You could be forgiven for not seeing Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh’s cinema debut in Sammo Hung’s 1984 film, Owl vs Bombo. A pretty face and far cry from her future baddassery, she could not save Sammo's cringy self indulgent movie.

Pairing with George Lam's Owl, Hung's Bumbo busts more dance moves than skulls, insistent on pedalling the most awkward romance ever. Credit for not having Ms Malaysia herself as the target of his affections; the cringe to action ratio is leaning the wrong way.

The action though, is trademark Sammo Hung and golden era Hong Kong fight cinema. A youthful Dick Wei owns every scene he’s in, with glimpses at James Tien, Chin Kar Lok, Phillip Chan, Stanley Fung. Filled with promise but ultimately as disappointing as a dinner date with Sammo, we watched it so you don’t have to, hear our doves cry.

Are you a Jackie Chan fan? Or maybe a fan of John Cena? Have I got your attention? Well, 2023’s Hidden Strike is more than just lip service. It will reel you in with the clickbait and will hold your attention for its booming 1hr 45min runtime. Who would have thought I would say that last sentence without irony! No one on the Asian Action Cast, that’s for sure.

Are you looking for impressive hair, smouldering looks, screaming and school turf wars? Do you like your movies to be no talk and all action? Love the sounds of the Exile Tribe and all their offshoot acts? High & Low The Worst X is the film for you. What better way to dip our toes into the High & Low series by starting with the 7th movie and based on a collaboration with 2 mangas we haven't read? Genius!

Remember a time when Sonny Chiba’s THE STREETFIGHTER roamed the streets of Japan? Kazuhiko Yamaguchi’s 1974 pulp spin-off Sister Street Fighter proves it takes a woman’s touch to truly twist the neck off thugs.
Etsuko Shihomi’s Li Koryu plays the titular Sister Street Fighter and like any vengeance fuelled martial hero, goes from stunning to psychotic in less than 3 seconds. One of Sonny Chiba’s proteges she takes to the silver screen mugging, jumping and killing with lethal efficiency in this homage to Bruce’s own 1973 epic, Enter the Dragon.
With more Bruce look-a-likes than you can shake a nun-chuck at, this is unashamedly a celebration of evil masterminds and their villainous lairs and collections of dangerous things. Full of colour, it is fun, vibrant and entertaining, do what we do and see it with a crew - then go roll the mean streets of Yokohama to avenge your captured family!

The Asian Action Cast wraps up another year of the best (and worst) of Asian and Hong Kong action cinema. Numbers and stats: got 'em. Talking over each other because it's online: in spades. Our yearly tournament having some really unfair matchup brackets? You know it's true! All movies reviewed go into a tournament, and only one movie can be crowned number one. Which movie will reign supreme? 

Thanks listeners, for your support this year. As always, stay for the remix!

Wong Jing’s 2022 remake of his 1993 Wuxia epic, Kung Fu Cult Master (Pt 1) is proof that practice makes progress. 30 years of experience gives you special effects, less toilet humor, a wizened Donnie Yen and an actual, honest to god filmed and released sequel (Kung Fu Cult Master (Pt 2) released in the same year.

Deep down we’re all the Ballerina. Lee Chung-Hyun’s 2023 film Ballerina is a character study of quiet pain and loss, punctuated with visceral, over the top action and a villain you love to hate.
Starring Jeon Jong-Seo (Rachel Jun) as a cold and detached security specialist in what is sure to put her on the map, Ballerina has a painfully methodical and unspoken narrative. Sparse though it may be, when the action hits, it hits hard with some genuinely creative storytelling in the brutal ballet of violence.
Shout out to Kim Ji-Hoon as the villain Choi Pro, who is definitely choice bro. Handsome, insanely fit and definitely unhinged, chewing every piece of scenery. Sporting a wonderful cameo for National Grandma Kim Young-ok wielding a flame-thrower, there’s something here for most everyone. Watch and wonder then listen with us.

Wong Jing’s 1994 Lone Wolf parody, New Legend of Shaolin, or Red Dragon as its known in the west, teams up Jet Li with his martial arts prodigy on screen son Mo Tse to kick some old school poison boogie man ass.

The Magic Crystal is Wong Jing’s 1986 first collaboration with Hong Kong Heartthrob Andy Lau, in his most fetching, handsome Puma activewear. This is a globetrotting adventure quest movie equal parts Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Armour of God, E.T., the list goes on - the amazing thing is, its actually pretty good and unequivocally Wong Jing in style. Also, Cynthia Rothrock and the enigmatic Richard Norton share about 20-30% of the screen time, every moment to be relished.
If you know Wong Jing and/or his work, you know what to expect here, puerile humour, good production values and effects and some actually genuine surprising and rousing moments (looking at you Wei-Wei Huang). It also has every Wong Jing issue with it, pacing, 2D characters, juvenile…but it stays entertaining.
Come for the Cynth-ard Nort-rock, stay for the amazing action set pieces and stuntman (and women) action! Listen in with us!

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is Netflix’s latest 2023 foray into live-action-ime, adapting Haro Aso’s Manga and anime of the same name. We at the Asian Action Cast could not help but compare it to the (better) anime but still found sparks of joy to warm our zombie hearts.
The perpetually optimistic and effervescent Akira Tendo (played by an equally diabetically sweet Eiji Akaso) revels in a zombie apocalypse, giving him a much needed break from his toxic workplace. We discuss everything from how muscular he is (and should be as a gridiron player), how sexy (or lack thereof) of his best mate himbo Kencho to the presence of b00bs and absence of nippl3s.
Join us in our meander across the zombie wastelands of future-tokyo and compare your thoughts, feelings and zombie infected saliva with us on this episode.