Reviews (6)

Great !
This is a classic Stephen Chow movie and one of the funniest. No doubt he is the king of comedy. He is great in the role of the hapless but cool guy (just watch the castration scene...). He is really skillful and has a vast range of expressions (well, I think you can compare him to Jim Carrey... in some ways but not in total). Though the movie has lots of sexual spoof, I think is not insulting; I read that Cantonese comicality is difficult to understand to foreign... well, I don't find it so different from the Italian one!

Some unavoidable presences in the movie: Ng Man Tat (Hoi Tai Fu) that is (I think) in 90% of SC's movies (and this is good, they are GREAT together) - Chingmy Yau (Princess Kim Ning) - Sandra Ng Kwan Yue (Sister Bond) - Man Cheung (Empress Dowanger/Lone-er).

And remember: always watch a SC's movie in the ORIGINAL language or you'll miss the best...

A parody that is a lot better than most Hong Kong films
Visually stunning parody of Hong Kong swordplay epics. Stephen Chow is a smart aleck, fast-thinking lowlife named Wilson Bond (really) who gets caught up in an incredibly tangled court intrigue. Bond starts out working for Chan (Damian Lau), Master of the Heaven & Earth Society and then he ends up on the side of Chan's target, Prince Ning (Siu-Lun Wan). Basically, in the great tradition of "Yojimbo" and "A Fistful of Dollars," Bond swears loyalty to whoever is threatening him at the moment and ends up playing everyone against everyone else while trying to figure out how to save his neck. This parody is more fun than a lot of the "serious" movies it is taking on. The DVD is letterboxed, which is great, but the English subtitles to the Mandarian language washes out from time to time. Then again, the dialogue in this 1991 film directed by Wong Jing is not exactly the strong set of "Royal Tramp." The fun continues in "Royal Tramp II" so be sure you watch both parts or you will be missing half the fun.

Stephen Chow's Best - don't forget the sequel, or the book!
This was one of the first DVDs I bought for my collection after getting a DVD player. The plot is engaging and extermely well-written, and the brilliant physical comic performances of Stephen Chow and Ng Man Tat work wonderfully even for someone like myself who needs the subtitles to follow the story.

Be aware, though, that "Royal Tramp" and "Royal Tramp 2" are a single story split into two parts, rather than just a movie and its sequel. Be sure to get both.

Also, this movie is based in the only story by Louis Cha that is currently available in translation. The title of the book is usually translated as "The Duke of Deer Mountain", but the English translation (in 3 volumes) is called "The Deer and the Cauldron", Volumes 1 (ASIN 0195903234) and 2 (ASIN 0195903250) have just recently been reprinted, and Volume 3 (ASIN 0195903277) is due out in September 2001.

Great fun!
An extremely funny rendition of the Duke of Mount Deer story. Stephen Chow is just hilarious! I got this DVD because it's classic.

Royal fun
This movie was loose based upon the 80'HK tv series starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung. This is probably Chow Sing Chi best movie. I've seen some of his film's including the sequel. But this one is better. Royal Tramp is about Wai Siew Po, a nobody who tell stories in a whorehouse where his sister works. He becomes a member of the royal staff and is appointed to Hoi Kong Kong, while he still remains a rebel against the Chings. The story is redecules, but that's what we aspect from a Chow Sing Chi movie. The action is marvelous, with lots of wire works. The kung fu is absolutely fantastic. My favorite is the Fa Kwat Yu Mien Teung. Which means as much as "bone-melting-palm". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like compatriot Jackie Chan, martial arts champion Jet Li has long been revered in his native country and enjoys a cult following in the States among aficionados of Hong Kong cinema. After two decades, it took his villainous turn in Lethal Weapon 4 to put him on the Hollywood map, paving the way for the release of his earlier films. Fist of Legend is a 1994 production and a remake of The Chinese Connection (also known as Fists of Fury, which starred the greatest martial arts legend of them all, Bruce Lee). This film is set in 1937, when Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese and racial tensions were high. Li stars as Chen Zhen, who returns to Shanghai to avenge the death of his master, whom he learns was poisoned. His popularfreestyle fighting technique and Japanese girlfriend do not endear him to hisformer friend, now his master's successor at the martial arts school. IfJackie Chan is inspired by Buster Keaton, Li seems to be channeling SteveMcQueen. He speaks softly and carries a big kick. And like Steven Seagal,even when he is under siege by a horde of attackers, no one can lay a finger on this guy. The dialogue and dubbing are atrocious, but the fight sequences are incredible (they were choreographed by Yuen Woo-ping, who lent hisexpertise to The Matrix). Perhaps most memorable is a bout betweenChen and his girlfriend's uncle during which the combatants wear blindfolds. This is essential viewing for martial arts buffs and Li's growing legion of fans. --Donald Liebenson ... Read more

Reviews (243)

Bruce Lee's got nothin' on the Boss
Jet Li, affectionately called Boss Li in Hong Kong, stars in this remake of Bruce Lee's Chinese Connection (a.k.a. Fists of Fury in China). The difference is this one's better. You don't agree? I'll do my best to convert ya. Li stars as Chen Zhen, a student in 1930's Japanese occupied China. He returns home upon receiving news of his master's death, who was supposedly beaten by a Japanese master in a challenge. Li smells a rat and challenges the Japanese master in return, to find the master's fighting ability's terribly inadequate to have defeated his old master. Li has the body exhumed and tested for poison, and we find that the old master was indeed murdered after all. And Li wants revenge. This is a truly amazing flick. The fights, performed with minimal wire work as found in other period martial arts pieces, are a showcase for the stupifyingly amazing martial abilities of it's star, and standout moments include the opening fight between Li and a slew of Japanese fighters and the duel between Li and his japanese girlfriend's uncle, an older, wiser fighter who, before the duel, insists that older fellas need a minute or two to warm up. Unlike the Bruce Lee film the Japanese are not presented as monsters, and this film goes out of it's way to prove it, whereas the Lee film goes out of it's way to show how heinous they are. Jet Li is a true phenomenon, and to quote the Hong Kong movie oriented book,...'Nuff said.

You Won't Believe What You Are Watching
Fist of Legend is a true powerhouse of a Kung-Fu movie, where 2 minute dialog scenes only serve to bridge the most amazing martial arts fights you will ever watch. This movie is a remake of Bruce Lee's "Chinese Connection", which is appropriate, because Jet Li deservingly surpasses the Master in skill and talent with his performance in this movie. Forget dialog and acting, the fighting absolutely rules this movie, and the story is told thru the fighting, like any good action movie should do. I consider this film to be the Best Matrial Arts movie ever made.

Jet Li plays a star kung-fu student returning from afar to avenge his master's death. Along the way, he fights just about everyone he sees. While there are a couple of large-scale gang wars, most action scenes are 2 man duels. These duels advance the plot and develop the characters while they dish out the action, just like the kung-fu in the Matrix, or the lightduels in the Star Wars films. These fighters dig deep into themselves, get out old grudges they have with old friends, and learn about the mysterious ways of the universe as they watch it flow through their bodies. Everything is present in the punches and kicks of this film - power, grace, spiritual peace, comedy, raging emotion, revenge, personal courage. Wire-work is subtle and restrained, and takes a backseat to Li's amazing speed and precision. If you are reminded of The Matrix you have a sharp eye, because the same choreographer worked on this film, and it shows. Many of the little touches in the Matrix were lifted from this movie, in homage to its genius. One unbelievable moment has Jet Li fighting a Japanese master while both are blindfolded. The finale is a gruelly 40 minute duel between Li and an absolute evil bad-guy, two towering masters giving their absolute 100%. In the end, you are just as exhausted as the fighters are, but you certainly had more fun.

"Fist of Legend" is definitely a must-buy, as you'll get many, many viewings out of this film.

Essential To Any Kung Fu Fan.
I am already a huge fan of jet li, and this is the movie that started my whole fandom. This is my favorite kung fu movies without a doubt, the fighting scenes are terrific, the story line was in my opinion good although ive heard the talk about how this movie copies the bruce lee movie "fists of fury/chinese connection" and to me, that really didnt make the movie any less spectatular. i myself own many bruce lee and jet li movies, and personally i enjoy this movie over all of them, but thats just me.. definately a must buy for any kung fu fan. makes matrix look pathetic, and w/o all the flying either

Inspiring
This is my favorite Jet Li movie of all time. Jet put Bruce to shame with this remake of the 1970s classic. I really enjoyed the way he blended his traditional northern shaolin style with that of Bruce's Wing Chun inspired style.

The fight scenes were excellent, and of course the story was too.

there's no way i'm gonna rate this less than 5 stars, but...
ok, awesome kung fu film, required viewing for any even casual fan of the genre, jet li exhibits amazing speed and skill, little wire work, good costumes, great blindfolded fight, amazing final fight scene, good humor, easy to follow story, excellent fight coreography by the legendary yuen wo ping.

but.

let's face it. american distributors simply have to stop editing these foreign films, dubbing them into english, and assuming it won't make a difference. it makes a HUGE difference, and this is glaringly obvious through this DVD release of fist of legend. while the english dubbing in this film isn't as awful as it could have been, it still takes away immensely from the film. the mood is totally thrown off by the english dubbing, and it's almost hard to take the movie seriously as a result of this. do yourself a favor and hunt down the taiwanese uncut fist of legend DVD with the original language tracks and english subtitles! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Worth the purchase price for the "sleeping disciple" scenes.
This is the only Stephen Chow (spelled Chiau on the box) film that I've ever seen, but I am determined to see more of them. Not only is he a physically talented comedic actor and convincing as a kung fu master, he is also quite pleasing to look at. The plot is silly, but it works well with the comic delivery. I particularly enjoyed the scenes where Chow's character uses "sleeping disciple" kung fu, in which he seemingly yawns and stretches while hitting his opponent in the face, etc. Well-done special effects, just this side of cheesy, show the sorcery and magical kung fu moves.

Since Amazon hasn't given you a summary, here's mine: Young ne'er-do-well Su Chan (Chow) falls in love with a courtesan. In order to win her hand in marriage, he signs up for an imperial examination to become a military officer. For reasons partially attributable to Tin Li Jiao, an evil Taoist sorcerer and martial artist, and partially attributable to Su Chan's own laziness and his father's dishonesty, Su Chan winds up a beggar. He uses kung fu to rescue his ladylove and the Emperor when they fall into the clutches of Tin Li Jiao.

The version I have (didn't buy it from Amazon, but looks like the same one) is in Cantonese and Mandarin with subtitles in traditional characters and English. The subtitle translations are just bad enough to be amusing, but not so bad as to be confusing. Because the English subtitles are plain white, they are hard to read against a light background. Fortunately, the plot of the film isn't so subtle that reading every subtitle is critical.

I thought the film was entertaining and funny. Not a masterpiece, perhaps, but better than many action/comedy films out there. I'll definitely watch it again.

one of the funniest h/k movie!
get this dvd if u like hong kong movies and stephen chow,it's really funny.i cant stop laughing when i watched it.even if it is not as good as hail the judge(stephen chow's best) ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Entertaining...
This 90 minute action adventure is entertaining especially if you enjoy Jackie Chan movies. The film is full of the familiar Jackie Chan stunts and fighting sequels with some "matrix" like effects thrown in.
The story revolves around a young Chinese boy who is kidnapped by an international smuggler called Snakehead (Julian Sands) and a medallion considered the holy grail of eastern mythology which holds the secret to eternal life. The legend states that every thousand years a child is chosen who can combine the two halves of the medallion and restore life to the dead.
Agent Eddie Yang (Chan) working with Interpol in Hong Kong discovers that Snakehead has kidnapped a boy from a Buddhist Temple, but doesn't understand why. The chase for Snakehead and ultimately the boy leads Eddie to Dublin, Ireland.
Upon locating the boy at a shipyard, Eddie is drowned in a cargo container that sinks to the bottom of the harbor. Unbeknownst to anyone the boy has the ability to resurrect Eddie and does so with a medallion giving Eddie super human strength and immortal power.
Snakehead seeks to gain the powers of the medallion to become totally immortal. However, the interesting thing is one must die first to be restored immortal.

Forgettable
Jackie Chan has really cranked out a lot of movies and I have found some of them quite entertaining with action packed fight scenes, good stories, great stunts, and Chan's self deprecating sense of humor. This is not one of them.

There is not much to the plot - Chan is a Hong Kong cop facing off against a super criminal "Snakehead". Snakehead is after a medallion that is possessed by a kid. The medallion gives people special powers. Snakehead kidnaps the kid and Chan is in the hunt to save the kid and keep the medallion out of Snakehead's hands.

Unfortunately, the plot is awful and makes little sense. The fight scenes are not very good. The movie essentially breaks down into a not very interesting series of vignettes that I could never decide whether they were supposed to be funny, scary, thrilling - they were just plan dumb.

Chan would be better served to make fewer, higher quality movies than to churn out forgettable fare like The Medallion.

Not one of jackies best.
Maybe it is because I love jackie's earlier movies which he surpassed himself in, but I was very disappointed with this film. Okay, so it's funny in parts but having said this that's about it. I realise that jackie is trying different things in his new films, but for me I preferred the original hong kong movies. I really never thought I would ever give a JC movie 3 stars, but I have to be honest and do so. Sorry jackie. But I am still an avid fan of yours.

Worst Chan Movie Ever
I haven't seen every Jackie Chan movie, but I've seen many of them and this is the worst. I've never walked out of a film before, not even considered it, but opening night I was there to support Jackie, and half-way in I nearly got up and left. Bad, really, really bad.

superb
this movie i would say is superb. since this movie has alot of action. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pure Galic Gold
One of the more surprising critical hits of 2003, Sylvain Chomet's Belleville Rendezvous is a French animation that combines occasional beauty and charm with sardonic grotesquerie. People have commented about its bitchy portrait of a USA where everyone is overweight and over-helpful; it is equally nasty about a provincial France, where everything is grey and nothing is convenient. A grandmother and her dog set out to rescue a cyclist who has been kidnapped by the French Mafia and is forced to race endlessly into a receding projected landscape; she is helped by a superannuated trio of female close-harmony chansonniers marooned in American poverty.
Nothing in this film is mere chance--almost everything we see turns out to be relevant. There is also little dialogue--most of the time, sound effects and music take its place, from the irritating squeak of a mechanic's breathing to the sublimity of Mozart's "Kyrie" as a storm rages at sea. Belleville Rendezvous uses the best of traditional animation techniques and modern technology to produce something sharply funny and beautifully composed; it is not quite like anything you have seen before. --Roz Kaveney

Synopsis
An animated comedy set in France during the 1960s, this is the story about a boy called Champion. His grandmother, Madame Souza, encourages Champion to take part in the Tour de France. Unfortunately Champion is kidnapped by gangsters and so Madame Souza and a jazz trio called the Triplets Of Belleville set out to rescue him...

nice light movie with more thought than expected
This movie is basically about a huge tangeld social web involving stolen money, a gangster, his ex-gf, a cop, his gf, two criminals, a shop owner, etc etc.... it's got faye wong and tony leung ka fai in it as well as leslie cheung... as far as these light hk movies go, this is definitely a better one - it's more thoughtful in the way it handles a lot of the material, and isn't all that predictable... worth seeing if you're a fan of any of the actors or the genre. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tough but vulnerable Michael Wong is the leader of the Flying Tigers, a commando-style police strike force that takes on a gang of international drug runners with the help of spunky young customs investigator Gigi Leung. One of the better Hong Kong action films made since the 1997 hand-over, this no-nonsense cop drama is packed with big-scale gun battles and plenty of explosions when not enmeshed in departmental infighting and individual soul searching. American-born Wong runs his unit like a self-sustaining army and has a hot-headed tendency to leap without authorization. Leung is too deferential and insecure to cut much of an authority figure, but she rises to the occasion in the bullet-splayed finale as the commandos and customs agents band together in a show of solidarity. It's a far cry from the slow-motion violence ballets of John Woo, but Gordon Chan's sober police drama fits right in with the tradition of Kirk Wong's smart, steely policiers like Crime Story and Organized Crime and Triad Bureau. Wong speaks mostly English in the Chinese language version and dubs himself in the English language edition. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Very accurate weapons handling & tactics for a movie
For a wild action film, First Option features unusually accurate tactics and weapons-handling. This is likely due to the real-life SDU members consulting on the picture. Also, unlike John Woo and his other famous Hong Kong contemporaries, director Gordon Chan has always leaned towards authenticity in his action scenes. You can see the pinnacle of this approach in "2000 AD", a more recent Chan film that features stunning shootouts. But First Option is certainly an action-packed film as well. Definitely a must-see for fans of military/specops movies.

One note about the casual wear outfits: They are realistic. If you ever bother to research beyond glossy promotional photos, you'll see that real military and SWAT units can and do often wear civilian clothing during operations. Whatever works best for the situation. That's the whole point of these unconventional units! In this case, they're operating in a tropical, urban environment. Jeans & t-shirt are comfortable, sturdy, inconspicuous and a lot more appropriate in the heat than full hooded flame resistant jumpsuits. And they are not missing any of their important gear (assault vests, pouches, holsters, weapons, etc). It's funny that when a film tries to be LESS flashy and movielike that it gets accused for being unrealistic!

As for the SEALs being beaten in the film, I disagree that they were beaten "easily". In fact, they defeat the SDU at one point and there's a scene where the SDU discuss the fearsome reputation of the SEALs. When the SDU finally triumph, it's far from "easy". But last I checked, no training in the world makes men bulletproof. Just because the SEALs have a superhuman reputation, you shouldn't start believing that only kryptonite can bring them down. The ultimate triumph of the SDU is quite reasonable given the way the scenarios are set up in this film.

Over Analyzed
...Gear is expensive and hard to comeby. It doesn't matter who your are in the end you gotta make do with what you got. Jeans are high quality. Your beloved SEALS wore them in Vietnam. Swat teams and special units need to be big. That is not in the least bit unlikely. SEALs are probably the best at DA (direct action). They are young, tough and pumped full of macho Hooyah ism. However, against a trained numerically superior force they would be forced to evade or be over run. And they really didnt do all that bad. They caused more cassualties than they took.

Most unlrealist thing was the size of the seals. Being that big and pure muscle you sink like a ruck. Seals a buff, but they are built for endurance along with strength.

In the end this a a movie, the CQB was well done and alot of things were technically correct. However this is a movie.

I disagree with the rest of the reviewers
I rented this movie basically because of the flashy box cover with the elite units on the cover with their masks and HK's. This movie is not what i expected. I thought this movie to be fake and unreal. I also thought that the dubbing on this film was extreamly horrible. The story is about ex Navy Seals who turn drug running and the Flying Tigers must stop them. The movie had plenty of shoot outs with plenty of neat firearms to show but doesn't make up for the rest. The tigers got a gang of guys running around shooting things. The seals die like their nothing and its just funny to me how a bunch of guys running in jeans with guns can kill off some ex navy seals so easily. The tigers come with plenty of soldiers wearing their masks, vest, and weilding their HK sub-machine guns while in their jeans. What kind of SDU (Special Duties Unit) would come with about 20-25 guys and some with their jeans on? Most tactical units come with limited number of people who wear better gear and more trained to handle the job unoticed. The seals are also one of the most highly trained Special Force in the world so how would they die so fast. The tactics are weak and some of the acting is shallow. The only reason this film got a star at all was because of the shoot outs and all the flashy weaponary. If you really want to see some Hong Kong action movies rent some John Woo films other than that stay clear of this film and for the price stay far far away.

Not as good as The Final Option, but still very strong.
First Option is a much larger-scaled prequel (actually, even the term "prequel" is used loosely here, the only real connections between the films being the Michael Wong character, here called "Don", and sidekick "Joe".) that ups the ante on the action sequences but isn't as nuanced an exploration of life in Hong Kong's elite police SDU. Nevertheless, First Option contains more than enough character depth, tension, and expert pacing to rank among the best films ever made in Hong Kong.

This story focuses much more on the Michael Wong character. He is once again physical, edgy, and charismatic, a beefier and less romantic version of Chow Yun-fat, if you will (and English-speaking, for the most part). Gigi Leung does well as the pseudo romantic interest. Director Gordon Chan, the John McTiernan of Hong Kong, is again the master of pacing and dialogue, his lines ringing out crisp and intense, and his eye for detail in action sequences intoxicating. The only dud in the writing department is the final exchange between "Rick" and "Don" -- sounds like a rhyming game or something! Small dent in an action-film masterpiece that keeps things moving and respects its characters.

Gordan Chan + Michael Wong = A Real SDU Moive
Here is the story of the moive. The custem service of HK investigating a drug dealer which has very strong weapon. They formed a special unit with HK police SDU to arrest through people. Michael Wong success his good performance in the Final Option. The gun scence is as good as last time. This time, the director introduce the forrest battle in the moive which is different from the city battle last time. Different from last time, the focus is on the career of being a SDU rather than focus on the love and family. Finally, I want to say that the actress Gigi Leung has done a good job. She has a beautiful face. This time, she acts as a custom service officer and she needs practise gun shooting. People may not like that becasue it is not as same her traditional style. However, I think she really plays a really good rolo to the moive as a whole. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A waste of ten bucks
I picked this up based on the reviews I read on Amazon and the low price. I was expecting a movie that rivals John Woo's Hard Boiled for non-stop action. Also a "Hollywood Style" flick that kept me riveted to the screen. I was sorely disappointed. I was stupefied by the first few minutes. Why were there jets flying around? It seems the jets were there just so they could put them on the DVD cover. Then a Singaporean general gave a boring speech about the "real war" on the internet. What on earth was he talking about? The rest of the film has a cliched plot about innocent guy whose brother creates a computer program that could crash the stock market. At two points the world stock market appears erased. The ending doesn't 'wrap it up'. I never found out if the Stock Market recovered. Does anyone know?
Only saving grace for 2000 A.D. was a couple of good action sequences about 30-45 minutes in. They were surprisingly brutal. If I were ever to watch this film again I would definitely skip to these scenes.
I recommend you get classic Hong Kong cinema such as "Hard Boiled" or "Naked Killer" instead.
Actually "Gen-X Cops" or "Black Mask 2" look like more fun than this.
I'll let you know.

John Woo, eat your heart out.
There are two main reasons why 2000 AD stands above films such as "Gen-X Cops" and other recent Hong Kong attempts to emulate the Hollywood "style". Reason number 1: PACING! Gordon Chan realizes that all the top Hollywood action films are paced so that any plot problems are glossed over quickly and the audience is kept busy with action and intrigue. In comparison, many of the other Hollywood-wannabe films from HK have suffered from slow or erratic pacing, resulting in an awkward film that feels neither like a Hong Kong film nor a Hollywood one. Reason number 2: Hands-down the BEST SHOOTOUTS since John Woo left Hong Kong. Seriously. The most incredible part of Gordon Chan's virtuoso action scenes is that he does NOT ape the Woo style, but employs his own unique approach. Specifically, he goes for a very hard-hitting, realistic style. No slow-mo or double pistols. It's all about bad-... weaponry and real-world military tactics. The first two gun battles in this film should have any red-blooded action fan jumping out of his/her seat. If you liked the street shootout in Michael Mann's "Heat", then you should get a kick of 2000 AD.

Had potential for more, but IMPRESSIVE nonetheless
"2000 A.D.", starring Heavenly King Aaron Kwok, boosted up Raintree Pictures of Singapore to a new level. Aaron Kwok, Richard Ng, and the bad-guy (forgot his name:P) all give the audience new perspectives. The editing is very original, and sound will blow you away. "2000 A.D." managed to bring audiences something new. With special effects brought to the screen from the team that worked on "INDEPENDENCE DAY", and with Aaron Kwok being the first to fly an F16 in an Asian film, director Gordan Chan never fails at surprising his audience. However, if you're looking for kung-fu, go look for Jet Li classics. If you're looking for something to blow-up and make the walls shake, "2000 A.D." is near perfect. Director Gordan Chan did well, and even though Aaron's acting was at times sketchy, overall performance and plot were well developed. - Priscilla

THIS MOVIE IS THE MAIN REASON TO BUY A SURROUND SOUND 5.1
This movie is great,showing Aron Kwoks style of Fighting and Gun Play.The Fight scene are well done by Yuen Tak.The moody soundtrack is great,and well edit action scene to make the flow of Drama.The rooftop fight scene will show how important to show the style of modern day fighting. The Story is complex, and too many characters to know. Once Kwok and his little group of friends are introduced they become involved in a rather complex and confusing international espionage involving the theft of a sophisticated computer program. Andrew Lin is cast as a renegade CIA agent behind the theft and the murders along the way. The stylized action sequences are very taut and explosive, as is expected in a Gordon Chan film. The director uses some startling editing and camera effects to show a unique perspective on the explosive violence. Also a new actor name MIKE CHAN has a rare CAMEO as himself.(SELINA'S Friend who gave back the Ring). Im telling you guys,the conclusion will make you fell special. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Gordon Chan, who launched his career in the 1980s with sharply observed social comedies such as The Yuppie Fantasia, moved on to documentary-inflected police procedurals, a gritty Hong Kong subgenre pioneered by Johnny Mak (The Long Arm of the Law) and Kirk Wong (Rock 'n' Roll Cop). Like many younger HK directors, Chan may also have been influenced by theicy-cool Japanese gangster films of Takeshi Kitano (Sonatine). This 1998 entry, Chan's best since The Final Option (1994), is about the redemption of a slobbish veteran cop, played by grizzled Anthony Wong, whose pasty face looks slept in. Knee-deep in corruption and taking bribes with both hands, Wong finds, to his dismay, that the straight-arrow morality of his new young boss (Michael Wong) may be contagious. The film is as much a romantic melodrama as an action film, leisurely and observational, full of eccentric slacker detectives and feral dimwitted gangsters with nicknames like Man-Dick and Pushy Pin. The fight sequences are shot close in, hand held, with vertiginous swoops andswerves, for a claustrophobic sense of terror. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (8)

...
A very impressive and entertaining movie, with the characters being the chief virtue, and the image of the world it creates a close second. The characters are definately human beings, not perfect, nor are their follies unsymathetic (with a few exceptions), and they really feel like part of the world in the film... which is also a testament to the quality of the acting (it really is a relief whenever I see a "cop movie" where the acting and dialogue aren't of the "overdone hard-boiled" type). As is stated early in the movie, the difference between cops and gangsters is often negligable, and, obviously, really just components of the same system.

I can't say if cops and gangsters really act like this anywhere, but, for some reason, their respective situations in Beast Cops seem more true to life than the impressions given by many other HK movies (think: where police who sometimes cooperate with gangsters are always bad, and the "good" cops are always in direct moral opposition to the gangsters... even in the movies that blur the distinction and make room for more grey-area). Although it's occasionally punctuated by violence, Beast Cops is more about the daily lives of its protagonists than the "redemption" of the frumpy cop (if anything, it's about how the frumpy cop and the slightly high-strung new boss influence each-other, as well as the dynamics of the gangsters as they adapt to the new cop and the temporary leave-of-absence taken by one of their Big Brothers). Visually, Beast Cops is also very well done (the sets are pretty nice too... couldnt' get enough of the junky apartment... the green cafe was also nice counterpart to the slightly dishelved world).

Intermittently and simutaneously humorous, happy, sad, and content... and one of the few movies I'd as readily recommend a purchase as a rental (It just made me happy, although rewatching might diminish the effect... so if you're on a budget, there are probably movies more worth purchase...).

PS: You might want to try and get ahold of the UK Region 2 DVD, as it features commentaries and interviews... overall, a much better release. [really... why the US is generally stuck with Miramax edited dub-only releases and equally barebones ones from distributors that seem to just re-encode and add softsubs to HK bootlegs completely eludes me... especially since there's a MUCH bigger audience here...]

Unpredictable and original
Like a lot of Hong Kong films, Beast Cops has chaotic shifts in tone, occasionally bizarre humor, and manically over the top violence. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It sure works in Beast Cops, which would probably suffer from being too predictable. What starts off as a fairly serious drama about a gambling addicted and somewhat corrupt cop turns into a domestic comedy/revenge actioner/mob thriller. In one scene you'll have a character suddenly killed with a machete, in the next you'll have seriously hysterical comic moments from Anthony Wong as the corrupt cop.

I've never seen a film work two extremes so successfully and naturally, without seeming convoluted in any way. It's an action film, to be sure, but one that incorporates the rhythms and feel of real life, complete with the comic bits and kidding banter. It probably plays a little bit better as a comedy, despite the brutal violence of the last showdown (a showdown that still has room for a couple of hilarious throwaway moments from Anthony Wong). Michael Wong, usually about as charismatic as cardboard, here is utilized beautifully in a more comic role, and more directors should take heed of his fairly impressive work here in a role that totally goes against type. Roy Cheung has the most serious role here, and essentially shows up and does his usual great work without breaking a sweat. But the movie belongs to Anthony Wong, who won a Best Actor award in Hong Kong for this film. He shows remarkable range here, and he really just might be the best actor in HK today. You see his work here, then watch Full Contact, Hard Boiled, and Big Bullet, and you wonder how it can be the same guy.

Along with The Mission, this is one of the best 'New Wave' Hong Kong pictures.

Definitely different.
This was one of the first movies I saw when I was becoming acquainted with the Hong Kong action genre. This is an incredible, visually-stunning exercise in action. Now, it is not action on the same level as John Woo or Tsui Hark. But this is a great drama and action movie all at the same time. It has graphic violence, language and mild sexuality (as in don't see it for that reason or you'll be disappointed). If you like cop dramas and action films and don't mind reading a movie (though I do enjoy when the dubbing is different than the subtitles), Beast Cops is a great movie.

Different from an HK movie I've seen.
I was expecting this to be an actioned packed, drama typical to what I had come to know from Hong Kong directors. Boy I was wrong. This was a good movie, however featured only one and a half action scenes. The story was different and new, not the same old cop/triad story. Diffently watch this film but dont expect it to be up to par with John Woo in action or the characters to be as awesome as Chow Yun Fat and cast.

ONE OF THE BEST
this is definately one of the best hk films you will ever see. the reason for this is that the script is way better than most hk films. GORDON CHAN did it with first option and know he has done it again. it probaly helped that he had a good group of actors. ANTHONY WONG, MICHEAL WONG, ROY CHEUNG,and SAM LEE all give excellent performances. the story deals with a group of mismatched cops who try to stop a gang of young, out of control triads. the story doesnt sound that new,but, the characterations are where this movie really shines. any fan of hk movies needs to see this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like a high-tech version of the Christian apocalypse tale Left Behind with a skeptical skew, Gordon Chan's Armageddon (not to be confused with the Bruce Willis giant asteroid adventure of the same name) haphazardly combines end-of-the-world prophecies from various faiths with a murky X-Files-like mystery. The world's greatest scientists spontaneously combust after receiving a cryptic note ("You Have No Choice"), and communications genius Andy Lau (Savior of the Soul) is roused from mourning the death of his fiancée to investigate. Anthony Wong (Hard-Boiled) costars as his buddy and bodyguard, a shaggy, sloppy street cop out of place in the high-tech environment, and Michelle Reis (Fong Sai Yuk) is the dead girlfriend who steps out of his flashbacks and into his life, like a ghost providing him with clues. The darkly handsome film is more tech noir than action thriller, with a spiritual undercurrent, a serious tone, and a slow, moody buildup. Chan breathes some excitement into the otherwise somber film with some intriguing effects and a striking climax, but he never really clears up the cryptic mystery. Still, he got the jump on Hollywood. Produced and released in 1997, when the fear of Hong Kong's return to China was investing everything from gangster movies to costume epics with a rumbling, paranoid sense of confusion, his millennial thriller is at least as interesting as the U.S. attempts that followed (End of Days, Stigmata, Lost Souls) and certainly more fun. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Blah blah, rent the "Returner" instead.
This is a supernatural "thriller" about a mysterious cult that is murdering famous scientists (why?) by spontanteous combustion. Our hero, played by the talented Andy Lau, is a scientist on the list who has police protection forced on him, but will only accept his old friend the cop, played well by the accomplished Anthony Wong, as a bodyguard. Things get weird as Andy's dead fiancee starts appearing to him and everyone else and soon it becomes clear as the cult invites him into their inner sanctum, that God is pissed and everything falls to Andy making a decision.
Despite competent direction and good acting all around, this just drags on, makes no sense in many places, and has a ridiculous sappy ending that will make just about anyone cringe. The few positive moments are all in snappy banter between the two friends and virtually no action exists here. Unless you can't resist the re-united beyond the grave love story thing, avoid this one.

Oh, what a mess
Andy Lau is the scientist. Anthony Wong is his buddy, the cop assigned to protect him when leading scientists start getting knocked off in some unusual ways. Oh, and there's a dead wife coming back here and there to torment Andy.Actually, this film held my attention for about the first 45 minutes. It seems to be headed in some neat, techno occult direction, but . . . well, this one falls apart and it's not pretty.One last question: how come all the worst Caucasian actors are in Hong Kong? I think some L.A. waiters should buy a plane ticket and try their luck.

At least it doesn't have Bruce Willis in it
Well, it might not be as well known as the Bruce Willis film, but Armageddon is not short of action and excitement. The film is set in 1999, the end of the millennium, and suddenly one by one the top seven scientists in the world start getting assassinated in unusual ways like spontaneously blowing up. Andy Lau plays one of the seven leading scientists desperately trying to find out what is going on....The film itself is pretty good, but I did find the ending to be a little disappointing. The effects are very good though; but it just seemed a bit weak right at the end.

SHOULD BE 1998 NOT 1989
Andy Lau's is a super star and idle for whole Chinese communities. He published a lot of films and songs for over 17 years. He done much charity works and gained more awards.

H.K. X-files, romance, history, and humour rolled into one!
I have watched many movies by Andy Lau in which most were of comedy/romance/street gang-like...so, this movie has a freshness. It talks about Dr. Ken (played by Andy Lau) who is named one of the most promising young scientists in the world and his search for an answer on why his dead fiance (Michelle Rels) has come back to the world. Meanwhile, other top scientists and world contributers are killed in ways that were never used before (nope, not a gun, not poison...more like turning one into powder...). He and his friends begin to suspect that the reappearance of Adele (Rels) and the deaths of the scientists are messages from God that the end of the world is near and that Dr. Ken is the only one that is eligible to save the human race...

This is an excellent film with great special effects, music accompliment (including "Why Take Her Away" by Andy Lau), beautiful shots at Prague, and a great cast! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Blah blah, rent the "Returner" instead.
This is a supernatural "thriller" about a mysterious cult that is murdering famous scientists (why?) by spontanteous combustion. Our hero, played by the talented Andy Lau, is a scientist on the list who has police protection forced on him, but will only accept his old friend the cop, played well by the accomplished Anthony Wong, as a bodyguard. Things get weird as Andy's dead fiancee starts appearing to him and everyone else and soon it becomes clear as the cult invites him into their inner sanctum, that God is pissed and everything falls to Andy making a decision.
Despite competent direction and good acting all around, this just drags on, makes no sense in many places, and has a ridiculous sappy ending that will make just about anyone cringe. The few positive moments are all in snappy banter between the two friends and virtually no action exists here. Unless you can't resist the re-united beyond the grave love story thing, avoid this one.

Oh, what a mess
Andy Lau is the scientist. Anthony Wong is his buddy, the cop assigned to protect him when leading scientists start getting knocked off in some unusual ways. Oh, and there's a dead wife coming back here and there to torment Andy.Actually, this film held my attention for about the first 45 minutes. It seems to be headed in some neat, techno occult direction, but . . . well, this one falls apart and it's not pretty.One last question: how come all the worst Caucasian actors are in Hong Kong? I think some L.A. waiters should buy a plane ticket and try their luck.

At least it doesn't have Bruce Willis in it
Well, it might not be as well known as the Bruce Willis film, but Armageddon is not short of action and excitement. The film is set in 1999, the end of the millennium, and suddenly one by one the top seven scientists in the world start getting assassinated in unusual ways like spontaneously blowing up. Andy Lau plays one of the seven leading scientists desperately trying to find out what is going on....The film itself is pretty good, but I did find the ending to be a little disappointing. The effects are very good though; but it just seemed a bit weak right at the end.

SHOULD BE 1998 NOT 1989
Andy Lau's is a super star and idle for whole Chinese communities. He published a lot of films and songs for over 17 years. He done much charity works and gained more awards.

H.K. X-files, romance, history, and humour rolled into one!
I have watched many movies by Andy Lau in which most were of comedy/romance/street gang-like...so, this movie has a freshness. It talks about Dr. Ken (played by Andy Lau) who is named one of the most promising young scientists in the world and his search for an answer on why his dead fiance (Michelle Rels) has come back to the world. Meanwhile, other top scientists and world contributers are killed in ways that were never used before (nope, not a gun, not poison...more like turning one into powder...). He and his friends begin to suspect that the reappearance of Adele (Rels) and the deaths of the scientists are messages from God that the end of the world is near and that Dr. Ken is the only one that is eligible to save the human race...

This is an excellent film with great special effects, music accompliment (including "Why Take Her Away" by Andy Lau), beautiful shots at Prague, and a great cast! ... Read more