It’s that time again! Welcome to #TrailerTuesday, where we look at some trailers that are action/martial arts related, catch our eye and make us excited. This week’s trailers include a legend, a continuation of a very popular manga, a John Wick-style actioner and a fan favorite Karate-themed franchise. Without further ado, let’s begin #TrailerTuesday!
EL CID (Amazon Original Series)
Episodes Directed by
Federico Cueva … (5 episodes, 2020)
Adolfo Martínez Pérez … (5 episodes, 2020)
Miguel Alcantud … (4 episodes, 2020)
Manuel Carballo … (1 episode, 2020)
Marco A. Castillo … (1 episode, 2020)
Arantxa Echevarría … (1 episode, 2020)
Alberto Ruiz Rojo … (1 episode, 2020)
Starring Jaime Lorente, Alicia Sanz, Francisco Ortiz, Carlos Bardem, Juan Echanove
Plot: Ruy Díaz de Vivar is a Young page who loyally serves his master, Sancho, the future King of León and Castile. While he fights to come out on top in the Court thanks to his natural talent with a sword, he gets caught up in a conspiracy to overthrow the King, which would cause as much bloodshed, pain, and death in the Christian Kingdoms as it would in the Muslim taifas.
Film Fan Dojo Reaction: As much as I love Asian martial arts movies, I can also easily enjoy action movies with Western fighting styles! Based on the trailer, EL CID promises us some Western-style combat complete with jousts, sword duels, mass horseback warfare and more. The cinematography looks beautiful, and we are probably going to get the drama and intrigue of the Spanish court as well. El CID streams on Amazon Prime Video starting December 18.
Nobody
Directed by
Ilya Naishuller
Starring Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, J.P. Manoux, RZA, Araya Mengesha
Plot: Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody. When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe, The Shack), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen, Wonder Woman), seems to pull only further away. The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (famed Russian actor Aleksey Serebryakov, Amazon’s McMafia) — and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again. (https://www.nobody.movie/).
Film Fan Dojo reaction: Bob Ondenkirk (Better Call Saul) channels his inner John Wick for this violent action trailer. If we watch close we can catch a glimpse of Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick, Bloodsport 2, The Matrix Reloaded, Matrix 4) and Alain Moussi (Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxer: Retaliation) in the clip of the bus fight as well as typical 87 Eleven brutality. Bernhardt is a co-fight director so we can expect knife battle, gun battles, empty hand and improvised weapons battles as Hutch ( Bob Odenkirk) goe into full vigilante mode and of course bringing back skills only a few know he has. One of the executive producers is David Leitch ( John Wick franchise, 87 Eleven Action Co-Founder) so if you are a fan of that type of action choreography this trailer gives you plenty of reasons to rejoice. I am looking forward to seeing what brutality will ensue in this film! Nobody is scheduled for a February 19, 2021 release in theaters.
RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE FINAL/THE BEGINNING (2021)
Directed by
Keishi Ohtomo
Starring Shin’nosuke Abe, Yû Aoi, Munetaka Aoki, Yôsuke Eguchi,Yûsuke Iseya, Joey Iwanaga
Plot: Kenshin’s past catches up to him causing the destruction of Akabeko Restaurant, which was Kenshin’s favorite place to eat. There, he finds a note with the word “Junchu” on it.
Film Fan Dojo reaction: More of a teaser rather than an actual trailer RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE FINAL/THE BEGINNING looks great! As a huge fan of the previous three movies, I am glad to see we are getting the final with our long list of characters returning. I was very delighted and impressed by the imaginative fight choreography (especially the weapons fights) in the first series and I am glad action director Kenji Tanigaki has been brought back! I am eager to see what new things he has cooked up. One thing I liked about the previous Rurouni Kenshin films is the adherence to the manga in terms of their fighting abilities! Screw “reality,” make it close to the manga and entertain me! I expect more of the same! I can’t wait to see a full trailer and of course see both parts! RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE FINAL/THE BEGINNING is scheduled for a April 23, 2021 and June 4, 2021 Japanese release.
Cobra Kai Season 3
Directed by
Various
Starring Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Martin Kove, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni Decenzo, Peyton List, Tamlyn Tomita, Yuji Okumoto,
Plot: Decades after their 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament bout, a middle-aged Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence find themselves martial-arts rivals again.
Film Fan Dojo reaction: If you would have told me that one of the most popular streaming series of the 21st century would be a continuation of a story started in 1984 that featured so-so martial arts and a whole lot of cheese, I would have laughed at you! Well, here we are and I (and many others) am anticipating the arrival of Cobra Kai season 3. Netflix picked up the property from YouTube Red and has garnered a whole new audience who are eager to see what happens to these characters as well as their new students and allies! Season Three picks up after the huge in school fight between Miyagi-Do, led by LaRusso and Cobra Kai, which former head John Kreese has come back to claim. Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) is left in a coma, Kreese is in control, Daniel seems lost and Johnny (William Zabka) is all sorts of f’d up. The trailer doesn’t dissapoint. We see Johnny motivating a now awake, but paralyzed Miguel as only he can do, a truce between Daniel and Johnny, Kreese taking things to another level of physiological manipulation of his students, the rivalry continuing between Miyagi Do and Cobra Kai students, Daniel’s daughter Samantha (Mary Mouser) questioning who the good guys really are and several other important things. Let’s get to those.
Daniel travels back to Okinawa (he first visited in Karate Kid II) and is reunited with two important people in his maturation as a Karateka and a person: Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), his former love interest and Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) his Okinawan rival. How will these reunions play out (we get to see clips of a sparring session between Daniel and Chozen, as well as some googly eyes between Daniel and Kumiko)? One thing that is curious to me about the trailer is in both the scenes at the high school and Cobra Kai dojo, there is an young Asian guy who bullies (in the high school) Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) and then stares him down from the back of the Cobra Kai Dojo. I am wondering if this is where we get the Terry Silver Connection? For those who may not remember Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) is a fellow Cobra Kai Sensei who appears in Karate Kid 3 to trick and terrorize Daniel. His student at the time Mike Barnes was much more aggressive than Johnny and this young man seems to exude that “Terry Silver Cobra Kai” vibe. Cobra Kai Season 3 trailer answers some questions and poses others and it begs us fans to watch and see what happens to a cast of characters introduced in the 1980’s, which to me is cool. Cobra Kai Season 3 hits Netflix on January 8, 2021!
What are your thoughts on the above trailers? What elements did you spot in the Cobra Kai Season 3 trailer that I missed? What other trailers have got you excited? Drop a comment and let us know. Have a great week and enjoy whatever you are watching!