Brothers, Guns, & Doves - Prison on Fire (1987)

Director: Ringo Lam

Cast: Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Chow Yun Fat, Roy Cheung, Ka-Kui Ho, Shing Fui-on

Country: Hong Kong

Rating: R

Run Time: 101 min

Brothers, Guns, & Doves is a series dedicated to discussing Heroic Bloodshed films produced inside or outside of Hong Kong. Films of this nature typically feature highly stylized gun play, emotional stories about honor and brotherhood, and, if directed by John Woo, lots of slow motion doves.

Prison on Fire is one of two films with the word "fire" in the title directed by Ringo Lam and released in 1987 (the other being City on Fire, which also stars Chow Yun Fat). The film was followed up by another Lam directed "fire" film, School on Fire, in 1988, as well as a direct sequel, Prison on Fire II, in 1991. Therefore, Prison on Fire is apart of both a loose stylistic trilogy of films as well as its own series of films. Man, it's tough keeping track of Hong Kong films sometimes.

Lam's loose "Fire" trilogy consists of three action dramas that are connected by their emotional drama, gritty action, and inclusion of actor Roy Cheung. All three films portray life in Hong Kong, as seen through the eyes of Lam. City on Fire focuses on the lives of cops and criminals, Prison on Fire focuses on the lives of prisoners and guards, and School on Fire focuses on the lives of students and triads. Many action fans will most likely never discover Prison or School simply because City on Fire is the most well known of the trilogy because of its connection to Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Therefore, I implore all action fans to seek out the entire trilogy in order to fully appreciate Lam's artistic vision and cinematic goal.

Prison on Fire, the second in the "Fire" trilogy and the first of the Prison on Fire films, is a solid prison drama. In retrospect, the film shares many similarities with The Shawshank Redemption from 1994. Both films feature a good natured protagonist who is imprisoned for the wrong reasons, a veteran prisoner who befriends said protagonist, and corrupt guards who take advantage of the prisoners' situation. There are also scenes of joy and humanity amidst prison life as well as despair and conflict. Stephen King's Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption does pre-date Prison on Fire, 1982 to be exact. Regardless, this filmic depiction of life in the big house is awfully similar to Frank Darabont's master class film, coincident or not.

Tony Leung learns real quick how hard prison life is.

Lo Ka Yiu (Tony Leung Ka-Fai) is a beloved son, boyfriend, and grocery store clerk in resident Hong Kong. When several hooligans steal from his father's store, Yiu fights back and accidentally knocks one of the thieves into traffic and to his death. Yiu is sentenced to three years for manslaughter and finds his life turned inside out as various prisoners attack him and his girlfriend threatens to move away for school reasons. In steps 41671 (Chow Yun Fat), a veteran prisoner and surrogate Morgan Freeman for the film. 41671 doesn't narrate the film, but he does provide Yiu with friendship and knowledge amidst prison life. The two quickly bond and fight back against corrupt guards and cruel prisoners together. Yiu reaches his limits when the prisoners embark on a hunger strike that places all of their lives in danger.

Prison on Fire is a very basic film that portrays simple themes of friendship and self sacrifice amidst prison life. The film has no political agenda and takes no shots at the prisoners or the corrupt guards. It's simply a story of prison life in an extremely rough prison, made all the rougher due to the vile guards and despicable inmates. Not every film has to be particularly deep and meaningful, and Prison on Fire isn't. It's simplistic, gritty drama, ripped from reality and strewn across the screen.

The first two acts of the film make for an average and bleak prison affair. The film moves through the motions of a prison film, all while injecting copious amounts of humor courtesy of Chow Yun Fat (more on him later). However, Prison on Fire turns into a stellar prison film when it enters its final act. While the first two acts of the film focus on Yiu's struggle with villainous inmates, the third act hones all of its tension on an extremely intense hunger strike that the prisoners embark on in order to lower the prices on cigarettes and food. This final act of the film is incredibly unpredictable and particularly disturbing as well. Yiu and 41671 partake in an extremely brutal and painful prison brawl to the death that showcases Chow at his most insane. Therefore, even though the first two acts are your by the numbers prison film, Prison on Fire makes up for it with an unforgettable final act.

Chow and Leung leap to safety in one of the film's hardest hitting moments.

Tony Leung (A Better Tomorrow III, Election), well known as 'Big Tony' in Hong Kong, gives a solid performance as the film's protagonist. Yiu is a relatable character because he's a hard working every man who simply wants to love his girlfriend and do the right thing. Unfortunately, doing the right thing gets him in trouble and plunges him into the hell hole that is prison. Yiu's limits and wits are tested as various prisoners accuse him for crimes he didn't commit and attempt to murder him as well. If you want to see some intense acting, than check out the scene where Yiu defends himself against a group of prisoners with a broken shard of glass. Leung exudes sheer insanity and terror with a chunk of glass in his hand and blood all over his body. All in all, Leung does fine work and earns his freedom by the film's end.

As with most films featuring Chow Yun Fat (Hard Boiled, The Killer), he practically steals the show even though he's not the lead character here. Chow plays the same kind of character he plays in most of his films: a happy go-lucky guy who jokes around most of the time but turns intense when serious situations arise. There's a ridiculous scene where Chow takes a dump in a bathroom accompanied by fart noises. When Yiu leaves the room, Chow declares, "Remember, there's always...a better tomorrow! *fart noise*" For those who don't know, A Better Tomorrow was Chow's breakout film the year before Prison on Fire. Talk about a ridiculous reference, and all while on the toilet too. Prison on Fire also features two solid villains, Ka-Kui Ho as the cruel inmate Micky and Roy Cheung as the corrupt Officer Scarface Hung. Both repeatedly pester our two lead prisoners throughout the film and eventually get their comeuppance at the hands of an insane Chow Yun Fat. Seriously, you don't know how intense and crazy Chow can get until you see him in the film's final prison brawl. 

Officer "Scarface" Hung is the Clancy Brown of the picture.

