Accomplished cinematographer and not so celebrated director Andrew Lau had hit it big with the triad genre exercise Young And Dangerous in 1996, which Billy Tang went along with in Street Angels (also produced by Andrew Lau) but there were some profiles in the industry that had other ideas for the depiction of triads. One of them being Wilson Yip who directed the underrated Mongkok Story (another Phillip Kwok Wai-Chung penned script as well) and another unlikely one to, in this case, spin the set genre elements. His name is Wong Jing and before the Y&D series received their actual female spin-off (Portland Street Blues), there was Sexy And Dangerous.

The all female triad gang in Causeway Bay, led by Marble (Loletta Lee) and newcomer Van (Karen Mok) gets into trouble with a rival gang led by Lurcher (Ben Ng). Reason having to do with Lurcher's god sister Aids (Lily Chung) rivalry over the love of Brother One (Michael Tong). Marble is also oogled over by triad loser George (Francis Ng) to boot....

Despite having some of his best past cast and crew onboard (director of photography Tony Miu and actors Lily Chung & Ben Ng), Billy Tang undoubtedly have little to work with here from a visual standpoint. On the other hand, this look and budget were utilized to great effect in similar productions that came out the same year such as the Once Upon A Time In Triad Society movies (starring Francis Ng). Those had wonderfully quirky script, making fun of the fact that these honorable triad characters literally are comic book creations. In Sexy And Dangerous, the comic book aspect is also true, only played up comically which in my mind makes for the better entertainment and furthermore, it does not glorify the triad lifestyle. With its gimmick if you will of an all female gang of triads, the filmmakers does find it hard to go their own way though. Which means that for most of the opening, this sadly does resemble a very unfunny and episodic Wong Jing production. Having said that, the atmosphere and actors, particularly as you will read many times in this review, Francis Ng adds spark. But Billy Tang finally manages to add some of his own, right about the time when you see the teddybears...

There's a definite flow found after that image, not necessarily visually, but Tang finds many opportunities for inspired and quirky gags, many of which involves Francis Ng's George character and that's really it to be honest. That notorious jarring jump in moods results in slight character journeys for Loletta Lee's Marble and George however. Now, to further wax Ng's car, there's really nothing earthshattering to work with here and it doesn't exactly fit in with the prior comedy or even the typical harsh violence, that in this case feels more like a Wong Jing addition. There's a slight sympathy in George's plight to be found though as he must further himself to even get to Marble's level of class and a possible long lasting relationship. In a refreshing twist however, the resolution to this journey is unexpected and rings more true to a reality, even though this movie is rather detached from reality.

Talking again about how Hong Kong cinema can inject any mood at any time, and not being an exploitation vehicle either, you will simply go along with the film or be disgusted by the violence that the women gets subjected to (although Ng's George takes the most beating throughout). Tang certainly is no stranger to abusing his characters but that was within the Category III fences of filmmaking. As I said, the tone shifts definitely feels more like Wong Jing's hand at work, which is not all good. It can however be argued that his involvement in the production also provides a service to Hong Kong cinema as he rightly joins the followers who likes to screw around with the triad genre, even if the Once Upon A Time In Triad Society films were the most successful at the time in terms of that. Love him or hate him, there's sometimes slight good to be found in the almost always commercially driven Wong.

Francis Ng's definite big break at least as a character actor happened during this heyday of triad movies that came spurting out of Hong Kong cinema. However, despite having first appeared in Andrew Lau's first Young And Dangerous, it was when joining Cha Yuen-Yee on Once Upon A Time In Triad Society that he came into his own fully as the repulsive Ugly Kwan. Then in the unrelated part 2, he really does play the exact same character as he does here in Sexy And Dangerous; the wimpy, low-level triad who has to conquer his shortcomings. Despite having much of the same feel, it's still a marvelously entertaining performance that obviously leans more towards the comedic but for those small moments of potentially cheesy drama, Ng so wonderfully draws us in and makes us feel for George. It would be another thing if the character never showcased any ambitions but he really does. The final test is a hard-hitting confrontation with Ben Ng's Lurcher (and Ben overacts suitably in tone with the comic book character image). I detect a small homage to The Young Master and its finale but even if it's not the case, it's a memorable ending plight for the character that doesn't really track back to any drama but we've come to want him to step up and be a man. Again, when reprising the same characteristics once more in Raped By An Angel 2: The Uniform Fan, Francis even on autopilot as the dopey triad can redeem other shortcomings of a film.

