Volcano High

I watched the Korean movie Volcano High on the weekend. Basically it's about a high school where all the students know martial arts and belong to a specific club (i.e. Kendo, weight-lifting, Rugby club). There's a secret manuscript that will give the owner some supreme Martial Arts power. The principal owns this manuscript but the vice principal and the leader of the weight-lifting club hatch a plot to steal the manuscript. I don't want to give too much away but eventually, all the clubs get into a battle to determine who the best is. Of course, there's one transfer student who possesses some extreme power but is unfortunately, a pacifist. You can probably guess how it's going to end...did I tell you there's a girl involved?

Anyways, I really liked the premise of this film. I'm a big fan of anime and martial art films and this movie combines them both. Nothing like a good high school fighting film. So what did I think of it? Although this movie had some funny moments, it really bored the hell out of me. I was sitting throughout the whole movie, waiting with anticipation, on some awesome wacky, over the top fight scene which would blow my mind away. But what did I get? Shit worse than a Van Damme film...ok no movie is worse than a Van Damme film but you can feel my dissappointment. Very standard kicks and punches. Sure there were some CG but it was soooooo dull. They introduced all these cool characters from different clubs but the fights last less than a minute. Directors, listen up! If you are going to make a martial arts film, make the fights last long! For example, did you see the bathroom fight in Jet Li's Unleashed? OH MAN. THAT'S DA SHIT RIGHT THERE! The funny thing is, someone released Volcano High dubbed by hip hop artists such as Snoop Dogg. Maybe I should have seen that version instead... I love how the cover doesn't even have the actors in the film. It looks like the rappers are actually acting in it....good ol' Hollywood.