Reviews

This was the original?!

The gayest homophobic movie I have seen. I kept thinking like: "is this the Taiwan version of the red envelope?" and then I realised this is the original HELP. I have to say there are quite some differences between the two versions. That intro was sooo gay I genuinely loved it, but I don't remember it from the Red envelope. I thought he was rlly hooking up w him and then that police plot twist I'm crying. I saw a lot of mixed opinions about this movie, there's people who love it and people who hate it, personally I like it but I was quite distracted while watching it (which is totally on me).

The scene's in this movie are fucking insane. THAT CHASING SCENE WAS SO FUCKING GOOD JESUS. I'm not even joking. I don't know what they used, stuntman or perhaps cgi but it was incredible. I don't watch a lot of series/movies with chase scene's in it but this is by far the funniest and nicest to watch one. I was kinda expecting a more censored movie but I'm really happy they didn't sensor this. I only watched 2 Taiwanese series including 1 movie (this one) and I'm super impressed about the quality each time. This really is a sign for me to watch more from Taiwan because it leaves me impressed every time.

Greg Hsu and Austin Lin both nailedddd these roles. I love Greg's acting, it's amazing. I have one question though, is it just me or why is Lin Tzu Ching in the cast as main characters?? She wasn't really a protagonist at all and she had some longer scene's that's it. I know she is a main character in GG Precinct aswell and maybe she falls in love with Wu Ming Han but... idk bro. One thing that could be better was honestly the stereotypical gay moments, which the red envelope had wayyy more than this one. It was overall just missing but it was nice to have this version.

So do I prefer the Thai or the Taiwanese version? It kinda depends, I have to admit that the Thai version was a little nicer but this version felt deeper. Like I took the Thai version barely serious and with this one I did. So if you're not sure which one to start with, I would say choose this version and then the Thai one. It feels like the homophobia from Wu Ming Han is wayyy stronger in this movie, but in the Thai version Mao Pang Yu or Titi is more of a protagonist. This sounds weird but I feel like the Taiwan version is more focussed on Wu Ming Han rather than Mao Pang Yu. Some scene's are the same, some aren't.

The ending was a bit boring until Wu Ming Han almost died, that was so emotional. The whole fight everything it just bored me, while normally I like those type of scene's. Honestly I doubt I'll watch the sequel since it doesn't look very appealing (GG Precinct). I wish this version had a longer scene or like an extra few minutes to show how Wu Ming Han felt quite empty after Mao Pang Yu kinda died? If you understand what I mean. The red envelope has this better. Maybe I shouldn't be comparing the two to much...

Anyways. Overall extremely nice and there are a few things I liked less about this version. I still liked this one and this might be my sign to watch more from Taiwan since I have not yet ever been disappointed in their series or movie.

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Totally unexpected twist and very intriguing mystery. Just when you thought you had the full facts covered, new information would come in, and you're back to square one.

Two women suddenly appeared at a hospital, one suffering a near-fatal injury and another lightly injured. Just when officers came in to find out what happened to them, they found out that one of them seemed to be suffering from schizophrenia, and the identity of the woman one claimed as their sister turned out to be false. Thus, the officers had to retrace all the steps and conflicting truths to figure out what actually happened to the two.

Honestly, I didn't expect to find so many layers and twists in this movie. And all of the twists were so brilliant that it took me off guard every time they were revealed. Like you can never quite be sure what would happen or predict how things could've unfolded. Certainly a very good treat for people who love mystery.

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Fun watch but ……

Colony is an entertaining watch, but aside from Koo Kyo-hwan’s performance, there wasn’t much that really stood out to me. Jun Ji-hyun was absolutely stunning, as always, but the movie itself felt more like something enjoyable to watch than a truly memorable apocalypse/survival film.

I still don’t think any Korean apocalypse or survival movie has managed to surpass Train to Busan yet. Overall, Colony was fun enough, but I doubt it’s a movie I’ll remember for very long.
The cast definitely makes the movie more enjoyable, especially Koo Kyo-hwan and Jun Ji-hyun, who both bring a strong presence to the screen. Overall, it’s a decent watch for a night in

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I admit I was hooked in the beginning but then the plot just started to go out of control and slowly made the movie boring. First, it was too long. I mean, we literally saw their whole story. We watched them in their high school years until they became full grown adults.
At first it was cute but then it became more confusing the longer I watched it. It didn't even show us when they got together and we didn't see him ask her out officially. I feel like it focused mainly on him after they graduated high school and they didn't show us that many scenes of them together until the very end. Speaking of, that was one of the most weirdest endings ever.
Why would she call him right before her wedding and why would he tease her like that unless it was them getting married? I didn't understand that phone call.
We got a kiss from them but at what cost T^T
It was pretty funny that they all tried to kiss her husband after that, but respectfully, if my future partner was making out with their ex right in front of me I would definitely have second thoughts. If the director was going to end it like that, they might as well let the main couple get married right??

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A sweet BL for when you don't know what to watch

A perfectly average, if a little too slow, Japanese BL. I like that they very quickly discussed their romantic interest for each other and it wasn't made into a huge deal. Two other standouts for me were the main character's female colleague with her easy acceptance and advice and the little plot twist with the phone strap at the end, which was quite charming.

