Chao ji ji hua (1993)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Stanley Tong

Writers:

Mok Tang Han (writer)
Sui Lai Kang (writer)

Release Date:

16 August 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Brother Sister Relationship | Birthday Party | Bank Robbery | Parachute

Cast

Michelle Yeoh	...	Jessica Yang
Rongguang Yu	...	David Chang (as Yu Rong Guang)
Emil Chau	...	Martin Lee
Athena Chu	...	Annie Lee
Siu-Wong Fan	...	Alan Wong (as Fan Sui Wong)
Jackie Chan	...	Inspector Chan
Bill Tung	...	Uncle Bill
Eric Tsang	...	Robber in Drag
Dick Wei	...	Ah Shuen
Bowie Lam	...	George
Alain Guernier	...	Roger Davidson
Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung	...	Jewelry Shop Manager
Chan Mei Kei	...	Bank Manager
Yukari Ôshima	...	Terrorist (as Oshima Yukari)
Ailen Sit	...	Po (as Sit Chun Wai)

Also Known As:

Chiu kap gai waak (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Once a Cop (International: English title) (informal title)
Police Story 3 Part 2
Police Story 3: Supercop 2 (Hong Kong: English title) (series title)
Police Story 4: Project S
Project S (Hong Kong: English title)
Supercop (UK)
Supercop 2 (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Happy Valley, Hong Kong, China

Company:

Golden Way Films Ltd.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hot Fuzz Special (2007) (TV)

Not great, but worth a watch.

Depending on your whereabouts in the world, this film may go under any one of the following titles: Supercop 2 (USA), Once a Cop, Police Story 3 Part 2, Police Story 4: Project S, Police Story V, Project S (UK), Supercop (also UK). Whatever the title, do not be fooled into thinking that this is a Jackie Chan film; yes, he does appear in the movie, but only briefly and in a scene that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the film.

Michelle Yeoh, however, plays the same character as she did in Police Story 3 (which was known as Supercop in the US and did star JC—are you keeping up?), a hard-as-nails mainland Chinese cop named Yang. She is called to Hong Kong to lend her expertise and assist in the apprehension of a gang of Chinese criminals who are pulling heists right left and centre and peeing-off the local cops.

The police operations are going swimmingly until Yang recognises one of the criminals as Cheng Feng, her boyfriend from China who left for HK to find his fortune, and the two become reacquainted under somewhat difficult circumstances.

With a decidedly routine plot, Project S needed to be something special in the action department in order to compensate, but despite some cracking fight action towards the end, there is far too much quiet time spent between bouts. The action is also geared towards gun-play rather than martial arts, so those expecting a full on fight-fest will be disappointed. That is not to say that Yeoh and co-stars don't display some wonderful skills from time to time; the high kicking action is pretty good when it happens—it just doesn't happen often enough.

The final half an hour, which has the gang attempt a daring bank robbery, offers the best dose of action, with Yang going up against a foe twice her size (and kicking ass, of course!).

Director Stanley Tong and star Michelle Yeoh have both made far better films than this, but if your expectations are not set too high, you may find Project S a reasonable way to spend your time (although 105 minutes was a tad too long for me!).