Reviews (41)

Something new for Jet Li.
This is a new style of film for Jet Li. True there is some of the greatest action sceens ever shot in this film but mosst of the film is based on making fun of the Hong Kong film bissness. While Jet's charater Kit Li does have some great fights in the movie the best fight is the fight near the end of the movie involving Frankie Loan(I think that's how you spell it who's played be Jackie Cheung), who hires Kit as a bodyguard, and Kong (I don't know who plays him). Frankie is a parody of Bruce Lee(The greatest martial artist ever) and Jackie Chan (I don't really see the Jackie Chan parody but I can uderstand how some people will.) The final fight sceen also reminds me of a Bruce Lee style fight (Jackie even wears a yellow and black jumpsuit like the one Lee wears in his final movie "The Game Of Death"). This is a masterwork of Hong Kong comedy and action. If you are not a fan of both of these I wold be wary of buying this moive.

Great Action...... BAD DVD
High Risk is an action packed movie. Not like anything Hollywood has to offer. This is real HK action. Jet Li plays the role of a Stunt-double/ Bodyguard to Jacky Cheung. The first part of the movie really sets the pace of the rest of the film with explosive action. There are some great fight clips and lots of comedy. This is not a Hollywood movie so the effects are not perfect. One of the coolest clips was of the car in the elevator.

The DVD had no options other than the choice of Cantonese or Mandarin it did not even have a menu. Further more the subtitles where small and hard to read and where fixed English and Chinese, so you could not turn them off if you wanted. Other than that the picture quality was Great.

(I took of 2 stars for the lack of options and the hard to read subtitles)

Jet's HK career was dying down
It seems as if there was nothing better for Jet to do than star in this mediocre action movies. It just doesn't fit him.

If you're a fan, and want to see this just to see it, go ahead, but don't expect much.

Don't take it seriously
Don't take this movie for more than what it is, a comedy. It was funny, Jet Li fans won't find what they're looking for, if they want typical Jet Li. It's some pretty good fighting scenes at the end, especially when Frankie, turns from a coward to a fighting machine. If you watch this movie not expecting much, you'll be pleased.

Funny!
This is one of Jet Li's funniest flicks, if his only. Some pretty good action scenes in it, but i laughed more than anything. Hey on a boring night, pop this in, and you'll be entertained. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

One of the most enjoyable martial arts films of recent years
As a relatively new martial arts film addict, I have to say that I loved this movie. American martial arts films pale in comparison to Hong Kong originals such as this, and Legend of the Red Dragon proved to be a great little detour from the road of hand to hand kung fu action I have been following for some time now. The main weapons of choice here are spears and darts, and the many fight scenes are simply incredible. The laws of physics get swept right out of the window, but that's okay be me; only one or two moves here struck me as patently ridiculous, but even these were exciting and thrilling. The dubbing was indeed rather bad, but I came to this movie for action, and that is what I got.

Jet Li stars as the warrior Hung Hei-Kwun, a loyalist to the Ming dynasty; as the movie opens, we see him return to his village to find everyone there slaughtered by the Manchus - everyone except his infant son Man Ting (Miu Tse). Vowing revenge, Kwun lets his toddler (and fate) decide whether the boy lives to join his father's fight or joins his mother in death; the boy chooses wisely. A betrayal of grand proportions soon finds Kwun surrounded by enemy fighters; many a martial arts hero has wiped out a troop of baddies all by himself, but Kwun does it with his infant son strapped to his back all the while. When we next meet up with Kwun and his son seven years later, young Ting is the baddest little dude in town - a kung fu fighting machine, an incredibly disciplined young warrior, and a serious lad who probably has more self-control and wisdom than even his father. Now penniless, Kwun agrees to serve as bodyguard to a wealthy merchant, and it is in his service that he gets to know Red Bean (Chingmy Yau), half of a mother-daughter con artist team currently plotting to rob Kwun's employer. As all of this is going on, a master at the threatened Shaolin school is busy tattooing a map to the Shaolin treasure on the backs of five of his pupils in an effort to keep the treasure safe (although the fact the boys always seem to be together sort of defeats the purpose). An old enemy of Kwun's, one whom he thought he had killed, wants that treasure, and he especially wants to kill Kwun. This dude looks like he stuck his head in a pot of boiling water for about half an hour, but he is strong and invincible thanks to a witch's spell. He also drives a metal super-car, something you just don't see everyday in films about the China of the distant past. The Batmobile thing pushes the envelope way too far, but the movie is good enough to make up for the filmmaker's indiscretion.

Anyway, Kwun and Ting must fight to defeat the evil man from Kwun's past, protect the tattooed boys and in doing so save the Shaolin treasure, and deal with his feelings toward the lovely Red Bean. For the most part, he just fights. All of the action sequences in the film blew me away (but of course I'm not hard to impress when it comes to this type of action); you've got claws and darts being flung pell-mell out of nowhere, sword fights galore, and a little bit of kung fu thrown into the mix. Li and his fellow performers are lightning quick in their movements, the main female characters are a force to reckon with, and young Ting is just a joy to watch. Not only can he lick five boys his own age without breaking a sweat, he is basically an equal partner with his father, fighting right alongside him when the moment arises. Their weapons are a little on the souped-up side, but, boy oh boy, it makes for some spectacular fight scenes.

The biggest mystery to me when it comes to Hong Kong films such as this is the comedy aspect. As this movie progresses, an initially grim, sober tale is injected with increasing doses of comedy (only a small part of which can be attributed to the less than perfect dubbing). Some of it is funny, but the movie suffers a little bit in the process. Still, though, the amazing fight scenes alone make this a film that any martial arts fan should enjoy, and I might add in closing that the cinematography is also quite good, boasting one particularly beautiful scene midway through the film.

This is the dubbed version of New Legend of Shaolin
An overall decent film with good action sequences. It's just unfortunate that this isn't the original version.

Jet Li and that kid are awesome!
Jet Li playing the role of a father took a little getting used to. But once I saw the kid in action, all of my premonitions vanished. In real life he is a student of Wushu, and boy can he move.

The story was somewhat interesting, but Meng (the half robot guy) irritated me. Watching him spin and whirl around was just too much.

Jet Li is the man, but this movie is AWFULL!!
Well, lets see where does the madness begin!? Well first I have to say that I bought this movie way back when Fist of Legend first came out in 1994.(Which was a great film.) But this one was garbage. I am a HUGE Jet Li fan, he is one of the most talented martial artists to date, but the movie was awfull. First I do not like all the flying around stuff so that turned me off. The fights were very unrealistic, and the Villian had a metal car!?? Man..What is that about!!? It was More like a fantasy cartoon, that I could'nt wait to end. The movie was Very disapointing! I think it is as bad as "Kung Fu Cult Master". no, Actually that movie was better. This one was pretty bad.

And whats this I read from a review about karate in the movie???...Come on man...Jet Li does KUNG FU...and There was no karate in China back when the movie was set! I guess ignorance is bliss!

Kunfu action Theater
Yo FourHawk is the man!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A distraught warrior (the charismatic Jet Li) forces his toddler son to choose between a sword and a wooden horse. If he chooses the sword, together they will fight the corrupt government that killed their family; if he chooses the horse, the warrior will send him to join his mother--in hell. Thus begins The New Legend of Shaolin, a wild Hong Kong fantasy. Though the opening sounds grim, the movie shifts ahead seven years and becomes increasingly comic as its plot unfolds. The story centers around a map tattooed on the backs of five boys; it leads to treasure from the Ming dynasty that a heroic sect hopes to use to reestablish the Shaolin temple, which the government destroyed. Meanwhile, Li is forced by poverty to become the bodyguard of a blowhard merchant, who doesn't realize that his bride-to-be is part of a mother-daughter team of notorious thieves. Meanwhile, a villain deformed by a poison that gives him invincible powers is hunting down the five boys, one of whom is the merchant's son... As is usually the case with Hong Kong cinema, the filmmakers have crammed in enough stuff to fill several ordinary movies. The exaggerated stoic conversations between Li and his 7-year-old son, both of them stone-faced and painfully serious, are extremely funny, as are the bizarre bits when the bride's mother masquerades as a ghost. And on top of all this are at least seven spectacular action sequences that are both comic and exciting. A prime example of the unique joys of Hong Kong pop culture. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (63)

One of the most enjoyable martial arts films of recent years
As a relatively new martial arts film addict, I have to say that I loved this movie. American martial arts films pale in comparison to Hong Kong originals such as this, and Legend of the Red Dragon proved to be a great little detour from the road of hand to hand kung fu action I have been following for some time now. The main weapons of choice here are spears and darts, and the many fight scenes are simply incredible. The laws of physics get swept right out of the window, but that's okay be me; only one or two moves here struck me as patently ridiculous, but even these were exciting and thrilling. The dubbing was indeed rather bad, but I came to this movie for action, and that is what I got.

Jet Li stars as the warrior Hung Hei-Kwun, a loyalist to the Ming dynasty; as the movie opens, we see him return to his village to find everyone there slaughtered by the Manchus - everyone except his infant son Man Ting (Miu Tse). Vowing revenge, Kwun lets his toddler (and fate) decide whether the boy lives to join his father's fight or joins his mother in death; the boy chooses wisely. A betrayal of grand proportions soon finds Kwun surrounded by enemy fighters; many a martial arts hero has wiped out a troop of baddies all by himself, but Kwun does it with his infant son strapped to his back all the while. When we next meet up with Kwun and his son seven years later, young Ting is the baddest little dude in town - a kung fu fighting machine, an incredibly disciplined young warrior, and a serious lad who probably has more self-control and wisdom than even his father. Now penniless, Kwun agrees to serve as bodyguard to a wealthy merchant, and it is in his service that he gets to know Red Bean (Chingmy Yau), half of a mother-daughter con artist team currently plotting to rob Kwun's employer. As all of this is going on, a master at the threatened Shaolin school is busy tattooing a map to the Shaolin treasure on the backs of five of his pupils in an effort to keep the treasure safe (although the fact the boys always seem to be together sort of defeats the purpose). An old enemy of Kwun's, one whom he thought he had killed, wants that treasure, and he especially wants to kill Kwun. This dude looks like he stuck his head in a pot of boiling water for about half an hour, but he is strong and invincible thanks to a witch's spell. He also drives a metal super-car, something you just don't see everyday in films about the China of the distant past. The Batmobile thing pushes the envelope way too far, but the movie is good enough to make up for the filmmaker's indiscretion.

