In 2011, Indonesia blessed us with one of the greatest action films of this millennium, The Raid, a masterclass in how to do close-quarters combat in a tight space under dire circumstances. For the uninitiated, it introduced new action stars and brought Pencak Silat to the forefront of martial arts cinema. It also did it […]
Read moreKnock Off (1998) — Movie Reviews by a Mook
I love action movies with completely nonsensical, ridiculous plots that exist purely to put some completely miscast action star directly in the path of danger, possibly alongside an equally miscast comedian in a sidekick role. Lo and behold, here’s exactly what I want in a film: Knock Off. Jean-Claude Van Damme is a member of […] […]
Read moreBlind Fury (1989) — Movie Reviews by a Mook
Physical disability tends to boil into two camps in B-grade or exploitation film: it’s there to engender sympathy in the audience, or it’s there to provide some kind of handicap for a protagonist to overcome in some way. For example, a movie like Savage Streets features a deaf character, whose purpose is to be brutally […]
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The House Where Evil Dwells (1982)
Ted and Laura Fletcher and their 12-year-old daughter Amy, have just moved into a once abandoned house near the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. Ted’s working on a book about the area, and thought a more immersive experience would be helpful. The house is huge and just recently updated, and luckily for the family they got […]
Read moreBattle Queen 2020 (2001) — Movie Reviews by a Mook
Yet another example of an awesome movie poster (if not also totally ridiculous) that doesn’t actually represent what the movie is about in any way…well, outside of that costume. She really does wear that, except for whatever the weird armor shoulder pad and fur cape is. Also, there are no futuristic guns in this, folks […]
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Silent Rage (1982)
BS. The only thing you destroyed was a bar. Somewhere down in Texas, a mentally ill man, John Kirby, brutally kills two people. A scuffle breaks out between him and the police and Kirby is shot. Kirby is on the verge of death, with nothing any known medical science can do to save him. But […]
Read moreThe Quest (1996) — Movie Reviews by a Mook
Do you like tournament movies, the kind with a bunch of fighters from around the world taking on one another with different styles until only the last fighter remains? You know, like Bloodsport? Then you might end up enjoying this goofy period piece written by, starring, and directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme. An old man […]
Read moreKilling American Style (1990) — Movie Reviews by a Mook
The title in this film comes from a line where a Japanese doctor says he cannot use a shotgun and will kill his enemies in “Japanese style,” to which our overly-muscled hero with flowing locks replies while holding a pistol that he’ll do his killing in “American style.” Nice. Robert Z’Dar is a criminal named […] […]
Read moreDeadbeat at Dawn (1988) – Movie Reviews by a Book
Every time I hear the title of this film, I think of Evil Dead. I just can’t help myself. It immediately turns into a chorus of “Dead by dawn, dead by dawn!” And then it turns into a chorus of bloody violence. Though now having seen it, that’s no longer Evil Dead violence. Oh no, […]
Read moreOneChanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers (2008) — Movie Reviews by a Mook
In the post-apocalyptic future, zombies roam the Earth, Japanese women are either scantily clad bad asses or barely able to function with seemingly no in-between state, and there is still plenty of blond hair dye to keep your style sense fresh. All because a corporate scientist really wanted to play God. Thanks, science! Aya is […]
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Random Movie Musings 