::UK Anime Net v.04::

		R E D H A W K D V D
		First of all, so I am not bombarded by e-mails from anime purists, Red Hawk is not anime. Well, not as true to the word as, say Akira is. While there have been many anime animated outside of Japan, mostly in Korea, this one is one of the few films to be 100% Korean, much like Manga's earlier release Armageddon. It follows the story of a former cold-hearted killer Danlyong, the younger brother of olden-day super hero Red Hawk. After betraying his evil clan, Danlyong is handed over the mask of Red Hawk, as well as the task of protecting the innocent. It's all gets a little Batman there, and as Danlyong's alter ego Red Hawk becomes more prominent, it becomes all the more predictable. But with this type of kung-fu action flick, it isn't the plot that matters, it's the quality of the fight scenes, and thankfully, this is where it delivers. Although some of the earlier fights may seem quite choppy in their animation, and quite frankly unimpressive, it's nearer the end of the film that the fights truly begin to shine. Their seems to be a little bit of everything thrown in there, the fireballs of Dragon Ball, the frantic punching of Fist of the North Star and some more weapon orientated battles. They are definitely on par with their Japanese counterparts, beating some of the best(Shadow Skill) and only falling very short of the mark with the rest(Street Fighter II). The likeness between Red Hawk and Dragon Ball doesn't end there either, as there are even more similarities lying with Danlyong's "Transformation" into a more muscular, longer haired version of his former self, much like the protagonist of Dragon Ball Z Goku, when he turns "Super Saiyajin". The character designs, although done well in there own right, can't quite live up to the standards found in some of the more popular beat 'em ups out there, and at times it feels like the characters have been simply pulled from elsewhere, making them quite unremarkable and on the whole, very forgettable. To the film's credit, rather than making a statement with little touches like bad animation in the other Korean Manga Ent. release Armageddon, Red Hawk stands head-and-shoulders above the usual OAV standards, and even if it is taken theatrically, this is definitely above-par. A big hand definitely goes to Manga ent.'s dubbing job, with definite care taken on getting every character to have a voice to fit them. That isn't to say it is perfect, though, as the quality seems to deteriorate nearer the end This is definitely worth a look for action fans, but those looking for something more intelligent, or want something more on the sci-fi side of things, you'll be quite disappointed. Me though, I'm just a sucker for a good beat 'em up, and I think a lot of you out there will be too. 8/10. An above-average action yarn, combining elements from some of Japan's best and throwing in a bit of American super hero magic for good measure. Back to Menu
		More pulse-pounding action:
		Dragonball Z has found its way to DVD and that means that anyone who enjoys the sort of ass-kicking action found in Red Hawk will have even more fisticuffs to watch! Read the review


Reviewer: Rory Carlyle	Certificate: 12	Format: Dubbed	Distributor: Manga Ent.