Torgo Tours Hong Kong While Dodging Bullets
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I am confused why I'm the lone 3 amongst all those 4's and 5's on Letterboxd. I still want to see Executioners, FWIW.
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I am confused why I'm the lone 3 amongst all those 4's and 5's on Letterboxd.
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Project A -
While its mix of action and comedy set the tone for the rest of Jackie Chan's career, this movie has more going for it than being a milestone. In this one, he's Dragon Ma, whose bad luck and honor made him unemployed, the former due to pirates blowing up the Hong Kong Marine Police's ships and the latter ending his job with the land-based equivalent after he realized how corrupt they are. Upon hearing that someone in the police is selling arms to the pirates, he's inspired to start a crusade to restore the law's integrity and power, considering it to be the only way to end the pirates' reign of terror. Dragon's old friend Fei, a.k.a. Fats (Sammo Hung) seems willing to help, but can he be trusted?
I've seen several movies from Hong Kong released after this one, but I don't think it's wrong to enjoy this one as a reunion of sorts of their best performers. Besides our two headliners, there's Yuen Biao, Mars and Dick Wei, the latter whose pirate chief makes all the pirates I've seen in other movies seem a lot less cool. Chan and Hung have comedic chemistry to spare, and their characters' frenemy status is responsible for the movie's best drama and for adding stakes to the action scenes. The highlight is a street chase through Hong Kong culminating in a clock tower sequence featuring some of Chan's best stunt work, not to mention dangerous; in fact, he sustained a pretty serious neck injury. This sequence also features more handcuff trickery than I thought was possible, so much so that I wouldn't be surprised if their manufacturers sued for making them seem useless. It also proves that seeing a large room get wrecked due to fighting never gets old, and in addition to hand-to-hand combat, there's a fair share of sword and gunfighting that is just as thrilling. The movie not without its flaws, though: the female lead, Winnie (Isabella Wong), is underutilized, and as exciting as the action may be, it's a tad ordinary and workmanlike stylistically, which is an issue I have with the other Jackie Chan-directed movie I've seen, Police Story 2. It's still good fun, especially for how it lets you see two kinds of history in the making, those being Hong Kong’s and Jackie setting the tone for the rest of his career.
My guy (or gal): He's the villain, but I have to give it to Dick Wei's pirate chief, Lor Sam Pau. That he's voiced by Danny Trejo in the version I watched doesn't hurt.
While its mix of action and comedy set the tone for the rest of Jackie Chan's career, this movie has more going for it than being a milestone. In this one, he's Dragon Ma, whose bad luck and honor made him unemployed, the former due to pirates blowing up the Hong Kong Marine Police's ships and the latter ending his job with the land-based equivalent after he realized how corrupt they are. Upon hearing that someone in the police is selling arms to the pirates, he's inspired to start a crusade to restore the law's integrity and power, considering it to be the only way to end the pirates' reign of terror. Dragon's old friend Fei, a.k.a. Fats (Sammo Hung) seems willing to help, but can he be trusted?
I've seen several movies from Hong Kong released after this one, but I don't think it's wrong to enjoy this one as a reunion of sorts of their best performers. Besides our two headliners, there's Yuen Biao, Mars and Dick Wei, the latter whose pirate chief makes all the pirates I've seen in other movies seem a lot less cool. Chan and Hung have comedic chemistry to spare, and their characters' frenemy status is responsible for the movie's best drama and for adding stakes to the action scenes. The highlight is a street chase through Hong Kong culminating in a clock tower sequence featuring some of Chan's best stunt work, not to mention dangerous; in fact, he sustained a pretty serious neck injury. This sequence also features more handcuff trickery than I thought was possible, so much so that I wouldn't be surprised if their manufacturers sued for making them seem useless. It also proves that seeing a large room get wrecked due to fighting never gets old, and in addition to hand-to-hand combat, there's a fair share of sword and gunfighting that is just as thrilling. The movie not without its flaws, though: the female lead, Winnie (Isabella Wong), is underutilized, and as exciting as the action may be, it's a tad ordinary and workmanlike stylistically, which is an issue I have with the other Jackie Chan-directed movie I've seen, Police Story 2. It's still good fun, especially for how it lets you see two kinds of history in the making, those being Hong Kong’s and Jackie setting the tone for the rest of his career.
My guy (or gal): He's the villain, but I have to give it to Dick Wei's pirate chief, Lor Sam Pau. That he's voiced by Danny Trejo in the version I watched doesn't hurt.
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Eh, I should rewatch it, but I don't like Jackie Chan.
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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.
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Eh, I should rewatch it, but I don't like Jackie Chan.
I'm more of a Chow Yun-Fat guy, but Jackie Chan movies are a reliable go-to when I'm in the mood for something light and funny.
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Wow, and I thought he was the ice cream of actors
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Yeah, I don't mind him directing but I just don't like seeing him on the screen. And it doesn't even have anything to do with him as a person, as I've disliked him ever since I can remember. This can't be a coincidence that Jackie Chan's least favorite film in which he starred is also my favorite film in which he starred.
Would you recommend the U.S. cut or the Hong Kong one?
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I hope those food overlays are real...
...only because accuracy is very important to me. Honest!
I see Wong Jing (Magic Crystal, The Seventh Curse) directed it. That tracks.
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Magnificent Warriors -
Leather jackets, fedoras, whips, a 1930's setting and a fanfare-like theme song? Is this an Indiana Jones movie? No, but the important thing is it's just as much fun as one (from the 1980's, that is). Michelle Yeoh is Ming-ming, a Chinese spy who is proficient in several weapons, and yes, one of them is a whip. Her latest mission is to travel to the small mountain town of Kaa Yi, which Japanese forces have been bullying, and discover why they're putting so much time and resources into such a random and remote place. The answer? They want to turn it into a chemical weapons plant. With the help of fellow agent 001, a princess, a con man, the richest man in town and every variety of weapon under the sun, they rally the town to stand up to its invaders.
If the story sounds less like an Indiana Jones movie and more like the one in another "magnificent" movie, i.e., Seven, you're not wrong. Having seen a fair share of movies and TV series with a similar story from Battle Beyond the Stars to an episode of Merlin, I was surprised by how little I thought about the similarities. One explanation is that there is a lot of action - ten pounds of it in a five-pound bag, in other words - that involved me too much to consider them. Besides not offering much breathing room, I have little to complain about because whether it's the martial arts, the gunplay or the demolitions, variety describes it best. Also, like a Rube Goldberg machine, albeit one with blades and dynamite, there is an elegance to how each set piece plays out. That our ragtag group of heroes are so charismatic and fun to watch in their David vs. Goliath struggle helps, which in addition to Yeoh make me want to see what else Richard Ng (R.I.P.) is in. The movie's "wild card," his con artist character was clearly a fun part for him to play. Did everyone in the 1930's dress like they raided Harrison Ford's wardrobe and did small towns have such a variety of both light and heavy weaponry on hand? I doubt it, but the historical significance in spite of these fantastical touches adds a pleasant amount of substance. They also found one beautifully mountainous part of China to film in.
Again, the action in this earns it the "classic" label found in its plot summaries on streaming services and in other reviews, but it could benefit from a little space. There are occasions when the excitement changes to exhaustion, in other words. This is still a must-see for fans of Michelle Yeoh and proof that not everything inspired by the "Magnificent Seven" formula is, well...formulaic. Well, anyone who simply likes to watch dozens of insurgents mowed down by minigun fire will also probably get a kick out of it.
My guy (or gal): Our nameless con man, whose good luck may prove, sadly, that crime actually does pay.
Leather jackets, fedoras, whips, a 1930's setting and a fanfare-like theme song? Is this an Indiana Jones movie? No, but the important thing is it's just as much fun as one (from the 1980's, that is). Michelle Yeoh is Ming-ming, a Chinese spy who is proficient in several weapons, and yes, one of them is a whip. Her latest mission is to travel to the small mountain town of Kaa Yi, which Japanese forces have been bullying, and discover why they're putting so much time and resources into such a random and remote place. The answer? They want to turn it into a chemical weapons plant. With the help of fellow agent 001, a princess, a con man, the richest man in town and every variety of weapon under the sun, they rally the town to stand up to its invaders.
If the story sounds less like an Indiana Jones movie and more like the one in another "magnificent" movie, i.e., Seven, you're not wrong. Having seen a fair share of movies and TV series with a similar story from Battle Beyond the Stars to an episode of Merlin, I was surprised by how little I thought about the similarities. One explanation is that there is a lot of action - ten pounds of it in a five-pound bag, in other words - that involved me too much to consider them. Besides not offering much breathing room, I have little to complain about because whether it's the martial arts, the gunplay or the demolitions, variety describes it best. Also, like a Rube Goldberg machine, albeit one with blades and dynamite, there is an elegance to how each set piece plays out. That our ragtag group of heroes are so charismatic and fun to watch in their David vs. Goliath struggle helps, which in addition to Yeoh make me want to see what else Richard Ng (R.I.P.) is in. The movie's "wild card," his con artist character was clearly a fun part for him to play. Did everyone in the 1930's dress like they raided Harrison Ford's wardrobe and did small towns have such a variety of both light and heavy weaponry on hand? I doubt it, but the historical significance in spite of these fantastical touches adds a pleasant amount of substance. They also found one beautifully mountainous part of China to film in.
Again, the action in this earns it the "classic" label found in its plot summaries on streaming services and in other reviews, but it could benefit from a little space. There are occasions when the excitement changes to exhaustion, in other words. This is still a must-see for fans of Michelle Yeoh and proof that not everything inspired by the "Magnificent Seven" formula is, well...formulaic. Well, anyone who simply likes to watch dozens of insurgents mowed down by minigun fire will also probably get a kick out of it.
My guy (or gal): Our nameless con man, whose good luck may prove, sadly, that crime actually does pay.
Last edited by Torgo; 09-29-23 at 01:49 PM.
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How did you watch that? It's been on my radar for quite some time but I haven't been able to get ahold of a copy (legally, anyway).
Cantonese audio, English subtitles.
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Heart of Dragon -
1985 was a busy year for Jackie Chan. In fact, he got to play a police officer three times. This isn't the cop action classic that Police Story became, but I enjoyed it all the same and believe it deserves points for trying something different. You could say it is what would happen if you filtered Of Mice and Men through a Hong Kong action lens. The Lenny to Jackie Chan's George is Danny (Sammo Hung, who also directed), who spends his days playing with the local kids, his toys and enduring humiliation from cruel adults. Jackie Chan's Ted ostensibly has a good life: good friends, a devoted girlfriend, respect from his force, etc. Still, he'd much rather be sailing, a dream he has to put on hold because of Danny. Ted's dreams get even further out of reach when his brother becomes involved in his job in the worst way.
Portraying a special needs character is like playing with fire but Hung comes out unscathed. Danny's childlike behavior would make audiences laugh at him in a lesser filmmaker's hands. In other words, Hung makes us react with sympathy and with derision at those who ridicule him, and when I did laugh, it was with Danny and not at him. He's not all silly all the time, thankfully: his moments of humanity, such as when he admits his struggles with schoolwork, bring genuine tears. It may sound like you couldn't make an action movie out of a story like this. While a spectacular action scene kicks off the movie, I did start to wonder if it would be the only one. The action plot arrives late, but not too little, especially since Danny's childlike view of the world directly impacts it. I don't think I'm spoiling it to say it involves "buried treasure" and making one of those "cross my heart and hope to die" promises you likely made as a kid. It culminates in a finale that not only surpasses the opening, but also may be one of the most exciting ones I've seen in a Hong Kong action movie. I'd go so far to say that it rivals ones in John Woo and Johnnie To movies.
Despite Hung's direction, that finale and how well it proves that love means having to make sacrifices, it's a very strong, but not quite great Jackie Chan vehicle. Part of the problem is Jackie himself, who is in action star mode when he shouldn't be. While the moment where his frustration with Danny boils over should have resonated, he might as well have been yelling at his police chief after an operation went badly. The romantic subplot is also so middling that it comes across like an afterthought. I still believe it could reignite an interest in Jackie Chan's movies if you think if you've had your fill. Just be prepared to do something you would not expect to do while watching his work: shed tears.
