Hong Kong had a prolific pre-1970s film industry, but it was the supremely talented and determined Bruce Lee who brought Hong Kong film to the international stage. This tiny island nation has been integral to the introduction of the martial arts genre to the rest of the world. One look at Uma Thurman's yellow jumpsuit in the Kill Bills is enough to show us this influence is still alive and very much kicking. After Lee's death in 1973 the industry lost some of its momentum and stuck to the tried and true chop socky formula, but by the 1980s a new talent was emerging in the form of John Woo, inventor of so-called 'balletic gunplay'. This style of shooting shoot-outs captured the imaginations of many young American film makers and emerges in films as diverse as 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'The Matrix'. The martial arts genre was reinvigorated by talents such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li who wanted to introduce more story into the action, and in recent years film maker Wong Kar Wai has challenged what it means to be an HK film, steering clear of Kung Fu and concentrating on more personal, quirky stories. Undoubtedly there is more to see from this exciting port of call... Right: There can be no more an iconic figure in the martial arts world, than the master himself, the late, great Bruce Lee.
Michelle Yeoh, in her second feature film, teams up with martial arts icon Cynthia Rothrock making her debut in this oestragen-fuelled buddy flick. T... Read more
The Pang Brothers' spine-chiller about a writer on the hunt for some genuine supernatural experiences while researching her next novel is full of thei... Read more
A comedy from John Woo's early career, Run tiger Run is a madhouse style, slapstick tale of mistaken identity. When his estranged son of a billionaire... Read more
Wisecracking private eye Lam (Tony Leung) jets off to Seoul on the trail of a thief who has stolen a valuable counterfeiting money plate. A raucous s... Read more
Donnie Yen heads an all-star martial arts cast in this period actioner set in 1660s China where a ban on martial arts has lead to vicious bands of bou... Read more
As a conceited scholar of the Ming Dynasty, Wei Yangsheng believes in pursuing the ultimate sexual pleasure as life is short. One day, Yangsheng encou... Read more
AKA 'Iron Fingers of Death'. A traitorous Lord usurps the Emperor's throne and his young sons are sent into hiding. One learns the art of the sword... Read more
Sing is an exceptionally skilled Shaolin kung fu devotee who's fallen on hard times when his amazing 'leg of steel' catches the eye of an equally down... Read more
Policewoman Mina (Joyce Godenzi) marries into a family of cops and must struggle to gain acceptance from her husband's (Tony Leung Ka Fai) crime-fight... Read more
Jackie Chan takes a break from kung fu and flexes his dramatic muscle as a Chinese immigrant living illegally in Tokyo. In search of his girlfriend, t... Read more