Genre: Crime/Action
Director: Mak Ho Pong
Cast: Patrick Tam, Louis Cheung, Adam Pak, Justin Cheung, Ron Ng, Kenny Wong
Runtime: 1 hr 26 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 January 2022 

Synopsis: Ho Chun (Ron Ng), a young entrepreneur, is sent to jail. By implementing his philosophy in the business world that money can solve any problems, Ho Chun offers Big Roller (Patrick Tam), Kin Tin (Adam Pak), Scar (Justin Cheung) and Ho Ching (Louis Cheung) a considerable amount of money for assisting him to breakout from jail. However, Big Roller and his gang reject the offer since they believe serving their sentences is the only right thing to do. It leaves Ho Chun with no choice but using other extreme methods to force Big Roller and his gang to commit.

Movie Review:

Breakout Brothers wasn’t a breakout hit by any measure, but it was enough of a modest success for producer Raymond Wong to quickly seize the initiative to bankroll a sequel. Indeed, those who had seen the Mak Ho-pong directed, Edmond Wong-scripted prison break movie will probably remember that the only memorable thing about it was the chemistry between Patrick Tam, Louis Cheung and Adam Pak, who played three unlikely friends behind bars that teamed up to plan their escape.

Just because the first film was that mediocre, Breakout Brothers 2 turns out to be better than its predecessor. In addition to reuniting the original cast of Tam, Cheung and Pak, the sequel throws in erstwhile TVB star Ron Ng, who plays the young and ruthless entrepreneur Ho Chun that coerces the original gang of breakout brothers to break him out of jail. Oh yes, despite successfully escaping the last time round, Tam’s triad leader Big Roller, Cheung’s petty criminal Ho-ching and Pak’s wrongfully accused Kin-tin have all landed back in prison again, under yet again the watchful eye of Chief Superintendent Tang (Kenny Wong).

After the obligatory voiceover establishing them as inmates once again, a surprisingly strong first act sets up Ho Chun as the principal antagonist – not only does he refuse to acknowledge Big Roller as ‘big brother’, Ho Chun tells the latter outright that he wants Big Roller to play by his rules, and gives him 48 hours to make his choice. Ditto the impulsive gangster Scar (Justin Cheung), whom Ho Chun likewise refuses to bow down to and instead pays off his lackeys to turn them against him. Playing against type, Ng convincingly pulls off the role of a detestable villain whom you spend the rest of the movie waiting for his due comeuppance.

Given the strong start, it is somewhat disappointing that the next two acts are conspicuously middling. Without giving much away (because there really isn’t much to give away), Kin-tin devises a plan involving a medical emergency, a blackout and some outside help. It isn’t particularly clever in any regard; in fact, it is incredulous just how lax security is, especially considering that the prison had toughened its systems following the previous breakout. The same can be said of the execution itself in the third act, which is over all too quickly after Ho Chun’s breakout buddies decide to turn on him in order not to end up (again) on the wrong side of the law.

Like the first movie therefore, Breakout Brothers 2 ends up being carried on the shoulders of its cast, who to their credit, bring much more to their respective roles than their thinly written parts deserve. Tam is as suave and charismatic as ever, while (Louis) Cheung delivers the wise-cracks with perfect comic timing. Pak has much less to do this time round, but (Justin) Cheung makes a good foil for Ng, both of whom engage in a fierce rivalry to be the alpha male of the prison. Wong is also solid in a supporting part, though the filmmakers seem to be saving his Warden Tang character for the next sequel teased at the end of this one.

Oh yes, Breakout Brothers 2 makes it known that the story will continue in yet another instalment; and this, like the ‘Storm’ series, marks producer Raymond Wong’s attempt at turning modest successes into established franchises. There is potential here, in large part stemming from the chemistry of its lead cast, and as much as we respect the imperative for continuity, we think it would serve the Breakout Brothers better if both the scripting and directing were handed over to someone else. As it is, this sequel is only marginally better than its middling predecessor, so keep your expectations in check and you might just escape being disappointed.

Movie Rating:

(Erstwhile TVB star Ron Ng makes an exciting addition to the cast, and has good chemistry with the lead quartet of Patrick Tam, Louis Cheung, Adam Pak and Justin Cheung, but this flimsily plotted prison drama is only marginally better than its middling predecessor)

Review by Gabriel Chong

BOOK REVIEW #43: WILL BY WILL SMITH Posted on 27 Dec 2021 With the help of New York Times bestselling author, Mark Manson, the fresh prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith’s first memoir, Will is born. Willard Carroll Smith II., the firstborn of Willard Carroll Smith aka Daddio and Carolyn Elaine Bright aka Mom-Mom has always thought of himself as a coward. Despite being a A-list movie star, Smith is not afraid to embrace his cowardice in the first p ... more

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Simon Kinberg
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Bingbing Fan, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o, Édgar Ramirez, Sebastian Stan 
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 January 2022

Synopsis: From genre-defying blockbuster filmmaker SIMON KINBERG comes THE 355 – a fast-paced globe-trotting espionage thriller that brings together a dream team of formidable female stars. When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown (Oscar®-nominated actress JESSICA CHASTAIN) will need to join forces with rival badass German agent Marie (DIANE KRUGER, In the Fade), former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah (Oscar® winner LUPITA NYONG’O), and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela (Oscar® winner PENÉLOPE CRUZ) on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng (BINGBING FAN, X-Men: Days of Future Past), who is tracking their every move. As the action rockets around the globe from the cafes of Paris to the markets of Morocco to the opulent auction houses of Shanghai, the quartet of women will forge a tenuous loyalty that could protect the world—or get them killed.

Movie Review:

Enlisting the help of Simon Kinberg, the writer behind numerous X-Men movies and helmer of the disastrous Dark Phoenix, Oscar nominated Jessica Chastain produced and led this female-centric spy action thriller which also doubled up as a star-studded blockbuster in a quiet January.

Penelope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o and Fan Bingbing joins Chastain in this globe-trotting actioner which often passes off mediocrity as excitement. The movie opened with a Columbian drug lord being double-crossed by a criminal mastermind, Elijah Clark (Jason Flemyng). But amid a shootout, a valuable decryption drive is taken away by a DNI agent, Luis (Edgar Ramirez). CIA agents Mace (Chastain) and Nick Fowler (Sebastian Stan) is assigned to break a deal with Luis in France. But the deal is interrupted by a German BND agent Marie (Kruger) who is also after the hard drive.

Shortly after, a DNI psychologist with no field experience Graciela (Cruz) turned up at the door of Luis while Mace attempts to seek the help of ex-MI6 agent Khadijah (Nyong’o). On the other hand, Fan turns up late for the party, around an hour into the movie as an undercover MSS agent, Lin Mi Sheng. In short, these ladies must join forces to take back the hard drive before it falls into the hands of Clark and his ruthless henchmen.

Kinberg on his part clearly wanted this to be a double-crossing, triple-crossing spy thriller in the grand tradition way. A good old guessing game that keeps the viewers invested throughout. Unfortunately, Kinberg and his co-writer apparently lacks the literary skills to do so. Thus instead of churning out a smart, intriguing flick, the plot resorts to switching the location from France to Morocco and to Shanghai, throws in a couple of action scenes and stuff it with exhausting narrative to keep the movie alive.

The biggest fault or dead giveaway lies in the casting of Sebastian Stan. Spoilers ahead so be warned. The ambiguity of the character is pretty much obvious the moment he turned up on screen. The entire affair starts with the romantic/working relationship between Mace and Nick. However, Nick is supposedly gunned down by Clark shortly after. And when you cast a reasonably big name liked Stan and have him dead before the first act concludes, you know there is something sinister brewing. The excitement and anticipation is instantly killed off as this is essentially the movie’s weakest plot point.

Despite Kinberg’s best attempt at dressing up The 355 as a race against time action thriller, the movie suffers from a lack of memorable action choreography as well. Watching Mace and Marie throwing each other on the floor and despatching countless henchmen, villains that gets in their way turned out to be more tiring for the viewers than the stars themselves. Even the final confrontation lacks the dynamics and hair-raising stuntwork to make it work.

To be fair, Jessica Chastain indeed puts in lots of effort into her role as Mace. The same goes to Diane Kruger who completely rocks the movie in her relentless action moves. Lupita Nyong’o is OK as the movie’s resident IT personnel and Penelope Cruz and Fan Bingbing are mostly wasted in their respective roles. At the minimum, we hope their combined star power can help to sell some tickets. The biggest fault lies in Kinberg and his ultra-generic script and unimaginative direction. On hindsight, he should just stay on as a producer and leave everything else to more capable hands. Given the lacklustre scripting, we doubt there is a sequel happening even the ending promises more espionage from the girls.

