The Man With Iron Fists (2012)

Opening Fight: 2/5

X Blade vs Group: 2.75/5

X Blade & Guards vs Batista: 2.25/5

The Gemini vs The Lions: 3.25/5

Girls vs Lions: 3/5

Jack Knife vs Dagger: 1.5/5

Rza vs Batista: 2.75/5

X Blade vs Silver Lion: DUD



Rza made a kung fu movie. This is that. It's mediocre. But it's really cool to see Rza pay homage to the old school style kung fu flicks. The problem is that there's nothing fresh or interesting about it. And the fights are nothing special. Russell Crowe is great. So is the main villain. The universe Rza creates is interesting. But it doesn't truly satisfy.

Skipable.

One Last Rumble (2009)

Lester vs Edmund: 4.25/5

Lester vs Bakia: 4/5

Lester vs Edmund: 4.75/5


One of my all time favorite martial arts indie shorts. Lester's Magnum Opus. The Finale between him and Edmund is fantastic. And the other 2 fights are also great. HIGHLY recommended.

Pandora's Box (2014)

Irvin vs Mikey: 3/5


Good fight. Irvin's screen fighting has improved tremendously. His kicking and tricking is very smooth. And I like the MMA style stuff here. I only wish they had left in sound effects for Mikey's ground and pound. Overall solid stuff.

Second Life (2014)

Kitchen Fight: 3.25/5

Building Fight 1: 2.25/5

Building Fight 2: 3.75/5


Nice MMA style fighting in this short film. The kitchen fight has a cool transition from a Triangle choke into a Gogoplata. Really good fight, especially considering they did it all in that one little area.

The last fight has great handwork and fluid choreography. Feels gritty and realistic, but still looks pretty. If it had gone a little longer it would be 4 stars or more. Note that there is some sound level inconsistency throughout the short film. I had to adjust accordingly. Still, recommended.

Bahad a.k.a. Threat (2014)

Fight Scene: 3.75/5


Cool stuff. I dig eskrima and there are some really good exchanges here. Throws, falls and good choreo combined with great pacing. LBP does solid work.

Future Boss (2013)

Eric vs Lorenz: 4.5/5


Two of my favorite screen fighters ever, indie or otherwise, finally going at it. Man I've been waiting on this for a while. And it doesn't disappoint. This fight is all around excellent. Especially once Eric learns how to fight, it leads to some fantastic exchanges. Great kicking, falls and handwork. Fast and fluid. Love it.

Informant (2011)

Eric vs Andy: 4.75/5


Two of my favorite indie guys mixing it up. It honestly even exceeded my expectations. Man this fight is amazing. Excellent rhythm, pacing and choreography. So fast and fluid. Indie martial arts screen fighting at its finest.

Ness (2011)

Eric vs Lucas & Alvin: 3.75/5

Ed vs Hiroshi: 3.25/5

Eric vs Hiroshi: 4.25/5


Eric and Hiroshi have great screen fighting chemistry. I love watching these guys trade blows. Also Eric's fight with Alvin and Lucas is really good, even though it's short. I can tell Eric and Alvin also have great chemistry, and Lucas has improved tremendously.

Great work as usual, by the Stuntpeople.

Project A (1983)

Sailors vs Police: 2.75/5

Lobby Fight: 3.25/5

Bike Fight: 4/5

Jackie & Sammo vs Thugs: 3/5

Clocktower fight: 2/5

Finale: 3.75/5


Don't let the ratings fool you, this is a fun movie. There just aren't that many substantial fight scenes. A lot of it is chasing. The Finale pits Dick Wei against the 3 Dragons, which is a blast. Movies with all 3: Jackie, Sammo and Yuen... are rare. So this is a lot of fun. There just isn't that much fighting.

The Bike fight/chase however, is inventive and funny. I very much enjoyed it. And Jackie pulls off an amazing Clocktower stunt too. Worth the buy. Recommended.

Warriors Two (1978)

Mr. Tsang vs Cashier Hua: 2.5/5

Cashier Hua vs Swordsmen and Big 3: 2.75/5

Mayor's Guard vs Swordsmen, Thunder & Iron Body: 2.75/5

Mr. Tsang vs Thunder & Iron Body: 3/5

Chasier Hua vs Fat Chun: 2/5

Fat Chun vs Beetle: 2.75/5

Mr. Tsang vs Assasins & Big 3: 4/5

School vs assasins and Big 3: 2.75/5

Fat Chun vs Tiger: 3.75/5

Cashier Hua vs Thunder: 4.25/5

Phoenix vs 2 Swordsmen: 3.25/5

Fat Chun vs 2 Swordsmen: 4/5

Cashier Hua vs Iron Body: 4/5

Fat Chun vs Master Yao: 1/5

Cashier Hua & Fat Chun vs Boss Mo: 4.5/5


One of my favorite old school flicks. Besides the fight with Dean Shek, everything here is solid. The earlier scraps set up larger scale fights towards the end. Casanova's kicking is soooo good. Lau Kar Leung carries himself very well as the Master. Fung Hak On's Mantis style looks deadly. And Sammo is in top form.

This film is considered one of the best Wing Chun movies out there, and for good reason. I love Wing Chun as a martial art and many of the techniques and a lot of the philosophy is on display here.

Highly Recommended.

