Tag: Action movies

Xie Miao and Joe Taslim Team Up for the Year’s Most Anticipated Action Film

The Furious will be released in theaters in May. Photo: Lionsgate, used with permission.

Why We Can’t Get Enough of the Rush: The Magic of Action Cinema

There’s a reason audiences flock to the theater for a high-octane thriller. Between the adrenaline, the clear stakes, and the visceral storytelling, action movies offer a perfect escape. We love watching high-risk worlds where courage and determination are tested in the most explosive ways possible.

The Hong Kong Influence

When it comes to elevating the genre, Hong Kong action movies are in a league of their own. They bring a signature blend of:

  • Stylized Choreography: Fight scenes that feel like a fluid, precise dance.
  • Intense Physicality: Sequences often performed by the actors themselves.
  • Emotional Depth: Themes of honor, loyalty, and sacrifice that make every punch and kick feel meaningful.

This fusion of artistry and intensity creates a cinematic experience that is as memorable as it is thrilling.

🎬 New Movie Spotlight: The Furious

If you’re looking for that perfect blend of artistry and intensity, mark your calendars. Directed by the legendary Kenji Tanigaki, The Furious is an English-language Hong Kong action powerhouse that recently took the Toronto International Film Festival by storm. (Cinematic Red PR, 2026)

The Plot

After the daughter of Wang Wei (Xie Miao) is kidnapped by a criminal network, he finds himself trapped in a web of corruption. With the police refusing to help, Wei goes on a solo rampage to get her back.

He finds an unlikely ally in Navin (Joe Taslim), a relentless journalist searching for his own missing wife. Together, the duo takes on a ruthless criminal underworld in an explosive martial arts showdown fueled by pure vengeance.

Essential Details

CategoryInformation
Release DateMay 29, 2026
GenreAction
RatingR (Strong bloody violence and language)
Runtime113 Minutes
DirectorKenji Tanigaki
StarringXie Miao, Joe Taslim, Yang Enyou, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga

Producers: Bill Kong, Shan Tam, Frank Hui

Writers: Mak Tin Shu, Lei Zhilong, Shum Kwan Sin, Frank Hui

Blood, Grit, and Glory: Bloodstorm Featuring Viking Samurai

Survival/martial arts action movie Bloodstorm starring David Kurzhal. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The Grit and Glory of Survival Martial Arts Movies

Survival martial arts movies captivate audiences with their high-stakes action, physical prowess, and raw human determination. These films blend intense combat with themes of endurance, resilience, and the will to overcome impossible odds.

Whether set in post-apocalyptic worlds, remote jungles, or brutal underground arenas, survival martial arts stories highlight the hero’s journey through both physical and emotional trials. The appeal lies in watching characters adapt, fight, and grow stronger with each challenge.

For many moviegoers, these films offer both escapist thrill and inspiration, celebrating the primal fight for life and the strength found in discipline, courage, and self-reliance.

Now Available: Bloodstorm

Bloodstorm — a gripping new survival martial arts movie — is now available on digital, on demand, and DVD in the US and Canada. Rent/Buy on Amazon Prime Video. (One Tree Entertainment, 2025)

Surrounded by killers, mercy is not an option.

Film Credits:

  • Written by: Rene Perez & Barry Massoni
  • Directed by: Rene Perez
  • Starring:
    • David Kurzhal (a.k.a. Viking Samurai)
    • Michael Nesto
    • Michael Paré (The Virgin Suicides, The Lincoln Lawyer)
    • Richard Tyson (Kindergarten Cop, There’s Something About Mary)

Plot Synopsis:

During a transfer to a remote prison island, a determined young policewoman and a deadly inmate are caught in the middle of a violent prison break. Forced to rely on each other, they must fight through chaos to survive.

Fans of Jean-Claude Van Damme will love this fast-paced, adrenaline-charged action flick.

Bloodstorm still. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Coming Soon: David Kurzhal vs. Sugar Shane Mosley

David Kurzhal, also known as Viking Samurai and star of The Last Kumite, is stepping into the ring in a high-profile showdown.

Fight Date: July 25, 2025
Location: O2 Arena, London
Opponent: Boxing icon Sugar Shane Mosley
Streaming Audience: Expected to exceed 6 million viewers

🥊 [Click here for event info]

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

New movie release: The Last Deal

The Last Deal opens in theaters Friday February 3 and digital Tuesday February 7, 2023. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Sala Baker, known to Lord of the Rings fans as Sauron, stars in the non-stop action thrill ride The Last Deal, coming to theaters February 3 and digital February 7. (The Last Deal, 2023)

A captivating profusion of Heat and Savages, The Last Deal nabbed Best Director at the Boston Film Festival, and later, the Jury Prize for Best Performance at the San Antonio Film Festival.

Black market marijuana dealer Vince is living the high life in Los Angeles, but everything changes when new laws pass making cannabis legal. With limited dispensary licenses available, Vince may be squeezed out of the business. He is desperate to make one final score, but borrows money from the wrong people.

Directed by Jonathan Salemi, and also starring Anthony Molinari (Tenet), Mister Fitzgerald (“F.B.I.”), Jeffri Lauren (Inside & Out), Mike Ferguson (Ebola Rex), Conner Floyd (“The Young & The Restless”), and Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), The Last Deal is a Scatena & Rosner Films release.

Rated R for some strong violence, drug content, language throughout, brief sexuality, and nudity.

Dark Star Pictures acquires rights to The Prey

prey
The Prey will have an October theatrical release followed by VOD and DVD release. Photo: EG-PR, used with permission.

Dark Star Pictures has announced today that it has acquired North American rights to action thriller The Prey. The company is planning an October theatrical release followed by VOD and DVD release. The film has excited audiences and critics at festivals including Busan International Film Festival 2018, BFI London Film Festival 2018, Hawaii Film Festival 2018, Night Visions and most recently Fantasia Film Festival 2019. (Dark Star Pictures, 2019)

Loosely based on Richard Connell’s story of survival and adventure “The Most Dangerous Game,”  The Prey comes from writer/director Jimmy Henderson and the team behind genre festival hit Jailbreak. Undercover Chinese cop Xin (newcomer Gu Shangwei), is on a secret international mission when a surprise raid puts him in a remote Cambodian jungle prison that plays by its own rules. Ruthless warden (Vithaya Pansringarm of Only God Forgives) sells prisoners as human prey for rich hunters looking for thrills in the jungle. After years of hunting down ruthless criminals, Xin suddenly finds himself running for his life. If Xin manages to survive this sadistic game, he will walk out of the jungle the same way he came in: as a free man. If Xin fails, he is just another hunting trophy.

Theatrical openings will include Los Angeles, New York, and more to be announced. The deal was negotiated by Dark Star President Michael Repsch and Pip Ngo of XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

DIRECTOR: Jimmy Henderson (Jailbreak)
WRITTEN BY: Jimmy Henderson, Michael Hodgson, Kai Miller
CAST: Byron Bishop, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Nophand Boonyai, Vithaya Panringarm (Only God Forgives), Gu Shang Wei

Distributed by LA-based Dark Star Pictures.

RT: 93 minutes; Color; Language: Cambodian and Chinese with English subtitles; Rating: Not Rated

“The Prey is an exceptionally fun, high strung action film that is exhilarating from start to finish. But what really drew us to the film was the societal context – specifically the look at how class systems can be taken to the extreme, which could not be more relevant in our society today.” – Michael Repsch