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Could I possibly have picked two martial arts films further apart on the ratings scale than Wushu and Fireball? On one end of the spectrum is the first "family" martial-arts film I've ever seen that wasn't American in origin, and on the other end is pure martial-arts porn, in which whatever plot is present serves to string hard-core brutal action sequences together. Both films are now available on DVD from Lionsgate Films.

Jackie Chan Presents Wushu

As executive producer of Wushu, martial-arts legend Jackie Chan introduces a new generation of talented martial artists in such a way that this film will please fans young and old. Antony Szeto -- known for his animated fantasy film Dragonblade -- directed Wushu and also choreographed all the stunts.

Talented and seasoned actor Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Kung Fu Hustle, The Medallion) supports the young cast as Li Hui, father to brothers Li Yi (Wenjie Wang...

Stuntman-turned-actor-turned-director Antony Szeto may only have a few directorial titles to his name, the most popular of which being Dragonblade, but he's about ready to leave his mark on cinema with a meshing of genres that I haven't seen outside of the super low budget.

Szeto is working on a new project called Vela 734 which combines sci-fi with tradition wushu action in a hybrid that is likely to blow more than a few brains. There are few details on the project but up-and-coming wushu star Wang Wenjie has signed on to star in the lead role with Szeto directing the project. The plot may be far off in the distance at this point but some test footage has emerged for the project and it shows promise.

Now keep in mind this isn't final footage but only a taste of what we can expect. It's a little low budget and rough...

As a film which is actually about martial arts, it is hard to fault the pedigree of “Wushu – The Young Generation”. Aimed at introducing a new and highly talented bunch of experts, the film also stars the legendary Sammo Hung, and was produced by none other than Jackie Chan. It was directed by Antony Szeto, previously responsible for the fantasy animation “Dragonblade”, and who also provides the action choreography. Concentrating on the positive aspects of wushu and its role as a competition sport, the film was unsurprisingly officially endorsed by the Director General of the State General Administration of Sport, the top governing sports body in China. Thankfully, this doesn’t translate into the film being a too patriotic or flag waving affair, with plenty of action and an upbeat focus on the theme of friendship. The film begins as two young boys called Li Yi (Wang Wenjie) and...