Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
WillSushyMedia
This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Sassy Cat
I agree with other reviews here that it's not Sammo's best, but there are some good points. Definitely acceptably entertaining with great action, just not enough of it.It is a bit Sammo-indulgent. Focuses a lot on a sparking relationship between Sammo and the sweet young lady pursuing him (Kathy Chow). Which is charming, but could have been cut down a whole lot and replaced with more action which this movie is begging for. And you've got Sammo, Yuen Biao (also being pursued by a girl, but for something a whole lot less meaningful!) and Takeshi Kaneshiro in the same movie and Sammo is the one you show half naked in bed? hmm.We spend way too much time in the police station, which is pretty slow-moving most of the time. One of the highlights is when Sammo and Yuen Biao get into a fight. That one is well done and looks pretty painful! The tension between their characters works well and I think it would have been a better move if they were kept that way through most of the movie. Anything that happens out on the street is action-packed and pretty sweet. On the acting side, everyone is in fine form except the guys who are supposed to be the Americans. I often think that is intentional though. Americans rarely come off well in any Chinese film I've ever seen, and as an American I take no offense at that. Generally Americans are presented as arrogant, rude and aggressive, and often badly acted. I kinda get why, but something different once in awhile would not be a bad thing. I do find the sweet, sensitive side of Sammo charming, but small doses of this are plenty. There's way too much of it here. Takeshi Kaneshiro should have had twice the screen time. He's great in all his scenes and should have and could have easily been worked into a lot more of the action. Yuen Biao is excellent as always and gets to show some range from rough and bitter early on (including some rarely seen but bitchin' facial hair), to an adorable and sweet romantic (which sadly doesn't last too long), with great little doses of his special brand of slightly-psycho-comedy all along the way. As pointed out in other reviews here, the 'negroes' stuff (closer to the end) is rather cringe-worthy. Maybe it comes across entirely differently to Asian audiences, as the history between races in America is very different than in other parts of the world. But to Americans at least, the attempted humor there is oh so wrong. Overall enjoyable, great for an afternoon of light fare. Or your B-movie before your feature if you're doing a movie night.
ace-150
On the minus side, it appears to have been filmed on a cell phone, the sound was processed in an underwater echo chamber (apparently the transfer process overlays Mandarin and Cantonese tracks) and the subtitles were created by someone who is clearly not a native English speaker. And there's a scene in blackface which keeps referring to African-Americans as negroes. On the plus side, Kaneshiro Takeshi. And it's a sort of charming window into lowbrow Hong Kong humor. Did I mention Kaneshiro Takeshi? It's more reminiscent of Benny Hill than martial arts. How else can you explain Sammy Ho being chased by the hot office chick? Interestingly, the final shoot-out, punch-out, knife-out turns seamlessly into the rap party. And Kaneshiro Takeshi is in it.
winner55
Weak entry from the Sammo man. The action is explosive enough, although I agree with reviewers who say there could have been more. There are also odd touches that made feel very uncomfortable: a casual remark about recovering from cocaine abuse made in a bar - just before Hung's character gets wasted drunk - is unnecessarily confessional, and in the context of getting blotto makes no sense whatsoever. The 'black-face' gag borders on becoming the very racism it's meant to parody. The relationships between the characters are unclear, and the plot gets overly complicated.all in all, as a B-movie action flick, it's acceptable for a Saturday afternoon, if you don't to think too much and just want to watch fireworks and listen to Chinese chit-chat - but this is hardly what Sammo Hung's admirers have come to expect from one of the truly exceptional and important actors/directors in Hong Kong film history.
Alexandre Bender
It is an action movie but it lacks action! There is a few action sequences throughout the film, but Sammo and (his long time friend) Yuen Biao, do not have the time to impress us with their skills until the end of the movie, and at this moment, it's too late! But this fight is still worth watching!Good for rent on a lazy Sunday. 7,5/10
