One is likely to find more inside cameo appearances than a mid-period John Landis picture in this affectionate homage to the lowliest genre of them all, the slasher film. Director and co-writer Teddy Chan’s straight out non-PC tale of courage triumphing over adversity follows a clubfooted serial killer (Baoqiang Wang) who turns his “handicap” into an “awesome weapon” and the convict (Donnie Yen, also credited with directing the action sequences) that neatly convinces cops that a pardon is in order so that they might prevail upon his limitless knowledge of martial arts – and its respective disciplines – to prevent the pending slaughter of seven former colleagues. It’s difficult to dislike a psycho who berates one of his victims for trading in his weapon mastery for a job as a lowly industry stuntman. The unspeakable brutality climaxes in a novel fight to the finish that plays out beneath oncoming traffic followed by an old fashioned picture credit dedication to its cast, crew, and inspirations. (2014) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.