Contents
10 / binary star


It's a sequel nearly three decades in the making. But does Tron Legacy measure up? In the first of a two-part chat with Jeff Bridges, we assess his latest outing...


14 / the way of the gun


Clash of the icons. America has its cowboys, the East has its ninjas. It was only a matter of time before the action kicked off. Impact looks at The Warrior's Way...



18 / state of the action '10


Impact's writers sit down to discuss some of the major highs, lows, developments and trends of the last twelve months...


24 / mark my words


Comics enfant terrible, Mark Millar has firmly made his mark on the industry, but as a new year begins, what are his plans? Mark talks exclusively to Impact about pros, cons and the state of things to come...



30 / the thought that counts...


Impact editor John Mosby hosted a comics/movies panel at the recent prestigious UK convention and reports back on the whole weekend's activities...


36 / japanime


This month it's women and manga in the driver's seat, with men and anime stuck in the back, as Andrez Bergen takes a look at the traditionally masculine nature of Japanese society - and the new cinematic outings, themselves based on some ground-breaking manga publications...


40 / anime attack



Neal Molyneaux examines the Japanese Chanbara tragedy that is the Blade of the Immortal series...


44 / chan's encounter


As Jackie Chan gets a season of movies on the UK SyFy channel, he reveals a very personal look back at his career...


50 / casanova wong



Impact continues its in-depth interview with one of the enduring icons of Hong Kong and Korean cinema, the man they call 'Casanova Wong'...


54 / asia extreme


This month: Battle Royale battles its way onto Blu-ray, even more lacerations from the Land of the Rising Sun in Shogun Assassin: Special Edition and Korea gets gory with new serial killer thriller Missing...


58 / jesse johnson


Director Jesse V Johnson - whose credits include Pitfighter, The Last Sentinel, The Butcher and most recently, the award winning Charlie Valentine - makes a full blooded return to action with his latest project, Bratva. Mike Leeder investigates...



62 / uwe-biqutous


This month we conclude our conversation with one of the most controversial men in the film industry, Mr Uwe Boll.


66 / live three or die


Russell Crowe believes his wife is innocent, but how far will he go to prove it? Impact reviews his latest outing, The Next Three Days...



68 / far from fragile


From the outside, the comics industry appears to be stronger than ever, but Beau Smith gives an insider's view that says the industry has some hard decisions to make...


70 / multimedia


A round-up of the latest books, DVDs and games that should be on your shopping list post-Christmas...

Contents
10 / the green hornet


Nearly forty years ago, martial arts legend Bruce Lee was a memorable 'Kato', but will a new big screen version of the Green Hornet get a positive 'buzz'? Impact investigates...


14 / chan's encounters


In the second part of our conversation with Jackie Chan, the Eastern legend talks of his career in the East and West, those famous injuries and his very personal outlook...



18 / 2011 preview


As always there's an anticipation for the year of action ahead. Impact take a look at the next six months and picks out some titles to keep an eye on...


24 / family man, regular guy


John Romita Jnr. is a walking, talking, drawing, kick-ass'ing legend in the field of comic-books and in an exclusive interview for Impact he explains the ups, downs and milestone moments...



30 / viva chiba!


Impact salutes the life and work of the premier Japanese action hero Shinichi 'Sonny' Chiba, the star of such grind house martial arts classics as The Streetfighter series and Roaring Fire...


34 / asian extreme


Calum Waddell guides us through his regular look at the brightest, darkest and strangest entries from abroad. This month we get a further assessment of Ip Man 2 and an infernal preview of Dante Lam's Fire of Conscience...


38 / japanime



February may be the month in the Western world for Valentine's thoughts, but is it the same in Japan? Andrez Bergen wears his heart on his sleeve for a topical report...


44 / saigon calling...


Johnny Nguyen and Veronica Ngo, Vietnam's very own Brangelina, reunite onscreen for Clash- a home grown gangster flick crammed with kick-ass action...


48 / vampire warriors



Dennis Law is one of a handful of Eastern producers/directors trying to work outside the usual limitations of domestic cinema. Impact brings you the first UK review of his latest project, Vampire Warriors...


50 / one ring to rule them all


Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg star in The Fighter, based on the real-life story of two boxing brothers. John Mosby looks at an award-baiting film full of great performances and tough fighting set-pieces ...


52 / jean claude van damme


Impact takes a look at what's in store for Van Damme fans around the world...



54 / peter kent: at the double


Arnold Schwarzenegger may return to acting now his 'governating' days are over, but that could be good news for some... Impact meets Arnold's very own stunt double Peter Kent.


58 / invasive procedures


Impact continues to provide a platform for up an coming film-makers. This month Fareed Athman talks to AD Lane about some unusual ways to get funding on that special project...



62 / building bridges


After last month's Tron Legacy, Jeff Bridges gets back down to earth for his latest outing. In the second part of you interview, we discover why the veteran actor really has True Grit...


66 / far from fragile


Beau Smith is the inside man for the comic-book industry, but this month wonders if some of the mainstream titles, with their complex mythologies, are really accessible enough to the next generation of readers?


70 / multimedia



This month Impact looks at some of the most interesting the various books, games, comics and DVDs on offer. Can Wesley Snipes win the Game of Death, will our reviewers be Bedevilled and has international television scheduling finally out-primed the pirates?

Contents sammo hung


He's one of the East's top names and made a mark for himself internationally over the last three decades... he is, of course, Sammo Hung. Calum Waddell meets the big man himself.


by the numbers


It's been marketed as the 'new answer to Twilight' but does this mainstream action movie tick TOO many boxes?



a very singular suspect


We were sad to learn of Pete Postlethwaite's passing in January. Here, Impact's editor John Mosby remembers the great character actor and his meetings with him over the years....


spaced out


You may never look at ET the same way again! After they skewered the undead in Shaun of the Dead, Impact catches up with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the writers and stars of Paul to see how they handle aliens!



hard drive


Veteran actor William Fichtner could have been a lawyer, but in Drive Angry 3D, he's an 'Accountant' after Nic Cage's soul....


sven thorsen: great dane in hollywood


From Denmark to Hollywood, Impact meets Sven-Ole Thorsen, the real muscles behind the cinematic tussles...


benny chan



Eastern editor Mike Leeder quizzes veteran Benny Chan on 'Zen and the art of commercial film-making'...


japanime


This month our Tokyo-entrenched scribe Andrez Bergen reports on an innovative series of anime movies that are making inroads in Japan... plus an old manga classic character that's about to be reinvented for the big screen - just as he has been every year since the 1980s!


[anime attack] summer wars



It may not yet be spring, but Neal Molyneaux takes a seasonal look at Summer Wars... The Royal Tenenbaums meets War Games in this tale of rogue AIs and family values...


rock solid


The classic British gangster movie Brighton Rock gets re-imagined for another generation. Impact looks at its journey to the screen...


tangled webs?


It's always interesting when action finds a new format, but is the Spider-man musical on Broadway a step too far? John Mosby takes a look at the spin behind the Turn off the Dark headlines and the troubleshooting- webshooting...



fear to retread


The next TV season may well take us back to the future with a whole raft of remakes and re-imaginings... we look at what is heading our way later in 2011...


fx: the sky's the limit...


As Skyline gets released on DVD, Abbie Bernstein goes behind the scenes on the low-budget, high-concept alien invasion...



fx: the importance of being there...


Continuing our look at special effects, John Mosby looks at the advantages and disadvantages of new techology and the actors involved...


naked soldier


2011 sees the release of a third 'Naked' movie, the Wong Jing produced Naked Soldier directed by Marko Mak and featuring Sammo Hung Impact's own Ian Powers and Wushu wonder girl Jiang Liu-xia. We takes a sneak peek at the film and those involved.


[far from fragile] crimes of fashion



Beau Smith gets FAB-u-lous! Our comics industry expert looks at some of the crimes of fashion.


multimedia


A round-up of the latest books, DVDs and games that should be on your shopping list post-Christmas...

