Top 10 Chinese Wuxia Films

I had been wanting to do a Top 10 FEATURE article. Indeed, my original idea was to do a Top 10 Samurai Film list, then realised that I hadn't watched quite enough Samurai films yet. At least not enough to ensure the list wouldn't be dominated by Akira Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune. I suspect it still would eventually, but until then, it will have to be kept in cold storage for now.

Instead, I have decided to start off with a list that would for me be easiest to compile - that of the wuxia genre.

Actually, it's not quite as easy even if I've watched a fair few. But it is one of my favourite genres nonetheless, so it's as good a place to start as any.

The reason why it is not so easy is because I have to make a clear distinction between wuxia and the wider martial arts genre. The problem was that, prior to the 1980s, martial arts choreography in wuxia films were not very different from the general martial arts films. This made it difficult to draw the line especially as most martial arts films were in a kind of period setting.

The special effects of flying, internal energy and explosions only became more visual and prevalent from 1980s on, with director Tsui Hark especially setting the trend with his trademark special effects style.

Wuxia started off as literature, and had been around for centuries. As such, I found myself struggling to decide if films like Jackie Chan's Drunken Fist could be termed as wuxia, which I would of course normally disagree with.

In order to provide the necessary distinction, I came up with a set of rules that a wuxia film should generally adhere to. A wuxia film doesn't necessarily have to adhere to ALL the rules, but at least enough of them to be able to retain the wuxia element in the film.

Rule #1:

There should be an element of fantasy to the martial arts displayed in wuxia films. Although most of these martial arts are grounded in real life martial arts skills, these should be much more exaggerated. Things like using qinggong to fly, dianxue (finger) techniques to immobilise or kill, internal energies to deliver mighty blows and even explosions. For films made before the 'flying' renaissance (pre-1980s), these could be signified by the descriptions of fantastic martial manuals or the use of somersaults and giant leaps over buildings (albeit low ones). This rule thus excludes many of Jackie Chan's kungfu films like Drunken Fist & Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, since the martial arts in those films are simply based on real life kungfu skills, and are not particularly fantastic.

Rule #2:

The wuxia film should take place in a period or historical setting. There may be a few that come very close to modern setting, and thus may be considered an exception. A Man Called Hero is a film set in America close to a modern setting. For this reason, any film set before the world war or in the Manchu Dynasty and before can still qualify as wuxia, though the closer to modern setting, the less likely. So a film like Dragon Tiger Gate (not to be confused with Dragon Gate Inn) cannot be considered wuxia, despite its fantastic martial choreography.

Rule #3:

This rule is a little complex. The characters in a wuxia film should attain a sort of mystical, mythical or legendary heroic (or villainous) status. The story should also as far as possible, take place in the world of Jianghu rather than in the courts or in a war setting. The heroes generally bear no allegiance to the courts (so the Three Kingdoms Classics cannot be termed wuxia), but instead would be affiliated to pugilistic sects and clans or are just simply wandering swordsmen or xiake. There is however a whole subgenre pertaining to court intrigues and starring police constables in lead roles (the recent Detective Dee for example). The reason for this rule is to exclude overly comedic and slapstick films (unless they are spoofs) such as those of Stephen Chow. Kungfu Hustle is thus excluded mainly because of the comedy slapstick, as well as its closeness to the modern setting. Likewise the Flirting Scholar, though Royal Tramp & The Mad Monk can still qualify.

Ultimately however, I had to judge on a film by film basis, giving weightage on the wuxianess of a film depending on the above 3 rules.

A notable exclusion to the genre is Tsui Hark's Once Upon A Time in China series. It no doubt comes close and is of course subjective; but I simply couldn't think of it as wuxia. Huang Feihong is no doubt a legendary Chinese figure. The martial arts displayed in the series is fantastic (Feihong's flying No Shadow Kick). The main problem, I think, is that he's a historical figure. While it is okay to weave wuxia elements around historical figures and events, these should be a backdrop and not the focal point. Put it this way - there have been several Huang Feihong films made over the decades - can all of them be termed wuxia? The wuxia genre has its grounding in literature, so the general basis is that wuxia has to be fantasy fiction.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the Top 10 List of Chinese Wuxia Films that I have had the pleasure of viewing:

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#10. Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain (1983)

Director: Tsui hark

Starring: Yuen Biao, Adam Cheng, Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia, Samo Hung

Back in those days, Tsui Hark was one of the most innovative special effects directors in Hong Kong. Zu Warriors was one of his first forays into the wuxia genre, a genre in which he would go on to become a trend setter in the use of special effects and wirefu. Here, he effectively combined wuxia with Western special effects technology of the time to create a wonderful fantasy epic of good versus evil.

Though ahead of its time, Tsui Hark somehow got stuck to the 80s-90s mindset, and could never really take the step up into modern CGI technology of today. His CGI heavy The Legend of Zu, a remake of this film, was a failure. His obsession with special effects, which gained him fame early on, seems to now hinder him as he more often than not neglects the storyline in favour of increasingly cheesy effects.

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#9. Snake & Crane Arts Of Shaolin (1978)

Director: Chen Chi Hwa

Starring: Jackie Chan, Nora Miao

I have to admit that this makes the list almost purely because of Jackie Chan, whom I idolised when I was younger. This film was made before Jackie Chan gained fame as a martial arts comedian.

Nonetheless, I found the storyline, about a mysterious but charming pugilist seeking a mysterious villain by using a top martial arts manual as a lure, to be highly palatable. The ensemble cast of characters is also quite first rate. It doesn't hurt either that the film also stars the very beautiful Nora Miao, in one of her rare pairings with Jackie Chan.

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#8. Seven Swords (2005)

Director: Tsui Hark

Starring: Charlie Yeung, Leon Lai, Donnie Yen, Kim So-yeon

Seven Swords is a good example of how Tsui Hark can still make a good film if he didn't have to worry about CGI (less said about that the better). With an obvious nod towards Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, here is a good ol' swash buckler featuring seven heroes and their seven unique & fantastical blades.

Good stunt and martial choreography, almost imperceptible wirefu and minus the cheesy effects & explosions of the 90s (that made him famous to begin with) - Tsui Hark stuck to the basics, improving on his strengths while eliminating his weaknesses (those cheesy effects). What he basically did here was to update the wuxia film genre for the new millenium. And for that he is thanked.

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#7. Come Drink With Me (1966)

Director: King Hu

Starring: Cheng Pei Pei, Yueh Hwa, Chan Hung-Lit

Quite possibly the Citizen Kane of wuxia, this film is widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, Hong Kong film ever made. Starring the legendary Cheng Pei Pei, who was chosen for the role due to her being a ballet dancer - this film was all about the grace and beauty in martial arts & stunts.

The film became a major influence to martial arts films over the next decades and even up to the modern day, as you will see later.

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#6. House Of Flying Daggers (2004)

Director: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau, Aniki Jin

This film highlights an oft understated subgenre in wuxia, where the main leads Andy Lau & Aniki Jin play police constables in the imperial court. In the context of the general wuxia world, their status would actually be considered quite lowly - and it shows. Though competent in martial arts, Aniki Jin's and Ziyi's characters tend to struggle against top exponents from both the imperial court and the titular House of Flying Daggers, a secret rebel organisation against the waning Tang Dynasty. This however, gives a thrilling edge to the exquisite fight scenes, where you'll never know who will come out tops.

Director Zhang Yimou is well known for his vivid use of colours, and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. His combination of colour and fight sequences, especially the fight scenes in the bamboo forest, make for some of the most beautiful fight scenes around. Indeed, I wonder if it doesn't deserve a higher ranking on this list - but for now, it stays at #6.

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#5. The Swordsman (1990)

Producer: Tsui Hark

Starring: Samuel Hui, Cecilia Yip, Sharla Cheung Man, Jacky Cheung

I suspect I'm going to be rapped for choosing this over Swordsman II. It is true that Jet Li relaunched his career with the sequel to this film based on Louis Cha's The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. I would maintain however that Samuel Hui is the best ever Linghu Chong I've ever seen. Chow Yun Fatt, Steve Ma Jingtao & of course Jet Li have variously played the character on TV and film, but it was only Samuel Hui who I felt totally captured the essence of the charismatic & carefree wanderer.