My guy (or gal): While only appearing as a henchman in the finale, Dick Wei has so much to do with making that grand finale so satisfying.
1985 was a busy year for Jackie Chan. In fact, he got to play a police officer three times. This isn't the cop action classic that Police Story became, but I enjoyed it all the same and believe it deserves points for trying something different. You could say it is what would happen if you filtered Of Mice and Men through a Hong Kong action lens. The Lenny to Jackie Chan's George is Danny (Sammo Hung, who also directed), who spends his days playing with the local kids, his toys and enduring humiliation from cruel adults. Jackie Chan's Ted ostensibly has a good life: good friends, a devoted girlfriend, respect from his force, etc. Still, he'd much rather be sailing, a dream he has to put on hold because of Danny. Ted's dreams get even further out of reach when his brother becomes involved in his job in the worst way.
Portraying a special needs character is like playing with fire but Hung comes out unscathed. Danny's childlike behavior would make audiences laugh at him in a lesser filmmaker's hands. In other words, Hung makes us react with sympathy and with derision at those who ridicule him, and when I did laugh, it was with Danny and not at him. He's not all silly all the time, thankfully: his moments of humanity, such as when he admits his struggles with schoolwork, bring genuine tears. It may sound like you couldn't make an action movie out of a story like this. While a spectacular action scene kicks off the movie, I did start to wonder if it would be the only one. The action plot arrives late, but not too little, especially since Danny's childlike view of the world directly impacts it. I don't think I'm spoiling it to say it involves "buried treasure" and making one of those "cross my heart and hope to die" promises you likely made as a kid. It culminates in a finale that not only surpasses the opening, but also may be one of the most exciting ones I've seen in a Hong Kong action movie. I'd go so far to say that it rivals ones in John Woo and Johnnie To movies.
Despite Hung's direction, that finale and how well it proves that love means having to make sacrifices, it's a very strong, but not quite great Jackie Chan vehicle. Part of the problem is Jackie himself, who is in action star mode when he shouldn't be. While the moment where his frustration with Danny boils over should have resonated, he might as well have been yelling at his police chief after an operation went badly. The romantic subplot is also so middling that it comes across like an afterthought. I still believe it could reignite an interest in Jackie Chan's movies if you think if you've had your fill. Just be prepared to do something you would not expect to do while watching his work: shed tears.
My guy (or gal): While only appearing as a henchman in the finale, Dick Wei has so much to do with making that grand finale so satisfying.
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My guy (or gal): While only appearing as a henchman in the finale, Dick Wei has so much to do with making that grand finale so satisfying.
In every movie i've seen casting him, he is so threathening. Project A & Yes Madam.. one time I had a nightmare I was Panadol from Yes Madam and I HAD TO FIGHT DICK WEI. AT NIGHT TIME. I had nothing but some nunchucks. I jumped out my window and made a run for it.
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Haven't seen it. Obviously, I meant City Hunter!
English dub or hong kong version?
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I hope those food overlays are real...
...only because accuracy is very important to me. Honest!
Yep, that food overlay was actually in the movie.
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The Heroic Trio -
If you're no longer interested in Marvel and DC's output or just want to see an "alternative" comic book movie, you may not be totally satisfied with this one, but you'll at least have a fun and zany time. The three heroes have very different backgrounds and skills: there's Anita Mui's martial arts expert and blade-loving Wonder Woman, Maggie Cheung's rifle and dynamite-toting vigilante Thief Catcher and Michelle Yeoh's Invisible Woman. While their descriptions may seem ordinary, and despite his moniker, their target is definitely not: he's the Evil Master (Yen Shi-Kwan), who has cooked up a scheme to raise a new Chinese emperor by kidnapping babies and taking him to his lair in the sewers.
It’s not a spoiler to reveal that the trio is hardly the cohesive team that the Avengers and X-Men are. In fact, the Invisible Woman spends most of the movie doing the Evil Master's dirty work! Their walks of life are as different as their abilities: Wonder Woman is a cop's wife, Invisible Woman is a runaway and Thief Catcher is a bounty hunter. You could slap a "superhero origin story" label on this movie, but this disparity combined with the uncertainty of whether the trio will form at all makes it more unpredictable than a lot of them. That it stars actresses who are still revered to this day like Mui (R.I.P.), Cheung and Yeoh in the same movie likely made Hong Kong movie lovers' dreams come true in 1993. With the possible exception of Yeoh, who doesn't truly shine until the finale, they get to do enough of what turned these audiences into fans. Clearly having the most fun is Cheung, whose prowess with assault weapons and apparent glee at seeing her enemies explode made me laugh while also scaring me a little. The Evil Master's enforcer, Kau (Anthony Wong) and his nightmare fuel-inducing weapon of choice, on the other hand, come close to putting this in the horror category, which is a good thing, as does the "did that just happen" finale, which I will definitely not spoil.
As my repeated mentions of "finale" indicates, this movie has a bit too much setup and not enough payoff for me to fully embrace. It is not totally bereft of action until the third act, but despite a scene with a flying motorcycle, too much of the other "fun stuff" is about establishing character first, providing payoff second and seems like it’s over as soon as it starts. Also, integrating babies into an action movie is not easy, and I don't think I'm being prudish by saying that I wish To and company hired John Woo as a consultant since he pulled it off in Hard Boiled better than they do here. With that said, I'll likely never tire of Hong Kong action movies featuring cops, Kung Fu experts and sword masters, but if you have, this movie may feel like a breath of fresh air. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself browsing for neck braces afterwards (I will say no more).
My guy (or gal): The Thief Catcher, who I would pay to protect me in this universe.
If you're no longer interested in Marvel and DC's output or just want to see an "alternative" comic book movie, you may not be totally satisfied with this one, but you'll at least have a fun and zany time. The three heroes have very different backgrounds and skills: there's Anita Mui's martial arts expert and blade-loving Wonder Woman, Maggie Cheung's rifle and dynamite-toting vigilante Thief Catcher and Michelle Yeoh's Invisible Woman. While their descriptions may seem ordinary, and despite his moniker, their target is definitely not: he's the Evil Master (Yen Shi-Kwan), who has cooked up a scheme to raise a new Chinese emperor by kidnapping babies and taking him to his lair in the sewers.
It’s not a spoiler to reveal that the trio is hardly the cohesive team that the Avengers and X-Men are. In fact, the Invisible Woman spends most of the movie doing the Evil Master's dirty work! Their walks of life are as different as their abilities: Wonder Woman is a cop's wife, Invisible Woman is a runaway and Thief Catcher is a bounty hunter. You could slap a "superhero origin story" label on this movie, but this disparity combined with the uncertainty of whether the trio will form at all makes it more unpredictable than a lot of them. That it stars actresses who are still revered to this day like Mui (R.I.P.), Cheung and Yeoh in the same movie likely made Hong Kong movie lovers' dreams come true in 1993. With the possible exception of Yeoh, who doesn't truly shine until the finale, they get to do enough of what turned these audiences into fans. Clearly having the most fun is Cheung, whose prowess with assault weapons and apparent glee at seeing her enemies explode made me laugh while also scaring me a little. The Evil Master's enforcer, Kau (Anthony Wong) and his nightmare fuel-inducing weapon of choice, on the other hand, come close to putting this in the horror category, which is a good thing, as does the "did that just happen" finale, which I will definitely not spoil.
As my repeated mentions of "finale" indicates, this movie has a bit too much setup and not enough payoff for me to fully embrace. It is not totally bereft of action until the third act, but despite a scene with a flying motorcycle, too much of the other "fun stuff" is about establishing character first, providing payoff second and seems like it’s over as soon as it starts. Also, integrating babies into an action movie is not easy, and I don't think I'm being prudish by saying that I wish To and company hired John Woo as a consultant since he pulled it off in Hard Boiled better than they do here. With that said, I'll likely never tire of Hong Kong action movies featuring cops, Kung Fu experts and sword masters, but if you have, this movie may feel like a breath of fresh air. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself browsing for neck braces afterwards (I will say no more).
My guy (or gal): The Thief Catcher, who I would pay to protect me in this universe.
What a wild cheap budgeted movie!
I sense michelle yeoh.
I love this film.
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