.
Shout out to Kim Ji-Hoon as the villain Choi Pro, who is definitely choice bro. Handsome, insanely fit and definitely unhinged, chewing every piece of scenery. Sporting a wonderful cameo for National Grandma Kim Young-ok wielding a flame-thrower, there’s something here for most everyone. Watch and wonder then listen with us.

Wong Jing’s 1994 Lone Wolf parody, New Legend of Shaolin, or Red Dragon as its known in the west, teams up Jet Li with his martial arts prodigy on screen son Mo Tse to kick some old school poison boogie man ass.

The Magic Crystal is Wong Jing’s 1986 first collaboration with Hong Kong Heartthrob Andy Lau, in his most fetching, handsome Puma activewear. This is a globetrotting adventure quest movie equal parts Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Armour of God, E.T., the list goes on - the amazing thing is, its actually pretty good and unequivocally Wong Jing in style. Also, Cynthia Rothrock and the enigmatic Richard Norton share about 20-30% of the screen time, every moment to be relished.
If you know Wong Jing and/or his work, you know what to expect here, puerile humour, good production values and effects and some actually genuine surprising and rousing moments (looking at you Wei-Wei Huang). It also has every Wong Jing issue with it, pacing, 2D characters, juvenile…but it stays entertaining.
Come for the Cynth-ard Nort-rock, stay for the amazing action set pieces and stuntman (and women) action! Listen in with us!

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is Netflix’s latest 2023 foray into live-action-ime, adapting Haro Aso’s Manga and anime of the same name. We at the Asian Action Cast could not help but compare it to the (better) anime but still found sparks of joy to warm our zombie hearts.
The perpetually optimistic and effervescent Akira Tendo (played by an equally diabetically sweet Eiji Akaso) revels in a zombie apocalypse, giving him a much needed break from his toxic workplace. We discuss everything from how muscular he is (and should be as a gridiron player), how sexy (or lack thereof) of his best mate himbo Kencho to the presence of b00bs and absence of nippl3s.
Join us in our meander across the zombie wastelands of future-tokyo and compare your thoughts, feelings and zombie infected saliva with us on this episode.

The Crippled Avengers (also known as Return of the Five Deadly Venoms and Mortal Combat!)  smashes its iron limbs into your brain this week on the Asian Action Cast, ironically spreading the crippling they received. This 1978 Shaw Brothers. martial arts schlock action fest is exactly what the Kung Fu movie genre needed to get it back on its legs.

Bastard Swordsman! This Shaw Bro’s 1983 Wuxia extravaganza packs it all in, epic sword fights, trademark jaw dropping sets, costumes and unforgettable cast of characters. But this is not a drill, this is a movie imbued with love, care and the iron will to deliver a fatal fist of wonder straight into your cerebral cortex.
Rarely well-paced for a Wuxia epic ‘Bastard’ has truly wondrous and plentiful choreography. Norman Chiu storms his way onto the screen and secretly into your hearts as the accessible and admirable Everyman, Yun Fei Yang and Leanne Liu’s Lun Wan Er is everyone’s dream crush and heartbreaker.
Alex Man’s over-camp, over-charismatic and supremely impotent Chief Dugu Wu Di warns against the sexual perils of over-training, and [SPOILERS] Tony Liu’s voyeuristic schemer Fu Yu Shu is a man you love to hate. Treat yourself to this martial arts morsel and tune into our podcast below to relive the flying high-fives of this masterpiece.

Grasshopper Power – Activate! The Shin Kamen Rider returns in Hideaki Anno’s 2023 love letter to the original Kamen/Masked Rider, starring pouty Sosuke Ikematsu as titular rider, Takeshi Hongo. Take a journey through visceral action and ambiguous self loathing as the Grasshopper avenger tears apart his enemies as much as he tears apart his soul.

What happens when Triads and Organised Crime run rampant on the mean streets of 90’s Hong Kong? You call the ORGANISED CRIME AND TRIAD BUREAU! No nonsense hard-boiled, grizzled cliché tough-as-nails Cop-Man Danny Lee leads a semi-shirtless Fan Siu-Wong on a crusade to catch…an even harder, wily, ice-cold Anthony Wong!
Kirk Wong’s cat-and-mouse caper is hardly cerebral with contrived stand-offs, convenient escapes and manufactured machismo in almost every frame. But damn me if Anthony Wong can’t inject unhinged charisma into any role he inhabits. Sympathy for the devil? If its Anthony Wong hell yeah.
Danny Lee has the thankless task of being an under developed psychotic cop, unclear why he’s driving to break the laws he’s sworn to uphold to catch a guy he has no clear history or connection with.  But as always, Danny Lee cannot NOT look good as a cop.
Pure cop thriller junk food, and Heat before Heat! Asian Action Cast votes - Check it out.

