THE MERMAID reviewed; debuts on home video today from SPHE

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Presents

The Mermaid / Mei ren yu

Directed by Stephen Chow

China, 2016, 94 minutes

Renowned director Stephen Chow's The Mermaid debuts on Blu-ray and DVD today, July 5th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. (It has been available in digital form since May 17th.)  China’s highest grossing film of all time, The Mermaid's domestic theatrical release in the U.S. scored the biggest opening day and weekend box office ever by a limited release Chinese-language film.

Newcomer Jelly Lin (a.k.a. Yun Lin) plays Shan, a lovely if simple-minded mermaid, who is tasked with seducing industrialist Liu Xuan (Chao Deng, The Four and Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame). He and Ruo-lan (actress Yuqi Zhang, who was also featured in Chow's CJ7) plan to develop Green Gulf. This is the only place where the world's few remaining mermaids and mermen, and their friend an octopus man (Show Luo, seen in Chow's Journey to the West), reside. Seduction is to be but a prelude to killing Liu Xuan, the only way Shan and her people believe they can preserve their habitat.

Shen (Jelly Lin)

Jelly Lin gives a remarkable performance in this, her cinematic debut. She is an incredibly talented comedienne with a remarkably expressive face. She is a true revelation, and it's no surprise that she received the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award at the New York Asian Film Festival, where The Mermaid was screened, on July 2nd.

The film also features some interesting cameos, including one by another legendary Hong Kong producer/director, Tsui Hark.

The Mermaid is part comedy, part romance, part fantasy, and part fairy tale, all of which add up to a charming and delightful film.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio: Mandarin (PRC) 5.1 DTS-HD MA, English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, Thai 5.1 Dolby Digital
-- Subtitles: English, English SDJ, Chinese Traditional, French, Indonesian/Bahasa, Polish, Spanish, Thai, Off
-- Special Features:
  -- “The Making of The Mermaid”(13:25)
  -- Invincible Music Video about the film's theme song (1:34)
  -- “The Mermaid: Behind the Scenes”(1:49)

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended

Chinese hit comedy THE MERMAID coming to home video on July 5th

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Presents

The Mermaid

Directed by Stephen Chow

China, 2016, 94 minutes

From visionary director Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) comes the comedic action phenomenon The Mermaid , debuting on Blu-ray and DVD July 5 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. China’s highest grossing film of all time made a splash domestically, scoring the biggest U.S. opening day and weekend box office ever by a limited release Chinese-language film.

This unique tale follows a beautiful mermaid (newcomer Jelly Lin) who falls for a greedy developer (Deng Chao, Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame) who threatens her species’ ecosystem. The unique action romance also stars Show Lo (Journey to the West), Yuqi Zhang (Lost in the Pacific) and Pierre Bourdaud (Chinese Zodiac).

Synopsis:
From Stephen Chow, director of Kung Fu Hustle, comes The Mermaid : the comedic action- filled phenomenon that has become China’s biggest film of all time! When greedy real estate tycoon, Liu Xian (Deng Chao), buys up a pristine coastal enclave known as Green Gulf, he plans to turn it into the hottest property on the market. But Green Gulf harbors a secret: it’s home to the last surviving mermaids, and they are done playing nice. Their plan: send the beautiful Shan (Jelly Lin) to seduce Liu and stop the destruction of their beloved oceans. But when their plan goes belly-up, neither humans nor mermaids are willing to back down, and a final, fatal frenzy becomes inevitable.

Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Extras* Include:
-- “The Making of The Mermaid”
-- “The Mermaid: Behind the Scenes”
-- Invincible Music Video
 

THE RAID 2 available today on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

and Sony Pictures Classics presents

The Raid 2 (a.k.a. The Raid 2: Berandal)

Written & Directed By Gareth Huw Evans

Indonesia/USA, 2013, 150 minutes

The Raid 2, Gareth Evans's sequel to his 2011 hit The Raid: Redemption, becomes available today, Tuesday, July 8 on Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. This review is based on the Blu-ray version.

The film begins about two hours after the end of The Raid: Redemption (2011). Rama (Iko Uwais), one of three police survivors of the ill-fated assault on the original film's apartment building, meets with Bunawar (Cok Simbara), the head of a small anti-corruption taskforce, and gives him evidence provided by his brother. However, Bunawar insists that the evidence is insufficient to lead to a successful prosecution of those involved in police corruption. To get sufficient evidence, and more importantly to save his wife, child and himself, Rama goes deep undercover, using the name Yuda. In prison he saves the life of Uco (Arifin Putra), the only child of Bangun (Tio Pakusodewo), a local kingpin who divides the city's criminal activities with the Goto family from Japan. When he is released from prison after two years, Rama begins to work for Bangun's organization.

Director Gareth Evans has doubled down and upped the ante in this sequel and his bets have payed off. The Raid Redemption was a great movie; The Raid 2 manages to improve upon it in every regard. The story is much richer. The main characters are much more fully drawn, and the acting is both improved and more to the fore. There are also some terrific new characters, such as Hammer Girl (Julie Estelle) and Bat Boy (Very Tri Yulisman). The film is opened up to a variety of environments and the color palette is broadened. The editing is more complex. All of this without any sacrifice in the action sequences which, if anything, are even better than those in the original, no mean feat. As was the case in The Raid: Redemption, action choreagraphy was jointly handled by Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian. (Ruhian, who played Mad Dog in the original, is here cast as Prakoso, Bangun's chief muscle.)

Both the Blu-ray and DVD include an English dub of the film as well as the original Indonesian language version, which also includes some Japanese, English and Arabic.

Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Features Include:
• “Gang War” Deleted Scene ($;37)
• Featurettes:
- “Ready for a Fight: On Location” (12:59)
- “Violent Ballet: Behind the Choreography” (19:03)

Blu-ray & DVD Bonus Features Include:
• English Dub in addition to the original language version of the film
• Director Commentary with Gareth Huw Evans
• Featurettes:
- “The Next Chapter: Shooting a Sequel” (10:47)
- “Cinefamily Foundation Q&A with Gareth Huw Evans, Iko Uwais & Joe Trapanese” (44:09)

The Raid 2 is rated R for sequences of strong, bloody violence throughout, sexuality and language, and it most definitely earns the rating.

AsianCineFest Rating: 5 out of 4 stars. That's right, 5 out of 4, at least for the Blu-ray release. With its extra, exclusive bonus features, The Raid 2 on Blu-ray is beyond incredible. If you don't yet own a Blu-ray player, The Raid 2 on Blu-ray is reason enough to buy one.

However, if for any reason you're not going to get the Blu-ray version, buy the DVD or get the Digital HD version. The Raid 2 is most definitely one to own and to come back to for many repeat viewings.

THE RAID 2 will be available July 8th on BD, DVD, and Digital HD

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

presents

© 2014 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

THE RAID 2

Written & Directed By Gareth Huw Evans

Available July 8 on Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD

With More than 90 Minutes of Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes

Director Gareth Huw Evans reunites with star Iko Uwais for the sequel to their cult hit with the acclaimed, action-packed martial arts epic THE RAID 2, available on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD July 8 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. After fighting his way out of a building filled with gangsters and madmen, Rama (Uwais) thought he could return to his normal life. Instead, his success puts himself and his family in danger, forcing him to go undercover to bring down a nefarious and powerful criminal by befriending his son. THE RAID 2 also stars Yayan Ruhain, Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Tio Pakusadewo, Julie Estelle, Ryuhei Matsuda, Kenichi Endo and Kazuki Kitamur.

The Blu-ray and DVD will include an English dub of the film as well as the original language version (Indonesian). The Blu-ray will also come loaded with extra content, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the making of the film, including more than 90 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes, as well as a deleted scene and filmmaker commentary. Gareth Huw Evans’ process of transitioning the story from the first film to the sequel is explored in the “The Next Chapter: Shooting a Sequel” featurette. In the “Cinefamily Foundation Q&A” featurette, Gareth Huw Evans, Iko Uwais and Joe Trapanese discuss the making the film. Exclusive to the Blu-ray is the “Gang War” deleted scene and two additional featurettes. Fans can take an inside look at the elaborate fight choreography in “Violent Ballet: Behind the Choreography,” and “Ready for a Fight: On Location” features the cast and crew on the challenges of filming in Indonesia.

Synopsis: Immediately following the events of THE RAID, Rama (Iko Uwais) is forced to reinvent himself as an undercover cop in order to provide protection for his wife and child. Working for the anti-corruption taskforce led by the one person he can trust, Bunawar (Cok Simbara), he is given a mission to engage himself as an enforcer for a local mob boss, Bangun (Tio Pakusodewo). Finding a way in through Bangun's son Uco (Arifin Putra), Rama must hunt for information linking Bangun with police force corruption. All the while, he harbors a dangerous and personal vendetta for revenge and justice that threatens to consume him- and bring both this mission and the organized crime syndicates crashing down.

The film is written and directed by Gareth Huw Evans and produced by Nate Bolotin, Ario Sagantoro and Aram Tertzakian. Executive producers include Rangga Maya Barack-Evans, Todd Brown, Irwan D. Mussry and Nick Spicer.

Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Features Include:
- “Gang War” Deleted Scene
- Featurettes:
  - “Ready for a Fight: On Location”
  - “Violent Ballet: Behind the Choreography”

Blu-ray & DVD Bonus Features Include:
- English Dub in addition to the original language version of the film
- Director Commentary with Gareth Huw Evans
- Featurettes:
  - “The Next Chapter: Shooting a Sequel”
  - “Cinefamily Foundation Q&A with Gareth Huw Evans, Iko Uwais & Joe Trapanese”

THE RAID 2 has a run time of approximately 150 minutes and is rated R for sequences of strong bloody violence throughout, sexuality and language.