Prison on Fire 1&2: Hong Kong Cinema Classics – Shout! Factory (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1987 (Prison on Fire), Hong Kong, 1991 (Prison on Fire II)
Director: Ringo Lam (Both Films)
Writer: Nam Yin (Both Films)
Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Roy Cheung, Frankie Ng, Shing Fui-on, William Ho (Prison on Fire), Chow Yun-fat, Chen Sung-young, Yu Li, Tommy Wong, Victor Hon, Elvis Tsui, Wan Yeung-ming (Prison on Fire II)

Release Date: February 24th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 102 Minutes 15 Seconds (Prison on Fire), 102 Minutes 15 Seconds (Prison on Fire II)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.99

Prison on Fire: "An explosive crime drama that caused a sensation upon its release, Prison on Fire made audiences in Hong Kong both gasp for breath at its uncompromising violence and cry at the brotherly bond between the two leads (Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Ka Fei Leung, riveting as the inmates navigating the prison system)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Prison on Fire II: "Ching is a prisoner in a Hong Kong jail that has a large population of Mainland Chinese prisoners. When he escapes to see his young son, who's been put in an orphanage, he's set up by the vengeful chief of security, Zau, who arranges for Ching's downfall at the hands of the Mainlanders and their leader, Dragon. Little does he know how much Ching and Dragon have in common." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "4K Scan from the Original Camera Negative."

Prison on Fire comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 69.7 GB

Feature: 69.4 GB

This is a solid restoration; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Prison on Fire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.3 GB

Feature: 28 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Prison on Fire II comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 77.2 GB

Feature: 76.9 GB

This is a solid restoration; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Prison on Fire II comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.4 GB

Feature: 31.2 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras on Prison on Fire’s 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with James Mudge, a Hong Kong film critic at easternKicks.

Extras on Prison on Fire’s Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (5 minutes 16 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Ringo Lam (7 minutes 25 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with author and film critic David West titled Convicts and Convictions (16 minutes 11 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with author Grady Hendrix titled Hong Kong Confidential: Inside Prison on Fire (10 minutes 9 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with production manager Chan Lam titled Burning Ambitions (16 minutes 46 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with post-production manager Tony Chow titled Bravery Behind Bars (13 minutes 16 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with James Mudge.

Extras on Prison on Fire II’s 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with James Mudge.

Extras on Prison on Fire’s Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 58 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival audio interview with director Ringo Lam (8 minutes 18 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with David West titled Stars Behind Bars (16 minutes 12 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with Grady Hendrix titled Hong Kong Confidential: Inside Prison on Fire II (7 minutes 26 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with editor Tony Chow titled A Fiery Follow-up (14 minutes 53 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with James Mudge.

Summary:

Ringo Lam followed his breakout film City on Fire with Prison on Fire, an unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities faced by inmates in Hong Kong prisons. The screenplay was written by Nam Yin (Ringo Lam’s brother) and it is based on his prison experiences. While Prison on Fire thematically shares many elements with City on Fire, it leans more into melodrama, whereas City on Fire fits firmly in the heroic bloodshed crime genre. That said, Ringo Lam’s one-two punch of City on Fire and Prison on Fire in 1987 is arguably his greatest year as a filmmaker. Both films redefined their genres, and their impact continues to this day.

While there are intermittent moments of violence, the narrative is exposition-heavy, with the bulk of it focusing on everyday and, in many instances, mundane moments. Another strength of the narrative is how much time it devotes to its characters; these are not just stereotypical personas; they feel like real, in-the-flesh people. Flashbacks very effectively flesh out character backstories by detailing how they ended up in prison. The common link among all the key characters is the choices they have made, which continue to derail their lives.

All around, the performances are outstanding, especially the two leads, Chow Yun-Fat (The Killer) in the role of Chung Tin-ching and Tony Leung Ka-fai (Center Stage) in the role of Lo Ka-yiu. While Chow Yun-Fat's performance is going to command a lot of the attention, the heart and soul of Prison on Fire is Tony Leung Ka-fai’s performance. His character, Lo Ka-yiu, is a victim of circumstance; a man accidentally died after he confronted him for robbing his father's business. Another factor contributing to the excellence of Chow Yun-fat's and Tony Leung Ka-fai’s performances is their remarkable onscreen chemistry.

Although Hong Kong cinema is known for its action sequences, Prison on Fire leans more into violent set pieces that have a rawness to them, which adds authenticity. While the majority of the violence is perpetrated by inmates against one another, the most vicious acts are carried out by the prison's head of security, a character known as 'Killer' Hung. He believes that commanding respect and keeping the inmates in line can only be achieved through brute force. The narrative effectively builds tension, culminating in a prison riot where inmates unleash their pent-up rage on their tormentors.

Ringo Lam was a filmmaker who did not like to repeat himself. While he would often work in the same genre, crime/action films, he only made one sequel, Prison on Fire II. The narrative follows a similar path to its predecessor, and it even culminates with a cathartic finale where characters meet their tormentors head-on. Despite any of these similarities, it never feels like a retread and has an ample amount of surprises that breathe new life into a familiar scenario.

Chow Yun-Fat (Hard Boiled) returns in the role of Chung Tin-ching. And this time around, his character's backstory takes on a more prominent role in the story that unfolds. He’s forced to make the difficult choice to send his son to an orphanage when no other relatives are alive to take care of him. Although both films showcase Chung Tin-ching’s empathy for others, it is ultimately the moments with his son where he shines the brightest. Prison on Fire II affords Chow Yun-Fat an opportunity to showcase his comedic talents.

While mostly known as an action director, Ringo Lam proves with Prison on Fire and Prison on Fire II that he was very adept at crafting dramatic moments. Despite their linkage, each film stands incredibly well on its own. Ultimately, Prison on Fire and Prison on Fire II are two exemplary crime dramas that are among Ringo Lam’s best films.

Prison on Fire and Prison on Fire II get an exceptional release from Shout Factory that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer