RAGING FIRE – “Throwback to Classic Hong King Cinema” – Opens August 20 at the AFS Cinema
For everyone who has ever enjoyed the classic era of ’80s and ’90s Hong Kong Action, the new film RAGING FIRE is going to feel like an absolute blast from the past. It’s the last film directed by Benny Chan, and it stars the classic good guy/bad guy tandem of Donnie Yen and Nicholas Tse. The story centers on Bong (Yen), a highly respected cop with a long history of success on dangerous cases, whose past soon comes back to haunt him when his former protégé (Tse) seeks revenge against all those who have wronged him.
RAGING FIRE is both a throwback to the golden age of Tai Seng VHS tapes with ear-blisteringly overloaded mono Cantonese soundtracks and an example of what the old school has to teach us today. Don’t believe us though—read on to see what the critics have to say.
Currently the No. 1 film in China, RAGING FIRE blazes onto the big screen at the AFS Cinema this Friday. Purchase tickets.
REVIEWS
“An explosive action film like they used to make, with creative car chases on Hong Kong’s iconic Nathan Road, wild shoot-outs and intense hand-to-hand combat. Aided by the star magnetism of Yen and Tse and back in his element on the colorful streets of Hong Kong, Chan goes out with both guns blazing.” – G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
“Raging Fire is an accomplished visual feat with detailed fight choreography and strong physical performances. But it’s definitely for those more swayed by guns than gags, and by action than character.” –Anna Smith, Deadline
“Rest In Peace, Benny Chan. Your final film might be your best overall work. Raging Fire is everything you would expect it to be. Raging Fire is straight fire. Raging Fire puts most Hollywood action movies to shame. Rarely do you watch a movie and get everything you expected from it. [It] is the action movie of the year.” – Todd Gaines, Bulletproof Action
“Raging Fire has enough incendiary shoot-outs, nail-biting car chases and brutal hand-to-hand combat to satisfy even the pickiest of action movie aficionados.” – Edmund Lee, South China Morning Post
“In a world where so many big-budget action movies are either sanitized or stylized to the point of abstraction, Raging Fire reminds us that a little bit of real-world chaos can still go a long way. If you can sit through the occasional sermon about the role of police in modern society, you’ll find yourself in the lap of true action greatness.” – Matthew Monagle, Austin Chronicle
