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R E V I E W
China Strike Force
China Star / 2000 / 103 minutes
Directed by Stanley Tong Gwai Lai
Written by Stanley Tong Gwai Lai and Steven WhitneyWith Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Noriko Fujiwara, Coolie, Mark Dacascos
B A C K G R O U N D : director, in cinemas, recent and related films
Former stuntman turned action director (Angel II in 1988 and Fortune Chasers in 1990) turned director Stanley Tong Gwai Lai has helmed only a handful of feature films. But of the seven he has completed so far, three have been for Jackie Chan (Police Story III: Supercop in 1992, Rumble in the Bronx in 1995, and Police Story IV: First Strike in 1996). He also directed Michelle Yeoh in Project S (AKA Supercop 2) in 1993 and the American critical and financial disaster Mr. Magoo in 1997.
This film opened in Hong Kong cinemas in December 2000, enjoying a healthy run of more than a month, and grossing HK $20.5 million.
M O V I E : plot, performances, production, rating
Plot: Doesn't make any sense. Doesn't matter.
Performances: Aaron Kwok Fu Sing as lead police investigator Darren Tong is wooden. Wang Lee Hom as his partner Alex Cheung is a little better (he has an easier time with the plentiful English dialogue). Noriko Fujiwara as outlandishly flirtatious mystery woman Norika is certainly very attractive and enjoyable to watch in the action scenes, but is not quite fluent for her English dialogue (the subtitles help). Coolie as bad guy Coolio is a musician pretending to be an actor and is not quite fluent for his English dialogue (the subtitles help). Ruby Lin as Alex's fiancee (also named Ruby) does nothing spectacular with a stereotypical "girlfriend" role." I wish Mark Dacascos had a bigger part than the one he does have as the ambitious criminal Tony Lau (he's a good fighter and his acting is not too irritating). Veteran character actor Paul Chun Pai brings life to the part of Sheriff Lin (Ruby's father).
Production: Stanley Tong Gwai Lai's direction is not as sharp or stylish as it was in his films with Jackie Chan or Michelle Yeoh. One action sequence at the end is quite memorable; a couple of others are fun to watch (choreographed by Tong and Ailen Sit Chun Wai). Yet nothing is so electrifying as to completely offset the weak script and pacing in the dramatic scenes that string together a rather predictable plot. And the fact that much of the dialogue is spoken in English hampers the effectiveness of some of the performers. One of the producers (in the "making of" feature that is included) claims that the film was meant to launch the international action film careers of Aaron Kwok Fu Sing and Noriko Fujiwara. Sadly, it seems that the script was thrown together hurriedly and fails to establish either of the two stars as persuasive English-language performers. (To add insult to injury, the film has yet to be distributed in the United States.) The editing by Pietro Cecchini, Keung Chuen-Tak, and Yau Chi-Wai helps some of the action scenes but does not eliminate the blemishes of the non-action sequences (which comprise too large a percentage of the running time). The cinematography by Jeffrey Mygatt (he worked with Tong on the American television series Martial Law, but otherwise has limited credits) is strictly ordinary. The musical score by Wong Chun Yin (Rumble in the Bronx, Police Story IV: First Strike, Gen-X Cops) leans heavily on a high-tech sound (electronic drums and the like) and adds an enjoyable layer of energy.
Rating: Category IIB. Many fighting scenes and some gunshot violence, some of it with explicit bloodshed; extensive profanity along with a limited amount of suggestive dialogue.
D V D : look, sound, subtitles, features
Look: The letterboxed (approximately 2.35:1) video quality was good. The opening scenes are nearly too dark to see, but that's likely the fault of the filmmakers. For the most part black tones are deep, colors are striking, and flesh tones are accurate.
Sound: I listened to the DD 5.1 Mandarin audio track (original language, although post-synch) and it sounded fairly good, with immersive surround action and thumping bass effects. Some of the post-synch sound effects were a bit too artificial. As noted elsewhere, much of the dialogue is English-language. Also included are DTS tracks in Cantonese and Mandarin, and a DD 5.1 Cantonese dub.
Subtitles: The white removable English subtitles are easy to read, but contain numerous misspellings and are poorly translated in many instances. On the other hand, without them I wouldn't have a clue what some of the actors are saying. English subtitles are also provided for the English-language dialogue. Also included are traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles.
Features: Twleve chapters can be selected from a two-page menu of video captures. Chinese-language biographies are provided for Stanley Tong, Aaron Kwok, Noriko Fujiwara, Wang Lee Hom, and Ruby Lin. A 23-minute "Making Of" feature contains what looks like an English-language trailer at the beginning, along with much behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with cast and crew. Only Chinese subtitles are provided, but some of the interviewees speak in English. The original theatrical trailer (with footage evidently shot expressly for the trailer) is included. A photo gallery rounds out the package.
R E C O M M E N D A T I O N : buy, rent, or pass?
Rent. Low priority. One memorable action sequence does not make up for the lackluster plot. A missed opportunity for all involved, although (sad to say for the state of the American film industry) it's no worse and probably better than most American action films released this year.
(Reviewed 8/6/01)
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