Wong Jing Movies
Wong Jing is a veteran filmmaker in Hong Kong cinema and has directed over 50 films. Almost all of his works have been popular action movies intended for mainstream consumption. However, Wong is less concerned with artistic achievement than he is with entertainment and is unapologetic about the commercial nature of the movies that he writes, directs, and produces. He has directed both kung fu films and crime thrillers, many of his films being both campy and exploitative. Nevertheless, Wong's best known film, The God of Gamblers contained many fine dramatic moments and was well-received by critics and fans in the West. Always true to form, Wong used the film's critical success as a springboard to create several more sequels. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
Andy Lau stars in this Hong Kong crime-drama as Wai Cheung-Dee, a low-level gangster, who, while protecting the son of a Triad boss, accidentally causes the death of one of his loved ones. A broken man, Wai Cheung-Dee is cruelly used by the higher-ranking Triad members, and when a rival gangster sets out to take revenge against Wai Cheung-Dee, he learns he's been made a fall guy for the mob despite his loyalty. Bitter and betrayed, Wai Cheung-Dee hatches an elaborate scheme to turn the tables against those who wronged him. A True Mob Story was directed by veteran Hong Kong action specialist Jing Wong. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Also known as A Dumb Boy, this Hong Kong drama is the story of a dying mother and her love for her retarded son. Mrs. Fat (Deanie Ip) is slowly succumbing to cancer, but her biggest worry is her only child, the 30-year-old Bee (Patrick Tam). Possessing the mind of a toddler but the hormonal urges of a sexually aroused rhino, Bee finds himself in trouble with the gangster boyfriend of his neighbor May (Suki Kwan). After the thug is killed for stealing some heroin, the pregnant May becomes severely disabled -- and after Bee's real mother dies, the surrogate mother for her new friend. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deanie Ip, Patrick Tam, (more)
Hong Kong filmmakers Jimmy Heung and Wong Jing co-directed this highly successful gambling film which begat a spate of unrelated sequels. Wong had actually written a similar (and highly profitable) film for television nine years earlier (The Shell Game), but this one marked the beginning of a mini-trend of casino-oriented theatrical crime films including the even more popular God of Gamblers. Alan Tam and Andy Lau star as Sam Law and Crab Chan, old con-artist friends who get back together and move to America after Crab's release from prison. Sam helps the owner of a casino catch a group of Japanese raiders who have bilked the establishment out of over 60,000,000 dollars in two weeks, falling in love with a wealthy heiress named Koyan (Idy Chan) in the process. Crab saves Sam's life when the Japanese crooks seek revenge, only to have his hand slashed in an injury which ends his ability to pull off scams. Koyan's father offers to help him and give him a legitimate job if he stops committing crimes as well, and Sam accepts, leaving Crab hanging out to dry when the Japanese come calling. Crab decides to rip off the raiders in a high-stakes game, but they learn what he did to them afterwards and kidnap Koyan, leading to a violent and vicious denouement. Rosamund Kwan co-stars with Lung Fong, Shum Wai, and Che-Kirk Wong. The unconnected Casino Raiders II and No Risk, No Gain: Casino Raiders -- The Sequel were among many knockoffs which followed. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
This 1992 film is a live-action version of a popular Japanese comic book and animated series, transformed into a vehicle for international action hero Jackie Chan. Ryu Saeba (Chan), a womanizing private detective, is hired to find the runaway daughter of a wealthy businessman. Ryu's pursuit of the girl leads him to a cruise ship. Through coincidence, and a plot device borrowed from Die Hard, the ocean liner is hijacked, leaving Ryu to contend with the hostage takers as well as the elusive daughter. The action is satisfying, but standard fare for Chan, highlighted by a scene in which an onscreen battle between Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabar from the film Game of Death plays on a movie screen in the background, while Chan and his opponents mimic the fight in the foreground. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
An honest cop who may have inadvertently killed his partner during a particularly intense raid finds his life in danger when the grown-up sons of both the fallen the cop and the deceased kingpin who was killed in the chaos come gunning for him in a tense police thriller co-directed by Marco Mak and Wong Jing, and starring Hong Kong film legend Anthony Wong. Huang (Wong) is a righteous police officer haunted by a harrowing accident. It's been ten years since the fateful raid that resulted in the death of both his partner and the most feared criminal on the streets, and though the men's sons have grown older, their vengeance still burns as hot as ever. Now, as Huang is assigned the task of protecting a vile gangster and his teenage daughter (Gillian Chung), he is about to face a whole new danger as the sons of the fallen men attempt to decide if they should go after the man responsible for their father's deaths either alone or together. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Wong, Raymond Wong, (more)
This is one of maverick Hong Kong director Chu Yun Ping's lesser efforts. A tale of bounty hunters on the trail of a wanted man, it focuses more on Three Stooges-type slapstick comedy than a martial arts action film (as the title implies). It soon becomes basically a collection of sight gags -- and not particularly good ones at that. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Inept in martial arts, Fat (Stephen Chiau), the emperor's personal bodyguard, spies on agents of a rival dynasty, exposing their claim of a captured extraterrestrial as a hoax. Fat next visits a local prostitute as a possibility for the emperor, but problems arise when his wife (Carina Lau Kar-Ling), unaware that Fat is a secret agent, learns that her husband is seeing a prostitute. Surreal comedy and special effects surface amid kinetic martial arts in this fast-paced actioner, the number-two highest grossing ($4.8 million) Hong Kong flick of 1996. Shown at 1998 film festivals (Berlin, Palm Springs). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Chow, Carina Lau, (more)
Kent Cheng Chuk-see directs this Chinese lunar extravaganza, which, true to this subgenre, features a huge budget, an eye-popping all-star cast, and not much of a story to speak of. The film is set in Japanese POW camp 732, which houses scores of Chinese rebels. Rakish special agent Wah (Andy Lau Tak-wah) manages to sneak out of the encampment only to be ordered back in. His mission: to find the only person who knows the number to a secret Swiss bank account which could funnel 500 billion dollars into China's war effort. Unfortunately, once he smuggles himself back in, he learns that the guy is dead. Yet all is not lost; Wah realizes that the man taught the Japanese commander's parrot the code. Meanwhile, the prisoners are told that they will all be killed after performing a comedy night for some Japanese bigwigs. Alan Tam Wing-lun, Anita Mui Yim-fong, Eric Tsang Chi-wai, Sammo Hung Kam-po, Austin Wai Tin-chi, and Gordon Lau Kar-fai among others also appear. This film was shot in the real-life camp 731 where thousand of Chinese died and the Japanese military performed horrific medical tests on subjects. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 2007
A young warrior intent on avenging the death of his father finds his mission unexpectedly complicated by his love for the daughter of the very man he aims to kill in this television series inspired by author Louis Cha's enduring tome. Hu Fei is a fearsome warrior whose father was rumored to have met his demise at the hands of Miao Ren Feng. Now, Hu Fei is determined to make Feng pay for his crime. On his way to meet his fate at the top of a snowy mountain, however, Hu Fei falls deeply in love with Feng's beautiful daughter Ruolan. Could true love hold the key to diffusing a blood-soaked family feud that once threatened to carry on for generations? Anthony Wong, Athena Chu, and Gillian Chung star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
This 1989 thriller, directed by Jing Wong, resurrected the subgenre of the Hong Kong gambling film. Do San (Chow Yun-Fat) is a slick professional gambler on a seemingly endless winning streak. On his way to defeat a rival in a card game, Do's streak comes to a close when a head injury leaves him brain-damaged. Reduced to the mental capacity of a child, his friend "Knife" (Andy Lau) and Knife's girlfriend Jane (Joey Wong) are left to care for him. They soon realize that his gambling abilities have been left intact, and in a series of events reminiscent of Rain Man, Do makes a comeback. Yun-Fat, who gained international reknown as an action hero in such thrillers as The Killer and Hard-Boiled, shows a surprising amount of range in this departure from his usual role. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chow Yun-Fat, Andy Lau, (more)
- 1997
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A prequel to the two previous entries in the God of Gamblers saga, this drama follows the apprenticeship of the unbeatable cardsharp Ko Chun. The story begins as his stepfather Kent, one of the world's greatest gamblers, enters him in a competition and then betrays him by arranging things so his godson beats Ko. The young card player vows revenge, and, with the help of a powerful triad's daughter and an undercover policeman, he heads out to get it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
- NR
Hong Kong action superstar Chow Yun Fat returns as the God Of Gamblers, whose planned retirement from gaming comes to a halt when an unscrupulous rival tries to take his title. Also stars Tony Leung. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chow Yun-Fat
This action parody is a Die Hard clone with an interesting twist. Kit (Jet Li) leaves the police force after the death of his family at the hands of a terrorist named "The Doctor." Kit becomes the bodyguard for Frankie (Jacky Cheung), a movie star who is famous for supposedly doing his own daring stuntwork. Frankie, a shameless send-up of action superstar Jackie Chan, turns out to be a drunken womanizer whose martial arts skills have waned; Kit secretly performs all of the actor's stunts. Frankie attends a gala event at a high-rise hotel when the Doctor shows up and takes hostages. While Frankie runs short of courage, it's up to Kit to confront his nemesis. Jet Li, whose serious action performances have often been contrasted to Jackie Chan's slapstick antics, is a perfect choice to play the "real thing" opposite Cheung's outrageous Chan caricature. It should be noted that the film's sharp jabs at Chan's onscreen credibility are funny and audacious, but also highly inaccurate. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li, Jacky Cheung, (more)
- 2009
The acronymic title incorporates a sophisticated pun: ICAC refers to Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption, but gets rephrased here as I Corrupt All Cops. As a reverent homage to the ICAC, director Wong Jing's period film unfurls in the 1960s and 1970s, when the heroic Commission swept in and began systematically driving out all of the corruption in the Hong Kong police force. At the outset, the police are part and parcel of the criminal underground; headed by chief inspector Lak (Tony Leung Ka-fai), their primary activities consist of reeling in massive bribes through an established network, with gangsters such as the thug Gold (Wong Jing) serving as intermediaries between the police and drug traffickers. As the tale opens, ICAC rookie agent Alex Fong gets tortured by the police and framed for a crime he didn't commit; in response, he vows to put every unsavory character he can find behind bars - and proceeds to launch a massive clean-up effort that will cause many of those in power to fall from grace. The ensemble cast includes Bowie Lam, Kate Tsui and Eason Chan. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Leung Kar-Fai, Wong Jing, (more)
This film stars two important stars of the Hong Kong kung fu cinema, Jet Li, and Sammo Hung (who also directed the film's action sequences). In addition to a blatant disregard for gravity and other physical laws, this film revolves around a popular genre theme, a battle between warriors from different schools and styles of kung fu. At the heart of the conflict is a magical sword; when the family of a young boy is murdered by villains who want the sword, the boy is taken in by his great uncle (Hung). The child grows into a strong fighter (Li), who seeks revenge on his family's killers. ~ Jonathan E. Laxamana, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li
It's mahjong madness when a pair of scheming gamblers finds their once-lucrative hustle leading them into hot water in this action-comedy starring Kung Fu Hustle's Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu and directed by God of Gamblers helmer Wong Jing. When betting man West meets a waiter named Wong who possesses the remarkable ability to remember the exact position of all 144 mahjong tiles on the table, the pair set into motion a foolproof scam that brings in big money on the mahjong circuit. Though the upcoming "Master of Mahjong" tournament offers the prospect of big money and even greater fame, the pair finds their once perfect plan going to pot when West is kidnapped by some scheming opponents with a plan of their own. Now, as the tournament draws near, it's up to Wong's boss Auntie Fei to enter the tournament, put her gambling skills to the test, and take the tables by storm. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
When the heir to a lucrative restaurant empire falls for a simple girl who can only cook instant noodles, their romance creates a sizable rift for the mother who only wants her son to marry an experienced chef in director Billy Chung's freewheeling culinary comedy. SK (Hacken Lee) is a restaurant heir with a bright future. Ceci (Charmaine Sheh) couldn't find her way around the kitchen to save her life. Against all odds, the experienced restaurateur falls head over heels in love with the beautiful Ceci. But not all is well in romance, because SK's mother has no plans of budging on her demand that her future daughter-in-law be no less than a gourmet chef. Now, as the meddling mother-in-law attempts to steer her son into the arms of master chef Jade, the sympathetic Lady Green (Kung Fu Hustle's Yuen Qiu) vows to transform Ceci into a culinary wiz with the power to defeat even the formidable Jade in an upcoming gourmet showdown designed to find the best chef in all of Hong Kong. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Wong Fei-hung runs a martial arts academy in Canton, and is the exemplar of all sorts of native Chinese virtues. He is appalled to discover that the rent on his space in Canton was raised significantly while he was away in Hong Kong. In addition, he has to face the escalating enmity of a local government type, Lui, a martial artist who has adopted many western values and is conspiring with western businessmen to disrupt the Chinese way of doing things in the region. Tournament competitions between rival academies are only a prelude to the final competition between the two masters, in which the Iron Chicken style will be used against the Centipede style of fighting. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jet Li
- 2004
Hong Kong film legend Wong Jing takes the helm for this remake of his classic, 1987 Chow Yun Fat comedy The Romancing Star. In this updated version, determined police superintendent Lik dispatches undercover officers Bad Boy, Fattie, and Silly Keung to gather the evidence needed to throw the book at a notorious crime boss named Lobster. But while Superintendent Lik's plan sounded foolproof at first, the investigation turns into a fiasco when Bad Boy, Fattie, and Silly Keung fall for Beau, Fridge, and Angel, three policewomen who are actually undercover triad members working for Lobster. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Looking to cash in on the popularity of Steven Spielberg's mega-hits E.T. and Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hong Kong schlockmeister Wong Jing directs this yarn about Andy (Andy Lau Tak-wah) who, along with buddies Pin-pin (Siu bin-bin) and Pancho (Wong Jing) ventures to Greece to find his long lost friend Shen (Phillip Ko Fei). They soon discover Shen is being tailed both by the KGB and by Interpol after discovering some rare gems in an archeological dig. After a unkindly series of events, Andy winds up back in Hong Kong with the stones, which, it turns out, is not gems but rather an alien life form. Meanwhile Karov (Richard Norton), an evil magician, is hell bent on getting his hands on the gem/alien no matter what. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andy Lau, Cynthia Rothrock, (more)
- 1993
Wong Jing produces and Cheung Kon-man directs this wacky cop comedy about mismatched partners Fish and Ball (Ng Man-tat and Aaron Kwok Fu-shing, respectively). While occupied with tracking down the thug who cut off Fish's hand, the two are assigned to go undercover and protect Jessy (Deric Wan Siu-lun), the scion of a wealthy businessman under threat from the mob. While posing as Jessy, Ball falls for the lad's beautiful though high-strung girlfriend Jacky (Maggie Cheung Man-yuk) while at the same time trying not to discourage the advances of his ex-ladyfriend Shun (Chingmy Yau Suk-ching). ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ng Man Tat, Aaron Kwok, (more)
Jet Li stars in this kung-fu vehicle directed by Corey Yuen Kwai. Though a committed father and husband, Kung (Li) is a mainland undercover cop assigned to a case so sensitive that he dare not tell what he does to those he loves the most. Ordered to infiltrate the crime syndicate run by the psychotic Po Kwong (Yu Rongguang), Kung befriends Po's associate Darkie (Blackie Ko Shou-liang) and helps him escape from jail. In gratitude, Darkie smuggles Kung in Hong Kong and introduces him to Po. During an exchange between the crime lord and a second shady customer who is hawking liquid explosives, a shootout ensues. Kung takes policewoman Fong Yat-wah (Anita Mui Yim-fong) hostage and flees the scene. After he saves her from falling to her death, Fong suspects that Kung is more than the average thug. She journeys to China to investigate the matter, and learns that indeed he is an honest cop. Unfortunately, some of Po's associates also go to China and learn the same thing. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