But of course Sam's not the only reason for the film to be on this list. The Swordsman pretty much set the trend for wuxia films in the 90s, with the kind of explosive (literally) special effects and wirefu that wowed audiences throughout Asia. Though somewhat dated in today's context (and thus cheesy), the film holds fond memories for me as it was what introduced the wuxia film genre to me.

If you noticed above, Tsui Hark is listed as the Producer for this film rather than Director. This is because King Hu was originally the director, but in an apparent fallout, he left the project and it was finally wrapped by Tsui Hark.

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#4. Ashes Of Time (1994)

Director: Wong Kar-wai

Starring: Leslie Cheung, Lin Ching Hsia, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Jacky Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau

When famous arthouse auteur Wong Kar-wai turns his attention to wuxia, this is the intriguing result. A film with probably too little 'wuxia' in it, and is better said to be an allegory to love, loneliness & love lost.

More poetic than actually bearing anything resembling a plotline (typical of Wong's films), this story based very loosely on 4 top pugilists from Louis Cha's famed Condor Trilogy, is nonetheless a hypnotic piece of art - to be appreciated rather than to be enjoyed.

Fight scenes are few and often quick and blurry. Normal wuxia fans might well find the pace too slow for their liking. But when you take a look at the impressive cast list - literally a who's who of the Hong Kong industry at the time, then you'll have an idea of the high regard with which Wong Kar-wai is held.

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#3. Hero (2002)

Director: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, Donnie Yen, Chen Daoming

After the unprecedented success in the introduction of the wuxia genre to the United States, director Zhang Yimou followed up with this beautifully made epic of a nameless hero and the stories behind his quest to assassinate the infamous King of Qin.

With more than a hint of Rashomon (Kurosawa again!), Zhang made full use of lush backdrops in different but vivid colour themes (one for each version of essentially the same tale). The result is a cinematographic truimph to behold - a truly spectacular tour de force.

Fight scenes are poetry in motion, with heroes gliding over water or dueling with their minds - all amidst lush sceneries and colour.

Indeed, this film should perhaps have placed just a little higher on this list had it not been for the rather obvious underlying political message - to accept violence and rulership over liberty for the greater good. This film was made in China with government support. And however Zhang may distance himself from criticism, it seems incredible to make a film that would venerate a cruel tyrant in China's history, even if he did unify China.

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#2. The Storm Riders (1998)

Director: Andrew Lau

Starring: Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Sonny Chiba

I thought long and hard about this one - 3 weeks in fact - while this article stewed in the vault.

As a film from the last millennium, it is perhaps not as visually beautiful as others we have seen in this past decade. But The Storm Riders is not about beauty in sword fighting - scarcely.

Like The Swordsman, this film based on the popular comic series Fengyun (Wind & Cloud), set a new trend in wuxia or even martial art films. And yet strangely enough, I have yet to see a subsequent wuxia film that has bettered The Storm Riders in terms of actually blending CGI with live action stunts.

That is the crux I think. The Storm Riders practically brought the comic book wuxia genre to live, and was a complete revelation at the time. Imagine seeing the stunts & moves from the comic book being replicated almost faithfully on screen. It was just amazing. And as I said earlier, the blend of CGI and live action is very credible, almost unnoticeable. Unfortunately, this cannot be said of any subsequent Asian film with CGI elements, where the CGI either looks unreal or just completely fail to blend with the rest the film.

To be fair, the 2009 sequel The Storm Warriors should have been technically better, but here the story and execution sucked - so as you can see, CGI is not the only consideration.

All said, had Hero not been so politically nauseating, then The Storm Riders might only have hit #3.

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#1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Director: Lee Ang

Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Chang Chen

Those already familiar with wuxia films might scoff at this choice for numero uno. Indeed there have apparently been many in Asia who have shrugged off this film, because apparently - there is nothing new here that wuxia fandom hadn't already seen.

Not me. This film may have introduced the world to the wuxia genre, but it is much more than that. Perhaps wuxia fans have come to equate the genre with explosive action and spectacular special effects (and why not indeed - see #2), but here, Lee Ang has reinvented the genre, drawing from the staple wuxia films of the pre-80s (Come Drink With Me was a heavy influence), creating a beautifully crafted film that highlights the best wuxia elements from over the generations passed.

Perhaps part of its success stems from the fact that the film was designed as an introduction to wuxia, and as such the excellent martial arts choreography from Yuen Wo-Ping, who also worked on The Matrix, had to be more realistic while being representative of wuxia. The result is a breathtaking series of martial arts sequences featuring different 'levels' of wuxia - from the rough and tumble of the teahouse sequence (featuring a whole host of exotic Chinese weapons), to the fantastical flying sequences over a bamboo forest (which a professor of mine admitted to being a little over the top).

But perhaps the best fight scenes are between the closely matched characters played by Michelle Yeoh and the sensual Zhang Ziyi. If in Hero, we had poetry in motion, then here we have a vivid and vibrant dance to the matching soundtrack of energetic drumbeats. A truly spectacular display that additionally, makes the best use of wirefu techniques I have ever seen.

And yet, when it comes down to it, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is not simply a martial arts flick. What truly elevates the film to the level it is at for me - is the underlying story. This is no swashbuckling whack-them-up. The story is beauty & grace - a classic. A hero's journey - except it is a heroine.

Ultimately, the film is about a blossoming young woman who steps out from her aristocratic comforts into the world of Jianghu, and the discovery of how her innocence and willfulness will affect the lives of those around her. There is no real antagonist, though there may be the archetypal villain. It is illuminating perhaps that the villain, played by Cheng Pei Pei, would confess at the end that her goal all along was to kill her protege, the young heroine - all because of a perceived betrayal.

Be it story, choreography or cinematography, Lee Ang has undoubtedly created a masterpiece.

Unthinkable: How far would you go to protect your country?

Unthinkable - The Hollywood film that Hollywood doesn't want us to see.

A white Islamic extremist has hidden 3 nuclear bombs in nondescript locations throughout America, and threatens to set them off unless his demands are met.

The race is on to find the bombs before they go off anyway (by themselves), but here's the catch - the terrorist Yusuf (Michael Sheen) has helpfully decided to turn himself in for interrogation, fully expecting to be tortured in the process. The American government duly obliges, sending in special interrogator H (Samuel L. Jackson), one of their most extreme, sickest operative, willing to go to any measures necessary to "extract" crucial information.

FBI Special Agent Brody (Carrie Ann Moss) tags along as a moral anchor of the story, but finds herself increasingly powerless to act against H's form of extreme torture and methods.

And just in case you're still not sure what you're in for, one of the first things H does upon meeting Yusuf (formerly known as Younger), is to cruelly cut off one of Yusuf's fingers. This is torture with a capital T, graphic but not overly so, yet leaving us in no doubt as to what to potentially expect for the hapless Yusuf.

Carrie Ann Moss' Brody faces off H as played by Samuel L. Jackson, whose methods more than border on the unthinkable.

Who's the villain? Both Michael Sheen & Jackson are powerful in their respective roles as the tortured & the torturer.

The premise is astoundingly clear - just exactly how far would you go to save the lives of potentially millions?

Samuel L. Jackson & Carrie Ann Moss here present two different sides of the coin. H will stop at nothing, while Brody will maintain that there has to be a limit.

Stuck in between is the excellent Michael Sheen, the man who has to endure everything. The antagonist who set the stage, and yet also a protagonist of sorts, who shows us just how morally bankrupt we as a society can be.

As we cringe under Yusuf's sufferings at the hands of the relentless H, we have to constantly remind ourselves of the film's other unthinkable, the intentional murder of millions for a cause we can never truly understand. Sheen shows his character's fanatical side, yet is undeniably human in the way he responds to the threats and torture, while remaining committed to his cause.

But the truly unthinkable, the act that will make most audiences balk, is one that is so simple, yet so frightening that it crops up only at the climax of the film. Yet, if you had any sense of realism or an idea of what violence truly means, then you would probably guess it from a mile off.

It is not the film's fault however, for I truly believe that American audiences will not be able to take any further than what's presented in the film.

Which is why it is a pity the Unthinkable was released straight to video. The production value of the film is excellent, so that was never the problem. Instead, the film's disturbing content has proved its downfall. Nonetheless, it has presented a moral dilemma that is both apt and probably current. The pity is that American audiences are simply not mature enough to consider the film's implications.

Americans have to be portrayed as heroes, never as villains. Americans will never want to consider the lengths that one has to go to keep the "peace". But there is a difference between graphic violence, and the unthinkable - and that is something we have to think about....

Moometer Reading:
Moo-o...?!?

Exclamation for:

! Strong Ensemble Cast: The three leads turn in strong performances, with a special nod to Michael Sheen for displaying both the fanatical and vulnerable side of his character with equal believability. Jackson is his usual frightening self, somewhat reminiscent of his portrayal in Pulp Fiction. Carrie Ann Moss betrays the empathy in her character beneath all that steel, which her character uses to make the most important decision in the film.

Query for:

? Flawed Script: Strangely enough, I am in no way slating the script, since I can understand the motivations behind those flaws. The film is quite well paced, but the flaws are a little glaring. Yusuf's obvious stupidity and naivety in turning himself in is a rather grandiose but necessary plot element (so he can be tortured). It is explained as his bid for martyrdom but seriously, he should have expected the outcome, though apparently it is unthinkable for him after all. That particular unthinkable is easy to anticipate, yet is only revealed at the end as a kinda twist, which of course falls somewhat flat if you were waiting for it to come all through the film....

? Straight to Video: Hello? It is a pretty good film and should deserve a run in the theatres. Boo America!

Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage

Sammy's Adventures in glourious 3D

I was a kid once.

I could barely remember what it was like to go on an adventure of a lifetime then emerge from it all bubbly and excited.

Which in a nutshell is what Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage is about.

Little Sammy the sea turtle (his mommy must have named her brood while in the egg - one by one by one by one...) hatches from his egg to begin an epic journey, the journey of life - complete in 3D animation.

Along the way, he chums with best pal and jellyfish slugging Ray (one of his supposed many brothers, who looks a suspiciously different breed, ie. colour of turtle); takes 'flying lessons' from hungry seagulls; gets caught by humans and joins the hippy movement; and goes on a hunt for a secret passage that brings him to the south pole. And of course at the end of it all, he finds his long lost love Shelly.

It's all good kiddy fun.

Too bad I'm not a kid anymore.

Life through the eyes of a turtle - an eagle's eye view....

Oh crab!

Enjoying life in the sun - in a makeshift luxury yacht....

Seriously, I wouldn't have watched this movie if I hadn't been asked to do a review. Though to be fair, there is no doubt whatsoever who the target audience is - children - and more specifically those below the age of 12.

And it was telling, sitting amongst an adult audience, that there was hardly any laughter throughout the screening of the preview. On my part, I peaked at a grand total of one good chuckle - when the baby eaglets were pecking away at Sammy's cute bald head.

If you're looking for a good balance of adventure and intelligent humour like say in Finding Nemo, Sammy's Adventures simply will not fit the bill.

The writing is too uninspired for that. Everytime Sammy loses Shelly, a new character pops up to tell him where she is. Deus ex machina in a cartoon? No need to explain to the kids....

Not to say there aren't any saving graces.

Sammy's Adventures proves once again that 3D belongs best for now, in animation rather than in god-awful epics like Clash of the Titans.

The technology isn't perfect. Landscapes and individual objects still look like those cut outs from 3D picture books (to which by the way, there is a wonderful nod during the end credits). But the renditions of sand and water and waves can somtimes border on the sublime. The producers too, make full use of the 3D animation to produce some stunning 'in your face' visuals - the unforgettable image being that of a menacing and inquisitive snake.

And for a kid's film, the movie also brought up a few environmental issues facing the world today - the threat and pollution of oil spills; the problem of whaling etc. These can certainly be appreciated by a young and impressionable audience.

All in, Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage can be a fun and unforgettable ride for little children, but adults sans kids may not be too eager to catch this cute animated turtle.


Moometer Reading:
Moo-o??

Query for:

? Being a kid's film: Being a movie primarily targeted at children, it would be unfair to judge it with adult eyes. And yet there are easily plenty of animation films - Finding Nemo among others that are funnier and that appeal to both adults and children. Sammy's Adventures thus gets a generous Moo-o when its rating could easily have been worse.

? Poor Scripting: It seems pretty clear that the writer was thinking: It's for kids! Who cares? Well, I did for one.

The Karate Kid (2010)

The Karate Kid kicks on - in China....

There is practically no karate in this new Karate Kid.

But aside from that little wistful desire that America should finally get the rest of the world right, there is really little doubt that the former Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith, has served up something of a gem, while officially presenting his son and heir apparent, Jaden Smith, as a future and upcoming heartthrob and superstar.

Simply put, Jaden is his father's son. Adorable at such a young age, the boy nevertheless displays an irresistible charm and an uncanny flair for humour that his father is so famous for.

Sure, he still lacks a little something in the emotive department, but like his character Dre Parker quips while being trashed in table tennis by a Chinese man (???), "Dude! I'm only 12!"

JS & JC - striking up a fine camaraderie....

Jackie Chan takes on a bunch of kids... ouch - for them....

Jaden Smith - your up and coming action superstar?

But enough of that for now. How fare this 2010 version against its 1984 original?

The film is essentially a remake of the 1984 Karate Kid starring Ralph Macchio and the famous Pat Morita. In essence however, this 2010 film is actually quite different in tone.

What sets this apart from its predecessor is the injection of quite a bit of comedy, and in a sense, it works very well.

Jackie Chan delivers some of the most hilarious deadpan lines as Mr Han, the kungfu master masquerading as a local apartment caretaker.

Equally funny, though perhaps unintentionally, is the sight of the legendary Jackie Chan pitted against a bunch of Chinese kids (all smaller size than him), when Mr Han tries to save Dre's skin. Somehow I can picture a bunch of white kids ganging up on Pat Morita's Miyagi, but here? I don't wonder if JC himself wasn't embarrassed with the match-up.

The Karate Kid (2010) IS funny, I give you that. And to be fair, the representation of Chinese Kungfu, especially showcasing a trip up the mountain (Mt. Wudang perhaps?), is excellent.

But I cannot help but suspect that the comic element is both a boon and a bane. What worked well as a coming of age movie as the 1984 original was, seems to now have been lost amidst all the laughter and levity.

Ralph Macchio & Pat Morita from the original - a more coming of age experience....

I remember one of the original film's iconic moments, when Daniel (Macchio) adopted the crane stance against his opponent - that was quite something else.

But while that scene is repeated in the remake, it ended up being more funny than actually inspiring.

The story may be the same, but the setting and tone are certainly very different. Perhaps it is a reflection of the times we're in. But in no way should those detract us from an otherwise entertaining, and fairly successful remake.


Moometer Reading:
Moo-o..

A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)

"One, two... Freddy's coming for you...."

Oh please no more Nightmares.

The highly successful franchise has seen a total of seven sequels to the original A Nightmare On Elm Street, so the producers decide it is time to do a remake and reboot - a reflection of current film making trends I'm afraid.

But how do you take a novelty idea from 1984 and rejuvenate it for today's audiences when it has all but worn thin?

The idea of course is to reinvent, to update on the original to fit the times. Unfortunately, this 2010 version fails on both counts, making for an ultimately plodding storyline with cheap and predictable scares.

To be fair, this is indeed a basic remake, with only a few major changes from the original. The characters are more or less the same. The major difference is the serial child killer in the original has been relegated to a maybe only child molester (I know, what in the world...?).

And of course there is Freddy Krueger, the masterful and iconic Robert Englund now replaced by Jackie Earle Haley, who was himself incredible as Rorschach in Watchmen.

I still remember as a kid, how a classmate of mine fervently did his own impression of that scissorhand arch villain - complete with hat, glove and claws - and he called himself Freddy.

This was the effect Freddy Krueger had on scores of young lads throughout the world for a good decade and more.

This new Freddy unfortunately, lacks character. The face looks too plastic, though that is supposedly done to more closely match those of burn victims.

No teenager or otherwise is going to be inspired or truly frightened by this Freddy, certainly not when Freddy lookalikes, parodies and caricatures have been around for over two decades.

Yes. Hide that face a bit more, because Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger doesn't quite... cut it....

Rooney Mara and Kyle Gallner play the only two characters in the film with any personality at all....

Do not fall asleep in class, or Freddy's gonna get you....

While there is little to take away from this reboot, the production value is nonetheless quite decent. The cinematography and sets are also pretty good, though an over-reliance on poor CGI tends to let the film down.

The supporting cast are forgettable, underdeveloped, or just plainly Freddy fodder. Only the two leads, played by Rooney Mara as Nancy and Kyle Gallner as Quentin, give any favourable performances at all.

Reviewers slam Mara's "wooden acting", but I disagree. I have known girls like that - shy, hesitant, unsure of how to express themselves - and to see two atypical teenagers fighting off a nightmare villain is exactly how you want you want horror flicks to be.

And the jury will have to be out on the new Krueger. Clearly the new makeup has created a stumbling block, but Haley is a talented actor, and had there been an expansion on his backstory, his performance just might have worked.

Unfortunately, the film chose to introduce precisely that, then inexplicably abandon it in the end for a silly twist that fooled basically no one.

Haley is signed on as Freddy Krueger for another two installments, so I'm hoping he really gets to make that role his own, to give it a new lease of life.

Because otherwise, like a broken record that keeps on playing, this could be one reel Nightmare that really never ends....

Moometer Reading:
Moo?

Query for:

? No sense of direction: Seriously, Director Samuel Bayer has to take responsibility for this one. The story was already there, all he needed to do was to plan some new and interesting scares and kills. How is it possible that one could visualise a story actually worse than the original? And while it's fine to create a darker, more serious Freddy, what about giving this Freddy some meaning for being so? It's one thing trying to fill a big pair of boots, quite another to just make a simply bland and boring film.

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity: Truth or fiction? See it to believe it....

A couple plagued by mysterious hauntings in their comfortable two-storey home in San Diego, California, decide to record their experiences on a digital video camera.

Unlike most videos shot by paranormal investigators, their documentary effort actually does strike gold, revealing a whole plethora of creepy and unexplained happenings that occur even while the couple sleep.

Steven Spielberg apparently got spooked while watching the 'video recording' because his bedroom doors inexplicably locked by themselves minutes into the show, and he had to call a locksmith to get himself out.

If this is the first you have heard of Paranormal Activity, the documentary style horror film that has taken America by storm, then read no further, put everything down and go watch it - Paranormal Activity will freak you out.

Much of the action takes place in the couple's bedroom - but did they really have to leave the door open? Spooky....

Katie Featherston is the girlfriend haunted by a demonic presence since childhood. Micah Sloat plays the skeptical boyfriend.

Audiences being scared silly during a screening.

But if you have heard of it and know what it is, then there might be a problem.

Following on the documentary shooting style of such classics like Cannibal Holocaust and Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity thus suffers from the same problem that plagues such films - it is all FICTION.

But while Cannibal Holocaust and Blair Witch Project are genuinely frightening to watch, Paranormal Activity features more of the mundane lifestyles of the two lead characters, punctuated by a series of weird and unexplained occurrences that only slowly escalate to a chilling conclusion.

Needless to say, it is no Exorcist or Haunting in Connecticut (which is after all based on a true story).

You need to truly believe it is real. You need to recognize that a perfectly normal person who stands motionless in front of her bed for hours into the night is a genuinely creepy thing.

But if you do believe, or can make yourself believe - then there you have a winner.

Because Paranormal Activity is every paranormal investigator's dream, to actually record tangible supernatural events in a haunted house.

It is like seeing with your very own eyes the final conclusive evidence - that spooks indeed do exist.

It all boils down to how one views the film. Those built on a staple of slasher flicks and Asian horror may not be too thrilled with Paranormal Activity.

But credit where credit's due - rookie director Oren Peli has scored a home run on a measly shoestring budget of just USD15k, with the film breaking records as the most profitable independent film ever.

Now that is one accolade you cannot argue with.

Moometer Reading:

Moo-o...?!!

Exclamations for:

! Outstanding New Idea: A novel idea that has gripped nationwide attention; a film that is now the most profitable independent film ever - director Oren Peli has certainly hurled himself into the limelight with this low budget offering.

! Non Shaky Camera Work: After Blair Witch and Cloverfield, Moovy Revue is just thankful that the director figured out how to avoid the nausea inducing shaky scenes that have plagued similar documentary style films - by shooting most scenes on a standard tripod. Duh.

Query For:

? Being Fiction: It is a pity then for this non-fiction wannabe that there will always be those who will not be impressed by the understandable lack of pacing and the 'plodding' scares that cannot quite rival the normal fictional horror films - not every American haunting has to be an Amityville Horror here.

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