"Actor: Grace Yip"

• View to a Kill | DVD | (03/11/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A View to a Kill, Roger Moore's last outing as James Bond, is evidence enough that it was time to pass the torch to another actor. Beset by crummy action (an out-of-control fire engine?) and featuring a fading Moore still trying to prop up his mannered idea of style, A View to a Kill is largely interesting for Christopher Walken's quirky performance as a sort-of super-villain who wants to take out California's Silicon Valley. Grace Jones has a spookily interesting presence as a lethal associate of Walken's (and who, in the best Bond tradition, has sex with 007 before trying to kill him later), and Patrick Macnee (Steed!) has a warm if brief bit. Even directed by John Glen, who brought some crackle to the Moore years in the Bond franchise, this is a very slight effort. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com On the DVD: For Roger Moore's final Bond outing the production crew faced the usual quota of difficulties and disasters, the "making-of" documentary reveals: from base jumpers off the Eiffel tower whose antics threatened to jeopardise fragile relations with the Parisian authorities, to Ridley Scott thoughtlessly burning down the 007 at Pinewood right before production was due to start. Patrick MacNee, who has a supporting role in the movie, hands over narrative duties on this one to Rosemary Ford. The commentary is one of those less-than-satisfying montages of comments from various members of cast and crew. Also included is Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill" video (sounding hopelessly dated now), the usual trailers and a brief deleted scene of comic relief inside a Parisian police station. The second documentary concerns the music of Bond--always a crucial ingredient--although it manages the neat diplomatic trick of interviewing both Monty Norman and John Barry without giving the least hint of any controversy about the famous James Bond theme. --Mark Walker

• James Bond - A View to A Kill (Ultimate Edition 2 Disc Set) | DVD | (17/07/2006) from £11.04   |  Saving you £8.94 (111.06%)   |  RRP £16.99

  Agent 007 (Roger Moore in his final outing as James Bond) races against time to stop a power-mad industrialist (Christopher Walken) who plots to kill millions in order to corner the world's microchip supply. From the Eiffel Tower to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge James Bond can't be stopped.

• Gen X Cops | DVD | (07/10/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £2.99

  Produced by Jackie Chan (who also makes an uncredited cameo), Gen-X Cops is an attempt to kick-start a franchise that will play well in the international market--hence the odd mix of Cantonese and English dialogue throughout. Match, Alien and Jack are three unruly students kicked out of cadet college and adopted as a crack undercover unit of delinquent Gen-X Cops by a put-upon police inspector given to epileptic fits in times of stress. Augmented by token hacker chick Y2K, they are assigned to a case involving a shadowy, arms-dealing Yakuza and double-crossing Triad warlords. The principal cast, mainly made up of unknowns, models and Cantonese pop stars, inject their roles with an infectious charm and enthusiasm while Benny Chan (Code of Honour) admirably keeps a handle on the non-stop plot twists. The action relies more on gunplay and pyrotechnics than martial arts. The three leads dodge bullets and bomb blasts without the aid of stuntmen. Among several stunning set pieces are a gun battle in a labyrinthine boat warehouse, skydiving from skyscrapers and an explosive finale in Hong Kong's famed conference centre. On the DVD: Fully-animated menus and 30-chapter scene selection are just the tip of the iceberg with this feature-packed DVD. Extras include "No Pain No Gain", a 30-minute "making of" documentary, a music video for the Gen-X theme tune "You Can't Stop Me", in which the actors make like the Shanghai Sex Pistols but come off like Boyzone gone bad. There are also extensive cast and crew features and production notes. The transfer of the main feature is sharp and clear, presented in letterboxed widescreen with Dolby sound. An impressive selection of viewing options includes Cantonese dialogue with removable English sub-titles or an alternative English-dubbed audio track. --Chris Campion

• The Stormriders Trilogy | DVD | (03/11/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A triple bill of Hong Kong action classics from director Andrew Lau (Wai Keung Lau). The Stormriders: The most eagerly awaited Hong Kong movie event boasting Hong Kong's highest ever production budget and box office take. It is a visually stunning epic blend of swordplay explosive martial arts and breathtaking special effects to create the ultimate final fantasy. A Man Called Hero: Based on the comic book series by Ma Wing Shing 'A Man Called Hero' is a spectacular