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
This Hong Kong martial arts film that is chock full of colorful, nonstop action starring superstar Jet Li. Hong Xiguan learned kung fu at a Shaolin temple. He joins rebels to try to usurp the oppressive rulers. Unfortunately, a fellow student squeals upon him and Hong's family is slain, except for his son whom he trains. The duo live with Ma, a wealthy, but idiotic fellow who wants to learn kung fu. He also accepts poor Red Bean, into his home as a slave. Red Bean is ostensibly trying to earn enough money to bury her dead mother. But her mother isn't really dead. It is only part of a scam. Red Bean herself is an excellent martial artist and when not sparring, she and Hong become mutually attracted. They join forces, along with her mother and his son to defend the Shaolin temple from invaders. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Lesbian assassins at war provide the focus for this outrageous Hong Kong martial arts film that is already becoming a cult classic. Tinam is the cop on the case searching for the person who keeps killing Hong Kong men and cutting off their genitals. Tinam is on the edge of a breakdown after he accidently shot his brother three months before. When nervous, the cop throws up. Tinam meets Kitty, an obsessive woman, in a unisex hair salon. Unfortunately for Tinam, Kitty takes a shine to him. Kitty, after shooting up a gangster's office to avenge her father's death, is taken to the home of hit-woman Sister Cindy, a charmer who uses rapists for martial arts practice dummies. Sister Cindy becomes Kitty's mentor. It is soon discovered the killer is the lesbian Princess, Cindy's former student. Princess is contracted to kill her teacher and she succeeds. The distraught Kitty, forgoes her pursuit of Tinam, and begins her revenge. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carrie Ng
- 1994
Andrew Lau Wai-keung, who would later be known for his popular Young and Dangerous series, delivers this moody gangland drama. Lik (Jacky Cheung Hok-yau) is an undercover cop, who -- after his police supervisor kills his gangland boss, Coffin Sing -- is thrown into a serious existential funk. He starts to drink like a fish, prompting his girlfriend to dump him. The murder leaves the leadership of the gang up in the air and a gang war starts between Hung Tai (Roy Cheung Yiu-yeung) and "Father" Man. Lik evidentially sides with Hung while another undercover cop named Bong (Chan Kwok-bong) watches Man. When Bong gets discovered and killed, the police raid the gangland HQ, leading to all sorts of bloodshed. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Tong (Ekin Cheng) is an up-and-coming member of a gang of outlaws who is well-respected among his peers for his intelligence and sense of fairness. One of Tong's cohorts, Ha, is accused of killing a man who was having an affair with his wife. Tong persuades his attorney to defend Ha, and they prevail in court. When Tong is then betrayed by the man who was once his leader in the gang, Ha decides it's his duty to get revenge against the man who wronged his friend. Return to a Better Tomorrow also features Andy Lau, Chingmy Yau, and Michael Wong. ~ Mark Deming, 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 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
- 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
- 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)
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
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
Wong Jing spins this over-the-top action spectacular about Interpol agent Lui Tai (Alan Tam Wing-lun) assigned to protect Tibetan holy man the Daka Lama (yes, you read that right). Upon his arrival in Singapore, the spiritual leader is attacked by "The Order of the Death," a fanatical Red Army splinter group sporting flight attendant uniforms. In the melee, the Daka Lama and the beloved girlfriend of notorious crime lord Brother Bee (Andy Lau Tak-wah) is wounded. Complicating matters, both victims possess the same insanely rare blood-type P. The Red Army immediately sets out to kill all five potential blood donors. Lui, however, manages to catch up with one, Fatty (Eric Tsang Chi-wai), before getting whacked. What follows is one of the most hair-raising trips to the doctors in recent memory. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
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
- 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)
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
One misunderstanding after another seems to plague the efforts of Fred, Silver, and Tony in this romantic comedy. Away on vacation, the three run into two beautiful young women named Agnes and Maggie who are strolling down the beach and, by all appearances, seem quite wealthy. All three men are enamored with the ladies and a poker game gives Fred first dibs on which girl he will pursue and he decides on Maggie. Meanwhile, Silver and Tony are left to fight it out for Agnes' affections. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chow Yun-Fat, Eric Tsang, (more)
- 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)
- 1984
Kenny Bee is a shy young man whose wealthy parents want him to marry, no matter what. Although he goes to Waikiki with his friend Lolantho (Chen Pai-chiang), neither manage to succeed with women and when they return home, the anxious parents now have another problem: someone is embezzling money from the family's corporate business. In order to flush out the thief, the introverted son poses as Lolantho's chauffeur - and in that guise, the two come across a pair of gorgeous women they met in Waikiki (Cherie Chung and Maggie Cheung - both former Miss Hong Kong title holders). Mix-ups and misunderstandings abound, as well as some dirty-dealing from the suspected embezzler, but love is unerringly true and although Cupid's arrow might be briefly deflected, it ultimately hits the right target. Neither cerebral nor hysterical, this slapstick comedy is likely to amuse viewers of any orientation. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kenny Bee, Cherie Chung, (more)
Yuen Woo-ping directs this classic of the period kung fu epic. Butcher Wing (Sammo Hung) is the most talented and the most troublesome pupil of Master Wong (Kwan Tak-hing). One day while helping to stop a robbery, Butcher runs afoul of the power, and evil, Master Ko (Lee Hoi-sang), resulting eventually in a duel between Ko and Master Wong. Meanwhile, Butcher's long lost brother Lam Sai-kwong comes to town with his beautiful bride Yuet Mei. Master Ko's son Tai-hoi (Fung Hark-on) hoodwinks the country bumpkin into thinking that Butcher owes him a stack of money, taking Yuet Mei as payment. Just as Sai-kwong is about to take a flying leap off a bridge, he is saved by a wily beggar (Fan Mui-sang) with surprisingly good kung fu ability. Eventually, Sai-kwong, Butcher and the beggar unite to free Yuet Mei from Master Ko's clutches, only to create a whole new set of problems. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sammo Hung
