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Many years have Behmen (Nicolas Cage) and Felson (Ron Perlman) lives in battle. Sharply honed instinct they have their instincts as a fighter while also not be underestimated. Unfortunately, the two soldiers of the Crusades was not aware that they face a task that would have proved far more terrible than a battle they've ever experienced.

How disappointed Behmen and Felson when returned to their hometown and found their shattered homeland ravaged, not by enemy but because of an outbreak that has swept the land. Rarely can survive the deadly plague and the only hope left is Behmen and Felson. Church and Felson Behmen ordered to arrest and bring a young girl named Anna (Claire Foy), who was accused as the cause of the horrible plague to a monastery for this plague to an end.

Anna should follow a cleansing ritual that will end the storm that has engulfed the death of the entire European continent. Behmen and Felson not alone. There was a priest named Debelzaq (Stephen Campbell Moore), a soldier named Eckhardt (Ulrich Thomsen, a con man named Hagamar (Stephen Graham), and a young man named Kay (Robert Sheehan). None of them are aware of how much danger would they face in bringing Anna's journey into the remote monastery. And no one knows who the real Anna

For months already Alice (Milla Jovovich) to find the location of Arcadia who was reputedly the hiding place of human remains safe from virus attacks T which transforms humans into zombies, but Alice did not also find the location of Arcadia. There alleged that Arcadia is located somewhere in Alaska. Alice was almost in despair and thought that if she is the last remaining humans on Earth.

When resting in a beach Alice attacked a woman who turns out to be Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) who is under the effect of control devices made by the Umbrella Corporation who. Fortunately she managed to free Claire who apparently do not remember anything. Together they then drove to Los Angeles which turned out to be a prison that contains traces of human beings who stuck there.

When Alice and Claire land in jail, they both met Chris (Wentworth Miller) who claimed to know the exact location of Arcadia. Despite initial disbelief but she and Claire have no choice when the prison was raided herd zombies. The three of them and then escape from the advancing zombies and find the location of Arcadia.

Unfortunately, now find Arcadia who turned out was a cargo ship, the location is really just a trap made by Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts) to collect the human remains will he make the object of experimentation and Claire turns out to be one of the objects that survived the experiment Albert .

The fourth part of the franchise, Resident Evil is a result besutan director Paul W. S. Anderson from a script he wrote himself. This film marks the first Resident Evil is produced in 3D format. The film also became the first to enter more characters than the version of his video games into movies.

Although it has been made four times but in reality franchise Resident Evil is still able to attract visitors. The proof is in the first week of release, the film is successfully made large profits and perched on top of the list of movie box office in North America. This also means that there are still many people who want to watch Milla Jovovich zombie massacre though most film critics had no interest in this film.

Like most post-Apocalypse-themed action movie, the story offered by Paul W. S. Anderson passed Resident Evil: AFTERLIFE is considered standard. Do not expect too much because the film is indeed designed to be watched while eating popcorn. Even if there is a little scene will be missed, it will not affect much on the end result you will receive.

Precisely in acting strange Milla Jovovich who look less maximal. It could be after playing as much as when times Alice, Milla begins to lose 'passion'. Instead Milla game in A PERFECT Getaway and The Fourth Kind looks better than in this film. So it seems only the backbone of the success of this film is the visual side of it. Moreover, this film was made in the 3D version.

Before officially became a member of the CIA, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) has vowed to always be faithful to duty, honor and country, and the oath was later becomes a statement when all of a sudden there are people who claim that Evelyn is actually a Russian agent who has a mission to destroy America . Stuck a conspiracy, there was no choice except to fight alone for Evelyn to clear his good name.

Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski) who are being questioned mentioned that indeed there is a mission called the Day X. This mission aims to kill the Russian president who is visiting the United States and who shall serve as the killer is Evelyn Salt. Results of analysis of brain wave state that Orlov was honest, which means Salt double agent. Aware that in jeopardy, Salt and then fled. At the same time, Orlov also escaped from the CIA and further strengthen the notion that Salt is involved.

The next day, Salt successfully entered the church that used to last tribute to the late vice-president of the United States. At the same time the President of Russia also attended the show. Unexpectedly, Salt and then kill the President. Instead of fleeing, instead of Salt but later gave himself up to escape again. In an instant, Salt, initially was a CIA agent became the number one fugitive in the United States. Who was Evelyn Salt? Does his past while living in the Soviet Union is part of all this?

Everyone knows that Angelina Jolie is beautiful and it is inevitably one of the charms of this film. But make no mistake, not only that which would be exploited by Phillip Noyce from this film. SALT is an action film but has a different touch with most action movies are crisp but never made full. Of texts written Kurt Wimmer and Brian Helgeland, Phillip is able to turn it into a spectacle that makes curious but at the same tense because the action presented.

In a way, from beginning to end, Angelina Jolie almost never stopped to draw breath. One scene is very tightly coupled to reduce the tension does not seem one bit. But when the eyes are pampered with a series of scenes earlier, there are still unanswered questions, "Who is Salt?" That's why this film so interesting.

About acting, this is not drama, and did not we can not demand more. But globally, both Angelina, Liev Schreiber, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, played quite lovely. If anyone feels less relevant perhaps is the attempt to raise again the issue of cold war that is already stale. Because it is also 'touch' Middle East and then inserted.

Although for the moment hostilities between Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) can be muted but the problems faced by Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) apparently has not been completed. The school year is almost over and the Bella must immediately make a choice.

Hostilities between the vampire and wolfpack are already hundreds of years old and can not be just an end but Bella is also not possible to choose between Edward and Jacob. Bella loves Edward, but he also did not want to lose Jacob as a friend while the two men in this life as though Bella did not get along. Even if there are to make the atmosphere a bit quiet area is just an agreement between the vampire and the wolfpack that remain held until recently.

At the moment already unpleasant atmosphere like this, new problems arise. Vampire again spread terror. Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) 0 killed several inhabitants of the city of Seattle with the intention to build armies to fight the newborns Cullen family and the wolfpack that protect Bella. Bella war within itself also increasingly raged. He must soon make a decision between the human remains or to follow Edward and changed into a vampire.

This is not the first time director David Slade's dealing with vampires. The director also did this before the movie about these blood-sucking creature, though with different nuances. This time David did not just make a vampire movie, but translating the works of Stephenie Meyer's popular novel into a visual form and it is not easy work.

The previous two films not directed by David Slade and this should make many compromises. On the one hand he must be able to carry the full version of her novel to fans of the popular novel was not disappointed while on the other hand it also have creativity as a director. Another problem is that it can not be too much change the tone of the two previous sections.

Fortunately David Slade's masterful enough had concocted a variety of requirements in the fourth section, entitled THE TWILIGHT SAGA: Eclipse. Some like the style from the second part of shooting from the air and the use of handheld camera that makes it feel more dynamic image is maintained while the depiction of the city of Seattle who was hit by outbreaks of vampires as David Slade's own interpretation of what he can from the experience of work on 30 DAYS OF NIGHT.

Timing feels better than the second part that feels slow though can not be denied if the dialogue between the players is still not much different from the two films that preceded it. Can not blame it because this movie was made for consumption of the teenager who clearly did not want a dialogue that is too heavy. And because of this third part is incidentally the most part the production cost, it certainly became more servings a good visual of the two previous sections.

Although he is a descendant of the god Zeus (Liam Neeson), Perseus (Sam Worthington) was raised among the people and never know if he has the power of god. Perseus could not even do much when his family became victims of malignancy Hades (Ralph Fiennes), the Dark Gods, which sought to control the entire universe.

Argus islanders began to disobey the gods. They burned the temple, threw down the statues and this made the gods angry at Olympia. Hades had come down to teach a lesson to those who are ungrateful. Hades asks the victim. He took Andromeda (Alexa Davalos) and threatened to remove the Kraken monster Argus if citizens remain defiant.

Unfortunately Hades one vote enemy. Perseus who can not take it anymore seeing Hades act that killed his adoptive parents decided to fight back. Together with some soldiers, Perseus set off to find a way to beat the Kraken and saved Andromeda. This mission is not an easy mission. Perseus had to face many of the natural inhabitants of the darkness before they could find the Andromeda.

Clash of the Titans Warner Bros. released. This is actually a remake of a film titled the same that appeared in 1981. The basic idea is to revive this old story in a visual form that is more acceptable to consumers today. This means, there would be many changes made except to improve the visual side, and it will not be too difficult because the current film technology was obviously much more advanced than in 1981.

In the matter of visual, Clash of the Titans this was not experienced many problems. Presented in two formats, 2D and 3D, CGI technology used in this film is far more realistic than the original version. Unfortunately, it can be expected from this movie. The rest was not much to see.

Indeed there are many big names attached as a support in this film. Sam Worthington is indeed on the rise is selected as the main character while Worthington was still there behind a row of names like Gemma Arterton, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson who seemed deliberately placed to become a 'guarantee' that the film is hit when released later.

Initial idea to make Universal Soldier does look promising but then proved that this role is the product machine fails to be a substitute army, the government decided to stop the project was millions of dollars. Unfortunately, the spread of nuclear threats by Dr. Colin (Kerry shale) to make the government was forced to turn back this project.

Luc Deveraux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a former Universal Soldier who was undergoing rehabilitation in order to live in a society is the only hope. Had no other choice, Luc was called and trained again in order to quell conspiracy Dr. Colin who had also had their own war machine. Dr. Colin managed to smuggle some former Universal Soldier, and use them for terrorist purposes.

Dr. Colin threatened to blow up the Chernobyl nuclear reactor if demands not met and only Luc who could penetrate the fortress of Chernobyl and disable all of these terrorists. Unfortunately there is one thing missing from the government estimates. Dr. Colin was also 'turn on' again Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren), Universal Soldier Luc enemy which was originally thought to have died. Can Luc beat Andrew, now nearly indestructible?

M.A.R.S. managed to make a biological weapon is very dangerous and name nanomites. James McCullen (Christopher Eccleston) and then ordered two NATO soldiers, Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) to escort a nanomites this bag from falling into the hands of people who are wrong.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA

Unfortunately on the way, Duke and Ripcord ambushed by a pack of mercenaries led by Baronness (Sienna Miller). Losses in the number and armament, Duke and Ripcord almost tragic fate if only General Hawk (Dennis Quaid) and his army came to help. But despite that, the bag still nanomites captured Baronness and his friends. General Hawk and Duke then invited to join the Ripcord elite troops that he forms a team of super soldiers he called the GI Joe. Feeling responsible for the nanomites now in the hands of a group of terrorists and revenge for the defeat of his old enemy, Baronness, Duke was willing to join with the GI Joe.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA

Now, along with Scarlett (Rachel Nichols), Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and the GI team Another Joe, Duke and Ripcord had to work hard chasing Baronness and all members of the Cobra organization that wishes to use this nanomites to control the entire world by sowing misery and fear. Film G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA was created based franchise toys GI Joe: A Real American Hero, produced by Hasbro between 1982 and 1994. In his version of the toy, there are about 500 characters in length and about 250 vehicles were released to the market and this film tries to give a visualization of the core characters that appear in this toy line.

Like understood that G.I. Joe is a legend, director Stephen Sommers tried to make this movie the story line as close as possible to the facts contained in this franchise. In general, this movie is like the extension of the franchise that started from toy products to be made this cartoon version. This fact is clearly going to be a gift for the die-hard fans of this franchise.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA

There are few things that make a Stephen Sommers 'successful' adaptation of this franchise is the selection of the cast who was quite capable of acting for a film that really did not need acting ability. Second, Stephen Sommers able to present a different experience for the audience. That is, the audience was brought to a close look at the action figures fight their idol up close. Fight choreography is not only interesting but made viewers can also see clearly 'what they are doing'.

Stephen Sommers is also carrying a stack of high-tech gadgets and combat vehicles like the toy and the cartoon version and made this movie so much closer to the original source. Although classified as an action movie with high blood pressure, but Sommers kept her 'friendly' for the children to remember this movie must be signed in PG-13 category. This means that, although the action is violent action, but you will not see any blood spilled like the SAW movies for example.

Unfortunately the existing surplus is not balanced by a good script, too. It could be said that the idea of this film's story is very simple, almost cartoon story ideas that duration approximately 30 minutes. Time left only be filled by a series of actions to meet the quota of action to be called a feature film.

Not enough characters to be explored so that the actors did not have room to make the characters feel they perankan 'lives. Dialogue practically absent and replaced with a series of catch phrases like "Damn, that ninja's fast!" or "Dead guys do not breakdance" for example. But apart from that, it still G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA it is a film that 'entertaining'.

Wolverine, fan favorite of the X-Men universe in both comic books and film, gets his own movie vehicle with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a tale that reaches way, way back into the hairy mutant's story. Somewhere in the wilds of northwest Canada in the early 1800s, two boys grow up amid violence: half-brothers with very special powers. Eventually they will become the near-indestructible warriors (and victims of a super-secret government program) known as Wolverine and Sabretooth, played respectively by Hugh Jackman (returning to his role) and Liev Schreiber (new to the scene). It helps enormously to have Schreiber, an actor of brawny skills, as the showiest villain; the guy can put genuine menace into a vocal inflection or a shift of the eyes.

Danny Huston is the sinister government operative whose experiments keep pullin' Wolverine back in, Lynn Collins is the woman who shares a peaceful Canadian co-existence with our hero when he tries to drop out of the program, and Ryan Reynolds adds needed humor, at least for a while. The fast-paced early reels give an entertaining kick-off to the Wolverine saga, only to slow down when a proper plot must be put together--but isn't that perpetually the problem with origin stories? And despite a cool setting, the grand finale is a little hemmed in by certain plot essentials that must be in place for the sequels, which may be why characters do nonsensical things.

So, this one is fun while it lasts, if you're not looking for a masterpiece, or an explanation for Wolverine's facial grooming. --Robert Horton

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" strongly succeeds in conveying the pure "testosterone-filled" masculine energy of the character, and the overall essence of the character - his conflicted journey as he strives to become more than what he has been, and some of the key emotional relationships in his past. The filmmakers have wisely chosen to streamline 20+ years of needless published exposition & contrivances - in order to focus on the strong CORE of the character, which is what has "hooked" readers and moviegoers for the past 34 years

Logan / Wolverine is not the "deepest" or "most profound" character ever to grace the printed page, or the cinema screen. The essence of the character is primal, direct, but never simple or two-dimensional. But, in the words of the fictional character himself, in his niche, he is "the best there is at what he does." And more importantly, so is the Driving Force behind this film: Hugh Jackman.

# Directors: Brett Ratner
# Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
# Language: Englisha

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The plotline may sound familiar: Two mismatched cops are assigned as reluctant partners to solve a crime. Culturally they are complete opposites, and they quickly realize they can't stand each other. One (Jackie Chan) believes in doing things by the book. He is a man with integrity and nerves of steel. The other (Chris Tucker) is an amiable rebel who can't stand authority figures. He's a man who has to do everything on his own, much to the displeasure of his superior officer, who in turn thinks this cop is a loose cannon but tolerates him because he gets the job done.

Directed by Brett Ratner, Rush Hour doesn't break any new ground in terms of story, stunts, or direction. It rehashes just about every "buddy" movie ever made--in fact, it makes films such as Tango and Cash seem utterly original and clever by comparison. So, why did this uninspired movie make over $120 million at the box office? Was the whole world suffering from temporary insanity? Hardly. The explanation for the success of Rush Hour is quite simple: chemistry. The casting of veteran action maestro Jackie Chan with the charming and often hilarious Chris Tucker was a serendipitous stroke of genius.

Fans of Jackie Chan may be slightly disappointed by the lack of action set pieces that emphasize his kung-fu craft. On the other hand, those who know the history of this seasoned Hong Kong actor will be able to appreciate that Rush Hour was the mainstream breakthrough that Chan had deserved for years. Coupled with the charismatic scene-stealer Tucker, Chan gets to flex his comic muscles to great effect. From their first scenes together to the trademark Chan outtakes during the end credits, their ability to play off of one another is a joy to behold, and this mischievous interaction is what saves the film from slipping into the depths of pitiful mediocrity. --Jeremy Storey

Kung fu legend Donnie Yen (Hero, Seven Swords) returns as the police force's most dangerous detective, building a case against a vicious trio of drug smuggling brothers. When evidence is destroyed and witnesses are murdered, he takes the fight directly to his enemies - no holds barred.

My expectations were quite high for this one, as I had heard from several people that it is definetly a great martial arts action film. I also see a lot of comparisons to the previously released "SPL aka Kill Zone" and rightfully so, since Flashpoint has both the same director (Wilson Yip) and the same action star (Donnie Yen). Though I find Flashpoint not quite up to par overall with SPL, that's still saying quite a bit, since SPL seems to be the film to beat these days. But what Flashpoint may lack in overall tone, it more than makes up for with breathtakingly superb fight action, Donnie Yen style.

Now when I say Donnie Yen style, it's cool and it's MMA (mixed martial arts). Well, at least he's always trying to act cool (as many reviewers will point out about Yen) and I guess it works, but its never necessary. Yen is so skillfull with his choreogrpahy and skill that that's plenty cool enough for me. Flashpoint is praised for its incredible fight action, but it will have to wait about an hour into the film for it to begin, When it does, it is intense and never lets up. The final 30 minutes of the film is the huge climax.

Tensions and emoitons are at the highest (I want to say almost comparable to SPL at this point, and ironically the stories are somewhat similar as far as Yen's character is concerned). The tension can be felt in the fights, as the past hour of the film all comes together in what is to be a spectacular finish. There is a decent shootout that occurs throughout fields of grass before we see the big one on one between Donnie Yen and our main villain - Collin Chou (Matrix Sequals, Forbidden Kingdom). The fight lasts 8 minutes and is almost unlike anything I have seen. Even Yen and Chou stated that this fight was the most difficult and accomplished of their careers thus far. It is fast, furious, and complete with a few slow motion kicks and punches that all felt perfectly placed - you can almost feel the raw power behind a Donnie Yen knockout.

As good as the climax of Flashpoint may be, its the first hour that keeps it from being a perfect film. Though the story is interesting and worth watching to feel the true impact of the exciting conclusion, its still a slow ride that has almost no action to keep things moving. The characters, plot, script etc also don't have quite the effect of that in SPL, and the villain Collin Chou was basically an average villain without any unique qualities (until the last 30 minutes of the film!)

Despite the slow hour of the film, I can't stress enough how much it is still worth it when that last 30 minutes comes around. I'm not sure we'll see a fight quite like that again anytime soon. It is definelty worth buying this dvd and you will want to watch it several times as I already have. 4.5 Overall for exceptional martial arts action.

Based on the popular comic book series by Ma Wing Shung (whose work "Wind and Cloud" was also the inspiration for the box-office megahit "The Storm Riders"), "A Man Called Hero" stars pop idol Ekin Cheng as Hero, a martial arts master whose family possesses the mighty Red Sword. When his family is slaughtered, Hero flees with the sought-after sword to the United States, where he attempts to rebuild his life and take revenge. Filled with breathtaking, fights, dazzling visual effects, and the now-famous epic battle on the top of the Statue of Liberty. "A Man Called Hero" is a cinematic triumph in special effects film making.

Import only Blu-Ray/Region All pressing. In 208 A.D., in the final days of the Han Dynasty, shrewd Prime Minister Cao Cao (Zhang Feng Yi) convinced the fickle Emperor Han the only way to unite all of China was to declare war on the kingdoms of Xu in the west and East Wu in the south. Thus began a military campaign of unprecedented scale, led by the Prime Minister, himself. Left with no other hope for survival, the kingdoms of Xu and East Wu formed an unlikely alliance. Numerous battles of strength and wit ensued, both on land and on water, eventually culminating in the battle of Red Cliff. During the battle, two thousand ships were burned, and the course of Chinese history was changed forever

Based on the celebrated Kung Fu Master of Bruce Lee. A film based on the life of Yip Man was released in 2008 and stars Donnie Yen as the martial artist. Yip Man's son appears in the film and served as a consultant for the film. The film focuses on Yip's life during the 1930s to the 1940s during Second Sino-Japanese War. The film is the first to be based on the life of Yip Man.

This film is one of the best movies ever made about a real life and true Kung Fu Master. Donnie Yen plays the part of Yip Man, at first when I heard that a movie of Yip Man was being made and that Donnie Yen was playing the main role well I thought that he would have to learn Wing Chun for at lease a year to be believable but his Wing Chun was so good that it appeared that he had been learning Wing Chun Kung Fu for a long time.

I've seen this movie about 6 or 7 times now and all I can tell you is that I can't get enough of it. Now I don't think every scene in the movie was factual or based on the life of this amazing man but I do know that Yip Man was and is the main reason why Wing Chun is even known about today. If it were not for him accepting students in Hong Kong, then Wing Chun would possibly be hidden forever. Yip Man's most famous student was the great Bruce Lee, due to his popularity people around the world learned of the great system of Kung Fu known as "WING CHUN"

Getting martial-arts superstars Jet Li and Jackie Chan together in the same action film is like a fantasy come true, even if The Forbidden Kingdom is more of a children's movie than an instant kung-fu classic. Yes, Li and Chan square off in a lengthy, acrobatic fight scene that is a lot of fun, though it can't be what such a scene might have been even a decade ago: careful editing now compensates for the 54-year-old Chan's slower moves and reflexes. Still, Chan doesn't disappoint as Lu Yan, a drunken immortal in ancient China who mentors a modern-day American kid, Jason (Michael Angarano), the latter having slipped into the past while in possession of a magical staff that belongs to the imprisoned Monkey King (Li). In order to get back to his own time and help an old friend (also Chan) wounded by thugs, Jason accompanies Lu Yan and a lovely warrior, Golden Sparrow (Liu Yifei), on a journey to return the staff. Along the way, a (mostly) silent monk (Li, again), who has spent his life in search of the staff, joins their mission.

