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Reviews
Tian di ying xiong (2003)
Great movie
This film was a really great surprise.
The characters were a lot of fun without being goofy or two-dimensional, and the story was complicated enough to be interesting without being overwrought and confusing. The locations were beautiful, and the costuming was great, too. The action was practically non-stop -- lots of chases and sword fights. It didn't have any of the hokey mysticism that so often appears in films like this (although there was a lot of acrobatic swordplay), opting instead for a grittier approach (with a notable exception or two).
Definitely worth seeing.
The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
A pleasant surprise
I approached this movie with caution, especially since it stars Vin Diesel, but was pleasantly surprised by it. Diesel's single-note performance worked for the role, I guess -- at the very least he didn't spoil the rest of the film for me. The pacing was exciting from start to finish, and the production design was quite good -- things felt truly alien and original. The plot was pretty dark and grim with very little scmaltz, and only a few unnecessary elements (like Dame Judy Dench....) I'd recommend this to anyone who is into sci-fi and/or action flicks. Go in with low expectations -- it's not exactly a classic -- and you won't be disappointed.