Nice Guy Hunter (2013)

1st fight: 2.25/5

Finale: 3.5/5


Eric and Irving sure have grown since they started making films. The first fight is really more about story than about technical prowess. In the finale Irving turns it up and carries himself like a star. Lots of tricks and athleticism displayed by him.

I enjoy this short film, if not for the finale alone. Recommended.

Contour (2007)

Opening Fight: 3.5/5

Eric vs Andy: 4.75/5

Dennis & Ray vs Vlad, Troy & Thugs: 3.75/5

Ed vs Rabbit: 2.5/5

Ed vs Phantom: 4/5

Tyler vs Thugs: 2.25/5

Ed vs Troy & Thugs: 4.5/5

Andy & Vlad vs Ray: 4/5

Eric vs Dennis: 5/5

Man, what can I even say? Contour is one of the best martial arts movies of all time. It's not just "good for an indie movie". It's incredible. It's honestly probably in my top 5 fighting movies ever. And I've watched a lot of fighting movies. 

What's so great, beyond just the pure quality and amount of fighting there is, is the variation of fighting. From 1 vs many, to a baseball bat eskrima fight, to a wing chun duel to your standard straight up kickboxing clash...Contour offers so many fights and every fight tells its own unique story through its own unique brand of martial art. Great stuff.

I mean, the ratings speak for themselves. Just buy it, support these guys. Go to the stuntpeople.com and see for yourself. HIGHLY recommended. 

Rope A Dope (2013)

Finale: 4.75/5

What can I say, the Stuntpeople simply rule. Adding Lorenz of the Young Masters to the mix doesn't hurt either. Eric and Dennis have the excellent screen fighting chemistry that they've always displayed. I didn't grade the other fights leading up to the finale because it doesn't make sense to. The finale is my favorite fight scene of 2013. And as a short film this may be my favorite SP short film ever. That's all you need to know. Highly Recommended.

Walter Garcia's "Hermanos" (2012)

Fight Scene: 3.75/5

Love the accompanying music to the fight. Gives it a distinct Latino vibe. Very good choreography. A believable 2 vs 1 exchange. And an interesting location as well. I dig this short film.

Walter Garcia's "De Oppresso Libre" (2013)

Group Fight: 3.75/5

Solid finale group fight here. Gritty and realistic. And emotionally charged.

Live Action Sleeping Dogs Fight Film (2012)

Opening Fight: 3.5/5

Restaurant Fight: 3.75/5

Parking Lot Fight: 4.25/5

Solid fighting throughout, and the parking lot fight picks it up even more. It reminds me of the parking lot fight in Righting Wrongs a.k.a. Above The Law. Xin Yu is an absolute beast of a screen fighter. The fact that he reminds me of my all time favorite screen fighter, Yuen Biao, is saying something.

Walter Garcia's "Just Another Day" (2014)

Bar Fight: 2.75/5

Finale: 3.5/5


Bar fight was a solid, brutal exchange. The finale takes it to the next level. Great throws in there and a solid knife exchange. Solid work from Walter Garcia.

"The Rival Reunion" (2014)

Fight Scene: 4/5

Andy and Daniel deliver great screen fighting here. There's a flair of anime style in this, which I love. And the fight tells a great story, and is broken up into acts, which always makes a fight feel more special.

Vlad's "Dragon Lady" (2014)

Brendon vs Pei Pei: 4.5/5

Excellent stuff. Inventive choreo and good humor as well. Pei Pei looks like a million bucks here. One of my favorite Vlad fights to date.

Vlad's "Hammer Girl" (2014)

Fight Scene: 4/5

Great choreography, and brutal as well. Might have even given it higher if there had been time for Mickey to fight Caitlin. I know they filmed this all in a day, which is impressive. I haven't seen the actual Raid 2 Hammer girl fight, but this fight sets some high expectations for it with me. Vlad, great work as usual. And everyone played their part very well.

The Young Master (1980)

Jackie w/ Fan vs fat Dude: 3.5/5

3 Outlaws vs Officers: 3.75/5

Hwang in Shik vs Officers: 4.25/5

Sword Fight: 3.5/5

Jackie vs Yuen Biao: 3.5/5

Jackie vs Yuen Biao 2: 4/5

Jackie vs Chief: 3.25/5

Jackie vs Chief's daughter: 3/5

Jackie vs 2 Outlaws: 3.75/5

Jackie vs Hwang in Shik: 4.75/5

Man, when I think about this movie I don't usually think about it as one of my favorite fighting movies of all time. But upon review, it's probably up there. The thing with a lot of old school kung fu films is the choreo tends to be slower but more about showcasing the art. But there's some beautiful stuff here. Even the first fight with the fan, though it has no real drama to it, features beautiful fan work from Jackie. He makes the fan look like a viable weapon.

I love that Yuan Biao's in this, and that he's a total asshole to Jackie in the movie. The two clash a couple times and Yuen Biao fights with a bench, of all things. That's why old school movies can be so fun. Strange weapons are commonplace.

Hwang In Shik is a total badass every moment he's onscreen. He showcases hapkido brilliantly in this. The end fight between him and Jackie is glorious. It's a short film unto itself. 15 minutes of action, with Jackie taking heavy damage for 12 of those minutes. Young Jackie sure was durable. A tour de force of a finale.

Highly recommended.