The Double Crossers – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Indonesia/Hong Kong, 1976
Director: Jeong Chang-hwa
Writer: Jeong Chang-hwa
Cast: Chan Sing, Michael Chan Wai-Man, Shirley Huang, Shin Il-Ryong, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung

Release Date: July 22nd, 2024 (UK), July 23rd, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 99 Minutes 36 Seconds (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 97 Minutes 44 Seconds (Export Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), LPCM Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Following his late father's murder, police officer Detective Lung (Shin) discovers that both of his parents were involved in a smuggling ring - and that his father was killed by its leader, a violent criminal now living in Hong Kong under the name Wang (Chao Hsiung, The One-Armed Swordsman). Determined to avenge his father's death, Lung resigns from the police force to take matters into his own hands. Teaming up with a smuggler who was once a close friend and partner-in-crime to his parents, Chang (Chan Sing, The Chinese Boxer), Lung heads for Hong Kong and sets about drawing Wang into a trap." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 4/5 (Export Cut)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The original Hong Kong theatrical cut from a brand new 2K restoration. The original English language export cut from a brand new 2K restoration."

The Double Crossers comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.4 GB

Feature: 26.9 GB (Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 16.6 GB (Export Cut)

The source is in great shape, colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, and black levels for the most part are strong. That said, though both versions are in great shape, in all areas, the Hong Kong theatrical cut is stronger than the export cut.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Mandarin), 4/5 (LPCM Mono English - Hong Kong Theatrical Cut, LPCM Mono English - Export Cut)

The Hong Kong theatrical cut comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Mandarin and an LPCM mono mix in English. The export cut comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English. The two English-language tracks are comparable quality-wise. The Mandarin audio track sounds more robust than the English language tracks. That said, all tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Included are removable English subtitles for the Mandarin language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM mono with burnt in Mandarin and English subtitles), an audio commentary with East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) for the Hong Kong theatrical version, an audio commentary with action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for the export version, reversible cover art, an O-card slipcase (limited to the first pressing), and an 20-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled A Sting in the Tale The Jet Set Deceptions of The Double Crossers written by James Oliver and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Directed by Jeong Chang-hwa, whose other notable films are King Boxer, The Skyhawk, and Broken Oath.

The narrative revolves around a former police detective who searches for his father's killers and exacts justice by any means necessary.

It is always a nice surprise when a 1970s martial arts film ventures outside Hong Kong and features a locale that's not been exploited yet. After an initial set-up that takes place in Hong Kong, the bulk of the film takes place in Bali, Indonesia. Another way that The Double Crossers sets itself apart from its contemporaries is the minimal role martial arts play in the story that unfolds. Hand-to-hand combat takes a backseat to various deadly weapons. In one of the scenes, a character shoots a rocket launcher at an apartment where the protagonist is inside.

Though death is the event that sets this tale of revenge into motion, there are just as many elements in The Double Crossers that one associates with the heist film. In fact, the protagonist pulls off the act of revenge because of something they have stolen. That said, The Double Crossers is a satisfying blend of these two things.

The performances are best described as serviceable. The standout performance was Michael Chan Wai-Man's (Chinese Hercules) portrayal of an assassin named Chou. His character makes for a formidable opponent for the protagonist; he’s very good in the role of the villain. Another performance of note is Sammo Kam-Bo Hung (The Magnificent Butcher), who makes a brief appearance as a thug.

From a production standpoint, The Double Crossers makes the most of its limited resources. And though the narrative does a good job balancing explosions and action sequences, The narrative is not without its faults; there are a few times when things come to a halt, breaking any momentum. That said, what The Double Crossers lacks when it comes to martial arts, it more than makes up for with excellent stunt work. Ultimately, The Double Crossers is a different kind of action than one expects from Golden Harvest in the 1970s.

The Double Crossers gets a first-rate release from Eureka Video that comes with two versions of the film, strong audio/video presentations, and informative extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer