Reviews (150)

2.6 out of 5
After seeing the widely-shown trailers for this film, I have to say I expected a boring Indiana Jones rip-off. Well, it DID have some annoying Jones rip-off sequences, but hey - other than that, it surpassed my expectations.

Which still doesn't mean it's good.

Very attractive Angelina Jolie returns as Lara Croft, the female Indiana Jones-type hero. This time she's after Pandora's Box. Teaming up with an "old friend" (Gerard Butler), Croft must race against time to stop multimillionaire Jonathan Reiss (Ciaran Hinds) from reaching the ancient box - if she fails, the world will fall into Reiss' hands.

The film was no more entertaining than the first film, although the action was slightly better, and the overall film was a little more well-made. The soundtrack flunks in being as good as the first, but the acting's improved (except for the "It's more powerful than you could ever imagine" - that part featured some very poor acting) and the directing's better this time 'round. You see, the film's major problem is that it has all the right stuff to make a great movie - it just never does anything with it!

I love the character of Lara Croft, and enjoyed the video games, so I hope they make another film - but please, this time, let's drop the Jones routine and just make a good movie.

Give it a chance, you just might like it.
First off, I one of the minority that enjoyed the first Tomb Raider, so I walked into this one with hopes for the best, despite what the critics were saying. Critics, huh? Who needs 'em?

Angelina Jolie is radiant as ever; she's sexy, slick, and incredibly intelligent and resourceful. The part where she sucker-punches a shark is damn cool. Needless to say, Jolie is the best part of the franchise, even if her acrobatics are unrealistically perfect.

The story and acting is improved over the first. The "Cradle of Life" plot is preposterous, of course, but how it fits into the bad guy's evil plan is pretty sinister, and it makes sense with all the real world fear of chemical and biological weaponry. The villain is less of a man of action than Iain Glen in TR1, but this new guy is more sophisticated, smarter, and meaner. Gerard Butler, though half his dialogue in incomprehensible thanks to his accent, works well as Jolie's counterpart/love interest, and his character strikes me as just the kind of guy Lara Croft is likely to fall for.

The locations are beautiful to behold, especially in China and Africa. The "sky-diving over Hong Kong" sequence is just short of drool-worthy. However, some of the interior sets are just plain bland.

The action scenes are the one downer here; Jan de Bont downshifts from Simon West's starting point, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I wanted more from the gunfights, which seemed lethargic. My two favorite scenes in the movie are when Lara duels with Chen Lo (she defends herself with an unloaded bayonet rifle by twirling it like a trained Marine...super badass) and the CGI "Shadow Demons" sequence, which I was originally dreading, but the way the scene is edited makes it rather cool.

If you enjoyed the first Tomb Raider, check this one out. For all its flaws, Angelina is worth it. ALL HAIL ANGELINA... ANGELINA IS YOUR QUEEN...

The best tombraider movie hits the best in dvd
I love this movie, and it's better than the first. She goes to all these places, I recommend this Movie. I'm also selling mines so e-mail me at JJ_025@lycos.com

A JOLIE GOOD SHOW
This sequel to the original is more entertaining and visually interesting than the first. Jolie returns as the indefatigable Lara Croft, aided this time by Gerard Butler (Dracula 2000, Timeline), a former Marine turned mercenary/traitor. Butler and Jolie have a fairly good comraderie, although it's definitely Jolie's move every way. Ciaran Hinds (Road to Perdition, Sum of All Fears, Veronica Guerin) makes for a sturdy villain, all grimace and spit. The movie revolves around the search for the mythical Pandora's Box; Hinds plays a viral bacteriologist who can release deadly viruses and he wants the box to let loose the contents of Pandora's box as the ultimate weapon.
Jan deBont (Speed) directs with a kinetic energy, and Alan Silvestri's score is impressive.
The ending is a real shocker in some ways; in the extras, we see an alternate ending that was less visceral.
Don't know whether this series will go on but it should have a little life left?

Better than the first
Better and more enjoyable than the first film, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is a fun escape pure and simple. Angelina Jolie reprises her role as the video game heroine in search of a mystical orb that can lead to the discovery of Pandora's Box. A maniacal super villian (and a better one than in the first film) is on it's trail as well, so Lara has to partner up with a traitorus old ally (Gerard Butler) as she travels from Greece to Hong Kong to Africa. The stunt work is electrifying and the special effects are solid, while director Jan de Bont gives the film it's own slick look rather than the amalgam look of the first film. The unbelieveably hot Jolie is great again, but you can't help but feel that she is too good for this role. All in all, Cradle of Life is a worthy action escape, and those let down by the first film should give this a look. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 1990 film Bullet in the Head engages at every turn. At once a political epic, a story about childhood friends and loyalty, as well as a tale of corruption and war, John Woo's action-packed face-off contrasts '60s idealism--the Beatles and Elvis--against the shifting tide in the East. It's plain that Woo has pulled his trio of heroes straight from Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America as well as Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter, but there are bits of Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause tossed in for good measure. The old Chinese way of life is fading in the face of the emergent Vietnam War and Chairman Mao's Red Army, and Hong Kong struggles under archaic British rule. Three friends--Ben (Tony Leung), Frank (Jacky Cheung), and Paul (Waise Lee)--rub up against gang warfare, capitalism, and opportunism in a life that is strongly tinged by Western culture. Ben falls in love and wants to marry Jane (Fennie Yuen). Frank has borrowed money from a warlord to pay for his pal's bridal bash but a rival group, led by Ringo and his thugs, are hell-bent on keeping loose-cannon Frank from keeping his promise. The boys kill Ringo in a face-off and the cops come looking for them, separating Ben and Jane. The trio escapes to exploited luck-of-the-draw Saigon to make their fortunes. Luck, however, isn't with them. In a violent, balletic dance to honor, greed, and a teenage pledge that is challenged with adulthood, Bullet in the Head is sentimental despite its exquisitely choreographed blood bath; it's steeped in the kind of code-of-ethics morality that has been the glue of buddy films since the beginning of cinematic time. Bullet in the Head is a tale of love and betrayal played out against a backdrop of wartime chaos, and while Woo had made other vital and vibrant movies--The Killer, Hard Boiled, and A Better Tomorrow--none were as impassioned as Bullet in the Head. That it retains its innocence at all is a tribute to this Hong Kong action auteur, who brands his movies with visual flair as well as a palette splattered with blood. --Paula Nechak ... Read more

Reviews (33)

It's Intense and excessive, but its John Woos best!
This rivals the killer as the best John Woo film. People say this one isn't his best but I disagree.
It's also one of the most violent Hk films I've ever seen, the shootouts are intense and well done, like the nightclub scene, it was very well done with the best part is when Paul guns down about 20 guys with a machine gun in a stairwell.
The acting is pretty good, the best performance goes to Tony Leung of course but Paul (Waise Lee) and Luke (Simon Yam) have some strong stellar scenes, and the so-so award goes to Jacky Chueng who in the POW camp scene makes you want to almost laugh at his suffering. However this version is cut about 18 minutes from what I've heard, and most of the subtitles are wrong and the audio is choppy. The extra 18 mins would probably explain some of the confusing scenes and scenarios (where did they learn how to shoot machine guns and shotguns with one hand?). Too bad this isn't A better tomorrow 3 because Chow Yun Fat would have been EXCELLANT in Luke's Character.
The story goes like this Three lifelong friends find themselves in trouble in 1967 British ruled Hong Kong when. On his wedding night Ben (Tony Leung) and Frank (Jacky Cheung) kill a gang leader in a fight. So they (Including Paul for some reason) get the idea to go to war torn Vietnam to sell illegal goods, but their luck turns sour when there stuff is blown up in a bombing. After that they meet Luke (Simon Yam) who puts their friendship in a downward spiral from there on in. Paul gets greedy when he takes a casket of gold leaves and turns him into a cynical, "stay-away-from-my-gold or Ill kill you" person while the friendships fall to pieces.
The action scenes while heartfelt (In a disturbing way) and gut wrenching are pretty senseless and over-the-top. The POW camp scene is absolutely disturbing almost to the point where I turned it off. To tell you the truth I'd rather see what's in this POW scene then what's in the uncut full POW scene (Yes its THAT disturbing). This film is NOT a heroic bloodshed film there is no heroes in this only people whose lives we must watch fall to pieces. You'll have to be pretty used to disturbing violence to see this so be very prepared. Very very well done and One of my Highest Recommendations ever!
P.S DO NOT let anyone under 12 see this

John Woo's finest to date?
Produced in the wake of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, John Woo's BULLET IN THE HEAD is both a response to the appalling violence that was taking place in mainland China at the time, and a pointed examination of the director's traditional themes of loyalty and brotherhood and the consequences of betrayal. For all its explosions and gunplay, the film is actually a very human drama, played out against the vast backdrop of the Vietnam conflict, and invested with such a palpable sense of love and compassion for its leading characters and their circumstances that it defies all attempts at categorisation. The cast is pure gold: Tony Leung (superb as the film's tragic 'hero'), Jacky Cheung (giving a revelatory, career-making performance) and Waise Lee play lifelong friends who flee from a murder rap during the civil unrest of 1960s Hong Kong, only to have their loyalties tested to breaking point by their experiences in wartime Saigon. Overall, the film is less an action-thriller than an operatic valentine to Woo's teenage years in HK and to the personal values which have shaped and defined all his films since A BETTER TOMORROW. Only HARD-BOILED comes close to it in terms of greatness, though many people - myself included - would argue that BULLET is not only Woo's finest achievement to date, but also one of the best films ever made, anywhere. In terms of content, the widescreen HK DVD version is virtually identical to Made in Hong Kong's uncut UK video release, though the familiar Golden Princess logo at the beginning of the film has been replaced by Media Asia's insignia. As expected, the increased resolution of the DVD format has yielded a visibly superior image, but the disc's muted color scheme is a disappointment, and the optional English subtitles - though reasonably coherent - are no match for MIHK'S definitive translation. BULLET's effectiveness depends on your complete comprehension of the dialogue, and Media Asia's clumsy subtitles often stumble over the dramatic highlights, thereby diluting their quite considerable impact. Sadly, Media Asia has also remixed BULLET's original mono soundtrack in 5.1 Dolby Digital surround, apparently for no other reason than the fact that DVD technology allows it. Aside from the newly-directional gunshot effects and the magnificent music score (which, amongst other things, transforms Jacky Cheung's poignant farewell sequence into an occasion of shattering heartbreak), the remix adds nothing that wasn't already conveyed in the original version. Bottom line: A fine film, and the DVD is certainly worth a look, but first-time viewers are advised to check out MIHK's UK video version before taking the plunge. Believe me, you WON'T be disappointed...

Best Film ive ever seen. MUST SEE. Trust Me
IF YOU LIKE GOODFELLAS, CON AIR, SCARFACE, FACE OFF, GODFATHER, DESPERADO, KILL BILL etc. You have to see this, im telling you.
I thought the best film ive seen were one of the above. But no. its defenitly Bullet in the Head.
IT HAS A BRILLIANT STORYLINE. The ACTING WAS MAGNIFICENT. Tony Leung (Hard Boiled/Prison on Fire)is Excelent alongside (Waise Lee (A better tomorrow) and Simon Yam (Full Contact) But The Outstanding Serious Performance which will get to you is Jackie Cheung (as tears go by/Jet Lis Meltdown). Its John Woos personal Favourite. Everybody i Lent it to absoulutely LOVE it. its a Hong Kong Classic which doesnt come on TV. If its available to in your local shops or ebay.co.uk I advice you to Buy It. you wont be dissapointed. If you are then You have BAD TASTE in Movies. No offence.PEACE

Exhausted
In "The Killer", perhaps the best pulp/asian thriller of all time, the violence felt full, voluptuous; its excess created a kind of operatic grandeur. In "Bullet in the Head" the violence is so over -the-top, so gratuitous, you want to run for cover (I might have blown up my tv if I had to watch another gangster do a cartwheel as a big explosion lifted him of his feet). This movie proves to me how repetitive a director Woo is, and I got a similar feeling from Face/Off - its like watching a figure skater do figure 8's all night - you want to shout "ok, I get it!"

Loud, irritating and chaotic. Jacky Cheung's shameless overacting and bulgy, beady eyes were as irksome as the excessive violence - give this one a miss - its a wet blanket of sentimentality and schlock.

One of the best
This is not only one of the best HK action films ever but quite possibly one of the best films ever. Period. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Once Upon a Time in China
The first of a popular series (six in all) starring the charismatic and athletically adept Jet Li. Li plays legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hong, a late 19th century southern Chinese healer and kung fu master. The story begins with Western powers (American, British, and French) encroaching on the city of Canton. Wong is asked by the Black Flag army to safeguard the town by creating his own militia of kung fu experts. His assistants include the butcher "Porky" (Kent Cheng), a Chinese-American named Bucktooth So (Jacky Cheung), and his westernized "Auntie" Yee (Rosamund Kwan), a non-blood-related childhood friend for whom he holds a special affection. But the Westerners aren't the only problem in Canton. The Sha Ho gang terrorizes local businesses and has begun dealing with the Americans in exporting Chinese for slave labor and prostitution. A down-on-his-luck kung fu master named Iron Vest Yim (Yan Yee Kwan) has decided he needs to defeat Wong to open a school and Leung Fu (Jackie Chan contemporary Yuen Biao), a traveling opera troupe groupie, just keeps getting in the way. This epic martial-arts film showcases Li's amazing fighting and acrobatic skills and established Tsui Hark as a top-notch action film director. The final fight scene between Wong and Yim entails a dizzying orchestration of kicks and punches while teeter-tottering on ladders. --Shannon Gee

Once Upon a Time in China 2
Actor and martial arts maestro Jet Li and iconoclastic director Tsui Hark revisit historical China and legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hung in the second installment to the wildly popular Once Upon a Time in China film series (or better yet, "serials"). The main players include Li as Wong Fei Hung, Rosamund Kwan as his beloved but Westernized Auntie 13, and their clumsy sidekick Foon (Max Mok). China is in a period of political unrest. Dr. Sun Yat Sen is beginning to gain momentum behind his Nationalist party. A Qing minister (played with intensity by skilled fighter Donnie Yen) firmly carries out his job as police enforcer and a crazed cult called the White Lotus Sect has decided to take matters into their own hands by bullying citizens and destroying everything foreign. Wong and his crew find themselves at odds with the minister and the Sect, who have more in common than they initially let on. It all leads to some high-octane action scenes, including an all-out table-stacking and airborne brawl with the Sect (in which Wong uncharacteristically goes a little berserk himself) and a one-on-one matchup between Li and Yen. Tsui juggles the multilayered plot while Li juggles his opponents in a perfectly serviceable epic that is perhaps not as significant as the first Once Upon a Time in China but is solid kung fu nourishment for fans. --Shannon Gee

Once Upon a Time in China 3
Set in the era when China was just beginning to establish relations with Europe, Once upon a Time in China 3 is a mixture of politics, intrigue, broad comedy, and kung fu action. Charismatic Jet Li stars once again as Wong Fei-hung, a legendary Chinese hero who is a doctor, a pacifist, and an amazingly skilled martial artist. Like many Hong Kong films, this movie has a woefully complicated plot: in summary, a kung fu competition not only sparks a bitter rivalry between different martial arts associations, it also becomes the linchpin in an assassination plot. But this leaves out Wong Fei-hung's increasingly romantic relationship with his aunt (played by Rosamund Kwan), the rehabilitation of one of the villain's henchmen, and the introduction of a steam engine to a Chinese factory, among other subplots! Once upon a Time in China 3 is not the strongest in the series--the subtitling is unusually clumsy, the editing is rough, the plot is confusing, and the melodrama is more crudely played than in the other films--but there's still a clear, raw authority to the storytelling that is a hallmark of director-producer Hark Tsui (Peking Opera Blues, Green Snake). Though it seems to have been made in a rush, Once upon a Time in China 3 will still reward devotees of Hong Kong films, and the frequent and wild fight scenes will appeal to action fans. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (14)

One of the greatest Kung Fu series ever...
Jet Li rises to a level only rivaled by Bruce Lee in the China series. I am not usually a hard core Kung-Fu fan, yet as soon as I started watching the series I couldn't stop. We finished the movies in one sitting which unfortunatelly started at 9 pm on a week night. Sleep is important, but try and put this series down... Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon looks silly when stacked up to these classics. Great plot, captivating story(especially if you stop to think about what was really happening in turn of the century China), and fight scenes that put the Matrix to shame all add up to a classic that is a must for any one with a DVD player, much less Kung Fu fans.

Excellent Package
Jet Li is the best kung fu star ever. The OUTC series are excellent movies, with lots of action, showing Li's capabilities and the films offer excellent plots, with nice photography, impressive locations and top-of-the-line production. The DVD format offers excellent picture quality, with subtitles in spanish, english and french (it is difficult to find spanish subtitles in HK movies), and the sound quality is perfect (except for the Part 1, which is mono) with Dolby Digital.
The best movies in my HK cinema collection.

over-rated
the first movie is very good but the second and third put me to sleep. Everyone said these movies were so great. I just can't see why. Unless you need to collect every Jet Li movie I would pass on this set. I think the first movie is worth buying singly though. It is very complex and unique. It will put you in a different dimension while watching it. But the 2nd and 3rd are so boring that I couldn't stay awake no matter how hard I tried. If you don't buy this set you will be missing nothing. However, try to pick up the first movie, it is very decent.

Jet at his best
I don't need to review this, this is a classic. You must watch parts 1-3, and then get Once Upon a Time in China and America. For some strange reason, he abruptly left the series after part 3, and made The Last Hero in China, a spoof of his previous work.

Typically Terrible
Jet Li is a fine martial arts stylist and an adequate actor but this film is typical of the slap-dash, juvenile style of film making practised by the Asian film industry.
Everyone character in it is based on some firmly held, narrow-minded perception of the world. Noble peasants, corrupt officials, Pure-hearted heros. The evil white guys are especially grotesque: Big Noses! Facial Hair!
Bad table manners!
Sure, Western films have been guilty of awful anti-oriental bias but there's no way a movie about the "Yellow Peril" could be released today without riots breaking out. As long as the bad guys are white, racism is OK.

The praise for this racist, silly, poorly made film is mystifying. It comes from people who are evidently easily mezmerized by frenetic visual activity being passed before their eyes. They can sit still for this far longer than the rest of us who can find more important things to do with our time like fold socks, do our homework or almost ANYTHING other than watching this film! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

A big load of bad
It's been a long time since I've watched a good chop-sokky flick, so last night I rented Jet Li's Contract Killer. Apparently, it was his last Hong Kong movie. Until now, I thought Jet Li's Hong Kong films are vastly superior to his North American ones.

My opinion has been altered a bit.

In general, his Hong Kong flicks are better. Contract Killer, however, is a big load of bad. I will give the benefit of the doubt, though. I watched a dubbed version (why are dubbed movies always so incredibly awful?), so perhaps part of the problem was the translation. There were many places in the film where character reactions and plot points really made no sense at all. This could have been because of horrific dubbing and translation. I'm sure it's much more watchable in Cantonese.

Nonetheless, even barring the translation barrier, this film had several strikes against it. First of all, what was with the camera work? One of the cameras had a badly-scuffed lens, and black scratch marks distracted me from quite a few scenes. Also, the big fight in the elevator shaft was so dark that I really didn't have a clue what was going on. I had no idea who was hitting who, or how.

Next, the story (as in most martial arts flicks) was pretty silly. This one seemed to be an Asian knock-off of The Boondock Saints, right down to the name of the mysterious vigilante (The King of Killers) and his over-the-top appearance during a hit (like in The Boondock Saints, he appeared from the ceiling hanging by his feet from a rope with guns blazing).

Fu's (Jet Li's character) motivations seemed blatantly artificial, as well. He's a poor ex-soldier from China who has promised to buy his mother a big mansion. He decides to come to Hong Kong to become a hitman, yet his people-loving ways mean he doesn't want to hurt anyone.

As a minor point, yet one which did distract me many times throughout the film, Jet Li has an AWFUL case of acne. In most movies, the makeup people will do a half-way decent job of covering up blemishes, but it looks like no one bothered even trying for this movie. Jet Li has an amazing crop of blackheads and whiteheads. His face looks like a horrible pizza. Poor guy. And poor me, when I keep thinking, "Pop it, already!" during closeups of the pus-filled bumps on his neck and cheeks. Eeeurgh.

On the plus side, the fight scenes that were visible (like the climactic end scene) are solid. I was pleased to see a dearth of wire tricks. I really prefer movies with unadulterated martial arts. It really showcases the actors' abilities.

More Jet Li...That Can't Be Bad
God's hitman. That is how people describe a killer who has been eliminating rich bad guys for little or no fee. It seems one particular bad guy covered himself pretty well, establishing a super fund that pays off to anyone who finds his would-be killer, a smart form of insurance. Fu (Jet Li) and the "Crocodile Man" (Eric Tsang) join in the hunt, and the story goes from there.

Surprisingly enough, this is a very complete movie in terms of emotions; it's not all shoot, kill and kick. Crocodile Man Tsang steals the movie, pulling off a convincing con man who manages to convice Fu that he needs an agent. His acting verges on overkill, but his portrayal of a betrayed, repentant father, a hardened ex-killer, a fearful target and a saddened friend all invite the viewer to share in his emotions. Actress/Singer (aren't they all?) Gigi Leung provides a pretty face for the movie, and actually adds a dimension to the personalities of Li and Tsang's characters.

Jet Li's acrobatics are showcased not only for fighting; the opening sequence shows him weaving in and out of traffic and pedestrians to retrieve some change that had dropped through a hole in his pants. He is also asked to beat up some restaurant patrons to prove to Tsang that he is worthy of the job. His skills are also showcased in escape scenes, more protective roles, and even ice skating--not your usual Jet Li fare. His portrayal of a broke, extremely selective "killer" is both hilarious and frightening when it needs to be.

The fight scenes are on the same level as Bodyguard From Beijing or The Master, not quite Fist of Legend or Twin Warriors (Tai Chi Master) good, considering that the last two were kung fu heavy. It's a much more rounded film, where the light-hearted moments contrast nicely with the darker fight scenes.

Watch this in Chinese to get the full range of Tsang's vocal gyrations and swearing. Highly recommended for any kung fu collection.

Jet, what were you doing in this?
Jet Li as a contrac killer? Come on! The reason why this movie isn't that famous is because it pretty much sucks. It's just a shootem up bang bang type of movie. No realy kung fu here.

The King of Killer Kung Fu
In Jet Li's final Hong Kong film before he starred in "Lethal Weapon 4", he plays Fu, a former soldier and martial arts expert living in Hong Kong with four roommates while trying to support his mother. To be sure, he's NOT dirt poor, but he's still can't afford to let money fall out of his pocket and roll into oncoming traffic.

Fu knows there's big money in bounty hunting, and he get's his shot at it when a Japanese buissiness man/crime boss is executed by the legendary "King of Killers", a self-employed assassin who murders only rich bad guys. The dead guy knew he had a lot of foes on both sides of the law, and set up a "revenge fund" of a whoppin' $100 million to strike back from the grave.

The murder victim's grandson, Eiji Tsukumoto, just covets the massive reward, but Fu needs some dough as well, and partners up with an "agent" named Norman Lu (Eric Tsang), to find the King of Killers.

Easily one of the best of Jet Li's later Hong Kong flicks, CONTRACT KILLER (called HITMAN in Hong Kong) provides some of the best non-wire-fu martial arts scenes I've seen, particular the scenes where Jet Li is paired with a chopsocky adversary with rings and shoes that emit flashy lights to confuse his opponents. Now There's something you don't see everyday.

Sat sau ji wong
The original, Cantonese, title of this film is 'Sat sau ji wong'.

Also known as: 'King of Assassins' (1998), 'The Hitman'(1998) and 'Contract Killer'(2002).

This film is in many ways similiar to other HK action drama films however it does have a more unique premise: an aging Japanese corporate magnate and WW II veteran (he boasts of raping Chinese women) is assassinated by a mysterious hitman in black. This hitman, known as the King of Killers, is infamous for both his skill in killing as well as not accepting any payment for targeting people of rather suspect morality to kill.

The Japanese corporate director has established a special Revenge Fund which will pay $100,000,000 (USD) to whoever tracks down his killer.

Fu (Jet Li) is a mainlander in Hong Kong doing errands for a minor triad boss when he comes hears about the Revenge Fund and subsequently comes across Mr. Nor (Eric Tsang) a hustler who takes Fu for a skilled killer and decides to be his agent. He is really trying to cheat Fu out of most of the reward money.

The Japanese director's grandson Eiji (Keiji Sato) is out seeking revenge for his grandfather as well as greedy for the reward.

Kwan (Simon Yam) is the CID inspector who is also tracking down the mysterious King of Killers. Which itself has irony, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the film ;-)

The plot develops as the principal characters above interact in a frantic race to find the King Of Killers.

This was Jet Li (Mandarin name is Li Lian Jie) last Hong Kong film (1998) before he moved on to greater paydays in Hollywood.

I prefer Jet Li's earlier films but this movie had a certain charm to it even though some plot elements were rather formulaic and charcter development was at times only 2 dimensional (Eiji in particular is portrayed rather over-the-top) while others are under developed (KiKi - Nor's daughter). I prefer Simon Yam's performances with Chow Yun Fat though he certainly did a good job in this film.

On a positive note the ending of this film has a nice twist to it. For those not accustomed to watching Hong Kong action/police films you may be a bit shocked by the level of violence. For example in a shoot out scene in a children's amusement park in the film there is a rather high body count as people are shot almost at random in a melee of gunfire. While it is a bit diturbing to see such levels of violence without proper context you must understand that there are different cultural moors at work in HK cinema. Many in the East would be similarly disturbed by the explicit sexual content of many Western films. So try not to let that sour you when watching this film.

Overall I recommend this movie, there is some well done sentimental moments buried inside the action. As a caveat I urge you to NOT buy the dubbed version. Instead, get the original version in Cantonese (with some Japanese) with English subtitles distributed by Tai Seng Video Marketing Inc. at www.taiseng.com

Zach ... Read more

Description

In LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER –THE CRADLE OF LIFE, Pandora’s Box is said to house the most unspeakable evil ever known, and it is hidden in Africa in an area known as "The Cradle Of Life."Now, it is up to Lara Croft to find the infamous box before it falls into the hands of a maniacal Nobel Prize-winning scientist (Hinds), who’s intent on harnessing the evil power.Facing her greatest challenges yet, the intrepid tomb raider travels the world on a spectacular adventure that takes her to such exotic places as Hong Kong, Kenya, Tanzania, Greece and the Great Wall of China. ... Read more

Reviews (150)

2.6 out of 5
After seeing the widely-shown trailers for this film, I have to say I expected a boring Indiana Jones rip-off. Well, it DID have some annoying Jones rip-off sequences, but hey - other than that, it surpassed my expectations.

Which still doesn't mean it's good.

Very attractive Angelina Jolie returns as Lara Croft, the female Indiana Jones-type hero. This time she's after Pandora's Box. Teaming up with an "old friend" (Gerard Butler), Croft must race against time to stop multimillionaire Jonathan Reiss (Ciaran Hinds) from reaching the ancient box - if she fails, the world will fall into Reiss' hands.

The film was no more entertaining than the first film, although the action was slightly better, and the overall film was a little more well-made. The soundtrack flunks in being as good as the first, but the acting's improved (except for the "It's more powerful than you could ever imagine" - that part featured some very poor acting) and the directing's better this time 'round. You see, the film's major problem is that it has all the right stuff to make a great movie - it just never does anything with it!

I love the character of Lara Croft, and enjoyed the video games, so I hope they make another film - but please, this time, let's drop the Jones routine and just make a good movie.

Give it a chance, you just might like it.
First off, I one of the minority that enjoyed the first Tomb Raider, so I walked into this one with hopes for the best, despite what the critics were saying. Critics, huh? Who needs 'em?

Angelina Jolie is radiant as ever; she's sexy, slick, and incredibly intelligent and resourceful. The part where she sucker-punches a shark is damn cool. Needless to say, Jolie is the best part of the franchise, even if her acrobatics are unrealistically perfect.

The story and acting is improved over the first. The "Cradle of Life" plot is preposterous, of course, but how it fits into the bad guy's evil plan is pretty sinister, and it makes sense with all the real world fear of chemical and biological weaponry. The villain is less of a man of action than Iain Glen in TR1, but this new guy is more sophisticated, smarter, and meaner. Gerard Butler, though half his dialogue in incomprehensible thanks to his accent, works well as Jolie's counterpart/love interest, and his character strikes me as just the kind of guy Lara Croft is likely to fall for.

The locations are beautiful to behold, especially in China and Africa. The "sky-diving over Hong Kong" sequence is just short of drool-worthy. However, some of the interior sets are just plain bland.

The action scenes are the one downer here; Jan de Bont downshifts from Simon West's starting point, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I wanted more from the gunfights, which seemed lethargic. My two favorite scenes in the movie are when Lara duels with Chen Lo (she defends herself with an unloaded bayonet rifle by twirling it like a trained Marine...super badass) and the CGI "Shadow Demons" sequence, which I was originally dreading, but the way the scene is edited makes it rather cool.

If you enjoyed the first Tomb Raider, check this one out. For all its flaws, Angelina is worth it. ALL HAIL ANGELINA... ANGELINA IS YOUR QUEEN...

The best tombraider movie hits the best in dvd
I love this movie, and it's better than the first. She goes to all these places, I recommend this Movie. I'm also selling mines so e-mail me at JJ_025@lycos.com

A JOLIE GOOD SHOW
This sequel to the original is more entertaining and visually interesting than the first. Jolie returns as the indefatigable Lara Croft, aided this time by Gerard Butler (Dracula 2000, Timeline), a former Marine turned mercenary/traitor. Butler and Jolie have a fairly good comraderie, although it's definitely Jolie's move every way. Ciaran Hinds (Road to Perdition, Sum of All Fears, Veronica Guerin) makes for a sturdy villain, all grimace and spit. The movie revolves around the search for the mythical Pandora's Box; Hinds plays a viral bacteriologist who can release deadly viruses and he wants the box to let loose the contents of Pandora's box as the ultimate weapon.
Jan deBont (Speed) directs with a kinetic energy, and Alan Silvestri's score is impressive.
The ending is a real shocker in some ways; in the extras, we see an alternate ending that was less visceral.
Don't know whether this series will go on but it should have a little life left?

Better than the first
Better and more enjoyable than the first film, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is a fun escape pure and simple. Angelina Jolie reprises her role as the video game heroine in search of a mystical orb that can lead to the discovery of Pandora's Box. A maniacal super villian (and a better one than in the first film) is on it's trail as well, so Lara has to partner up with a traitorus old ally (Gerard Butler) as she travels from Greece to Hong Kong to Africa. The stunt work is electrifying and the special effects are solid, while director Jan de Bont gives the film it's own slick look rather than the amalgam look of the first film. The unbelieveably hot Jolie is great again, but you can't help but feel that she is too good for this role. All in all, Cradle of Life is a worthy action escape, and those let down by the first film should give this a look. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The first of a popular series (six in all) starring the charismatic and athletically adept Jet Li.Li plays legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hong, a late 19th century southern Chinese healer and kung fu master. The story begins with Western powers (American, British, and French) encroaching on the city of Canton. Wong is asked by the Black Flag army to safeguard the town by creating his own militia of kung fu experts. His assistants include the butcher "Porky" (Kent Cheng), a Chinese-American named Bucktooth So (Jacky Cheung), and his westernized "Auntie" Yee (Rosamund Kwan), a non-blood-related childhood friend for whom he holds a special affection. But the Westerners aren't the only problem in Canton. The Sha Ho gang terrorizes local businesses and has begun dealing with the Americans in exporting Chinese for slave labor and prostitution. Adown-on-his-luck kung fu master named Iron Vest Yim (Yan Yee Kwan) has decided he needs to defeat Wong to open a school and Leung Fu (Jackie Chan contemporary Yuen Biao), a traveling opera troupe groupie, just keeps getting in the way.This epic martial-arts film showcases Li's amazing fighting and acrobatic skills and established Tsui Hark as a top-notch action film director. The final fight scene between Wong and Yim entails a dizzying orchestration of kicks and punches while teeter-tottering on ladders. The DVD features star bios, filmographies, trailers, and clips from early Wong Fei Hong films that starred veteran actor Kwan Tak Hing. --Shannon Gee ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Mission, an alternative to the action genre.
Everyone loves a great shootout in their action film right? How about four to five? Johnny To directs this clever and thoughful film about five men hired to guard a highly-ranked Triad boss. Each man has his own story and thus makes this action film a character driven one as well. Although the film has only 81 minutes to enthrall you, every minute is worth it. The acting, especially Francis Ng's and Anthony Wong's performances are sleek, stylish and humorous. Although the DVD isn't loaded with extras, it's the best format-- especially since the VHS version will have you using magnifying glasses when reading the subtitles. An amazing action film at any rate and a must see for any Hong Kong film fan or pure gangster movie buff.

A warning about the DVD subtitles
I loved the film, but a word of warning about the english subtitles. The translation is very strange in parts - substitution of completely wrong words with a similar spelling. Also the subtitles linger only just long enough for you to be able to read them if you happen to be looking at the bottom of the screen waiting in anticipation.

One Good Reason To Start Watching HK Action Flicks
Nearly every frame of this film is celluloid done perfect.

Much like a violent twist of THE USUAL SUSPECTS, THE MISSION tells the story of the best hitmen brought together to protect a crime boss from rival assassination. They do succeed after some typical gunplay, but the story isn't quite over as a set of circumstances -- one of them slept with the boss's wife -- sets in motion the final third of the story, pitting killer against killer in a bold, dramatic finish.

What works here, though, isn't so much the action or the acting ... it's the film's construction. The scenes are photographed so well, edited so wonderfully, and laced together with such ease that you hardly notice the ticking of the clock inside your head as long scenes of drawn out suspense go by. The viewer gets drawn up into the structure of a scene -- the way the killers stand poised ready for action, the way the men start to bond with one another in clever little ways of playing with a wadded up a piece of paper -- rather than pointless, meandering dialogue. The moments of silence in this film are just as powerful and important to plot development and progression as are the action pieces.

Any serious student of film should sit through several viewings of THE MISSION. There is plenty to learn here that isn't a part of American action or suspense films on an artistic basis.

One truly great little nifty surprise.

Great Hong Kong drama
This is a great Hong Kong drama as opposed to one of those Hong Kong shoot-em ups. The action sequences aren't over-the-top John Woo catharsis. They're taut, paced and intelligent sequences. The way the characters all come together to form an elite bodyguard team is handled subtly. But the way friendships are portrayed between cold-blooded killers is portrayed real well.

Intense stylish unfogettable movie!
I loved this DVD, I bought it because I liked Roy Cheung - he plays the quiet bleached hair hired killer who knows exactly how he likes his guns to shoot. I liked Roy Cheung because of his versatility - from the screaming bombasity of his characters in Young and Dangerous to his quiet intense part as a solemn holy priest in StormRiders, so here he plays a solemn quiet person struggling with what his heart wants to do when ordered to kill a fellow team member, and what he is called to do. But then, I found out the film was so much more than Roy Cheung - it is really quite outstanding in the male buddy/teamwork is forefront genre, not to mention it is also a great film. It has some very well known HK action stars and to watch their interplay as more and more of their character comes out as the film progresses keeps the movie at an intense pace. You watch it and almost sleep through the beginning, but then the action gets so intense you have to go back to the seemingly unrelated stuff at the beginning of the film to have it make sense, and when it makes sense, for example, I had to replay the shopping mall escalator shoot-out scene (what a shoot-out - it is incredible)again and again to figure out where everyone was standing and gaurding and there are still surprises. Wow! What filmmaking! For a 1999 film, what surprises me is the grainy poor picture quality with uneven contrast so that you are struggling to make out the images, but then again, it could be the Director's intention and eveything looks harsher under florescent lighting. It could also be the ditributor- MeiAh, who also does not include chapter numbers for their dvds. Most of the MeiAh films that I own seems to have a less than perfect picture quality, a little washed out, but this should not stop you from buying this film! This is a really unusual film with some really neat action - I think of it sort of as a Men's action flick. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Directed by and starring Jackie Chan, and set in 1930s Hong Kong, Miracles is a gangster film that is equal parts comedy and action film, with a touch of melodrama thrown in for good measure. Chan stars as a young man who rescues a dying crime boss in 1930s Hong Kong. When the boss passes away, he is tapped to become the new leader. He attributes his good luck to an old rose seller and the roses he buys off of her. To pay her back for all of his good fortune, he helps her pretend to be a wealthy socialite, just as she had described herself in letters to her daughter in order to help impress her daughter's wealthy fiancé and not queer their upcoming marriage. The plot is lifted from Frank Capra's Lady for a Day (1933), which Capra remade in 1961 as Pocketful of Miracles. Of course, like all Jackie Chan films, this movie contains more--and more innovative--fight scenes than Capra could ever dream of. Two set pieces in particular are stunning: A big fight in a restaurant and the final battle in the warehouse of a rope factory. Along the way, Chan throws in a musical number inspired by Busby Berkeley and a whole lotta heart, making this a well-rounded and entertaining film, which Chan himself has allegedly referred to as his favorite. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (27)

This is Jackie Chan's most complete film.
I saw this film 10 years ago in the local Chinatown theatre and it still holds up on DVD as his most complete film. The film is shot with higher production values than it's Hong Kong counterparts. The comedy elements don't seem really out of place like in his later films and there is actually a story in this one ( borrowed from Frank Capra's "Pocketful of Miracles" ) The action sequences are as clever and inventive as anything he has ever done ( I didn't mind that there weren't as many of them ). The Restaurant sequence and the Rope factory fight are stand-outs. Even though the film was made for a Hong Kong audience, it transcends that and has something for everyone. It's great movie-making.

The Chinese Godfather, Jackie's Way!
Throughout the the 80's, Jackie Chan was being blacklisted by critics as someone who's only talent was directing lighthearted action films without any substance. Jackie took this criticism personally and created one of the best films of his career, "Miracles." Based on Frank Capra's "Lady For a Day," Jackie took his time and directed a film that can be compared to the best of Hollywood during the Golden Era. Jackie originally didn't want action scenes, but realized none of his fans would see it. There are three brillinat action pieces intertwined with the story, the best is the final at a rope factory. Jackie also used techniques used by Hollywood by using steady cams for extended shots. Anita Mui from "Rumble in the Bronx" has a delightful role as a nightclub and we get to hear her sing (which was her original career.) This movie is a must have for any Jackie Chan fan, or any who appreciates great filmmaking.

The Miracle is how great this film is.
Does anyone here know how to read? It clearly states that this version contains BOTH the subtitled and the dubbed version. If you don't want to read the subtitles, it contained a dubbed english version. How hard is it to realize this? Before you complain, why don't you read the back of the box.

Options!! (It is a Miracle!)
I see a bunch of people have made comments
like "Good if you like subtitles" - this
is annoying and stupid, since the disc contains BOTH
the original version (fir those who 'really'
appreciate hong kong cinema), and the a dubbed
"Chan-for-dummies" version, obviously for those who
only speak 'American.' Ironically, though
Columbia has done a great service by providing
choices for "everyone's" benefit, I have to read such
trifling comments by those who get weak in the

knees when they see a subtitle - even if the dub
is right in front of them.

Chan's the man!
I have only seen parts of this, but plan on getting it very soon. Found it intesting that it contains Subbed and Dubbed versions. Subbed is 126 minutes and dubbed is 106, what gives?
Anyway I'll be watching the SUBBED version. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The first of a popular series (six in all) starring the charismatic and athletically adept Jet Li.Li plays legendary folk hero Wong Fei Hong, a late 19th century southern Chinese healer and kung fu master. The story begins with Western powers (American, British, and French) encroaching on the city of Canton. Wong is asked by the Black Flag army to safeguard the town by creating his own militia of kung fu experts. His assistants include the butcher "Porky" (Kent Cheng), a Chinese-American named Bucktooth So (Jacky Cheung), and his westernized "Auntie" Yee (Rosamund Kwan), a non-blood-related childhood friend for whom he holds a special affection. But the Westerners aren't the only problem in Canton. The Sha Ho gang terrorizes local businesses and has begun dealing with the Americans in exporting Chinese for slave labor and prostitution. Adown-on-his-luck kung fu master named Iron Vest Yim (Yan Yee Kwan) has decided he needs to defeat Wong to open a school and Leung Fu (Jackie Chan contemporary Yuen Biao), a traveling opera troupe groupie, just keeps getting in the way.This epic martial-arts film showcases Li's amazing fighting and acrobatic skills and established Tsui Hark as a top-notch action film director. The final fight scene between Wong and Yim entails a dizzying orchestration of kicks and punches while teeter-tottering on ladders. The DVD features star bios, filmographies, trailers, and clips from early Wong Fei Hong films that starred veteran actor Kwan Tak Hing. --Shannon Gee ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A true HK classic
Once Upon A Time In China is a true landmark in Hong Kong film industry and also Jet Li's best film. It features some of the best Martial arts action ever seen onscreen. The fight between Wong Fei Hung(Jet Li) and Yim Chan Tung is truly amazing and at times surpassing any of Jackie Chan's movies. The film itself has a strong plot and could hold up against some of the best dramas in Hollywood. A for the DVD itself, picture is O.K for a film that is shot 10 years back and it includes trailers and some of Kwan Tak Hing's fight scenes(the 60s' Wong Fei Hung). There's even a booklet surrounding the real person and the actors who potrays him. In the audio department, it's a little dissapointing as some of the sounds sound a bit muffled. Overall this deserves to be in your collection because this is one movie you cannot miss at any cost. Purchase it today!

You Must Own This
If you enjoy martial arts movies at all, you must own this movie. The cinematograpy is excellent, the fight scenes are superb, and the movie as a whole is top-notch. I enjoyed the gratuitous playing of the theme song throughout the movie; it really added to the atmosphere. Tsui Hark and Jet Li bring to life the story of the great Chinese folk here, Wong Fei Hung. I particularly recommend the DVD version.

Good!!
This is one of Jet Li's finest movies. He acted as "Huang Fei Hong" who is a famous person in China. He is righteous and always protect the weak from the ruthless. If you want to see real kung fu (not enhance by computers), this is the one to get. Jet Li will put every current kung fu movies to shame.

Once Upon a Masterpiece
This is probably the most all round compelling martial arts film I have ever seen. It combines amazing fight sequences with a complex story and surperb acting. Jet Li plays Wong Fei Hung, a kung fu master who runs a local militia of Chinamen. Tentions are rising as the British and the Americans are entering China to exploit it's resorces. Eventually they boil over and what unravels is what happened Once Upon a Time in China. This story really has it all and Li(in the role that made him a star) is magnificent. I gave this movie 5 stars based on its rank of Hong Kong martial arts flims I have seen. I highly recommend it to any fan of action films and particularly to Jet Li fans.

Personally, my favorite Jet Li movie
The plot may confuse some people, but another viewing will clear things up. The first time I watched it, I was blew away by the fight sequences and the cinematography. I saw this movie back in 1993 when I was a kid. I was a fan of Jet Li ever since. I wanted the VHS version, but it was too expensive..so now that the DVD version is out, although it's still expensive I think it's worth it. The part I love most about the movie is how the movie portray the AMERICANS as really DUMB villians. All you see in hollywood today is minorities playing the stupid role of the villian. This is good for a change...hahhaha... ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Greatest Movie Ever Made...
This is the greatest movie of all-time. Its got it all: ultra-violence, unbelievable camera moves, incredible action scenes, a tight script, a talented director(Ringo Lam) and most importantly of all...Chow Yun-Fat, the most charismatic actor of the present era, who gives, in my opinion, his best performance to date.

On top of all of the above named, 'Full Contact' has the great villain in a film ever...Simon Yam is unbelievable as this homosexual gangster. Simon is classic.

If you say you like HK cinema and you don't dig this movie, you're a total reject. This is the finest film ever made. Go see it. Go buy it. Enjoy it.

Film Yes, DVD No
"Full Contact" ranks high on the list of classic Hong Kong "heroic bloodshed" action films. Grittier and more extreme than John Woo's films (more gore and maimings, and characters who are less noble), it's an entertaining ride, and a good showcase for the always-magnetic Chow Yun-Fat. Unfortunately, this DVD re-release has a serious problem -- the actual video print is a big improvement on the original Tai Seng release, but whole chunks of soundtrack seem to be missing from the Chinese audio track (strangely enough, they're present on the English audio track). If you don't mind watching your Hong Kong movies in English, this is a good buy, but if you're a purist, you're better off sticking with the original Tai Seng DVD for the complete Chinese audio track.

BRILLIANT..SUPERB
This is a Excellent FIlm. If you Like guns and violence Watch This. Violent and Betrayal. Chow Yun Fat is Brilliant. He is the Pacino/De Niro of Hong Kong Cinema.

Gritty!!! Violent!!! Brutal!!! Great!!!
Plot Outline: After Sam (Anthony Wong) gets in trouble with some triads over a gambling debt, his best friend Jeff (Chow Yun-Fat) has to bail him out. Sam gets word that his cousin Judge (Simon Yam) wants him and his friends to help them pull a job robbing a truck. Once on the job Jeff finds out it was all a trick set up by the triads to kill him. In a turn of betrayal, Sam is forced by his cousin to shoot Jeff. They leave Jeff to die in a burning building, only Jeff makes it out alive. Now he looks for revenge.

The Review: Full Contact is easily the sleaziest, grittiest and downright most vulgar HK action film I've ever seen. Now that I've said that, it's also just one outright cool film. Taking what could have been just an average tale of revenge, Ringo Lam injected the film with the style of the 80's and a healthy dose of brutal violence. The film represents all that was great of the all but dead Heroic Bloodshed genre. It's still around, but you don't see too many films like Full Contact anymore.

Don't misunderstand me, the violence in Full Contact, while plentiful, doesn't quite top the likes of A Better Tomorrow II, but the film is just a whole lot seedier. The violence in John Woo's films are usually comical to some point, but here the violence takes place somewhat in reality. The gunplay is actually fairly minimal really. There's only a couple of gunfights, and excluding the first person bullet effects, they aren't really all that spectacular. The violence in the film is just accentuated by the feel of the film. In one of the more brutal scenes in the film, Anthony Wong's character shoots a man in the head about seven times, covering the guy in blood. It's just an ugly image, and made uglier by the scenery and characters. It takes place in a dingy warehouse and watching his blood splatter all over his hands can almost make you feel uncomfortable.

When I first sat down to watch Full Contact I didn't know much about it and wasn't expecting much. I had read on a message board somewhere in the past that it was supposed to be a great non-Woo HK action film so I decided to give it a chance. Within the first five minutes of watching the film, it makes it's case strongly, and lets you know exactly what kind of film it's going to be. Simon Yam's gang robs what appears to be a jewelry store, in the process he stabs a innocent woman through the chest then proceeds to have her open the vault. We're introduced to the rest of his gang too. Mona, the promiscuous and Deano the muscular freak (played by Frankie Chin, best known as the guy who tries to strangle Ricky in Ricky-Oh). The introduction is so simple, but it's just so perfect. It's hard to put my hand on it, it's just the perfect way to start the film. A kick to the gut for the audience.

If one thing bothered me most about the film the first time I watched it, it was surprisingly enough Chow himself. Not that he gives a bad performance or anything like that, it's just his clothing style is just terrible. He wears a short sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Add to that a crew cut and a leather vest over the shirt, and you've got one goofy looking chow. The second time I sat through it I just took it in as part of the cheesyness of the film. The roaring electric guitar solos, the clothes... it's all so classic 80's.

The style, the violence, and the characters are what makes the film. Simon Yam is repulsive in his role as a flamboyantly gay sociopath who let's nothing stand in his way. Chow puts in a great effort, but it doesn't really take much from Chow to please. He could be playing a coma patient and would still ooze 'cool' from his pours. When I first watched the film I wasn't familiar with Anthony Wong, so I didn't actually ever notice him, but now that I've seen Beast Cops I was surprised to find out that it was he who played Sam. He's gained a whole lot of weight over the years, but I think he's actually more suited with the weight on. In this film, when his character becomes a tough guy it's kind of hard to take serious, but with some weight on him Wong comes off a bit more intimidating. As far as acting goes, those are the central characters. Everyone else puts in decent enough performances even though the girls just seem to be there for eye candy. Nice eye candy, but eye candy just the same.

To wrap things up, Full Contact stands out as one of the best Heroic Bloodshed films made not by John Woo. That actually sounds a little harsh, I don't compare the film to Woo's work, but it's just unavoidable. Anyway, I've debated with myself whether to give it a four or a five for a while now, and I've come to the conclusion that it's getting the Stubbing Award. Sure, it doesn't add a whole lot more to the genre, but it delivers what is one of the funnest rides the genre has ever produced. Full Contact is a classic, not to be missed by HK film fans, or gritty gangster film fans for that matter.

One of Chow's Best!
I've had a quality bootleg VHS copy of this film for years, but picked up this DVD on the cheap to compare it to the original Golden Princess release. In some ways its better (more squibs, better subtitles, more dialogue and scenes) and in some ways it's worse (characters names have been changed, much of the rocking HK soundtrack missing). Inexplicably Jeff's name has been changed to Godfrey. Godfrey! What kind of name is that for a tough guy? Virgin's name has been changed to Yin and the big muscular villian is now Madman. I believe originally it was Deano or something like that but don't quote me on it as I haven't watched the original version in a while. The great guitar work is missing from both the Bangkok car chase and the final nightclub shootout, but most of the other music remains intact, notably as Chow recuperates and trains in Bangkok and when Mona is dancing at the nightclub. This DVD has english and chinese language dialog and widescreen and full screen picture. Buy it man, it kicks a$$! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Very entertaining movie - Cult Classic
First off, BUY THE IMPORT VERSION, not the recently re-released domestic with english dub.

The way I see it, a movie is more enjoyable when you see it in it's original language.

This is a different kind of movie with just about every cheap trick to attract viewers. But it all somehow works! However, it still does not contain the uncut scenes that some of us have been waiting for. While the movie may seem longer in the domestic version than the import version (due to NTSC running slower than PAL), it is still the same movie.

This flick is definitely one you want to put on only when the kids are already asleep. . .

Beeping?
This is not a bad film, but the Cantonese audio track is messed up. I mean like what's going on? It contains annoying annoying annoying beeping when the actors talk about something I guess is too R-rated or whatever, but the subtitles reveal it. Plus it's in Cantonese so like we and the kids don't understand it anyway!!!!! But what gives with the beeping? This is just pathetic. I'm referring to the exchange between the nerdy cop and the police chief or whatever at the crime scene towards the beginning. I've never heard anyone mention this. Is this just me?

Don't bother with this lame flick!!!
Would give it -100 stars if I could.
I got this DVD as a present and all I can say is that it is not even worth re-gifting it!!! The story was mediocre, the acting was horrible, and the direction was haphazard. In all truth, I had put it on my wishlist 'cause most of the reviews were extremely positive. Now, I understand how not everyone is going to like everything. However, that idea does not excuse such a bad film.
There were a few things that could be considered o.k.: the costumes (wayy drag queen so, the ladies ended up looking a little too much like Barbie or Jem); the fighting (outrageous but pretty cool); the sets (totally cartoon-like).
If I had the power to turn back time, I would have liked to rent this DVD before buying it. Now I have no other option than to sell it 'cause I will never watch it again!!!

DONT BOTHER
Bad Acting, Bad PLot, The worst editing, The girls are never naked and the kungfu is pretty lame as well. Do yourself a favor and pass on this one.

dont bother
Not exactly what I expected from the previews for the movie. they did a better job of editing the trailers for this movie than they did for the movie itself. the plot is lame, the acting is worse and the kungfu is some of the worst done in years. do yourself a favor and pass on this one, ... Read more

Description

This ultra-stylish actioner from acclaimed director Johnnie To (Running On Karma, The Mission) swept the board at the recent Golden Bauhinia Award, winning 6 of the 8 major awards including Best Picture and Best Director. When a colleague's handgun is missing, a maverick squad of PTU (Police Tactical Unit) officers conducts an all-night search through the gritty streets of Kowloon. The search unexpectedly triggers a suspenseful chain of events that will eventually lead to the inevitable, explosive showdown between the good and the bad. With startling cinematography and an award-winning performance by Simon Yam (Tomb Raider 2), PTU is a mesmerizing, atmospheric visual ballet punctuated with unforgettable action setpieces. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I should have known better .....
Thank to have bought this DVD .... The only redeeming quality of this DVD is that the women n it are faboulous although we dont get to see much of them ... I mean you see more flesh on some of the late night networks ...

Appart from the dismal subtitles that will make you roll on the floor ... ie ... they continously translate good bye with a 'Buy Bye' so you can imagine what they did to the language where there were complete sentences with more than one word .... the thing that got me were the men in this movie ... the lawyer rapist is a very displeasing characted even for a bad guy .. and the head of the triad ... is a complete idiot .....

I would say the triad in Hong Kong would probably be very very upset to be portayed by this simpering idiot .... As a final note I have no idea whatsoever where they got the title from ... considering the quality of this DVD they should change the title from 'Raped by an Angel' to just plain 'Screwed' ....

An Excellent Movie But With Problems
I rented this DVD, and I'm glad I did. While the film itself is worth four stars just from a tight script and good acting, the problems arise with the post production for an English speaking audience.
The first problem is that fifty percent of the subtitles are nearly transparent, almost impossible to read. The second problem is that full sentences are thrown up with a flash, some literally there for one second. A third problem there is that some of the subtitles run right off the screen, so you can't tell what the completed statement is.
Even worse than these problems, though, is the terrible misspellings and gramatical errors that infest this film. At one point one of the main characters and her boyfriend are running from a mob and steal a motorcycle to escape. As they begin to accelerate one of the crowd yells out "Don't go get them!" when it should have been "Don't go!...Get them!". It's little gems like this that make you stop, rewind, and decipher.
The film itself was great, but the work it made me do subtracted two stars. Do yourself a favor and rent it first.

shocking, but moral, educating, sexy
This is one of the more nasty ones of the "Raped-by-an-Angel"-series, which draws from many traditions of Slasher-film, comedy, rape-and-revenge-films, crime-stories, but with a typical "hongkie"-like-aversion to Western morality and the mark of an alternative Eastern feminism. Think about films like Scream, David Lynch (less this one, but definitely parts II and III!) or any serious (!) slasher-movies. The brutality comes in, however people will like it, for a certain reason: a girl is home alone and does sth. wrong... this is the educating message, just as in scream. But here, it's more complicated and entertaining!

Women can be sexy and still clever and feminist in the East, it seems. However, parts II and III are less brutal (only Cat IIb!), but even more sexy, I think, and more "Lynchian" (noirish pictures). Go for these ones if you are a complete softie! Besides, the director of parts II and III is a master of erotic obsessions (Aman Chang!).

Shocking and sexy, in a twisted way
Calling this a sequel to Naked Killer is a bit of a stretch - some of the actors are the same, but the feel is very different. Over the top? Oh, yes, no question, with the Asian facination with rape very obvious here. Worth a look? Well, there's a high kink factor here which cannot be ignored, but it will only appeal to certain tastes, and that's all you'll get from this flick. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Starts out interesting and ends a little weak.
At first the film is very promising. However, towards the end it just fades. The movie paces itself nicely throughout the movie using John Woo's old style elements to accomplish beautiful screenplay, directing, and artful action. Somehow it just changes towards 3/4's way into the film. I feel the director just had a hardtime ending it and simply ended it very awkwardly. It's like he had a good idea and doesnt know how to finish it. The dialogue is really neat and the action is even more impressive utilizing John Woo's old style to give us a refreshing screen play that is gone in Woo's new style of film making as we can see when he arrived to America. John Woo's style has dimished with each passing film and at least this director brings back old memories.

Pros:
-nice screenplay
-interesting dialogue
-artful action
-great use of coreography and filming quality is great

Cons:
-as the film progressed the movie slows down
-muffled storyline, confusing plot
-strange use of languages make it hard to focus on the characters. The movie shifts from cantonese to english to chinese without reason. (the japanese language used by the characters has a point to the movie so I wont complain about its usage).