This Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment is now available for purchase.
Back in the 1980s, the action movie was among the most popular genres in film. Hollywood was producing so many that it seemed like a new title was arriving every few weeks. But by the early to mid-1990s, it all slowed down. Thankfully, there was another source for the genre outside North America… and that was Hong Kong. Filmmakers like John Woo (The Killer, Hard Boiled) were making a big splash internationally, as were martial arts stars like Jackie Chan. Another big name in the genre was Ringo Lam, who had scored several hits in his homeland with City on Fire, Twin Dragons (which starred Jackie Chan) and Full Contact.
This week, Eureka Entertainment is releasing a Blu-ray of another of the filmmaker’s major titles. Strangely enough, this picture didn’t make as big an impression in North America as in its homeland, but contains an interesting plot filled with wild, kinetic action, and a unique plotline. The Adventurers delivers all the thrills you would hope for from one of these kinds of movies. Just about the only thing it doesn’t do efficiently is, well, explain its name. There are some horrible abuses of power by the Khmer Rouge in this tale, a lot of violent criminal organization assassinations, shootouts and more. It’s an excellent action picture, but not something I would define as a grand “adventure”. I suppose something might have been lost in translation.
The story begins in Cambodia with a young boy witnessing his entire family being slaughtered by the Khmer Rouge. Specifically, being murdered by Ray Lui, (Paul Chun) an old war buddy of the child’s father who changed allegiances and began assisting the regime. The youngster escapes to Thailand with another of his father’s war buddies and starts a new life. 20 years later, the boy has grown into a man, Wai Lok-yan (Andy Lau), becoming a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, he still suffers trauma from his childhood, desperate for an opportunity to confront and murder Ray Lui. The opportunity comes unexpectedly when Lui, now a billionaire arms dealer, attends a local event.
The lead tries to assassinate his target, but is stopped before he can finish the job. Wounded, Wai Lok-yan is hidden by the villain’s wife Mona (Rosamund Kwan). She also hates Ray Lui and can’t wait for him to be eliminated from her life. While the hero recovers, the pair have a brief affair before being separated. Now wanted, Wai Lok-yan leaves Thailand for San Francisco, making connections with the CIA. He ends up discovering that the arms dealer’s estranged daughter, Crystal (Jacklyn Wu), lives there. After she is kidnapped by a rival gang, the hero sees rescuing her as an opportunity to get close to Ray Lui.
But in the process, he and Crystal become surprisingly close. The crook eventually reappears and offers Wai Lok-yan a position in his organization. Things get really complicated when the lead marries Crystal and she becomes pregnant. He also reconnects with an obsessed Mona who wants to rekindle their romance, and must also handle an arms deal with a nasty Cambodian general. It all ends in chaos and bloodshed.
This film is over-the-top. However, the approach is more than acceptable, as the details of the story would be incredibly depressing if one had to take it all seriously. Instead, this is a stylish action picture with some creative battles, captured using wonderful camera set-ups and angles employed by director Lam. Plenty of these exaggerated bits do make a lasting impression. One involves an incredible shoot-out and car chase near San Francisco. Wai Lok-yan and Crystal hide out in an old house only to have gunmen arrive. The thugs shoot up the place, while the protagonist and a naked Crystal (who happened to have been in the shower when the fracas began) jump and roll around, avoiding hundreds of bullets bursting through the wooden floorboards and wall. The chase continues as they try to escape by road through winding Oceanside roads, leading to spectacular crashes.
The finale, which sees most of the characters back in Cambodia, is also remarkable. This film was still being made in the days of practical effects, and the showdown involves helicopters firing rockets into a Cambodian village, blowing up entire structures with the performers running away from gigantic flames. It also features a wounded Wai Lok-yan using a helicopter to pursue a well-armed truck, delivering more spectacle in ten minutes than any Hollywood title from the era.
And on a dramatic level, the movie is also attempting to do something a little different. Wai Lok-yan is desperate for revenge, but really gets himself into trouble by romancing not one, but two women close to Ray Lui. Yes, it’s silly, but the melodrama does result in a couple of unexpected twists. These involve Mona threatening to blow the hero’s cover and end the life of Crystal. And unlike other movies from this period, the movie attempts to deal with the lasting effects of trauma. Wai Lok-yan is forced to realize that some people within his enemy’s circle aren’t all bad and don’t deserve to experience the same horrors that he did. He even tries his best to overcome some of his rage and repair his psyche.
As mentioned, it is a wild and crazy film with some sudden changes in the characters, but the humanistic themes resonate and all the bursts of action are entertaining and exciting. It is very surprising that this picture didn’t get a wider release in this part of the world, seeing as a good portion of the story takes place in the US.
Eureka Entertainment has done a cracking job of bringing the movie to Blu-ray. The image has been given a 2K restoration for this release and it looks very good. Yes, a few nighttime scenes do have slight graininess to them, but those two stellar action sequences look perfect and the literal fireworks on display are incredibly sharp. There are some bright casino and Hong Kong environments in the picture, which also look dynamic and impressive on a big screen. This is a handsome transfer.
The extras are also informative. There is a commentary track that provides plenty of background information about the picture, the cast and the production. This was a major effort, as it was shot in three different countries (and the story is actually set in four). You will find out that it was a troubled production because of its scope and some disagreement between participants. Reportedly, director Lam and star Lau weren’t on the best of terms during the shoot and this project marked the last time they would work together. You’ll find out all about this and more from the commentary.
Additionally, there is a great discussion with an Asian film expert who gives more background and detail about exactly what happened. Lam was not the original director, and came in after a firing. Lau may not have been happy with the decision and also felt that the filmmaker was going through a crisis of confidence. At the same time, Lam wasn’t sure that Lau could deliver the performance that he wanted, that of a man with psychological issues trying to seek revenge and find some closure from this past. Whatever the real story might have been, you wouldn’t have noticed anything was amiss watching the finished product.
The interviewee notes there was plenty of funding behind this production and that the crew included some of the most talented craftsmen in the country. As such, he believes that the film is underrated and deserves a fresh reappraisal. This reviewer is inclined to agree with him. He also talks about Hong Kong cinema in the 1990s, and how, after a golden period of cinema, the industry was struggling to keep major stars from moving to Hollywood. He even notes that this picture was a calling card of sorts for Ringo Lam to work in the US. Indeed, Lam’s next picture was for an American studio. That film was Maximum Risk with Jean Claude Van Damme, but the filmmaker didn’t like having to cave to pressure from executives under the Hollywood studio system and quickly returned to Hong Kong.
Additionally, there is an interesting interview with co-screenwriter Sandy Shaw. She talks about developing her storytelling skills, and eventually working on this picture with Ringo Lam. Shaw describes the director as very respectful of her (she admits that a few other Hong Kong directors at the time were not as kind) and that she learned a great deal from him. She notes that he was a very visual storyteller and would detail how to subtly show character relationships and traits simply just by using camera angles and positions, which helped her think more visually writing future scripts. The writer also shares some of the ideas she came up with for the film.
The Adventurers is a Hong Kong action film that tries to add a few new elements to the genre and stretch its boundaries, while also delivering all the excitement audiences would expect. It largely succeeds at its goals. The Blu-ray has an excellent picture that really stands out during the elaborate chases and explosions and comes with enlightening extras that provide insight into the production as well as movies from his period. Those who enjoy John Woo, Tsui Hark and Johnnie To titles should definitely pick this disc up!