In the Name of the King

[GeneChing]

Action choreography by Tony Ching Siu Tung and starring Jason Statham. Opens next week. Here's the Official website.

[doug maverick]

crap i'll pass

[Lucas]

isnt this based on a video game?

[doug maverick]

no don't think so

[GeneChing]

See Dungeon Siege.

See also IN THE NAME OF THE KING: TAI CHI MASTER Meets Fire Dragon? by Dr. Craig Reid

[Dragonzbane76]

Think I'll wait for video.

It got really bad reviews.

[doug maverick]

so i finally watched this drival. and i don't know what dr.reid was smoking when he compared this movie to tai chi master, in what respects? this movie had no and i mean no aspects of that master peice of a film. this film was pure trash and it had everything to do with horrible casting.i mean ray liotta as a ****ing wizard come on.John Rhys-Davies, brian J. white and jason statham were the bright parts of this film in terms of casting they fit there parts, pretty well. i wonder who the **** keeps funding uwe boll movies. mean this guy has only had like one hit film and it was even by a big margin, and it was only a hit because the film was made for 7 mil. he keeps making flop after flop but keeps getting the financing to film these garbage ass video game movies that suck. now as for the fights i think ching siu tung did a good job with this one, and this coming from someone who hates tony ching siu tung action scenes, so its worht seeing just for that. i give the film a 5 out of 10 because it does have its moments and the action was good.

P.S. what the **** with the fairy people, they were useless in this film why were they there. for what reason. and don;t get me started on burt reynolds and mathew lillard.

[GeneChing]

I'm glad we reviewed it now. I hope every year one of our reviews gets a Razzie. After all, this is the martial arts genre and something has to keep giving us proper perspective.

Is Jason Statham becoming the new JCVD/SS of action films or what?

Paris’ NOTTIE, Myers’ GURU, Shyamalan’s THE HAPPENING, DISASTER MOVIE and Uwe Boll Rank Among 2008 RAZZIE® Worsts

It wasn’t just the American economy that took a disastrous downturn in 2008 — so did the quality of Hollywood movie-making. Of the 573 films released last year a record 75 rated forum discussions on the official RAZZIE® Awards web site. This plethora of putrid motion pictures proved a double-edged sword — It meant Golden Raspberry Award voters had plenty to choose from — but it also made their task of culling the crud down to a mere five contenders each in nine categories berry complicated. What they selected as nominees for this year's 29th Annual RAZZIE® Awards is the subject of this press release. The eventual “winners” will be unveiled in intentionally tacky ceremonies set for the now traditional Oscar® eve, Saturday night February 21, 2009 at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in Hollywood.

Among the contenders for the Worst Picture are several laugh-free comedies, the year's most laughable vision of the apocalypse, a pair of puerile parodies, a couple of big budget B.O. bombs, and a decidedly un-romantic “romantic comedy” co-produced by Paris Hilton. The list includes the first ever dual Worst Picture nominees, two films from the same two talent-free writer/directors, both featuring essentially the same cast — those twin towers of pop culture babble, DISASTER MOVIE (which lived up — or down — to its title) and MEET THE SPARTANS (a “parody” of THE 300 which somehow managed to work references to Britney Spears into an ancient Spartan “plot”). Other Worst Picture picks: The latest “mystery with a twist” from that self-important twit (and multiple RAZZIE® “winner”) M. Night Shyamalan, THE HAPPENING, an eco-disaster tale whose “villain” drew more guffaws than gasps; The robotic rom-com THE HOTTIE AND THE NOTTIE copping Hilton three of her four RAZZIE® nominations this year alone as the film’s producer and star; Bad Movie Uber-Meister Uwe Boll’s video-game-based fiasco IN THE NAME OF THE KING: A DUNGEON SIEGE TALE, which grossed under $5 million on a $60 million budget and was also a factor in Boll being selected to receive the first Worst Career Achievement RAZZIE® awarded since 1987. And last (and possibly least) the year’s biggest box office bomb, Mike Myers as a platitude-spouting mystic in the decidedly unloved LOVE GURU. Also singled out for dis-honor: The year’s third-highest-grossing (and most disappointing) movie, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, as Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, 2007 Triple Crown RAZZIE® “winner” Eddie Murphy, back for more abuse in two categories for MEET DAVE; Oscar® winner Al Pacino sporting his third RAZZIE® nomination for both 88 MINUTES and RIGHTEOUS KILL, Pierce Brosnan singing(!) in MAMMA, MIA! as Worst Supporting Actor, Worst Actor choice Larry the Cable Guy, all five top-billed stars of THE WOMEN (jointly vying as Worst Actress)...and more!

[SimonM]

The difference between Jason Statham and the other two... ahem... unmentionables is that we do know that Statham is CAPABLE of something RESEMBLING acting.

After all...

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels &
Snatch

JCVD and SS weren't capable of that.

The fact that Jason Statham has the ability and CHOSES not to use it on a regular basis makes him worse.

[GeneChing]

L,S & B and S were Statham's first two films. I'd argue that both JCVD and SS started out with some good films. Their first couple of flicks were very enjoyable (well, I don't know about JCVD's debut as the "Gay Karate Man" because I haven't seen it). When Statham catches up to JCVD and SS in number of films, we can compare their ratio of hits to misses and see.

[doug maverick]

well jcvd and ss had real MA skills. but im gonna have to give a wait and see process, cause statham makes some real ****ty movies, crank, transporter 2, i can keep going.

[SimonM]

L,S & B and S were Statham's first two films. I'd argue that both JCVD and SS started out with some good films. Their first couple of flicks were very enjoyable (well, I don't know about JCVD's debut as the "Gay Karate Man" because I haven't seen it). When Statham catches up to JCVD and SS in number of films, we can compare their ratio of hits to misses and see.

Fair enough Gene.

One question: Are we counting Transporter 1 and War as hits or misses?

[doug maverick]

transporter one hit- war horrible horrible abomination of a miss

[sanjuro_ronin]

The difference between Jason Statham and the other two... ahem... unmentionables is that we do know that Statham is CAPABLE of something RESEMBLING acting.

After all...

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels &
Snatch

JCVD and SS weren't capable of that.

The fact that Jason Statham has the ability and CHOSES not to use it on a regular basis makes him worse.

Hard target was OK, even Bloodsport in that cheesy low budget way.
Time cop was OK, the Quest was fine, none great but perfectly fine crap.
Above the Law was great, Under Siege was great, Out for Pizza, er I mean Justice was ok too.

[Jimbo]

JCVD and Seagal had some entertaining films early on. I liked Seagal's Above the Law, Marked for Death, and Out For Justice the most, and as for JCVD, Timecop was probably his best IMO, though my favorite of his performances was a cheesey performance as the Russian fighter in the cheesey No Retreat No Surrender, which was Corey Yuen's U.S. directorial debut. Though I'm not particularly a fan of JCVD's.

Though he may not be an actual martial artist per se, Statham seems able to handle far better roles than either Seagal or JCVD. I can't really compare Statham to them, other than he plays action movie heroes.

I'd rate Transporter 1 as good. But after the awful Transporter 2, I gave both War and In the Name of the King a miss. Though I may rent In the Name of the King due to Ching Siu-Tung doing a fair job of choreographing (according to Doug). Because normally Ching's choreo is my least favorite.