Official part of the In The Line of Duty series or not (the Hong Kong print calls it aka part VI), Forbidden Arsenal is largely a stale action- and fighting showcase with Cynthia Khan. The odd fun banter between Waise Lee, To Siu Chung and Khan flashes by, something that also can be said about the action (best bit before the slightly better finale is a short but well-done fencing duel) but the series and Hong Kong action cinema of this kind has seen better days.

Co-director Cheng Siu-Keung now enjoys much more acclaim as Johnnie To's cinematographer of choice, having worked on such films as PTU and Throw Down. Also with Robin Shou, Phillip Kwok and Hiu Siu Hung (now also a Johnnie To regular).

Sort of a sequel yet not to From Beijing With Love, this period comedy sees Stephen Chow as once again as Ling Ling Fat (008 in Chinese), an emperor guard with a dedication to inventions such as an early prototype for an helicopter. Trademark silliness ensue...

Eventually Chow got himself a co-directing credit when Vincent Kok realized how many ideas were put forth by the star and he's really on high form here. Compared to the older films of his helmed by Wong Jing, that were really point and shoot affairs, the technical aspects of Forbidden City Cop share the spotlight with the hilarious antics of Chow and company. Strong comedic interplay with his leading lady Carina Lau is one of the prime assets also and what really also is encouraging is how Chow's mo lei to style really does feel fresh from movie to movie. With a finale that goes surreal places such as the foray into an awards ceremony among other things, Forbidden City Cop cements its winner status. Even though there surely are many local references, and even recognizable ones such as Yuen Cheung Yan in his The Miracle Fighters costume and a parody of the famous alien autopsy, it's easy to connect to Forbidden City Cop. It's simply a great, wild Hong Hong Kong comedy with and by the one who does it best. Law Kar-Ying, Cheung Tat-Ming, Carman Lee, Tats Lau, Yuen King Tan, Vincent Kok, Lee Lik-Chi, Sunny Yuen and Lee Kin Yan (nosepicking transvestite) also appear.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com
Yesasia.com

A treasure hunt amongst gangsters, cops, those caught in between and it results in one of the low-points of Hong Kong action cinema. Containing quality from start to finish, there's also the poor grade of that scale and Four Dragon goes down the drain with every direction it takes. The cheesy synthesizer score of the opening should set off the internal alarm with most and it would be correctly tuned therefore.

The action goes from one cheap set to the other, offering up laughable choreography (featuring an embarrassing editing choice where moves are repeated 2-3 times), comedy and erotica in between. Occasionally you're reminded of the fact that there apparently is a plot and ultimately that Four Dragons really represents the sad truth of being an actor or a filmmaker in Hong Kong. The cast included all have award winning works behind them (Long Arm Of The Law and Mr. Vampire mainly) but this film could serve as an example (depending on your preference for mentioned awarded films) of how quickly you fall from grace and how you need to accept every gig possible to get by. At any rate, stars of this show includes Ken Lo, Chin Siu-Ho, Shum Wai and Ku Feng.

Buy the VCD at:
Yesasia.com

KENNETH'S REVIEW: What looks like retard kung-fu being briefly demonstrated at the top of The Four Invincible coheres later on into a fun piece of kung-fu entertainment. Ching Lei (Ku Feng) is part of the Hung Clan that has strict punishment for disobedience, including amputation. Kicked out and crippled therefore, we cut to 16 years later where the leader of the clan (Jeng Kei-Ying) and his men roam the town to punish whatever comes in their path. Their tour among other things results in a mute (Hon Gwok-Choi), they blind a local fortune teller (To Siu-Ming) and chop off the arm of the character played by Dai Sai-An (also co-action director). Wanting revenge but possessing no skills, they're taken in by Ching Lei and slowly the crippled men become crippled avengers...

Yes, Crippled Avengers is the film that should spring to mind when watching The Four Invincible but this production has chops of its own. Being quite fierce and brutal in its ways, director Wa Yan uses the concept well and rarely stray outside of moods. The lightness that is allowed makes sense and with the dependable Ku Feng present, the slight dip into personal drama even works. Real martial arts action is let loose very late but is of stellar quality with only the actual handicapped kung-fu being a concept that doesn't fly. Thankfully, the movie doesn't hinge on its inclusion funnily enough.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com

The Cheng sisters (Pauline Wong, Carina Lau and Crystal Kwok) are united in Hong Kong and are bringing in a newly found friend from Shanghai, sexy bombshell Chien (Nina Li). It's the time in their lives when a husband needs to be found and going through each suitor, it's seems that the presence of Chien is quite diverting...

A remake of the 1957 movie Our Sister Hedy (that starred Jeanette Lin who also has a supporting role here) Jamie Luk (The Case Of The Cold Fish) works little magic out of that basic story and Four Loves is basically just a trip through each suitor to the next (some being played by Simon Yam, Ray Lui and Derek Yee) without much character conflict being part of the equation. When that does enter, Luk has merely a shallow grip on the question of longing so the film never registers. The production becomes a fine looking one thanks to the ladies but I'd rather have a shorter highlight reel of them in this film rather than the tedious 90 minutes I got. Also starring Wu Fung, Charlie Cho and Anthony Chan appears in a surprise cameo.

A Christmas release that year, Four Riders is Chang Cheh making movies in his sleep and he can because he has the ever so watchable cast of Ti Lung, David Chiang and Chen Kuan-Tai on board as well as his action directing team of Lau Kar-Leung and Tong Gaai. So it speaks volumes about his talents when an automatic movie ends up being entertaining. But the story of solders post-war times who ends up fighting drug dealers in Korea (headed by Hong Kong cinema Japanese mainstay Yasuaki Kurata) is still downright sloppily executed, especially from a design point of view as the film is set in the 50s but contains groovy people from the future 70s. Technical illogical moments galore involves a very sophisticated surveillance system and you have actors making zero impact because there's not a single worthy beat to work with. But a whole switcharoo in viewer sensibility is required during this experience.

Some tangents involves how the solders are searching for their freedom again, being worn and some quite illustrated nonsense about The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse makes its way into the flick which makes us realize that it can't possibly represent something meaningful in this package. No, notions of heroism, loyalty and the slow motion filmed deaths (some of which are quite outrageously gory) corresponds to Chang Cheh either testing new grounds in terms of portraying eras (a big F for that attempt then) or simply knowing he has to make a commercial movie or two now and again. Because wonders such as The New One-Armed Swordsman and Boxer From Shantung had came and was to come respectively and I'll never be convinced of this dip in quality from the legend at this time being an actual grave one. Four Riders allows him to have a bit of fun, making sure there's elements imbedded that are expected of him. Nothing represents this as absurdly as the gymnasium showdown as it allows his action directors to roam free without much logic backing it up. Lily Li, Ching Li and Wang Chung also stars.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com
Yesasia.com

Solid actioner by Stephen Tung that highlights a slick appearance of his gun and explosions-mayhem while also smoothly integrating basic drama that manages to not be as embarrassing as you might think (especially coming from an action director at heart). In a better than usual performance from Jade Leung, she is Jenny who goes on a revenge mission after being forced by monster, bomber and funnily enough also villain Yam Tung (Ching Fung) to murder her uncle. With her she grabs pimp Chan Kong (Jordan Chan) who assisted on a previous undercover mission and the odd match take to Mainland China to wreak havoc no matter what it takes...

We're not convinced a fairly good verdict will come out of the initial stages of Fox Hunter as it feels blurry in the action-stakes and the choice to intercut police briefings containing hostage tactics with the real thing is one of those choices you don't really notice. But adhering slightly to the 48 Hours-formula, only with more emphasis on action, Tung goes to work with A work possibly leading towards immoral places looking at the character desperation. Bike chases, multiple grenade attacks and automatic firing conveyed in a slick, clear way, Leung and Chan also generates worthwhile chemistry to make us invest a little. Especially Jordan has a likeable energy as the not so pimp pimp with more earthly roots. It's not heavy drama, nor is the style captivating but Tung gets by quite nicely by featuring lots of it in quite the superbly paced package. A seemingly realistic blend of Cantonese and Mandarin is employed. Yu Rong-Guang co-stars.

Buy the VCD at:
HK Flix.com
Yesasia.com

Poor Ricky Hui ends up winning the lottery and goes on a spending rampage. After what turns out to be a false doctor diagnosis telling him he's got cancer, he ditches everything and asks a debt ridden gambler to hire assassins to wipe him out. Oops...

If Follow The Star could on a minor level be considered John Woo's first, early flirtation with guns, From Riches To Rags would represent his descent into the dark. However it's more bizarre, twisted darkness and questionable humour that takes center stage during the wild, chase finale that takes stars Ricky Hui and Johnny Koo into a mental hospital with the patients running amok. Before this surprising turn of events, Woo as expected go up to amusing level on the slapstick measuring stick but as with Money Crazy and Follow The Star, there's a pleasant tone to all this, very much unique for its time as Hong Kong comedy cinema had a momentum that can't be replicated today unless you do a tribute to the old days (i.e. Wai Ka Fai's Fantasia). Sam Hui provides another fine, uplifting ditty and co-star Johnny Koo would go on to receive an award nomination in the capacity of cinematographer for his work on Long Arm Of The Law. Melvin Wong (a hell of a snooker player), Lam Ching Ying (also co-action director) and To Siu Ming (cast for the timely Drunken Master parody) also appear.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com