Reviews

Interesting concept but messy execution - "Imperfect Communication indeed"

Colony offers a new concept that is quite intriguing at the start, especially with its biomedical setup. However, it overall lacks proper execution. Many character arcs are left unfinished or have highly unsatisfying endings. For example, Ji Chang-wook and Go Soo's characters becoming infected isn't the issue itself; the problem is that once they are infected, they are never mentioned or talked about again. This makes their roles feel like filler.Despite this, the film has notable highlights and subtle details. Koo Kyo-hwan smiling at Jun Ji-hyun each time his point—"the problem with humans is imperfect communication"—is proven is an excellent touch. The way he smirks when someone betrays her and human greed takes over their humanity is a great, understated detail. Overall, it is a good film to watch once, but except for Jun Ji-hyun and Koo Kyo-hwan, no other characters are explored, leaving the story feeling unfinished.

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To say that this movie was a mess was an understatement. Which was truly unfortunate, since the movie's plot of surrounding the aftermath of Beijing's fall and the clash with the pirates could've been a good one, but no, we had to be sidelined with the plot of the supposed love triangle between Feihung, Siu Kwan and Siu Kwan's younger sister.

After fleeing from Beijing and returning to Foshan, Feihung and his family returned towards an almost ghost town. Apparently, in the span of time of them being away (being involved with the first Lion King competition and the second one, as well as the fall of the Qing Dynasty), pirate activity started to become rampant. So despite the initial plan for them to head to Hong Kong after reuniting with the rest of the Poh Chi Lam people, Feihung and the others also had to deal with the pirates so as to return peace and safety to the people of Foshan.

I still disliked the whole plot involving the 14th Aunt (not calling her May because that wasn't her name, as it was derived from Siu Kwan calling her Mui which basically means 'younger sister'). Like, I get the appeal of trying to insert another girl in the plot to add some kind of tension that necessitates bringing back Rosamund Kwan as Siu Kwan, but honestly, the way they did it in this movie was not even amusing. But really, the comedic effect doesn't hit quite as well as when we had Jet Li and Kwan do the same shadow play in the previous movies. All because this time the movie relied too much on having Leung Foon create the source of conflict by creating a misunderstanding that Feihung kept chasing after every woman in sight - to which could've worked better had Zhou's Feihung never been shown to have any interest in 14th Aunt from movie 4 and this one. And I also can't really buy the sister's excuse of saying 'she tried not to fall for him' because in the last movie, she did do everything to look and behave exactly like Siu Kwan as if she did intend to get Feihung to like her. And really, the whole fight between the sisters was so unnecessary and very annoying.

That said, this movie brought back Ah Wing and Ah So, and I love the fact that as much as Ah So was shown to still not be good in Kung Fu... he turned out to be quite skilled with guns. Zhang Tielin returned to the franchise again... but this time playing a different character, and honestly, I wished the movie had focused more on the plight of the remaining constables instead of the stupid romance plot. Also, I had to question the fact that this movie seemed to forget that Feihung had been in charge of the local militia, which was the men that had been entrusted to him back in the first movie, which made the scene about them trying to restart the local militia from scratch a tad unbelievable, as if forgetting that the men that had joined PCL in the past were former soldiers, so why were those men missing? And where's the rest of PCL's students in Foshan?

The plot was so choppy, messy and badly compiled, which made this movie hard to bear. The sequence of them going to the pirate's hideout was cool, but due to the bad editing... felt very out of place. Despite how we're being told that the pirates were supposed to consist of multiple groups with different coloured flags, we end up just seeing one. That felt a bit underwhelming, especially when at the beginning they made it seem like the pirates were part of a very huge group... but personally, the Taiping gang had been a lot more convincing at being baddies than this. And seriously, who was it that thought having Vincent Zhou act like Feihung could flirt with girls without effort was a good idea? Like this might work with Jet Li, but Vincent really didn't have that much charisma to really pull that effect.

