Action

• The Thundering Mantis | DVD | (25/07/2005) from £21.20   |  Saving you £-15.21 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  Seriously weird as only the best, completely-barking-mad kung fu flicks can be, The Thundering Mantis is the story of Ah Chi, a martial artist who hooks up with a kid sidekick. However, an old grudge resurfaces, with the result that the boy's uncle is murdered and the boy himself kidnapped. So far so Arnie-in-Commando, but it's at this point we're reminded that indigenous martial arts movies are something else again, as Ah Chi's rescue attempt goes disastrously wrong and the boy is tortured to death before his eyes. Apparently driven to insanity by this experience, Ah Chi goes berserk, breaking free and systematically trashing everything and everyone in sight. End of movie. Devotees will absolutely want this in their collections, but those who have yet to progress beyond the Jackie Chan/Jet Li school of Americanised martial arts films will need to leave their preconceptions at the door. There's a nice touch to the dubbed English soundtrack, where the voiceover artists seem to have taken it upon themselves to imitate various British character actors: listen out for Wilfred Brambell, Kenneth Connor and so on. On the DVD: The Thundering Mantis has no extras on the widescreen DVD other than a one-screen guide to other titles in the Kung Fu Connection series. --Roger Thomas

• Ultraviolet | UMD | (30/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

• The Mummy Trilogy | Blu Ray | (12/06/2017) from £51.98   |  Saving you £-15.61 (N/A%)   |  RRP £34.38

  The MummyIf you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by. The premise of the movie isn't that far off from the original. Egyptologist and general mess Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) discovers a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra, and so she hires rogue Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) to lead her there. Once there, Evelyn accidentally unlocks the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a man who had been buried alive a couple of millennia ago with flesh-eating bugs as punishment for sleeping with the pharaoh's girlfriend. The ancient mummy is revived, and he is determined to bring his old love back to life, which of course means much mayhem (including the unleashing of the 10 plagues) and human sacrifice. Despite the rather gory premise, this movie is fairly tame in terms of violence; most of the magic and surprise come from the special effects, which are glorious to watch, although Imhotep, before being fully reconstituted, is, as one explorer puts it, rather "juicy." Keep in mind this film is as much comedy as it is adventure--those looking for a straightforward horror pic will be disappointed. But for those who want good old-fashioned eye-candy kind of fun, The Mummy ranks as one of choicest flicks of 1999. --Jenny BrownThe Mummy Returns Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King (played by World Wrestling Federation star the Rock, in a cameo teaser for his later starring role in--you guessed it--The Scorpion King). Dormant for 5,000 years, under control of the Egyptian god Anubis, the Scorpion King will rise again in 1933, which is where we find The Mummy's returning heroes Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, now married and scouring Egyptian ruins with their 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddie Boath). John Hannah (as Weisz's brother) and Oded Fehr (as mystical warrior Ardeth Bay) also return from The Mummy, and trouble begins when Alex dons the Scorpion King's ancient bracelet, coveted by the evil mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who's been revived by... oh, but does any of this matter? With a plot so disposable that it's impossible to care about anything that happens, The Mummy Returns is best enjoyed as an intermittently amusing and physically impressive monument of Hollywood machinery, with gorgeous sets that scream for a better showcase, and digital trickery that tops its predecessor in ambition, if not in payoff. By the time our heroes encounter a hoard of ravenous pygmy mummies, you'll probably enjoy this movie in spite of itself. --Jeff ShannonThe Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor The third film in the The Mummy series freshens the franchise up by setting the action in China. There, the discovery of an ancient emperor's elaborate tomb proves a feather in the cap of Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford), a young archaeologist and son of Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Evelyn (Maria Bello, taking over the role from Rachel Weisz). Unfortunately, a curse that turned the emperor (Jet Li) and his army into terra cotta warriors buried for centuries is lifted, and the old guy prepares for world domination by seeking immortality at Shangri La. The O'Connells barely stay a step ahead of him (climbing through the Himalaya mountains with apparent ease), but the action inevitably leads to a showdown between two armies of mummies in a Chinese desert. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor has a lot to offer: a supporting cast that includes the elegant Michelle Yeoh, Russell Wong, and Liam Cunningham, the unexpected appearance of several Yeti, and a climactic battle sequence that is nightmarishly weird but compelling. On the downside, the charm so desperately sought in romantic relationships, as well as comic turns by John Hannah (as Evelyn's rascal brother), is not only absent but often annoying. Rarely have witty asides in the thick of battle been more unwelcome in a movie. Rob Cohen's direction is largely crisp if sometimes curious (a fight between Fraser and Jet Li keeps varying in speed for some reason), but his vision of Shangri La, in the Hollywood tradition, is certainly attractive. --Tom Keogh

• Bulletproof Monk | DVD | (15/09/2003) from £7.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (125.16%)   |  RRP £17.99

  The Monk (Chow Yun-Fat) is a Zen-calm martial arts master whose duty has been to protect a powerful ancient scroll that holds the key to unlimited power. Now, faced with finding the scroll's next guardian, the Monk's quest brings him to America.

• Youngblood | DVD | (12/01/2004) from £33.49   |  Saving you £-20.50 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Handsome young men whack each other in the face with sticks and learn about life in Youngblood, an enjoyably silly hockey movie. Rob Lowe stars as Dean Youngblood, an American rookie who's been given a shot on a Canadian Junior League hockey team. Sure, he can skate, but can he take a punch? This coming-of-age story is about learning the beauty of vicious hockey fights. No, really. Containing both young-bucks-in-the-locker-room shots and plenty of hockey violence, Youngblood is a surprisingly entertaining cupcake of a movie--there's not much nourishment, but it sure tastes good. Watch for Patrick Swayze as the team's leader and Keanu Reeves in his first film role as the French-Canadian goalie. --Ali Davis

• Octopussy | Blu Ray | (14/09/2015) from £9.59   |  Saving you £8.40 (87.59%)   |  RRP £17.99

  From a thrilling jet chase to a climactic countdown to nuclear disaster, James Bond is back in an electrifying adventure that pushes the limit for nonstop excitement. Roger Moore portrays the immortal action hero, perfectly capturing Agent 007's deadly expertise, acerbic wit and overpowering sex appeal as he investigates the murder of a fellow agent who was clutching a priceless Fabergé egg at the time of his death.

• REVENGE | Blu Ray | (19/06/2023) from £13.45   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  A cruel jidaigeki masterwork from director Tadashi Imai (Cruel Tale of Bushido) and screenwriter Shinobu Hashimoto, the writer of Masaki Kobayashi's great masterpiece Harakiri, Revenge is a lacerating attack on the absurdity and hypocrisy of feudal Japan.An innocuous comment during a weapon inspection wounds the pride of low-ranking samurai Shinpachi (Kinnosuke Nakamura), leading to an argument with his superior. The situation snowballs out of control, leading to a deadly duel and political fallout which threatens the entire clan.Available for the first time in the UK, the Masters of Cinema series is proud to present Tadashi Imai's Revenge in its worldwide debut on Blu-ray from a new 2K restoration.Special FeaturesLimited Edition Slipcase (First print run of 2000 copies only) featuring artwork by Tony Stella1080p presentation on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration of the original film elementsUncompressed original Japanese mono audioNewly translated English subtitles (optional)Brand new interview with Tony RaynsBrand new video piece by Jasper SharpPLUS: A collectors booklet featuring new writing on the film

• Mysterious Island | DVD | (02/12/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Notable neither for its director nor its stars, Mysterious Island has been given the widescreen DVD treatment rather because of its special-effects man, the legendary Ray Harryhausen. And though his input here is minimal compared with other movies, his stop-motion contributions add zest to a cracking good yarn. A gang of American Civil War soldiers hijack a hot-air balloon and escape from the frying-pan of a military prison to the fire of a deserted tropical island. When a couple of English girls are washed ashore and a legendary nautical figure resurfaces, the scene is set for a ripping survival adventure, taking in weighty theories of political democracy, equality and cowardice, and still managing to add a healthy dollop of stirring music, dodgy accents, old-fashioned sexism, pirates, giant bees, a giant crab and a fearsome, err, giant chicken. Harryhausen's eighth feature contains all the elements that make his movies great, and the pacey script, based on the Jules Verne novel, has you gripped from the off. One of his more modern-feeling early films, the colour film stock, the exotic settings and wider stable of stars (black and English actors feature alongside a pre-Clouseau Herbert Lom) move it forward an era from his dated black-and-white schlock-fests. Gripping, erudite and easily on a par with the more well-known Sinbad and Argonauts movies, this is one to be marooned with. On the DVD: Mysterious Island's colour picture is bright, clean and crisp in this anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, and the Dolby digital mono soundtrack is clear enough. The theatrical trailer will please the kitsch fans, as will the featurette "This Is Dynamation" produced at the same time as the first Sinbad movie. The real corker here though is the generously lengthy documentary "The Harryhausen Chronicles". Narrated by Leonard Nimoy, it features a stellar cast of devotees (George Lucas among them) waxing lyrical about the influence of Harryhausen's films, and allows the man himself to ramble fascinatingly over clips of his filmic canon. If you're a fan, it's Harryhausen heaven. --Paul Eisinger

• Adventurer: The Curse of The Midas Box | DVD | (27/10/2014) from £4.99   |  Saving you £10.00 (200.40%)   |  RRP £14.99

  With enchanting performances from the outstanding cast, including Michael Sheen (The Twilight Saga), Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Lena Headey (TV s Game of Thrones) and Ioan Gruffud (Titanic) Adventurer will take you to a rollicking, rambunctious world of fantasy and fun! Discover ancient mysteries, powerful evil and a fearless hero s quest through a fantastical realm of steam-powered wonders in THE ADVENTURER: THE CURSE OF THE MIDAS BOX! Seventeen-year-old Mariah Mundi s life is turned upside down when his younger brother is kidnapped from the streets of Victorian London. Following a trail of clues to the darkly majestic Prince Regent Hotel, Mariah discovers a hidden realm of child-stealing monsters, sinister strangers, deadly secrets and a long-lost artifact that grants limitless wealth but also devastating supernatural power. With the fate of his world, and his family at stake, Mariah will risk everything to unravel the Curse of the Midas Box!

• Black Tight Killers (Limited Edition) | Blu Ray | (26/02/2024) from £17.98   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  After wooing stewardess Yoriko (Chieko Matsubara, Tokyo Drifter), war photographer Hondo (Akira Kobayashi, Battles Without Honor and Humanity) sees her kidnapped by a team of deadly female assassins who use vinyl records as weapons. Investigating her whereabouts, Hondo uncovers a conspiracy to steal a buried stash of WWII-era gold. Soon he must dodge go-go dancing ninjas and chewing-gum bullets to save Yoriko, whose family secret is tied to the hidden treasure. Every bit as stylish and inventive as the wildest works by his mentor Seijun Suzuki, Yasuharu Hasebe's spy spoof is a gaudy 1960s pop delight that ranks with the likes of Joseph Losey's Modesty Blaise and Mario Bava's Danger: Diabolik! Product Features High-Definition digital transfer Uncompressed mono PCM audio Audio commentary by Jasper Sharp Archival interview with director Yasuharu Hasebe Trailer Optional English subtitles Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Japanese cinema expert Chris D. Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

• The Contract | DVD | (10/09/2007) from £6.19   |  Saving you £9.80 (158.32%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A father, who wants to redeem himself in the eyes of his son, tries to bring a world-class assassin to justice.

• Bionic Ever After | DVD | (27/09/2010) from £6.99   |  Saving you £6.00 (85.84%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Bionic Ever After

• The Pirates of Blood River (Standard Edition) | Blu Ray | (22/07/2024) from £13.79   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Kerwin Mathews (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad), Glenn Corbett (The Crimson Kimono), and Christopher Lee (The Face of Fu Manchu) star in Hammer's adventure classic, The Pirates of Blood River. Imprisoned in a penal colony, Jonathan Standing (Mathews) is kidnapped by pirates, led by Captain LaRoche (Lee), and forced to take them to his village in order to retrieve the priceless treasure they believe to be buried there. Directed by John Gilling (The Shadow of the Cat), written by Jimmy Sangster (Taste of Fear), and featuring early performances from Oliver Reed (The Triple Echo) and Dennis Waterman (The Sweeney), The Pirates of Blood River is a thrilling swashbuckling action film. INDICATOR STANDARD EDITION SPECIAL FEATURES High Definition remaster Original mono audio Audio commentary with screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, art director Don Mingaye, and Hammer historian Marcus Hearn (2008) Hammer's Women: Marla Landi (2020, 12 mins): profile of The Pirates of Blood River actor by writer and film historian Kat Ellinger Stephen Laws Introduces 'The Pirates of Blood River' (2020, 12 mins): appreciation by the acclaimed horror author Andrew Keir at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films (1993, 21 mins): archival video recording of the acclaimed actor in conversation with Stephen Laws Did I Write That? (2020, 43 mins): Jonathan Rigby, author of English Gothic, provides a personal account of the career of screenwriter Jimmy Sangster Motifs of the Cheerful Heart (2020, 9 mins): appreciation of Gary Hughes' score by David Huckvale, author of Hammer Film Scores and the Musical Avant-Garde Yes, We Have No Piranhas (2020, 11 mins): video essay on the censorship history of The Pirates of Blood River Original theatrical trailer Brian Trenchard-Smith trailer commentary (2013, 3 mins): short critical appreciation Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

• Fifty Dead Men Walking | DVD | (14/06/2010) from £7.09   |  Saving you £-1.10 (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  With his city a conflict-strewn gangland charismatic chancer Martin is arrested and recruited by the Special Branch. Sensing his whip smart street-wise attitude as an asset his handlers coerce him into performing the most terrifying assignment imaginable: to infiltrate a splinter group as a double agent. Earning a formidable reputation as a dependable foot soldier Martin reluctantly rises in the ranks all the while risking his life feeding information to his handlers. Though his skills result in countless lives being spared his existence begins to spiral out of control as his superiors' suspicians are aroused. As the possible discovery of his deception closes in on every side he must fight for everything he believes in and sacrifice everyone he loves before capture and certain death becomes a chilling reality.

• Highlander: The Source | DVD | (07/01/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The world is falling into chaos. As he roams a crumbling city Duncan MacLeod the Highlander remembers happier times before the love of his life left... Hopeless and alone MacLeod finds his way to a band of immortal companions including his mysterious friend Methos and a mortal Watcher Joe Dawson. Together this small group sets out on a quest to find the origin of the first Immortal and The Source of their immortality.

• Rurouni Kenshin | DVD | (17/02/2014) from £16.79   |  Saving you £-0.80 (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Nearly 140 years ago in the last days of the Shoguns there was a man known as 'Battosai the Killer ' feared as the most powerful assassin. He was faster than a god stronger than a demon and had a leading spirit of the Meiji Restoration. In a flash he downs any number of opponents. Once he pulled out his sword nobody survived against him. As the war ended and the new Meiji era came Battosai vanished from the world. The only thing that remained was his legend. 10 years later a man appeared in a world still in disarray. His name is Kenshin Himura a wanderer who saves people with a back-blade sword that cannot kill. This is Battosai the Killer who has taken a pledge never to kill again. In order to bring peace to the world so that his loved ones can live safely. Now Kenshin's battle begins!

• The Gunfighter | Blu Ray | (19/10/2020) from £14.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Disenchanted gunslinger Jimmy Ringo (Gregory Peck) is heading towards a reunion with his son, and, he hopes, a new life free of bloodshed. However, before he can reach his destination, he is confronted by a local hot-head who forces him into a shoot-out. The brothers of the young assailant vow to gain their revenge after Ringo guns him down in self-defence. Extras/Episodes: High Definition Transfer Interview with Film Expert Courtney Joyner Arthur Miller: Painter with Light featurette The Western Grows Up featurette Posters & Images from Around the World Original Theatrical Trailer

• The Man | DVD | (23/01/2006) from £4.97   |  Saving you £15.02 (302.21%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy team up for this new fish out of water comedy.

• True Romance | Blu Ray | (18/10/2021) from £24.69   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  STEALING. CHEATING. KILLING. WHO SAYS ROMANCE IS DEAD? In 1993, action movie supremo Tony Scott teamed up with a hot new screenwriter named Quentin Tarantino to bring True Romance to the screen, one of the most beloved and widely-quoted films of the decade. Elvis-worshipping comic book store employee Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) is minding his own business at a Sonny Chiba triple bill when Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette) walks into his life and from then on, the two are inseparable. Within 24 hours, they're married and on the run after Clarence is forced to kill Alabama's possessive, psychopathic pimp. Driving a Cadillac across the country from Detroit to Hollywood, the newlyweds plan to sell off a suitcase full of stolen drugs to fund a new life for themselves... but little do they suspect that the cops and the Mafia are closing in on them. Will they escape and make their dream of a happy ending come true? Breathtaking action set pieces and unforgettably snappy dialogue combine with a murderers' row of sensational performances from a stunning ensemble cast in Scott and Tarantino's blood-soaked, bullet-riddled valentine, finally restored in dazzling 4K with hours of brilliant bonus features.

• Double Impact | DVD | (21/08/2000) from £17.01   |  Saving you £-4.02 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Chad (Van Damme) a charming smooth karate instructor from Los Angeles is mysteriously urged to fly to China by the man who raised him like a son Frank Avery. There he meets Alex (Van Damme) a streetwise gun-slinging smuggler raised on the back streets of Hong Kong. Chad and Alex discover that they are in fact twin brothers separated when their parents were brutally murdered twenty-five years ago. In a violently explosive showdown the twins seek their revenge...