He helps Lu Yan train Jason in fighting and adding more muscle to the party as it comes under siege from a violent witch (Li Bing Bing) and pathological warlord (Collin Chou). Screenwriter John Fusco (Hidalgo) and director Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion) have made a slightly chintzy, Western version of a Chinese swords-and-sorcery tale. The gravity-defying, flying-through-the-air-while-fighting choreography looks pretty choppy and graceless compared to, say, the martial arts films of Zhang Yimou. But The Forbidden Kingdom is really aimed at kids, not aficionados of epic fight movies. On that score, the movie aims to please and does so for the right audience. -- Tom Keogh

he Chinese fantasy aspects are authentic, if not accurate (much in the same way the HBO series Rome is not a completely accurate recounting of events, but an authentic recreation of the tone of ancient Rome). They throw in things like The Monkey King and his golden staff, soldier monks, drunken immortals and even The Bride With White Hair. And the Chinese philosophy, for those familiar with it, is spot on.

Jackie Chan and Jet Li are fantastic not only as fighters, but comedically as well. (There's a scene involving rain that had absolutely everyone in the theater laughing hard.) Anganaro puts in a surprising turn physically -- he looks like he got a lot of martial training. Yifei Liu is heartbreakingly lovely.

It's probably a little scary for young kids -- there is some intense violence in the beginning, for instance. And there are sappy moments, as you would expect for a kid's film. But it means well. I have to say that I had a bit of trouble making out the English of some of the Chinese actors sometimes, tho -- and I'm Chinese-American! I worry others might have even worse problems.

Like a contagious virus, pretty and athletic girls in their teens start disappearing around the globe one after another. The mastermind behind these abductions is Madame M. (Almen Wong), who plans to train these girls into professional killers. After several years of gruesome training, only Charlene (Maggie Q), Katt (Anya), and Jill (Jewel Lee) survive and become the world's most sought-after professional killers. On a recent mission to assassinate someone in Hong Kong, however, Charlene is shocked to see her long-lost mother and as a result she comes face to face with CIA agent Jack (Daniel Wu), who vows to help her reclaim her past by eliminating Madame M.

Chris Chan Lee's film noir Undoing, spotlighted rising star Sung Kang (Better Luck Tomorrow, The Motel) as an aimless young tough in way over his head against crooked cops and various mobsters. An atmospheric grafting of Hong Kong action stylistics onto the L.A. cityscape, the film benefits from its assured feel for the streets of Los Angeles, putting its Koreatown setting and Asian-American characters firmly within the traditions of both genres. --Jason Sanders, FilmMaker Magazine

After a mysterious year-long absence ex-gangster, SAM (Sung Kang, The Fast & The Furious 3) returns to Los Angeles determined to find redemption for his past. He soon becomes intertwined with his old mentor DON (Tom Bower, Die Hard 2), a retired gangster and VERA (Kelly Hu, X Men2, Scorpion King), the lover he abandoned. Sam is soon drawn back into the shadowy world he left behind where he now finds himself being hunted by a ruthless hit man, LEON (Russell Wong, Romeo Must Die) as he enters a world of impossible desires, loneliness and isolation. Can Sam undo his mistakes before losing all that he came back to save?

Director Zhang Yimou brings the sumptuous visual style of his previous films (Raise the Red Lantern, Shanghai Triad) to the high-kicking kung fu genre. A nameless warrior (Jet Li, Romeo Must Die, Once Upon a Time in China) arrives at an emperor's palace with three weapons, each belonging to a famous assassin who had sworn to kill the emperor. As the nameless man spins out his story--and the emperor presents his own interpretation of what might really have happened--each episode is drenched in red, blue, white or another dominant color. Hero combines sweeping cinematography and superb performances from the cream of the Hong Kong cinema (Maggie Cheung, Irma Vep, Comrades: Almost a Love Story; Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, In the Mood for Love, Hard Boiled; and Zhang Ziyi, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). The result is stunning, a dazzling action movie with an emotional richness that deepens with every step. --Bret Fetzer

Set in China's past, before the first emperor, the film tells the story of a town magistrate who is summoned by the king of Qin to tell the story of how he defeated those who plotted to kill him.