Contents fx and the city


The aliens are here and they've come for Hollywood! The City of Angels is the frontline for the latest 'invasion' movie, Battle: Los Angeles. Can Santa Monica survive?

godz' and monsters


We kick off a special series of Impact reports on the future of action entertainment with an exclusive conversation with Gareth Edwards, the man behind the block-busting, but not bank-busting Monsters... and hear about his plans for Godzilla!

all the rite moves


From CTU to CPU, Kiefer Sutherland swaps Jack Bauer's hit show to playing a hitman in The Confession, a ground-breaking internet series. Creator Brad Mirman tells Impact how it came to a computer near you!

in his element


The Danger Element marries steam-punk design and martial-arts action... John Soares takes us behind the web-action adventure series.

wired in the blood


It's time to catch up with our old friend Bob Chapin as he brings us up to date on The Hunted and how it blazed a trail for the new internet initiatives and an international network of new action film-makers...

internet action


Mike Leeder claims there's more to the internet than opinionated blogs, social networks and porn. We told him to prove it!

asian extreme


Calum Waddell goes behind the scenes on the controversial Bedevilled, reviewed last month, and talks to the film's director Jang Cheol-so about its journey to the screen.

award season


You didn't have to be a King to make a Speech over the last few weeks. Impact looks back at the action/thriller winners in the recent batch of cinematic ceremonies.

the chicago code


It's been a tough season for even the best US shows - and a terrible time to launch a new series. However, John Mosby argues, the police procedural The Chicago Code balances all its elements rather well...

japanime


We're very glad that our Tokyo Correspondent Andrez Bergen escaped the recent Tsunami unscathed! This month Andrez looks into the artistic work of renowned veteran DJ/producer Alan Oldham in Detroit - and how his iconic visual images and comic books all relate back to Japan. Plus: a multi-disc homage collection from Australia's Madman Entertainment that focuses its sights on Yasujiro Ozu - one of the greatest men of Japanese cinema.

eureka seven


Neal Molyneaux looks at Eureka Seven, as anime goes sci-fi in the film based on the classic anime series.
the films of the panther


Cool for cats! Mike Leeder casts a retrospective eye at the Ozploitation cinema classics Day of the Panther and Strike of the Panther...

the lost bladesman


Donnie Yen returns to historic action territory with his latest outing The Lost Bladesman. Impact takes a first look at the project...

continental drift


It's been a number of years since Clint Eastwood brought the last Michael Connelly novel adaptation to the screen in Blood Work. Fans of the best-selling novels hope that The Lincoln Lawyer might be a better vehicle...

tomorrow people...


Tomorrow, When the War Began might sound like a cross between Neighbours and Red Dawn but Impact finds it could definitely find its audience with a wider international release...

[far from fragile] breaking into comics


Following the theme of this issue, comics-veteran and regular Impact columnist Beau Smith looks at how to encourage the next wave of talent in the comics-industry.

multimedia


A round-up of the latest books, DVDs and games that should be on your shopping list.

Contents
transformative


The Transformers are back - and this time they're in 3D. Mark Ryan tells Impact why Michael Bay is still a force to be reckoned with...

view to a cull



After one of the bloodiest TV seasons, John Mosby inspects the shows and characters we've loved and lost...

first class delivery


In the last month the The X-Men have firmly re-established themselves on the big screen. We talk to the cast and crew to see how it all evolved...

worlds apart



Impact's cover story looks at a major new international production that features, anime, steam-punk and a return of those malevolent Martians. Prepare for War of the Worlds: Goliath!

[japanime] sake


Oh, for heaven's sake... Andrez Bergen looks at how an Eastern drink has played such a significant part in Eastern drama...

[anime attack] eden of the east & evangelion 2.22



Neal Molyneaux looks at the DVD releases of Eden of the East and Evangelion 2.22

[asian extreme] robert lee


Robert Lee guides Calum Waddell and Impact through his memories of his brother... the man called Bruce.

cynthia rothrock



Considered by many to be the first lady of action, Cynthia Rothrock talks to Mike Leeder about her career...

the rock says...


Dwayne Johnson may have returned to wrestling, but his film career is going stronger and Faster than ever...

billy chong


The second part of our exclusive feature on the Indonesian martial arts hero and industry veteran Billy Chong.


things to come


Mike Leeder looks ahead to some of the forthcoming features from the East that should be on your radar...

joyous noel


He's come a long way since the days of Mickey Smith... now Noel Clarke is a true force to be reckoned with in British cinema... and he wants to get his hands on a superhero...


far from fragile


In the world of comics, Beau Smith loves the art of advertising, but bemoans the blatant spoilers. Can comics promote themselves without giving their game-plan away?

wars correspondence


Johnny Messias looks at the hit YouTube documentary that no Star Wars fan will want to miss...

multimedia



A round-up of the latest books, DVDs and games that should be on your shopping list

Contents FEATURES

captain america

Does the star-spangled hero still reign? John Mosby finds out...

conan

Impact takes a look at the new Conan film. Will he prove to be the blockbusting Barbarian of the year?...

hobo with a shotgun

Hobo with a Shotgun is taking aim at any form of subtle story-telling and civilised behaviour. Can the Rutger Hauer vehicle thrive on infamy alone. Impact takes lock and stock...

game on

Impact looks at why a recent US legal ruling has created controversy for the action entertainment industry...

evolution of the species

As Rise of the Planet of the Apes gets ready to hit cinemas, Richard Ridings contemplates life working as a voice and performance capture artiste for games and cinema and the evolution of the entire action genre...

shadows of the damned

Impact talks to Japanese game designer Suda51 about Shadows Of The Damned...

transformers

After a highly profitable (but critically savaged) previous outing, John Mosby applauds the new 3D factor but still can't find any sign of depth...

assassin's game

For his latest project Assassin's Game, Ian Powers steps behind the camera as action choreographer. Impact delivers a sneak preview of the film which is currently in production...

blood traffick

Impact's Far Eastern Editor takes a look at Blood Traffick before it makes its debut in the States...

prime time tv

Reclusive altruistic billionaires recruiting crime-fighters? Mysterious islands and time travel? Alien invasions? Once again, John Mosby wonders if the new kids on the schedule block aren't quite as fresh as their promos suggest...

passing the torch

When Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner left Doctor Who and headed to Los Angeles they took something British with them... plans to revive Torchwood. With a star-spangled mix of the UK and US in its veins and a healthy dose of all-out action, is this a natural evolution?

jackie chan

We take a look back at several slices of Chan'demonium that haven't been as widely seen and take a quick look at what's to come in Chan's career?

dragon family

This month Impact delves into the vaults for a look at a classic slice of true Hong Kong heroic bloodshed, the 1988 thriller The Dragon Family.

REGULARS

news

Impact brings you the latest news from film releases to castings...

[japanime] seijun suzuki

Andrez Bergen investigates why more people haven't heard of the director Seijun Suzuki...

[anime attack] musashi: the dream of the last samurai

Anime attack gets an education with the animated documentary Musashi: The Dream of the Last Samurai

[asian extreme] detective dee and the mystery of the phantom flame

Andy Lau teams up with ace director Tsui Hark for the maddeningly monikered Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. Impact's Calum Waddell finds out more...

[far from fragile] how to cash in that reality check

This month, industry veteran Beau Smith offers words of wisdom on how to cash in that reality check...

multimedia

A round-up of the latest books, DVDs and games that should be on your shopping list...

Contents FEATURES

first frontier

James Bond! Indiana Jones! Thirteen? As Cowboys & Aliens invades cinema screens and multiplexes, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde discuss their attitudes to laying down the law...

wu xia

After breaking records in China, Mike Leeder gives the first UK review of the upcoming epic Wu Xia, starring Donnie Yen...

macleods & silver linings

As Highlander celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary, John Mosby talks to Christophe Lambert and Beatie Edney about the franchise that refuses to die...

sdcc

Impact looks at the big movie, tv (and, yes, comic!) news that came out of this year's ever-massive San Diego Comic Con.

sisters of no mercy

As Colombiana hits cinemas, Impact looks at not just the latest Besson-penned actioner, but his long tradition of putting women centre-stage...

zomb'asians

Braiiiiiiins or Bikiiiiiiinis? Mike Leeder gives us a preview of how the circulatory-challenged will be taking a humorous bite out of Eastern cinema...

crazy like a fox

Vivica A Fox made her name in Independence Day and Kill Bill. Fresh from her appearance at the London Film and Comic Con, she discusses her career to date...

yellow fever

As he prepares to join them for their third Annual Yellow Fever Independent Film Festival, Mike Leeder finds what the DVD label has been up to in the last twelve months...

assassination games

Impact's original cover star Jean-Claude Van Damme continues his return to form with the upcoming release of the slick thriller Assassination Games.

dos and don'ts

Put me in the movies! Mike Leeder isn't just Impact's man in the East, he's also involved in helping cast major movies. After years of getting the wrong approach from over-hopefuls, he's finally put together a guide of the things to which potential newcomers should avoid or adhere...

the buck starts here

John Mosby meets another LFCC guest, Gil Gerard - TV's iconic Buck Rogers - to discuss how tv action has changed since the 1980s.

REGULARS

news

Impact brings you the latest news from film releases to castings...

[asian extreme] tsui hark & suicide club

Calum Waddell talks to legendary film-maker Tsui Hark and gets to grips with the classic horror outing: Suicide Club.

[japanime] tokyo tv

Andrez Bergen looks at two of the most popular anime outings on Japanese television - and how they contimue to re-invent themselves...

[anime attack] high school of the dead

You're all dying for detention! Neal Molyneaux and Anime Attack get re-educated by attending the High School of the Dead.

[far from fragile] green lantern comics

This month, industry veteran Beau Smith looks at his own history with the Green Lantern comics and guides us through its production history...

multimedia

A round-up of the latest books, DVDs, games and more...

next month

Next month we talk movie-marketing with Jon Favreau, Fright Night with David Tennant and look at a shelf of classic projects hitting Blu-ray...

Contents

a remake to die for

We kick off our overview of the 're-make' trend with a look at the past and upcoming versions of The Killer Elite. Can Statham match it. Yes, he (James) Caan!

the necks generation

Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin and David Tennant draw their battle-lines in this bloody action re-imagining of the cult hit Fright Night!

cowboys and... idioms

Cowboys and Aliens' John Favreau and Robert Orci discuss the best way to launch your summer blockbuster...

kickin' off, big time

Impact braves the streets of London to give you a glimpse at the shooting of upcoming sports thriller Payback Season.

burning ambition

The upcoming release of the star studded Lady Generals of the Yang Family, marks the return to the big screen of actor / composer / producer / director Frankie Chan who has spent the last decade or so focusing on TV series' in mainland China. We take a look back at Chan's classic gangster thriller Burning Ambition.

let's talk about sex and zen

...and Christopher Sun is the man talking - about the sequel to the controversial film that was all about getting your martial arts kicks.

dos and don'ts part 2

Mike Leeder isn't just Impact's man in the East, he's also involved in helping cast major movies. In Part Two of his look at the best way to launch an action career, he tells hopefuls how to be best prepared to present themselves...

the good sheppards

W Morgan Sheppard and son Mark Sheppard have appeared in almost every action project going - sometimes as the very same character! John Mosby caught up with them at the London Film and Comic Con.

once were warriors

In the wake of the recent Conan remake, John Bierly looks back on the recent release of the Schwarzenegger movies on blu-ray, evaluating the movies themselves and the technical problems that fans have faced.

REGULARS

news

Impact brings you the latest news from film releases to castings...

japanime

Andrez Bergen looks at the aftermath of recent natural disasters around Japan and reflects on how it will change the outlook on entertainment...

anime attack

Impact meets Sawaki Takeyasu - the design genius behind this year's most original anime inspired game, El Shaddai - Ascension of the Metatron.

asian extreme

It was the film that brought a new wave of Eastern output to hungry western audiences Calum Waddell looks at the legacy of the original A Better Tomorrow and the latest remake.

far from fragile

This month, industry veteran Beau Smith examines the fact that while some of the mainstay comic-book heroes remain popular, they may have lost their 'likeability' factor...

multimedia

A round-up of the latest books, DVDs & games and more...

Contents

scrap metal

Hugh Jackman swaps adamantium claws for scrapheap automatons in this latest feel-good movie. Can it teach Transformers a thing or two about rock 'n' rolling robots?

warrior

John Bierly looks at last month's boxing-themed release to see if it punches above its weight...

warrioress

And it's now time for the female of the species. Ross Boyask takes us through the production process of his independent action outing.

back in business

Impact rounds up the latest information on the upcoming all-action-star sequel to The Expendables.

red tears

After the cult success of such Japanese extreme cinema as Tokyo Gore Police, Machine Girl, the Hard Revenge Milly series and much more, Impact's Far Eastern Editor Mike Leeder takes a first look at the horror martial arts thriller Red Tears.

angel

Mike Leeder looks back at the original guns-and-gung-fu movie franchise.

battlestar hatch-back

Actor Richard Hatch talks exclusively to Impact about Battlestar Galacticas old and new and the changing face of the industry.

in the frame

Our old friend and writer Brandon Jerwa tells Impact all about his latest project - a documentary featuring the major players of the comics industry...

tv: everybody do the dinosaur...?

Terra Nova was one of the most anticipated new television series of the year. Does this time-travelling, reverse 'Jurassic Park' action adventure deliver the goods?

tv: a kind of magic

John Mosby looks at the range of new action shows appearing on schedules and the many that have more than a flavour of the supernatural and magical about them...

REGULARS

news

Impact brings you the latest news from film releases to castings...

asian extreme

Calum Wadell shows some love for the genre with this rare, exclusive interview with acclaimed cinematographer Christopher Doyle.

japanime

2011 may have been a diabolical one for Japan, as outlined in Japanime last issue, but this month Andrez Bergen sets his sights on some of the local artistic endeavours that have played the Japanese cinema circuit, or will shape things to come both there and abroad in the new year.

anime attack

This month the live-action adaptation of Gantz and Redline headline Neal Molyneaux's look at anime and all things Eastern.

far from fragile

Beau Smith continues his exclusive column for Impact, dissecting the comics universe, one crisis at a time...

multimedia

Our expanded multimedia section takes in the best new TV shows, reviews of departing favourites, books, dvds, blu-rays and seven pages of game reviews!

next month

...and next month? Unbelievably we're twenty years old! Yes, you heard us right! No longer a strutting teenager but a mature, responsible adult. Well... maybe. Join us for the likes of George Clooney, Alcatraz, more games, the usual best of eastern and western action and a look at 2011 as we prepare for some changes in 2012. See you then...

Gantz Main Cover image courtesy of Laurent Koffel

Contents

ghosts in the machine

As Christmas appears on the horizon, so does another Mission Impossible movie. Impact hopes this outing will be more of a team effort...

the raid

With Hollywood already gearing up for a remake of The Raid, Impact talks with director Gareth Evans about helming the acclaimed Indonesian action outing

icon: citizen clooney

Looking at some of the veteran movers and shakers of the industry, John Mosby begins by talking to George Clooney about his career and recent release, The Ides of March...

alcatraz

Impact previews J J Abrams' new drama series. Clue: It involves an island, displaced people, time-travel and Jorge Garcia...

that was the year that was - 2011

As Impact celebrates twenty years of publishing, some of our contributors look to the most recent year of action entertainment...

anthony de longis - trailfinder

He's taught Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford how to whip-crack-a-way and worked on both sides of the screen. Now, Impact catches up with old friend Anthony De Longis to see how the west was won...

who's the bosch?

Michael Connelly has had a good year. Two best-selling novels, a major movie and his top creation back under his creative control. Impact talks exclusively to the author on his recent British tour...

yellow fever international film festival

Hot stuff. Impact tests the temperature at the third outing of the Yellow Fever International Film Festival...

spooks r.i.p.

For years it was the BBC's flagship action show. With Spooks having gone to meet its maker, Impact looks back at a decade of shadowplay...

REGULARS

news

Impact brings you the latest news from film releases to castings...

far from fragile

This month, industry veteran Beau Smith wonders if 'no change, just the illusion of change' is the wrong maxim for the technology side of the comics-business as electronic distribution finally begins to make its mark...

asian extreme

Calum Waddell examines two cornerstones of controversy in the world of 'extreme' cinema: sex and violence. He enters the Realm of the Senses and voyages across The Yellow Sea...

japanime

Continuing our retrospective, Andrez Bergen looks back over 2011 to see the Eastern moments that made history - on screen and off.

anime attack

In this month's anime attack, Neal Molyneaux goes looking for the Eden of the East and finds a Paradise Lost.

multimedia

In our specially-extended multimedia section we devote eleven pages to the latest computer games competing for your Christmas cash - as well as the usual assortment of DVDs and books...