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Category 'Hong Kong'

Invisible Target (HK 2007)

 

Director : Benny Chan
Cast : Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue, Andy On, Wu Jing

Synopsis
The rise of Ronin Gang, a band of notorious robbers affected the lives of three policemen drastically. Each of the three policemen: Fang (starring Shawn Yue), Jing Hau (starring Jaycee Chan) and Chen (starring Nicholas Tse) have their own stories but are motivated to achieve a common goal: to bring Jiang (starring Wu Jing), the leader of the Ronin Gang to justice.

Time is running out as Jiang’s influence grew and the gang’s ruthless acts are getting out hand. With Fang’s wit, Jing Hau’s courage and Chen’s dexterity, the three vowed to capture Jiang. However, it was also during the intense period of tracking the Ronin Gang that the three learnt about the presence of a prominent figure in the police force who is in cahoots with Jiang… With all these against them, they are even more determined to rid the evil doings of Jiang and his accomplice…

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Flash Point (HK 2007)

 

Director : Wilson Yip
Action Director : Donnie Yen
Cast : Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Fan Bing Bing, Kent Cheng, Collin Chou, Ray Lui, Xing Yu

Synopsis
As the Detective Sergeant of Serious Crimes Unit, Jun (Donnie Yen) detests crime and his life long nemeses are a Vietnamese gang of three brothers - Archer, Tony and Tiger. In order to further infiltrate the gang and fight them from within, Jun has planted a mole, Wilson (Louis Koo), who has managed to gain the complete trust of the gang.

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Seven Swords (HK 2005)

Director : Tsui Hark
Cast : Leon Lai Ming, Charlie Yeung Choi Nei, Lu Yi, Sun Honglei, Kim So-Yeon, Donnie Yen, Wang Xueqi, Zhang Jingchu, Zhou Qunda, Dai Li-Wu, Huang Peng

Synopsis

Adapted from renowned writer Liang Yu-shen’s timeless classic, Seven Swords tells the story of seven unlikely heroes gathered together to save a village from the massacre of a general that is seeking a fortune through killing. In the early 1600’s, the Manchurians have assumed sovereignty and established the Ching Dynasty. A highly oppressive reign thus began. To fight against the brutality of the new government and save the innocent, seven unlikely heroes gathered together and became the Seven Swords. Each sword carries its own character - The Transience Sword, The Dragon Sword, The Heaven’s Fall Sword, The Unlearn Sword, The Deity Sword, TheCelestial Beam Sword and The Star Chasers Sword.

Review
Well, finally Seven Swords hit the Asian cinemas. Adapted from renowned writer Liang Yu Shen’s novels, it tells a story of seven unlikely heroes gathered to save a village from the massacre of a deadly, barbarian cult armies. They are seeking fortune from killing the innocents to collect prize money from the government. Basically, Seven Swords follows the “Seven Swordsmen Leaves Mountain Heaven” novel where 5 swordsmen are summoned from Mount Heaven to save the innocent people. Each and every of them carry an unique sword which has it own capability and usage. There are The Unlearnt, The Dragon, The Transience, The Deity, The Heaven’s Fall, The Celestial Beam, and The Star-Chasers. Another 2 swordsmen came from the village itself and joined as a group to become the Seven Swords.

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Purple Storm (HK 1999)

Director : Teddy Chen
Producers : Jackie Chan, Thomas Cheung, Willie Chan
Action Choreography : Tung Wei
Cast : Daniel Wu, Chow Wah-kin, Josie Ho, Kam Kwok-Leung, Joan Chen, Emil Chau

Synopsis
During a battle with the police, terrorist Todd Chow (Daniel Wu) is knocked out cold and when he wakes up in police custody and is interrogated he finds that he has lost his memory. Unable to remember who he is or who his friends are, the police decide to take advantage of the situation by trying to convince him that he was an undercover-cop. Todd is then rescued by his terrorist friends and in his confused state must decide whether to help either the police or the terrorists.

Review
by Martin Cleary

Although this film is a couple of years old now, this early effort from Daniel Wu is a pretty good thriller with a ‘memory loss’ concept which gives the plot plenty of twists. While the plot isn’t quite clever enough to make the film a classic, the high production values and good performances make this a worthwhile effort. Daniel Wu - in his first lead role – sadly comes across as a little wooden. Maybe this is partly intentional because for most of the film he is torn between its two real driving forces - the terrorist Soong, played with relish by Kwok Leung-Gan and the head of the counter-terrorist squad, played by Chow Wah-Kin. The relationship between ‘terrorist’ and ‘law enforcement’ is of course very relevant to todays political climate (although this was filmed before the events of September 11) and its subject matter definitely lingers in the mind.The film has some really good action scenes, although these are of the gunfight and explosion type of violence rather than martial arts, which seems a bit of a shame because it would be nice to see Daniel Wu show some of his fighting skills.

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The Warlords (HK 2007)

Director : Peter Chan Ho-Sun
Cast : Andy Lau, Jet Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Xu JingLei

Synopsis
The nineteenth century was an era of conflict: the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire in Europe; the Civil War in America; the Meiji Restoration in Japan; the Opium War in China followed by the Taiping Rebellion in Nanjing… all critical events that shaped the world today. At times of chaos, heroes are born yet innocence is forever lost…

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PTU (HK 2003)

Director : Johnny To
Cast :  Simon Yam, Suet Lam, Ruby Wong, Maggie Siu, Eddy Ko, Hoi-Pang Lo, Ho-Yin Wong, Jerome Fung and Frank Michael Liu.

Synopsis
Over the course of one night, a team of cops frantically search for their colleague’s missing gun.

Review
by Edward Tang

The first time I saw PTU was in a room full of 35 people, a small screening of some type. I don’t really remember. Anyways, I remember walking out and feeling that the film was basically 90 minutes of nothing, just a bunch of standing around and nothing to show for it. For sure I wasn’t going to give it a second glance, why should I? But of course, I got a Christmas gift from some relative, he heard that I liked Asian flicks. He bought me about 20. Included in such was PTU, and I thought I’d never watch it again. But hell, why not? Surely the film could have some redeeming qualities in it, and I was glad that I did give it a second chance. Johnnie To is a master at his craft, showing the seedy underbelly of the night, and being able to actually see the characters for once. (rather than in some flicks that have night scenes and you see a bunch of rumbling and tumbling). Simom Yam leads the cast of PTU as they search as it seems, endlessly into the night for Lo’s gun. I must admit that I was expecting a bunch of action and shootouts after watching To’s other vehicle “The Mission”. The story is simple in structure and the acting follows that suit, but something about the direction and how the story moves along, gives us a hope that something might just occur that we don’t expect.

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Prison On Fire (HK 1987)

Director : Ringo Lam
Cast : Chow Yun Fatt, Tony Leung Kar Fai, Roy Cheung, William Ho, Tommy Wong

Synopsis
After being framed for a murder and sentenced to an anarchic prison ruled by a brutal guard, a naive businessman finds an ally in the ever-honorable Mad Dog in this brutal but touching action drama from master director Ringo Lam.

Review
Lo Ka Yiu (Tony Leung) is the new “fish” at a prison run by the nefarious “Scarface” Hung (Roy Cheung), who rules the institution with an iron fist and a perpetual sneer. Lo immediately starts off on the wrong foot by demonstrating both anxiety and a stiff, by-the-rules attitude that alienates both the corrupt guard and the entrenched Triad hierarchy. Meanwhile, “Mad Dog” (Chow Yun Fatt), an easy going veteran convict, takes Lo under his wing and protect him. Prison on Fire is a not just a typical HK prison movie, but a much truly great HK flick in the 80s. Its a tense, understated melodrama  that’s Hong Kong’s answer to Cool Hand Luke.Ringo Lam won Best Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards for this movie which followed by another fairly good sequel, Prison on Fire II.

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Police Story (HK 1985)

Director : Jackie Chan
Producer : Leonard Ho Koon-Cheung 
Writer : Jackie Chan,Edward Tang King-Sun 
Action Director : Jackie Chan’s Stunt Team 
Cast :  Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Charlie Cho, Yuen Chor, Danny Chou, Mars, Kwok-Hung Lau and Bill Tung.

Synopsis
The story is about a police raid on a drug gang goes awfully wrong, and for detective Jackie Chan, nothing seems to go right from there. The gang boss is acquitted at his trial, when Jackie’s evidence mysteriously disappears. Jackie’s attempt to rescue a beautiful but reluctant key witness results in his being framed for murder. Now on the run from both the gang and his own squad, Jackie must stay alive long enough to bring the gang to justice and convince his colleagues of his innocence.

Review
by Edward Tang

There are some films that will always live because they truly are the best of the genre. Police Story for example has everything you could ask for, truly humorous moments and some of the best action you could ever ask for on screen. Jackie Chan hit bad in America so he decided to come back to Hong Kong and make a true action film, and that’s exactly what he did. The film contains probably one of the best stunts you could ever have seen, literally this stunt looks insane, but gives the film something you’d never see from a Stallone or Ah-nuld vehicle. This film still lives on as one of Jackie’s finest (his favorite “action” film) and one of the films that is COMPLETE 100% entertainment from beginning to end.

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