Watch The Powerful First Episode Of Epic Rival's CLANDESTINE

It probably dawned on many of you who may have been following the workings of online film production group, Thousand Pounds Action Company, since promoting and successfully fundraising their newest action series, Clandestine, why it feels like it has taken forever to see what the project has to offer. It probably feels the same way for its creative trio, Chris Cowan, Haile Lee and Lex Randleman, who kicked off their second film production arm, Epic Rival, back in April, while doing their best to help bring Clandestine to its fullest potential. That, of course, meant taking it to various studios for any number of meetings to see about possible network expansion, and deservedly so.

If you've been following Cowan and Lee for at least as long as the last couple of years, you will notice the electric responses they've received for the amount and quality of work they have achieved in the past several years, bringing a careful touch to their visionary blend of live-action spectacle with martial arts and storytelling gems, layered with attributions to various elements and franchises of gaming and Japanese anime and manga, from their numerous conceptual videos for Clandestine, to the arduous wait and delivery of the independently made Naruto Shippuden: Dreamer's Fight, Eleven, Street Fighter X Tekken and even their most recent homage to TMNT, all of which have generated some of the biggest online viral video crowds to date, from the interwebs and blogosphere to the gatherings at Anime Expo in Los Angeles. It's all been about strength in numbers at this point, because even as we've come this far, Cowan, Lee and Randleman are going to need all the support they can get as they continue their quest to bring Clandestine to episodic life.

The fundrasier eventually led to the subsequent completion of two principal episodes sampling the epic generational story of love, honor, family, betrayal and spirtual awakening, all encompassed in a young woman's quest of self-discovery amidst political upheaval and turmoil among polarized clans. Lady Bloodfight star, actress and stuntwoman, Amy Johnston, whose 2012 action sampler at the formerly-titled White Lotus kung fu gym has become the talk of the interwebs, is the heroine of this stellar new project, and as you will see by the release of the first episode in the player below, if the quality and impact here say nothing else about Clandestine, it certainly says this: There are too many good projects out there online that get left by the wayside because someone upstairs in a suit who is too busy looking up the next thing to adapt from a comic book or video game doesn't know a good thing when they see it. This has to stop.

Clandestine is fresh, original and rich with all the trappings of what could be a truly awesome and fruitful investment in televised action adventure programmimg. And after this write up, I hope the right people will start paying attention. Because if not now, then when?

Johnston is joined by Marshal Hilton and Judith Scarpone, along with Jaymes Edwards, Ming Lo, Luise Heath, actor and stunt coordinator Aaron Toney, Laura Burgo, Michelle Lee, Christopher Rivas and Katrina Walters, with episode two excerpts featuring Reuben Langdon, Linden King, Jimmy Chhiu and Gui DaSilva.

SERIES DESCRIPTION:

Enter the world of Clandestine.  

Hidden within the recesses of modern society, lives four ancient supernatural clans who have been feuding since the beginning of time. Adelene, a young girl who knew nothing of the war between the clans, is suddenly thrown in the thick of it when it's prophesied that she is the next matriarchal successor to the one of the Families. 

Adelene begins her journey to learn all of what mankind has forgotten as she struggles to become the clans new "Matriarch". The secrets of what life was like "before", the decisions that risk countless lives, and the constant struggle to keep the clan united, are just a few of the dangerous trials she must now face... and survival is not guaranteed.  

A martial arts action epic with political intrigue, love, and unforgettable supernatural action. 

Epic Rival presents: Clandestine

Watch episode one below and stay tuned for further updates one number two and the series in its continued efforts. Happy New Year!

THE GRANDMASTER 3D Re-Release Issues New Posters And A Trailer

Aside from all its accolades, director Wong Kar Wai's most recent kung fu epic, The Grandmaster, is probably the most lauded by critics for the tedious approach its helmer has taken to bring about a perfect version, of which there have already been several in the past year or so. Nontheless, Wong took it upon himself earlier this year to take the film back under the knife once more for a 3D conversion announced earlier this year in the hopes of creating a more streamlined and cohesive film, one that will likely be much more shorter than its original Chinese release. Alas, the newly 3D-converted film will be getting a 111-minute duration with some newer footage for its China audience beginning on January 8, 2015.

SYNOPSIS (from TWC):

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, THE GRANDMASTER is an epic action feature inspired by the life and times of the legendary kung fu master, Ip Man. The story spans the tumultuous Republican era that followed the fall of China’s last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war that was also the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Filmed in a range of stunning locations that include the snow-swept landscapes of Northeast China and the subtropical South, THE GRANDMASTER features virtuoso performances by some of the greatest stars of contemporary Asian cinema, including Tony Leung and Ziyi Zhang.

The film also probably marks the last time any of us sees Zhang in a martial arts role unless she plans on surprising us somewhere down the line, in which case, I personally don't mind. As for The Grandmaster 3D, I certainly hope that this version takes kindly to the needs of the niche both at home and abroad; Aside from seeing master Yuen Woo-Ping's masterful choreography on sheer display, clearly the China version was better, and the critics have all agreed and it's high time they were listened to...that is provided that a U.S. release is also in order.

Check out the trailer below along with the new posters in the following album, and feel free to visit Wong's official blog for more insight and extra content.

H/T: Indiewire

Joseon's Greatest Detective Returns In The New Teaser For DETECTIVE K: THE LABORER'S DAUGHTER

Despite however you may feel about movies based on books or other mediums, fans of Joseon-era action comedies have surely gotten a kick out of director Kim Suk-Yoon's 2011 whodunit flick, Detective K: Secret Of Virtuous Widow. Clearly it did well enough for itself having initally spawned from a 2007 publication by author Kim Tak-Hwan, and with interest in a sequel brings the return of lead actors Kim Myung-Min and Oh Dal-Su to reprise their roles from the first in the upcoming release of Detective K: The Laborer's Daughter with award-winning actress Lee Yeon-Hee also starring.

SYNOPSIS:

"Detective K" is the greatest Joseon detective story ever told about a private eye who is part clumsy and part genius with slyness and wit as his weapon. In 1795, the nineteenth year of King Jeongjo’s reign, a large amount of fake silver is slipped into circulation creating a substantial threat to the economy. Detective Kim Min is assigned the task to investigate the crime ring behind the scheme. He goes undercover in a rural village with his best friend and sidekick, Seo-Pil. In the village, the pair meets a girl called Dahae who asks them to help her find her missing sister. Soon, Dahae goes missing, too, and discolored, bluish corpses of village girls begin to wash up on the shore. Kim Min discovers that these deaths are directly related to the manufacturing operation of counterfeit silver.

The film has a few working titles but is set to release in South Korea in a couple of months, and thankfully, there's a teaser to accommodate our patience. Check it out just beneath and watch for more news ahead.

ROPE-A-DOPE 2 Gets An Online Date And Poster!

Internet martial arts action sensation, actor and stuntman Eric Jacobus has made a name for himself with over a decade of innovative choreography and storytelling to fulfill the voracious needs of genre fans everywhere. He certainly achieved great notoriety with last year's shortfilm release, Rope-A-Dope, which became a festival hit prior to its acclaim online earning the approval of fans virtually everywhere. However, if you thought he was just going to rest on his laurels and end it there, think again.

Hopefully you managed to catch the last batch of set photos from principal photography from the summer. The first installment started things off pretty small, and rightfully so, as you can expect an even larger ensemble cast of performers for an even crazier set up of comedic action featuring Jacobus as our lead against fellow Stunt People member, stuntman and actor Dennis Ruel reprising his role. Only this time, the Dope's next misadventures will unfold, revealing just a little more about the Martial Arts Mafia, and the curse that consumes him in his quest to stop the vicious cycle that puts him in a neverending loop of defeat.

Rope-A-Dope 2: Return Of The Martial Arts Mafia is releasing online on January 12, 2015 to commemorate the 14th anniversary of The Stunt People. And for this, peep at the new poster below by actor Wildchild Gil Sanabria, and follow the shortfilm on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

Wu Jing Offers Three New WOLF WARRIOR Posters With Attitude!

It probably doesn't help that it feels more and more like a tease to see all these posters for action star Wu Jing's directorial debut, Wolf Warrior. The famed martial arts wunderkind has grown immensely in his craft over the years, whilst having recently been placed on leave to heal from his share of on-set injuries just after filming Cheang Pou-Soi's S.P.L.: A Time For Consequences, and hopefully absence from the screen won't be a permanent one.

Nevertheless though, all the posters and trailers we've seen for this newest display of explosive commando warfare have been nothing short of reassuring that Wu himself has cut his teeth quite well enough to earn himself a feature film with this much spectacle. Here, he portrays a soldier with authority issues whose newly applied training to a special commando unit will pit him in the turrets of a bloodthirsty foreign merc, and his squad of highly-trained killers.

It's a perfect set up and one that may guarantee a great time at the movies, and for an IMAX/3D display at that. Unfortunately, the wait is a little longer with a date to be set for March in 2015 so let's bide our time until then with a bit of Wu's rebellious nature in three new posters added below.

THE HIT LIST - December 29, 2014

It's been another amazing year of presenting independent action to help their respective creators attain bigger audiences. There were a few that were supposed to come out by now, but unfortunately some of those (as usual) tend to take longer, whether or not they have to do with post-production or other plans for allocation. Maybe 2015 will bring better, much deserved prospects. Action films need to get better, and the folks included in this week's Hit List are just a handful of people worthy to help in this cause.

What better way to celebrate post-holiday cheer than to watch two Santas duke it out to see which one is more badass?! It's Good Santa vs. Evil Santa performed by Italian stuntfighting team D-Unit's own Mirco Cazzol and Loris Ripamonti in Mission: Impossible - Christmas Protocol!

Here is another new gem from Canadian stunt team, Eclipse Stunts with a newly released trailer for Jingle Bell Rocked. The project never got finished, as always with a lot of independent shorts that fall ill to lack of time and busy scheduling of its performers, but it still presents a nice little glimpse of what could have been. Maybe one day we will get to see a full fight scene from it, although I'm not sure. At any rate, the trailer is up for viewing.

Seven years after mixing it up on YouTube, stuntmen and brothers Alfred Hsing and Alvin Hsing are following up on their holiday tradition with another installment of Holiday Hsing Fight. It's got a nice little set up and both of these guys have have sharpened greatly over the years within their repsective careers. It shows and hopefully you've already taken notice. If not, then it's not too late to do so now.

Independent filmmaker and martial arts enthusiast, Eric Nguyen re-launched his official website for his film platform over at Lunar Stunts Action Cinema. As such, he's accompanied his latest update with fresh new content in the form of some cool behin-the-scenes footage showcasing Nguyen with performers Irvin Nguyen and Mickey Arce on the set of his own recent short, El Guerrero. It's not often shorts like these get their own making-of featurettes, so its great to have these little windows that allow us to look at these up-and-coming professionals from a genuine perspective; In my own humble opinion, one thing I've noticed is that Irvin smiles a lot. He can literally kick your ass with a smile on his face and not even know it... I guess some of us have yet to reach that level of "cool".

Take a look below and feel free to visit the website and check out Nguyen's entry along with a couple of set pictures for good measure.

Up next is another little bit of back and forth from Wolf Stunts' own David Conk behind the lens, collaborating with screenfighters Anthony Anderson, Blake Roach and Neil Bogucki. It's shorter than a minute but still cool to check out as a pre-requisite for what will hopefully come next this year. Check it out, in addition to two more reels featuring Conk, and fellow collaborator, action actor Ben Aycrigg.

French stuntman and filmmaker Godefroy Ryckewaert first came on my radar about a year ago. He's got a great eye for the lens and he's back to highlight that fact once again with the new comedic action short, Tatapis Tami, which I can only summarize as gang warfare at its most prepubescent! I thought this was funny, charming and well executed, and I'm hyped to see what Ryckewaert comes up with next after this.

Filmmaker Fernando Jay Huerto's year has proven quite fruitful, with a feature film in development with an official cast announcement pending, and a flurry of online action collaborations with a number of young and inspired performers at home and abroad. You can check out a glimpse of those in his newest 2014 martial arts action reel, featuring clips of previous and upcoming shorts to come!

There isn't much I can say about this particular video. It intially released online back in July as a concept for a new series titled Interface, which aims to introduce a story that crosses between the visionary strengths and urban, gritty tone of films and TV shows like The Raid, Inception, Blade Runner and The Wire. Blood And Bone helmer Ben Ramsey and actor, martial artist and writer Arnold Chon are behind this ambitious project, and not more has been built on it except what has been left with a Facebook page to further champion the concept with news articles devoted to innovative science and technology relative to the subject matter. If this all suits you, feel free to take a look and subscribe to the page, and hopefully it will mean this concept will be done some cinematic justice. For now though, the video is below. Oh, and for good measure, there's some more Interface footage in stunt performer Christopher Balualua's summer reel from earlier this year just beneath!

For this segment, we have some previz footage featuring UK stuntmen Jean-Paul Ly and Law Jhon for the new martial arts action short, Deep Pan Fury from filmmaker Charlie Dennis. Both are attached to the project with Ly (Lucy, Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist) directing the action in a spiritual thriller about a Japanese fighter in search of redemption with no choice but to reclench his fists once more when local Yakuza underlings threaten his grandfather's pizzeria.

I'm a pizza lover so I'm proudly partial. I can't wait to see the ass-kicking that awaits, and I hope it gets funded as it deserves to be. Check out the video and head over to Kickstarter to watch even more solid concept footage within the campaign video!

French action director Cedric Tellier delivered an impressive action short earlier this year in the form of Elit Unit prior to puttng up a small teaser for another upcoming fast-paced short titled La Casse back in October. This month, he's offered another small teaser, now with an additional kick in the eardrums courtesy of Metallica, and you can now check that out as well.

