Directed by: Gregory McQualter
Starring: Gordon Liu, Pitbull, Zheng Liu
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: XLrator Media
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Running Time: 107 minutes
Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars
“Blood Money” tries to be a fun and action packed movie and it delivers most of the goods…except a cohesive plot. The film stars newcomer Zheng Liu and cameos from “World Famous Rap Star” Pitbull (don’t blink) and Kung-Fu legend Gordon Liu (“Kill Bill 1 & 2”). The only thing that keeps this movie from computer sucking is because it includes real action and real fighting. The film’s fight sequences are done without stuntmen or CGI. One of the most noteworthy scenes are where Zheng Liu does a flying somersault over the raging Harley Davidson. If that isn’t cool enough, Zheng Liu sldo breaks a steel bar on his dead with the actual location sound captured. The action is awesome but doesn’t make it overcome its weak and blotchy plot.
SYNOPSIS: BLOOD MONEY introduces American audiences to the martial arts sensation Zheng Liu, often called “the next Bruce Lee,” and features world-famous rap star Pitbull and Hong Kong film legend Chia Hui Liu aka Gordon Liu (Kill Bill 1 & 2). When a powerful Shaolin warrior (Zheng Liu) turns to crime after his parents are killed and sister kidnapped, the drug cartels of America, Australia and Hong Kong are about to feel the sting of the world’s deadliest hitman.
I think we are going to be seeing a lot more of Zheng Liu in the US. This film is being released by XLrator Media as a combo pack with both Blu-ray disc and DVD disc. The Blu-ray presentation overall is good. The 1080p presentation is sharp and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks works perfectly with the film’s action sequences. If you are looking for special features to see behind-the-scenes on this production you will be very disappointed. Since this film promotes “real action and real fighting”, I would have loved to have seen how it was all done etc. Oh well. There is only a trailer included on this release.