THE HEROIC TRIO

Dir.: Johnny Ko Tei-Fung

Cast: Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Khan/Yeoh, Anthony Wong, Damian Lau, James Pax, Paul Chun Pui

Year: 1992

18 male babies have disappeared, and the police are stumped. Even blade-throwing masked avenger Wonder Woman (Anita Mui) can't crack the case. Chat (Maggie Cheung), a.k.a Theif Catcher, a leather-clad, motorcyle-riding bounty hunter takes on the job and learns that the culprit is her childhood companion San, (Michelle Yeoh). San is using a cloak of invisibility to snatch the children (hence her nickname, Invisible Girl) and deliver them up to her master, an ancient eunuch who is searching for a successor to install as the ruler of China. The three clash with each other, but eventually unite to take on the eunuch and his minions in his creepy, suberterranean lair in a firey, spectacular climax reminiscent of the Terminator. I think.

I had high expectations for this film which, unfortunately, were not fulfilled. I found it to be slow and overly melodramatic in some spots, and dark and depressing overall. This isn't to say it's a bad film, it just isn't as much fun as I would have liked. It does, however, have all the classic ingredients of a Hong Kong action flick: an outrageous storyline, complex interrelations between the characters, a fiendish, evil plot, a fiendish, evil villain, some incredible action scenes, and a number of gratuitous decapitations. The look of the film is consistent and atmospheric (too bad the musical score isn't) for this film, which combines supernatural horror with a Blade Runner-esque urban setting into a dark, violent fantasy. This creative and well-realized combination, along with the performances of the three lead actresses (all big stars in Hong Kong) is what makes the film stand out. The action sequences aren't bad either (the best being a scene where Mui and Cheung spin horizontally on a motorcycle). With scenes of cannibalism and infanticide, this film isn't for everyone, but it is worth a look. You can rent this movie at blockbuster and I think you should before purchasing because you will either like it or really really hate it. Me? I just expected more from three of the top actresses in Hong Kong so I rated it 3 out of 10 stars. I wouldn' t pay more than 6 bucks. Sorry.

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