It's been quite a while since I last wrote about Danny Vega's upcoming directorial debut, A Dance With The Devil. Mainly, the production has hit a few snags between now and last year, so the project is now undergoing some reconstruction and it may be a while before we learn what that means. Nevertheless, Vega has taken to the interwebs to share one of the project's pivotal fight sequences. Hopefully we see more of this, because it really looks worthy of something larger in scale. Check it out!

Dardrex Productions's latest piece of work showcases what happens when a teacher becomes weary of his student's suspicious absenses. Missing Student is the name of the project with Darren Holmquist and Frank Hernandez working the lens with performances by Martin Chan and Eddie Ramos.

Swedish stuntfighter, up-and-comer Betim Alimi's latest showreel is online, and it's worth a look. Alimi has been aspiring for this particular field for close to ten years now, having been a martial arts purveyor since he was five. Endulging on a staple diet of the Hong Kong classics of yesteryear was what led him to start cutting his teeth in 2005. 2009 saw the worst of it when he broke his leg, and his screenfighting recovery has largely been a slow and steady one as more projects have followed, and I've had the good fortune of sharing a few of them on this site this year.

The stunts, the takes and the injury are among all you will see summarized in the following reel, highlighting Alimi's driven spirit to keep going.

Epic Bully Fight is a bit of a throwback. It's a little over a year old and features performances by YouTube personalities Dominick Sandoval and Jerel Mascarinas, and to be honest, I don't remember if I shared this on my blog or not, and I don't really care, because it's worth sharing as its one of the most fluid and slick videos I've seen in my time as a blogger. It's got action, goofball comedy and some spectacle to boot, and even though these two aren't known for making these kinds of videos, I certainly wouldn't complain if they made more.

If you watch enough online tutorials on martial arts, you probably know who Wing Chun expert Master Wong is. He talks a lot of shit, but backs it up pretty awesomely, and it's all very informative and entertaining as well. Moreover, I've been curious as to whether or not he would accomodate doing an action film someday, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that opinion. Well, to those it may concern, our curiosity here gets somewhat rewarded in his latest video pitting Wing Chun against boxing.

It's the stuff of all sorts of martial arts fanboy chatter when compairing styles, so take a look and feel free to decide who wins in the end. This should be interesting!

With this year's induction of vampire slasher comic book pitch, Heartbreaker, and sword-wielding samurai short, Bladed Minds, former adult entertainer-turned-screenfighting temptress, actress Celine Tran has already set herself up for potentially greater prospects in the action genre, provided that her efforts remain continued. The responses from online netizens have been nothing short of positive, and action fans can only hope we see much more sooner. And if you're one of those fans as of late, then you'll be delighted to take a look at Tran's newest action short, Burst, with director Vincent Gatinaud back behind the lens and Mathieu Lardot directing the truly cutthroat action!

And lastly, freerunner Ryan Doyle has something he wants you to know. And you know what? I believe him!

Subscribe to these channels right now, and if you have a QUALITY action movie project you would like shared on Film Combat Syndicate, email your inquiries at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com. CLICK HERE to view previous entries!

A Case For Better Action Movies: NINJA: SHADOW OF A TEAR (2013)

The wheels are currently spinning for the latest reunion between filmmaker Isaac Florentine and martial arts action hero Scott Adkins for their latest project, Close Range. With that in mind, it's well over a year since the two gathered for one of Fantastic Fest's most memorable action hits at the time, Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear, and most of the reviews were nothing short of positive in acknowledging its lead performer as worthy of bigger and greater roles - preferably from a Hollywood standpoint.

The film eventually released at the very top of the year on New Year's Eve and I finally managed to purchase myself a digital copy on Google Play long after, and I pretty much hesitated to review the film since there were so many reviews on the film that I felt that everything that needed to be said had already been said. That said, I've caught the bug at the moment after seeing the film on my android a handful of times and absorbing the vast opinions I've been given on the film. Granted, people love the film, but there's always room for improvement down the line, and I'll get to that in a little bit.

The film's storyline is pretty simple as it centers on Adkins in the role of Casey Bowman, a modern day warrior on a path toward happiness with his wife, Namiko, played by Mika Hiiji. It isn't long before their world is shattered by tragedy and Bowman is swept into a downward spiral of vengance and hatred as he sets out on a deadly path of retribution, leaving a trail of blood from his home in Japan to the streets of Thailand where he eventually reacquaints with an old acquaintant, Nakabara, played by Kane Kosugi.

While there, Bowman is welcome to Nakabara's school where he continues to mourn and heal. However, the mysterious sudden death of one of Nakabara's students offsets suspicion and intrigue for Casey who presses Nakabara for information, and Bowman's mission soon takes him into the inner-most dangerous circles of the Southeast Asian drug trade, pitting him against dangerous street thugs, corrupt cops, and a Burmese drug kingpin with a longstanding grudge against Namiko's family. But there's more to the story that isn't so obvious, leaving Bowman to clarify who stands on opposite ends of the blurred line between his enemies and allies.

Clearly, this installment is full-on action packed and presents nothing short of a festive array of fully-automatic martial arts action,  strengthened by Adkins' prowess and action auteur and co-star Tim Man's ambitious and inspired action direction. In that aspect, the film truly harkens back to the gritty, down and dirty, hard-hitting brutality of classic martial arts and ninja movies as a whole, making Florentine a true staple of the genre its fans know and appreciate him for.

To be blunt though, the film ultimately suffers from plenty of "just-okay" drama, with much of the good acting delivered by actor Shun Sugata who plays would-be drug kingpin Goro in the film. Adkins is the lead though, and I think what bothers me most is that I liked him more in the 2003 hit film, Special Forces where his character wasn't written to sound American. It's become a bit of a pet peeve with me where more and more studios are using British actors to play American roles, and really, this isn't meant to slam the acting as it all depends on who is playing the role in said film, but I guess that's just where I'm at now as a film fan. In Adkins' case, his acting is quite good, and I think his strongest performance was in John Hyams' Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning where his performance was more contemplative than obligated to perform wall-to-wall action to fill in the necessary gaps to keep viewers interested.

Don't get me wrong. Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear is a great film for the fanbase with just enough acting muscle to appease the average viewer. Adkins isn't given a lot to work with, but he can sure as hell carry his own movies, and his fanfare is proof of that. Really though, what we need are more films that give Adkins some extra space to work with and expand his scope as an actor. Mind you, all action fans love martial arts movies, and Adkins's audience loves him. But he needs to be appreciated as an actor as well, and that means giving him roles that don't clutter his performability with montages of action sequences that provide more style than substance.

Florentine is also great at what he does, giving Adkins a playing field large enough to play roles often varying between his native English tongue, as well as his "American" tone and enough of a strong Russian persona to probably convince a lot of Europeans that Yuri Boyka is a real person. No, seriously. Google the name Yuri Boyka, and you'll likely find some variation of him online via social media.

Anyway, that's my review of Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear, as late as it is, and I personally, REALLY want there to be a third installment. I think the Casey Bowman character has plenty of room to find layers within himself beyond his stoicism, much like what Boyka accomplished at the end of Undisputed 3: Redemption. If a third film can achieve this, then I hope the right people, including our dear director and star, will hop aboard and help make this a reality. The first film wasn't everything Florentine wanted to accomplish, but thanks in large part to this second go-around, it helped set up a narrative for another potentially larger-than-life cinematic action hero made memorable by one of today's biggest action stars with a niche that combines generations of movie goers who know what it was like to love action movies in the eighties and nineties.

More Adkins will follow in 2015, and I'm happy to stick around as I hope you all will too.

Watch The Explosive International Trailer For EVERLY Starring Salma Hayek

If there's one thing we can ask for with all the hype stemming from the fanfare building since the Fantastic Fest premiere of director Joe Lynch's newest action thriller, Everly, is that we finally get to see some footage. Thankfully, an international version of the latest trailer started going viral, and if you're expecting to see actress Salma Hayek as a one-woman army singlehandedly take on the Yakuza in festive display of bullets, blades and buckets of blood, then that's exactly what you're going to get.

From there, the one thing really you need to be made aware of is the fact that the film has officially been rated R after having previously received an NC-17 from the MPAA, in which case there may be a little less of the extreme stuff. Nonetheless, if there's anything to gather from this awesome footage courtesy of Bloody Disgusting, you can pretty much expect a hell of a good time at time at the movies early next year!

SYNOPSIS:

It’s Christmastime, but all is not well in the world of Everly (Salma Hayek). A call girl by trade, Everly has turned against her gangster boss Taiko (Hiroyuki Watanabe) and become a police informant. In response, Taiko has put out a hit on Everly and her family. Soon, every criminal in town wants to cash in. Everly’s survival instincts quickly kick in as she matches wits and firepower with Taiko and a seemingly endless stream of killers.

Also starring are actors Togo Igawa and Masashi Fujimoto. The film is co-written by Yale Hannon and is produced by Adam Ripp, Rob Paris and Luke Rivett, and co-produced by Brett Hedblom, with action sequences designed by Akihiro "Yuji" Noguchi (Special Forces, Ninja, Travelers).

Radius/TWC has not yet officially released its own trailer, but will officially release the film digitally and theatrically on January 23 and February 27, respectively.

Yayan Ruhian Sports A Ghastly Image On The Set Of COMIC 8: CASINO KINGS

Indonesia's current film climate is a lagging a bit nowadays, and there have been casualties as a result-namely whatever the heck stonewalled production for Timo Tjahjanto's The Night Comes For Us back in September. Thankfully some projects haven't faltered, including Anggy Umbara's upcoming heist sequel, Comic 8: Casino Kings. 

The film is arriving in 2015 with a larger cast and even greater scope to accomodate its larger budget following the success of its first installment in early 2014. Several cast and set pictures have appeared online, and if you've been enthusiastically following the career of fellow Indonesian action star Yayan Ruhian can expect to see him in the upcoming heist action adventure as well, that is if this picture has anything to say for it.

Ruhian contributed to the pre-production phase of The Night Comes For Us with action star Iko Uwais solely choreographing the fights, and Merantau and The Raid franchise auteur Gareth Huw Evans directing the action. Those efforts eventually got canned while Ruhian has clearly moved on Comic 8: Casino Kings, and training actor Frank Grillo earlier on with Iko Uwais for upcoming sci-fi sequel, Beyond Skyline.

Hopefully some more cohesive news will come our way soon, but in the meantime, it should be cool to see Ruhian on set with a number of seasoned Indonesian action favorites, even if he is ectoplasmic among them, figuratively speaking that is. Besides, One Good Thing and Yakuza Apocalypse should be on the way as well last I checked, and if it is at all in the cards, a hopeful reprisal as a new character in The Raid 3. These all remain to be seen, of course, but they are reasonable hopes to hold onto at least.

Kabuki Masks, Gore And Samurai Swords Highlight New Set Pics From Paul Nicoletos's Upcoming Short, DRAGON'S BLADE Starring Morgan Benoit

Those who often attend film festivals may be familiar with the work of filmmaker Paul Nicoletos, best known for delivering recent notable short films like the sci-fi thriller, Icarus Down, and last year's sci-fi action hit, Kill Shelter. Nowadays, he and producer Viet K. Huynh have moved on with other endeavors, namely working on another proof of concept they hope to turn into a feature film in 2015 in the form of the new fantasy martial arts thriller from Reloaded Films and Teru Media, Dragon's Blade (CLICK HERE for disambiguation).

Nicoletos spoke exclusively to Film Combat Syndicate about the production and where plans to take it between now and in 2015. "Our goal with the short is to get people interested and find potential producers and investors who would like to make this into a feature." he said. "I feel like this story truly has potential to be not so much as an excellent action film, but an action film with a story behind it. So our goal right now is to finish this scene we filmed and use it to promote the film so we can finish the proof of concept and in the meantime hopefully get people interested in the project to make the feature."

Dragon's Blade is set in an alternate American reality long adapted as a societal and cultural extension of Japan following the Allies' defeat during World War II. The story here is preset by the legacy of five unique and powerful swords forged in ancient Japan, each embodied by the strength and spirit of their respective bearers and predecessors whose ownerships were measured solely by their worthiness. Actor, martial artist and stuntman Morgan Benoit (The Forbidden Kingdom, Brutal), plays swordbearer, Takeo, whose mission to rescue his beloved will pit him against a greedy and unworthy foe lusting for all five swords after having already claimed three and killing their owners.

The project marks Benoit's second with Nicoletos following last year's Kill Shelter, and much to Nicoletos's own approval as well. "I love working with Morgan!..." he writes. "Apart from his great personality that makes him a pleasure to work with and easygoing, I would say his passion, dedication and relentless work ethic are what I respect and enjoy most about working with him. Morgan was always whom we wanted to play the lead character, and even the feature will be written with him in mind."

The first scene took three days to complete, beginning on December 19 at a warehouse in Los Angeles near Little Tokyo, with a handful of talented action actors on hand. Kerry Wong, whose credits among many include Cedric The Entertainer's Dance Fu and the Dolph Lundgren techno zombie thriller, Battle Of The Damned, was on hand to design the rip-roaring action. "To be able to come come up with the action sequence on the spot and be able to tweak things instantly is truly amazing and he is an artist in his own right." says the director. "We only had two rehearsal days before we shot, meaning Kerry had to come up with the choreography and rehearse with everyone in only two days while Morgan and our amazing stunt crew had to learn it and perform it just as quick, all while taking notes and making adjustments. Thats why you work with professionals who love what they do. And of course, the environment changes on-set and when time became an issue, Kerry was there to adjust and modify accordingly."

Benoit is also producing the project with Nicoletos and Huynh who also crafted the story while writers Joseph Foulk and Casey Stegman are aiming to draft a script by the end of next month. The official synopsis reads as follows:

After his new bride is kidnapped and held for ransom by a mysterious foe, Takeo -- one of five elite samurai who wield the legendary Dragon Blades -- sets out on a path of revenge to save his beloved. But with each new enemy he strikes down along his blood-soaked journey, Takeo comes to question whether things are fully what they seem. Go Rin: The Dragon's Blade is a classic tale of love, honor, and vengeance set in a modern world where Japanese feudal law and the way of the samurai still reign supreme.

Benoit is joined by Kill Shelter star Billy Bussey, and action actors Pei Pei Yuan, Tamiko Brownlee, Bryan Cartago, Jimmy Chhiu, and Alvin Hsing. At least four more scenes are being planned as filming continues next month were we may likely learn some more details about what the project will entail. In the meantime, the project now has well over 120 spectacular behind-the-scenes set photos from last weekend. Feel free to check out a handful of those in the gallery beneath, and link over to the official Facebook page to lend your support!

LADY BLOODFIGHT Sports Fresh New Character Posters

Pre-production is currently finished and awaiting filming beginning in January of next year for Kiss Of The Dragon helmer Chris Nahon's latest martial arts tournament thriller, Lady Bloodfight from Voltage Pictures. The film picked up some steam at the top of the year upon launching at the European Film Market with actress and Hollywood stuntwoman Amy Johnston (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Clandestine) making her lead debut, and with principal photography to follow, we now have four new promotional art featuring Johnston and co-star Jenny Wu in the gallery below.

Featuring illustrious fight choreography by action cinema veteran Xiong Xin Xin (Coweb, Shaolin), Johnston and Wu will star in the story of Jane, a traveling backpacker in Asia who, when taken under the wing of karate master, Oshima for her exceptional fighting skills, will pit her side by side with Ling, the apprentice of her master's nemesis, against nefarious forces that lie within "The Kumite", an all-female underground fight circuit. More casting details are expected in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for more info as it trickles!

Review: THE TAKING OF TIGER MOUNTAIN (2014)

SYNOPSIS:

Tsui Hark’s thrilling adaptation of Qu Bo’s beloved adventure novel stars Tony LEUNG Ka-fai as a ruthless bandit, ruling the lands of Northeast China from his fortress on Tiger Mountain. A captain of the Liberation Army (LIN Gengxin) launches a counter-insurgency against the dictator with a skilled investigator (ZHANG Hanyu) sent to destroy the gang from the inside.

REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've seen a Tsui Hark film, and to be honest, I haven't had the luxury of seeing all of them. However, I will speak on the handful of films I have seen with his name attached, and his is a vision I am entirely charmed by when it comes to truly epic, adventurous storytelling. This time, he introduces us to at least one other aspect of history that not many of us are not exposed to, and here thanks in large part to late author Qu Bo whose classic pseudo-biographical novel, "Tracks In The Snowy Forest", has finally found its way in Hark's crafty mind for the new period action epic, The Taking Of Tiger Mountain.

The film sets itself up as one big flashback, kicking things off in modern day New York City where we meet Jimmy, played by Han Geng. After a brief party visit, Jimmy sets out on a trip whereupon we, the audience are transported to post-World War 2 period in 1946 during the Chinese Civil War where Commander 203 (Kenny Lin) leads his unit of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) against the Kuomintang and hordes of bandits and looters in the region. Braving the bitter cold and running out of means for survival, an opportune gunfight against a gang of bandits from nearby Tiger Mountain brings them temporary shelter, until the arrival of communist recon officer Yang Zirong (Zhang Hanyu) and military field nurse Bai (Tong Liya), who happen to bring their services as well as a food supply for the soliders. Yang and Bai are welcome into the squad while for 203, Yang's unconventional behavior is slightly suspect along with his seeming intentions.

Soon enough, a traumatized young boy, Knotti, is found in the night, discovered wandering from a nearby village and is taken in the care of the PLA who take refuge in the village, only to learn it has been ramsacked and looted repeatedly by Tiger Mountan bandits, leaving its villagers to suffer while aware that bandit spies are among them. The PLA troops take refuge in one of the huts prior to incidentally capturing one of the spies moments later, and it is not long before their mole, Luan (Mark Du) a corrupt KMT Comissioner's aide who goes rogue, divulges a bigger plot at hand involving the acquisition TONS of gold, guns and strength in numbers. The only way to attain these is the Advance Map, a three-piece map that will guarantee its owner great power over the northeast, and Lord Hawk (Tony Leung Ka-Fei), the sadistic ruler of Tiger Mountain whose paranoia is the only thing that supercedes his authority over all the bandits, as well as his closest lieutenants, wants that map.

Knowing this, Commander 203 and his men know they have to stop Lord Hawk, lest he become even more stronger and powerful than he is now, but the usual tactics aren't going to work. This is where the grist of Qu Bo's original story gets going, where Yang, against 203's wishes, makes a harrowing attempt to infiltrate the gang as an underling of Hawk's rival, Big Stick. Moments later, Yang's plan proves successful only when he appeases Lord Hawk under duress with a gift as his only key to his good graces. Soon, he is intiated through a bond of brotherhood and is welcome into the gang, though still tested under Hawk's watchful eye. However, as if being trapped behind enemy lines and evading being discovered weren't enough, Yang must also mitigate the rescue of Knotti's mother and Lord Hawk's captive mistress Qinglian (Yu Nan) who is desperate to escape, but time is running out. Hawk advances his forces into the village where he is convinced the PLA are, and a major battle ensues. Lives are lost and loyalties are questioned as the balance of power makes one more shift, bracing our heroes for one final all-or-nothing attack on Hawk's fortress with only one chance left for Yang to bring down an ruthless warlord, rescue Qinglian and reunite a mother with her son once and for all.

The Taking Of Tiger Mountain is chock-full of characters and thankfully Hark knows what he's doing so as to avoid from being convoluted in establishing many of the relationships and connections throughout. The film is well acted, the action was good, and it didn't get so silly to the point where I wanted to turn the film off or fast forward. The costumes were great in adding to some of the performances, specifically to many of the villains in the film, each with their own personalities, and a few of whom stand out pretty notably from time to time in the film's spectacular battle sequences and stunts. Moreover, action director Yuen Bun (Beyond Hypothermia, Knock Off, Kung Fu Jungle) did a terrific job coordinating the film's explosive sequences that give plenty of room for several of the actors to shine.

There was humor and just a smidget of romance where it counted, and several of the key performances in the film worked, including that of Zhang and Lin, and an almost unrecognizable Leung in the role of the villain. Other good performances, included, but aren't limited to, actors Xian Chow, Mark Du and Yang Yiwei, as well as female leads Tong and Yu; Shi Yanneng, who debuted his first lead role last year in Wrath Of Vajra, plays one of Hawk's generals in the film. While largely known for martial arts roles, he doesn't showcase anything significant in that department given the rest of film's overall tone, but he still turns out a good performace and that's really all we need.

There are only a few things that did bother me that occurred at the top of the film regarding how it sets up the rest of the narrative. There is some campy acting here and there, the film also suffers from its fair share of lackluster CGI. Other than that, the remainder of the film does fine by Hark's standards, and serves to be more than just a full scale action drama, outlining itself almost perfectly as a fitting tribute to history's heroes and the legacy they leave behind. It's a hearfelt story of family, comradery, trust and love in a time of war, poverty and unrelenting strife and futilism, and it all works out virtually well in the end, along with some nice little surprises.

Personally, I don't mind a film being based on a novel or a comic book or the like, particularly if it is done right by a director that respects the source material.  That said, I never read Qu Bo's novel or have even seen Xie Tieli's subsequent 1970 Opera-based revolutionary feature, Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy. Nevertheless, with The Taking Of Tiger Mountain, Hark continues to exemplify his ability to highlight history while dazzling a new generation of moviegoers with a strong protagonists and illustrious characters that carry great depth for truly epic stories on a massive level that are worth the price of a ticket.

The film is out in China as of this week while Well Go USA plots the film's limited theatrical releases in North America and Canada between January 2 and January 9, 2015. Visit the official website for locations and dates!

The First Trailer Has Finally Arrived For Jackie Chan's DRAGON BLADE!

It's been a parade of stills, featurettes and all sorts of other teaser pics since post-production began for action star Jackie Chan's latest epic period action adventure, Dragon Blade. But fret no more, because we finally have a trailer to share for this, his latest feat of manpower with John Cusack and Adrien Brody also starring, with a diverse cast and big scale set pieces to illustrate just what a record breaking budget of $65 million dollars can do for a Chinese feature, and as you will see, in Chan's hands, to say it does a lot would be a huge understatement!

Dragon Blade, from director Daniel Lee (White Vengeance, 14 Blades), follows a Roman general (Cusack) who, after crossing into China, befriends a former high-ranking Chinese official, played by Chan. Set in 48 B.C., Dragon Blade tells the thrilling story of heroism, friendship and betrayal, which has never before been depicted on film.

The film will also likely be an introduction for many to Cusack as a screenfighter, particularly since he trains under Chan's Wheels On Meals and Dragons Forever co-star Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, in addition to being a 20 year practioner and a 6th degree black belt in Ukidokan kickboxing...which also minds me that I really need to see Grosse Pointe Blank in a time not too far later. Anyway, Dragon Blade is gearing up for an IMAX and 3D release in China and Hong Kong, on February 19, 2015 following a star-studded press tour throughout Asia with much of the cast.

Watch the trailer below!

Watch Aikawa Sho Battle Zombies In The New Teaser For Z-ISLAND!

I admit that I have not had the privilege to see a lot of beloved actor Aikawa Sho's films after just discovering him for myself as early as 2002 in the Kane Kosugi action vehicle, Muscle Heat. Although, of the few movies I have seen him in, I can fully understand why he has long been a fan favorite, and so am I, especially in lieu of last month's ceremonial crime thriller, 25 Nijyu-Go in which Aikawa starred, partaking in the 25-year celebration of Japanese V-Cinema entertainment.

Well, with the new year just around the corner, thankful fans can expect more to come from the iconic film star when he returns to the big screen in pure killing fashion with the new gangster horror slasher, Z-Island. Acclaimed director, Drop (2009) and One Third (2014) helmer Shinagawa Hiroshi directs this festive feature joining Aikawa with Kikaider Reboot (2014) co-star Tsurumi Shingo and Kamen Teacher (2013) co-star Yamamoto Maika for the film's release on May 16, 2015, marking Aikawa's stellar thirty-year career. And just how will this film go about it? A story of a outnumbered Yakuzas trapped on an island, fighting femmes and Aikawa riding a hog with a badass sword. You're welcome.

SYNOPSIS:

Ten years after the big fight, Munakata Hiroya (Aikawa) leader of the yakuza group Munakata-gumi, reunites with surrogate younger brother and ex-con Takashi (Tsurumi) upon his release from prison. When Takashi's daughter, Hyuga (Yamamoto) runs away from home in protest against seeing her father, the two, along with Munakata’s subordinate Shinya (Red Rice) follow her to Zeni Island where they find themselves in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, and rescuing Hyuga will take a lot more than restrengthening the bond between father and daughter if they're going to make it out of the island alive!

The newest teaser is out and about, and you can check it out below!

[UPDATED] THE NIGHT COMES FOR US Is On Hold, Production Uncertain

UPDATE (12/24/14): Based on a Tweet response four days ago, it appears that Tjahjanto is taking his vision for the former production of The Night Comes For Us and putting it into graphic novel form with Glitch Network. Production on the film itself suddenly halted back in September for reasons unknown. (Special thanks to commentor, Fatso, for the heads' up!)

EARLIER REPORT:

Fans of Gareth Huw Evans's 2011 action thriller, The Raid, may have noticed one other title that's gone quite a while without much mention in the headlines. That title, of course, Killers co-helmer Timo Tjahjanto's Indonesian crime epic, The Night Comes For Us, for which The Raid co-star Joe Taslim was the subject of much buzz when he was officially cast for the lead in April of last year.

Well, if you fit the profile and have long been pining for more details surrounding the film, the good news is that you're not going crazy. Unfortunately, the not-so-good news is that the production of the film is "officially on-hold", according to a source affiliated with the film. This update comes following the mysterious disappearance of the film's IMDb page for some time now and there are no immediate answers explaining the "who's", the "why's", the "how's" or the "wtf's" of the matter, so any number of questions can be raised from this and it may be long before we hear any specifics. Moreover though, the biggest question of all is what lies next for the film?

Building on his momentum with a stellar screenfighting performance in Fast And Furious 6 , Taslim was set for the role of Ito, a gangland enforcer caught amidst the Triad's bloody ursup upon his return home from a stint abroad. Evans was to direct the action with The Raid lead actor Iko Uwais choreographing the fights for Taslim along fellow 'Raid' alums, actress Julie Estelle and actors Yayan Ruhian, Arifin Putra and Oka Antara, the latter who starred in Tjahjanto's Killers back in February. The film eventually made huge strides in the market at the top of the year before selling worldwide and even landing a home in North America in January.

Will it ever be taken off-hold? Well, in the current film climate we are in right now with this industry, uncertainty is the closest thing we have to a complete answer, and I know that isn't saying much. Details will follow soon enough, presumably, but I hope we see a miracle happen here, because that logline is too damn intriguing to leave without screen treatment.

Ruhian is currently working on the set of Anggy Umbara's Comic 8: Casino Kings with co-star and former TNCFU cast member Prisia Nasution for next year while Uwais recently finished things up with Frank Grillo and Bojana Novakovic in Liam O'Donnell upcoming Sci-Fi thriller, Beyond Skyline.

Stay tuned for more info.