As for the actual main cast of females, no one here really stands out as the script, if there ever was a complete one, is too episodic for us to get to know each and every one of them. The women are game for the action and displays some fair chemistry but even Loletta Lee or Karen Mok aren't given much to do. They have to rely more on their character image, which makes Karen's performance stand out more as a matter of fact. Cat III favourites and underrated actors Lily Chung and Ben Ng appear in support as villains here. Even though it never leans towards quirky, naming Chung's character Aids is an odd inspired moment. The roles are beneath these two but they rarely got a chance after the Cat III era to seriously act. Ben Ng did the independent film The Accident however which is a terrific dramatic performance that I urge you to check out. Lee Kin-Yan (the nosepicking transvestite from Stephen Chow's films) gets to act a little for once (as well as in the mentioned Once Upon A Time In Triad Society 2) plus Vincent Kok, Shing Fui On, Johnny Wang, Lee Lik-Chi, Maria Cordero and Wong Yat-Fei logs cameos.

Any intentions Billy Tang had with Sexy And Dangerous for it to be the ultimate stab in the back of the stoic triad genre, popularized by Young And Dangerous, doesn't so much fail but more sporadically feels inspired. At other times, this is a Wong Jing movie in the worst of cases. At many others a showcase for Francis Ng to take on the loser triad character once again. Something he does with aplomb, making Sexy And Dangerous very memorable for the times it does try.

A more recent trend among Hong Kong movie producers is to focus on the lower echelons of Triad society. Doing so allows filmmakers to turn the cameras away from the boring old men holding onto whatever honor the Hong Kong gangsters might possess and focus instead on a fresh, hipper batch designed to appeal to younger audiences.

The result is best exemplified by the Young and Dangerous series, which stars bad-boy heartthrob Nicholas Tse. Capitalizing on the trend, Hong Kong studios cranked out a fairly interchangeable set of movies featuring an ultra-cool, ultra-pretty cast struggling for position in the lower ranks of the underworld. Many of the films shared not just roughly similar premises but also cast members. For example, Young and Dangerous lead Tse appeared in the pleasing fluff of Gen-X Cops, while series costar Jordan Chan spoofed his own "annoying Triad" performances in the fun low-rent horror flick Bio-Zombie.

One of the genre's light but pleasing entries is the 1996 Billy Tang gang-girl flick Sexy and Dangerous (not to be confused with the 1996 production Street Angels: Sexy & Dangerous, also co-directed by Tang). Written and produced by Wong Jing, noted director of City Hunter, Royal Tramp, and God of Gamblers and producer of Flying Daggers and Sex and Zen II, this minor flick musters enough style and drama to prove entertaining, boosted by a couple of standout performances.

The flick stars the lovely Loletta Lee (Sex and Zen II) as Marble, a tough and sassy young woman out to have fun on Hong Kong's neon-lit nighttime streets. The film opens with a comedic tone as Marble and her friends Fai Chick (Marianne Chan) and Little Star (Theresa Mak) tease the local rascals who try to flirt with them, especially George, a good-natured would-be hood enamored with Marble and his lowly position in Triad society. As George, Frances Ng (Young and Dangerous, The Bride with White Hair, Gen-X Cops) may be no great shakes as a criminal, but he nearly steals the movie with his funny and sympathetic performance.

In her video arcade hangout, Marble encounters the short-haired, tattooed and tough-as-nails Van (Karen Mok) dominating the competition on a motorcycle game. Marble challenges Van to a race, and the two don their motorcycle helmets and go to it, with a cool five grand at stake. Although Marble just edges Van in the competition, the two leave one of George's friends in the virtual dust. They decide to split the pot and become fast friends.

Although Marble is desired by, apparently, all of Hong Kong, she's unhappy. Her ex-boyfriend, Brother One (the handsome Michael Tong, sporting a long coat and long hair to match) has advanced in Triad society with the death of a senior member. One showed his loyalty by defending his boss during the assassination attempt -- but in the process left Marble behind.

Marble also took the fall for One over an illegal gun planted in her purse. In jail, Marble made an enemy of One's previous girlfriend, Aids, who vows revenge on her rival.

Despite this ominous foreshadowing, the film initially takes a decidedly comic tone, with George trying in vain to match flirtatious wit with Match and her pals. In one funny sequence, Little Star despairs because her fiancee's tradition-minded parents want to meet her own mother and father, who unfortunately are in jail. Ever eager to help, George volunteers his own father (a producer of porn videos, portrayed by Yut Fei Wong, who played Iron Head in the superb Shaolin Soccer) and mother (a professional blackjack dealer).

Although not without pratfalls, the group pulls off the deception, and the happy couple takes the parents out for tea. On his way out, George's father surreptitiously spikes Marble's and George's tea with an aphrodisiac. Upon learning the fact, George -- distressed at his father's unfair play -- must desperately try to control his own raging desire while fending off Marble's amorous advances.

However, life on the fringes of the Hong Kong mobs soon proves to be more serious for Marble and her comely compatriots. Brother One is under pressure from the villainous Lurcher, a tough and ruthless up-and-coming gangster. He's also distracted with regret from losing the lovely Marble. Worse, Lurcher has hooked up with the vengeful Aids, who has it in for Marble and her pals.

The loose, basic betrayal-and-revenge plot leads to plenty of opportunities for action in this fast-paced film. Marble, Van and their friends fight off Aids and her crew of knife-wielding women in a beauty salon brawl that spills out into the street, where our heroes are confronted by Lurcher and a posse of tough Triads. A last-minute rescue by George saves the day, but he's accidentally left at Lurcher's mercy when he spills out of the speeding getaway van.

Beaten and humiliated, George winds up in jail. His devotion touches Marble, who agrees to prostitute herself to raise his bail -- a scheme that results in a surprising resolution. Alas, Lucky Star is lured into a kidnap that escalates into a gang rape by Lurcher's hoods. (This outrage is thankfully kept offscreen, but the traumatic event is treated as little more than a throw-away plot device; after a few tears, it's never mentioned again.) But when Lurcher makes his move against Brother One, both Marble and George find their loyalties and bravery put to the test.

Sexy and Dangerous is an insubstantial but entertaining flick that's enjoyable more for the charms of its cast than by tight plotting or wild action. Of course, the camera lingers lovingly on its attractive female stars, especially the luscious Loletta Lee and the charismatic Karen Mok. (The ladies are often shown in revealing clothing -- or submerged to the shoulders in a hot tub -- but perhaps surprisingly, there's no nudity.) And Frances Ng delivers a standout performance that showcases his comic talents as well as his acting chops (watch for his rubberfaced antics as he tries to alter his mug so Lurcher won't recognize him among a group of new recruits).

With its dependable "which guy will she choose" plot, lovely actresses, and attitude to spare, Sexy and Dangerous is far from the most important Hong Kong flick of the '90s, but still has merit as an enjoyable example of the "young Triad" genre.

Even though the plot (which follows a group of rascals/hostesses led by Lee) might lend itself to exploitation, S&D is more of a serious crime drama. Though there are plenty of shots of the ladies looking very good, the emphasis here is on telling a story and not T&A. Thankfully, most of the cast is up to the job. Karen Mok gives one of her best performances as the cropped-haired enforcer Van, and Francis Ng does a unique turn as the weaselly George, who wears his "49" shirt (the number signifies the lowest rank in Triad society) but then turns almost into a hero near the end. There are a few clunkers, such as Michael Tong (who plays a Ekin Cheng ripoff, right down to cheesy long hair and even worse dialogue), but overall the young cast does a good job, pulled forth by Billy Tang's tight direction. The action isn't as violent as some of Tang's other films, but it does fit the movie well and keeps it going.

If you enjoy the "young Triad" movies or haven't yet checked out the genre, Sexy and Dangerous warrants a viewing. While nothing revolutionary, it is a solid crime movie that should provide some good entertainment.

Lee plays Marble, the capable arcade games-loving leader of a gang of tough females, whose newest recruit is a cropped-haired and snake-tattooed female motorbiker named Van (sensitively portrayed by the chameleon-like Karen Mok). For a while, I was worried that this movie would involve not much more than sexy yet girlish competitive jostling and posturing livened only by the rather amusing teasing and taking advantage of a loser rascal" named George (played by Francis Ng who, IMHO, pretty much steals this show with an amazing performance). Fortunately, the film does become more interesting and takes a turn for the better with the introduction of a menacing female character named -- I kid you not -- Aids (who Marble first encounters in a prison shower-room), the revelation of a relationship between Marble and a lion-maned Triad leader called Brother One (Michael Tong), and the adding into the mix of a rival Triad leader known as Lurcher (played by an actor who looks to me like a cross between Jordan Chan and Lau Ching Wan!).

This 1996 production obviously falls squarely into the "triad" genre of Hong Kong movies. Beyond that, I'm not quite sure how to categorize SEXY AND DANGEROUS since it somewhat schizophrenically inserts some quite entertaining comedy situations plus intriguing commentaries on love and loyalty between "bad" "boys" and "girls" as well as impressively-filmed action into an alternately glamorous, playful and dark depiction of (the eventful lives, societal bonds and individual rivalries of) underworld characters. At the very least though, I can vouch for its having plenty of interesting plot twists and dramatic complications as well as some definitely more than run-of-the-mill violent scenes (which nevertheless don't feature as much spurting of blood as I have become somewhat used to!).

Though SEXY AND DANGEROUS definitely has its moments (and tremendous performances by Ng and Mok, and a more than acceptable one by Lee), it is a less even work than "Portland Street Blues" (the bona fide "Young and Dangerous" spin-off which centers on a female triad boss essayed by Sandra Ng). Still, while one does wish that its makers had lavished more time (and effort) on it than the reputed three weeks that was actually spent in the rush to capitalize on the success of "Young and Dangerous", the bottom line is that this movie is a respectable and entertaining enough effort worth watching.