Anyway, Kwun and Ting must fight to defeat the evil man from Kwun's past, protect the tattooed boys and in doing so save the Shaolin treasure, and deal with his feelings toward the lovely Red Bean. For the most part, he just fights. All of the action sequences in the film blew me away (but of course I'm not hard to impress when it comes to this type of action); you've got claws and darts being flung pell-mell out of nowhere, sword fights galore, and a little bit of kung fu thrown into the mix. Li and his fellow performers are lightning quick in their movements, the main female characters are a force to reckon with, and young Ting is just a joy to watch. Not only can he lick five boys his own age without breaking a sweat, he is basically an equal partner with his father, fighting right alongside him when the moment arises. Their weapons are a little on the souped-up side, but, boy oh boy, it makes for some spectacular fight scenes.

The biggest mystery to me when it comes to Hong Kong films such as this is the comedy aspect. As this movie progresses, an initially grim, sober tale is injected with increasing doses of comedy (only a small part of which can be attributed to the less than perfect dubbing). Some of it is funny, but the movie suffers a little bit in the process. Still, though, the amazing fight scenes alone make this a film that any martial arts fan should enjoy, and I might add in closing that the cinematography is also quite good, boasting one particularly beautiful scene midway through the film.

This is the dubbed version of New Legend of Shaolin
An overall decent film with good action sequences. It's just unfortunate that this isn't the original version.

Jet Li and that kid are awesome!
Jet Li playing the role of a father took a little getting used to. But once I saw the kid in action, all of my premonitions vanished. In real life he is a student of Wushu, and boy can he move.

The story was somewhat interesting, but Meng (the half robot guy) irritated me. Watching him spin and whirl around was just too much.

Jet Li is the man, but this movie is AWFULL!!
Well, lets see where does the madness begin!? Well first I have to say that I bought this movie way back when Fist of Legend first came out in 1994.(Which was a great film.) But this one was garbage. I am a HUGE Jet Li fan, he is one of the most talented martial artists to date, but the movie was awfull. First I do not like all the flying around stuff so that turned me off. The fights were very unrealistic, and the Villian had a metal car!?? Man..What is that about!!? It was More like a fantasy cartoon, that I could'nt wait to end. The movie was Very disapointing! I think it is as bad as "Kung Fu Cult Master". no, Actually that movie was better. This one was pretty bad.

And whats this I read from a review about karate in the movie???...Come on man...Jet Li does KUNG FU...and There was no karate in China back when the movie was set! I guess ignorance is bliss!

Kunfu action Theater
Yo FourHawk is the man!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not A Gordon Liu Movie
His name is on the top, and his face is there on the left and down again at the bottom, and he is in two scenes of the movie, but this is not a Gordon Liu movie. It is an Aaron Kwok movie.

The action is rediculous, sped up, and not very coordinated. The humor is poor, and mostly unfunny. The two male roles are played by very similar looking actors. One of them is introduced as being semi-powerful, but later on he doesn't use any of his power. There are subtitles over a Chinese audio track, but you can't turn them off. There are also two song number in it (I hate musicals).

This is one of very few DVDs that I wish that I hadn't bought. I own about 40 kung fu DVDs and this is in my bottom three. It is terrible, from the beginning to the end.

Wonderfully absurd
An excellent selection for a night of Chinese takeout and nonsensical kung fu. Every review on this page is absolutely correct; the film is poorly shot, the dialogue poorly translated (if at all), the action clumsy, the acting mediocre. It's so dizzyingly fragmented, it's wonderful. We could not for the life of us stop laughing. Just when we thought it couldn't get more bizarre than it had, the last scenes (I think it was supposed to be a conclusion of some sort) surpass all others in leaving the viewer completely bewildered and highly amused.

Boring, hard to follow
This movie is boring and uninteresting. There are moments of "comedy" mixed into the vague story. I couldn't make heads or tails with the story and the characters. The fights are clumsily choreographed. I don't even know what the liquid sword is. I do not recommend this film.

Legend of the Liquid Sword
It is a funny kung fu movie, that includes sing and dancing. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the movie.

Gordon Liu Only a Cameo.
Gordon Liu is in no more than 10 minutes of this film. He has just one very brief action scene and it's too quickly edited to follow. While he is always thoroughly entertaining, his talents are greatly wasted in this film. The rest of this movie is just OK, like most of director Wong Jing's movies it is one part exquisitely surreal fantasy, one part unfunny comedy. I could watch it, but not without some fast-forwarding. For director Wong Jing's best work, check out Lord of the Wutang aka Kung Fu Cult Master. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Ekin, Chingmy, Lau Ching Wan-great gunplay action
I loved this DVD. In fact, I loved it so much I also bought it in the vcd format where the english/chinese subtitles are placed on one page. Plot: Ekin plays "Tsun" (who looks great in this movie) plays a triad leader rising rapidly with nose cancer (from smoking too much) and Yau chingmy (she is so gorgeous!) plays his very feisty girlfriend who loves him (you realize this when she refuses to let him touch her after an apparent bout of infidelity on his part (he wasn't), but she still prays that no harm be visited on him, but on her) but wants him to get out his gangster lifestyle, and Lau Ching Wan plays the seemingly appearing loser Ekin befriends that later helps him out. The movie is melodramatic with over the top emotions (I love it!!). The fighting choreography is top notch, with Ekin using guns in several angles, theres a gunfight in a mainland chinese motel where Ekin is lying on top of a tall chest of drawers (!) and the movements are very graceful. The movie has a sad ending (how many triad movies have you seen that end happily - other than Young and Dangerous #5 and 6 -these are great films by the way) and when he finally finds Chingmy again I couldn't stop crying! However, the action is great, the very coherent plot moves very fast and the acting is quite accomplished but then I like ekin and Chingmy. There is an ironic scene way at the very beginning of the film when Lau Ching Wan goes to a comic seller and demands the latest copy of Chung Wah Ying Hong- which 5 years later, Cheng Ekin starred in that movie (English title - A man called Hero). I loved this movie, This is a Universe DVD, so the picure quality is decent(Universe distributors almost always have extraordinary precision colors and picture - see Hot War, StormRiders, Young and Dangerous 3) and has the really narrow letterboxing original format, but the colors seem to be a tad faded (it was made in 1995). It is not a John Woo film, but a Wong Jing production, and Wong Jing likes to give his movies style and "cool". I like Wong Jing produced/directed films. Granted, they are made primarily for entertainment and there is not too much of the socially redeeming value in this sort of movie, etc, and that being said, blah blah, this is a great film!!!!

I'd give it less if I could
Terrible. Just a bad movie. I'm a Lau Ching Wan and Ekin Cheng fan and the title drew me in thinking John Woo. Not even close. Ekin was like driftwood, and Michael Wong cameos in his not so glory days of acting. Lau Ching Wan's performance was the only enjoyable part of this movie. Go watch the original Better Tomorrows, Full Contact, Big Bullet.

Cool Action
Watch it. you won't come aroun ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not A Gordon Liu Movie
His name is on the top, and his face is there on the left and down again at the bottom, and he is in two scenes of the movie, but this is not a Gordon Liu movie. It is an Aaron Kwok movie.

The action is rediculous, sped up, and not very coordinated. The humor is poor, and mostly unfunny. The two male roles are played by very similar looking actors. One of them is introduced as being semi-powerful, but later on he doesn't use any of his power. There are subtitles over a Chinese audio track, but you can't turn them off. There are also two song number in it (I hate musicals).

This is one of very few DVDs that I wish that I hadn't bought. I own about 40 kung fu DVDs and this is in my bottom three. It is terrible, from the beginning to the end.

Wonderfully absurd
An excellent selection for a night of Chinese takeout and nonsensical kung fu. Every review on this page is absolutely correct; the film is poorly shot, the dialogue poorly translated (if at all), the action clumsy, the acting mediocre. It's so dizzyingly fragmented, it's wonderful. We could not for the life of us stop laughing. Just when we thought it couldn't get more bizarre than it had, the last scenes (I think it was supposed to be a conclusion of some sort) surpass all others in leaving the viewer completely bewildered and highly amused.

Boring, hard to follow
This movie is boring and uninteresting. There are moments of "comedy" mixed into the vague story. I couldn't make heads or tails with the story and the characters. The fights are clumsily choreographed. I don't even know what the liquid sword is. I do not recommend this film.

Legend of the Liquid Sword
It is a funny kung fu movie, that includes sing and dancing. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the movie.

Gordon Liu Only a Cameo.
Gordon Liu is in no more than 10 minutes of this film. He has just one very brief action scene and it's too quickly edited to follow. While he is always thoroughly entertaining, his talents are greatly wasted in this film. The rest of this movie is just OK, like most of director Wong Jing's movies it is one part exquisitely surreal fantasy, one part unfunny comedy. I could watch it, but not without some fast-forwarding. For director Wong Jing's best work, check out Lord of the Wutang aka Kung Fu Cult Master. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Jackie Chan at his best
i've seen many anime in my childhood. city hunter is very popular in japan and i managed to watch a few episodes in korea. i always wandered what would it be like if an anime show was converted to a movie starring real people. to my luck, city hunter starred the legendary dragon (Jackie Chan). he's not japanese and a little old but that doesn't matter. this movie is full of anime style physical and verbal humor. i can't remember a moment i wasn't laughing. and also the action sequences are awesome. jackie chan is awesome on skateboard (wheels on meals). fight scenes are cool too using his trademark agility and stunning techniques (but no jumping off walls in this movie). jackie chan used a stunt double about 3 times but only for simple things (i don't know why). i can't describe how well the action and comedy are, you just have to see the moive, it's really that good. if you like anime and you like jackie chan, then this movie is perfect for you.

Too absurd even by the Chan standard
Even a bad Jackie Chan movie turns out to be better than most of the action/comedies available, but City Hunter is an exception.

The action is hard to follow, and the humor too childish. By example, while fighting at the game room, he turns into characthers of the "Street fighter" video game, turning even into Chun Li (with make up, dress and everything) and making some of the moves as in the videogame.

It is uncomfortable to enjoy the movie when it turns so stupid. There is a good scene in which Chan, fighting inside a movie theatre, imitates the movements of Bruce Lee on the screen. But thhat scene alone is not worth the experience of "City Hunter"

this is a must see for the anime fans
This is a completely different kind of jackie chan movie. I did not see the anime of city hunter but from what i saw in the movie i bet they tried hard to keep to the series with the kind of antics the people in the movie do. I am writing this review without finishing watching the movie, but so far the movie is excellent. The voice is not Jackie Chan's though. Its some one else just like what they did with Gorgeous.

ONE THING I MUST WARN YOU ALL THOUGH IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE COVER SAYS WIDESCREEN THE MOVIE IS FULL SCREEN.

I bought this movie in best buy for 9.99 and was hoping for the widescreen like it says on the box. this is not a two sided dvd where one side is wide and the other normal. The DVD itself does not say if it is widescreen or full screen. it just say the movie name on it.

I hope this is a screw up on the part of 20th Century Fox where some dum guy mixed a full screen DVD in the widescreen box, but if it isn't then they SUCK real bad. STOP FALSE ADVERTISING to make movie off of Jackie Chan's name. But i didn't find a full screen dvd for sale even online. This is the only reason i give the DVD a 3 out of 5.

Worst. Jackie. Ever.
I have probably seen a dozen Jackie Chan movies and loved them all, City Hunter was the first movie of his to dissapoint me. The stunts are almost nonexistant and pretty lame when they do appear. The fight scenes are also dissapointing.

The worst part of the movie would have to be the rap video sequence. It was the most god awful thing that I have seen in my life.

The best part of the movie was when Jackie and his opponents are fighting in a video arcade and they all get transformed into different street fighter 2 characters. That part is actually really cool and if you are an old school fan of street fighter I would recommend renting this DVD just to see that. Other than that this is a movie to pass on.

STICK WITH HK IMPORTS "ALWAYS"
Why American production make HK movies look so cheap? First of all, they cut off so much scene, second of all ruin it by making look act so dumb by English Dubb. ALWAYS stick with ORIGINAL LICENSED HK RELEASE. Be careful with cheap imports, boots, and bulls though. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
Lady Black Mask is actually a soso action comedy called Deadly Dream Woman, don't buy it expecting Chingmy Yau as Jet Li, she's a supporting character to buxom Cheung Man who plays the lead..good action by Yuen Woo-ping's team though

It's no black mask
Lady Black Mask..huh..I thought it was Herman Yau's DEADLY DREAM WOMAN...starring Cheung Man with Chingamy Yau & Jackie Cheung as support and a bathrobe wearing Ken Lo as the villain...the film is a strange female vigilante action comedy, saved by some good action by the Yuen Clan...funny but I wasn't aware the film was scheduled for US release...Hmmm Xenon strikes again ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Very entertaining movie - Cult Classic
First off, BUY THE IMPORT VERSION, not the recently re-released domestic with english dub.

The way I see it, a movie is more enjoyable when you see it in it's original language.

This is a different kind of movie with just about every cheap trick to attract viewers. But it all somehow works! However, it still does not contain the uncut scenes that some of us have been waiting for. While the movie may seem longer in the domestic version than the import version (due to NTSC running slower than PAL), it is still the same movie.

This flick is definitely one you want to put on only when the kids are already asleep. . .

Beeping?
This is not a bad film, but the Cantonese audio track is messed up. I mean like what's going on? It contains annoying annoying annoying beeping when the actors talk about something I guess is too R-rated or whatever, but the subtitles reveal it. Plus it's in Cantonese so like we and the kids don't understand it anyway!!!!! But what gives with the beeping? This is just pathetic. I'm referring to the exchange between the nerdy cop and the police chief or whatever at the crime scene towards the beginning. I've never heard anyone mention this. Is this just me?

Don't bother with this lame flick!!!
Would give it -100 stars if I could.
I got this DVD as a present and all I can say is that it is not even worth re-gifting it!!! The story was mediocre, the acting was horrible, and the direction was haphazard. In all truth, I had put it on my wishlist 'cause most of the reviews were extremely positive. Now, I understand how not everyone is going to like everything. However, that idea does not excuse such a bad film.
There were a few things that could be considered o.k.: the costumes (wayy drag queen so, the ladies ended up looking a little too much like Barbie or Jem); the fighting (outrageous but pretty cool); the sets (totally cartoon-like).
If I had the power to turn back time, I would have liked to rent this DVD before buying it. Now I have no other option than to sell it 'cause I will never watch it again!!!

DONT BOTHER
Bad Acting, Bad PLot, The worst editing, The girls are never naked and the kungfu is pretty lame as well. Do yourself a favor and pass on this one.

dont bother
Not exactly what I expected from the previews for the movie. they did a better job of editing the trailers for this movie than they did for the movie itself. the plot is lame, the acting is worse and the kungfu is some of the worst done in years. do yourself a favor and pass on this one, ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Mild-mannered Jet Li is bodyguard and secret stunt double to Jackie Chan-like action-movie superstar Jacky Cheung in this action-packed spoof of the Hong Kong movie industry. Li, playing a former demolition squad commander haunted by the loss of his family, takes a job with the womanizing Cheung, an action hero with a reputation for performing all his own stunts. Li surreptitiously performs the most dangerous bits with quick-switch secrecy, but when a TV journalist catches sight of him sneaking from a spectacular fall they suspect an elaborate publicity conspiracy. The showbiz scandal becomes sidetracked when high-tech jewel thieves take them all hostage in a skyscraper heist that smacks of Die Hard. Li turns stealth fighter, stalking perimeter guards and taking out the heavily armed bad guys with a smooth display of acrobatic martial arts moves, while glory hound Cheung proves his own skills in a brave confrontation with the thieves. The swipes at Jackie Chan are mean-spirited and undeserved, but Cheung's manic, mugging performance is awfully funny (unlike much Hong Kong humor), and Li plays his usual moral backbone with quiet authority, impressive agility, and explosive fireworks. High Risk is broadly played and Wong Jing directs bluntly, but the movie packs plenty of explosions, great martial arts work, and a driving sense of energy. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Something new for Jet Li.
This is a new style of film for Jet Li. True there is some of the greatest action sceens ever shot in this film but mosst of the film is based on making fun of the Hong Kong film bissness. While Jet's charater Kit Li does have some great fights in the movie the best fight is the fight near the end of the movie involving Frankie Loan(I think that's how you spell it who's played be Jackie Cheung), who hires Kit as a bodyguard, and Kong (I don't know who plays him). Frankie is a parody of Bruce Lee(The greatest martial artist ever) and Jackie Chan (I don't really see the Jackie Chan parody but I can uderstand how some people will.) The final fight sceen also reminds me of a Bruce Lee style fight (Jackie even wears a yellow and black jumpsuit like the one Lee wears in his final movie "The Game Of Death"). This is a masterwork of Hong Kong comedy and action. If you are not a fan of both of these I wold be wary of buying this moive.

Great Action...... BAD DVD
High Risk is an action packed movie. Not like anything Hollywood has to offer. This is real HK action. Jet Li plays the role of a Stunt-double/ Bodyguard to Jacky Cheung. The first part of the movie really sets the pace of the rest of the film with explosive action. There are some great fight clips and lots of comedy. This is not a Hollywood movie so the effects are not perfect. One of the coolest clips was of the car in the elevator.

The DVD had no options other than the choice of Cantonese or Mandarin it did not even have a menu. Further more the subtitles where small and hard to read and where fixed English and Chinese, so you could not turn them off if you wanted. Other than that the picture quality was Great.

(I took of 2 stars for the lack of options and the hard to read subtitles)

Jet's HK career was dying down
It seems as if there was nothing better for Jet to do than star in this mediocre action movies. It just doesn't fit him.

If you're a fan, and want to see this just to see it, go ahead, but don't expect much.

Don't take it seriously
Don't take this movie for more than what it is, a comedy. It was funny, Jet Li fans won't find what they're looking for, if they want typical Jet Li. It's some pretty good fighting scenes at the end, especially when Frankie, turns from a coward to a fighting machine. If you watch this movie not expecting much, you'll be pleased.

Funny!
This is one of Jet Li's funniest flicks, if his only. Some pretty good action scenes in it, but i laughed more than anything. Hey on a boring night, pop this in, and you'll be entertained. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It's been a while since I've seen it, but...
It's been a while since I've seen it (a few years at least), but somehow I remember the storyline quite well. This movie should be rated at least a PG-13, for adult humor content (there aren't gratuitous nude scenes--at least, as far as I can remember). It's a silly romantic comedy revolving around three beautiful and successful sisters who are still yet to find boyfriends and marry.

The eldest (played by Brigitte Lin) is a stone-faced detective/cop; the middle sister (played by Sandra Ng Kwan Yue) a cunning doctor; and the youngest (played by Maggie Cheung) a shy social worker. Their potential boyfriends range from a playboy, a mafia member, to a pimp, so you can see how chaos ensues in the normal early 90s HK movie way--which is, of course, unrealistic but fun as hell.

So if you're going to see a HK movie with an all-star cast and a whacky plotline, see this one. This is probably the only comedy I've seen Brigitte Lin play a large role in, and it's a fun one in which all ends well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another comic interpretation movie
During a time when comic interpret movie was common in the 1996/97 era, this was one of the by-product. I think this is a pretty bad movie in general and it just really wasn't executed well. The plot is based on the comic Red Light District comic with Playman Man (played by Michael Tao) vs. But Bit Wah (played by Simon Yam). There were two hot female lead, Chimney Yao and Shi Chi but the story was poor and the entire story is rather incomplete. This one is defn not worth the money for but if you enjoy comic intrepretation movie, you might enjoy this one. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

One of the most enjoyable martial arts films of recent years
As a relatively new martial arts film addict, I have to say that I loved this movie. American martial arts films pale in comparison to Hong Kong originals such as this, and Legend of the Red Dragon proved to be a great little detour from the road of hand to hand kung fu action I have been following for some time now. The main weapons of choice here are spears and darts, and the many fight scenes are simply incredible. The laws of physics get swept right out of the window, but that's okay be me; only one or two moves here struck me as patently ridiculous, but even these were exciting and thrilling. The dubbing was indeed rather bad, but I came to this movie for action, and that is what I got.

Jet Li stars as the warrior Hung Hei-Kwun, a loyalist to the Ming dynasty; as the movie opens, we see him return to his village to find everyone there slaughtered by the Manchus - everyone except his infant son Man Ting (Miu Tse). Vowing revenge, Kwun lets his toddler (and fate) decide whether the boy lives to join his father's fight or joins his mother in death; the boy chooses wisely. A betrayal of grand proportions soon finds Kwun surrounded by enemy fighters; many a martial arts hero has wiped out a troop of baddies all by himself, but Kwun does it with his infant son strapped to his back all the while. When we next meet up with Kwun and his son seven years later, young Ting is the baddest little dude in town - a kung fu fighting machine, an incredibly disciplined young warrior, and a serious lad who probably has more self-control and wisdom than even his father. Now penniless, Kwun agrees to serve as bodyguard to a wealthy merchant, and it is in his service that he gets to know Red Bean (Chingmy Yau), half of a mother-daughter con artist team currently plotting to rob Kwun's employer. As all of this is going on, a master at the threatened Shaolin school is busy tattooing a map to the Shaolin treasure on the backs of five of his pupils in an effort to keep the treasure safe (although the fact the boys always seem to be together sort of defeats the purpose). An old enemy of Kwun's, one whom he thought he had killed, wants that treasure, and he especially wants to kill Kwun. This dude looks like he stuck his head in a pot of boiling water for about half an hour, but he is strong and invincible thanks to a witch's spell. He also drives a metal super-car, something you just don't see everyday in films about the China of the distant past. The Batmobile thing pushes the envelope way too far, but the movie is good enough to make up for the filmmaker's indiscretion.

Anyway, Kwun and Ting must fight to defeat the evil man from Kwun's past, protect the tattooed boys and in doing so save the Shaolin treasure, and deal with his feelings toward the lovely Red Bean. For the most part, he just fights. All of the action sequences in the film blew me away (but of course I'm not hard to impress when it comes to this type of action); you've got claws and darts being flung pell-mell out of nowhere, sword fights galore, and a little bit of kung fu thrown into the mix. Li and his fellow performers are lightning quick in their movements, the main female characters are a force to reckon with, and young Ting is just a joy to watch. Not only can he lick five boys his own age without breaking a sweat, he is basically an equal partner with his father, fighting right alongside him when the moment arises. Their weapons are a little on the souped-up side, but, boy oh boy, it makes for some spectacular fight scenes.

The biggest mystery to me when it comes to Hong Kong films such as this is the comedy aspect. As this movie progresses, an initially grim, sober tale is injected with increasing doses of comedy (only a small part of which can be attributed to the less than perfect dubbing). Some of it is funny, but the movie suffers a little bit in the process. Still, though, the amazing fight scenes alone make this a film that any martial arts fan should enjoy, and I might add in closing that the cinematography is also quite good, boasting one particularly beautiful scene midway through the film.

This is the dubbed version of New Legend of Shaolin
An overall decent film with good action sequences. It's just unfortunate that this isn't the original version.

Jet Li and that kid are awesome!
Jet Li playing the role of a father took a little getting used to. But once I saw the kid in action, all of my premonitions vanished. In real life he is a student of Wushu, and boy can he move.

The story was somewhat interesting, but Meng (the half robot guy) irritated me. Watching him spin and whirl around was just too much.

Jet Li is the man, but this movie is AWFULL!!
Well, lets see where does the madness begin!? Well first I have to say that I bought this movie way back when Fist of Legend first came out in 1994.(Which was a great film.) But this one was garbage. I am a HUGE Jet Li fan, he is one of the most talented martial artists to date, but the movie was awfull. First I do not like all the flying around stuff so that turned me off. The fights were very unrealistic, and the Villian had a metal car!?? Man..What is that about!!? It was More like a fantasy cartoon, that I could'nt wait to end. The movie was Very disapointing! I think it is as bad as "Kung Fu Cult Master". no, Actually that movie was better. This one was pretty bad.

And whats this I read from a review about karate in the movie???...Come on man...Jet Li does KUNG FU...and There was no karate in China back when the movie was set! I guess ignorance is bliss!

Kunfu action Theater
Yo FourHawk is the man!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great !
This is a classic Stephen Chow movie and one of the funniest. No doubt he is the king of comedy. He is great in the role of the hapless but cool guy (just watch the castration scene...). He is really skillful and has a vast range of expressions (well, I think you can compare him to Jim Carrey... in some ways but not in total). Though the movie has lots of sexual spoof, I think is not insulting; I read that Cantonese comicality is difficult to understand to foreign... well, I don't find it so different from the Italian one!

Some unavoidable presences in the movie: Ng Man Tat (Hoi Tai Fu) that is (I think) in 90% of SC's movies (and this is good, they are GREAT together) - Chingmy Yau (Princess Kim Ning) - Sandra Ng Kwan Yue (Sister Bond) - Man Cheung (Empress Dowanger/Lone-er).

And remember: always watch a SC's movie in the ORIGINAL language or you'll miss the best...

A parody that is a lot better than most Hong Kong films
Visually stunning parody of Hong Kong swordplay epics. Stephen Chow is a smart aleck, fast-thinking lowlife named Wilson Bond (really) who gets caught up in an incredibly tangled court intrigue. Bond starts out working for Chan (Damian Lau), Master of the Heaven & Earth Society and then he ends up on the side of Chan's target, Prince Ning (Siu-Lun Wan). Basically, in the great tradition of "Yojimbo" and "A Fistful of Dollars," Bond swears loyalty to whoever is threatening him at the moment and ends up playing everyone against everyone else while trying to figure out how to save his neck. This parody is more fun than a lot of the "serious" movies it is taking on. The DVD is letterboxed, which is great, but the English subtitles to the Mandarian language washes out from time to time. Then again, the dialogue in this 1991 film directed by Wong Jing is not exactly the strong set of "Royal Tramp." The fun continues in "Royal Tramp II" so be sure you watch both parts or you will be missing half the fun.

Stephen Chow's Best - don't forget the sequel, or the book!
This was one of the first DVDs I bought for my collection after getting a DVD player. The plot is engaging and extermely well-written, and the brilliant physical comic performances of Stephen Chow and Ng Man Tat work wonderfully even for someone like myself who needs the subtitles to follow the story.

Be aware, though, that "Royal Tramp" and "Royal Tramp 2" are a single story split into two parts, rather than just a movie and its sequel. Be sure to get both.

Also, this movie is based in the only story by Louis Cha that is currently available in translation. The title of the book is usually translated as "The Duke of Deer Mountain", but the English translation (in 3 volumes) is called "The Deer and the Cauldron", Volumes 1 (ASIN 0195903234) and 2 (ASIN 0195903250) have just recently been reprinted, and Volume 3 (ASIN 0195903277) is due out in September 2001.

Great fun!
An extremely funny rendition of the Duke of Mount Deer story. Stephen Chow is just hilarious! I got this DVD because it's classic.

Royal fun
This movie was loose based upon the 80'HK tv series starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung. This is probably Chow Sing Chi best movie. I've seen some of his film's including the sequel. But this one is better. Royal Tramp is about Wai Siew Po, a nobody who tell stories in a whorehouse where his sister works. He becomes a member of the royal staff and is appointed to Hoi Kong Kong, while he still remains a rebel against the Chings. The story is redecules, but that's what we aspect from a Chow Sing Chi movie. The action is marvelous, with lots of wire works. The kung fu is absolutely fantastic. My favorite is the Fa Kwat Yu Mien Teung. Which means as much as "bone-melting-palm". ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Moment of Romance II
This movie is very nice to see. It is very great in action and romantic too. But it's a bit sad at the ending part when the main actor, Aaron died and Cecilia Ng didn't know about it and had to go back to her hometown. If Aaron did not die maybe he and Cecilia will be together and will be very happy instead. ... Read more