Everyone Is A Target In The Official Webseries Trailer For BLACK: SEASON TWO

It's been a couple of years since the journey began for filmmaker and series creator Frank T. Ziede to bring the new espionage military action series, Black to fruition as a sprawling military epic filled with thrills and intrigue following efforts via Kickstarter. Thankfully, the independently-funded action-packed show found an audience with the first season last year, and Ziede and the creators have now responded in kind with a second season to release sometime next year.

Now enfused with a slightly larger budget and more resources, Black: Season 2 is adding more characters, more layers to its epic backdrop, and more high-impact drama and intense action. If that doesn't draw your attention then perhaps the brand new trailer released this week will suit your needs. Starring 22-year veteran and former Navy SEAL, actor Mikal Vega (Transformers: Age Of Extinction, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), Black centers on the leader of a special-ops team created in the wake of a terrorist attack on American soil. This time, the stakes are much higher as our hero and his crew will be taking on high-level mercs and cyberterrorists targeting the world markets within the U.S. as it faces the reality of a mole in the midst.

Vega is joined by a mix of new and returning actors including Daniel Betances and John T. Woods, actor and U.S. Army Ranger Hall Of Famer Howard "Mad Max" Mullen, actor and former recon Marine Andre Jackson, former U.S. Navy SEAL Mark Golden, and actor Mortal Kombat Legacy: Season 2 co-star Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa to name a few.

Watch the teaser below and subscribe to the channel for the show's pending 2015 broadcast!

A New Featurette And More Pics Are Available For DRAGON BLADE

More pics and featurettes continue to roll out in promotion of director Daniel Lee's new action thriller, Dragon Blade are making the rounds ahead of its forthcoming premiere in IMAX and 3D February. The film boasts a stellar cast featuring action superstar Jackie Chan as an enslaved Han Dynasty Chinese commander in 48 B.C. fighting to clear his name in the face of incoming Roman army and its corrupt leaders.

John Cusack and Adrien Brody also star in the film which has gained a lot of traction due to the epic, record breaking size and scale of the production as a whole, and the promotional materials really do speak for themselves. Check everything out in the player and the subsequent galleries below, courtesy of Super Chan Blog, and by all means, stay tuned for some trailer news. We really need a trailer soon!

NOLA 'Kickboxer' Crew Unpaid, Crew Member Says 'Producers Didn't Have The Money'

The forthcoming remake of director John Stockwell's newly titled Kickboxer: Vengeance remake is one of the most hyped about films going into the new year. Sadly, the film is not without its share of roadbumps, especially pertaining to previous unfortunate news of its casting and crewing as production didn't start until three months after its initial September date.

Now, the word is that up to 200 people and their families in New Orleans, Louisiana have been affected after 150 crew members, mostly local workers, were left unpaid, based on a new report by Katherine Sayre, lead business reporter at Nola.com | The Times Picayune. Crew members initially refused go start work on the film's last day of its New Orleans shoot on December 13 after learning their paychecks wouldn't arrive as they expected, prompting producers to intervene with the promise of payment delivery last Tuesday. 

Among several people, Sayre's report also quotes New Orleans-based 39-year film industry veteran and SFX coordinator R. Michael Bisetti, who simply said "The bottom line is, they didn't have the money,". The report also cites prop master Stan Gilbert who says crew members were now forced to pay out-of-pocket to stay on good terms, even though he and other experienced crew were able to attain vendors' services without upfront payment.

The report is a bit perpetual in highlighting an unfortunate pattern involving Radar Pictures' efforts to move the film forward. Martial arts stars Scott Adkins and Tony Jaa had their own reasons for leaving the production earlier this year, aside from Tai Chi 0 and Tai Chi Hero helmer Stephen Fung, who, according to a source formally attached to the production as of a few months ago, says payment was also an issue among some of Fung's other concerns.

In lieu of this week's news pertaining to the New Orleans crew, a lawyer representing the producers of Kickboxer: Vengeance explained that the payment delay "stems from arranging a bridge loan and substitute financing for the production." The report also says checks will hopefully arrive to its New Orleans crew this week, preferably before Christmas Day.

It's not easy covering this type of news on a film, especially when it comes to business dealings and the inconveniences that follow when it comes to money. Financing may have been an issue with this film for a long time now, which also explains why filming was slow to start, and I sincerly hope this production isn't marred by any more stifling news. Personally, I'd rather talk about how awesome it will be to see Moussi take on such a high caliber cast that reunites In The Blood director and star John Stockwell and Gina Carano along with Darren Shahlavi, Georges St. Pierre, T.J. Storm, Dave Bautista and superstar Jean Claude Van-Damme in a story full of intense action and drama with the proper thrills any fan of the genre can look forward to.

As things stand however, what's required here is accountability. The economy is still in a major recovery period while American families are still struggling, and the last thing anyone wants to do is to end up working for free and feeling like their labor is unaccounted for. If any lesson is to be learned here, it is that not only MUST you pay the people who work for you, but do so in a timely fashion that represents your professionalism and commitment to the work force wherever you are in the world.

My heart goes out to the crew this week, whose efforts to help make the holidays more enjoyable are now underway with a newly launched Facebook page attributed to the crew. Subscribe to the page and reach out.

Stay tuned for more info and updates.

THE HIT LIST - December 22, 2014

Christmas is approaching and hopefully you all have your gifts and stocking stuffers ready. With any luck, this could mean more of what is listed below from the creators and performers in today's installment of The Hit List!

Kicking things off with something a bit more holiday-spirited is Italian stuntteam Flying Without Fear and their new short, Stunta Clause: Una Visita Inaspettata (Stunt Claus: An Unexpected Visit). Stuntman Daniele Balconi takes the lead once more as the not-so-big guy in red as he's forced into another annual epic battle. Good thing he's in shape, because this creature looks pissed!

This week, I have at least two reels that I feel are worth adding to the Hit List, featuring stuntmen and action actors Vonzell Carter and Eric Jacobus. Carter is best known for his collaborative efforts for the last several years with the folks over at Thousand Pounds Action Company, performing and even directing much of their action-packed projects. He's currently partaking in some projects he can't talk about publicly, but its safe to say he's on his way up.

Of course, the same can also be said for Jacobus, founder of The Stunt People and a tentpole of the martial arts film community whose new reel is host to a number of accomplishments,  including Mortal Kombat Legacy 2 and horror anthology, The ABC's Of Death 2, as well as upcoming shorts like Rope-A-Dope 2 and his latest performance in the new short, Sensitive 70's Turtleneck Tough Guys from director Jose Montesinos.

Commence endulging!

Here, we have another test fight short project from the folks over at Cinematic Fight Studio titled Seven Seven. The short was constructed as one of the deals included by the studio for its clients, including Olie Brown who has already been training with studio founders Lang Yip and Adam Lee, in addition to performing in a few projects as well. Brown is joined by Matt Healey this week, and you can check them both out below.

Having followed aspiring action auteur Eric Nguyen and his work over at Lunar Stunts Action Cinema, I can honestly say that what I love most about his projects is the amount of contemplation and focus he puts in developing the characters he writes. He's only gotten sharper in the years since and he's back to prove that once more before the new year with this week's shortfilm, El Guerrero (The Warrior), the story of a bounty hunter whose own ego will serve as litmus test when he goes toe-to-toe with an enigmatic tattooed killer in the desert.

Lunar Stunts regulars Mickey Arce and Irvin Nguyen star, and hopefully you've already taken notice of this fine group as it continues to make strides to showcase their talents in filmmkaing. They're seriously good at what they do, and I hope their respective careers and visions take them to higher plateaus in 2015.

Up next is a commercial recently unveiled commercial produced for a massage chair company called Kawaii. The commercial was directed by up-and-coming filmmaker Ken Dinh whose Dallas-based group, P & K Company Productions, has been operating for close to a year now while working to set things in motion for some feature-length projects. Their most recent efforts can be seen in the new horror thriller, True God, for which a trailer has been going viral for about a year now, although the creamy center of their modus operandi leans more toward martial arts action, so with any luck, we will see some more progress from Dinh and his team in the next two weeks. In the meantime, Stairway To Heaven is the name of the theme for Dinh's contribution to Kawaii, starring lead actor and martial arts expert, Peter Tham with fight choreography by Vu Thach. Take a look!

The next video comes from stuntman Dylan Hintz over at DC Stunt Coalition with fellow performer John Soares. The two convened over at Soares's location in Nashville, Tennessee following Hintz's 16-hour bus ride, and while its one of the first test fights Hintz has ever done, its one he's considerably proud of. And rightfully so, with some great hand-to-hand and weapons choreography, and some noteworthy camerawork to boot.

There's a huge backstory Hintz will have available on his own blog which should appear in the description of the video following this write up. At any rate, this video was pretty entertaining!

Martial Club is probably one of the most prolific sports groups out there in the martial arts community. Martial artist member Andy Le who recently sat down with the folks over at Just Kidding Films to chat a bit about his roots and his future with the team, in addition to other current and developing plans. Of course, film is also a part of the plan, as per the latest trailer for the new Martial Club shortfilm, The Greatest Adversary, a story that puts Le's character on a warrior's journey leading to a climatic final fight against a mysterious foe.

Check out both videos below!

Newly on our radar is director and cinematographer Sergio Herencias who's dabbled a bit in the action genre in earlier years, including with the 2010 short, The Prague Assignment. Nowadays you'll catch him with folks like Swiss actor and aspiring action director and screenfighting athlete Betim Alimi as they've just put out a fresh new test fight project from Guave Studios titled Knuckle Heads, with Fetim Fetahi also starring. It's a genuinely awesome, simple story set in a futuristic underground game for the rich where the players are literally in control. And I do mean literally. It's worth every minute and I highly recommend it.

This next little gem is something I caught a bit late since it was uploaded a month ago. This one is titled The Take Back from director Isaul Trinidad, and I don't know much about him or his resume. However, I hope to learn more about him if there is more where I can find this, because it's pretty solid work! Principal performances include that of William Christopher Ford, Jacob Saphir and David Bezeau.

Busy trying to find your happy place on the job? Well, the folks over at U.K.-based Storm Freerun have you covered in their latest collaboration video to push the new HP Stream, accompanied by their usual assortment of epic feats of stuntwork they've become known for since 2010. Just follow the Twitter hashtag #WorkFromHappyPlace and see your way to newer heights!

And here, we have Jela Oka Okpara, a longtime advocate of kung fu cinema with a vision that harkens back to the glory days of Golden Harvest and Shaw Brothers. You can see hints of this among other colorful tropes in his latest of two recent shortfilms now available online; The first is Asceneded Masters with Nick Den and Oscar Perez, highlighting the story of Yeshua long before entering his prime as the Biblical savior of mankind himself, Jesus Christ. The project is set to be the first of twelve parts and it is not yet known when the second will arrive since Okpara is busy with other things, so time will tell. The second is a condensed eight minute version of Okpara's 2013 dystopian kung fu desert thriller, The Last Girl, which is reportedly in development for a hopeful feature expansion. Den is joined by Lincoln Centeio, William J. Hill and actress Marissa Pistone in a story of two men battle between good and evil for the Earth's last female.

Both shorts are easily two of the best pieces of online work you'll ever spot, earning Okpara some much-deserved accolades as a rising figure in martial arts action cinema. The man deserves some studio backing for a feature and I see no reason why that should take any longer.

At long last, we now have two projects well on the way from Japanese action director favorite Shimomura Yuji leading the way on two fronts. The first is a new training featurette with action star Sakaguchi Tak whose final film Re:Born, will commense filming in the Spring of 2015. Close quarters combat expert Inagawa i is coordinating the stylishly brutal and deadly bladed fisticuffs as we await details about the story and characters that will set up this last action-packed hoorah for Sakaguchi fans everywhere.

The other is a trailer that's been around for a while in lieu of a new shortfilm, Hero, once more with Sakaguchi joined by Mimoto Masanori - the latter recently known for his role as the Yakuza opponent in helmer Tsujimoro Takanori's Bushido Man. Hero is being slated for a screening at the Yubari film festival in February following an official announcement on January 15, 2015. If you're an action fan and you happen to be attending, feel free to take notice. (UPDATE: The Facebook embed code has been replaced with a YouTube player code in its place.)

Check out both videos below!

...And finally, a moment of holiday cheer and clarity from Master Ken.

Subscribe to these channels right now, and if you have a QUALITY action movie project you would like shared on Film Combat Syndicate, email your inquiries at filmcombatsyndicate@gmail.com. Click the dates to browse previous collections: 12/15/14, 12/8/14, 12/1/14, 11/24/14, 11/16/14

Wu Jing's WOLF WARRIOR Gets Pushed Back To March With Four New Stills And A Featurette

Debut director Wu Jing's new rock 'em-sock 'em commando action thriller, Wolf Warrior, is easily one of the most hyped movies going into the new year. Unfortunately though, it will also be one of the most painstaking in waiting if you live in the vicinity and hoped to catch it in January.

Fret not though! Apparently the film is undergoing a major theatrical structuring in innovative audio technology to accommodate the film's 3D and IMAX presentations. As such, with the film's release date pushed back to March, not only can you expect a few more trailers, posters and featurettes, but you may also subject yourself to the immersive effects of theatrical awesomeness - all this while feasting on a 3D action spectacle with Wu Jing and Scott Adkins going head to head? Who can argue?

Wu stars as Leng Feng, a rebellious Chinese commando forced to square off with a vengeful squadron of mercs in search of the solider who killed their drug lord boss. Wu and Adkins are joined by Yu Nan, Chris Collins, Kyle Shapiro, Kevin Lee, Sona Eyambe and fellow action star Vincent Zhao. The film comes as one of two new year features for Wu with the other being his forthcoming appearance in S.P.L. 2: A Time For Consequences opposite Tony Jaa.

Watch the brand new featurette below; no English-language subtitles are available, but you will get the idea. And feel free to take a peep at some brand new stills just beneath!