The Asian Action Cast Punishes Evil with Colin Chou’s 2022 crime thriller from director Jiang Xiaotong. A violent cat and mouse with Chou’s unhinged thief leading Zhao Da’s Detective Song Hai on an increasingly frustrating and violent goose chase.

The tension builds but the action is sparse and spaced out, don’t expect Colin Chou’s trademark crisp martial arts choreography here. Where fists fly it is a drawn out dog fight between ragged breaths, with tired arms and swollen ankles. The star of the show is the incredibly well shot visuals, stylish and sometimes even breathtaking, fantastic cinema to occupy your eyeballs when the plot wanes, which it does. Strap some icepacks to those knees and join us for a revap of this curiosity of a movie.

Sonny “The StreetFighter” Chiba? Hiroyuki “Duke” Sanada? Ninja’s, swords, magic, samurais and exploitations? AN EYEPATCH?!?!! Yes folks, take our money indeed. We revelled in this gem from the 1981 SHOUT! Sonny Chiba Collection from Director Kinji Fukasaku starring an impossibly young Duke Sanada and his mentor Sonny Chiba, grizzled one eyed samurai Jubei.
No question this film was ‘homaged’ almost wholesale in modern samurai and ninja cinema and anime with more than one scene being recreated in films like Ninja Scroll – with good reason. This movie is balls out crazy and incredibly memorable, amazing set design steals the show and legendary performances by Sonny Chiba and Kenji Sawada’s villain Shiro absolutely seal the deal. Unsheathe your swords and help us vanquish rapey zombie monks in Samurai Reincarnation!

The criminally unknown film, Dreadnaught, is one of Master Yuen Woo Ping’s most underrated films. An ensemble cast with a young Yuen Biao taking the everyman role, everyone from Bryan Leung’s Foon to Yuen Shun-Yi’s truly unhinged villain White Tiger just chew up every scene they’re in.
The legendary Kwan Tak-Hing’s Wong Fei Hung delights in all the right ways and very wisely and sparingly used for great effect, around which the simmering slasher type thriller on the loose story revolves.
The film is liberally sprinkled with incredible fight scenes from fun to life threatening and characters who are genuinely funny, loveable and loathsome. If you’ve seen it you already know, if you’re a fan of golden age martial arts cinema and you haven’t then do yourself a favour and treat yourself to this film, epic romp!

The Young Master (1981) is the genesis of Jackie Chan in what in hindsight is the prototypical seed of kinetic action cinema he’s known for today.

Dragon (Jackie naturally) leads an all-star cast including Yuen Biao (The Biao!), Shih Kien (Mr Han!) and Pai Wei and one of the best bad ass villain introductions in Master Hwang In-Shik, western showdown style.

Jackie’s gold standard action choreography here is light years ahead of the competition at the time, punctuated with his trademark comedy and dramatic touches. Quintessential Hong Kong action cinema at its finest we can’t even pretend the outcome is anything but a thumbs up, check it out!

What has 36 legs, is covered in paint and will beat you half to death in your quest to become a monk? 18 Bronzemen! In this episode we journey back to 1976 to watch the story of 3 (potential) monks in a 70 minute training montage. The tragic story of Shao Long (masterfully played by Tien Peng) being sent to a Shaolin monastery safehouse as his family is brutally murdered is completely upstaged by no nonsense, no shirt Brother Wan (angry Carter Wong). Joined by Chiang Nan, we watch the 3 students try and try again to pass the test. Betrayal, love, jumping over trees, plot points not really expanded on - was the dubbed version better than the subtitled one? Did we all actually watch the same movie? Online and out of control: - the Asian Action Cast present 18 BRONZEMEN!

In honour of the great Richard Ng, we dive in to one of his most popular roles as Sandy in Sammo Hung’s sketchy 1985 comedy, Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars. Richard’s trademark expressive face and physical comedy are sprinkled throughout this uneven action comedy. 
With more stars than the milky way, it somehow still delivers on all fronts for kinetic action putting behemoths Jackie Chan, Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, Dick Wei, Andy Lau, Richard Norton, Yasuaki Kurata, Chung Fat, Sibelle Hu and many others in wonderfully choreographed and intricate fight scenes against their respective stunt teams, who also probably saw many stars with the head shots they took.
Featuring what has to be the most star-studded cameo laden closing scene in Hong Kong movie history (George Lam?! David Chiang?!) this 80’s time capsule film is worth tracking down for the nostalgia hit alone. Grab a pizza and a beverage and dig in!

