Outcast

[GeneChing]

Alas...Nic Cage.

You must follow the link to see the embedded trailer. No doubt it'll come up on a platform we can embed here soon.

Follow Nicolas Cage on his righteous Crusade in this exclusive 'Outcast' trailer
By: Brian Truitt January 13, 2015 4:26 pm


(EntertainmentOne)
For those who thought his Left Behind role was a bit less, shall we say, Cage-tastic, Nicolas Cage makes up for it in the period action flick Outcast (in theaters and on VOD Feb. 6). Directed by first-timer Nick Powell, a former Crusader by the name of Jacob (Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars prequels fame) is pulled into the fray when a young Chinese prince is targeted by his older brother for assassination so he can take the imperial throne. When things get bad, who he’s gonna call? Enter the man known to locals as the “White Ghost,” the one-eyed Crusader-turned-outlaw Gallain (Cage), to turn the tide for the good guys.

Check out this exclusive trailer for Outcast, but take note of Christensen making the most of all that lightsaber training (Obi-Wan would be proud!) and pretty much everything Cage does, from laughing at kids to brandishing a pole like a boss to his dramatic declaration of “I … am … the White Ghost.” Because even ancient Cage is great Cage.

Hold the phone....was that Crystal Liu? Sweet.

[GeneChing]

Actually, it's pretty much the same trailer as on the link above...

[GeneChing]

Still catching up on this one - it just came up in an interview with Jack Tu.

Nicolas Cage movie, 'Outcast,' pulled from theaters in China


Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen star in "Outcast," a China co-production that was pulled from theaters. (Arclight Films)
By Richard Verrier and Julie Makinen contact the reporters

Cage's latest movie, "Outcast," about the exploits of two crusaders in China during the 12th century, has suddenly been pulled from theaters in China, underscoring how unpredictable the country can be for filmmakers eager to exploit the world's second largest film market.

"Outcast," which also stars Hayden Christensen, had been scheduled to debut today in China. But its release was halted shortly because the movie was set to be shown in more than 5,000 theaters.

“I’m confounded,” said Jeremy Bolt, one of the film’s producers. “A delay within 24 hours of the release is extremely unusual. We went through all the proper approvals. I just don’t know what to say.”

Bolt said he learned about the decision on Friday from his Chinese partner and the film's principal financier, Yunnan Film Group.

Yunnan sent a last-minute fax to the movie's distributor Huaxi Film, saying that because of the movie's "foreign investor and international distributor" the film's release was being postponed, according to the Chinese film movie site MTime.com. No new release date for "Outcast" has been set.

The movie is a French-Canada-China co-production involving Arclight Films, based in the U.S. and Australia; Bolt of the U.K.’s Notorious Films and producer of "Resident Evil;" France’s 22h22; and Canada’s Media Max Prods.

Representatives ArcLight could not be immediately reached for comment.

The reasons for the decision aren't clear, but it comes as China is heading into a national holiday that starts Oct. 1 and runs through Oct. 7.

Such busy movie-going times are often “blackout periods” where no foreign films are allowed to be shown. As an official Chinese co-production, “Outcast” theoretically should have been exempt from such restrictions. The movie was shot in China and has a Chinese story line.

But film bureau authorities can be sensitive about such things and may have decided to make a change at the last minute.

No “foreign” films are scheduled for release in the mainland until Oct. 10, when “Guardians of the Galaxy” is expected to arrive in theaters.

It's not the first time a foreign movie has been pulled from theaters in China, where Hollywood studios have been frustrated by quotas that limit the number of foreign movies allowed into the country under a revenue-sharing agreement and how much ticket sales they can collect.

Last year, Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” was yanked from theaters shortly after it opened in China reportedly because of concerns over scenes of nudity and violence.

After some offending scenes were removed, China’s State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) allowed it back into theaters about a month later.

And last May, China's film censors also refused to release the Paramount Pictures biblical epic "Noah," starring Russell Crowe.

Verrier reported from Los Angeles, Makinen reported from Beijing.

[bawang]

nicholas cage in a kung fu movie

"I AM THE WHITE GHOST"

lol

[curenado]

Dig that hoi san li look - "Lung yun fan, this time you have gone too far!"

(I can't find a really big eyebrows one...)

[Jimbo]

Dig that hoi san li look - "Lung yun fan, this time you have gone too far!"

That's actually Leung Kar-Yan, not Li Hoi-San.

I don't know if I'll bother watching Outcast.

[curenado]

But it wasn't the one with the (probably) best lin guai beard, mustache and hair do in any kung fu flick - alas, all I had was ironhead....

[bawang]

That's actually Leung Kar-Yan, not Li Hoi-San.

I don't know if I'll bother watching Outcast.

im not man it looks racist as fuk

[GeneChing]

Then again, I write a column on Asian film for our magazine as well as review films for our ezine. And I enjoy bad film. How else could I watch so many Kung Fu flicks?

I find this one intriguing for many reasons beyond Cage yelling 'I am the white ghost!' Watching the China-release versus the U.S.-release play out is interesting, particularly to me as I follow such news. Also, I like Crystal Liu.

Nicolas Cage’s 'Outcast' Twice Halted for Showing in Chinese Cinemas, Now Set to Debut in US Theaters
Arclight’s Outcast, an American-Chinese-Canadian action movie directed by Nick Powell and written by James Dormer, is set to be seen in US theaters beginning February 27 according to Movie Insider. The film was originally slated for release on September 26, 2014 in China but was postponed to January 16, 2015, then again halted, this time indefinitely.

8:33 PM EST 1/26/2015 by Kara Michelle, Celebeat Reporter


Nicolas Cage's Ourcast teaser poster

Arclight's Outcast, an American-Chinese-Canadian action movie directed by Nick Powell and written by James Dormer, is set to be seen in US theaters beginning February 27 according to Movie Insider. The film was originally slated for release on September 26, 2014 in China but was postponed to January 16, 2015, then again halted, this time indefinitely.

Set in 10th Century China, Outcast stars Nicholas Cage as Gallain and Hayden Christensen as Jacob, both of whom are ex-Crusaders. The film also co-stars Liu Yifei as Lian, Ji Ke Jun Yi as Mei, and Andy On as Shing. According to the studio's plot summary, when the heir of the imperial throne becomes the target of assassination by his despised older brother, the young prince's only hope is the protection of his sister, and the reluctant aid of Jacob, who must overcome his own personal demons and rally the assistance of Gallain to return the prince to his rightful place on the throne.

Outcast is a joint venture production involving US-Australian Arclight Films, Jeremy Bolt of U.K.'s Notorious Films, France's 22h22, and Canada's Media Max Prods. China's Yunnan Film Group is the financier and also a co-producer in the project. The movies was originally set to be shown in more than 5,000 theaters in China but was stopped mere hours from the scheduled screening.

"I'm confounded. A delay within 24 hours of the release is extremely unusual. We went through all the proper approvals. I just don't know what to say," Bolt told reporters back in September following the development. "The reasons for this are not clear. We simply don't know if it is censorship problem, or something else. Marketing and promotion have been done and money has been spent," Arclight's chief creative officer Mike Gabrawy added.

Outcast is not the first foreign movie that has been stopped from screening at the last minute in China. Last year, Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained was pulled out from theaters right after it started. Chinese censors also refused to have Paramount Pictures' biblical epic Noah to be shown at all.

Looks like it got screened in Charlotte:

'Outcast' B-movie quality
By ROGER MOORE
Tribune News Service
Posted: Monday, Feb. 02, 2015

"Outcast" is what happens when stunt men direct.

The fights are marvelously choreographed, the swordplay splendid and the bloody body count high in director Nicholas Powell's Middle East/Far East quest tale. The script? Derivative, dim and dull. The performances? Not much, either.

Essentially a Hayden Christensen vehicle with Nicolas Cage, Chinese scenery and swordsmanship to recommend it, "Outcast" is another variation on"The Hidden Fortress." That's the 1960s samurai film that George Lucas leaned on for the original "Star Wars."

A Chinese king has died, his chosen heir, protected by his sister (Yifei Liu) is on the run. An opium-addicted knight, fleeing the demons that committing mass murder in the Middle East has given him, takes on the quest to get them to safety.

That would be Jacob (Christensen), whom we've seen slaughtering Muslim occupiers of the Holy Land, and then getting lectured about it by his sad-eyed mentor, Gallain (Cage).

"The blood we spill here is on OUR blades, on our soul's, not God's!"

The old knight suggested they get away from it all, head east. And that, apparently, is what they've done.

But in China, Shing (Andy On) is determined to get rid of us younger brother, the heir, and take the royal seal from him. So his Black Guards are hot on the trail of the young prince and his hot older sister. Help us, Jacob-wan, she pleads. You're our only hope.

Christensen returns to the swordplay that launched his career with gusto and a seriously Bieberish haircut. He suffers slings and arrows and wields his sword like an enraged Land Rover owner waves his dipstick. He's only happy when it's covered in red.