But hey, after so many years... I finally did actually watch this shitshow for real.

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Weakest film by Thai horror standard

King Kaew is a Thai horror film that draws inspiration from a historical execution of Kingkaew Lorsoungnern that has evolved into local folklore, showing something promising with its premise. The first act of the movie is considered its strongest part, effectively setting up a creepy atmosphere based on a real-life tragic execution. Supported by a strong performance by Thailand's Scream Queen, Inthira Charoenpura, it creates a solid narrative that hooks the audience right away.

However, despite its good start, the film stumbles in its storyline and multiple technical and artistic areas. The momentum drops as the plot moves along, primarily due to the film's weak story and character development, and constrained budget, which is evident in the poor CGI and subpar cinematography. These aspects greatly diminish the engaging experience that horror lovers often look for. Plus, the supporting characters lack depth and credibility, further weakening the film’s impact. Their lackluster portrayals fail to enhance the storyline or evoke genuine fear, which is crucial for a horror movie’s success. As a result, King Kaew not only fails to scare its viewers but also the weakest film by Thai horror standard, lacking in nearly every important aspect. Even the most scaredy-cat won't be impress by this film.

Overall, King Kaew is an example of how a great idea and decent start can be let down by technical issues and underdeveloped characters. While it offers an intriguing glimpse into a dark chapter of Thai urban legend, it ultimately falls short of delivering the thrills and chills a horror film supposed to have. For those in search of a genuinely scary movie, this one might be a letdown. It's such a waste of potential.

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The Best Installment Of The Series So Far!

If you like the prequels in this series, you'll love this one. In fact, it has an even better story, picking right up where the last one ended off in 2024.
Once again, Kento Yamazaki plays the perfect protagonist and is truly great leading this cast. If you're a fan, like I am, you'll really enjoy his performance as Sugimoto. Along with Anna Yamada, Yuma Yumoto & Gordon Maeda ... it's two plus hours of great entertainment.
At times there are some strange and bizarre scenes, but that always seems to happen with this series. I think we're all used to it by now. A few of the antagonists fit right in with the weird sub stories and their off the wall behavior. It's a lot of drama, but it also is blended with just the right amount of comedy at just the right times.
As you get into the final fifteen or so minutes, you sort of figure out where the end is going ... so you think. BUT, without warning, a major event happens that gives us a really good and surprising cliff hanger, making room for another installment. I just hope we don't wait two years for the continuation.
Great series continues ... with more Citatap. Delicious!!!!

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I saw this title on iQiyi, it sounded interesting so I checked it out. The movie started with Wong Feihung on a mission to investigate yet another kidnapping and human trafficking case, and this time a princess was involved. Somehow the 13th Aunt also decided to join his investigation and alongside Wong's student Liang Kuan, the trio went to track the group suspected to be behind the incident. They managed to track the group at a pier and during an altercation, Feihung was hurt and went missing. Frustrated over the situation, 13th Aunt decided to go undercover to finish the mission to rescue the kidnapped girls.

I have to say that the plot was very refreshing, because usually the main focus of the story was on Wong Feihung and/or his students, yet this time... the aunt took the centre stage. Unlike usual, this time Shaojun won't be the damsel or someone to be protected but she's the one who will be fighting the bad guys. The movie was also unexpectedly funny at times as Shaojun end up getting an extra helping hand and we also got to see her not just as the fiancee of Master Wong, but also part of the member of Poh Chi Lam. It really felt good seeing Shaojun actually made use of all the kungfu lessons she learned.

Nan Sheng was really great at playing the 13th Aunt, she was almost on par with Rosamund Kwan in her portrayal. Tho I kinda wished they could've picked a better looking and a more skilled actor to play as Wong Feihung, like some of his action scenes wasn't really impressive. But I guess I'm kinda biased.

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The story has an ambitious scale, combining mystery, friendship, childhood memories, conspiracy, and the fate of the world. Especially because it is based on one of the most famous manga works by Naoki Urasawa.However, unfortunately, I felt that the adaptation did not fully capture the strength of the manga.

One of the biggest problems with this movie is the pacing and storytelling. For viewers who have never read the manga, the beginning can feel very confusing. There are many characters, timelines, and mysteries introduced at once, making it difficult to understand what is happening. Instead of feeling curious, some viewers might feel overwhelmed and bored because the movie takes time to explain its world and characters.

As someone who knows the reputation of the manga, I could appreciate the ambition behind the adaptation. The movie tries to include many important elements from the original story, but the amount of information makes the film feel rushed in some parts. Some emotional moments and character developments do not receive enough time to have the same impact as they did in the manga.

The concept itself remains the strongest part of the movie. The themes of childhood dreams, friendship, memories, and how the past affects the future are very fascinating. The idea of ordinary people facing an extraordinary situation is what makes *20th Century Boys* unique. The cast also did a good job portraying the characters, especially in bringing the mysterious atmosphere of the story to life.

However, as a movie adaptation, it struggles to balance between being faithful to the source material and creating a smooth experience for new audiences. Fans of the manga may find enjoyment in seeing the characters and world brought to life, but newcomers might have difficulty connecting with the story.

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I like the prequel of this movie, but this one didn't meet the expectation: It isn't as good as its predecessor. It still had a fresh story, since it still tried to connect between a real-life secret agent and its so-called webtoon. All the animations were great, might be the highlight of this show. The comedy quality however is lowered a bit, some of it were forcefully inserted. For an action-focused movie, the amount of the action scenes was also low.

At the end, it's still a refreshing show for someone seeking the follow up of the first movie. But beware, don't put too much expectations on it.

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This one actually good.

I honestly didn't expect this movie to make me feel this emotional. At first, I thought it would just be a fun romantic comedy with a weird sci-fi concept, but it turned out to be much more than that.

The relationship between Jiro and the cyborg starts off funny and awkward, and I found myself smiling at many of their interactions. As the story goes on, though, it becomes surprisingly emotional. Even though she's a robot, I slowly became attached to her character, and I started to care about what would happen to both of them.

Haruka Ayase did an amazing job playing someone who looks emotionless on the outside but slowly reveals small signs of warmth and care. The chemistry between the two leads felt genuine enough that I could easily get invested in their story.

The movie isn't perfect. Some parts of the plot are confusing, and the time-travel logic doesn't always make sense if you think about it too much. The CGI also shows its age, but honestly, I stopped paying attention to that because I was so focused on the characters.

The ending really stayed with me. It's bittersweet, emotional, and one of those endings that makes you sit quietly for a few minutes after the credits roll. It reminded me that love isn't only about being together—it can also be about protecting someone, even if it means making sacrifices.

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. It's funny, sweet, emotional, and a little heartbreaking. If you like romance with a sci-fi twist and don't mind overlooking a few plot holes, I think *Cyborg She* is definitely worth watching. I'd happily recommend it to anyone looking for a movie that's both entertaining and surprisingly touching.

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Underrated

I was hesitant to watch this movie because I saw the first review on here under this movie saying this is a miss.
THIS MOVIE IS UNDERRATED and lemme tell you why.
1. I was never a fan of song joong ki just because I thought he can't ACT and it is just face card. This movie proved it wrong! I was honestly impressed by his versatile acting. It might not be over the top but at least I now know that he CAN act.
2. The message is same old but the way they made it interesting and make you want to know what gonna happen is what matters.
3. I can't help but praise for lee hee jun acting here. I have been learning about this actor recently because of how versatile he can be in every drama and movies he is in. You may say it biased, but I gave much attention on him and noticed small things he did which made the scene more meaningful than ever. I don't want to put any spoilers here so I will just leave it as it is.