If Donnie Yen is the good cop in Raging Fire, bad cop Nicholas Tse is so cool you’ll want to start a fan club. Director Benny Chan’s last film is a blaze of good and evil tropes, gun fights and lingering shots of Donnie Yen waterworks. Holier than thou cop Bong (Yen) set off a chain of events that led to ex-cop Ngo (Tse) to swear revenge on him and the police force. Making a great case for perms, Ngo sneers and slashes through his enemies. Meanwhile Bong has police business to attend to, including a great fight with Angry Ranger himself, Ben Lam. Will law and order prevail (Bong is boring) or fun and chaos win (Ngo for prez)? This is a showdown that can only end in pain.

Michelle Yeoh's character from the original Supercop kicked so hard, that when the studio recovered they ordered this 1993 spinoff. Supercop 2 is stuffed to the brim with plotlines, but we 'aint complaining! Inspector Yang (Yeoh) has boy problems but has a new crime to solve in Hong Kong. Trash boyfriend Chang Fung (Yu Rongguang) just so happens to be making his new life there, and HK cop Emil Chau is knocking on the door of this love triangle. Cringe at the casting but get ready for the never ending bullets, Fan Siu Wong impossible flips and a dude only credited as Big Yank. Oh, and you know Jackie Chan and Eric Tsang are going to battle it out for the biggest chest!

Jackie Chan goes all Armour of God on us twenty-six years later in Chinese Zodiac, also known as CZ12. Jackie's now with some younger pals to make him feel cooler on his European vacation. Not just content on stealing and returning relics, the film also attempts to lecture us on ethics. At least there's one genuinely funny sequence once we've finished cringing at the green screen action. Ken Lo makes an appearance as a hilarious Thai pirate and Oliver Platt chews the screen whenever he appears. Leave the laws of physics at the door and forget about using your brain, Jackie's going to save everyone!

Rise! Roar!! Revolt!!! The AAC takes a look a S.S. Rajamouli's epic fantasy blockbuster, *loosely* based on historical Indian revolutionaries. Terminator cop Raju (Ram Charan) and humble Gond tribal leader Bheem (N.T Rama Rao) meet through a chance encounter, well actually saving a child from an exploding train wreck. Through this encounter they forge a friendship to die for. However both men have a hidden agenda that will drive a wedge between them. Oscar award winning, motorcycle throwing, Tiger wrestling, Naatu Naatu fun.

The Asian Action Cast dives into Artis Chow’s 1978 Taiwanese Martial Arts odyssey REVENGEFUL SWORDSWOMAN. It is as literal as it is accurate a title, there is indeed a woman Ling Chia, played by spunky Hsiang Yang, who indeed has a sword and is very much revengeful. Whether it’s avenging her fathers death, or misuse of her name, she is revengeful. Incredibly schlocky effects with some decent martial arts, if you can put up with some dark scenery check this out!

Oscar nominated Michelle Yeoh has proved she can do it all. And in 1986's Royal Warriors, she does her own stunts, fights and even turns down Michael Wong's advances! Hiroyuki Sanada is a great partner in crime fighting, and his stunts are unbelievable. There are more bullets flying in this film and glass breaking than you thought could be possible. A goldfish also gives the performance of a lifetime acting with Wong. Surprisingly shot well (2nd Unit Director Johnnie To, is that you?), and with martial arts direction by Mang Hoi, this is one of the best of the 80s policewoman Hong Kong flicks. 

The Asian Action Cast casually strolls into Wira - Adrian Teh's 2019 Malaysian action-drama which shows how crime, corruption and safe sex can tear families and communities apart. The only cure for such evil is carefully manicured facial hair, incredible chiselled abs and unbending sense of righteousness. Starring Malaysian action eye-candy Hairul Azreen and featuring the Raid's Mad Dog himself, Yayan Ruhian, the martial arts action does not dissapoint. It doesn't quite hit hard enough to break the bone in action or drama but it moves along and does reach a decent climax of violence and explosions.

The Asian Action Cast wraps up another year of the best (and worst) of Asian and Hong Kong action cinema. All movies reviewed go into a tournament, and only one movie can be crowned number one. Which movie will reign supreme? Which island does our favourite character come from? Thanks listeners, for your support this year. As always, stay for the remix!

Welcome to the 100 Swords Mansion, where Qin Wu-Xin (Jason Pai Piao) stores his huge wardrobe and the swords of the 99 swordsmen slain. The 100th sword currently belongs to the Black Magic clan, but not if Yan Bei (Derek Yee) can stop him! Get ready for lots of evil laughs, sped up fights and great characters too, including Colonel Sanders (Lung Tien Hsiang), the man who knew too much (Yuen Bun) and coffin man (Wong Lik) in this epic 1984 Shaw Brothers film. 

Your number one source for Asian Action films and jokes about the perils of Hong Kong stuntmen!