Even though Prison on Fire is mainly a drama, the film features enough prison brawls to classify it as an action film. There are two short but sweet brawls that take place within the first two acts of the film: one in the prison yard and the other inside of a wash room. The physical bout in the wash room is especially intense because it drives Yiu over the edge and towards insanity. The fight scene also features an insane stunt where Chow and Leung leap off of a ledge and slam onto the top of a glass table, only for it to shatter and break underneath them. However, the film's final bout inside of the main hall of bunk beds is the highlight of the film. Chow dishes out revenge on Micky and Scarface after taking their crap for an entire movie. This brutal fight also features an amazing stunt where Chow runs on top of a series of bunk beds and jump kicks Officer Scarface into a wall. It's immensely satisfying and worth the price of admission alone. Action fans will also want to check out the film because of how tightly connected it is to the heroic bloodshed genre, especially because of its lead actors and director Ringo Lam. 

The heroic bloodshed genre is a stylistic sub-genre of Hong Kong action films that feature themes of brotherhood, loyalty, and self sacrifice. These type of films also feature lots of stylized violence and double fisted gun play. Heroic Bloodshed 101 can be found below...

Major films in genre: the A Better Tomorrow trilogy, The Killer, Once a Thief, Bullet in the Head, Hard Boiled, Full Contact, City on Fire, the Rich and Famous saga, the Long Arm of the Law films, and the God of Gamblers films (contemporary examples include American films The Corruptor and The Replacement Killers, as well as Hong Kong films Exiled and Vengeance)

Major filmmakers: John Woo, Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark, and Johnnie To

Major stars: Chow Yun Fat, both Tony Leungs, Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, and Andy Lau

Unfortunately, Prison on Fire takes place within a prison. Therefore, the film is stripped of the gun play and settings that make up most heroic bloodshed films. However, the film still features all of the signature themes of said genre in order to classify it as one. The film also features three major players of the heroic bloodshed genre: director Ringo Lam, star Chow Yun Fat, and star Tony Leung. The film is also extremely bloody and emotionally over the top, especially during its unforgettable finale. Therefore, heroic bloodshed fans will find themselves right at home with Lam's tale of life in the big house, especially whenever Chow and Leung bond or a prison fight breaks out.

This is what prison does to you.

Ringo Lam is a simple filmmaker who makes straight forward films with both satisfying action and engaging drama. His films are never dull and typically over just when they start to run their course. Prison on Fire is exactly that: a rarely dull and simplistic action/drama that ends just when it starts to loose steam. The direction is on point and every performer shines through in an engaging genre film that is about as effective as the umpteenth prison film can be. The film is nowhere near as memorable as Lam's superior efforts (City on Fire, Full Contact) but infinitely more satisfying than his horrendous collaborations with Jean Claude Van Damme (Maximum Risk, Replicant, In Hell). All in all, Prison on Fire is recommended viewing for Hong Kong action fans like myself who have already made their way through all of the classics and are desperately in need of something good from the late 80s/early 90s that they may have missed.

Rating: 7/10 - A simplistic and brutal prison film that makes you thankful for your own living situation.

Brothers, Guns, and Doves - Once a Thief (1991)

Director: John Woo

Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kenneth Tsang, Chu Kong

Country: Hong Kong

Rating: R

Run Time: 103 minutes

Even though John Woo films are synonymous with high body counts and lots of blood, whose to say that the guy can't also make us laugh? In 1991, Woo released Once a Thief, a little seen action/comedy that was both hilarious and action packed. If seeing Woo direct a comedy wasn't enough to peak your interest, the film also reteams A Better Tomorrow co-stars Chow Yun Fat and Leslie Cheung as friends who steal paintings from all across the globe. Once a Thief is a goofy film that will probably turn away anyone unfamiliar with comedic Hong Kong films. But anyone who loves awesome action sequences and fun heists will be in for a real treat. And if you're like me and have a huge Chow Yun Fat obsession, it's a must see.

Once a Thief is a criminally underrated John Woo film. Whatever the reason, I recommend that all action fans seek this gem out. Once a Thief consistently ranks as one of my favorite action films of all time due to its incredibly fun but awesome action scenes, Woo's always wonderful editing and directing, and Chow Yun Fat's charismatic performance. What could have been a throw away comedy released in between two very violent films, Bullet in the Head and Hard Boiled, is instead a rip roaring good time that packs lots of laughs and great stunt work. Besides, there are no other action films out there where Chow Yun Fat fires a gun while atop a skateboard and performs wheelchair martial arts.

A trio of charming cuties lead Woo's silliest action film to date.

Joe (Chow Yun Fat), Jim (Leslie Cheung), and Cherie (Cherie Chung) are three world renowned art thieves who grew up together as orphans. Their foster father Chow (Kenneth Tsang, A Better Tomorrow) taught them tough love and raised them to become the thieves that they are now. A kind hearted cop named Chu (Kong Chu, The Killer) also became their godfather at the time of their youth in order to teach them to steer clear of crime and to live a straight life. 

In present day, the three friends are rich and successful thieves who live a glamorous life buying lavish clothes, living in a massive house, and driving around in expensive cars. When a rich client asks the three to steal one of the most guarded paintings in Paris, France, Joe and Jim can't resist. After the two successfully steal the painting, their client attacks them and tries to steal it back without paying for it. Joe sacrifices himself during the ensuing battle in order to allow Jim to escape and to live a happy life with Cherie. However, Joe miraculously survives the attack and ends up paralyzed, doomed to live a life in a wheelchair. Joe than sets out to discover who set him and Jim up during their initial robbery while also coping with the fact that Cherie now loves Jim.

John Woo does a great job crafting several fun and exciting heist sequences that you normally wouldn't expect to see in any of his films. Joe and Jim rob three pieces of art throughout the film and each heist is crazier than the last. In the first, Jim, Joe, and Cherie have to make their way onto a moving 18 wheeler in order to retrieve a painting. This scene ends with Chow Yun parasailing off of the truck and floating in the air to some classical music. Great stuff. In the second, Jim and Joe have a to swing across a room with an electrical floor in order to grab a painting off of a wall. They even look through wine glasses in order to spot the security lasers within the room. And in the third, and wackiest, Jim and Joe have to blow open a vault to get at the goods inside. When a load of henchmen show up to kill them, Joe fights them off by sliding around in his wheel chair and head butting sticky grenades at them. If anyone wants to see the great John Woo at his silliest and most carefree, than look no further than these heist scenes.

The stunt work is off the charts in the most bad ass rom com of all time.

Chow Yun Fat is at his funniest and most carefree in this flick. He is beyond charming and likable. I can't express it enough but Chow Yun Fat's smile is the most lovable and infectious smile in movie history. Whenever the guy smiles I can't help but smile back and love the guy even more. It's so rare that an actor in cinema can have over 800 on screen kills and still be both handsome and hilarious.

Leslie Cheung is also great as the lovable and bad ass Jim. It's great to see Chow and Leslie reunite after tearing up the screen in Woo's A Better Tomorrow Saga. These actors are so awesome and lovable I can't get enough of them. It's a shame that Cheung committed suicide and never got to star with Chow Yun Fat ever again. Cherie Chung is also adorable as the film's main love interest and plays an important role in the engaging love triangle between Joe and Jim. 

Hong Kong veteran actors Kenneth Tsang and Kong Chu also do great work as Joe, Jim, and Cherie's mentors. Tsang plays Chow, a cruel and formidable gangster who takes advantage of his children every chance that he gets but pretends to love them at the same time. Chu on the other hand plays Chow, a police officer who teaches the trio kindness and compassion. One of Once a Thief's strongest points lies within the dichotomy between these two character foils. I love nothing more than a story about mentors who teach their students with varying methodologies. Action fans should take note that Tsang and Chu had made appearances in previous Woo films alongside Chow Yun Fat before; Tsang was the kind automobile shop owner in A Better Tomorrow and Chu was the friendly but shifty gangster in The Killer. Therefore, any viewer with an understanding and appreciation of Woo's filmography will enjoy Once a Thief that much more.

Chow is a huge dick to Tsang in a laugh riot of a scene.

Once a Thief's only downfall is that its comedic tone shifts after the half way point, a fault that even Woo himself has admitted too. The first half of the film is very romantic, charming, and humorous while the second half is extremely goofy, cartoonish, and action packed. While one could argue that both halves contain comedy, romance, and action, it's clear that the two tones established in each half differ just enough to throw off the picture's balance. The first half of the film was shot at a steady pace in France as a way for Woo to pay tribute to the films of Francois Truffaut. This is evident by the film's romantic scenes and charming tours around France. However, once Woo returned to finish the film in Hong Kong, the shooting schedule picked up speed and Once a Thief quickly devolved into a typical Hong Kong action comedy. While the first half of the film is still silly, the film exists within a world somewhat resembling reality. The second half of the film on the other hand feels like something out of a Looney Tunes cartoon. The comedy gets really crazy by the end once Chow Yun Fat does wheel chair martial arts, twirls a pole to the sound of classical music, and accidentally throws a baby across a room. I understand Woo's disgrace here, I really do, but I still enjoy the film all the same. 

Once a Thief is easily Woo's tamest and least violent action film from his prime in Hong Kong. The shootouts and the car chases are still fantastic, don't get me wrong, it's just that the film has more of a reliance on explosions to kill people than it does guns or bullets. When people do get shot, very little, if any blood at all, is shown. The big final gun fight contains no bloody squibs whatsoever. However, I understand Woo's decision to tame the violence. After all, a romantic comedy isn't as romantic or comedic as possible if every character death is met with gallons of blood. Still, Once a Thief contains a heavy body count that will impress any action fan despite all of the tamed down violence. If anything, Once a Thief is John Woo's first true PG-13 film, even though it is officially rated R.

I can't help but point out simply how many stunt errors are evident in the film as well. Most John Woo films never reveal their production problems thanks to excellent editing or all around great production value. Unfortunately, Once a Thief is littered with evident production errors. There are several shots where wires can be seen attached to an actor as they fly out of a window or through the air. Stuntmen can even be seen wearing helmets when they flip a car. Explosions even go off before vehicles collide with one another. My favorite stunt error occurs during the big chase in France when a stuntman drives his car through a trailer. The stunt is awesome and all, except for the fact that one can clearly see the ramp built inside of the trailer. 

Fell for the old death by flaming microwaved basketball trick.

The first half of Once a Thief truly is a charming and adorable romance that any film critic would be hard pressed not to love. However, I can understand how any cinematic viewer might be turned off by the second half, what with all of the wheel chair martial arts and exploding sticky bombs. John Woo incorporates a huge variety of everyday objects into his action scenes with this film. Chow Yun Fat and Leslie Cheung use a microwave to blow a basketball across a room into a henchman, twirl a fishing pole to knock down enemies and daze them, slide atop a skateboard while shooting a gun, spin around on wheel chairs while head butting bombs, and even spit paint thinner and vodka out of their mouths to blow back a man's fire ball attack. 

Yeah, I should probably mention that one of the henchmen during the finale has magic powers somehow, I kid you not. While every other henchman and villains in the film use guns, this one big suited henchie has the ability to conjure up flames out of his sleeves and to hurl playing cards so fast that they cut their victims. This random henchman has the powers of X-Men's Pyro and Daredevil's Bullseye rolled up into one. I think that Woo and the producers officially gave up when they decided to pit Chow against a magician for the final face off.

I can't forget to mention that Once a Thief also contains one of the most ridiculous and hilarious plot twists in any movie I have ever seen. It is so out there and unbelievable, that I can't help but laugh at it. Most people will probably scoff at it and disown the movie the moment they see it. However, I think that the twist is hilarious and I love the film even more for it. It's Hong Kong comedy for goodness sakes, give it a break. Still, your jaw will drop and your head will explode when the twist arrives, it is that unpredictable and that impossible.

Two Time Hong Kong Film Award Winning Actor: Chow Yun Fat

John Woo will always be remembered for heroic bloodshed genre films like A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled. However, I believe that Once a Thief should be mentioned in the same breath as those other films because it is equally rewarding. Once a Thief nails all of the themes of heroic bloodshed: honor, loyalty, brotherhood, double fisted gun action, self sacrifice, and cops and robbers. It just separates itself from the rest of the deadly serious heroic bloodshed films with scenes of wheel chair martial arts and Chow Yun Fat throwing a baby through the air. Woo's one and only comedy is as goofy and fun as they come. If I ever meet the guy, I would love to shake his hand and congratulate him on making one of my favorite comedies ever. Even though Once a Thief is a comedy, it still has a minor amount of blood in it and a truly immense body count. Therefore, Woo never betrays himself or the audience, giving them exactly what they want, as well as himself. It's still a Woo film, through and through, even down to Leslie Cheung shooing a dove out of his way during the final shootout. 

Rating: 9/10 - A hilarious, charming, romantic, and bad ass action film that ranks as one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen.

Brothers, Guns, and Doves - City on Fire (1987)

Director: Ringo Lam

Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Danny Lee, Sun Yueh, Carrie Ng, Roy Cheung

Country: Hong Kong

Rating: R

Run Time: 105 minutes

Chow Yun Fat exploded onto the Hong Kong filmmaking scene with his breakout performance in A Better Tomorrow in 1986. While the film was not the very first "heroic bloodshed" film, it set the standards for how all future heroic bloodshed films would be made and popularized star Chow Yun Fat and director John Woo. While Chow Yun Fat's performance in A Better Tomorrow is an incredibly dramatic and action centric role, his performance in 1987's City on Fire is arguably even better and one of his finest roles in all of his career.

City on Fire is a fantastic heroic bloodshed film from master filmmaker Ringo Lam. While most action films from Hong Kong are heavy on action, City on Fire has only a measly two action scenes. Therefore, stars Chow Yun Fat and Danny Lee have to carry the film with their acting and not just their action scenes. The film is a tense and powerful action film that covers the themes of honor, friendship, and undercover cops. Even though the film is lacking in excessive violence and gunfire, the film's incredible tension, memorable soundtrack, and devotion from star Chow Yun Fat make it one of the best heroic bloodshed films to ever come out of Hong Kong.

Now that's what I call a beautiful title card.

The film opens with an undercover cop calling the police station to alert them to some crucial information regarding a potential jewel heist. Unfortunately, a fellow gangster overhears the cop and stabs him to death. Saddened by the loss of one of his men and his lead in the jewel heist, Inspector Lau (Sun Yueh) calls up another one of his other undercover cops. That other cop is Ko Chow (Chow Yun Fat). Lau asks Ko Chow to look into the gang and integrate himself into the group until they make their move on a jewelry store. What follows is an hour and forty five minutes of Ko Chow befriending the thieves, running from other cops who don't know that he is undercover, and struggling with his eventual betrayal of his newfound friend Fu (Danny Lee).

City on Fire is as "heroic" as a heroic bloodshed film gets. For those not in the know, a heroic bloodshed film is a drama or an action film primarily made in Hong Kong featuring lots of double handed gun play, a massive body count, highly stylized action, cops and robbers, and themes of honor and friendship. While not packed to the brim with countless corpses and excessive gun play, City on Fire meets everything on this check list. 

The themes of honor and friendship are more prevalent and powerful than most other heroic bloodshed films because City on Fire is primarily character driven. While the two or three action scenes in the film are solid displays of gun fire, they are made better by the characters and drama that inhabit them, not just the squibs and blanks. City on Fire is heavily reminiscent of other Hong Kong efforts such as Man Wanted (1995), The Infernal Affairs Trilogy (2000's), Drug War (2013), and even American productions like The Corruptor (1999), The Departed (2006), and most infamously Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992). I also recommend John Woo's The Killer (1989) because the film is a complete role reversal of this film that places Chow Yun Fat in the role of the criminal and Danny Lee in the role of the cop. It makes for a great compliment to this film if you are curious for more Chow Yun Fat/Danny Lee collaborations.

Danny Lee looks in awe at his handy work.

If being a heroic bloodshed film wasn't enough, City on Fire also has the benefit of being a Christmas time action film! The final half of the film has several scenes with lots of Christmas music in the background and decorations all around. The one scene that sticks out to me is when Danny Lee and Chow Yun Fat watch a Christmas party across the street from their hangout. They point and smile and admire how much fun the patrons are having. But the best bit of Christmas spirit that works its way into the movie is during the final action scene. As Fu drives his car away from the police, a bystander pulls their car right in front of him. When Fu plows through the car, a rendition of "Joy to the World" starts to play as the film's score. It's quite bizarre for such a serious film to do such a silly thing but I liked it. As soon as they crash their car the song stops so at least Ringo Lam knew when to pull back. Otherwise, there is just enough Christmas cheer, music, and decorations in the final half of the film to quality it as a Christmas time action flick like Die Hard, Die Hard 2, First Blood, Invasion U.S.A., and The Long Kiss Goodnight. You've gotta love an action film set during Christmas time.

One of City on Fire's strongest aspect is its lead performance in Chow Yun Fat. Chow plays a character named Ko Chow (how convenient) and really goes through the ringer in this film. Ko Chow wants to help the police however possible. However, he also has to balance a love life, avoid the cops on his tail that don't know he is an undercover cop, and deal with the fact that he is going to betray the jewel thieves that he is befriending. All of these things stack up and cause immense stress in Ko Chow's life. You really feel the stress piling up on Ko Chow; especially when he loses his fiance forever. I found the most emotionally tense moment of the film to be when Ko Chow walks up to his fiance as she tries to run from him at the airport. As she walks towards the plane Ko yells, "Run away! Don't come back!" The cops than grab Ko Chow and arrest him as he screams and yells at her. Ko Chow is a tragic character and Chow Yun Fat nails this role so well. It's truly one of the best roles of Chow's career as far as combining both his dramatic chops and action chops.

Danny Lee and Sun Yeuh do a fine job with their roles. They aren't given as much screen time as Chow Yun Fat so they don't get as much of an opportunity to flesh out their characters. However, they occupy their roles just fine and give solid performances. One thing worth noting is that Danny Lee gets all of the bad ass action scenes in the film. Chow Yun Fat surprisingly fires a gun in only two scenes. He steps back and lets another actor fill the action shoes; much like his performance in A Better Tomorrow III.

Chow rocks an awesome coat as he runs from the police.

The heart of City on Fire is Ko Chow's struggle to please everyone. He tries so hard to get everyone off of his back and simply wants to do the right thing. His character is made far the more tragic by the nightmares that haunt him. This is the icing on the cake of the film. Ko Chow integrated himself into a gang once and turned them over to the police. However, a scuffle occurred and the police were forced to shoot down the man that Ko Chow betrayed. Ko Chow has several nightmares of this betrayal and it haunts him throughout the film. When he befriends Fu, Danny Lee's gangster character, he starts to have nightmares of betraying Fu. You can really feel that it is tearing up Ko because he wants to love his friend but also wants to do the right thing and stop the thieves. I won't spoil the film's conclusion, but it is a very sad and tragic one that exemplifies why I love heroic bloodshed films so much.

As I stated before, City on Fire is very light on action scenes. There is a jewel heist at the beginning of the film, a small foot chase in the middle, and a big jewel heist turned car chase turned epic shootout at the end. The heist at the beginning of the film is pretty good. When the police show up on the scene to stop the heist, Fu steps out on to the street and fires away at the oncoming cop cars. He shoots a car and causes it to flip over, slide, and than explode. But the mayhem at the end of the film is the action pay off of the flick. After the final jewel heist goes wrong, all of the jewel thieves and Ko Chow make off in a car and run from the cops. Once their car crashes, they roll out and engage in an insane shootout right in the streets. I love this final action scene for its impressive stunt work and dramatic implications. Kudos to Ringo Lam for crafting dramatic action scenes with purpose behind them.

There is also a great musical tune that plays during the heists and tense scenes of the film. It's a great piece of music and it screams "1980's."

Danny Lee pops a cop right in the head during the final shootut.

I love City on Fire because it is a heroic bloodshed action film starring two of my favorite Hong Kong action stars, Chow Yun Fat and Danny Lee. The film also comes from masterful filmmaker Ringo Lam who also directed one of my favorite action films of all time, Full Contact (1993). However, many people search out this film simply because it is the inspiration and source of Quentin Tarantino's very popular Reservoir Dogs.

It's a shame that people would only want to watch this film for that reason because City on Fire and Reservoir Dogs are completely different films. City on Fire tells the story of a cop who integrates himself into a gang that plans on robbing a jewelry store. The film ends with a big jewelry heist and a huge car chase / shootout. Reservoir Dogs picks up right where City on Fire ends. The film finds all of the characters after the heist gone wrong and turns it into a low budget character drama that makes use of flashbacks and lengthy monologues. The films could not be more different. 

Yes, there are several scenes and beats lifted straight out of City on Fire. The most obvious ones are the similar final Mexican stand offs, the story of a cop integrating himself into a gang and regretting the eventual betrayal, and the action beats where Danny Lee fires two revolvers into a cop car just like Harvey Keitel does in Reservoir Dogs. But beyond that, both films are entirely different and I hope that no one calls Tarantino a copy cat or City on Fire a lame and weaker film.

The typical Hong Kong Standoff.

City on Fire is a great heroic bloodshed film that all action and drama fans should check out. It's not one of the absolute best Hong Kong action films but it is definitely one of the most confident and dramatic. The tension is unbearable, the action is bloody, and the lead performance is outstanding. Chow Yun Fat gives one of the best performances of his career as the tired and tragic Ko Chow. Danny Lee also does a great job as Fu, the friendly but criminal jewel thief. I highly recommend this action film and consider it to be one Chow Yun Fat's strongest films. And yes, people who love Reservoir Dogs might want to check this out. But do look at it for what it was back in 1987 and not just that old film that Tarantino ripped off.

Rating: 8/10 - A powerful, tense, and thrilling crime drama with two great action scenes thrown into the mix to wet the action aficionado's pallet.

The Corruptor (1999)

Director: James Foley
Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Mark Wahlberg, Brian Cox, Rick Young, Bryon Mann
Country: United States
Rating: R
Run Time: 110 minutes

The Corruptor is the only American action film that properly utilizes international star Chow Yun Fat. Before the film, Chow made his attempt at U.S. stardom with Antoine Fuqua's The Replacement Killers in 1998. And while The Replacement Killers has great action scenes, the characters are dull and the film feels like a cheap American attempt at Hong Kong action cinema. However, The Corruptor is the perfect American vehicle for Chow Yun Fat because it allows him to play a complex character, show off his action prowress, and star in a film that deals with both Chinese and American relations in the Chinatown portion of New York City. In my opinion, The Corruptor is one of the most underrated action films of the 1990's.

Chow takes aim in the film's most impressive action scene.

The Corruptor is an American action film that draws heavily from Chinese influence in both its aesthetics, themes, and characters. The film tells the story of two cops, a rookie and a veteran, who patrol the streets of Chinatown. Detective Danny Wallace (Mark Wahlberg) joins the 15th precinct, run by Lieutenant Nick Chen (Chow Yun Fat). Their precinct is in charge of the gang wars between the Tongs and the Fukinese in Chinatown, New York. However, Wallace soon finds out that any cop can be bought by Henry Lee (Ric Young), the leader of the Tongs. Wallace and Chen both find themselves in internal affairs for Lee and aid him in his struggle for power against the Fukinese. Things are further complicated when the F.B.I. begin investigating Wallace and Chen in order to build a case against them. As tension rises, Wallace and Chen soon must question if they can even trust each other in the midst of everything.

Nick Chen is one of Chow's best performances in his whole career. Even though Chen is a cop, he aids the Tongs from time to time. Therefore, Chen is a flawed character who plays both sides of the law. What makes the film better is that Chen himself knows that. He talks about how he will have to answer for his decisions one day and regrets aiding the Tong ever since they got ahold of him long ago. The film shows how far cops will go in order to stop crime if only to aid another criminal in the process. These themes of internal affairs, honor, and trust amongst cops and brothers are exactly what separates Hong Kong action films from everything else. Director James Foley and screenwriter Robert Pucci clearly understand how this genre works.

The Corruptor also features one of Mark Wahlberg's best performances in an action film. Walhberg has starred in numerous action films over the years: Shooter, Four Brothers, 2 Guns, Contraband, etc. However, I enjoy his presence here because he isn't self aware of his stardom yet. Wahlberg delivers a strong and honest performance of a cop caught up in the midst of playing both sides of the law. Few of Wahlberg's action-centric characters have as much depth as Danny Wallace does. Wahlberg also has great chemistry with Chow Yun Fat. One of the things I love about this film is that it never tries to be a buddy comedy. While there is some witty banter here and there, the focus of the film is always drama and action. Foley and Pucci made the wise decision to portray the characters as seriously as possible. I also wonder who thought of teaming up Mark Wahlberg and Chow Yun Fat in an action film? Regardless, their partnership works and I quite enjoyed them.

The classic, "You snuck up on me," scene.

