Yan ku shen tan

It's poodle-permed Byong Yu versus the world (dancing lesbian abortionists, a murderous bandit gang and corruption within his own police department) in "The Association", a weird, awkward mix of martial arts action and T&A from Golden Harvest Studios. The high point is a short but superbly choreographed clash between Byong and Hwang In-shik: this occurs roughly halfway through the movie, which thereafter struggles to reach an anticlimax. There's just enough cheesecake to be distracting and the fights are too few, but they're fine examples of GH's signature blend of Chinese and Korean fisticuffs. (Angela Mao Ying gets a chance to shine in the film's opening moments.) Nice-looking sets and costumes, too. All in all, "The Association" is fairly entertaining as long as you don't take it seriously...and how could you?