Jackie Chan was reportedly so displeased with the movie, and that his name and image were being used to sell it, that he bought the rights and attempted to shelve it indefinitely. Despite his efforts the film was released in several parts of Asia none the less.
The main stars of the film, all big name talents in Asia already at the time of filming, were rumored to have appeared in this film because a Hong Kong triad boss forced them to be, at gun point. This rumor has persisted for many years, and has not been addressed directly in public by any of the leads.
Some of the scenes in this film, most notably the storyline with Sammo Hung, reflect scenes from the film Cool Hand Luke (1967).
Despite top billing, Jackie Chan doesn't appear for the first twenty-three minutes, aside from a mugshot.
The film's theme song, "The Last Gunshot" by Jian Cui, was written as a response to the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen massacre in Beijing, China.