DVD Collectors Online

Ninja Assassin , a review by samuelrichardscott

Ninja Assassin (2009) Region Free UK

Overview:
Fear not the weapon but the hand that wields it. The filmakers behind The Matix and V for Vendetta bring new blood to martial arts movies in this smashing adventure. Korean pop star Rain plays heroic, deadly Raizo. Trained from childhood in the way of the Ozunu Clan ninja, he is stalked by fellow warriors and their dojo patriarch (martial arts legend Sho Kosugi)...and is on the run with a Europol agent (Naomie Harris) who has proof the clan sells assassination services to governments.

My Thoughts:
James McTeague's follow-up to the enjoyable "V For Vendetta" brings an Eastern martial arts feel and combines it with a Hollywood storyline. Starring Rain, Rick Yune, Naomie Harris and Ben Harris it is full of non-stop, and very gory, action sequences which are stylish, well edited and a joy to watch. The storyline itself isn't anything we haven't seen before and the script is rather average, but overall, it's a lot of fun. I can't wait for McTeague's third film, The Raven with John Cusack. 3.5/5

(From Never Ending Movie Marathon (short reviews) on August 29th, 2011)

Beyond Re-Animator, a review by Jimmy

Title: Beyond Re-Animator (2003)

Genre: Horror
Director: Brian Yuzna
Rating: R
Length: 1h35
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English
Subtitles: English and Spanish

Stars:Plot:
After causing the Miskatonic University Massacre, Dr. Herbert West has been serving a prison sentence for the past 14 years. Far from overcoming his scientific obsession with bringing dead organisms back to life, he has had no choice but to continue his experiments on the only specimens he can find in his cell: rats. When Howard, a new young doctor, comes to work as the prison MD and requests his assistance, Dr. West discovers the yound protege has something Dr. West left behind 14 years ago.

OK that one is better than Bride of Re-Animator, but it isn't very hard. The film was made on a small budget and it's evident, but I can live with that. At least Jeffrey Combs is always there and give a good performance. For the other actors it's hard to judge since they aren't english native speakers and use the language (of course that excuse doesn't work for Jason Barry who is a poor substitute for Bruce Abbott). I don't really like some modifications in the franchise genesis, by exemple since when the reanimated can transmit their states by a bite? That doesn't make sense... The jail setting is interesting but the characters are too stereotypical and there is an opening for a sequel who will never happen since that film was a huge flop.

Not the best film of Brian Yuzna (his best being Society), but certainly not his worst one.


 
Rating :

(From Jimmy's - 2013 Ooctober Horror Marathon on October 3rd, 2013)

"Due South" marathon, a review by Tom

3.11 Asylum (1997-11-16)
Writer: Paul Haggis (Created By), Paul Quarrington (Writer)
Director: George Bloomfield
Cast: Paul Gross (Constable Benton Fraser), Callum Keith Rennie (Stanley "Ray" Kowalski), Beau Starr (Lt. Harding Welsh), Camilla Scott (Inspector Margaret Thatcher), Tony Craig (Detective Jack Huey), Tom Melissis (Detective Dewey), Ramona Milano (Francesca Vecchio), Gordon Pinsent (Fraser Sr.), Dean McDermott (Constable Turnbull), Wayne Robson (Damon Cahill), John Evans (Gus Fillion), Kurt Reis (Eddy Herndorff), Joe Pingue (Sandor), Scott Wickware (Brian Kilrea), Jennifer Dean (Officer Tibbet), Ravinder Toor (Andreas Volpe), Catherine Swing (Shelley Byron)

I like how Ray and Turnbull have to interact with each other.

Rating:

(From "Due South" marathon on January 3rd, 2010)