REVIEW:
Despised by many HK purists, I make no exuses for my love of Tokyo Raiders. I consider it not a "guilty-pleasure" either, because I see no reason that I shouldn't be liking it. It's just plain, light-hearted fun, and should not be taken as anything more profound than that. So, it is with those thoughts in mind that I proceed to explain why the stylish and light-hearted Tokyo Raiders is a fun ride. Tokyo Raiders takes the conspiracy/spy movie, adds huge doses of cinematographical style and gives it all a light-hearted feel. It comes with all the twists and turns you'd expect in such a movie, yet it doesn't take itself too seriously. For the first half of the film, the viewer is kept in the dark about many things. Then, in the second half, twist upon twist is revealed that changes the dynamic of the film. It is actually somewhat interesting to see how the revelations change the viewer's impression of the character's and what has been going on until that point in the film, but again, it's all quite light-hearted and doesn't try to be terribly profound in doing so. Just as you can get a backstabbing turn of events, you'll also get your fair share of Inspector Gadget inspired goofiness or funny bickering between characters.

It is very well paced and planned out, though. The film begins with some unexplained, but energy building fights that get the viewer prepared for the film's style then introduces us to our three main characters in a logical, plot-building fashion. From there, the plot flows smoothly throughout the film never really slowing down or throwing extraneous scenes at the viewer. The only complaint that might be leveled at the plot is how convoluted it gets or how contrived it may seem with so many different twists to the characters. The "contrived" complaint is something that you just get past real easily because (as I keep saying), it is not a heavy handed film, and it pushes the plot along.

Character's are not very deeply developed. Rather, they are quickly and clearly established with their unique personalities that do stay consistent throughout. It seems that development of characters has been replaced by the changing image of the characters with revelations that come in the film, which is particularly fitting for a light film such as this.

Ekin Cheng and Kelly Chen put in adequate performances. They will not be winning any Oscars any time soon, but get the job done while adding "pretty" faces to the mix. Tony Leung, as always, is awesome and a complete bad-ass. It would've been nice to see more screen time for the truly cool Toru Nakamura and Cecilia Cheung (come on, she's on the cover - but in the film for like 5 minutes). Not a complaint against the film, I just want to see more of these two after their great performances in Gen-X Cops and King of Comedy, respectively. Cecilia's cameo, though, did seem quite forced and unnecessary.

The real shining star of the film, though, is the style. Jingle Ma uses a lot of camera styles to give the film a modern to futuristic, energetic, and slick style. There is use of slow-motion and speed up, sometimes even complete stops. Some quick clips are given double-takes. Objects are focused, blurred, then re-focussed. There is also a lot of use of "handheld" looking shots where the camera moves and wavers a lot. Combined with some cool angled shots and great cityscape images - these give this film a style that sets it apart from the rest of HK cinema. If nothing else, the movie should be seen for its stylistic cinematography.

The action in the film may be dissappointing to some in some ways, but it is very cool in others.Some will be disappointed that it uses a lot of close up and quickly cut shots, making the action less clear. The has always been a complaint with American films and generally why we like HK action better - which makes it strange to be leveraging such a complaint on an HK film. We tend to like the wide, clear shots that let us see every move in perfect clarity. On the other hand, the action shots are in line with the style of the film, using the same camera tricks - which actually add much excitement to the fights. The fights actually have lots of energy to them and will get you pumped up. The music doesn't hurt, either. The techno/latin-flavored quick paced soundtrack adds such great atmosphere to the fights and gets you pumped up twice as much. So, its a trade-off between style and technical aspects of fighting. If you are looking for some good technical fights, look up Drunken Master II and Fist of Legend. If you don't mind some more stylish, but less technically impressive fighting, but lots of energy - you will enjoy the action here. One major disappointment, though, is the final action scene. It is not a fight scene, nor is it as impressive of a final struggle as we might hope. It is adequate but less exciting than the earlier fight scenes.

Tokyo Raiders is actually a very entertaining film. At the very least, the film deserves at least one viewing for its amazing stylishness. Many HK purists revile this film greatly, but I'm going to go against the grain here and say that it is a great addition to HK cinema. There is only so far that our standard HK genres can go. We've seen lots of heroic bloodshed shootouts, period piece martial arts showcases, and standard modern action pieces. A large dash of style stands out. The film is just plain fun, and that is why I love it more every time I watch it. Give Tokyo Raiders a try. A good plot, lots of style, and plenty of energy. It is not perfect, but that doesn't stop it from being a fun ride.

The film begins with Lin (Tony Leung) kicking the crap out of a bunch of Japanese thugs. The umbrella fight is arguably the coolest scene in the film, and it grabs your attention early on. The setting then moves to Las Vegas, where Macy (Kelly Chen) is waiting for her husband, Japanese businessman Takahashi (Toru Nakamura). It’s been four hours since his plane was supposed to arrive, and he is no where to be found. When she returns to Hong Kong, still single, a decorator talented in kung fu-Yung (Ekin Cheng), has come to follow up on a check from Takahashi that bounced. Together they go to Japan to search for Takahashi. Upon arriving in his apartment, they find it empty until they are ambushed by a group of Ito’s (Hiroshi Abe) thugs. Yung uses his martial arts prowess to get Macy and himself out of the apartment. They are rescued by an attractive, leather-clad Japanese girl working for Lin, who turns out to be a private detective. Lin has a few other highly attractive women working with him, including Cecilia Cheung, and we are mercifully allowed to see them all with guns later on. As the investigation continues, identities are questioned and we find that no one is what they appear to be.

Jingle Ma, who served as cinematographer on the intriguing “Viva Erotica”, Leslie Neilson’s “Mr. Magoo”, and numerous kung fu flicks, knows what it takes to make an engaging action film. There is nothing memorable about his direction, and that is only a slight failure. At times, he seems to want to be cool and stylized—John Woo with kung fu, if you will. When he tries, though, he doesn’t succeed. He doesn’t make a fool of himself either, though, just leaves the viewer recognizing the effect he used and seeing that it had no effect on the feeling of the film. There’s never anything as bad as the slow motions on a Chuck Norris film. Except for these few instances, however, his direction does suit the film quite well. His cuts and framing capture the liveliness and quick pace of Tokyo well, and he keeps the pacing in both action and dramatic scenes balanced and appropriate.

Surprisingly to me, Ekin Cheng was, other than Leung’s umbrella scene and the wonderful girls-with-guns, the best part of the film. After playing the same character in just about everything, Cheng seems to have learned how to be funny, weird, and in a strange way charming. Tony Leung and Kelly Chen also give good performances, but not much is required of any of the actors. Toru Nakamura, who also does a great job as the villain in Gen-X Cops, makes his character very interesting in the short time he is given.

A lot of the negative comments regarding Tokyo Raiders comes from people who expected a different kind of movie. It isn’t a revolutionary or beautiful piece of cinema, and it’s certainly not a platform for an amazing script or memorable performances. If you expect a Time and Tide or Hard Boiled, you’re bound to be disappointed. Tokyo Raiders is a fun, mindless movie that’s more than worth a Saturday afternoon and [few bucks] at [the store].

REVIEW:
Tokyo Raiders provides a nice departure from the usual martial arts and action films available. It follows Tony Leung, Ekin Cheng and Kelly Chen closely as they try to find Macy’s fiancé, Takahashi. This leads Kelly Chen and Ekin Cheng from Hong Kong to Japan where there seems to be trouble around every corner! Luckily they run into Len pretty soon, who eagerly helps them along the way.

Initially, the story may seem to be pretty simple, but later on you’ll be surprised when you find out what’s really going on. The movie's fight scenes made me think of Jackie Chan’s work, but they are a bit more serious and they used great camera work to capture it. Tony Leung is the first person we’re introduced to as he is attacked in an ally and defends himself with an umbrella and some sticky glue! He’s nearly like an Asian version of Inspector Gadget and very different from his memorable role in John Woo’s Hard-Boiled. As I mentioned, the camera work is quite nice, and includes speed-ups, stops and multiple angels to bring the action alive. You even get treated to a fight between Tony Leung and Ekin Cheng!

Mr. Yung poses as an interior decorator that just wants his money from Macy’s fiancé and also serves as a bodyguard due to his superior martial arts skill. Len on the other hand spins them a nice tale about how he was betrayed by Takahashi and that he’s in trouble with a Japanese gang leader called Ito. But nothing is ever as it seems. Every time they go and visit someone or try to go somewhere, some of Igo’s goons arrive to entertain us! Action is plentiful and even includes a chase on electronic skateboards and powerboats. As everyone’s true identities are revealed we find out that Len is actually working for the government and that Mr. Yung was hired to look out for Macy. And Takahashi is a CIA agent who has gone rogue! But you’ll have to watch it yourself if you want to know what the connection is between them all.

I’m just going to go ahead and recommend this to all of you. There’s plenty of “light” martial arts, no gunplay though, and a nice story with a lot of pretty ladies (especially Kelly Chen).

The "plot" has something to do with Kelly Chan being wanted by the FBI, CIA, Japanese secret service, the Yakuza and (of course) some interested parties in Hong Kong since she was engaged to a Yakuza who was planning to smuggle in counterfeit Yen. Ekin Cheng plays some sort of interior designer who also happens to be a kung-fu expert (wah?!), who tags along with Chan on her way to Japan, where they meet up with private eye Tony Leung. I don't want to ruin anything for you, but it turns out that everyone isn't what they claim to be (what, you mean your average interior designer can't do kung-fu?). In fact, there are so many convoluted twists and turns that by the end of the film, I didn't care who was what or where they were or what they were doing.

The fact that most of the actors stink didn't help matters out at all. Here's a word to Hong Kong filmmakers who want to get more of an international audience -- don't put Ekin Cheng in any more movies! I swear to God, there should be a Surgeon General's warning on any movie featuring Ekin saying that it'll induce nausea. Both Ekin and fellow non-actor Kelly Chan should just go back to making crappy Cantopop records instead of stinking up any film that they're in with their dismal performances. On a lighter note, Tony Leung -- who must be really hard up for the money -- does give a decent performance. It was pretty sad seeing him slumming in a film like this, but it also highlighted the fact that good looks and talent are things that are often not apart in actors. There are plenty of talented young actors who could have easily filled Ekin and Kelly's shoes. Maybe they had the good sense to pass on the movie once they saw the script.

And don't think the action scenes save Tokyo Raiders at all. If you think Ekin Cheng can look convincing as a kung-fu expert, then more power to you -- and I've got some nice swampland in Florida I'd like to sell you. The scenes are shot and edited in such a choppy way that it makes The Replacement Killers look like The Killer by comparison. Overuse of slow motion and other camera tricks don't make your action scenes cooler, they only tend to give the viewer headaches, especially when they're accompanied by a score that sounds more appropriate for a cheesy porno film or MTV promo than an action film.

If you couldn't guess, Tokyo Raiders not only ranks as the worst of the latest wave of HK action movies, it's one of the worst movies I've ever seen, period.

The film sets up its breakneck pace right from the start. Lin (Leung) is being pursued through Tokyo by a bunch of guys. It's not clear if he's a good guy or a bad guy, but one thing is clear. In a fight, he'd probably give James Bond a run for his money. Not only does he have a bunch of nifty Bond-like gadgets (smoke canisters, glue sticks, cattle prod, a trenchcoat with ripaway sleeves), but he also knows some mean kung fu. Flash forward to a Las Vegas chapel, where Macy (Kelly Chen) is being stood up by her fiance, Takahashi. Macy returns to Hong Kong, where she runs into Yung (Cheng), an interior decorator looking for Takahashi, who stiffed him on a payment. Together, Macy and Yung head to Tokyo to track down Takahashi.

The next thing you know, they're getting mixed up with some suits too. But before you know it, Yung reveals that picking window treatments isn't his only skill. That's right... Yung is quite the kung fu expert (I guess he needs something to keep other guys from making fun of him). Of course, some pretty fancy editing and lots of slow motion (and some flashy flamenco music) help out his kung fu quite a bit. Actually all of the kung fu in the movie benefits from this treatment. I swear... even I'd look cool doing kung fu if I did it in this movie.

I'd have to say that's my biggest gripe with this film. I know that I should just sit back and enjoy the ride, but I also know that much of this film's strength relies on its fancy editing and modern sheen. Plenty of movies have relied heavily on style. Shoot, Guy Ritchie has made a career out of it so far. But his films also have interesting stories, clever plotting, and characters that are interesting, to say the least. But with "Tokyo Raiders", if you take out its hipness, its style, it doesn't have too much left to stand on.

But enough film school. Macy and Yung are rescued by a cute Japanese girl in black leather driving a fast sports car. Alright... it's just a Pontiac Sunbird (but it is a convertible). She takes them to Lin (who has a whole a gaggle of cute Japanese girls in tight clothing working for him). Lin is a private eye working for Ito, the boss of Japan's largest gang. Takahashi was working for Ito, but also decided that Ito's woman was part of his workload and the two of them ran off together. But as the three of them draw closer to Takahashi, noone turns out to be who they claimed to be. Is Lin really a private eye? Is Yung really an interior decorator? Is Macy as ignorant about Takahashi as she claims to be? Will you be surprised at the double-crosses and betrayals?

Well, maybe "double-cross" and "betrayal" are bit strong, because the movie isn't really savage enough for that. Jingle Ma and Co. obviously intended "Tokyo Raiders" as nothing more than a hip, stylish movie full of attractive people kicking the crap out of eachother. And I suppose it is pretty successful in that regard. But since it is so lighthearted, that also means the "groan" factor is pretty high here. For example, I'm sure that the constant bickering between Yung and Lin is supposed to be played for yucks, especially Yung since he's such a boob. But after awhile, their idle threats ("I'll smash your face", "You're dead meat", etc.) just get a little tiresome. And Macy may seem like a stubborn, independent woman. That is, until a fight breaks out, and then her only purpose is to get threatened, look distraught, and be totally useless.

Thankfully, all three leads do a fine job with what they're given. I've loved Leung's work ever since I saw him in John Woo's "Hard Boiled". He's one of the more underrated Asian actors, and his character is probably my favorite. Perfectly calm and cool... even when he's fighting on a motorized skateboard or playing video games. And the fact that he did all of his own stunts ups his "cool" meter even more. Chen and Cheng do what they need to do... look pretty for the camera. There is chemistry between them at times, but I honestly can't say if I'm happy or sad that the hints of romance between them weren't explored more.

In the end, "Tokyo Raiders" feels like cinematic frosting... all sweet and sugary, but ultimately fluff. I like stylish movies as much as the next hip, young filmgoer. But I also like there to be a heart, characters worth caring about, an interesting story... something to keep me intrigued once the flashy camera work, breakneck editing, and novelties wear off (a chase involving Yakuza toughs on skateboards and bikes gets old pretty quick). With "Tokyo Raider", there is nothing there to hold my interest. The only thing I have to look forward to is the next flamenco-enhanced fight, Macy's pouting, or Yung's buffoonery. And 2 hours of good-looking leads and slick filmmaking doesn't make for a great (or memorable) movie.

The story is about a jilted HK bride, played by Kelly Chan, who is left at the alter by her Japanese fiancée Takeshi. She looks for him at his apartment only to find a mad Ekin Cheng, as the interior decorator, looking for Takeshi to pay back the fee for his apartment arranging skills. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is a private eye who is also after this Japanese dude Takeshi but for reasons unknown. And, oh yeah! all parties involved are hunted down by the YAKUZA! Tony Leung plays a Inspector Gadget-type character (I swear, look at his trench coat and hat in the beginning sequence) who uses cool gadgetry to fight crime an evil doers.

Tony is pretty good for all the scenes he's in (He did win best actor at Cannes, after all). Ekin plays the best role he's ever had to date since he plays a sort of effeminate kung-fu fighting interior decorator and not a brooding "I-look-cool-right?" type. The role fits him to a tee. Kelly is probably the worst of the bunch as her acting is usually mediocre at best in most films, but in this one she is like wooden as a stone or should i say stone as a stone? The Buddy-Buddy scenes between Ekin and Tony are pretty good until Kelly opens her mouth to say something. She seems to deflate all the scenes that she is in. The Japanese actors are OK and tolerable. They get points for being good looking, especially, Tony's assistants - the Asian Charlie's angels.

Cecilia Cheung, cashing in on her new celebrity, has a somewhat elongated cameo role as one of the hot chicks who just smile and point guns throughout the film. Let me make this clear, this movie has no plot and I can accept that in a action movie. What I can't accept is the horrid action sequences. The action is TERRIBLE! It's like they tried to simulate WHO AM I's action sequences, which weren't that great to begin with, and made them worse! There is even a boat scene which is a blatant rip-off of John Woo's FACE/OFF but so so BAD! In FACE/OFF, the boats hurled themselves at each other and pounded the waters and smacking their hulls in a race of death. In TOKYO RAIDERS, the boats gently kiss each other on the sides and they think this is suspenseful. All action sequences used are mediocre, they are all actors after all. They are so clichéd that chances are you've seen them before and seen it better done on Sammo Hung's Martial Law (R.I.P) since they have the same choreographer. They also look like they could have been performed by you and your mother. Nothing jaw-dropping like when Jackie jumps through a ladder here, folks!

The cinematography in this movie is very good except for, yep you got it, the action scenes. The action scenes are filmed annoyingly using the freeze-frame then speed up motion-to-blur technique applied in the film ROMEO MUST DIE! The director liked this herky jerky MTV-style edit so much he only uses it 50 times! He probably uses it to camouflage the bad action sequences as much as possible, he must really like BLACK MASK! There is one good chase scene involving Tony on a motorized skateboard being chased by the Yakuza on BMX stunt bikes. It's not a good action scene per se, but it's a funny one cause you can't stop laughing at the thought of one of the most feared gangs in the world on little bicycles.

This movie is what I like to call a "Trend" movie just like FEEL 100% is a "Trend" movie. What I mean is that they take the hottest and most popular trends at the time and put them on display in the movie, sort of like product placement in the states. It's all one hand washes the other as the film is one big advertisement. All the actors wear very expensive designer clothes and it seems like they made the movie to sell Japan as a nice place to visit. Provided, after watching the film I wanted to go there to see all the cool places in the movie. The movie kind of gets interesting 40 minutes into the film as everybody is not who they claim to be and you start to feel some suspense as to what is going to happen but then they cop out with a predictable and terrible ending.

Audio/Video
This movie is presented in a gorgeous 1.85:1 widescreen non-anamorphic transfer and is probably the best Universe DVD picture so far and is even better than the Stormriders image quality. The sound is great 5.1 DD mix.

Extras
The extras include the usual trailers, star files and a kickass making-of documentary which is subtitled in English and has a Kelly Chan music video within. The picture quality for the making-of documentary is really good, I think a little better than the movie quality, especially in an interview with Kelly in front of a river (the colors just smack you in the face with their vibrancy).

Conclusion
In conclusion, this is a somewhat enjoyable movie if you forgive the mediocre action scenes and are not expecting too much. It also gives you a reason to want to visit Japan (I wonder if the Japan Tourist Association had anything to do with this movie?). This movie gets a 7 and it would drop a point less it weren't for those Ka Wai cute Japanese actresses. They get brownie points for cuteness.

The film begins promisingly enough with some fantastic fight scenes (due more to the cinematography than the choreography) but just isn't able to sustain the level of intensity throughout and soon loses pace. The plot is actually quite weak and at times seems more than a little muddled. Also the characters aren't really given much opportunity to develop and by the end of the film you don't feel as if you know them at all. It really then rests on the action to save the day and this is obviously where the main focus has been.

The fight scenes are brilliantly filmed with numerous clever camera tricks that does give the film an air of originality. The choreography is very similar in style to a Jackie Chan film with Tony Leung and Ekin Cheng making use of any common day item that comes to hand (umbrellas, broomsticks, golf clubs, swivel chairs and even a PC mouse). There's also a short burst of gun action at the start of the movie that is highly reminiscent of John Woo with normal speed action interspersed with slo-mo sequences.

Unfortunately the best of the action all comes in the first half hour and, while the film is arguably worth watching for this alone, it all seems rather unbalanced and unsatisfying. The climax is particularly dull.

As a piece of unchallenging easy going entertainment this is worth watching but don't expect too much.