Spellbinder (1988)
Apr 6, 2001Pursuit by Satanic Cult
Modest 1980s video release that builds with some unnerving effect as Timothy Daly grants shelter to Kelly Preston only to earn the wrath of a pursuing Satanic cult
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Nemesis (1993)
Feb 1, 2001Cyberpunk/Cyborg Takeover
Albert Pyun's finest film. It is another of his standard killer cyborg films but comes with an often hauntingly written gritty Cyberpunk edge that makes it quite unique
Mortal Kombat (1995)
Aug 25, 2002Interdimensional Combat/Videogame Adaptation
This film adaptation of the videogame is a lot of fun. The plot is a rehash of Enter the Dragon but the film offers up wall-to-wall action and exotic creatures. A directorial debut for Paul W.S. Anderson
The Phantom (1996)
May 1, 2003Comic-Book Superhero
Big screen adaptation of the popular comic-strip superhero. This aims for the tone of an old fashioned serial adventure and is nicely mounted but crucially never comes to life.
Bridge of Dragons (1999)
Oct 31, 2005Action Film/Atemporal Kingdom Setting
A Dolph Lundgren starring action film about a coup in a kingdom that exists as an oddly atemporal mix of clashing historical periods
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Jun 27, 2001Planet of Talking Apes
Tim Burton's much disliked remake. Certainly, the ape makeups are superb. While Burton touches many points with the original, he has dropped the biting satire in favour of adventure, while the ending left everyone scratching their heads
Elektra (2005)
Jan 31, 2005Comic-Book Assassin Superheroine
A spinoff from the film version of Daredevil, this gives the comic-book character of the super-assassin Elektra her own film. This does not have a very good rap but comes with some solid action scenes
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo (2006)
Dec 1, 2021Animation/Comic-Book Superhero Team
The first film featuring DC Comics; Teen Titans, a spinoff from the Teen Titans animated series
Ligeia (2009)
Jan 14, 2012Modernised Edgar Allan Poe Adaptation
Modernised adaptation of the Edgar Allan Poe story. Poe might be turning in his grave with visits to fetish clubs added to the mix but mostly the film befalls a low-budget and tepid delivery
Tekken (2010)
Mar 19, 2011Videogame Adaptation/Combat Tournament
Another videogame adapted film, this has almost entirely been conceived around a series of slick fight sequences and little else
47 Ronin (2013)
Jan 18, 2014Samurai Epic Fantasy
US film based on a real Japanese historical incident that has been oddly spun out into a Keanu Reeves-starring epic samurai fantasy film. One of the biggest financial flops of 2013
Tekken: A Man Called X (2014)
Feb 14, 2018Videogame Adaptation
Nobody seemed to care about Tekken, the 2010 film based on the popular videogame. Despite that, this is a sequel – albeit one that has almost nothing to do with the first film. This consists of nothing more than a series of efficiently unmemorable action scenes and a plot that makes no real sense
The Man with the Iron Fists 2 (2015)
Jul 17, 2015Martial Arts
I had a liking for RZA's Shaw Brothers homage The Man with the Iron Fists more than most other critics.This sequel has been handed over to a generic action direction, which certainly leaves it more slickly polished than the original but also quickly forgettable
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
Dec 17, 2016Stop-Motion Animation/Boy's Epic Journey
Beautiful stop-motion animated feature from Laika. This takes a big bite and tells an epic adventure. The only flaw is that the stop-motion is so flawless that audiences cannot tell the difference between regular animation
Sky Sharks (2020)
Feb 5, 2021Nazi Zombies on Flying Sharks
This has been conceived as the ultimate modern exploitation film featuring Nazi zombie piloting flying sharks. Think Iron Sky by way of Sharknado. The results are highly entertaining