Magnet Blu-ray News: I SAW THE DEVIL, BLACK DEATH 5/10, CHAWZ & MUAY THAI GIANT 4/26

I've gotten a bunch of cool news from Magnet Releasing in the last couple of weeks and I just found the time to post it.  On April 26th, Magnet will release Thai action comedy Muay Thai Giant (AKA Somtum) starring Nathan Jones (The Protector, Jet Li's Fearless) and a bunch of little kids.  This one looks like goofy fun, and it really slipped under almost everyone's radar.  We had a trailer up for it back in the day, but I don't believe we ever got a review up.  I'll try to remedy that once I get my hands on a copy. 

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF THE
ONG BAK FRANCHISE, THE PROTECTOR AND BORN TO FIGHT

MUAY THAI GIANT

A New Hero Rises In The Light-Hearted Action-Comedy Arriving

On Blu-ray And DVD April 26 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

A docile giant gets a little more then he bargained for while vacationing in Thailand in the hilarious action-comedy Muay Thai Giant, arriving on Blu-ray and DVD April 26 from Magnolia Home Entertainment. Writer and choreographer, Paana Rittikrai (Ong Bak franchise, The Protector, Born to Fight) cooks his own recipe of "muay thai" martial arts when the unsuspecting Barney is mugged and left without money or a passport to get home. Unable to speak the language in the foreign land, two Thai sisters take him in, forming an unlikely friendship. The girls soon discover however that their new friend has a unique reaction to the "somtum" cooked up in their mother's restaurant, sending Barney into a fitful martial arts rage. Realizing they can help him recover his identity while stopping the local crime lords from ever threatening their family and friends again, the sisters form a plan that will help solve all their problems.

Starring seven foot tall former WWE Wrestler, Nathan Jones (Troy, Jet Li's Fearless, The Protector) and well-known marital arts sensation Dan Chupong (Ong Bak Series, Born to Fight, Legend of The Tsunami Warrior), the Muay Thai Giant Blu-ray Disc and DVD feature bonus materials include deleted scenes and a making-of featurette and will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively.

Synopsis

While on holiday in Pattaya seven foot gentle giant Barney Emerald is drugged and robbed of all his personal possessions including his passport. Two Thai sisters find and befriend him by giving him a place to stay while he recovers and tries to figure out how to get his passport back. After eating some spicy "somtum" at their mother's restaurant, Barney accidently flies into a fit of rage and demolishes the place. The sisters soon discover that when he eats the spicy "somtum," it causes a physical reaction sending him into a violent martial arts frenzy. The girls decide to help him by using the "somtum" to control Barney's powerful reactions to help earn his money back and take down the local crime lords.

Also on the 26th is Korean giant killer wild boar movie Chawz (AKA Chaw).  We did review this one, and if I recall correctly, the reviewer was less than impressed.  I will add that I really liked this one, I'm a fan of killer beast movies, this one was a bit too long, but it was Korean, so that is to be expected.  It is great that we are at least getting the option to pick these films up in the USA, and in high definition no less!  Check out the details below:

IF JAWS WAS LOOKING TO BRANCH OUT TO DRY LAND, WITHOUT A DOUBT HE'D WANT TO BE...

CHAWZ

The Outrageously Hilarious Dark Comedy Centering On A Gigantic Killer Boar Wreaks Havoc

On Blu-ray And DVD April 26 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

When a wild, man-eating boar goes on a rampage in a small Korean village, all bets are off in the inventive black comedy horror romp Chawz, making its way on to Blu-ray and DVD April 26 from Magnolia Home Entertainment. From the acclaimed CGI specialists at Polygon Entertainment, who worked on such revered films as The Matrix, Pirates of the Caribbean and all six Star Wars films, Chawz pays homage to the classic monster movies of the past with sidesplitting hilarity.

While at first the absolute carnage is a bit of a mystery, the porcine perpetrator's attacks become more and more gruesome as he slowly reveals himself. Afraid for their lives, the town invites one of the world's most famous hunters to capture the wild boar, heading into the deep dark mountains with a few of the villagers to confront the angry beast and put an end to the massacre once and for all.

With gory bonus features including behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes, the
Chawz Blu-ray Disc and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively.

Synopsis
A wild and funny Korean monster movie about a giant, vicious boar terrorizing an idyllic countryside, Chawz is an affectionate tribute to classic monster movies that boasts fantastically gory special effects of the porcine beast attacking innocent tourists.

The third title for which I have received a release date is KIM Jee-woon's latest polarizing effort, I Saw The Devil.  We've got both pro- and anti- reviews in the archive here.  I haven't gotten a chance to see this one yet, but I'm dying to.  Only one month until I Saw the Devil hits shelves in the US.  Buy it or rent it and decide for yourself.

