The Postman Strikes Back – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1982
Director: Ronny Yu
Writers: Ronny Yu, Chan Kiu-ying, Koo Siu-wah, Yau-tai On-ping
Cast: Bryan Leung, Chow Yun-fat, Fan Mei-sheng, Yuen Yat-cho, Eddy Ko, Cherie Chung, Kuk Ching-suk

Release Date: August 28th, 2023 (UK), September 12th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate running times: 90 Minutes 28 Seconds (Hong Kong Cut), 88 Minutes 38 Seconds (Export Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Hong Kong Cut), DTS-HD Mono English with alternate score, DTS-HD 5.1 English (Export Cut)
Subtitles: English (Hong Kong Cut), English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £17.49 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"When courier Ma (Kar-Yan Leung) alongside three other mismatched allies, is sent on a mission to deliver a secret cargo to a rebel leader, he soon finds himself on a patriotic quest to save the country and himself." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Export Cut, Hong Kong Cut)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand New 2K Restoration".

The Postman Strikes Back comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 20 GB (Export Cut), 20.5 GB (Hong Kong Cut)

The transfers for the two versions included with this release are comparable; both transfers are in great shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English)

The Hong Kong cut comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles and a second subtitle track with removable English SDH. This audio track is in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, this track sounds more robust than the English-language tracks.

The export cut comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English (alternate score) and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Included are removable English SDH. Both of these audio tracks are in great shape. They both sound clean, clear, and balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery (stills/posters), Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), That Phat Samurai Guy interviews director Ronny Yu and Frank Djeng (12 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Ronny Yu (8 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview #1 with actor Leung Kar-Yan (7 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview #2 with Leung Kar-Yan (9 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles),  an archival interview with actor Chow Yun-Fat (7 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Frank Djeng and Ronny Yu for the Hong Kong cut, a supplementary audio commentary with Frank Djeng for the Hong Kong cut, an audio commentary with Stephan Hammond for the export cut, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster (limited to first pressing), and a double walled matt finish O-ring (limited to first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Ronny Yu, whose other notable films are Legacy of Rage, The Bride with White Hair, The Phantom Lover, and Fearless. Ronny Yu's filmography is diverse; he has directed action, romance, and horror films. Also, like many of his contemporaries, he would go to Hollywood in the late 1990s to make a few films. Notably, Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs. Jason

The narrative revolves around a courier and three other men who are given the task of delivering four cases of cargo to a rebel leader.

The Postman Strikes Back, like a lot of Chinese cinema, draws from China’s history. The narrative is set after the 1911 revolution in the early days of the Republic of China. This setting has a vibe that is similar to America’s old west. Characters travel throughout undeveloped landscapes and find themselves in situations in which it's kill or be killed.

The Postman Strikes Back has a strong cast who are very good in their roles, especially Bryan Leung (Warriors Two) in the role of Ma, a mail courier who reluctantly takes a job to transport cargo to a rebel leader. Other notable cast members are Cherie Chung (Wild Search), a woman trying to get to Shanghai so she can buy back her sister from the man who bought her, and Chow Yun-fat (The Killer), in the role of a gambler named Fu Jun. Though Chow Yun-fat’s character plays a significant role in the story at hand, this is an early role in which he is not the main attraction.

Though the premise covers familiar ground, the result is a film that often exceeds expectations. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to the characters. Another strength is that the inventive action set pieces feature a duo who fight as one, masked assassins on ice skates with spears, rats with dynamite tied to their tales, and a ninja. Also, when it comes to pacing, there are no issues, and the narrative has an ample amount of surprises. Ultimately, The Postman Strikes Back is a solid film that fans of Hong Kong cinema’s more adventurous side are sure to enjoy.

The Postman Strikes Back gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer