Cinema Escapist
Explore and connect the world through a cinematic lens
Review: “Enter The Fat Dragon” Succeeds With Charm As Donnie Yen’s Foray Into Action-Comedy
BY Xingting Gong
Renowned Hong Kong kung-fu actor Donnie Yen’s acting career pivots to new frontiers.
Review: “Ashfall” Is An Epic Disaster Film With Korean Flavor…And Tropes Galore
BY Anthony Kao
Starring Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo, Bae Suzy, and Ma Dong-seok, “Ashfall” (a.k.a. “Baekdusan”) combines big-budget Hollywood tropes with inter-Korean politics.
Review: “Ip Man 4” Captures the Spirit of China’s National Rejuvenation Through Kung Fu
BY Richard Yu
In Donnie Yen’s final kung fu film, action takes a backseat to China-US tensions and identity politics.
Review: “The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos” Pits Korean Cops & Gangsters Against Japan
BY Richard Yu
Two cops team up with a mob enforcer and illegal gambling site owner to take down a Japanese drug ring.
Review: “The Divine Fury” Blends Christianity, Horror, and Action
BY Richard Yu
Park Seo-joon uses MMA skills to exorcise demons in his latest collaboration with Jason Kim Joo-hwan.
Review: “The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil” Blends Korean Crime and Justice
BY Anthony Kao
Starring Ma Dong-seok, this action movie blends classic Korean crime archetypes into something new and entertaining, though not necessarily memorable.
Review: “Furie” Is An Fast-Paced Vietnamese Action Thriller
BY Richard Yu
Vietnam’s answer to “Taken” arrives—but with a female lead taking charge.
Review: “Take Point” Is an Action-Packed Critique of Political Selfishness
BY Anthony Kao
This Korean action movie featuring private military contractors offers many explosions—and biting, timely political critiques.
The 10 Best Jung Woo-sung Movies, Ranked
BY Anthony Kao
From teen idols to steely villains: Cinema Escapist looks at leading Korean actor Jung Woo-sung's best performances, ranked in order of increasing quality.
The 10 Best Song Kang-ho Movies, Ranked
BY Anthony Kao
Song Kang-ho is Korea's premiere character actor. Cinema Escapist looks at his best performances, in order of increasing quality.