One of Chow's best comedies, "The Flirting Scholar" has it all. For international viewers, like myself, I'm sure a lot of the verbal gags are missed but the slapstick routines and in jokes are incredibly funny. There are numerous spoofs of the period kung fu movie and they round the film off perfectly.

Chow plays the arrogant and sleazy scholar well, making the most of his character to show off his numerous manic facial expressions. Gong Li, however, has a rather bland character as Chow's love interest but she makes the most of it.

The good thing about most Chow Sing Chi films is that he devotes equal screen time to the various characters allowing them to prove their talents and this is prominent within "The Flirting Scholar". There are also some decent displays of kung foolery and mystical powers that please the avid action fan.

Stephen Fung and Ken Chong play two young, good-looking cops who are chosen to head a new campaign: The Sunshine Cops. This PR driven initiative is an attempt to give the police force a much needed new image - out go the typical stuffy stereotypes and in come this cool new duo who represent the future of law enforcement. All starts off very well as the Sunshine Cops become icons in the press and role models to the young. However, the media shows it's fickle nature as the duo's friendship with a high school student comes into sharp focus. In quick succession comes their humiliation at the hands of a ruthless kidnapper and then the suspension of the Sunshine Cops project. The dejected heroes are presented with an opportunity to redeem themselves when an exclusive school is targeted by the kidnapper and only the Sunshine Cops can help.

Fung's role in Gen-X Cops was a brooding and not very sympathetic member of the Gen-X team. Here, he plays the complete antithesis. Fung injects his character (H20) with immense charm and with an infectious warmth that fills the screen. Alongside him is the more serious, yet equally charismatic character of Sammy (Ken Chong) who is the perfect foil for his Charming partner. The great on-screen chemistry of the two leads help this stylish and hugely enjoyable caper move along at a lesuirely, but absorbing pace. Linked to this is the fine mixture of accurate comedic digs at the media and eye-catching action set-pieces.

The ending falls slightly short of the high standard of the previous 70minutes and does stop Sunshine Cops hitting the very highest level. Nevertheless, this is a superb and greatly encouraging piece of modern Hong Kong film-making.

After a brief herb gathering excursion, Fu and his assistant (Wu Ma) return to Po Chi Lam to help run Wong Fei Hung's thriving practice. On the boat home, Fu gets involved in a major fracas and, unbeknownst to him, is used to smuggle opium into the country. A mysterious golden-shoed policeman tracks Fu down and arrests him after discovering the opium in his luggage; Fu is therefore ostracised by all his friends at Po Chi Lam and the surrounding area. After clearing his name and gaining the trust of the super-fighting policeman (Yen Shi-Kwan), Fu focuses on the task of finding out the real villain behind the opium smuggling racket. This he achieves by gaining the trust of the man who originally used him as an unwitting smuggler and finding the vicious eagle claw master (Yuen Wah) who really pulls the strings. When his cover is finally blown, Fu stands alone against the villainous hordes in an electrifying encounter.

For some reason this excellent 'Once Upon A Time In China' spin-off is largely ignored. Perhaps the film's poor distribution and hard-to-find status have contributed to this. Whoever does track this down is in for a very enjoyable film that features some outstanding choreography that is expertly restrained in the wire department. Though the film doesn't attempt to add anything to Fu's character history or try to feature the kind of multi-layered plots of the first two 'Once Upon A Time In China' films, 'Kickboxer' has plenty to offer. Biao's well-known screen persona of the bumbling innocent is as charmingly played as ever and he is once more teamed with his age old enemy Yuen Wah - again they set the screen alight in another of their exciting confrontations. Budget restraints are sometimes apparent, but this doesn't detract from another quality Yuen Biao vehicle.

Andy Lau's cinematic boom period (late 80's-early 90's) saw the actor/singer star in literally scores of movies. Many of these parts followed the usual 'rebel without a clue' stereotype that he had played to death by the late 80's, but Three Against The World allows Lau to try a different role and in a different setting. This, however, works superbly and Lau is allowed to try his fighting skills (albeit minimal) against kung-fu veteran Tsui Siu-Keung and co-star with the lovely Rosamund Kwan; both aspects give this film a real lift. The period detail is well-realised as is the pace of this production which drwas the viewer in and gives them a very entertaining 90 minutes. The action - especially the three way battles - is excellent and is mixed in very well with the comedic content to form a fine film.

Although not his most important film and certainly not his most famous, Three Against The World is a welcome addition to the Andy Lau canon and certainly worth catching.

Yuen Woo Ping weaves more choreographed magic into the narrative and allows the entire cast to show what they can do. As is usually the case with Yuen's films, action and comedy are well blended with Donnie Yen showing a surprising aptitude for the latter. Even though Yen has gone on to make a number of films, this remains one of his best and is a reminder, after his disappointing recent efforts, of what he can do.

The premise is initially a very simple one: every ten years, two kung-fu masters - one proficent with the sword (Sammo), the other with the spear (Liu) - contest a duel to decide who is the best. After their countless duels all end in draws and the masters must both admit that the aging process is taking effect, they decide that it's time to each take a student to further the rivalry. In the film's very clever twist, Sammo's trainee is played by Liu Chia-Yung and vice versa, allowing for some good scenes between the two. These new novices are put through the highly-disciplined training of their respective teachers until they have achieved a competent level of skill. Before their first battle, however, a more important issue comes to light; the return of an old foe who was once defeated by both of the elderly experts. The foe comes back looking for revenge and, because of their flat refusal to team up together, the two are killed in a heated confrontation. The mantle of justice is now handed to the pupils who agree that the only way to overcome this adversary is to combine their respective talents. Putting into action the wisdom that their teachers denegraded, the new keepers of the sword and spear are ready to exact suitable revenge.

'Odd Couple' has accumulated a formidable reputation over the past few years as more and more fans begin to look at Sammo Hung's back catalogue. Some have asserted that it is one of the best traditional weapons films ever made and should be appreciated as a masterpiece. The truth is that for all the merits of 'The Odd Couple' it still lacks that special something that makes a very good film a classic. The performances are all up to the usual high standard expected of the stars and the action is superb, but there still seems to be a lack of spark about the production. The revenge sub-plot that appears at the end and acts as the catalyst for the finale does appear to be shoe-horned in, taking away some of the film's cohesion. However, anyone searching for a traditional kung-fu flick that is filled with sublime choreography need look no further than this; the intricate sword and spear clashes are worth 90 minutes of anyone's time. Therefore, although 'Odd Couple' is not the cream of the crop, it is still a film that Sammo Hung and especially Sammo Hung can be proud of.

Namson Lau (Andy Lau) is the stylish and suave dance instructor who owns an ailing dance studio that is looking for new pupils. During one spectacular performance at a swanky reception, Namson attracts the attention of waitress Kim who quickly develops a crush on the elegant mover. After enrolling in Lau's classes following a session of charm from the instructor, Kim sets her sights on mastering the art and winning her man. Competition arrives in the shape of an uptight businesswoman (Mui) who joins the class after persuasion from her younger brother. Lau is offered a considerable financial incentive by the younger brother if he can make his constantly miserable sister happy; the offer is simply too good to be true and the instructor uses all of his charm on the newcomer. With his class making gradual progress and his dream of owning a plush new studio drawing closer, Lau is oblivious to the feelings of those around him. Matters become confused when he discovers Kim's crush and the feelings of his students when news of his ambitions come to light. Therefore Lau is torn between his own dreams and the well-being of his class.

'Dance Of A Dream' is an enjoyable, yet forgettable romantic comedy that is an amble display of the good and the bad of Andrew Lau as director. On a positive note, Lau assembles a top-notch trio of stars who play off one another with effortless skill; although pretty much playing to their respective types, Lau, Ng and Mui all give strong performances that ooze star quality. It's also a pleasant change from the usual effects-laden fare and Lau makes sure the whole thing moves along at a fairly brisk pace. Added to this is Lau's cinematography which, as is to be expected from someone with such a great reputation, is smooth and assured. Unfortunately for all the style of the film there is not much substance and 'Dance Of A Dream' tends to magnify the inadequacies that Lau shows in his direction. The romantic elements of the plot, which would seem to be the thrust of the storyline at the beginning, lacks focus and creates conflicts that are never really resolved. Within this fault is the presence of weaker-written background characters who flit in and out of the duration with little purpose or impact. Eventually, Lau appears to realise that the film has lost its drive and tries to re-introduce the romance at the end, but instead creates a confusing blend. Importantly then, these faults mean that the goals of the production are not achieved.

There are enough good points to mean that 'Dance Of A Dream' is never a chore to sit through, but it offers little beyond superficial entertainment.

TECH SPECS
Picture: An excellent anamorphic print that boasts strong colours and a pleasing amount of depth. Both night-time and day-time scenes stand up very well while fleshtones are also above-average.

Sound: 5.1 Cantonese or Mandarin soundtracks with English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese subtitles (removable).

Trailers: Just a trailer for the film and a fairly long teaser trailer.

Extras: A brief synopsis, cast and crew information alongside a 'making of' feature.

The honourable Iron Flag clan are well-respected within their hometown and their righteous stand against any tyranny is often documented. One rival, however, decide to wipe out the heroic clan and be continue their immoral practices. On hearing about the plan, the Iron Flag chief decides to attack the villainous school before the plan can be executed. The assault goes well until the master is mysteriously killed; professional killer 'Man In White' - who has been hired by the Iron Flag elder pupil Chow (Lu Feng) to help their cause - is the chief suspect. However, the suspicious student Lo (Kuo Chui) is unable to investigate when he is persuaded to be a scapegoat for the mass battle and is forced to leave town. Living as an exile away from the martial world, the innocent fighter gets work as a waiter and hopes to return home when the heat has died down. What starts out as a quiet existence away from the Iron Flag clan is disturbed when a series of hitmen are sent out to kill him. Although he successfully vanquishes these foes, the puzzled Lo begins to piece together past events and meets his loyal clan brother. After being told that Chow has turned the Iron Flag clan into a money-making enterprise, Lo decides to go back to town and uncover the mystery of Chow's reign. This brings to the fore an unlikely ally in the shape of the 'Man In White'.

First the bad news: without the aforementioned Venoms in 'Flag Of Iron', this doesn't manage to live up to classics like 'Killer Army' and 'Invincible Shaolin'. Although Chang Cheh once again gives his very watchable supporting players the chance to stand out, they do not compensate for the absentees. The storyline, while interesting, is not developed with the same panache that Chang Cheh usually shows; the first half seems to just present Kuo Chui with numerous opponents with little build up to the showdowns. Thankfully, even these minor inadequacies do not stop this from being another thunderous piece of entertainment. The three remaning Venoms are as good as can be expected with each one again proving their physical and thespian aptitude. The action may not be the very best the team has performed, but remains exciting and constantly inventive. As always, the highlight is seeing Kuo Chui and Lu Feng face one another again - fans will not be disappointed by their finale. 'Flag Of Iron' is a good film in nearly all of its departments and therefore earns a strong recommendation.

TECH SPECS
Picture: Although taken from another VHS master, this print is surprisingly good. There are signs of wear, but the print is virtually Shaw Scope and the colours are very sharp. Red - the film's main colour - looks very good and other awkward colours are much better than other Ground Zero films. The only letdown is the awful dubbing that is certainly not as good as the pleasantly familiar Shaw Brothers dub-tracks.

Sound: English Mono dub only.

Trailers: None.

Extras: None.

After being abandoned as a child, street urchin Nobody (Liu Chia-Yung) turns to petty crime to support his meagre existence. As the years pass and the town bullies continue to target the helpless loner, he gradually uses his wiler skills to defend what little he has. The chance to earn a higher standard of living comes when he befriends a slick con-artist (Shek) who agrees to teach him the tricks of the trade. With a few modest cons under their belt, the duo are offered a chance to make some big money when the teacher's brother (Maka) turns up with a dangerous mission: the assassination of a vile hitman who is the scourge of the town. Using the brother's wife to lure him and an arsenal of weapons to achieve the task, the team carry out their plan. However, the killer, Dreg (Chong Fat), is not fooled and kills the wife while scaring the others off. Alone again, Nobody manages to be accepted by another master, this time a local fighter who teaches him kung-fu. Eventually a twist means that the various parties meet once more and the chance to defeat Dreg and gain revenge is on the horizon.

It's surprising to report that, although Yuen Biao and Lam Ching Ying are involved in the choreography, the action is good, but not great. Though looking great on paper, none of the fights could be described as spectacular and they mean that it will not really satisfy ardent kung-fu fans. However, 'His Name Is Nobody' is still a diverting production that manages to challenge a few of the cliches of the genre. Foremost among these is the teacher/student dynamic which is here given a slightly different slant by director Karl Maka. As a film-maker better known for comedy, Maka concentrates on creating an atmosphere on genuine fun. Even the usually annoying Dean Shek turns in a good performance; although he starts out as his trademark odd-ball, Shek is endearing by the end of the film. 'His Name Is Nobody' is not one of the best of the genre - it wouldn't really stand-out from a crowded field. Nevertheless it entertains throughout its duration and despite the usual kung-fu comedy conventions turning up (the usual moment where a local villager is harrassed by three bizarre bullies is played out three times!) it is a breath of fresh air.

PICTURE: It's good to report that this is a superb print of this older film. The colours are all sharp and remarkably deep while the fleshtones are better than expected from a Mei Ah disc. Excellent presentation.

The master/student story has been used by many different Hong Kong genres and remains a device that, when used well, can be an asset for the film. 'King Of Masks' takes the concept and creates a genuine masterpiece, full to the brim of a warmth and compassion that is rarely revealed in cinema. The narrative uses the aforementioned starting point and expands it beyond the usual restrictions; instead the viewer is treated to a poetic musing on the very nature of friendship. From the opening shots of gentle Chinese village life and the introduction of Wang, there is no doubt that something very special is about to unfold. By the time the end credits roll, this feeling is thoroughly proven and the viewer is struggling to find fault with such excellence. Chu Yuk as the eponymous 'King Of Masks' is superb, combining a genuine screen presence with a humble, understated performance that few would be able to achieve. Due credit must also go to co-star Chao Yim Yin as the young girl who joins Wang on his journey; her immaculate handling of the material adds significant resonance to an already masterful production. The only possible quibble is so minor that it only deserves a brief mention; some may consider the metaphor of the masks as somewhat heavy-handed and certain moments to be too sentimental, but these are very picky criticisms. The fact of the matter is that 'King Of Masks' represents what is sadly lacking in so many films that pretend to have a social conscience i.e. this actually has a heart beneath its surface instead of Hollywood's frequent emotional sign-posting. A film that comes very highly recommended, especially to those who enjoy watching cinema that stirs the heart.

PICTURE: A sometimes murky print that also proves to be dull in scenes that need some colour. The odd scene shows wear, but the real problem is this lack of depth. Having said this, it should be understood that this is still fairly good for most of its duration. Average print.

After being framed for sexual harassment by his ex-girlfriend, prodigious student Edward (Fung) is forced to finish his final few months of education away for the elite. Following a case of crossed wires, Edward finds himself exiled to one of Hong Kong's low level schools which, although frowning upon triad involvement, turns a blind eye to the traditional fisticuffs. He is immediately greeted by one of the local bullies and is soundly beaten in the ensuing duel. Edward is thankfully befriended by attractive student Pheonix, who nurses a secret crush on him, and Stone, a quiet classmate who has a formidable reputation as a fighter. Although having vowed never to fight again, Stone (Tse) is persuaded to train the newcomer in exchange for help with his studies. However, current school fighting champion Mantis wants to challenge Stone's legendary reputation and uses his trainee as a way of getting what he wants. Then there's also the matter of a gang of triads who are keen to exploit the students at the school and agree to avenge the slimey bully who is eventually defeated by Edward in a fight.

Those in search of art rarely gravitate towards a Wong Jing film and 'My School Mate, the Barbarian' does not change this matter. Thankfully though, this is a pleasantly daft film that achieves its objective to entertain. Key to the enjoyment of the production is the now well-developed chemistry between Stephen Fung and Nicholas Tse; after sharing screen time in a number of features, the pair are a natural combination that distracts the viewer from the faults of the film. There are the usual Wong Jing-isms i.e. a screeching female lead, surreal humour that fails to deliver and over-the-top directorial touches, but here there is enough reasons to keep watching. Ching Siu-Tung's action choreography is well-performed by a cast who are mostly not martial artists though the aforementioned stylistic touches by Wong Jing do sometimes detract from the action. 'My School Mate, the Barbarian' is an unusual film that centres on a world of youths (played by actors four or five years older than their characters) that rarely touches that of the adult realm. If the viewer can get used to this, they should enjoy the rest of the duration.

PICTURE: A good solid print that makes up for some of Deltamac's earlier releases. The picture is fairly soft and this is notable in daytime scenes, but most of the colours are quite sharp and have a pleasant amount of detail.

When an infamous female sniper assassinates one of the biggest arms smugglers in South Korea, Special Agents Ryu and Lee are called in to try and uncover her motives. Around the same time, a large quantity of a newly developed liquid explosive is stolen and all clues seem to indicate a possible connection. As the situation begins to unfold it becomes clear that a North Korean terrorist force is responsible but they seem to anticipate the Police's every move, making it even harder for our heroes to get any kind of foothold on the case. Will Ryu and Lee be able to locate the explosive before something goes bang or will the sniper get to them first?

It's always obvious that 'Shiri' really wants to get it's point across in regards to the differences between the North and South by showing the divide in such a prominent way (mainly the economic differences) which could so easily have polluted the movie with political rantings but thankfully it never becomes too congested by it's arguments. Maybe this is down to the thorough grooming that it was given by the Korean government so as not to appear proactive towards either territory or maybe it's the subtle and succinct directing but whatever it is, you do come away with an understanding of the reasoning for both sides' involvement. Perhaps, for me, this was the most effective area of the movie of all as it really offers an insight to the country's dilemma without ever having to pummel you with long winded facts and figures which is an incredible accomplishment in itself.

For the action, it's noticeable that 'Shiri' has had many inspirations ('Hit Team' and 'Purple Storm' spring to mind) but it brings it's own ambiance to each sequence that gives them an excitement all of their own. Most of the gunplay hinges on the film's core idea of realism with plenty of blood but no room for the kind of bullet ballet that we have come to expect from today's Woo inspired choreography and (amazingly enough) the main characters also have the brains to bring back up! This comes in the form of a very professional Special Forces Unit which adds a nice degree of background distraction whilst we follow the 'Saving Private Ryan' handheld camera towards our heroes' intended targets.

All in all, what I really liked about 'Shiri' the most was the complete package that it offers. It successfully manages to blend several much seen genres to create a film that comes across as a more stylish and meaningful movie than anything Hollywood is churning out at this time. On the evidence of this it would appear that Korea is very capable of bringing some real heavyweights to the big screen and, with similar international recognition from films like 'Bichunmoo' and 'Musa', hopefully these are only the beginnings of another thriving movie industry that will offer audiences an alternative cultural slant...

During what seems to be a fairly routine case of a man threatening to jump off a roof, respected police officer Ho - known as Sean in the original - meets a mysterious new challenger. After facing a series of tests in the previous case, Ho now finds his wits put to the test by Ken who manages to use his supposed suicide attempt to announce his appearance on the scene. Ken reveals that he is the man responsible for the theft of Chinese art treasures from a local company and that he will alert the press about the incident if he doesn't receive the money he demands. This is especially unsettling to the company's head, Teresa, who realises that, if the truth gets out, it would spell certain doom for their proposed merger. Therefore the race is on to get back the assets before it effects the financially lucrative move. However, Ho once again finds himself faced with an opponent who is one step of the police force and takes delight in the intellectual games that perplex the police.

It was always reasonable to expect that Johnnie To would come under fire from those who enjoyed the original when the sequel went into production; 'Running Out Of Time' featured a plot that couldn't really be repeated as it was reliant on the terminal illness of Andy Lau's character. Some also prematurely hit out at the casting of Ekin Cheng - an actor who hasn't always commanded much respect from fans. To the credit of all concerned though, 'Running Out Of Time 2' is a constantly diverting caper movie that works well in most areas. On viewing this, it's important to distance oneself from the original and its unique premise; this therefore means that the film can be appreciated on its own merits. Although some of the tricks used in the original are repeated here, the execution is stylish enough to make them entertaining and a self-referential tone helps this regard. Ekin Cheng has often fallen foul of wooden performances that rely on style far more than substance, but his efforts here are one of the film's highlights. His display is measured and just as magnetic as Andy Lau's award-winning showing in the original. It says something for Cheng's performance when he can hold his own with the great Lau Ching Wan in their many scenes together. There's also a few very well directed scenes within the film that give the various actors a fine chance to shine and move the pace of this feature along at an impressive rate.

'Running Out Of Time 2' does deserve some of the criticisms it has faced though. Some performances, especially Hui Shiu Hung, are a bit too over-the-top and lend themselves more to farce than the suspense genre. There's also the now obligatory insertion of computer effects that aren't really appropriate. For a director of To's reputation, it shouldn't be necessary to rely on these needless gimmicks. Importantly though, this is a slickly made thriller that achieves most of the objectives it sets out to accomplish. Taken on its own merits then, 'Running Out Of Time 2' is a constantly entertaining film.

PICTURE: Although released by Mei Ah, the disc thankfully shows the picture quality of the China Star films that were previously released under their own label. The picture is mostly good with many difficult indoor scenes coming off very well. Although some moments are a bit too soft, there is a fine level of depth in scenes where the screen is full. Sadly, Mei Ah's preoccupation of releasing very basic discs is here - this is one of the unfortunate effects of Mei Ah's handling of China Star's films.

Kai Chi is a hard-working and single-minded screenwriter who awaits the chance to be considered among the very best of the industry. This moment arrives when he wins at the prestigous Hong Kong Flim Awards for his work on the classic Ching Siu-Tung film 'A Chinese Ghost Story'. After such a massive boost to his career there seems no limits to the heights he can reach working within local cinema. Tragically though, Kai Chi is involved in a car crash that leaves him in a coma and, on achieving a slight recovery, still finds that he may never walk again. Importantly, Kai Chi also discovers that the crash has permanently effected his mental capacity - the very thing his work relies on. During this bleak period there is some hope however as he is befriended by caring nurse Cindy (Chu) and his rehabilitation is gradually put into motion. Such is Kai Chi's regard for his new friend that he breaks up with his once neglected girlfriend and concentrates his attentions on Cindy. The initial reluctance to be with Kai Chi turns into love and the two are eventually married, with the writer seeing his shattered life given fresh meaning. Together, the newlyweds encounter all sorts of obstacles as Kai Chi tries to recreate his career and Cindy has to come to terms with her family's feelings towards the relationship.

With Derek Chiu responsible for this worthy drama, the viewer would reasonably expect something special from the film. For all its definite strength though, 'Time 4 Hope' lacks the craft and nuances that Chiu has come to be known for. Instead the result is a prosaic biopic that doesn't really appear to have the stamp of quality that director Chiu usually brings to a production. To its credit though, 'Time 4 Hope' does benefit from two excellent performances from Nick Cheung and Athena Chu; Cheung in particular has never been better than in his portrayal of Yuen Kai Chi. Nick Cheung often annoys in his various attempts to be the next Chow Sing-Chi while lacking much of the Cantonese star's charm, but the drama here gives him the chance to produce some real acting. What is also a pleasing is that, although the film's script is written by Yuen Kai Chi, there are no heroes or villains here and the Kai Chi is not made out to be blameless in the various events. Unfortunately, there is little development of what intially drew the two together; instead there is just a rushed romance and precious few instances where the relationship is fleshed out. In this regard, although 'Time 4 Hope' is certainly a solid film that remains watchable, it is memorable for its wasted potential rather than anything else.

PICTURE: As a very new film, this should certainly be an excellent print. However, while competent, it is not remarkable. The picture seems too soft especially in the outdoor scenes. Otherwise adequate, but not much else.

TRAILERS: One for the film and one for 'Funeral March'.

TALENT FILES: Good files on Nick Cheung, Athena Chu, Derek Chiu and, thankfully, Yuen Kai Chi.

Chinese New Year comedies tend to follow a very well defined pattern i.e. star-studded, glossy and little substance. Although 'The Fun, The Luck And The Tycoon' is certainly full of stars (including pop group 'Beyond') it thankfully offers more entertainment than many other films that have succeeded during the holiday periods. Following the plotline that was tried and tested even before 'Coming To America', director Johnnie To manages to create a fun comedy that is more cohesive than perhaps could have been expected. Chow Yun Fat gives a performance more akin to 'Diary Of A Big Man' than the hopelessly over-the-top 'Eighth Happiness' or 'The Greatest Lover' and this is again a definite plus point. Chow is joined by the always professional Sylvia Chang who handles the romantic role very well, while the farcical antics are left up to Nina Li-Chi and Lawrence Cheng. 'The Fun, The Luck And The Tycoon' is not hilarious or particularly side-splitting, but the humour is such that it hits the mark in a subtle manner. Therefore this is an agreeable Chow Yun Fat comedy that is mostly successful in its modest ambitions.

PICTURE: As with other Chow Yun Fat comedies released by Universe, this is a good, solid print. Colours remain pretty good throughout though slight colour bleeding and a little too much softness take the shine away from the print.

TRAILERS: 'The Fun, The Luck And The Tycoon', 'Diary Of A Big Man', ' The Greatest Lover' and 'Spiritual Love'.

TALENT FILES: Ones for Chow Yun Fat, Sylvia Chang, Johnnie To.

Gambling addict and general deadbeat Ren persuades his loyal friend Sing to accompany him to Las Vegas with a considerable stash of dirty money. After a brief period of success and significant winnings, Ren manages to lose everything in a final bet with the house and goes away to drown his sorrows with the disgruntled Sing. When the pair accept a lift back to L.A. from a businesswoman who has befriended them, matters turn to a far more extraordinary series of events. Firstly, a car crash claims the life of all but Ren and the gambler is left in a coma at the local hospital. More unusual though is the sudden realisation that, due to a gift given to him, he manages to leap back in time, creating a parallel reality. Now teaming with a law enforcement officer, the bewildered time-traveller goes back to Las Vegas and discover how his friend was killed. However, with a split in reality and two versions of him roaming around, Ren finds out some surprising answers.

The first thing to state about 'Second Time Around' is that it is admirable to see a Hong Kong production moving into virtually unchartered territory. Science fiction films rarely make much of a mark in the local industry and so Jeff Lau should be commended for his attempt to tackle a thorny genre. Importantly, it is these elements that are by far the most entertaining of the film, though they are sadly not in the minority. Too much of 'Second Time Around' concentrates on the undeveloped romance between the lead stars and the tired gambling routines. Neither of these two plot threads are that interesting and neither is enjoyable as the time-travel story. What doesn't help is the fact that Ren is not an especially sympathetic hero; his dead-beat style and willingness to gamble everything makes him a very uninvolving character. When the focus is on the more interesting science fiction narrative, director Lau succeeds in throwing in some surprising touches; the observant viewer will be rewarded by a few particularly fine time twists. Otherwise this is a standard big budget Hong Kong film that promises thrills, but rarely delivers them.

PICTURE: A good solid anamorphic print that shows impressive depth in the busier scenes. The major drawback from an otherwise above average print is the horrendous subtitles; throughout most of the film, half of the subtitles are cut off, making following the story quite difficult.

SOUND: DD 5.1/DTS Cantonese or DD 5.1 Mandarin soundtracks with English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese subtitles (removable).

TRAILERS: One for the film itself, 'Love Undercover' and 'Running Out Of Time 2'...

A wealthy Chinese man (Liu Chia Hui) is 'persuaded' by his family to marry a Japanese woman who he has never met in an arranged ceremony. After initial annoyance he finally meets her and, when enchanted by her beauty, happily goes along with the marriage. Wedded life starts off well for the newlyweds and there appears to be no clash of culture between them. Unfortunately the status quo is unsettled when the man objects to the harsh and aggressive martial arts style that his wife passionately practices. During their argument about which country has the better martial arts, the wife is soundly beaten in a sparring match and travels back to Japan. Persuaded to send a letter explaining the roots of all martial arts, the jilted husband is shocked to find that his good intentions have been miscontrued as a challenge to the Japanese. A team of Japanese fighters - masters of different disciplines - therefore arrive at the home of their perceived threat and decide to prove once and for all whose martial arts are better, China's or Japan's.

From a basic premise that is deceptively clever, Liu Chia Liang crafts a martial arts film that is based on cultural misunderstanding rather than cliched tensions. Liang makes sure that, although the Chinese kung fu styles gain victory eventually, the result is that both parties can better appreciate each other's roots. With such a subtle yet effective conclusion to the film, Liang manages to turn the usual misconceptions on their head and add another outstanding production to the genre. In addition to this wonderful touch, this is perhaps the only kung-fu film where nobody is seriously hurt let alone killed, even though the action is spellbinding. These two notable plus points again remind all that Liu Chia Liang is a criminally underrated auteur. Gordon Liu Chia Hui enjoys a more relaxed lead role than usual as the troubled husband, but still demonstrates immense skill in the varied bouts. Whether it be with tonfa or traditional Chinese sword, Hui is assured and captivating.

'Shaolin Challenges Ninja' starts relatively slowly, but when the storyline develops beyond the basic exposition, this is another kung fu treat from 'The Pops'.

With a reputation known throughout the world as an expert in all things extraterristrial, Wesley is asked by his U.N. employers to look into a series of alien sightings in San Francisco. During a near-death skirmish with a monstrous alien, Wesley is saved by a mysterious woman who posesses incredible powers. Closer investigation with the help of the F.B.I. reveals that this saviour is in fact Fong - an alien from the planet Dark Blue, a so-called 'Blue Blood person'. A reunion with Fong gives Wesley a chance to unite his mind with hers and understand her past and her current plight. Unfortunately, hot on their heels are two destructive aliens who have followed Fong to find the location of the sacred 'Blue Blood Bible'. With duplicitous superiors to contend with as well, the adventurer and the few colleagues he can truct decide to help the beautiful alien and help her get back to Dark Blue. However, first they must think of a way to defeat the hunters on the trail.

As is to be expected from the director/screenwriting team of Andrew Lau and Wong Jing, 'The Wesley's Mysterious File' is an exercise in style over substance. The title isn't the only baffling thing about this convoluted science fiction film. With jargon thrown in at every opportunity, director Lau attempts to create an intelligent blockbuster, but blantantly fails to do so. What should have been an enjoyable caper in the mould of 'Legend Of Wisely' instead falls into the trap of taking itself too seriously. As is becoming an increasing problem with recent Hong Kong hits, the makers have forgotten to make this film as entertaining as it promises to be. Therefore the strength that made the Jade screen so unique is slowly ebbing away and is being replaced by the desire to mimic Hollywood without embracing the qualities that made us all gravitate towards the East.

'The Wesley's Mysterious File' has its qualities though and it is perhaps the fact that these exist that make the film an overall disappointment. The opening twenty minutes gradually develops quite an exciting narrative with some good computer effects thrown into the blend. Andy Lau also seems quite at home as the self-confident Wesley and looks to add some tongue-in-cheek flavour to the production. Unfortunately this proves to be a brief period of invention in an otherwise standard flick. A cast of real stars has been assembled and coupled with effects that range from the good to the poor, but overall this is still a cold film with very little heart. Three stars, but hardly a good recommendation.

PICTURE:
An excellent anamorphic print that shows how Hong Kong DVDs are slowly catching up with their U.S. counterparts. As should be demanded from a new film, there are no scratches or blemishes and the overall depth is very good. The prominent blues look bright and constantly strong. To top it off, the menu is nicely presented too.

SOUND:
DTS Cantonese 5.1, Cantonese or Mandarin soundtracks with English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese subtitles (removable).

TRAILERS:
The Wesley's Mysterious File', 'A Chinese Odyssey 2002', 'Love Undercover', 'Fat Choi Spirit' and 'Running Out Of Time 2'.

EXTRAS:
A data bank which, for a change, contains good information on all the stars and a synopsis.

The U.S. teen romance flick is something that has seen a resurrection in popularity in recent years. This Hong Kong examination of the subject is a million miles away from these though. The concentration is not on outrageous humour or cheap shock value, but instead pans out into a delightfully light and frothy inspection on young love. The delicate nature of the central relationship and the barriers it faces is carefully crafted in such a way that a very subtle romance is thoroughly engrossing. By succeeding here, director Thomas Chow creates a very sympathetic array of characters that intrigue and entertain. Full credit should go to the fresh young cast who are outstanding in their varying roles with Lawrence Chou, Yeung Shing lam and especially Zeny Kwok with definite potential to be stars of the future. Even the two youngest members of the cast are perfectly confident in fairly challenging roles and, to top things off, veteran performers Eric Tsang and Helen Law offering well-rounded support.

With such a relatively inexperienced cast deservedly earning praise, it's essential to understand how important director Thomas Chow's contribution is. As has been said, Chow embraces the simplicity and humanity that fellow film-makers Derek Chiu and Derek Yi utilise. By only hinting at serious issues instead of sign-posting them in very obvious fashion, Chow allows what is thought-provoking to be truly effective. It's not a perfect film - the quirky moments are sometimes a bit too overdone and the pace is slightly inconsistent - but it is a nice surprise from last year and continues to show that Hong Kong cinema has much to be proud of.

Picture: Deltamac haven't got the greatest reputation when it comes to DVD mastering, and judging by this its easy to see why. For a new film this is below average as the overall picture lacks sharpness. Faint colour bleeding is evident as is poor definition in general. To be fair, there are periods where the print looks quite strong, but these are few and far between. Unimpressive.

SOUND:
Mono Cantonese or Mandarin soundtracks with English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese subtitles (removable).

TRAILERS:
Just one for the film itself.

EXTRAS:
None.

When a young boy finds himself alone in the world when his adoptive father disappears after a fight, his first thought is to go to Shaolin. With the help of a kindly cook, this goal is achieved and soon the boy grows into a confident fighter. Meanwhile an ambitious kung-fu master has his sights on domination and knows he must own the manual of the Shaolin Fist to succeed. Therefore he creates a plot to frame someone with the theft and keep the valuable instruction book for himself. Soon turmoil is aroused in the martial world and the new Shaolin disciple finds himself in the middle of it.

It's hard to explain the plot of 'Fury In The Shaolin Temple' in a few lines, such is the hackneyed nature of the film. Needless to say this is an attempt to throw in everything that could be seen as popular in the genre when the film was made, with Shaolin, kung fu manuals and outrageous villains all making an appearance. This film, quite simply put, makes absolutely no sense. For example, Philip Ko is misleadingly down as one of the main stars, but appears in just one fight scene - one which has absolutely nothing to do with anything else in the film. Liu Chia Hui looks as if he's sleepwalking through the production with only a passing interest in what is happening around him. His apathy is shared by the viewer. The only real entertainment is watching the truly menacing villain over-act and cackle viciously while bearing a passing resemblence to Jimmy Saville (sorry to all non-UK readers). His frequent close-ups and stares add a creepy curiousity value to this. Finally, and vitally, the fight action is mediocre. With films like 'Prodigal Son', 'Knockabout' and 'The Young Master' (not to mention scores of other classics) around near the same time, the choreography here looks hopelessly out-dated and is a certain black mark in the career of the usually dependable Chien Yuet San. It says much for this exploitation flick when the 18 Shaolin warriors wear lycra bodystockings in one scene! Even fans of 'Fame' might want to look elsewhere for entertainment.

PICTURE:
Part of the 'Wu Tang Clan' collection. Picture quality is sadly better than most of the Shaw Brothers DVDs that have found their way onto disc, but still only average. The picture is dark and quite murky, but better than other films taken from VHS masters. Full screen with poor U.S. dubbing.

SOUND:
Mono English dub only.

TRAILERS:
18 trailers for other Ground Zero discs.

EXTRAS:
For a poor film, this is a very impressive disc. Full marks to Ground Zero for filling this disc with extras and trailers - next time they should use their time on a better film. Extras include Liu Chia Hui biography and clips from his films, interview with the Wu-Tang Clan about their music, Shaolin philosophy and much more.

After quitting the Police Force for personal reasons, Alan (Ho) decides to work as a security guard on a cruise liner. During his maiden voyage he witnesses the murder of the captain and is subsequently framed for the crime. His only hope comes in the form of petty thief Linda (Chung) who overhears the terrorists discussing their devious plans. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult to tell who is on the right side so she decides to free Alan who appears to be the only good guy around. It's up to the two of them to start taking down the terrorists kung fu style before more innocents are butchered.

For 'Red Wolf', Kenny Ho (normally recognisable as a bit player in Jackie Chan films like 'Police Story' and 'Project A Part 2') takes the lead alongside Christy Chung to try to allow for a fresh screen partnership that may amount to more. Sadly, this seems like a doomed idea from the beginning as the whole film possesses the trademarks of one of Woo Ping's collaborations with Donnie Yen and you can't help thinking that it would have been more suited to a leading actor with an established persona. To be fair to Ho he is not exactly bad but he is definitely forgettable, never really bringing any of his own traits to his performance which only allows his character to blend in with everyone else. On the flip side, a well known star like Chung is given very little to do apart from display a few moments of comic prowess and then she is only required to scream and get in the way during the fights (which is odd for an HK movie where women normally get to muck in on the action).

With Woo Ping in the director's chair you can normally expect him to make the most of the fight scenes even if the film does suffer with a somewhat overexposed formula (did anybody say 'Die Hard' again?). When it comes to action he knows exactly what makes the perfect shot and how to use it; employing slow motion where necessary and utilising each actor's skills to his advantage. For this film he takes a relative cast of unknowns and still manages to create some fine set pieces that will leave Hollywood scratching their heads in amazement. However, by Woo Ping standards it is by no means his finest hour and we all know he is capable of better but it is all expertly put together and won't disappoint those of you seeking out his back catalogue.

Overall, 'Red Wolf' is a perfectly watchable movie that really suffers from it's own inability to create anything fresh. The action is good and the acting performances show potential but there is nothing outstanding on offer. If you want to see terrorists wreaking havoc on a boat then I would recommend you check out 'City Hunter' instead...

When Jackie Chan and Liu Chia Liang clashed on the set of 'Drunken Master 2' Liang decided to take flight and make his own version of what he envisaged as a follow up to the Wong Fei Hung classic. The story for the film is a fairly clouded one which concentrates on the political battles of the time period and really fails to produce anything of any substance. It was obviously rushed into production to try to beat Jackie to the punch and this is apparent when you sit back and analyse the plot along with the minimal characterisation. The narrative begins to trail off, particularly in the middle, and it turns into something of a comedy/farce affair with little or nothing of any interest happening until the finale when we get to see some enjoyable kung fu from three great stars; Liu Chia Liang, Gordon Liu Chia Hui and Andy Lau.

The main problem with 'Drunken Master 3' is that with so much talent on board you would expect to see a much better film but everybody is so under-used. Couple this along with the fact that the supposed major star power, Andy Lau, is barely in the film (it amazed me that they managed to accumulate so much out-take footage of him for the final reel) and you have a seriously lacklustre movie. The only saving grace has to be some of the well choreographed action, especially the fight between Simon Yam and Willie Chi, but even this is fairly bland in comparison to most of 'the Pops' previous work. It's watchable but definitely not a true sequel to the 'Drunken Master' legacy...

After years of wandering the countryside, Sam the Seed returns home only to discover that his wife has adopted a son in his absence. After an earlier misunderstanding, Sam takes an instant dislike to Foggy, the son, and teases him mentally and physically. Foggy can stand no more and deeply upset, he runs away. While working at a restaurant, Foggy overhears a plan to kill Sam the Seed by the fearsome Rubberlegs who intends on being the supreme Drunk Mantis Boxing Champion. Although he rushes home to prevent it, Foggy is unable to stop his adopted father from being seriously injured, but the two do manage to escape. During frequent visits to a peculiar kung-fu fighting doctor (who sleeps in a coffin!) to obtain medicine, Foggy learns a new form of kung-fu. Now armed with this 'Sickness Boxing', Foggy awaits the final battle with Rubberlegs.

Although not up to Drunken Master 2 (what film could be!), Dance Of The Drunk Mantis is still a great film. Yuen Woo Ping and his brothers fill the film with stunning 'drunken' conflicts and duels. Simon Yuen makes a welcome return as Sam the Seed and his real-life son Yuen Hsin-Yee makes a very sympathetic Foggy. The trio of stars is complete with the legendary Hwang Jang-Lee as Rubberlegs, continuing to stun the audience with his legwork. A worthy follow-up to a worldwide favourite.

The 'Dirty Dozen' plot of desperate men hired to perform a mission that is their last chance had apparently been very popular in the East. Hence it was inevitable that the late-70s kung fu boom would capitalise on this very open narrative. Pleasingly, 'Incredible Kung Fu Mission' is peppered with a decent mix of humour, sentimentality and superior fight action, creating a solid independent feature. John Liu was never the world's greatest actor, but his role here is good and acts as the perfect springboard for his wonderful physical skills. Backing Liu up is a supporting cast that, although not given a great chance to shine as fighters, seem quite at home as his assorted band. If there is one major flaw in the film it is the fact that classy screen presences like Robert Tai, Alan Hsu and the boisterous Kam Lung are underused; Liu tends to dominate the action, but little room is given for the aforementioned stars to shine. Nevertheless this is another enjoyable independent kung fu flick that, while not setting the world alight, is at least an entertaining film throughout.

Kuen (Yeung) is a policewoman who, thanks to her poor performances in nearly all parts of her training, is foistered off on the 'Missing Persons' department. Single, lonely and without any family around her, the young rookie finds herself ignored in all aspects of her life. A chance for something different comes when her superiors, noting her circumstances, assign her an undercover mission as a waitress for an important stakeout. Her target is Hoi, the son (Wu) of an ex-triad kingpin who is suspected of involvement in a current big deal with another mobster. After saving Hoi from a furious ex-girlfriend and sustaining an injury, Kuen finds herself the object of attention from the target. With Hoi attempting to befriend Kuen and trust her, the undercover policewoman's superiors ask her to play along with the friendship and continue to amass information. During their time together Kuen begins to see that Hoi is far too honest to be involved in triad activities. However, a fairly simple assignment becomes more complicated as she is forced to pretend that her colleagues are family members and furiously conceal her real identity. This becomes a real challenge when both parties begin to fall in love with one another and the pressures of the double life begin to weigh down on Kuen.

'Love Undercover' is a thoroughly satisfying comedy with enough humour and romance to please all viewers. Although it is a lightweight effort that does generate too many belly laughs, 'Love Undercover' succeeds with an immense charm that sweeps the viewer away. Miriam Yeung once again gives an indication of her future promise with a likeable performance that makes her character believable despite some of the plot absurdities. As her romantic interest, Daniel Wu expands his range once more with his understated warmth shining through. Director Joe Ma also packs the film with performers who all add that special something to the film that elevates out of the ordinary. What therefore starts off as Yeung's show soon turns into a well-delivered ensemble piece. Viewers looking for a water-tight plot will doubtless be disappointed as 'Love Undercover' has all of the holes that are generally expected from such harmless fare. In fact the ending is slightly disappointing because it tries to tie up every loose end too quickly and has a rushed feel to it. However, the real enjoyment of the previous 80 minutes means that nothing can effect the overall quality too much. By the time the finale comes and all of the plot twists are discovered the viewer is desperate for the two leads to walk off into the sunset together and produce a very welcome happy ending. A sequel is already in the pipeline after the original's success and, on the evidence of this, it will be eagerly anticipated.

PICTURE: A new film is given a good anamorphic print by Mei Ah with little to grumble about in picture quality. Day and night scenes are equally strong and colours are sharp. The big flaw in the disc is the subtitles: the same mistakes and large omissions that were present in the subtitles for 'Second Time Around' are sadly here again. Hopefully Mei Ah can quickly sort this annoying problem out.

SOUND: 5.1 Cantonese or Mandarin soundtracks with English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese subtitles (removable).

TRAILERS: 'Love Undercover', 'Fat Choi Spirit', 'Chinese Odyssey 2002', 'Running Out Of Time 2', 'Second Time Around'.

EXTRAS: An excellent selection of extras from Mei Ah. There's 13 deleted scenes, a NG scene, an MTV video of the film's main song, a Making Of documentary (unsubtitled) and, least impressive of all, the Data Bank.

The Patience School are a peaceful martial arts clan that have been in existence for many years. They have always been renowned for avoiding trouble thanks to their teachings of tolerance but now trouble has come looking for them! When one of their more reckless students, the young lady-killer known as Kwan Chuen, kills a fellow school student in self defence it turns out to be the son of the Dare Devil, a ruthless killer who likes nothing more than an excuse to wreak havoc. Several deaths later and Kwan is now one of the few left alive so he goes into hiding to practice martial arts with the hope that he may be able to succeed where so many others have failed and mount a serious challenge against Dare Devil.

This really is a substandard attempt at a traditional kung fu movie with the tried and tested formula of martial arts school rivalry disastrously exploited and bogged down by a dull plot, uninteresting dialogue and poor leading performances. Without these we are left with an empty shell of a film that can only rely on the fight scenes to attempt any kind of entertainment. Sadly, this important criteria of any film in this genre is probably the most laughable area of this whole abysmal affair. Imagine the most blandly put together sword fights possible with no room for invention or signs of real skill and then place them on fast forward and now you have an idea of how bad the battles are in this movie. You're probably thinking of a Donnie Yen style undercranking affair but this is far worse and is actually so fast that it just looks plain stupid. As if this wasn't embarrassing enough the director also continues to maintain this speed as the combatants circle each other in anticipation which provides some of the quickest on screen action in history.

Unless you find poorly made kung fu movies a source of amusement then I would seriously suggest you steer well clear of 'Sorrowful To A Ghost'. This is a bad film with no apparent reason to watch it and it is truly worthy of the one star rating.

PICTURE: Presented in full screen, this print suffers from minimal graining which is expected for a film this old. However, colours are very accurate and the picture remains clean with no distracting damage.

SOUND: Mandarin soundtrack with removable English, traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese subtitles.

TRAILERS: None.

EXTRAS: A Databank that contains a movie synopsis and cast & crew listing.

Black Cougar (Tang) is a slick superthief with extraordinary talents. When a new client promises Black Cougar unimaginable riches for one seemingly straight-forward mission, he naturally accepts. He therefore builds a team of like-minded persons all with their own amazing skills: there's a gun-toting charmer who can fire bullets with incredible precision (Leung); a suave gambler who uses playing cards as his weapon (Yam); a beautiful, needle-throwing woman (Ng); an equally charming swordswoman (Lin); a bizarre computer genius (Cheung); and a newcomer who is a skilled fighter (Chan). The actually task - stealing a well-guarded box from a police station - goes without a hitch and all seems to be going well. However, Cougar finds himself betrayed by his employer and is consequently imprisoned by the enemy. These duplicitous employers prove to be working for Bloody Wolf (Wah), Cougar's supposedly dead brother. With a whole army facing them, the Black Panther Warriors need to rely on each other to defeat the villains.

Somewhere on earth, there might a exist a computer than can decipher the meaning of 'The Black Panther Warriors' - but that's doubtful. Everyone hears about how mind-numbing the film is and people attempt to be the one who will actually understand the 'comedy' etc, but no-one has ever succeeded. A very ordinary storyline is weighed down by some of the strangest (and most annoying) characters ever to have hit the screen and an avalanche of stupifying, often tasteless, comedy. What drives the final nails in the coffin of this is one of the worst subtitling jobs ever by Mega Star; it's hard to remember a sentence that makes any sense. The only slight redemption is the wildly imaginative and surreal action sequences that prop up the film. These show that Clarence Ford at least knows how to create a visually striking feature. Nonetheless, a potential viewer has to ask themselves if they're prepared to watch the following:

1. Tony Leung doing acrobatics and literally going insane everytime he hears Mandarin.
2. Dicky Cheung (aggghhhh!!!!) salivating like a baby if he doesn't have a dummy in his mouth.
3. Ludicrous melodrama that pops up every now and again.

PICTURE: With all the great films that have received poor DVD transfers, its disheartening to report that this is an excellent anamorphic print. There are a few white specks on the print, but overall its very good. Colour definition is strong as is the detailed flesh-tones. The major downside, as was said in the review, is the incomprehensible subtitling job that Mega Star have done.

SOUND: 5.1 Cantonese or Mandarin soundtracks with English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai and Vietnamese subtitles (removable).

TRAILERS: Just one for the film itself.

EXTRAS: None.

As with the superb 'King Of Masks' this is another fine Mainland film focusing on relationships. The difference in 'Postmen In The Mountains' is that this relationship is between a father and son rather than an adopted version of it. Once again though, it is the subtlety that binds the film that really makes this so appealing. The story of an estranged father and son has been done countless times, but here the effects actually reach the heart. The direction by Huo Jianqi allows the viewers to see the characters with their qualities and faults as their bond develops. Meanwhile the viewer also gets to see some breath-taking scenery of China; it becomes a significant part of the narrative by the end of the story.

'Postmen In The Mountains' is full of charming and touching episodes that occur on the travels of the two leads. It is these incidental characters who flesh out the story and help outline the father's and son's personalities. This is expertly achieved by the excellent cast; the two main actors are thoroughly engaging while being nicely understated and the supporting players add another layer of quality to the production. Though this isn't up to the lofty heights of 'King Of Masks' and lacks its overall resonance, 'Postmen In The Mountains' is a refreshing change of pace from the usual big-budget flicks. Another must-see film.

PICTURE: Another good, but not great disc. The picture strength is reasonable, but appears hazy when there's too much on screen. The incredible scenery looks fine, but could certainly be sharper. Not bad though.

SOUND: Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles (burnt onto print. Sometimes obscured by light backgrounds, but otherwise readable).

Trouble arrives in town when a cloaked kung-fu expert sets about embarassing local masters with his exceptional ability. After meeting a humble, unassuming master and his three eager students, the fighter continues his arrogant mission and leaves another few reputations in tatters. The defeated master stumbles away with his pupils, but is left shattered by his complete loss of face. It is this dejected state that persuades his three students to look for revenge against the mysterious wanderer. However, they are well aware of their limitations and decide to split up in the search for worthy masters.

The first avenger meets an eccentric Crane style master who easily beats him during a fight. After some persuasion, the master accepts the newcomer and decides to teach him the precise Crane movements. The second meets a bean curd seller and her blind father. An initial misunderstanding is turned into a teaching opportunity when the second student is taught legwork by the high-kicking woman. Finally, the third is given a chance to learn pole-fighting from a fisherman after a failed attept to steal his fish. This opening animosity also turns into a fruitful teacher/student relationship. Meanwhile the original shamed master is also preparing his skills and, in between drinking bouts, sharpens up his swordplay skills. With each of the four now galvanised by this period of teaching, they are now ready to meet their tormentor.

First thing's first: 'Five Superfighters' is not among the absolute cream of the Shaw Brothers' crop. The plot is very basic with each character given very little depth or explanation. In the very best genre films, the villain at least has some motivation or reason for his activities. Here the main antagonist is merely a very unpleasant stranger whose whole purpose is to arouse trouble with those he meets. Thankfully though, this particular kung-fu flick is packed with some impressive fight action. The amount of masters/students on offer here means that the choreography has a wide scope and constantly throws something fresh into a conflict. The cast of young Shaw's stars are well-equipped to deliver an exciting end product and they do succeed, with varying levels of skill. There is the potential, with a storyline of this nature, for things to get too familiar and uninteresting. Lo Mar though keeps things moving along at a consistent pace. The high-point of 'Five Superfighters' is the lengthy final confrontation which throws together a number of different styles with aplomb. Scenes like this and the generally undemanding nature of the film make this a definite thumbs up for genre-lovers. It may not be the greatest of its kind, but there's plenty to recommend it.

'Legend Of A Fighter' is apparently based on a true myth that was the inspiration for the Bruce Lee film, 'Fist of Fury'. The look of the film has more than a passing resemblance to the aforementioned movie and Woo Ping has borrowed a lot of the stronger elements from it. The "Sick Men Of Asia" reference is certainly a prominent factor in the adverse feelings between the two nations allowing the Chinese audience to build up a sense of patriotism towards Huo Yuan Chia (also known as Fok Yun Gap).

The action, which fills the majority of the screen time, is a mix between the simplistic and classic animal styles with a little wall crawling thrown in for good measure. You can see the influences of Woo Ping's past box office successes ('Snake In The Eagle's Shadow' and 'Drunken Master') with the use of small snippets of comedy to lighten the mood but they only really serve as breaks in between the fights here. Leung Kar Yan, although not a classically trained martial artist, does mimic Bruce Lee in his stance and facial expressions whilst using a similar generic style in combat. The only other actor that we really get to see is Yasuaki Kurata who plays the school teacher thrust into a feud between his country and a pupil who has struck a chord in his heart strings. You can see that he definitely benefits from having his movements undercranked but he is still an impressive sight, particularly in his final duel.

Although this is taken from the original story, it is hard not to compare it to 'Fist of Fury' as the two films are essentially so alike. The one thing that really separates them has to be the performances from the leading actors and, as likable as Leung Kar Yan is, he can never really hope to out-Bruce Bruce himself. Was this a cash-in movie that wanted to ride on the success of the Lee train that was disappearing fast? I would say so but this doesn't make it bad in any sense of the word. It has it's own distinctive style with little character development but a hell of a lot of superbly choreographed action and it holds up well as something of a forgotten classic in the kung fu genre.

PICTURE: Letterboxed at 1.78:1 (apparently cropped from 2.35:1) with an excellent picture quality. Hong Kong Legends have done a superb job of cleaning it up and there are few, if any, scratches present on the print.

SOUND: Mandarin and English DD 2.0 stereo. For the Mandarin version there are English subtitles provided that are removable.

TRAILERS: The original trailer and UK promo for this film as well as excellently made new trailers for 'Armour Of God', 'Drunken Master', 'Once Upon A Time In China', 'New Dragon Gate Inn', 'Fist Of Fury' and 'The Big Boss'.

TALENT FILES: Spoken and written talent files for Yuen Woo Ping and Leung Kar Yan.

EXTRAS: A photo gallery and interviews with Leung Kar Yan and Yuen Woo Ping. Overall, an excellently presented disc.

This film has been almost disowned by Jackie, as he hates it, probably due to the shocking finale, but this does not stop the film being entertaining or powerful despite its numerous flaws. The story appears (and was) hastily prepared which does not allow the narrative to flow smoothly and issues appear to be hastily glossed over. Each characters individual tale would probably have been enough to fill a movie by themselves, but the need to utilise each star actually works against the film by not linking them together well enough until the end, making it difficult for the audience to get fully involved.

Essentially a dark tale involving a few desperate men, each incarcerated either harshly or unfairly, the characters themselves actually make you feel sorry for them, especially Sammo, and help the film reach out at more than the shallow level dramatic HK action movies often suffer from. The least amount of screen time is actually with Jackie, who is mostly there to provide a few short action sequences. Each was quickly put together but still impress more than other 90’s films such as 'City Hunter' or 'Project S' being more akin to the brutal style of 'Crime Story' than the graceful moves in 'Drunken Master 2'.

Best performance, as is so often the case, goes to Sammo, who again shows his acting skills are far superior than he is credited for, fleshing out what would otherwise have been a shallow character. How often can he make you want to both laugh & cry in the same film? Obviously not to the same level as 'Pedicab Driver' or 'Heart of Dragon' he still brings true emotion to the screen.

For a low budget, rushed production, the emotional content of the film and the quality of its cast save the day providing us with a kung fu influenced Shawshank Redemption wannabe. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see Jackie in one of his rare serious performances, but also to those originally put off by bad reviews from the cast. It scrapes into the 4 star category due to its decent action and Sammo’s powerful performance.

