10 Incredible Asian Action Movies You Have To See Before You Die
2. On The Job (2013)
From: Philippines
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Yet another film on this list with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, On The Job is a white-knuckle ride through the slums of Manila that takes aim at Filipino politics with a giant, bloody harpoon. Erik Matti's film was screened, and had a world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received an impromptu standing ovation from those in attendance.
The plot revolves around two prisoners who are routinely released from prison to carry out high-profile assassinations in exchange for a reduction in their sentences, and the two cops attempting to find the man behind the hits. The man is General Pacheco, a high-ranking military officer who is running for the Senate and plans on taking out anyone standing in his way.
Matti uses this set-up to shine a light on the corruption that exists in the Philippines, though his message to his government is not his sole purpose here. At its heart this is political commentary, though the moral of the story never takes precedent over the action, with the super-stylish sequences aplenty and blood spilled with ruthless regularity.
The parallel storylines can get hopelessly tangled if you don't stay focused during the moments of down-time that inevitably come after the vivid fight scenes, but those willing to give the feature their full attention will be rewarded with a violent yet sophisticated action movie.