But both the characters behaved a bit too immaturely for their age; I wasn't sure if they were mentally 14 or just way too stereotypically Japanese for me to take for 1 hour and a half. They spent half their time talking to each other apologising for inconsequential things and talking in circles, to the point where it got on my nerve and the romance lost a bit of its magic by the end 😅.

But it's a nice enough palate cleanser of a movie, short and sweet and not trying to do too much, so I would recommend it for a rainy day when you don't know what to watch.

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Paradise (2009) functions almost like a healing drama. It didn't revolutionize South Korean cinema and lacks the technical vigor of other great thrillers or dramas of the era, but it delivers exactly what it promises: a heartwarming story about how human empathy and connection with others are the only tools capable of transforming a desolate place into a true sanctuary. It is an excellent recommendation for those who appreciate slow-paced dramas focused on character development, wrapped in that typical nostalgic, melancholic atmosphere of late-2000s Korean audiovisual productions.

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Not the best movie featuring Jet Li that I've watched so far, but definitely not the worse. That said, contrary to the info on the series page... Jet Li served more as support role rather than main role since the main focus of the plot revolves mainly on Wen Zhang and Michelle Chen instead.

There was a mysterious homicide where the victims all died smiling, and the task of investigating the case fell on Angela and Wang Buier, as well as veteran detective Huang Feihong. But there was a big problem, Buier wasn't quite the smartest detective around, yet he kept running around the place and causing problems acting like a big shot cop. Angela planned to have Hwang somewhat puting Buier on a tight leash which end up backfiring. And because of that the case ended up taking a lot off unnecessary turns because of Buier who kept complicating the police investigation.

If you're just looking for something to make you laugh without thinking too much about the plot, try checking out this movie. But if you're looking for a deep and serious plot, you might as well look for some other movie. Despite the title, this movie seemed more like a parody, rather than action or mystery. Even then, there's quite a number of action scenes to long forward to, especially one between Jet Li and Wujing, who played a minor role in this movie. There's also some throwbacks involving Jet Li's past works as well, aside from the fact that the name of the character he played in this was also a reference for Wong Feihong.

The plot was really quite nonsensical, but the comedy and action was decent. As long as you don't take any of the scenes in the movie too seriously, you might actually be able to enjoy the show. Though Wang Buiye's antics can get annoying after a while.

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I do not understand how you can rate this higher than 4

I am quite surprised to see so many high ratings, and I wonder if we all watched the same movie.
This was beyond mediocre, and the only interesting part of this movie was the last 20 minutes, but you can not save the movie with a 20-minute action sequence.

The story lacks build-up, background, and all of the things that were happening were so chaotic and failed to set that nice background pre-disaster.
Characters felt messy and were following their own script, and that feeling of "grab" most disaster movies have was completely absent. It did not grab the viewer's attention and felt chaotic trying to follow it all.
I also did not like how the movie was dragging for most of the time, and that feeling of "survival" kicked in only in the last 20 minutes.
This felt poorly written and mediocre.

Maybe someone will like it, but for me this was not good.

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Some Knives Leave Invisible Scars

I went into The Old Woman with a Knife expecting an action thriller, but I came away with something much more emotional and reflective.

At its heart, this is a story about growing older, carrying the weight of past choices, and wondering if it’s ever too late to change. The film takes its time, allowing quiet moments to speak just as loudly as the action. While the pacing is slower than your typical assassin film, it never felt boring to me because every scene added another layer to the characters.

The lead actress is phenomenal. She portrays Hornclaw with incredible strength, vulnerability, and dignity. You can feel the years of experience behind every movement and every glance. She doesn’t need to say much for you to understand what she’s carrying, and that’s what makes her performance so powerful.

Kim Sung-cheol also deserves a lot of praise as Bullfight. What initially seems like the role of a ruthless antagonist gradually reveals itself to be something far more heartbreaking. Beneath his obsession lies a lonely, abused boy who never forgot the first person to show him kindness, stability, and genuine care. His longing to recreate that bond makes him both unsettling and deeply tragic. It’s a layered performance that kept me feeling conflicted right until the end.

One of my favourite parts of the film was the dog. In a world filled with violence and loneliness, the bond between Hornclaw and the stray dog brought warmth and humanity to the story. Those quieter moments became some of the most memorable, reminding us that even someone who has lived such a harsh life still has the capacity to care and be cared for.

The cinematography is beautiful without trying too hard, and the fight scenes are grounded and believable rather than overly flashy. The film focuses less on spectacular action and more on the emotional cost of the life these characters have chosen.

The ending won’t satisfy everyone, but I thought it suited the tone of the story. It’s bittersweet, thought-provoking, and stayed with me long after the credits rolled.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced action film, this might not be what you’re expecting. But if you enjoy character-driven stories with outstanding performances, meaningful themes, and a protagonist who proves that age doesn’t define strength, then I would definitely recommend giving this film a chance.

Sometimes the quietest stories leave the deepest mark, and The Old Woman with a Knife is one of them.

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