Overall, this is a decent movie that you can watch when you feel down and thinking your life is such a mess. People may take it differently but for me, this movie motivated me to do what I should be doing (studying) instead of doing nothing. There are people out there who trying this hard just to survive but you have a roof and food. This is one of those movies that makes you rethink about your choices.

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After so long, I decided to rewatch this movie again as much as I bemoan the absence of Jet Li as the titular Wong Feihung in this movie and the one after. But to be fair, though, I don't really blame Jet Li regarding his old issue with Tsui Hark... especially considering that he often gets hurt a lot during the earlier filming of the first three movies. So his concerns about how much he should be paid for his appearance did have some grounds, since Jet do try to give his best performance in every work he does, but all the many retakes can be taxing.

This movie follows not too long after the previous one, with the last Lion King competition concluded. And we even got a brief montage of the lion battle from the last movie with clever edits that showed Jet Li's scenes without really showing his face.

So, despite having returned the golden medal after winning the competition, another officer had gone to visit Poh Chi Lam to give back the medal to Feihung... as well as honouring his victory in the competition with a Dragon dance, which was almost ruined by Leung Foon, who thought the incoming dragon was yet another challenger. The new governor, Guan Shing Tao, soon informed Feihung that there would be yet another Lion King competition... this time against foreign teams. Meanwhile, there's another anti-foreigner group called the Red Lantern that started to kill any foreigner they encountered,

At first glance, this movie was almost exactly a repeat of the third movie, with the opponents for the competition coming from the eight-nation alliance, instead of the Taiping gangsters, with the bonus side story about the Red Lantern group... which was like the female version of the Red Lotus group from the second movie. Well, technically, the overall plot was pretty okay... once I set aside my personal bias about Jet Li. That said though, I really don't get the reasoning for the side romance with the 14th Aunt to be included. And I really can't get around the whole bit about Vincent Zhou's Feihung being somewhat bedazzled towards not only the 14th Aunt but also Lady Miao from the Red Lantern. Cos it made it appear as if this Feihung was slightly more of a womaniser (and easily distracted by pretty women) compared to Jet Li's Feihung. Aside from this bit... I don't really have that much of an issue with Vincent Zhou. And ugh, seeing 14th Aunt throwing herself towards Feihung at every possible chance can get annoying. Like yes, Siu Kwan told her sister to watch over Feihung for her while she's away... but I don't think she meant it like ... very close. And then there's also Lady Miao being drawn to Feihung... and this Feihung not really doing anything to discourage the affection felt somewhat out of character. And I don't get why 14th Aunt needs to be an almost exact clone of Siu Kwan? Why? I'm also voicing the same exact concern as that one student asking if their master was trying to hog all the sisters. Like it's fine if these two girls were shown to have a one-sided affection for Feihung, but to turn it like he also felt the pull made him feel out of character. Especially since in the first 3 movies, it took Jet Li's Wong Feihung a very long time to even admit that he liked Siu Kwan.

There were also quite a number of new villains in this movie, this time with the Germans as well as a few anti-Qing people... which is fine, I guess. Though I wished there were some mention of what happened to those Russians last time that tried to kill Eunuch Li, as well as the Taiping group. That said, since most of the other casts were more or less the same... at least I had other reasons to continue watching this movie. I mean, having Hung Yanyan still around as Ah Chat made me feel like there's still a trace of Jet Li's presence remaining, so I'm a bit okay about that.

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Almost .....

I was looking for a film/series that's new and exciting.

Great actors, great acting, great premise ... that is why I rated it this as high as I did, but wow was it filmed in such a long-winded unnecessarily dull way.

I was frustrated watching this, surely people don’t act/react this way in situations like this?
There were no back stories, we didn't know the characters so were not able to feel the pain, frustration and vulnerability.
We did not know why or how the plot was happening.
I prefer to watch shows where people show intelligence, so it is more fulfilling to watch. I fast forwarded through most of it. So much potential ... sadly, did not deliver.

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