Throw Down (Criterion Collection) (Blu-ray)

Legendary Hong Kong director Johnnie To (BREAKING NEWS, RUNNING OUT OF TIME) takes a goodnatured swipe at the genre that made him famous with the martial-arts parody THROWDOWN. After retiring from competition without any explanation, former judo champion Sze-to (Louis Koo, THE LEGEND OF ZU) spends his days drinking, gambling, and managing a rundown pub. But Sze-to's torpor is soon shattered by the appearance of three men who demand his return to fighting: former master Cheng (Hoi-pang Lo), who wants Sze-to to represent him in a judo tournament; old rival Kong (Tony Leung Ka Fai, WATER MARGIN), who clamors for a rematch of an aborted duel; and cocky young drifter Tony (Aaron Kwok, THE STORM RIDERS), who is just out looking for a fight. It isn't long before the pub is awash in nonstop judo action as the dissolute Sze-to trains himself back into contention while coming to terms with his own inner demons. Bolstered by stylish direction and a stellar cast who perform their own stunts, THROWDOWN satirizes martial-arts machismo with a strong emphasis on human interaction influenced by To's cinematic idol Akira Kurosawa (particularly his 1943 debut JUDO SAGA).