Tomb Raider (2018)

A reboot of the TR licence inspired by the events of the 2013 video game, that was itself a reboot of the franchise. It has a younger, less experienced Lara (Alicia Vikander) setting out on her first real adventure, in search of her missing father (Dominic West). It attempts to make her more relatable than the upper-class lass with the bottomless bank-balance that we had before, but the 'working girl' scenes that open the film are genuinely awful. Thereafter it's as bland and workmanlike as the reboot of the game was. In fact, it's measurably worse because the game at least had a level of interactivity to detract from the uninspired storytelling and prosaic personality of its leading lady.

1½ colourful stones out of 5

New Police Story (2004)

An unusually downbeat opening sets the tone for a Police Story reboot. I don't know why it needed a reboot, but at least it still has Jackie in the lead role. Except he's a different character, Inspector Kwok-wing. The grim feeling that kicked it off remains for a very long time, making the first 40+ minutes as much a hardship on the viewer as they are on the guilt-ridden alcoholic cop.
The villains are a gang of youths who treat life and death like a video game, awarding points for specific actions. Chan and his new partner (Nicholas Tse) try to track them down. The motivations of the primaries are foundation for a story of redemption, but it's somewhat stunted by its own gritty nature.

2½ damaged goods out of 5

Shinjuku Incident (2008)

While far from home, searching for an old flame, Jackie becomes a victim of circumstance, but being a victim isn't in his nature.
It has a Chinese action star on the cover and a Chinese director behind the lens but it resembles a Japanese Yakuza movie 90% of the time.
It was odd seeing Jackie in this kind of film. With none of his trademark kung fu and no comedy the focus shifts to his acting ability. Happily, like the character he plays, he’s upped his game considerably. He proved that his move into serious drama might work. It’s a shame that the film in which he proved it is so forgettable. It drags on for too long and ends leaving a number of unresolved and half-forgotten elements.

3 bad decisions out of 5

EUROPA REPORT [2013]

Sebastián Cordero directs Europa Report a slow-burning found footage sci-fi/thriller about an international crew of astronauts that travel to one of Jupiter's moons in search for signs of life.
While Gravity might hold the throne for this year's scariest space film, this little flick manages to hold it's own with an intensely creepy and moody atmosphere.  In fact it's the whole tone of the film that holds everything together, because as with all found footage films, the viewer always knows the characters are all already dead so it loses it's suspense.  I love the plausibility of all the catastrophic events depicted in the film, making for more of riveting experience than one would expect from such a low budget.

3 lights in the ice out of 5

Naked Weapon (2002)

There are no prizes for guessing which HK cult classic the film takes its cues from. To be fair, it’s from the same writer, but that doesn't excuse the implied connection, of which there’s none. It stars Maggie Q as an assassin who uses her curves and her sex to get close to targets. All goes well until her past begins to intrude and her agenda becomes cloudy.
A better director, one less preoccupied with Hollywood slow-mo, could've did great things with Naked Weapon, but instead it’s a bit of a turd that smells strongly of wasted potential.

2 marionettes out of 5

The Banquet (2006)

aka:  Legend of the Black Scorpion / aka: Ye yan

The Tang Dynasty Royal court is in disarray following the death of the Emperor, and foul play is never far away.

The Banquet is a lavish historical piece that will either astonish or bore depending on your disposition. It takes much of its aesthetic cues from Zhang Yimou’s wuxia trilogy and adds a tragedy element that leaves you in no doubt as to its Shakespearean influences.

A balletic sequence near the beginning proves yet again that Woo-ping's choreography is as inherently graceful as it is dramatic.

4 swords that make noise in empty air out of 5