Cage disappears for an hour of the film, returning as a bandit the Chinese call "The White Ghost." He, too, is haunted by his bloody past.

"What do the dead whisper?"

"What is owed must be paid."

It's all impossible fights, unlikely rescues and Jacob waking up in the care of this or that exotic woman tending to his wounds and getting him off the opium.

"Tears of a poppy dull a man's senses."

As will "Outcast," though it never pretends to be anything more than what it is - an Englishlanguage B-movie ready to be dubbed for the Chinese market.

'OUTCAST'
1.5 stars (Grade D-plus)
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Nicolas Cage, Yifei Liu, Andy On
Directed by Nicholas Powell, script by James Dormer. An eOne release.
Running time: 1:39
MPAA Rating: Unrated, with bloody swordplay, opium use, profanity

[GeneChing]

There's a yahoovid if you follow the link.

How Bruce Lee Made Nicolas Cage: 'He Changed My World' (Exclusive)
Meriah Doty Editor February 6, 2015

In the stylish martial arts film Outcast, Nicolas Cage plays a shadowy warrior known as the White Ghost. His aim is to defeat evil that has infiltrated a Chinese dynasty.

As Cage reveals in the above exclusive footage, the original inspiration for the fighter role — and his entire career — came from watching Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon when he was just 8 years old. “It wasn’t just because of the way he moved,” Cage explains. “The presence, the charisma coming off of him… I was, like,’ I wanna do that.’”

See if you can spot Lee’s influence on Cage when Outcast enters select theaters and goes on demand this weekend.

Outcast is already available on iTunes to own or rent. For some perverse reasons, I really need to see this.

[GeneChing]

And a dubious honor first forum review is for this one.

Sometimes I gotta watch stuff like this for work. That's why they must pay me.

This film has been heavily panned by everyone, so I wasn't expecting much. I confess that I do like Nic. I know, I know, he's like Keanu, some like him, some hate him. I like him. He's turned in some great films - Leaving Las Vegas, Windtalkers, Face-Off, Birdy, Wild At Heart, etc. At the same time, I acknowledge he's been in some really terrible films. Here, he is terrible. I mean super terrible. He's doing some sort of accent - Scottish? Irish? Sort of UKish? He doesn't develop it at all so it just sounds silly. Anakin plays the disciple-gone-bad again, but this time he's into opium, not the darkside. Crystal looked not-so-cute at first, so much so I didn't think it was her, that maybe she broke her China doll nose or something. Andy On is a decent villain. But where this dies is the dialog. It's painfully bad. I would have liked it much better if it were in Mandarin or translated into Spanish. In English, every line is wince-worthy and the actors do little to save it.

The director is a stuntman so the action is ok. There are a lot of swordfights. In fact, it's like one huge swordfight. It starts with Crusaders storming a Muslim fortress, quickly shifts to China for a chase scene (save the emperor's kid from evil brother usurper) and ends with another siege of the Black guard on a thieves' cave. It's shot one-action/one-shot, but there's some amusing fights. The downside is that it is not filmed well. It's not jiggly; it's that weird staccato stuttery way of filming, which makes the action scenes choppy. WTH do you call that? There must be a technical term. That ruins some decent action.

The locations are stunning. China is gorgeous. The film as some gaping stupidity. Why does Crystal, the fleeing princess, insist on wearing a regal white silk robe when everyone else is in ruddy earth tones? Reminds me of the Monty Python and the Holy Grail line "must be a king, hasn't got **** all over him". And how hard is it to find two white guys in medieval China? There's Nic, Anakin, and who else, Marco Polo?

So this film wasn't as bad as some of the reviews said, but it's not really worth your attention. Unless you are a movie masochist, which I confess I can be sometimes too.

[boxerbilly]

I too am a fan of Nick Cage. Especially the National Treasure series. I'd rate this film a 3. Probably Nick Cages worst performance to date. Haden has not impressed me since Star Wars. I guess he needs to go back to acting class.

MP and The Holy Grail was a great movie. A mere flesh wound. Black Knight fight-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjEcj8KpuJw

[mickey]

Greetings,

Before the term qwailo was used in USA, the term "white ghost" in Cantonese was the term in NYC. When I heard Luke Cage say those words, I know that a lot of NYC Cantonese will be laughing in the theatres.

mickey

[GeneChing]

When I heard Luke Cage say those words, I know that a lot of NYC Cantonese will be laughing in the theatres.

Or not. I'm not certain this ever got the U.S. theatrical release that it was alleged to get. There's no evidence of it on boxofficemojo.com.