The Champions – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1983
Director: Brandy Yuen
Writer: Brandy Yuen
Cast: Yuen Biao, Cheung Kwok-keung, Dick Wei, Moon Lee, Eddy Ko

Release Date: September 23rd, 2024 (UK), September 24th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese (Original Mix), LPCM Mono Cantonese (Alternate Mix - Japanese Theatrical Version), LPCM Mono Cantonese (Restored), LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Lee Tong (Yuen Biao, Dreadnaught) is a young farmer who has grown up in an isolated rural community. When an indiscretion lands him in hot water, he leaves his home in the countryside and heads for the big city – where he meets Suen (Cheung Kwok-keung, Eastern Condors), a street footballer who recognizes Tong’s talent for the beautiful game and encourages him to try out for a pro team. But Tong’s first chance at footballing glory is scuppered by a rivalry with the narcissistic King (Dick Wei, Project A), who relegates the newcomer to cleaning up after his teammates. But having discovered a love for football, Tong soon accepts an offer to join a rival team – and the stage is set for a final confrontation with King on the pitch." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration."

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

Disc Size: 38.7 GB

Feature: 29.3 GB

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

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese - Original Mix, LPCM Mono Cantonese - Alternate Mix Japanese Theatrical Version, LPCM Mono Cantonese - Restored), 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with four audio options: a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (original mix), an LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (alternate mix—Japanese theatrical version), an LPCM mono mix in Cantonese (restored), and an LPCM mono mix in English. All three Cantonese audio tracks sound great; they are all noticeably more robust than the English language track. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and all audio tracks sound balanced. Included are removable English subtitles for Cantonese language tracks and a removable English subtitle track when watching the English language track that translates text in Cantonese.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes 40 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), Japanese theatrical trailer (1 minute 58 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), a featurette about the 1987 Hong Kong celebrity football / soccer team that featured a number of Hong Kong legends including Jackie Chan and Andy Lau titled Superstar Football HK (18 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with filmmaker and film critic James Mudge (14 minutes 51 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with East Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and F.J. DeSanto, an audio commentary with action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, reversible cover art, two collectible football player cards (limited to 2,000 copies), an O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and 24-page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled A Contact Sport The Champions, Little Brothers and the Beautiful Game written by James Oliver, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

A farmer named Lee Tong offends a man, forcing him to leave the rural countryside for the big city.

The Champions is a fish out of water story. The protagonist must quickly adapt to the ways of the big city, having spent his whole life in the country. Shortly after his arrival, a pair of thieves see he’s an easy mark and pick his pockets, stealing all of his money. The one constant throughout The Champions is how trouble always finds the protagonist wherever he goes. That said, though these moments often put the protagonist in tense situations, a lot of humor comes from how he deals with what's unfolding.

The cast are all great in their roles, especially Yuen Biao’s (The Prodigal Son) portrayal of Lee Tong. Despite there being a limited amount of martial arts, there is an abundance of moments in which Yuen Biao gets to show off his athleticism. Another performance of note is Dick Wei’s (Project A) portrayal of King, the most famous soccer player in Hong Kong. Also, when it comes to the humor, a lot of it comes at the expense of Dick Wei’s character.

The Champions is a film where the story is not that important; it's all about the action sequences. They are well-executed and, at times, inventive moments that showcase impressive stunt work. Despite most of these action set pieces being built up around soccer, the way they are executed is not far removed from a typical martial arts sequence. That said, an obstacle course sequence, which is the most memorable action-wise, does not allow the use of hands by the characters.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where The Champions does not deliver. It’s well-executed narrative moves at breakneck momentum, ensuring there is never a dull moment. That said, the most impressive aspect of The Champions is how effectively it draws you in even if you're not a soccer fan. Ultimately, The Champions is a highly entertaining film that perfectly blends action and humor.

The Champions gets an excellent release from Eureka Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer