The Big Heat: Hong Kong Cinema Classics – Shout! Factory (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1988
Directors: Johnnie To, Andrew Kam
Writer: Gordon Chan
Cast: Waise Lee, Joey Wong, Matthew Wong, Phillip Kwok Chun-Fung, Kirk Wong

Release Date: February 10th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 2 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.99

"Inspector Waipong Wong has to put his life and resignation from the Hong Kong Police Department on hold to investigate his former partner's mysterious murder. What he and his crack team of three other cops uncover is a plot far more sinister than they originally anticipated." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

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

The Big Heat comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 64.1 GB

Feature: 63.8 GB

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

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

Disc Size: 40.7 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

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

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences sound robust. Included are English subtitles for the Cantonese language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles and audio can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with author and film critic David West.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 41 seconds, DTS-HD mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic James Mudge titled The Heat Is On (15 minutes 6 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with academic Gilbert Po (22 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Cantonese film clips), an interview with actor Waise Lee titled Big Shot! (17 minutes 58 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with David West.

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

Johnnie To co-directed The Big Heat. His other notable films include All About Ah-Long, Running Out of Time, The Mission, Fulltime Killer, PTU, Breaking News, Thrown Down, Election, Election 2, and Exiled.

An investigator postpones his retirement after his former partner's murder. He forms a team that looks into and brings to justice his former partner’s killer. His investigation uncovers that those responsible currently serve on the police force, and they will do anything they can to stop him from exposing them.

Although most people were introduced to the cinema of Johnnie To via his crime films from the later 1990s onward, my introduction was his forays into melodrama (All About Ah-Long), fantasy (The Heroic Trio), and martial arts (The Mad Monk). Looking back on that selection of films and getting to know more of Johnnie To’s filmography, it's clear how diverse of a filmmaker he is. This brings me to The Beat Heat, a film made during the height of the heroic bloodshed film cycle.

While The Big Heat contains elements typical of heroic bloodshed films, it does not fully belong to this genre. This distinction is particularly evident in its portrayal of violence, which adopts a more realistic style, contrasting with the stylized carnage characteristic of heroic bloodshed films. That said, it is intriguing seeing how Johnnie To's approach to the crime film genre greatly differs almost a decade before he turned it on its head.

Hong Kong cinema of the 1980s was driven by its stars, and when it comes to The Big Heat’s cast, it takes the opposite approach. Waise Lee (A Better Tomorrow) is cast in the role of the protagonist, Inspector Waipong Wong, a character who's ready to walk away from law enforcement when he’s first introduced. Known for mostly portraying villains, he delivers a solid performance in the role of the hero.

The most notable cast member is Joey Wong (City Hunter); she portrays a nurse who becomes involved with a cop. Her character sporadically pops up and it feels like she was brought in as a star in a cameo role to add some name recognition. Another performance of note is Phillip Kwok Chun-Fung (Hard Boiled), who portrays a detective that lives on the edge. He was also one of The Big Heat’s action choreographers.

Although Johnnie To is the credited director, he took over for Andrew Kam, who was fired by Tsui Hark, a hands-on producer who often clashed with his directors. That said, The Big Heat is more of a Tsui Hark film than a Johnnie To, as it bears more of the former's hallmarks. The narrative unfolds at a swift pace, effectively balancing exposition with action sequences. Regarding the latter, the action scenes are outstanding, and The Big Heat reserves its finest moments for a blood-soaked revenge finale. Ultimately, The Big Heat is a solid action film that fans of gun fu should thoroughly enjoy.

Shout! Factory gives The Big Heat an exceptional release 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

Picture of a Nymph: Deluxe Limited Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1988
Director: Wu Ma
Writers: Wu Ma, Chan Ka-Cheong
Cast: Yuen Biao, Joey Wong, Wu Ma, Elizabeth Lee, Lawrence Ng, Yuen Wah

Release Date: February 23rd, 2026 (UK), March 10th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £25.00 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"Set in ancient China, the story follows a gentle scholar whose chance encounter with a mysterious young woman leads to a love that transcends the boundaries of life and death. But when he unwittingly releases a vengeful demon from centuries of imprisonment, the spirit of his beloved becomes the demon’s only hope for regaining power. To protect her, the scholar paints her likeness, allowing her to hide within the portrait—but his devotion soon draws the wrath of dark forces." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative."

Picture of a Nymph comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 28.4 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert Frank Djeng, an audio commentary with Hong Kong cinema expert David West, reversible cover art, an art card (limited to this edition), an O-card and rigid slipcase (limited to this edition), and a 40-page perfect-bound book (limited to this edition) with cast & crew information, an essay titled More Ghosts and Gremlins, Less Golden Harvest written by Paul Bramhall, and an essay titled Ghosts, Scholars, and Spirits: The Legacy Behind Picture of a Nymph written by Fraser Elliott.

Summary:

Wu Ma directed Picture of a Nymph. Notable films he’s directed or co-directed include The Water Margin, All Men Are Brothers, From China with Death, Along Comes a Tiger, The Heroes, The Dead and the Deadly, Picture of a Nymph, and Just Heroes. Besides directing, he was also a prolific actor, appearing in over 300 films.

A Taoist monk and his disciple protect a scholar from two ghosts, one that gravely wants to harm him and the other who is in love with him.

Released first in Taiwan, five months after A Chinese Ghost Story, Picture of a Nymph has many similarities to that film. Beyond their similarities when it comes to premise, both of these films have Joey Wang (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose) and Wu Ma (Righting Wrongs) in lead roles essentially portraying the same type of character. That said, where these two films overlap, there is one significant area where they differ tone-wise. Where A Chinese Ghost Story is a horror film with fantasy elements, Picture of a Nymph is a fantasy film with ample amounts of lighthearted humor.

The opening setup does an excellent job drawing you in, and the narrative is very effective in building momentum to a love-conquers-all finale. Another strength of the narrative is how well it balances moments of exposition and action set pieces. Also, when it comes to pacing while things move briskly, that is not to say that key moments are not given an ample amount of time to resonate.

Yuen Biao (On the Run) and Lawrence Ng (Sex and Zen) are the two most consequential actors, despite having no connection to A Chinese Ghost Story. While Lawrence Ng's character, the scholar, is technically the protagonist, Yuen Biao's character, the Taoist monk's disciple, constantly overshadows him. Joey Wang is enchanting in the role of the ghost who falls in love with the scholar, and Wu Ma’s character, the Taoist monk, is the source of the majority of the comic relief.

Not surprisingly, the action set pieces do not disappoint; they are filled with inventiveness and impressive stunt work, especially when it comes to moments with Yuen Biao. The biggest and most impressive action set piece is a finale that takes place in hell, and characters are in a time crunch to leave before the doorway out closes. As mentioned before, humor plays a large role in the story that unfolds, and a long-running gag is how the Taoist disciple pretends to be a mute while around the scholar. The lack of words provides for some interesting exchanges between these two characters. Ultimately, despite its familiarity, Picture of a Nymph is a highly entertaining film that succeeds because of the performance of its four leads.

Picture of a Nymph gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Nomad + My Heart Is That Eternal Rose: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1982 (Nomad), Hong Kong, 1989 (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose)
Director: Patrick Tam (Both Films)
Cast: Leslie Cheung, Pat Ha, Kent Tong, Cecilia Yip, Yip Ha-lei, Yung Sai-Kit (Nomad), Kenny Bee, Joey Wong, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Chan Wai-Man, Cheung Tat-ming, Gam Lui, Kwan Hoi-Shan, Chia-Hui Liu (Gordon Liu), Ng Man-tat (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose)

Release Date: February 24th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 96 Minutes 42 Seconds (Nomad), 90 Minutes 58 Seconds (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Nomad), 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose)
Rating: 15,18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese (Both Films), LPCM Mono Mandarin (My Heart Is That Eternal Rose)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK)

"In Nomad two couples, equal parts rich and working class, bond and experience the frolics of youth. The arrival of a Red Army deserter brings violence and disruption prompting incredible plot twists and inspired set-pieces.

My Heart is That Eternal Rose finds Tam in the more familiar Heroic Bloodshed genre. A young couple are torn apart by a botched Triad job that forces Rick to relocate to the Philippines and Lap to become a gangster’s moll. Six years later they meet again but their reunion only reignites the danger that drove them apart." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5 (Nomad), 5/5 (My Heart is That Eternal Rose)

Here’s the information provided about Nomad's transfer, "Nomad was restored in 4K resolution by Mei Ah, a process overseen by director Patrick Tam. In the process of the restoration, Tam also re-edited the film to match his initial vision, as it was heavily censored on release, resulting in this 'Director's Cut'. The master was supplied as a high-definition file, and grading was carried out by Radiance Films.

The master for Nomad contains numerous instances of digital noise reduction (DNR) and similiar digital artifacts, which have resulted in the artificial removal of film grain, fine detail and textures, among other issues. Every effort was made to minimize the effect of these techniques, but some sequences throughout the film are still affected."

Nomad comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.5 GB

Feature: 25.2 GB

The information provided about the transfer gives you a clear idea of what to expect. That said, color saturation is very good, and compression is solid.

Here’s the information provided about My Heart Is That Eternal Rose's transfer, "My Heart Is That Eternal Rose was restored in 2K resolution by Mei Ah, and was scanned from the original 35mm color negative. The master was supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition file, and grading was carried out by Radiance Films."

My Heart Is That Eternal Rose comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.6 GB

Feature: 28 GB

Though this release from Radiance Films uses the same source Kani used, Radiance did their own color grading. That said, the source looks excellent.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - My Heart Is That Eternal Rose), 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Mandarin), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Nomad)

Nomad comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise, things sound very good.

My Heart Is That Eternal Rose comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese and a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin. The audio, like the video, is comparable to Kani’s release. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should. The Cantonese language track is the stronger of these two audio tracks. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with Nomad include an interview with Nomad producer Dennis Yu (12 minutes 20 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with assistant director Stanley Kwan (7 minutes 55 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic Tony Rayns (37 minutes 56 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an episode from CID Season 1, Episode 3 titled Two Teddy Girls (50 minutes 35 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles),

Extras on the disc with My Heart Is That Eternal Rose include a theatrical trailer for My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1 minute 45 seconds, LPCM mono with English and Cantonese text), an interview with producer John Sham (9 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a visual essay by author David Desser titled Patrick Tam: Forgotten New Wave Auteur (16 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Frank Djeng for My Heart Is That Eternal Rose, and an episode from CID Season 1, Episode 14 titled Dawn Noon Dusk Night (50 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 36-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information for both films, an essay titled Two Tales of One City written by Kambole Campbell, an archival career-spanning interview with Patrick Tam by Arnaud Lanuque, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Patrick Tam directed Nomad and My Heart Is That Eternal Rose. He is also known for directing The sword, Love Massacre and After this our Exile. Besides directing, he worked as an editor on these films: Days of Being Wild, Ashes of Time, and Election. Christopher Doyle, one of the two cinematographers who worked on My Heart Is That Eternal Rose, is known for his numerous collaborations with Wong Kar-wai.

Nomad: Two couples with partners from different worlds, working class and wealthy, form an inseparable bond.

Though Hong Kong cinema is known for blending genres, the way in which things shift in Nomad is jarring. What starts off as a drama about a troubled youth who sleeps with another youth, causing trouble for his family, slowly transforms into a whimsical story about two couples enjoying life. One of the women's old boyfriends arrives and needs her help, interrupting their carefree life. His arrival forever changes the course of these two couples' lives as the finale takes on an especially dark turn. That said, though there is a looseness to the narrative, that is not to say that it does not always hold your attention.

From its opening moments, the narrative does a superb job building up the four main characters. These well-defined characters are further enhanced by exceptional performances from the four actors who portray them. Leslie Cheung (A Better Tomorrow) and Pat Ha (On the Run) portray cousins Louis and Kathy, who come from an affluent background, which allows them to live an extravagant lifestyle. Louis is effeminate and often plays a passive role in the story that unfolds, while Kathy is assertive, and her decisions often lead to trouble. Rounding out this foursome are Kent Tong (Police Story) and Cecilia Yip (Hong Kong 1941), who portray the two cousins' love interests who come from poverty.

As outstanding as the performances are, it is ultimately Patrick Tam’s direction that takes Nomad to another level. Patrick Tam, who was part of Hong Kong cinema’s new wave, has a distinctive style that sets him apart from his contemporaries. Besides infusing Hong Kong culture into his cinema, a film like Nomad is clearly influenced by the French New Wave, specifically the films of Jean-Luc Godard. Also, though his direction gives the actors the room they need to create, visually there are some stylish moments throughout Nomad. A few of these moments include two sex scenes, one of which takes place on a bus, and a bloody finale whose tonal shift is in contrast to all that came before it. Ultimately, Nomad is a one-of-a-kind cinema experience whose gut-punch finale stays with you.

My Heart Is That Eternal Rose: A woman named Lap has her life turned upside down in the aftermath of a crime boss’s son's death. Wanting to protect her father and boyfriend, who are blamed for the death, she makes a deal with another crime boss. Years later, a fateful event will bring her ex-boyfriend back into her life, giving her a chance to get back what she lost.

The opening moments do a superb job introducing the characters. Also, during the opening moments, there are a handful of moments that teeter between romance and comedy. That said, these moments are not representative of the rest of the narrative, which takes on a much darker and, at times, melancholy tone.

The shift in tone occurs when Lap's father agrees to do a favor for a crime boss who is an old friend; from there on out, there is a bleakness to the events that unfold. And though the plan to get the crime boss’s son out of mainland China appears to be on track, things quickly spiral out of control when one of the men helping Lap’s father gets greedy, and his actions lead to the death of the crime boss’s son. That said, the remainder of the narrative is a straight-up crime film like one has come to expect from late 1980s Hong Kong cinema.

At its core, it is Lap and her boyfriend Rick's love story that anchors My Heart Is That Eternal Rose. That said, the narrative very effectively introduces another man into the mix, a character named Cheung whose job is to protect Lap. Though Cheung’s relationship with Lap starts off as a protector, over time he develops romantic feelings. This forms a love triangle between these three characters, and instead of viewing Cheung as a rival, Rick forms his own close bond with him.

The cast is filled with faces that anyone familiar with 1970s and 80s Hong Kong cinema is sure to recognize. And when it comes to the performances, the entire cast is excellent. That said, the most memorable performance is Chia-Hui Liu (Gordon Liu), who is most known for the 36th Chamber films series. In My Heart Is That Eternal Rose, he portrays a crime boss’s deviant henchmen. Also, his character wears a ridiculous wig, which provides some unintentional humor. Despite his limited screen time, Chia-Hui Liu (Gordon Liu) takes full advantage by delivering what is easily the most mean-spirited one he has ever portrayed.

The strongest performances are Joey Wang (City Hunter) in the role of Lap and Kenny Bee (100 Ways to Murder Your Wife) in the role of Rick. Though both are tremendous on their own, their strong onscreen chemistry makes the moments they share even more potent. Also, the light moments that they share at the beginning of the narrative offer a perfect contrast to the turmoil that follows. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai’s (Bullet in the Head) portrayal of Cheung is another standout performance. Despite his character being one of the crime boss’s henchmen, he does not share their same enthusiasm for random acts of violence.

From a production standpoint, My Heart Is That Eternal Rose is a film where everything perfectly lines up. A well-constructed narrative moves at a good pace, the key moments are given ample time to resonate, and a carnage-filled heroic bloodshed finale provides an exemplary finale. Visually, My Heart Is That Eternal Rose delivers; the visuals do an exceptional job heightening the mood. Though My Heart Is That Eternal Rose was made during a time when crime and action films in Hong Kong were filled with wall-to-wall shootouts. The end result is a more drama-driven film that still retains the essence of a heroic bloodshed film.

Nomad and My Heart Is That Eternal Rose get a solid release from Radiance Films, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

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