Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 5024165656723 Format: PAL Number Of Discs: 1 Running Time: 95
Editorial Reviews:
A pared down, blue-collar martial arts film about a stubborn pedicab driver (Sammo Hung) who avenges the death of a friend by taking on a vicious psychotic pimp (John Sham) and his army of thugs. The movie seamlessly combines two threads of Hung's long career, his down-to-earth straight acting roles in dramatic films like Painted Faces and Eight Tales of Gold and his work as a performer, stunt arranger, and director in everything-but-the-kitchen-sink combat spectaculars like Eastern Condors and Millionaire's Express. The glorious set pieces here are staged in everyday settings in Macau in the late 1940s--a teahouse, a gambling den--and the workaday locales set off the fancy footwork perfectly. There's one big comic chase sequence, a car vs. pedicab duel that seems to be a takeoff on Jackie Chan's bicycle stunt work in Project A. But the main attractions are the set-piece fights, three superbly staged all-out brawls. In the best of them, Hung goes one on one with an unprepossessing gambling boss played by Lau Kar-wing, the fight arranger-director of a long string of kung fu classics, from Shaolin Master Killer to the Chan vehicle Drunken Master II. --David Chute
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Not just another hong kong action film Comment: I think this is one of my all time favorite films. So much more than just kung foo action. Customer Rating: Summary: A clasic , yet innovative , surprisingly human , bloody film Comment: One of a selected group of super-produced films made in hong-kong in the 90' , and i dont mean the production was expansive , i mean the result was suberbly shot , the fight scenes were super-complexly choreographed , and amazingly executed , the plot was rich and likeble , the acting was gentle and touching ( yes , in a MARTIAL-ARTS movie ) , and the over-all impression is of a qualitative work.
You have a cute appearence of Lam ching-ying , and a stunning polefight between Samo and Liu chia liang , that's probably the best polefight ever shot , up until this film. Mean while i have'nt seen a polefight to surpass that one.
Wonderfull structure , according to the janre's guide-lines , samo goes traditionally from the multiple-not-very-good-opponents to the villain's henchmen , to the lower-grade body guards , and from there to the final fight with the top body guard - Billy chow.
A masterpeice - nothing less. It is one of the few HK films i show to those who gigle , when i mention quality and martial-arts movies in one breath.
Customer Rating: Summary: Sammo's masterpiece! Comment: This ranks as one of Sammo's absolute best and certainly his best self-directed film. Everything in the film is top-notch; in fact the only reason this will never get the global recognition of the alleged film intelligensia is that Sammo dares put in action. That action though is some of the best to come out of Hong Kong. The performances are excellent throughout the cast and the mixture of action, comedy and tragedy has rarely been equalled. Exceptional Customer Rating: Summary: HOLY GOD SAMO ROCKS! Comment: FROM BEGINNING TO END THIS MOVIE RULES! TOO BAD ABOUT MARTIAL LAW! SAMO DESERVES A BETTER JOB THAN THAT SHOW IN AMERICA. PEDICAB DRIVER IS A TRUE WORK OF ART THAT NEVER SACRIFICES HEART FOR COMMERCIAL APPEAL...MUST GIVE HIM LOADS OF RESPECT FOR THIS MOVIE. Customer Rating: Summary: Representative of Hong Kong cinema at its best Comment: I've been watching Hong Kong movies for about a decade now, and to me very few films from what will probably be remembered as Hong Kong's golden age of film in the eyes of the world match this one for its seamless blend of cinematic styles-- rapid-fire action, comedy, romance, drama and tragedy. I wouldn't give five stars to just anything, and having seen this film abroad I can't vouch for the quality of this version, but this is modern Hong Kong filmmaking at its inventive best and makes most any American action film look truly anemic in comparison. It defies the maxim that "you can't make 'em like they used to" with its simple yet touching plot and, although American action films have of late borrowed heavily from the style of Hong Kong directors, is refreshing proof that millions of dollars and bankable stars who have no place as action movie stars are no substitute for a solid, quirky leading man like Samo Hung who combines charisma and true fighting skill with an appealing, solid storyline (yet another rarity in the action movie world). Even in Hong Kong, few action movies seem to have as refreshingly humanistic a message as this film, even though it is filled with jaw-dropping action sequences-- completely free of wire-work, sped-up sequences, explosions and shoot-outs. I think that films by the likes of Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao (among others) are wonderful, too, but to me this movie typifies what is great about the modern Hong Kong action film. It's unfortunate that Samo Hung stands to be remembered as the star of yet another failed American TV action series after having produced films of such quality as this work (none of that fortune cookie-wisdom-spouting Chinaman nonsense here) in his heyday-- it showcases his true martial arts skills in his prime, and they are all the more amazing considering his girth and his physical resemblance to a vaudeville comedian as opposed to the standard martial arts movie star. This is a standout work by a director/ screenwriter/actor at his best.
