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Forbidden City Cop: Limited Edition – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1996
Directors: Vincent Kok, Stephen Chow
Writers: Vincent Kok, Stephen Chow, Edmund Liu
Cast: Stephen Chow, Carina Lau, Carmen Lee, Cheung Tat-ming, Law Kar-ying, Tats Lau

Release Date: June 21st, 2021
Approximate running time: 89 Minutes 24 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Stereo Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"Amongst the four Imperial Guards of China is Fat (Stephen Chow) a hapless gadget inventor operating under the cover of a gynecologist - who must protect His Majesty from dark forces of the Jin Dynasty, despite not bearing any martial arts skills himself." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New HD remaster".

Forbidden City Cop comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.5 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

Despite being an HD master, the source appears outdated and has limitations. That said, despite its limitations, the source is not the same one used for the Hong Kong Blu-ray release. Colors look great, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and any digital filtering of the source is never too egregious.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese), 4.25/5 (LPCM Stereo Cantonese)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese and a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese. Both audio tracks sound clear, balanced, and range-wise very good. That said, the stereo track sounds fuller of these two audio tracks. There are two removable English subtitle tracks, one for the mono audio track and the other for the stereo audio track. The reason for two subtitle tracks is that the stereo audio track contains some dialog differences.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese and English text with removable English subtitles), an archival Behind-the-Scenes featurette (5 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema aficionados Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, reversible cover art, 4 collectible original lobby cards reproductions (limited to the first pressing), A3 fold-out poster (limited to the first pressing), and a slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Co-directed by Stephen Chow, whose other notable films are Royal Tramp, Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle.

An imperial agent who invents ridiculous gadgets is the only thing standing in the way of those trying to kill the emperor.

Stephen Chow's rise to film resembles Jackie Chan’s, another martial artist whose films rely heavily on humor. Though both made films early in their careers that featured what would become their signature styles, it was not until they gained control of the content of their films that they hit their strides. That said, Forbidden City Cop is a film-perfect example of what Stephen Chow was capable of when unleashed.

In Forbidden City Cop, Stephen Chow portrays a character that draws parallels to the one he portrayed in From Beijing with Love. In both films, he portrays government agents cut from a mold similar to James Bond. In Beijing with Love, we find the story set in the present, and Forbidden City Cop is a Wuxia comedy with its events unfolding in the past. Both films make multiple references to James Bond, not only when it comes to Stephen Chow’s character names but also to Forbidden City Cop’s opening title sequence.

Stephen Chow is the Hong Kong cinema actor who’s most identified with Mo Lei Tau (nonsensical humor). Forbidden City Cop like all of his films from this era and onward have an anything goes attitude that’s overflowing with slapstick and rapid fire dialog. That said, to say that most of the humor is exaggerated would be an apt description.

Forbidden City Cop’s main attraction is Stephen Chow, who delivers another spectacular performance in the role of Ling Ling-fat. As an actor, he’s clicking on all cylinders, and though he shines brightest throughout, his performance elevates the rest of the cast. Another performance of note is Carina Lau’s (Days of Being Wild) portrayal of Ling Ling-fat’s wife. Her comedic timing is flawless, and her onscreen chemistry with Stephen Chow is off the charts.

From a production standpoint, Forbidden City Cop is a film that archives its goals and then some. Its fast-moving narrative, with its even faster delivery of dialog, ensures there is never a moment to catch your breath. And when it comes to the fight sequences, they are exceptional. Ultimately, Forbidden City Cop is an exemplary example of how Hong Kong cinema effortlessly combines humor and action.

Forbidden City Cop gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.