All posts tagged shi yanneng

WHISPER OF SILENT BODY (2019) review

Based on a popular series of novels written by real-life forensic pathologist Qin Ming, and which has already yielded three successful TV series, Li Haishu and Huang Yanwei’s Whisper of Silent Body stars Yan Yikuan as forensic pathologist Qin Ming (yes the author made his hero a handsome and brilliant alter-ego to himself, how cute), a man of extreme dedication to his job, a legend in his field and a popular media figure in the fictional city of Chongjian. Together with his new intern Fan Jiajia (Dai Si), who’s not-so-secretly in love with him, he collaborates with police detective and frenemy Lin Tao (Geng Le), who’s not-so-secretly in love with Fan, on investigating the murder of a loan shark, with the prime suspect being crazed former martial arts champion Kou Yong (Shi Yanneng). But it soon appears that this case is directly connected to several recent deaths in the city.

(more…)

Leave a comment

by LP Hugo on July 24, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged du juan, geng le, shi yanneng, yan yikuan

Posted by LP Hugo on July 24, 2019

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2019/07/24/whisper-of-silent-body-2019/

MASTER Z: THE IP MAN LEGACY (2018) review

One of the most memorable characters in the Ip Man franchise, ambitious Wing Chun master Cheung Tin Chi (Max Zhang), gets his own well-deserved spin-off in Yuen Woo Ping’s Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy. After being defeated – behind closed doors – by Ip man at the end of the third installment, the humbled Cheung is now living peacefully with his son in Hong Kong, where he owns a small grocery store. His days as a martial arts teacher are over, and so is his side-job as a thug, which doesn’t sit well with his former employer (Yuen Wah). Cheung can’t stay out of trouble for long: after he defends bar hostesses Julia (Liu Yan) and Nana (Chrissie Chau) against local mobster Tso Sai Kit (Kevin Cheng) and his henchmen, his store is burnt down as retribution. Now homeless and tracked down by a mysterious assassin (Tony Jaa) working for his former employer, Cheung is helped by Fu (Shi Yanneng), the owner of a local bar, for whom he starts working as a waiter. And two dangerous figures loom large over him: mobster Tso Ngan Kwan (Michelle Yeoh), the sister of Tso Sai Kit, and Owen Davidson (Dave Bautista), a restaurant owner and philanthropist who’s also a drug trafficker.

(more…)

2 Comments

by LP Hugo on March 10, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged ada liu yan, chrissie chau, ip man, kevin cheng, martial arts, max zhang, michelle yeoh, patrick tam, shi yanneng, tony jaa, yuen wah, yuen woo-ping

Posted by LP Hugo on March 10, 2019

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2019/03/10/master-z-the-ip-man-legacy-2018-review/

THE BRAVEST ESCORT GROUP (2018) review

Released concurrently on streaming services and in a handfuls of theaters in Mainland China, Tao Mengxi’s The Bravest Escort Group isn’t about a group of resourceful call-girls, contrary to what its clumsy title might lead you to believe. Rather, it follows a band of courageous bodyguards headed by Yang Liu An (Fan Siu Wong), and tasked by General Ma Bao (Ray Lui) with escorting his daughter Chen Yuanyuan (Lanni Li), concubine to the recently deceased Ming emperor Wu Sangui, and her son, the last hope of the Ming Dynasty, to safety. En route, they must fend off the attacks of enemy general Hala (Chen Zhi Hui), as well as Ma Bao’s treacherous second-in-command Ma Biao (Shi Yanneng), all the while being closely watched by the mysterious Zhu You (Andrew Lin). Though Wu Sangui and Chen Yuanyuan are real historical figures, the film plays fast, furious and loose with history, and presents itself like a late little brother to Teddy Chen’s Bodyguards and Assassins, on a wider geographical scale but – obviously – smaller spectacular scale.

(more…)

Leave a comment

by LP Hugo on August 28, 2018 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged andrew lin, che yongli, fan siu-wong, ken lo, leung kar yan, ray lui, shi yanneng, xu dongmei

Posted by LP Hugo on August 28, 2018

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2018/08/28/the-bravest-escort-group-2018-review/

THE SHANGHAI JOB (aka S.M.A.R.T. CHASE) (2017) review

the-shanghai-job

Danny Stratton (Orlando Bloom) is a private security agent whose career suffered a deadly blow when a priceless Van Gogh painting was stolen on his watch by Long Fei (Shi Yanneng), a mysterious thief. Now his company S.M.A.R.T. (Security Management Action Recovery Team), which also includes Mach (Simon Yam), J. Jae (Hannah Quinlivan) and Ding Dong (Leo Wu), has been given a shot at redemption: to escort a valuable antique Chinese vase from Shanghai to London. But they’re once again ambushed, and once again Long Fei is the thief: it soon appears that he works for Tara Yen (Liang Jing), a wealthy arts dealer. Danny and his team decide to track her down and retrieve not only the vase, but also the Van Gogh. But things keep escalating as Tara Yen has Danny’s girlfriend Ling Mo (Lynn Xong) kidnapped.

(more…)

Leave a comment

by LP Hugo on January 21, 2018 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged hannah quinlivan, leo wu lei, liang jing, lynn hung, shi yanneng, simon yam

Posted by LP Hugo on January 21, 2018

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2018/01/21/s-m-a-r-t-chase-aka-the-shanghai-job-2017-review/

LEGEND OF THE NAGA PEARLS (2017) review

Once upon a time in the mythical city of Uranopolis, an apocalyptic battle opposed humans to the the Winged Tribe; the latter was defeated and gradually went almost extinct. Now Xue Lie (Simon Yam), a royal descendant of the Winged Tribe, wants to avenge his his race and restore its glory: he is searching for the Naga Pearls, magical entities that can open a cataclysmic “eye in the sky” that would eradicate the human race. But Ni Kongkong (Darren Wang), a thief, has chanced upon the Naga Pearls and thus becomes the only one who can stop Xue Lie, with the help of Hei Yu (Crystal Zhang), a constable and descendant of the Winged Tribe, and Ge Li (Sheng Guan Sen), the son of the king of Uranopolis, eager to prove himself to his father.

(more…)

Leave a comment

by LP Hugo on August 5, 2017 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged crystal zhang tian'ai, darren wang dalu, fantasy, gordon chan, jiang luxia, shi yanneng, simon yam, zhou yiwei

Posted by LP Hugo on August 5, 2017

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2017/08/05/legend-of-the-naga-pearls-2017-review/

CALL OF HEROES (2016) review

One of our most anticipated films of 2016, Call of Heroes is a neo-western set in China during the Warlords era (beginning of the 20th century). Blood-thirsty, demented Commander Cao (Louis Koo), son of Warlord Cao (Sammo Hung) rides into the village of Pucheng, where he kills three people at random. He’s arrested by sheriff Yang (Lau Chin Wan) and sentenced to death, but his second-in-command Zhang (Wu Jing) soon arrives, issuing an ultimatum to the people of Pucheng: to release Cao or to be massacred. But Sheriff Yang stands by his verdict, helped in the face of growing adversity by a wandering swordsman (Eddie Peng), who once was Zhang’s comrade-in-arms.

(more…)

2 Comments

by LP Hugo on January 3, 2017 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged benny chan, eddie peng, jacky wu jing, lau ching wan, liu kai chi, louis koo, sammo hung kam bo, sammy hung, shi yanneng, yuan quan

Posted by LP Hugo on January 3, 2017

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2017/01/03/call-of-heroes-2016-review/

LINE WALKER (2016) review

The spin-off from a highly-successful TVB series of the same title, with only Charmaine Sheh and Hui Shiu Hung’s characters carried over from small to big screen, Jazz Boon’s Line Walker is a riotously enjoyable actioner that merges Infernal Affairs‘ undercover twists, some over-top action scenes from Benny Chan’s playbook, and goofy comedy out of Wong Jing’s less tasteless offerings (Wong is a producer here). The fictional CIB department of police is trying to dismantle a powerful crime organization, but all of its undercovers have been killed after their identities were leaked. Inspector Q (Francis Ng) and his colleague and girlfriend agent Ding (Charmaine Sheh) are contacted by a missing undercover agent known as Blackjack, who may or may not be Shiu (Louis Koo), the right hand man of a fast-rising figure of the crime organization, Blue (Nick Cheung), whose life he once saved.

(more…)

Leave a comment

by LP Hugo on December 17, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged charmaine sheh, clara lee, francis ng, hui shiu hung, jade leung, louis koo, nick cheung, shi yanneng, wong jing, zhang huiwen

Posted by LP Hugo on December 17, 2016

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2016/12/17/line-walker-2016-review/

SUPER BODYGUARD (aka THE BODYGUARD, aka IRON PROTECTOR) (2016) review

Brazenly declaring itself “the best martial arts film in the past 20 years”, the very same claim made by the director’s previous film, The King of the Streets, Yue Song’s Super Bodyguard follows Wu (Yue), a mysterious rambler who, having just arrived in the city of Lengcheng, both saves the life of wealthy businessman Li and reunites with his long lost friend Jiang (Shi Yanneng), who was raised by the same master but left for the city years ago, jealous and angry at not being taught the same ‘Way of the 108 Kicks’ as Wu. Now Jiang is the owner of a bodyguard agency, and he assigns Wu to protect Feifei (Li Yufei), the daughter of businessman Li. A spoiled brat, she’s initially reluctant to be followed around by the uncouth Wu, who wears 25-pound steel boots and thinks a wine’s vintage is its expiration date. But after he saves her from a kidnapping attempt, she warms to him and as the two go in hiding, feelings develop. Yet Wu’s past haunts him, and Jiang’s anger is still alive…

(more…)

4 Comments

by LP Hugo on August 24, 2016 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged collin chou, martial arts, michael chan wai man, shi yanneng, william chan, xu dongmei, yue song

Posted by LP Hugo on August 24, 2016

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2016/08/24/super-bodyguard-aka-the-bodyguard-2016-review/

ANGEL WARRIORS (2013) review

A stunningly atrocious concoction from the brilliant mind who gave us Kung Fu Hip-hop, Angel Warriors is unfortunately less laugh-out-loud ridiculous than its plot synopsis might lead you to expect. Our heroes, as an ugly anime introduction makes it clear, are a group of five stunning women, all modern adventurers thirsting for new experiences : one is a company CEO (Yu Nan), one is an archeologist/polyglot, one is a wildlife protectionist, one is a dancer and a martial artist, and the last one is, we kid you not, the owner of an online shop for outdoors clothing. Real screenwriting gold right there. Their latest adventure is a trek inside the Kana Jungle, home of the Tiger tribe. Their guide is Sen (Shi Yanneng) a member of that tribe who doubles as the pidgin-English narrator of the film, bragging about how he’s going to marry soon and bringing the audience up to date anytime it is unclear what’s happening onscreen (that is, quite often). Also joining the girls are Wang (Collin Chou), a military friend of Yu Nan’s late brother, and a National Geographic team headed by Dennis (Andy On). But soon it transpires that it is not actually a National Geographic team, but a mercenary outfit on a search for the Tiger tribe’s precious jewels. All hell breaks loose as the girls and the mercenaries part ways and are both hunted down by the tribe.

(more…)

Leave a comment

by LP Hugo on October 20, 2014 • Permalink

Posted in Film Reviews

Tagged andy on, collin chou, shi yanneng, yu nan

Posted by LP Hugo on October 20, 2014

https://asianfilmstrike.com/2014/10/20/angel-warriors-2013-review/

KUNG FU JUNGLE (aka KUNG FU KILLER) (2014) review

Ever since his excellent turn in Peter Chan’s superb Wu Xia in 2011, martial arts spearhead Donnie Yen’s career had been a bit underwhelming, with films either overdosing on special effects (The Monkey King), lacking in any kind of script to tie the amazing fight scenes together (Special ID), getting lost in juvenile comedy (The Iceman 3D) or worse, casting him as a romantic leading man named ‘Cool Sir’ (Together). Kung Fu Jungle, as I’m happy to report, is a definite step up in quality. Donnie is Hahou Mo, a martial arts master who is first seen surrendering himself to the police after killing another master (a barely glimpsed Bey Logan). Three years later he’s peacefully nearing the end of his sentence but a TV report of the murder of a Kung Fu master sends him in a frenzy to contract the inspector in charge of the investigation (Charlie Yeung). He understands the motives of the killer, a demented fighter (Wang Baoqiang) who overcame a leg defect and is challenging all the greatest masters, to the death. But when Hahou Mo is allowed to get out of prison and assist the inspector, it becomes obvious that he has a hidden agenda, part of which involves his girlfriend (Michelle Bai Bing).