Movie Rating:

(Girl power is letdown by generic scripting and action choreography)

Review by Linus Tee

JEAN-MARC VALLEE (1963 - 2021) Posted on 29 Dec 2021 Canadian writer, director, editor and producer Jean-Marc Vallée has died suddenly at age 58 apparently of a heart attack. The filmmaker passed away at his cabin outside Quebec City, Canada on Christmas Day. He was known for his naturalistic approach to filmmaking and for working with strong female leads including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley and Mery ... more

SYNOPSIS: From Bruce Lee to Shaw Brothers to Jackie Chan, Hong Kong cinema became world-famous for action films packed with martial arts fight scenes and death-defying stunts. These films were made possible by a very special group of Hong Kong film industry workers: Kungfu Stuntmen. Directed by film scholar Wei Junzi, the documentary Kungfu Stuntmen tells the story of Hong Kong's stunt actors over six decades. During the heyday of Hong Kong action and kung fu films, many stuntmen were needed on set to perform stunts and play small roles. Some would go on to become well-known actors and action choreographers, but most spend their entire careers as stuntmen whose names are unknown to audiences. As a love letter to Hong Kong action, Kungfu Stuntmen features interviews with legends of the field, including Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo Ping, Donnie Yen, Ching Siu Tung, Stephen Tung, Yuen Wah, Yuen Tak, Yuen Miu, Chin Kar Lok, Chin Siu Ho and Hung Yan Yan, as well as directors Tsui Hark, Andrew Lau, Ng See Yuen and Eric Tsang.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Unless you have been living under a rock, back in the 80’s and early 90’s, Hong Kong action cinema were at its peak with stars liked Bruce Lee, Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan paving the way to international stardom. China filmmaker Wei Junzi and producer Chin Ka Lok’s documentary, Kung Fu Stuntmen takes viewers down memory lane where the gutsy, real-life super heroes kick asses on the silver screen.

With a few exceptions who make it big, there are plenty who risked their lives behind-the-scenes for a few seconds of screentime. This group of unknown daredevils were simply known as stuntmen or in mandarin, 龙虎武师. Similar to Sammo and Jackie, most were lowly educated folks who graduated from Peking opera troupes and simply out to make a living, earning a minimum wage at Shaw Brothers Studio which famously churned out thousands of martial arts flicks.

Besides familiar faces liked Sammo, Donnie Yen, Yuen Woo Ping and director Tsui Hark, Kung Fu Stuntmen also admirably features interviews with lesser known names liked Yuen Wu, once a member of Sammo Hung’s stuntman team who vividly described a seemingly easy fall out of a window which resulted him being unconscious in the end.

Action star Yuen Wah also discusses about working with the legendary Bruce Lee. Other brief interviewees include director Tony Ching, stunt choreographer Nicky Li, Jackie’s regular stand-in Mars, action choreographers Stephen Tung, Leung Siu Hang and Ku Huen Chiu. At least it’s not just a scrolling credited name this time. On the downside, Jackie Chan and Jet Li are both missing here for undisclosed reasons.

Chin Ka Lok who started out as an stuntman recalls an explosion went wrong in Eastern Condors and a heart-pounding massive stunt which involved at least seven stuntman for the finale of Heart of Dragon. However since this is an era where BTS footages are few and rare, there isn’t lots of shots which showcases the preparation that goes behind the execution of the numerous breath-taking stunts. A pity perhaps but given that safety works are kept to the minimum due to time constraints and budget, it’s more of a dare and you get paid kind of scenario.

Indeed, there are mentions of life-threatening injuries and stuntmen who spent whatever money they have on vices liked booze and gambling but the documentary fails to delve deep into these issues. Rather, the last part of the documentary concentrates on how the Hong Kong Stuntman Association (led by Chin) is trying to draw new blood to the declining local film industry. Obviously in the last couple of years, China has taken over Hong Kong as the output for Chinese titles. With bigger advancement in technology and budget, existing talents liked Tsui and Yuen has moved to China to support their productions. What exactly is in stall for the declining Hong Kong film industry? Or specifically, is Hong Kong action cinema on its way to extinction?

We can’t exactly tell you what is the road ahead not even Kung Fu Stuntmen can. Still, the documentary is a loving tribute to the undying spirit of the stuntmen industry. People who puts in blood and sweat, guts and balls without wire and minimum padding at times. Those who grew up watching Hong Kong action cinema will love this unique piece of work to no end.

Like they say, Stuntmen never say no!

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

Servicable visual and audio track of Dolby Digial 5.1.  

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Romance/Comedy/Drama
Director: Peter Hutchings
Cast: Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: NC16 (Sexual Scene and Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 January 2022

Synopsis: Based on the Bestselling Novel by Sally Thorne. Resolving to achieve professional success without compromising her ethics, Lucy (Lucy Hale) embarks on a ruthless game of one-upmanship against cold and efficient nemesis Joshua (Austin Stowell), a rivalry that is complicated by her growing attraction to him.

Movie Review:

We had not heard or read of Sally Thorne’s bestselling novel of the same name before this, so pardon us for judging the movie on its own, without say a comparison of how faithful an adaptation it was of the 2016 book. That said, we’ll tell you right away that ‘The Hating Game’ is one of the funniest, sexist and definitely most enjoyable romantic comedies we’ve seen in a while, and that you definitely don’t have to have read the book to adore this classic enemies-to-lovers love story.

The couple in question is Lucy Hutton (Lucy Hale) and Joshua Templeman (Austin Stowell), respective assistants to the co-CEOs of the newly formed B&G Publishing formed from the merger of two very different publishing houses. Whereas Lucy’s company specialized in acclaimed literary fiction, Joshua’s firm was happily printing ghostwritten autobiographies by brain-dead former sporting celebrities. Given the circumstances by which they had met, it is no surprise that they have disliked each other since becoming co-workers.

Their animosity though also stems from their opposing personalities. While Lucy is warm, people-oriented and genuinely believes in the power of literature, Joshua is cold, exacting and regards the worth of the publications through the sales they generate. Seated opposite each other, the two spend much of the work day judging the other (she scoffs at how he wears the exact same coloured shirts in rotation to work every week; he calls her ‘Shortcake’ given how her parents are in strawberry farming) as well as the tidiness of their respective work desks, while occasionally engaging in public spats about grammar in front of other co-workers.

That the story unfolds through Lucy’s perspective should give you a hint that some of these preconceptions about Joshua will eventually be debunked, especially as she starts to learn more about him. It should also come as no surprise, going by her opening narration, that they will fall in love, given how Lucy reflects right at the start about how the weird ways in which hating someone can feel like falling for them. When their bosses reveal at a corporate meeting right before Thanksgiving that both of them would be pitted against each other for the newly created position of managing director, Lucy and Josh’s rivalry are suddenly taken to the next level.

Or so we are led to think – in truth, their relationship gets complicated before the end of the first act when Lucy has a wet dream of Joshua and they engage in a steamy kiss in the office elevator while on the way to their supposed dates at the same bar. While it is clear Lucy has the hots for Joshua, she – as well as us – are kept guessing whether Joshua indeed feels the same way about her, or is merely putting up a convincing show so that she would let down her guard and let him beat her at the race to be the boss of the other.

To screenwriter Christina Mengert’s credit, the barbs fly fast and furious between our two leads when they are fighting, even as their expressions of love are never less than heartfelt and sweet. In turn, Hale and Stowell deliver the lines with aplomb, such that their exchanges are consistently sharp and engaging. That Lucy and Joshua turn out this endearing is thanks to the great chemistry between the actors; not only is their comedic timing excellent, they also bring physical appeal and honest affection to their roles, such that you’ll instantly root for their budding relationship.

So even though their rivals-to-lovers story is somewhat familiar, ‘The Hating Game’ will leave you smiling from ear to ear with its winning combination of wit, humour and heart; in particular, you’ll feel yourself sympathizing with Joshua more than you’d expect, not least because he is so much more than the jerk that Lucy had made him out to be at the start. It is no secret that rom-coms ultimately succeed or fail on the shoulders of their leading couple, and this formulaic but utterly endearing entry triumphs with the absolutely charming pair of Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell. Like we said at the start, it is one of the most enjoyable rom-coms we’ve seen in a while, and we trust you’ll love it the same way.

Movie Rating:

(Witty, humourous and full of heart, this enemies-turned-lovers rom-com is one of the best we've seen in a while)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: Jackie Justice (Halle Berry) is a mixed martial arts fighter who leaves the sport in disgrace. Down on her luck and simmering with rage and regret years after her last fight, she’s coaxed into a brutal underground fight by her manager and boyfriend Desi (Adan Canto) and grabs the attention of a fight league promoter (Shamier Anderson) who promises Jackie a life back in the octagon. But the road to redemption becomes unexpectedly personal when Manny (Danny Boyd, Jr.) — the son she gave up as an infant — shows up at her doorstep. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Halle Berry’s character might looked horribly bruised onscreen but the 56 year old Oscar winning actress is definitely commendable behind the camera in her directorial debut.

In Bruised, Jackie Justice (Berry) is a has-been UFC fighter after losing a match years ago. Now she is an alcoholic living with her abusive boyfriend/manager, Desi (Adan Canto) and earning a minimum wage as a cleaner. Just when her life can’t get any worse, a son named Manny (Danny Boyd Jr) whom she abandoned years ago has returned. When a promoter of an all-female MMA league sees the potential in her and plans to introduce her to a trainer, Buddhakan (Shelia Atim), Jackie decides to pick up her life again. It’s a case of now or never for Jackie Justice.

Sports movies are generally formulaic. If you watched one, you probably know how the rest of the movies flow. Writer Michelle Rosenfarb’s first credited full-length screenplay unfortunately is predictable and throws in more ingredients than it ought to be resulting in a pretty bloated runtime in the end. Besides searching for redemption, Jackie is also struggling with a haunted past that involved her estranged mom, Angel (Adriane Lenox), her reconnection with her long-lost son who refuses to talk after witnessing the death of his father and given her age, the burden of getting back in shape for the ring.

Right down to the closing scene, there isn’t much surprises in store. However if you put all those movie clichés aside, there’s never a moment on screen where Halle Berry the actress doesn’t catch your attention. Berry’s strong performance as a broken woman will leave you speechless. There’s not a single hint of Berry the actress, what we sees is a down-and-out ex-fighter with a bleak future ahead of her. Most of the time, she is bloody and hurt so badly that you can’t even recognize her face. Even her body and figure is in such bad shape. Beside physical transformation, Berry proves her award-winning performance in Monster’s Ball wasn’t a mere coincidence.

Bruised is very much a sports drama that gets the job done because Berry brings a lot of soul and effort in her storytelling and portrayal of Jackie Justice. There’s even a LGBT representation in the already crowded drama where Shelia Atim is excellent as Jackie’s zen-practicing trainer but clumsy as the movie’s unnecessary, distracting love interest. Again, there’s a lot to take in as mentioned earlier. Still, Berry delivers a gripping, knockout match opposite a top Argentinian opponent played by real-life UFC Ukranian fighter Valentina Shevchenko in the final act. Frankly, it’s more about the journey and process for a drama liked Bruised. It’s not going to win a lot of fans or garnered any awards but it’s sufficient enough to pack quite a punch of its own.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Fantasy/Drama
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, David Strathairn 
Runtime: 2 hrs 30 mins
Rating: M18 (Some Nudity and Violence)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 January 2022

Synopsis: In NIGHTMARE ALLEY, an ambitious carny (Bradley Cooper) with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who is even more dangerous than he is.

Movie Review:

The greatest showman, this is not.

While Guillermo del Toro’s latest film and the family friendly musical drama featuring a singing Hugh Jackman both showcase “freak” performers, the award winning director’s film adaptation of the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham does not have the bright colours and radio friendly hits. The neo noir psychological thriller film is a slow burning drama exploring the dark and shadowy world of scheming hustlers, and you can be sure there aren’t any inspiring musical numbers and happy endings.

The star studded 150 minute film opens in 1939, where we see Bradley Cooper’s Stanton “Stan” Carlisle coming to terms with an act that will haunt him forever. He finds his way to a carnival, where he witnesses a man who have sunk to the level of performing as a freak (he devours live chickens!). Soon, he finds a job and befriends other characters like a mind reader and her alcoholic husband (the ever perfect Toni Collette and ever reliable David Strathairn), a woman whose body can conduct electricity (the underrated Rooney Mara) and a strong man (Ron Perlman putting his grunts to good use). Hovering over these personalities is Clem, the scowling owner of the carnival that is portrayed effortlessly by Willem Dafoe.

