A Book of Heroes

I don't know why it took me so long to discover this film, but I'm glad I finally did. "Book of Heroes" is a must-see for anyone who likes women doing martial arts. And we're talking three women here, all of whom are working at cross-purposes (or so it appears at first): Yukari Oshima (the most recognizable name, but the one with the least screen time) is a henchwoman working for gangster boss Yasuaki Kurata; another woman (whose name I wish I knew) wants to become a policewoman, so she goes around beating bad guys and even arresting them!; and my personal favorite, Elsa Yeung, is a con artist who loves mocking her opponents while she's kicking their a$$es; her cute, girlish smile and her beautiful, deadly legs make her the sexiest of the trio (she often fights in a skirt). The script is weak and the goofy slapstick comedy is a matter of taste (it's often funny in this one), but the fight scenes and the hard-hitting stuntwork are arguably even better than those of, say, "Police Assassins" with Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock. Track this film down. *** out of 4.

When a consignment of gold disappears from a harbour, a number of parties set out to find it. Firstly there is a disgraced police officer who is helped (and hindered) by a feisty wannabe policewoman who has a crush on him. Then there is a trio of con-artists who see this as the perfect opportunity to end their careers with a massive scoop. Finally there is the considerably more intimidating presence of a Japanese gangster and his varied cohorts who are willing to use any means to find the gold. Clashes between the three groups of treasure hunters are inevitable, but those on the side of the law must team up with the tricky threesome in order to defeat the formidable ranks of the Japanese underworld.

Fairly entertaining comedy-Kung fu actioner that benefits from its three heroines who act well and fight skilfully, however the story can be confusing and tedious at times. It's the comedy and Kung fu that makes this one watchable.

Hey, this film is directed by Chu Yen-Ping and presented by Cinema City Films. You know what that means. You're in for a lame comedy that's more trying than funny, but is still incredibly entertaining and has a catchy theme song. A Book of Heroes is no exception. It may have a clever joke on occasion, but overall isn't generally funny. Most actors do a good job, but Woo Gwa and Laam Sam-Mei have standout performances.

Though the comedy doesn't amaze, the fight scenes do. Woo Gwa and Laam Sam-Mei are great and definitely had potential. It's a shame their film careers were relatively short. There's also Japanese actors Kurata Yasuaki and Yukari Oshima (in her film debut) who are quite impressive, but not as impressive as their future contributions to cinema. If only the writing was as good as the fight scenes. Also I heard that one of the main reasons why people like this movie is because of it's pretty female leads who beat people up, but if that's all you want, then Inspector Wears Skirts is more for you.

This movie is strange, but it's not "Chu Yen-Ping" strange. There aren't any Chinese Scotsmen or kung fu bowling, like what you may see in his other movies. It's just a silly movie. This movie is a hidden gem in Hong Kong cinema, but it is a dirt-covered gem. Like most-all Chu Yen- Ping films, the comedy is lame and the action is terrific, but my rating will easily rise once I watch a half decent print of this film. With that said, the movie is still entertaining and a movie to watch if you have nothing else to do. By the way, if you can't stand jump-cuts, this film is not for you.

From the get-go, opening with a gang of 5 or 6 masked men riding a forklift truck to a robbery before getting chased by a Jackie Chan-esque cop on a bicycle - who then goes on to win a bike race that just happens to be going on in the area; you know what kind of film you are in for!

Of course, that is quickly followed by the introduction of our lead girl who, after challenging some men in a drinking game, takes part in an wonderfully choreographed bar fight before facing off against the awesome Yukari Oshima...

And this is only the first 10 minutes!!

But what else would you expect with director (Kevin) Chu Yen Ping at the helm? The same guy who brought you the insane Fantasy Mission Force, the crazy Shaolin Popeye movies, Island Of Fire, and in recent years the likes of Kung Fu Dunk, and Treasure Hunter. In fact, his filmography is just ridiculous with some crazy films as well as some crackers, but either way, I have to say that I am a fan.

A Book Of Heroes reminds me of one of my childhood favourites - Lucky Seven. The fights are incredibly similar making me think some of the same choreographers and stunt team were on board - and that's a great thing. The fighting is fast and furious, with some incredible moves and some painful looking stunt work. And there is plenty of it too! I also noticed a number of actors from Lucky Seven also including one of the female leads, and the wonderful Eugene Thomas - also a regular in super ninja Alexander Lou's films!

A few faces from Fantasy Mission Force as well as other Kevin Chu films also pop up throughout, all in all making for a fun who's-who of Taiwanese martial arts cinema... The super cute child actor, Siu Ban Ban (from Magic Crystal) gets a few fun moments, and the awesome Yasuaki Kurata gets to kick some ass as the bad guy! And I'm not 100%, but his house looks like the same set as the Gentleman's Club from Project A (with the double staircase and chandelier)...

Of course, the story and script is so OTT and crazy that you must remember to switch your brain off before settling down to this one. A Book Of Heroes is a lot of fun - just mental at times, but with some of the best martial arts fights and stunts committed to screen, and a great cast to support it!

The end battle is so well done and one of my favourite fight scenes - think the Lucky Stars movies on crack. I don't think I could ever get bored of it to be honest..!!

Overall: Crazy fun with awesome fight scenes and mad stunts makes this a must for fans that miss the golden years of Hong Kong cinema!!

But... I actually liked it a little bit more than I thought I would, a tiny little bit more. At least it was better than Midnite Angels 3.

OK.. What I don't get is the rating on here is as good as "King Boxer" and Bruce Lee's "The Chinese Connection"... Really? Its also rated better than "The Five Venoms", "The Way of the Dragon" and "The Magnificent Ruffians".

Maybe that's not fair because these are not female lead role movies. Well then... This has a higher rating than "The Lady Hermit", "Wing Chun" and "Moonlight Sword and Jade Lion". I would rather watch "Lady Whirlwind" any day of the week before this. If you want to see good female fu, then watch "No One Can Touch Her"...

I made it through all of the movie. I give it 3 stars at best. Although I don't I would have any reason to ever watch it again.