Tsui Hark and Ching Siu-tung blend wartime adventure with comic book storytelling in The Raid, an adaptation of the classic Hong Kong manhua Uncle Choi. With Kenny B and A4E’s Michael Scott. Contact the show via email at podcastonfire at googlemail.com, on our Facebook page and Facebook group or X (@podcastonfire, @sogoodreviews) and SUBSCRIBE to our iTunes feed. Music courtesy of Brian Kirby. Running […]

In this episode, we spotlight three early films from director John Woo. We kick things off with quick takes on two of his comedies, Money Crazy and Follow the Star, before turning our attention to the main feature: Woo’s striking early wuxia effort, Last Hurrah for Chivalry. It’s a fascinating turning point in his career, […]

In part two, we move from rise to reckoning. Lee Rock II sees Lui Lok consolidating his power, facing family tensions with his grown son (Aaron Kwok), and navigating the corruption crackdown that forces his retreat from Hong Kong. We look at the time jumps, Andy Lau’s aged portrayal, and whether the sequel’s emotional beats […]

(Previously published exclusively on the website, this episode is now available in the podcast feed) South Korea’s magical romance Il Mare is remade in America as The Lake House. With Kenny B and Paul Quinn.

Today is episode one of our two-part look at Lee Rock and Lee Rock II, a four-hour crime saga based on the life of Lui Lok, a real Hong Kong police officer whose career took him from cadet to high-ranking power broker within a deeply corrupt system. Andy Lau plays the role across both films, […]

Lau Kar-Leung meets buddy cop comedy in Tiger on the Beat! Chow Yun-Fat and Conan Lee bicker, banter, and brawl their way through heroin smugglers and a chainsaw duel you won’t forget. It’s a classic Hong Kong genre mash-and-smashup, mixing slapstick, squib-heavy carnage, and Lau’s signature choreography with explosive modern action. With Kenny B and […]

Hong Kong cinema goes full comic book madness in Saviour of the Soul! Inspired by City Hunter but transformed into something uniquely Hong Kong, this film blends slick action, wild visuals, and larger-than-life characters. We break down its manga and anime influences, its dazzling style, and its place in the careers of Andy Lau, Anita […]

A title so fantastic, we had no choice but to cover it. In The Holy Virgin vs the Evil Dead (1991), martial arts director Tony Lou—who’d already jumped from wild Wuxia epics to girls-with-guns carnage—takes the Category III plunge and ends up in bed with Donnie Yen (not literally, but you get the idea). It’s […]

The heartfelt story of how you escape the headlock of horror—the director of A Tale of Two Sisters and I Saw the Devil gives us Song Kang-ho as a bank clerk turned wrestler in The Foul King (2000). With Kenny B, joined by resident Korean cinema expert—perhaps even Korean wrestling expert—Paul Quinn. Running Times:  00m […]

Michelle Yeoh’s filmography is vast, so we’re trying something new. Instead of covering every film, we’re selecting three to highlight her action legacy. Two quick reviews focus on her 90s wuxia and action work with Holy Weapon and Wonder Seven, while our deep dive goes into her action debut Yes, Madam. With Kenny B and […]