After a series of events, Stan leaves the carnival with Molly, the human conductor he had fallen in love with. It is 1941, and we find ourselves in a classy New York nightclub where the disgustingly rich upper class watch Stan and Molly perform psychic acts. Enter a scarily cold psychologist Dr Lilith Ritter (this role belongs to no one except Cate Blanchett) and an unscrupulous but wealthy industrialist (Richard Jenkins in a chilling role), and the story takes another turn to involve con jobs and terrible pasts.

Fans of Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) and The Shape of Water (2017) would be pleased to know that this movie showcases del Toro’s ability to bring beauty to something which is grotesque. There is poetry in the scenes, despite the ugliness (both literally and figuratively) the characters and situations. Can we agree with the cruelty displayed by Dafoe’s Clem, given that he is providing employment to the freaks? Is Cooper’s Stan someone we can empathise with, considering all the con jobs he has pulled off? Do we feel sympathise with Blanchett’s Dr Lilith and her manipulative ways, after knowing that she is a victim of circumstances? Despite the film’s long runtime, you are engaged throughout as the story uncovers more and more layers about the characters and their motivations.

The film is also a perfect opportunity for del Toro and his team to bring to screen some of the most visually luscious movie sets we’ve seen. The first half of the film shows the earnest underbellies of the perpetually muddy carnival, while the second half contrasts it with the hypocritical glitz and glamour of the upper class. Then there are the final sequences where we are transported to the distressingly cold streets where doom and gloom are loitering around the corner. Coupled with the ensemble cast’s commendable performances, the cinematography and production values luminates this film.

Movie Rating:

(Impressive performances and luscious production values make this grim thriller a worthy watch)

Review by John Li

Genre: Action/Crime
Director: Park Dae-Min
Cast: Park So-Dam, Song Sae-Byeok, Kim Eui-Sung, Jeong Hyun-Jun, Yeon Woo-Jin
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence & Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 January 2022

Synopsis: SPECIAL DELIVERY is a crime action film about the unexpected events that unfold when Eun Ha (Park So-Dam), a driver with a 100% success rate at delivering anything worth the money, puts a child in her car. 

Movie Review:

“Jesika, oedongttal (Jessica, only child), Illinoi, Sikago (Illinois, Chicago), Gwa seonbaeneun gimjinmo (Classmate: Kim Jin-mo), Euneun ne sachon (He’s your cousin)”

The above “Jessica jingle” is probably what Korean actress Park So Dam is known for after the memorable scene in Bong Joon Ho’s award winning Parasite (2019). The charismatic actress is back in this crime action movie which makes good use of her coolness to portray a driver with an attitude to boot.

Park plays Eun Ha, a junkyard employee who has the gift of couriering anything that your usual postage service provider won’t be able to deliver. That just means illegal goods with the participation of triads and gangs, and this usually involves large amounts of money which motivates Eu Ha to take on these dangerous missions.

When the movie begins, we are given a shot of adrenaline rush as Eun Ha zips through the streets in a fast car and her cargo. She gives the drivers from the Fast and Furious series for their money (before the franchise got ridiculous), and we are in awe when she steps out of the vehicle.

Things get messy when Eun Ha gets embroiled in a case involving a gambling syndicate, a corrupt cop and a cute kid (Jeong Hyun Jun, who also starred in Parasite). We are then treated to a 109 minute thrill ride with double crosses, car chases, bloody fights and quite a bit of emotional ups and downs.

Park succeeds at looking suave in her nonchalant expressions, while making viewers feel for the bond between her and the child she is obligated to protect. And with many other movies featuring kids, Jeong is an excellent child actor with fluffy hair and big eyes to make audiences fall in love with his character. When he breaks into tears after finding out that his father is murdered, you’d want to take care of him. When he asks Eun Ha about her boyfriend and wanting to protect her, you’d chuckle at how cheeky he is. The bond between the two characters works on screen and you’d root for them to survive the ordeal.

The movie plays out as an engaging crime drama, and you’d be brought along for the ride as new characters are introduced. There are supporting characters which provide light hearted moments (we especially like Eun Ha’s friends who work in the junkyard), and despicable antagonists who are up to no good. Coupled with the filmmakers’ ability to keep the pace up without any dreary moments.

It’s also commendable that the movie has a bit of everything – there are gags which will make you laugh, and there are sequences that will leave you gripping your seat. There are also scenes which tug at your heartstrings (yup, these feature Park and Jeong), and there are some violent instants which are rather bloody. This is a popcorn production that is easy to sit through, with the right amount of entertainment to keep the movie below two hours without feeling bloated.

Movie Rating:

(Join the charismatic Park So-Dam on this entertaining ride featuring corrupted cops, exhilarating action and engaging drama)

Review by John Li 

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Sun Haipeng
Cast: Li Xin, Chen Yexiong, Guo Hao, Li Meng, Li Jiasi
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 27 January 2022 

Synopsis: The animated comedy film is about three teenagers who were ignored and bullied by others. By coincidence, they began their lion dance journey under the training of Mr Qiang, a master who grew up selling salted fish. Finally, they realized their dreams and became "lions" in their own hearts with their passion and drive.

Movie Review:

When was the last time you caught a movie about lion dance? Once Upon A Time In China 3 perhaps? Although that was literally almost three decades ago. Or Jack Neo’s horribly cringing The Lion Men? Given the rich history and familiarity of lion dance, there’s yet a proper movie that utilizes the subject matter in a good way until China’s latest animated feature, I Am What I Am.

Rather than another animated piece on The Monkey King, Ne Zha or the White Snake, director Sun Haipeng ditches the usual mythology theme and uses lion dance to tell a grounded inspiring story about friendship, hope and dreams.

Set in a rural village in Guangdong, Gyun whose parents are off to the city to work as construction workers is a weak, meek teenager obsessed with lion dance. When a beautiful lion dance promoter handed him a lion head as a gift, Gyun is inspired to take up lion dancing. Roping in his buddies, the monkey-looking Kat and overweight Doggie, Gyun sets off to find themselves a lion dance master. Under the recommendation of an elderly janitor, Gyun finds the master in the most unlikely place- a store selling salted fish.

Moved by the persistence Gyun, Qiang, a once promising lion dancer who has now given up his dreams to earn a living selling salted fish decides to be a master and sponsor to the three underdogs. Will they succeed in winning a place in the upcoming lion dance tournament? Will the three friends remain as losers for the rest of their life?

For a start, there’s no awkward fusion of hip-hop or CGI mechanical lion in I Am What I Am. So don’t worry about that. Instead, there are indeed beautiful and we mean very life-like, generous render of rural villages, alleys and lanes throughout. The details and textures are on the scale of any major Hollywood animation studios. The animation on the whole is simply top-notch and breath-taking although there’s one distracting factor about the character design on the whole, the controversial “slanted eyes” which the filmmakers have admitted it’s purely a move to break away from the traditional aesthetic of having large eyes in animation.

The filmmakers seem to put in lots of effort into the OST as viewers are treated to a variety of songs which include a classic HK movie theme song by the late Roman Tam and original Mandarin and Cantonese compositions. The screenstory credited to Zelin Li seems to take a leaf out of Stephen Chow’s classic comedy Shaolin Soccer. Similarly, I Am What I Am also features a bunch of underdogs, weirdos and some intentional laugh-out-loud humour. The gags are genuinely funny and the action or should we say lion dance choreography is inventive but it’s the heartwarming story that stands out the most.

Gyun hopes to makes his parents proud. Kat and Doggie wanted something more out of their mundane poor life. Qiang is finally back to doing what he loved under the encouragement of his wife who forces him to give it up in the first place. Up till this point, you thought these fellas are going to win the tournament in the final competition with their undying spirits. But life always throw you a curveball unexpectedly as Gyun has to give up on lion dancing halfway in order to fork out a living in the city. It’s full of things like these that makes I Am What I Am a truly remarkable animation. The movie beautifully illustrates the ups and downs of life and the spark that keeps on going in an otherwise bleak environment.

Just like Shaolin Soccer might not be entirely about soccer and Kung Fu Hustle might not be all about kung fu. Surely, I Am What I Am might not be totally about lion dance. But there’s no denying when everything comes flawlessly together, it’s a big win for China animation scene.

Movie Rating:

(A wildly enjoyable animated movie about culture and dreams that is filled with tears and laughs!)

Review by Linus Tee