FROM KOREAN GENRE MASTER KIM Jee-woon
COMES THE ULTIMATE REVENGE TALE

I SAW THE DEVIL

The Demonic Thriller Arrives On Blu-ray Disc And DVD
May 10 From Magnolia Home Entertainment

Renowned Korean director Kim Jee-woon (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) delivers a "brutally violent yet beautiful" (FEARnet) story that follows a highly dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure in I Saw The Devil, debuting May 10 on Blu-ray Disc and DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment. Starring Lee Byung-Hun (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) and Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy), the terrifying drama explores the dark side of human nature with shocking violence and savagery.

Kyung-Chul (Min-Sik) has committed shocking serial murders involving disturbing techniques on his victims. While the police have chased him for years, they have been unable to catch him. When special agent Kim's (Byung-Hun) pregnant fiancée goes missing, he pieces together evidence that points towards Kyung-Chul and will stop at nothing to take bloody vengeance. Struggling to balance the scales of good and evil, Kim finds his sanity at risk in his quest for the ultimate revenge. Flooring audiences during its premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, the film received rave reviews with its perfect blend of action and horror.

"Not a film for squeamish viewers" (Screen Rant), the I Saw The Devil Blu-ray Disc and DVD are loaded with gory bonus features including a behind-the-scenes featurette and deleted scenes. The Blu-ray Disc and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively.

Synopsis

I Saw The Devil is a shockingly violent and stunningly accomplished tale of murder and revenge from Korean genre master Kim Jee-woon. Choi Min-Sik plays Kyung-Chul, a dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure. The embodiment of pure evil, he has committed horrifying and senselessly cruel serial murders on defenseless victims, successfully eluding capture by the police.

On a freezing, snowy night, his latest victim is the beautiful Ju-yeon, daughter of a retired police chief and pregnant fiancée of elite special agent Soo-Hyun (Byung-Hyun). Obsessed with revenge, Soo-Hyun decides to track down the murderer, even if doing so means becoming a monster himself. And when he finds Kyung-Chul, turning him in to the authorities is the last thing on his mind as the lines between good and evil fall away in this diabolically twisted game of cat and mouse.

The last note for today is for the home video release of Christopher Smith's (Severance) medieval horror film, Black Death.  I have seen and heard little of this film, but that is just me.  There are plenty of reviews in the archive, most of them pretty positive, but scan through and you'll find some thoughts to chew on.  Black Death also arrives on home video May 10th.

SEAN BEAN STARS IN THE CRITICALLY
ACCLAIMED DARK MEDIEVAL THRILLER

BLACK DEATH

The Ultimate Battle Of Good Against Evil Arrives On Blu-Ray And DVD May 10
From Magnolia Home Entertainment Under The Magnet Label

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - In a time of plague, a band of brothers unite together to uncover a dark secret in the historical horror Black Death, debuting on Blu-ray Disc and DVD May 10 from Magnolia Home Entertainment under the magnet label. From cult director Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance, Triangle), the brutal and terrifying epic stars Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hitcher), Eddie Redmayne
(The Other Boleyn Girl, Elizabeth: The Golden Age), David Warner (Planet of the Apes, Tron) and Carice Van Houten (Repo Man, Valkyrie). In plague-ridden medieval England, one hope remains as rumor spreads of a village that is unaffected by a deadly disease. As God's ambassador, a young monk (Redmayne) is tasked in leading a fearsome knight (Bean) and his group of mercenaries to the remote township, taking them on a treacherous journey filled with danger as they encounter deadly bandits and vicious witch-burnings that will put their faith to the ultimate test.

"A savvy, stylish horror-actioner" (Variety), Black Death is "dark and dirty entertainment" (Little White Lies) that guarantees to chill the blood and stir the soul. Packed with special features including behind-the-scenes footage and a making-of featurette, the Black Death Blu-ray Disc and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively.

Synopsis
The year is 1348. Europe has fallen under the shadow of the Black Death. As the plague decimates all in its path, fear and superstition are rife. In this apocalyptic environment, the church is losing its grip on people. There are rumors of a village, hidden in the marshland that the plague cannot reach. There is even talk of a necromancer who leads the village and is able to bring the dead back to life. Ulric (Sean Bean), a fearsome knight, is charged by the church to investigate these rumors. He enlists the guidance of a novice monk, Osmund (Eddie Redmayne) to lead him and his brand of mercenary soldiers to the marshland, but Osmund has other motives for leaving his monastery. Their journey to the village and events that unfold take them into the heart of darkness and to horrors that will put Osmund's faith in himself and his love for God to the ultimate test.