Giant Robot Store and GR2 News

Just read this line: “The film stars current Hong Kong martial arts superstar Donnie Yen, LUST, CAUTION’S Tang Wei, and Japanese/Taiwanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro. The film is very much an ode to classic kung fu films and one can tell that Chan is a huge fan, employing the likes of cult heroes Kara Hui and the incomparable Jimmy Wang Yu (THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN).” It’s also directed by Peter Chan. It’s a film starring young legends of the screen who are still bright and energetic. It’s showing Monday. Yes, a monday May 14th at 9:30pm at CGV Cinemas. (LAAPFF – Dragon)
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Punished and Wu Xia take place in vastly different eras and have similarly opposite budgets, but are both smart movies about revenge that came out last month on Region III DVDs.

Produced by Hong Kong’s longstanding king of crime movies Johnnie To and directed by Milkyway Image regular Law Wing-Cheong, Punished stars Anthony Wong and Richie Ren as an unsavory, ruthless businessman and his loyal assistant with a criminal past. After Wong’s daughter gets kidnapped and killed, he asks the enigmatic Ren to apply his underworld experience to track down the perpetrators and make them pay. And how. Naturally, Wong discovers that vengeance is a two-way street and his business, his family life, and his physical and mental health all suffer unexpected, intense consequences. Punished isn’t the first time that such a story has unfolded–and it isn’t the most stylish, sophisticated, or shocking variation, either–but the two main characters are unusually strong and well-played by the actors. The conspicuous lack of cops in the face of crazy violence is interesting as well, making the story about as pure a morality play as can be. And although the movie’s tone is brutal, it manages to beautiful when you least expect it. The most affective, otherworldly moment isn’t powered by violent special effects or a plot twist but family bonds. (Although, it does indeed look amazing…)

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