Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD EAN: 0743216430390 Format: PAL Number Of Discs: 1 Region Code: 0 Theatrical Release Date: 1999-05-14
Take the art direction and set design from The Crow and Batman. Add a male-bonding element reminiscent of The Killer or Hard-Boiled. Stir in a plot line about some top-secret near-invincible bionic-man superwarriors taking over the drug trade in Hong Kong, with only one man who can stop them. Season with a high body count, lots of explosions and running gun battles, and spectacular hand-to-hand fight sequences. Top off with a soupçon of cheesy comic relief and a generous helping of atrocious dubbing. Bake for too long, then remove from oven and allow to cool until thoroughly stale. The result: Black Mask. Sure, it's a preposterous recipe (bet you didn't know that LED readouts will show up on an X-ray), but it's stylishly prepared and presented, with high-octane editing, wild camera angles, and a neo-Goth feel all around. Of course it's all about the remarkable Jet Li, the fight scenes, and the postindustrial art direction. Those who come expecting a high-concept, intelligent thriller will be left with indigestion, but Hong Kong action fans who live and die for insane stunts and head-spinning martial arts scenes will have their appetites sated by this dish. It's very interesting to see the influence that John Woo's hand continues to have on American and HK action thrillers, years after his seminal films with Chow Yun-fat. It'll be even more interesting to see how films like Black Mask hold up in the future. Just don't take it too seriously and this movie works just fine. Oh, and the title? It comes from when Jet Li switches from his mild-mannered librarian persona to butt-kicking superhero, complete with mask and hat à la The Green Hornet's Cato. --Jerry Renshaw
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: This is what it is, people - action and comedy Comment: All right, so this movie isn't the best work Jet Li has done. It's not really the point. This is fun, mindless action and I really enjoyed it. True, the dubs on the English version are hokey. And that mask was a bit much, LOL - the point is people need to stop acting like every movie has to be Oscar quality and just grab some popcorn and have some fun once in a while. Customer Rating: Summary: i wanted to love this movie Comment: i am a huge jet li fan and of course HAD to have this movie. and i did really like it. i think i would have liked it more had it not beed overdubbed in english and had no chinese language option. something for the studio to think about when they undoubtedly end up rereleasing it. Customer Rating: Summary: Black mask Comment: I owned this movie in VHS and wanted it on DVD. Great action flic by Jet Li Customer Rating: Summary: Black Mask... Comment: I enjoyed Jet Li in this movie...never mind the dubbing, I can look past that and enjoy the move for what it is...fantasy/action. Four stars... Customer Rating: Summary: Not Jet's worse, but man was that bad Comment: Now obviously the new rap music and great american voices they put on make it as bad as possible. But then again, the movie certainly is no gem in it's original language version, that is for sure.
The whole movie had above average action sequences, but the story was unbearable. Not the story itself, but the execution of it is the worst possible. It goes from sickening moments to almost little kid parts between Jet and teh girl. Just freaking horrible.
So the dvd is full screened, music is stupid, voice dubbing is almost as bad as the "jet li collection" movies, but you will get a few good points one or two good laughs, and a decent finale.