PICTURE: Letterboxed at 1.85:1. Considering the quality of the original print, this is a marked improvement on all previous releases. Detail levels are good and colours have also been altered for the better. The one complaint is that it still possesses an overall grainy look but I doubt that anyone will be able to enhance the quality any further than HKL.

SOUND: Mandarin or English DD 2.0 soundtracks with removable English subtitles.

TRAILERS: The theatrical trailer and UK music promo for 'Island On Fire' as well as HKL trailers for 'Snake In The Eagle's Shadow', 'Drunken Master', 'New Dragon Gate Inn', 'The Blacksheep Affair', 'Legend Of A Fighter', 'Body Weapon', 'Hitman' and 'Drive'.

TALENT FILES: The standard HKL written and spoken Jackie Chan biography.

EXTRAS: These include a rare treat from HKL in the form of some deleted scenes along with an interview gallery featuring comments from Sammo Hung (on the set of 'Moon Warriors'), Wang Yu and director Chu Yen-Ping.

'Drive' was directed by the little known Steve Wang responsible for bringing us such cult classics as 'Mutronics' (starring Mark Hamill) but he has certainly come a long way since then. With a real eye for camera angles, he brings us the gritty close-ups needed during tense battle scenes whilst also providing the full shots for the fights. This allows the audience to see the beauty of the moves and acrobatics along with giving Dascascos a clear stage to show off his large array of flips and kicks (I've never seen him look more impressive). Wang is clearly a Hong Kong movie fan as the wire work and over the top moves are apparent but never to the extent of movies like 'The Matrix'. My only one complaint with them would have to be that it is occasionally a little too easy to play "spot the stuntman."

The casting is perfect with Dacascos playing the strong silent type and Hardison as the comic relief, reminiscent of a lot of the current pairings going on in Hollywood between Asian and black actors at this time (the word overkill springs to mind), but it's fun with an obvious chemistry between the two stars. If it has a weak point then it would have to be the script as it's not going to win any Oscars for originality but it’s enough to fill in the gaps between the action. Now if only all American martial arts flicks were like this, a true B-movie classic!

MENU: An average animated menu using various scenes from the movie running behind the options.

PICTURE: Letterboxed at 2.35:1. A great print (especially compared to the Region 1 version) with clear and crisp colours that hold up very well during the darker moments. Far superior to any other version available.

SOUND: English Dolby Digital 5.1 with removable English subtitles.

TRAILERS: Theatrical trailer for 'Drive' as well as trailers for Hong Kong Legends' releases of 'Drunken Master', 'Snake In The Eagle's Shadow', 'The Blacksheep Affair' and 'New Dragon Gate Inn'.

TALENT FILES: Info on Mark Dacascos, Kadeem Hardison, Brittany Murphy, director Steve Wang and stunt/action choreographer Koichi Sakamoto.

EXTRAS: Includes photo galleries, deleted scenes, interviews with cast and crew, "The Force Behind the Storm" documentary with behind the scenes footage and outtakes. An audio commentary from Steve Wang, Koichi Sakamoto, Mark Dacascos and Kadeem Hardison is also available.

The martial world holds two swordsmen up as the greatest in the world: Snow (Cheng), the powerful, stoic master who is shrouded in mystery; Yeh Cool-Sun (Lau) an impressive swordfighter who is distantly related to the royal throne. After years of enhancing their formidable reputations, the time comes for the two to hold a duel to finally decide who is the finest in the land. The date of the duel is set as is the location - the walls of the Imperial Palace - and the whole of China is eager to see the contest. Given the responsibility of issuing official attendance medals to those deemed worthy is government agent Dragon 9 (Cheung). As the eagerly-anticipated day draws near, a series of murders occur that turn events on their head. Dragon 9 begins to piece together a plot to kill the emperor, but the identity of the person or persons involved remains hard to discern. However, as various suspects and those with information are not surprisingly killed, Dragon 9 faces a race against time to find the would-be assassin before the duel takes place.

Andrew Lau's usual productions are perceived to be humourless visual feasts, but this is something that 'The Duel' attempts to rectify in its casting. Nick Cheung (looking fairly ridiculous with dreadlocks and pencil moustache) - the star often hyped to be the next Chow Sing Chi - is cast as the leading man and injects his usual wisecracking humour to the proceedings. Cheung lacks the well-defined comic persona that Chow Sing Chi has and can often be far more annoying than entertaining, but here his presence is strangely welcome. While Andy Lau and the barely seen Ekin Cheng play their parts with as little emotion as possible, Nick Cheung at least enjoys lampooning the straight-faced drama of the film. The lighter moments of 'The Duel' make a pleasant change from the two special effects hits that Lau produced before this. However, the problem is that the film is very much a hybrid effort and the comedy is ill at ease with the heavy drama that occurs later on. Therefore this never gels in the way it could have done and the overlong duration, featuring a needlessly long ending, verges on tiresome melodrama. In 'The Duel's favour is the superior computer effects that appear in the action sequences; the fantasy sequences are one of the film's major assets and leave the viewer wanting more. With a clearly impressive budget and a star-studded cast, it is to be expected that the film is padded out and not always as engrossing as it should have been. 'The Duel' , though, is nonethless a big-budget spectacular that mostly entertains...

When an evil kung-fu master kills a couple in search of a secret fighting manual, the housekeeper is left to bring up their infant son and encourage him to gain revenge. On reaching manhood, the orphan (Liu) learns kung-fu basics and then, with housekeeper still by his side, he searches for a skilled master to follow. Thankfully he happens upon a renowned leg fighter (Kwon Young Moon) who has been employed by a wealthy local, therefore he's given the opportunity to learn in secret. After a brief time under his new master's care, the secret student is discovered by the employers and thrown out of the house along with a newly acquired sidekick. The friends work as street traders and use their time to observe the various fighters who wander the streets. Following a few entanglements, they find two new masters who teach them a variety of kung-fu styles and techniques. By the time the avenger meets his parents' killer, he's fully trained and ready to exact revenge.

The description for 'Fighting Ace' doesn't exactly make it jump off the page, but it proves to be a better than average effort. Firstly the expected plot twists and turns prove to be enjoyably handled; the usual master/student story is expanded to accomodate four masters and an extra student. Even the opening catalyst for revenge allows for a bit more empathy than usual and John Liu's character is given extra depth because of it. Perhaps it is this character enhancement that makes Liu's performance more charismatic than he often is and instead of being just a superb screen fighter, he has a certain charm here as well. The leading man is comfortably assisted by a solid cast including fellow kicking king Kwon Young Moon who steals the brief scenes he features in. The fight action is also excellent to watch with a bit of innovation going along way. As was mentioned, the film loses some of its qualities later on with the cliches happen at a slackly delivered pace; the last twenty minutes packs in all of the tiresome moments and again features a very inadequate epilogue. 'Fighting Ace' features one of the sequences that was in just about every independent kung-fu film of the time, perhaps due to some obscure Asian law: the young heroine of the piece must meet a gang of lecherous bullies who harrass her only for the hero to leap in at the last minute. Seeing scores of these moments before, one wonders if ancient China was one of the most dangerous place ever, especially if you were twentysomething, female and attractive. It's this kind of cinematic drudgery that stalls this in the three star category.

PICTURE: A Brentwood DVD, part of the excellent value 10-disc 'Fists Of Fire, Swords Of Death' collection. Considering how cheap the DVD is as part of the pack, this is a good print. The picture is fairly dark and has quite a few blemishes, but has reasonable depth. The colours are murky and are prone to bleed, though its certainly watchable.

SOUND: Good English dub with familiar voices.

TRAILERS: None.

EXTRAS: Just a short text explanation of the origins of kung-fu.

After her grandmother dies, young orpan Aggie stumbles away from the funeral service traumatised by her tremendous loss. Coming to her aid is unusual looking stranger Louis (Chan) who was also a friend of the deceased and works as a hairdresser in Hong Kong. Taking the distraught Aggie back to the flat he shares with his mother, Louis' softer side is gradually revealed even though the new lodger still cannot speak. In the course of the next few days Aggie finally breaks her silence and thanks her friends for the patience they've shown with her. However, the relationship she shares with Louis is one neither understands, though his peculiar girlfriend doesn't see it like that. Only after he suffers a bereavement do the pair feel comfortable with each other, but still they cannot express what they mean to one another.

Based on a cult novel, 'Kitchen' introduces an interesting premise that touches on popular Hong Kong themes i.e. unrequited love and the relationship between two of life's shattered souls. With such a well-trod, yet effective path, it was reasonable to expect another powerful drama to challenge the heart and mind. Unfortunately, as good as some of the parts are, the whole fails to deliver its promise and once again falls foul of the 'style over substance' problem. Director Yim Ho has no difficulty in utilising the effective cinematography or creating an atmosphere apt for the drama. However, he stumbles in giving the film a real heart; even though the characters, especially Jordan Chan's, the feeling that is defined early on does not last the duration. Instead of fleshing out the main players and giving them the three-dimensional qualities they need, Yim Ho relies on their idiosyncracies and supposes that this makes them more human; Aggie, in particular, is introduced as an understandably traumatised woman, but then slips into 'quirky' mode soon after. In a film so reliant on two differing characters having sharing a love that is realistic, this is a major disappointment. There's also ending after ending to contend with and the fact that a few chances to finish on a great closing moment are lost.

'Kitchen' is watchable, of course for Jordan Chan's first-rate display, though it tends to languish in pretentiousness when a firmer hand would have been far more effective.

PICTURE: An early disc from Mei Ah with no menu features. Packaging claims the print is 4:3, but it is in fact widescreen. Although it isn't a flawless print, this is better than expected considering this is one of the early disc. There is signs of pixellation and a very pale look to some scenes, alongside a few scratches. However, for the most part this is fairly good with a reasonable level of colour depth.

SOUND: Cantonese or Mandarin soundtracks with English and Chinese subtitles (burnt in, but easy to read for the most part).

International terrorist Alien takes a sinister interest in the scientific development of subliminal encoding. Mastery of these mind-altering waves could mean unlimited power over the masses through television transmissions, naturally allowing domination and immense wealth for the owner. To this end, Alien kidnaps some of the world's top scientific minds to help him achieve his aim. Tango (Cheng), C.S. (Jordan Chan) and Blue (Kelly Chen) are three scientists developing the Prjoect VR Fighter - a military programme that can turn an ordinary man into a top combat agent in a matter of weeks. Alien uses C.S.'s wedding as the perfect opportunity to kidnap Blue for his research, but he also kills his bride-to-be, shattering his life. The C.I.A are unwilling to send a force to find Blue and so her two friends decide to utilise the Project VR Fighter themselves. Now with exceptional abilities, Tango and C.S go to Hong Kong to rescue Blue and gain revenge against Alien. However, it gradually develops that others who went through the Project VR Fighter training are showing certain side-effects...

'Hot War' was made before 'The Matrix' and it does seem that some of the ideas in this film have filtered into the Keanu Reeves blockbuster. The effects are not up to the standard of 'The Matrix', but they are still impressive and are coupled together with some fine action set-pieces. Ekin Cheng gives another pleasantly understated performance while newcomer Kelly Chen is much more than just decoration. Jordan Chan is given the most tortured of all the lead roles, but it is a role that he pulls off with aplomb. Although this didn't set the Hong Kong box-office alight, it is still recommended viewing.

MENU: A computer based menu is used with the main screen displaying character attributes as Ekin Cheng is changing into a VR fighter. Easy to navigate and nice to look at.

PICTURE: Letterboxed at 1.85:1. A very clean and crisp transfer but this comes as no surprise considering it is such a recent film. There is an odd soft look to it but I wasn't sure whether this is the intended look or a defect in the film quality.

SOUND: Cantonese and Mandarin DD 5.1 sound with removable Chinese (traditional & simplified) and English subtitles. The effects for the gunshots and explosions sometimes leave a little to be desired as they are terribly weak sounding.

TRAILERS: The trailer for the film itself as well as 'Extreme Crisis', 'Enter The Eagles' and 'A Hero Never Dies'.

TALENT FILES: Top billing in the files goes to Jackie Chan even though he is only the producer here. There is also info on Kelly Chan, Jordan Chan and Ekin Cheng.

EXTRAS: These include a behind-the-scenes look at the action choreography and visual effects along with star interviews and a music video from Ekin Cheng that does not appear in the film. Thankfully, all of the appropriate sections are supplied with English and Chinese subtitles.

Inside is a torturous world where monks are made to denounce their faith and thrown to rot if they are crippled or unable to be put to work. On Sai Yuk's arrival he forces a duel with Bak, the right hand woman of psychopathic Sun (who is the master of the temple). When he defeats her he is on the verge of killing Sun when he is stopped by his Shaolin brother and old friend Hung Hei Kwan (Sheng Yang). It would appear that Hung has betrayed his humble beginnings and become a Shaolin dog.

Fong is wounded in the battle and thrown into the corpse pit. Sun has taken a shine to Tau Tau and grants her any wish so she asks to have Sai Yuk healed. Once he is free, Sai Yuk starts making plans to destroy the temple and free his brothers for the sake of all Shaolin kind.

Ringo Lam makes a splash onto a new genre and it's certainly an impressive debut. After taking yet another page from the tale of folk hero Fong Sai Yuk and with the use of fresh blood for the leading roles, he moved away from all that he had done before to bring a dark and brooding atmosphere to the film.

The fights are all excellently choreographed with some impressive wire work equal to that of the 'OUATIC' series. They include hand to hand combat, swordplay and spearwork that all present a real feast for the eyes. Leading actor Willie Chi shows that he has some credible skill and has never been used to such great effect (although that isn't saying much considering his only other notable film is 'Drunken Master 3') whilst Sheng Yang, another veteran of the Beijing Wu Shu academy, provides sterling opposition to Chi with flips and kicks galore as they go head to head on several occasions. However, the show is stolen by Sun played by Wong Kam Kong who oozes pure evil and has such a talent for odd paintings that they used it in the film.

'Burning Paradise' is definitely a worthy addition to the classic kung fu genre as well as the many legends of Sai Yuk. With top notch acting, action and directing, it just goes to show that you don't need Jet Li or Jackie Chan to make a folk hero classic (although Tsui Hark often seems to be lurking in the shadows).

It centres on one young man's quest to find his father's killer and, to this end, his development as a fighter. Initially he finds himself bullied by all around until he meets an elderly master (Yuen) who teaches him a few tricks. These prove to be adequate for his day-to-day living, but cannot fulfill his deep desire for revenge. This changes when he then encounters a humble chess master and his young daughter. The mysterious chess player later reveals himself to be a former kung-fu chief who held sway over the area with his fellow fighters. Unfortunately he had been forced to go into hiding after being badly injured in a fight and also coming under scrutiny by the dreaded 'Ghostface Killer' - a fearsome warrior who is wiping out all who once opposed him. Coincidentally it is the Ghostface Killer who was responsible for the death of the young avenger's father. Therefore he needs to be trained up to combat the 'Five Elements' style of the formidable foe and strike a blow for justice.

There is nothing original or innovative about the plot, as has already been stated, but this is something which does not affect the entertainment value of 'Mystery Of Chess Boxing'; the strengths of the film outweigh any of these expected weaknesses. The stand-out feature is the abundant fight scenes that are not only exciting, but also have a level of imagination not always seen in independent kung-fu cinema. The mixture of ostentatious styles and acrobatic moves means that this certainly never has a dull moment. Director Kuo also fashioned one of the Jade Screen's most infamous villains - 'Ghostface Killer - and it is this presence that is particularly memorable. Ghostface Killer provides the protagonists with a real challenge and also managed to etch his name in the pages of Hong Kong cinematic history.

The film is too formulaic to be considered among the best that kung-fu cinema has to offer; there have been too many other great productions to allow 'Mystery Of Chess Boxing' to sneak in. While it does not compare to the classier output of Chang Cheh, Liu Chia-Liang et al, there is still much to recommend it. A cult classic that just about lives up to its reputation.

But all is not lost. There are still some people that value 80's style action and work hard to keep it going. Most of these people are not actually from Hong Kong anymore (such as the AAC and Alpha Stunts Team) but nevertheless the thread of hope remains for a return to the "good old days". As mentioned, it is commonly felt that the young performers and stunt guys of today are not up to the standards required to perform in the old style, so MTV hack editing and less intricate choreography have become the norm. Fortunately, some of the old guard can still kick it, and in the instance of 'Moumentai 2' wanted to prove it.

To me, 'No Problem 2' (although a joint Japanese production) has a hint of the old 'Aces Go Places' about it, combining typically overt HK humour with any excuse thrown in for an OTT action sequence. Many of the old Lucky Stars/Aces Go Places favourites make an appearance here in one form or another, including Yuen Biao, Chin Kar Lok and even Eric Tsang. The comedy elements are of the same old style and may not be to everybody's taste but I will clutch at anything that shows threads of the aforementioned Golden Age. The action sequences are grounded and well choreographed, if a little too short. And it is often apparent that some of the performers are getting on a bit. However, they are still good fun, while added to the mix are numerous parodies of classic & contemporary action scenes from 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and 'The Matrix' - including a couple of "bullet-time" sequences - to the bus chase in 'Police Story'.

The plot, while threadbare and generic, sees Okamura Takashi fly to Hong Kong to pursue his dream of becoming an action star. He gets mistaken for a hired killer (played by the still incredible Won Jin) and is expected to kill a Japanese girl who just inherited a huge business. Unfortunately, he falls in love with the girl, who is subsequently kidnapped before Yuen Biao steps in to teach Okamura kung fu and assist in her rescue.

There may not be much here that we haven’t seen before, but it's certainly been a while since we’ve seen most of it done so well. The fight scenes might not beat anything from the 80's but they go someway to reminding us they could still be done. At the same time it’s nice to see a production that isn’t aiming itself more at the American audience than its own.

If, like me, you are a huge fan of Yuen Biao or the old 80's action comedies, then do yourself a favour and buy a copy of this DVD. Hell, buy 2 and show the producers that we want more of these kinds of films!

On a side note, Collin Chou (Ngai Sing) appears here and has certainly buffed himself up a bit - possibly in preparation for the Matrix sequels - and is one of the guys I place my hopes on to keep the martial arts genre alive in HK. And while I hope he is successful, I also hope he doesn’t join the exodus West.

TECH SPECS:
Region: 3

Distributor: Universe

Chapters: 8

Picture: 1.85:1 non-anamorphic, but a nice and clear picture, as you would expect from such a recent film. Could be better, but you get what you pay for!

Sound: DD5.1 Cantonese/Japanese original audio or Mandarin dubbed soundtracks with Chinese (traditional or simplified) and English removable subtitles.

Trailers: Just the trailer for this film.

Talent Files: Star files for Yuen Biao, Sam Leong, Chin Kar Lok and Sam Lee.

Extras: None.