The film also boasts a great villain in Henry Lee (Ric Young of The Transporter). Young has a devilish personality to him that makes him for one of the most detestable and conniving villain actors around. If anyone were to ever play an evil snake in an animated movie, Young would be the go to guy. The rest of the film's gangsters and villains are pretty forgettable. Secondary villain Bobby Vu (Bryon Mann) is so exaggerated that I couldn't take him seriously at times. I know his character is supposed to be obnoxious but I think that Mann hammed it up a little too much.

Chen's friend Jack is also pretty annoying. He constantly makes sexual comments about women and is even more obnoxious than Bobby Vu. I would have liked this movie that much more if his character were axed completely. He adds nothing to the story and exists purely for comic relief, painful comic relief that is. Brian Cox (Ironclad) also graces us with his awesome presence as Wallace's father. While Cox is barely in the film, I'll take ten minutes of Brian Cox over no Brian Cox any day.

In the nearly two hour film, there are four big action scenes. Unfortunately, three of these big set pieces take place in the first forty minutes of the film. Therefore, there is a large gap of the film devoid of violence and action. The Corruptor turns into a straight police drama for an act and a half and axes the action all together. I'm all fine for character driven police dramas (The Departed, Infernal Affairs). However, I feel that it is a bit of a betrayal for the film to start off with so much action and than to slow things down considerably for a solid forty minutes of screen time.

Gangster style.

All of the action on display is fantastic though. Any film that starts off with a shootout in the first four minutes is good in my book! There is also a great brothel shootout where Wallace gets his first taste of action. The film even boasts an extremely impressive car chase through the streets of Chinatown. This is easily one of the best car chases I have ever seen. Unlike other car chases, the two cars fire guns at each other throughout the entire chase! If you are to watch this film for anything, make it this car chase. It's a great one.

Even though this film is an American production, I would easily classify The Corruptor as a "heroic bloodshed" film. It contains many elements that one would find in a Hong Kong action film. The film stars Chow Yun Fat, an actor mostly known for his roles in Hong Kong action films. The narrative even concerns cops, gangsters, and internal affairs, concepts that abide in many heroic bloodshed action films. The typical heroic bloodshed themes of honor, brotherhood, and loyalty also abide. All of the action sequences incorporate guns, slow motion effects, and a considerable body count. The film even ends with an action packed finale where one of the protagonists sacrifices themselves, a staple in many heroic bloodshed pictures. The Corruptor also incorporates a high amount of Cantonese dialog, Hong Kong actors, and Chinese music unusual for an American production. These Hong Kong influences are so apparent that it is near impossible for me not to consider the film a part of the heroic bloodshed genre.

Chow Yun Fat is "under siege" in the final boat shootout.

As you can tell, I really enjoy James Foley's The Corruptor. It's a heavily underrated cop thriller that flopped at the box office back in 1999. However, I think that its action scenes and themes still hold up today and serves as a fun film to discover for "heroic bloodshed" junkies out there who think that they have seen them all. It is also the only great American film that Chow Yun Fat headlined during his short lived Hollywood career. I highly recommend the film to all action fans and especially to Chow Yun Fat fans.

Rating: 8/10 - A solid and underrated 90's cop drama that deserves a Blu Ray release in order to revitalize its popularity.

Update: The film finally made it to Blu Ray as of April 2015! 

A Better Tomorrow III: Love And Death In Saigon (1989)

Director: Tsui Hark

Cast: Chow Yun Fat, Anita Mui, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Shih Kien, Maggie Cheung Ho-yee

Country: Hong Kong

Rating: R

Run Time: 105 minutes

With John Woo no longer at the helm of one of the most action packed franchises of all time, one would expect the series to go down hill. Fortunately for us action fans, A Better Tomorrow III was not just some half-assed prequel. Instead, Tsui Hark took over and delivered a very romantic film that still managed to kick some major ass, especially in the third act. 

Another great classic image of Chow.

A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death In Saigon (an awesome subtitle) takes place in 1974. Therefore, it is a prequel to the events of A Better Tomorrow 1 and 2. Mark Lee (Chow Yun Fat) goes to Saigon in order to bring his Uncle Ten (Enter the Dragon's Shih Kien) and cousin Cheung (Election's Tony Leung Ka-Fai) back to Hong Kong with him. Cheung reveals to Mark that he has been dealing with gangsters in order to make more money to support his father Ten. Being the kind and honorable family member that Mark is, he offers his help to Cheung. 

While in Saigon, the two meet Kit (Anita Mui), a beautiful woman who offers for them to accompany her on a deal with a Vietnamese war lord. When things go wrong at the meeting, Mark and Cheung find themselves plunged into the world of underground crime. They also find their loved ones and family members threatened by Vietnamese soldiers and Kit's former lover Ho-Cheung Ching.

Who would have thought that a prequel to the A Better Tomorrow series would have so much going on in it? The film is pretty good for being an unnecessary sequel. There are only a few things that help classify it as a prequel besides it being set in 1974, 12 years before the events of the first film. It does show Mark get his trademark Alain Delon glasses and awesome trench coat. However, it is very shoe horned into the story when you consider how much else is going on in the plot already. I guess this is technically the first time that Mark has ever killed people too. This explains why he is such an honorable brother and deadly killer in the other two films but a novice in this film. Seriously, he nabs 4 kills in the entire film but kills over 100 people combined in the first two films. 

Swag.

This leads into the most unique aspect of A Better Tomorrow III, its action sequences. Instead of Chow Yun Fat being the most bad ass of the cast, co-star Anita Mui completely steals the show. She must kill nearly 50 people in the film! Who would have guessed that she would be so awesome with two guns? She gets to show off her skills in three absolutely awesome action sequences. She jumps, slides, rolls, and shoots everything! Anita Mui should have become a female action star like Gina Carano or Michelle Yeoh because she kicks major butt in this film.

Much like the first A Better Tomorrow, the third film opts to be more dramatic than action packed. There are only three action scenes in the film, each one in each act of the film. They are all first rate though. The first shootout against the Vietnamese soldiers is just awesome. Anita Mui literally one hands an M16 while holding a pistol in her other hand. However, Chow Yun Fat has my favorite action scene of the whole film. He and Kit's former lover go head to head in a close quarters gun fight that is so bad ass. They fire so many bullets at each other and never hit each other once! I love it.

Anita Mui reminds Chow she is the killer elite.

Tsui Hark chooses to use a lot of slow motion just like John Woo. However, Tsui Hark's usage of slow motion is almost over kill. John Woo expertly blends regular speed and slow motion in order to turn his action scenes into a ballet of violence. Tsui Hark on the other hand showcases the entire action scene with just slow motion. While this technique makes much of the imagery very memorable, it really slows down the proceedings of the action. While I am normally a slow motion advocate, this film needed to learn to use it sparingly.

Unlike the previous A Better Tomorrow films, this is film is very much about heterosexual love and romance. The previous films were all about brotherhood, honor, and intense friendship amongst men. While there is a little of that here between Chow Yun and Tony Leung, the romantic love triangle is at the fore front of everything else. Cheung, Mark, and Kit all struggle with figuring out who belongs with who romantically. Kit's former lover also complicates this triangle as well. You could argue that it is a love square actually. To be honest, I absolutely loved the romance between Chow Yun Fat and Anita Mui. They made for an adorable couple and I loved the tension and chemistry between them. In short, very little bromance, but a lot of romance.

Hipster Tony Leung.

All of the performances in the film are great too. Anita Mui is awesome as the sexy but totally bad ass femme fatale. Chow is great as always as Mark Lee, the character that made him an international star. Tony Leung Ka-Fai is also good as Cheung. I loved that all three of the lead characters got in on the action too. Each A Better Tomorrow film usually showcases a group of three people going up against countless henchman in an all shootout. In the first film it was Ti Lung, Chow Yun, and Leslie Cheung in the dock shootout. In the second film, it was Ti Lung, Chow Yun, and Dean Shek waging a full war inside of a mansion. And in this film, Anita Mui, Chow Yun, and Tony Leung take on Vietnamese soldiers in an abandoned house.

I also noted that the film reminded me of two other Chow Yun Fat films, Hong Kong 1941 and Once a Thief. Both of these films depict Chow in a romantic love triangle. Hong Kong 1941 is even more similar because it also deals with the backdrop of war. If you are like me and are trying to watch every Chow Yun Fat film ever made, definitely check out those two films. They are really great and totally underrated.

The classic John Woo Mexican stand-off.

So ultimately, how do I feel about this third film in the trilogy that acts as both a finale and a prequel? In all honesty, I think it's pretty good. The acting, story, and drama are all great. The action is for the most part great, minus some excessive slow motion. However, I felt that some of the film's villains were too undefined and that the film dragged during the second act. Otherwise, this is a sweet finale to the series. However, if anything was to close out the series, it should've been the insane mansion shootout from the end of A Better Tomorrow II.

Rating: 8/10 - A solid finale to one of the best action trilogies of all time. Highly recommended and worth checking out even though John Woo had no part in it.

Best Kill / Beatdown: All I will say is, Chow Yun Fat on a Motorcycle vs. A Tank.

Best Action Scene: My favorite action scene was when Chow had a one on one gunfight with Kit's former lover, Ho. Chow dual wields two M16's while Ho leaps and flips with just a hand gun. They fire so many bullets at each other and not one ever connects! I loved it.

Best Performance: I'm going to have to go with Anita Mui as Kit. She just blew me away during the action scenes and was a great romantic co-star for Chow. Chow is a definite second place too. Getting to see him play the same character and bring his all three times is a real treat.

Franchise:
A Better Tomorrow (dir. John Woo, 1986)
A Better Tomorrow II (dir. John Woo, 1987)
A Better Tomorrow III: Love And Death In Saigon (dir. Tsui Hark, 1989)
Return to a Better Tomorrow (dir. Wong Jing, 1994)
A Better Tomorrow (dir. Hae-sung Song, 2010)

Action Icon Profile: Chow Yun Fat

Profession: Actor

Born: May 18, 1955

Birth Name: Chow Yun Fat

Career Summary: 

Chow Yun Fat is the Cary Grant of action icons. With a charming smile and incredible screen presence, the guy is my favorite action icon and favorite actor of all time. No one does action like Chow. With nearly 800 on screen kills by his hand alone, Chow Yun is one of the most deadly killing machines in all of cinema. Chow's action performances usually revolve around stories of brotherhood and honor. He usually plays either a criminal with a moral code or a bad ass cop. Chow broke ground with his performance in A Better Tomorrow, the definitive heroic bloodshed film. Since than, Chow has starred in many action films and pumped out nearly 20 action films from 1986-1996.

Chow than came to America in an attempt at U.S. stardom. It was short lived, and Chow has since returned to Hong Kong and continues to star in films. He has yet to return to his glory days as an all out killing machine. However, he has instead assumed mentor, royalty, or comedic relief roles in his current action films. Chow made 5 films with John Woo, making them one of the greatest director/actor duos in all of cinema. I dream of the day when Chow Yun returns to a John Woo film. If I had to select the three films that best represent Chow Yun Fat as an action icon, I would select A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled. These three films are to me the template of what makes a perfect action film.

Personal Favorite: A Better Tomorrow (1986)

Note: I know Chow is in several other action films that don't even have reviews or pages online or DVD or VHS copies that are easy to track down. Therefore, the very beginning of his career, say pre-1984, is not a completely listed. Than again, anything before A Better Tomorrow is not really great or amazing material, so it's not a huge loss. But for the action completists out there, this is not a complete list.

Films:

Heroic Cops (1979)

The Story of Woo Viet (1981)

The Postman Strikes Back (1982)

The Head Hunter (1982)

Hong Kong 1941 (1984)

A Better Tomorrow (1986)

City on Fire (1987)

Flaming Brothers (1987)

Rich and Famous (1987)

Tragic Hero (1987)

Prison on Fire (1987)

A Better Tomorrow 2 (1987)

City War (1988)

Tiger on Beat (1988)

The Killer (1989)

A Better Tomorrow 3 (1989)

God of Gamblers (1989)

Once a Thief (1991)

Prison on Fire 2 (1991)

Hard Boiled (1992)

Full Contact (1993)

God of Gamblers Returns (1994)

Treasure Hunt (1994)

Peace Hotel (1995)

The Replacement Killers (1998)

The Corruptor (1999)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Bulletproof Monk (2003)

Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The World's End (2007)

Dragonball: Evolution (2009)

Confucius (2010)

Let the Bullets Fly (2010)

The Assassins (2012)

The Last Tycoon (2012)

From Vegas to Macau (2014)

The Monkey King (2014)

Rich and Famous (1987) Review

Series: Rich and Famous Saga (1/2)

Director: Taylor Wong

Cast: Andy Lau, Chow Yun Fat, Alex Man, Alan Tam, Pauline Wong, Danny Lee

Country: Hong Kong

Let it be known right here that one of the lead actors in this film, Chow Yun Fat, is my favorite actor of all time. No one, and I mean no one does action like Chow does. Put a gun in that man's hand or a smile on his face and I am freakin' glued to the screen! I also want to say that this is probably the worst film to start with as far as it comes to diving into the amazing filmography of the man himself. However, it was on my mind and I haven't watched in over a year or so. Therefore, I watched it and you will all get your first taste of my love for Chow Yun.

The Godfather Part 1: Rich and Famous

Rich and Famous is a really good Hong Kong gangster drama. It tells a very compelling story of loyalty, brotherhood, and love in its one hour and forty three minute run time. However, this is Part One of the story. That's right, this is a two part ordeal a-la Kill Bill. I have already seen Part Two (a.k.a. Tragic Hero) but will just focus on Part One for now.

Rich and Famous is very much like a Hong Kong attempt at The Godfather Parts One and Two. Attempting to redo The Godfather is no task anyone should ever have to attempt. Therefore, Rich and Famous is a much shorter and action packed version of the kind of generation spanning drama that you would find in a Godfather film.

Kwok (Andy Lau) and Yung (Alex Man) are two brothers who stick through the thick and thin. While Yung is not biologically Kwok's brother, Kwok's father adopted him long ago when he became an orphan. The two get along well at a young age and develop a powerful bond. The film than fast forwards to the 1960's when the brothers have grown up a bit. Yung is always being a troublemaker and gets in to deep trouble when he lands himself with major gambling debt. When Yung and Kwok try to pay off the gambling debt by stealing money from a gang boss named Chu (Chun Hsiung Ko), they land themselves in even more trouble. Eventually, Chu and his men get their hands on Kwok. Yung and his sister Chiu than have to beg for the help of none other than Brother Chai (Chow Yun Fat), one of the heads of the Chinese Triads.

Andy Lau and Alex Man are great as conflicting brothers.

Brother Chai has no need to help them. However, he feels bad for the siblings and knows that it is the right thing to do. He also wants to show Chu that he shouldn't be so brutal and hard on people. With Kwok's release, Yung and Kwok become indentured workers to Brother Chai. While many stories and characters branch off from these events, two main stories drive the rest of the film.

1. The slow dissipation of the relationship between Kwok and Yung.
2. The rising tension between Chu and Chai.

I forgot how good Rich and Famous is. I love all of the characters and how they all change and grow up over the course of several years. I love Andy Lau as Kwok. He's a great and loyal brother who values honor and brotherhood over anything else. Alex Man is also great as his brother Yung. Yung undergoes the biggest character arc of them all too. I know this isn't as good as The Godfather's generational family drama, but I thought that was on display here was quite good for a run of the film 80's H.K. actioner.

Chow Yun Fat is obviously awesome. He plays Brother Chai with his usual charm and grace. I also find it interesting that all of the DVD's, VHS's, and posters for this film paint Chow as the lead character. For the first half of this film, Yung and Kwok are the leads. It takes a good thirty minutes before Chow is even introduced into the film. His Brother Chai character is definitely not the lead. He arguably shares the screen with Yung and Kwok equally.

Chow's Sunglass of Choice: the Ray Ban.

Alan Tam, a famous H.K. singer, plays a memorable supporting character named Mak. He starts off as a sniffling (literally) wimp and turns into a rich and fashionable guy. He single handedly saves the day at the end of the film too. I just loved his character so much. Interesting fact: Tam has released a whopping 115 albums of music, 115!

Danny Lee (The Killer) even has a bizarre guest appearance. As I watched the film for what must be my second time, I noticed a hilarious continuity error involving Lee. Near the end of the film, Lee gets out of a police car and has a head of curly hair. As he walks up to Chow, his hair is now flat! Than, during the very final scene, he shows up again and has curly hair! What happened with the hair department on this!

Notable character actor Shing Fui On also plays one of Brother Chai's guards. Shing Fui On usually plays villains and henchmen in other H.K. films such as A Better Tomorrow 2, Legacy of Rage, The Killer, Tiger on Beat, and God of Gamblers. Therefore, it was nice to see him on the good guy side for once.

A strangulating yo-yo. Watch out Inspector Gadget.

As I stated before, Rich and Famous is mostly a drama. However, that doesn't stop it from having some action here and there. There is a fun fist fight and chase scene at the beginning of the film that is pretty awesome. Yung and Kwok even duke it out melee style in a small restaurant. Kwok even gets knocked out of window and climbs right back up!

The two action highlights come in the form of two shootouts. One shootout, which is very spoilery, bookends the film. I won't go into details on that because it would truly ruin the film for those who have not seen it. However, there is a great shootout at the thirty minute mark that lets all of the film's characters get in on the action. It's definitely the best scene of the movie. Chow Yun Fat even rolls up in a car and drive by shoots a bunch of guys! I want to applaud just thinking about it.

I'd even applaud Chow eating. He's a God (of Gamblers).

Backed by awesome music and memorable characters, Rich and Famous is a great Hong Kong action film that is never discussed in the same breath as the other great Heroic Bloodshed films. That's a shame, because it is quite good. All of the performances are great and the little action that is there is completely memorable. This film will mostly please genre fanatics like myself. Tune in next time for the big finale in...Tragic Hero!

Rating: 9/10 - Rich and Famous is an awesome and underrated Heroic Bloodshed film. Highly recommended!

Best Kill / Beatdown: My favorite kill might be the last kill. Sorry, that's a spoiler though!

Best Performance: Surprisingly, Alex Man gives the best performance as the tragic brother who turns from good to evil over the course of the film.

Best Action Scene: The epic house shootout is fantastic. A high body count, memorable kills, and sick music decorate this bloody moment of hell breaking loose. This is Chinese action done right ladies and gentlemen.

Franchise:

Rich and Famous (1987)

Tragic Hero (1987)