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Black
Cat |
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review | awards | availability | |
Simon Yam tells Jade Leung to shoot |
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Year:
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1991 |
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Director:
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Stephen
Shin Gei-Yin |
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Cast:
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Jade
Leung Ching, Simon Yam
Tat-Wah, Thomas Lam Cho-Fai |
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The
Skinny: |
Mostly
terrific Hong Kong remake of La Femme Nikita that's
noticeably darker. Until the ending, that is, when we get
some cheesy wrap-up meant to make the audience feel better. |
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Review
by Kozo: |
Hong Kong's version of La Femme Nikita is a gritty
action piece at times, but at other times it’s strangely distant.
Jade Leung is the Anne Parillaud/Bridget Fonda stand-in, an
ex-hellcat turned assassin who receives a second chance from
government agent Simon Yam. Once she gets out, she sets up
a semblance of a life with Thomas Lam, but soon the reality
of being a government assassin crashes in upon them.
Director Stephen Shin has made a
virtual copy of Luc Besson’s original, carried by an intense,
effective performance from Jade Leung. Simon Yam is perfectly
cast as her mentor. Though its not as glossy as La Femme
Nikita, Black Cat nearly surpasses its inspiration.
The film is a dead-solid remake with a slight, darker twist
at the ending that doesn’t exactly work. It pushes the characters
and situations to the edge, but refuses to follow through.
That’s actually quite a strange thing, because HK films are
usually famous for going over the edge. Director Stephen Shin
puts on some western-style brakes and allows a compromise
for the conflicted heroine. It may make us feel better, but
it unfortunately rings a bit false. (Kozo 1996) |
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Awards: |
11th Annual
Hong Kong Film Awards
• Best New Artist (Jade
Leung Ching)
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Availability:
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DVD
(Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Mega Star/Media Asia
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks
Dolby Digital 5.1
Removable English and Chinese Subtitles |
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image courtesy
of Mega Star Video Distribution, Ltd.
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| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2017 Ross Chen
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