The entertainment starts after 50 minutes of cringe

John Liu and many other men are forced into slavery. He fights back but does not have his "Shadowless Kick" technique yet. The beatings continue.

Beatings have no entertainment value.

The story is about escape. Many great movies have been made with this simple story line. It is a formulaic story line and any deviation from the story line results in complete failure. This movie was made with no knowledge of the formula for the escape story. For example, there has to be two failed escape attempts first and these attempts make it worse for all the prisoners. Also, this is a "black and white" plot in that the bad guys are totally bad. In this movie the character of the doctor makes no sense at all. I could go on but why bother?

I know there is a big cultural thing about kneeling and submission that does not translate well from East to West but even allowing for that this movie still fails as a story. 

John does not raise a leg in a kick until about the 50 minute mark. The only part of this movie that has any entertainment value begins a few minutes after that when he starts the leg training.

This movie is only for hard core fans of the genre and really starts at about the 50 minute mark. As such a fan I can add after watching it once I doubt I will ever watch it again.

Mandarin-language cinema across Mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore explores historical reflection, cultural identity, and personal sacrifice, often expressed through poetic visuals and sweeping narratives. In Mainland China, this takes the form of allegory and large-scale epics that reflect on national history. Taiwan emphasizes intimate modernist realism, generational change, and the search for identity. Singapore contributes stories of migration, multiculturalism, and the negotiation of tradition in a globalized city.

The kung fu subgenre features the practice and mastery of Chinese martial arts. In Chinese, "kung fu" refers to any skill acquired through practice. Born as a backlash against the supernatural tropes of wuxia, the kung fu subgenre depicts realistic, unarmed fight choreography, highlighting the skill, speed, and agility of the martial artists involved, as well as the discipline, patience and strength required to become a master.

The martial arts subgenre features martial arts techniques, choreography, and combat as central elements of the story. These stories often revolve around skilled martial artists who use their expertise to navigate challenges, seek revenge, protect others, or engage in epic battles.

The action genre features fast-paced, thrilling, and intense sequences of physical feats, combat, and excitement. The characters of these stories are involved in daring and often dangerous situations, requiring them to rely on their physical prowess, skills, and quick thinking to overcome challenges and adversaries.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Men from a rural community in China are kidnapped and forced to mine for gold as slaves. Three men desperately make several several attempts to escape.

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