The Adventurers – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1995
Director: Ringo Lam
Writers: Ringo Lam, Yip Kong-yam, Sandy Shaw
Cast: Andy Lau, Rosamund Kwan, Jacklyn Wu, Paul Chun, Ben Ng, David Chiang

Release Date: April 28th, 2025 (UK), April 29th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 110 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Stereo Cantonese, DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Wai Lok-yan (Lau) was just eight years old when his parents were killed before his eyes in Cambodia, where his father had been working for the CIA during Pol Pot’s ascent to power in the latter days of the Cambodian Civil War. Taken to Thailand by his father’s colleague Shang (Chiang), Yan grows up to join the Thai Air Force and comes to discover that his father’s murderer – Ray Lui (Paul Chun, Royal Tramp), once a double agent – has now become a wealthy arms dealer based in the United States. With the help of the CIA, Yan intends to get close to Lui and have his revenge by taking on an assumed identity and gaining the trust of Lui’s daughter, Crystal (Jacklyn Wu, A Moment of Romance) – but first he will need to go undercover in San Francisco’s criminal underworld to rescue her from the clutches of the criminal Black Tiger Gang." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "a brand new 2K restoration".

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

Disc Size: 43.3 GB

Feature: 34.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, image clarity, black levels and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Stereo Cantonese, DTS-HD 5.1 Cantonese), 3.5/5 (LPCM Stereo Cantonese - Unrestored)

This release comes with three audio options, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese, a LPCM stereo mix in Cantonese labeled unrestored, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Cantonese. The unrestored stereo mix is the weakest of these three tracks; it sounds tiny compared to the other two audio tracks. Though the other two audio tracks sound more robust than the unfiltered track, there are a few moments where the dialog sounds noticeably lower than the rest of the sounds. That said, when it comes to overall clarity of dialog on these two audio tracks, it is always easy to hear and follow. Included are removable English subtitles for all dialog, even though there are some moments where characters speak in English.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 17 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with writer and producer Sandy Shaw (14 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with Gary Bettinson, editor of Asian Cinema journal titled Two Adventurers (21 minutes 26 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film critic David West, an O-Card slipcase (limited to 2000 copies), and a 20 page booklet (limited to 2000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Unconventional Heroism The Moral Dilemmas of Revenge in The Adventurers written by Aaron Han Joon Magnan-Park, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

The Adventurers was directed by Ringo Lam, who rose to prominence in Hong Kong cinema in the latter part of the 1980s after directing films like City on Fire, Prison on Fire, and School on Fire. Even though he has made three films in Hollywood with Jean-Claude Van Damme, unlike most of his contemporaries, he has also managed to stay active in Hong Kong cinema.

A man who witnessed his parents' killings as a boy during the latter days of the Cambodian Civil War searches for the man responsible and seeks revenge.

A brutal pre-credits scene that takes place in the latter days of the Cambodian Civil War perfectly sets the tone. This pre-credits sequence where a young boy who is hiding sees his parents executed provides a solid foundation for the events that follow. This sequence showcases how Ringo Lam differs from his contemporaries, especially when it comes to the films he made from the 1990s onward. There is a realism to this moment that gives a humanity that a lot of similar scenes lack.

When it comes to the cinema of Ringo Lam, one thing you can always count on is solid action set pieces. Some of the notable action sequences in The Adventurers include a scene where the protagonist and his friend orchestrate an assassination attempt that goes awry and a scene where the protagonist and his men are ambushed by a rival gang trying to get back the daughter of the man he wants to kill. That said, the finale features the biggest and most bombastic action sequence.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially Andy Lau (Infernal Affairs) in the role of the protagonist, Wai Lok-yan. Another performance of note is Rosamund Kwan (Once Upon a Time in China), who portrays Mona, the girlfriend of the man Wai Lok-yan wants to kill. Notable cast members include Jacklyn Wu (A Moment of Romance), who portrays the woman Wai Lok-yan falls in love with, and real-life brothers David Chiang (The Boxer from Shantung), who portrays a friend of Wai Lok-yan’s father, and Paul Chun (Raining in the Mountain), who portrays Ray Lui, the man who murdered Wai Lok-yan’s father.

From a production standpoint, The Adventurers is a film that fully exploits its resources. The narrative is well-executed; there are an ample amount of intense moments, notably a scene where Wai Lok-yan’s friend and accomplice is beaten to death after a failed assassination attempt and a scene where Mona throws Wai Lok-yan’s pregnant wife through a glass table. Pacing is not an issue, as the narrative does a superb job balancing exposition and action. Ultimately, The Adventurers is a well-made, revenge-themed action/drama whose poignant finale turns this genre on its head.

The Adventurers gets an exceptional release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer