An Eye for an Eye – Vinegar Syndrome Archive (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: O Sing Pui
Writer: Chan Kiu-Ying
Cast: Joey Wang, Mok Siu-chung, Wilson Lam, John Ching, Ricky Wong Chun-Tong, Lung Fong, Melvin Wong

Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $44.98

"Fung is the daughter of an aging Triad boss attempting to turn his criminal enterprise into a more legitimate business. After her father is arrested by her cop boyfriend, Fung is left in charge and continues her father's mission of ridding the organization of its criminal dealings. Meanwhile, some of the other members of the gang are not happy with Fung's leadership and plan a hostile takeover. Cheong, the second in command, wants to maintain the group's violent reign and sets out to strip Fung of her power by viciously assaulting and blackmailing her. Fung's boyfriend vows to take revenge on Cheong and the organization while simultaneously dealing with his jealous partner, who also has eyes for Fung. Tensions soon boil over, and violence erupts in the streets as warring factions attempt to maintain their power." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly restored by VS from a studio-supplied master".

An Eye for an Eye comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.8 GB

Feature: 25.6 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. Though this audio track sounds clean and balanced, range-wise it lacks depth.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by film historian and author Samm Deighan titled Hong Kong Cinema in the Late ‘80s: Between Heroic Bloodshed and CAT-III Thrillers (14 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with action director Benz Kong (6 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with director O Sing Pui (19 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Kenneth Brorsson and Phil Gillon of the Podcast on Fire Network, reversible cover art, a bottom loading VHS inspired slipcase, and a double-sided poster.

Summary:

O Sing Pui directed An Eye for an Eye. Besides directing, he’s also worked as a cinematographer; his notable credits are Made in Hong Kong, You Shoot, I Shoot, and Ip Man.

A man who betrayed a crime boss forces a relationship on his daughter and takes over his organization.

When you watch enough films from any region of the world, it's not surprising that you will encounter some overlooked plot devices and even types of characters. An Eye for an Eye is part of a group of films referred to as Heroic Bloodshed. And though this genre peaked as the 1980s came to a close, it continues to this day in Hong Kong cinema. That said, besides the aforementioned similarities, another thing that occurs often in Hong Kong cinema is actors and actresses being typecast. The daughter of a former crime boss forces herself into degrading relationships to protect her father in An Eye for an Eye and My Heart Is That Eternal Rose. In both films, Joey Wang portrays this character (City Hunter).

There is another way in which An Eye for an Eye and My Heart Is That Eternal Rose connect; both of these films feature a love triangle: two men who are both in love with the crime boss’s daughter. This time around both men are police officers, where they were both criminals in My Heart Is That Eternal Rose. Both of these films have a third man who lusts after the crime boss’s daughter. In the case of An Eye for an Eye, it's the man who betrayed her father, and once he possesses her, his mistreatment of her increases as the narrative progresses.

The heart and soul of An Eye for an Eye is Joey Wang’s portrayal of the crime boss’s daughter. She cannot escape her father's nefarious past, despite his efforts to become a legitimate businessman. When her father is sent to prison, she is forced to change who she is in order to maintain control of his business. Her character suffers the most gut wrenching moments at the hands of her father's betrayer, who rapes her, films it, and then blackmails her. She delivers an exceptional performance that is among her best.

The other performance of note is Lung Fong’s portrayal of the man who betrays the crime boss and goes on a power trip. He’s an actor who’s made a character out of portraying villains, and in An Eye for an Eye, he delivers a deliciously over-the-top caricature of a man out of control. His most memorable moment is when his character has finally met his match and his true cowardice shines through. That said, the rest of the performances are very good.

The level of onscreen violence is very high, which is to be expected from a Heroic Bloodshed film. Two of the most violent moments include a scene where the traitor sends in his minions to knock off the remaining few who stand in his way. This sequence is expertly executed, and the tension before the violence erupts is perfectly built up. In this lengthy sequence the weapons of choice are machetes and hand-to-hand combat, and when the dust settles the streets are covered with corpses. The other notable moment is a scene where a cop goes rogue, tracks down the man who raped the crime boss’s daughter, tries to kill him, and narrowly escapes his own death.

From a production standpoint, An Eye for an Eye is a film that rarely misses its mark. The well-executed narrative does a superb job building momentum towards an exceptional cathartic finale. When it comes to fight choreography and stunt work, this is one area in particular where An Eye for an Eye excels. Ultimately, An Eye for an Eye is a solid example of a Heroic Bloodshed film that fans of this genre are sure to enjoy.

An Eye for an Eye gets a solid release from Vinegar Syndrome Archive that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer