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Black Cat

Original title: Hak mau
  • 1991
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
949
YOUR RATING
Jade Leung in Black Cat (1991)
Catherine is a violent and disturbed young lady who is shot down by the government in one of her escapades. She wakes up in a training facility and is taught to use weapons, combat, and is put through heavy endurance training. When she is done, she is given the code name "Black Cat".
Play trailer1:33
1 Video
14 Photos
ActionCrimeDramaRomanceThriller

Catherine, a troubled woman, is recruited by the government for assassin training under the code name "Black Cat". Proficient in her role, she struggles with her newfound love interest and c... Read allCatherine, a troubled woman, is recruited by the government for assassin training under the code name "Black Cat". Proficient in her role, she struggles with her newfound love interest and commitment to the agency.Catherine, a troubled woman, is recruited by the government for assassin training under the code name "Black Cat". Proficient in her role, she struggles with her newfound love interest and commitment to the agency.

  • Director
    • Stephen Shin
  • Writers
    • Bo Shun Chan
    • Tan-Ping Lam
    • Wai-Lun Lam
  • Stars
    • Jade Leung
    • Simon Yam
    • Thomas Lam
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    949
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Stephen Shin
    • Writers
      • Bo Shun Chan
      • Tan-Ping Lam
      • Wai-Lun Lam
    • Stars
      • Jade Leung
      • Simon Yam
      • Thomas Lam
    • 14User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:33
    Trailer

    Photos13

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    Top cast35

    Edit
    Jade Leung
    Jade Leung
    • Erica Leung…
    Simon Yam
    Simon Yam
    • Brian
    Thomas Lam
    • Thomas
    Curtis Fraser
    • Prison Guard
    Denise Stauffer
    • Prison Guard
    Jordy Shane
    • Disguised Old Woman
    Audrey Rene
    • Bride
    Mary Rawbins
    • Hostess
    Randi Lynne
    Randi Lynne
    • Prison Guard
    Glen Morrison
    • Gun Instructor
    Kiara Hunter
    Kiara Hunter
    • CIA Agent
    • (as Cara Leigh Hunter)
    Jamie Estio
    • Groom
    Yvonne Drinovz
    • Prison Guard
    Dickie Motherwell
    • Language Instructor
    Chan Korlikian
    • Mysterious Killer
    Zdenek Juricek
    • Truck Driver
    Scott Higgins
    • CIA Agent
    Daniel Berman
    • Prison Guard
    • Director
      • Stephen Shin
    • Writers
      • Bo Shun Chan
      • Tan-Ping Lam
      • Wai-Lun Lam
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    5.9949
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    Featured reviews

    10Anyanwu

    I really don't follow the crowd on this one.

    I am not following the voting crowd on this film. I loved it as much as the original-Nikita. I just have a thing for films where women take a hit and keep coming. If more women were like Black Cat men would think twice about abusing them. This movie is continual action. And unlike Nikita the action is even more violent. Cat is almost scary in her quest to reach her objective. If you like full on action, I highly recommend it. This is better than any of that Cynthia Rothrock stuff; and I like her for what she does.
    6ebiros2

    James Bond version of MK ULTRA

    A Chinese girl who has chip implanted in her brain, and brain washed to be a perfect weapon finds herself loose in America. Much like in Rambo, she finds herself in lot of violent situation and trouble with the locals and the police, She gets picked up by the Chinese agency that did all this to her. She then continues her job as the perfect assassin, and a weapon of destruction.

    When I first saw this movie in the '90s, the theme seemed too far fetched. The premise of the story was too far out there for me to relate to. This caused me to lose interest in the story. But now that we know that there really is a super soldier program like this called the MK ULTRA, and it's off shoot the Monarch project conducted by the US (secret) government, I now realize that this movie was actually 15 years ahead of its time.

    Like in real life there is no spy like James Bond, who's so visible to the public, there is no super soldier like Hei Mao (Black Cat) in real life. So this movie is like a James Bond version of the MK ULTRA. Even the part that she has a "chip" implanted in her brain is like the real life MK ULTRA soldier Duncan O'Finion. I'd have to applaud the far reaching imagination of the script writers.

    The movie is really vividly made with settings done like a real life MK ULTRA soldier might be in. Like she appears in the U.S. as a starters. The story could have taken place 100% in China or Hong Kong, but for some reason the writers chose "America" for the killings to take place. Her mode of operation, her relation to the agency that created her. The way the agency "calls" her to activate her, all are straight out of MK ULTRA.

    Was all this a coincidence, or did the writers knew more than they are alluding to in this movie ? With the real life MK ULTRA soldiers coming out nowadays, the (Black) cat is out of the bag.
    6bluesekai

    Over-rated

    I'd read several reviews that this was an excellent HK film before I watched it, claiming it was better than the films that inspired it. Well, I have to say, if it is, then I don't want to watch them. The acting was terrible. The pace was slow (compared to what it should have been). The ending was abrupt and I felt like I'd been cheated out of at least 30 minutes more
    8jordondave-28085

    Another unique H.K. version of La Femme Nikita

    (1991) The Black Cat (In Chinese with English subtitles) ACTION

    Inspired by Luc Besson's "La Femme Nikita" but in it's own unique kind of way starring Jade Leung who after going through an abusive environment starting with an assault by a trucker before making her life even worst for herself as soon as she crazily accidentally shoots a cop dead. She eventually gets picked up by an gov't organization where she along with others are being trained as assassins to execute specific people with a controlled chip installed in their heads called the "Black Cat" with only a one kind of pill to soothe their frequent headaches. This is the Chinese equivalent version of "La Femme Nikita" and is very entertaining since it's unique and not like a direct frame by frame copy of it's predecessor like "Point Of No Return"! A sequel was made called "The Black Cat II: The Assassination Of Boris Yeltsin" which is more action oriented.
    10jakedesigns

    Casting Correction 😁

    Just a fun little note. You have the name of the Actor as the "Groom" wrong. I know, because it's me 😁

    I worked a few days as an extra in the film. On the day of the wedding scene, the hired Groom didn't fit the tuxedo. I stepped in and my 1-shot movie career was born! Without even a credit....lol

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    Related interests

    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This was originally supposed to have been a direct remake of the French film La Femme Nikita (1990) but unfortunately that idea fell apart when Warner Bros. (although some other sources say Disney, such as the packaging of 88 Films' Blu-Ray release from 2022) acquired the licence to do such a remake before D&B Films could (which resulted in the American remake Point of No Return (1993) a.k.a. "The Assassin"), so director Stephen Shin had to have a rethink.
    • Goofs
      When Catherine is let out of the car at the wedding hit, there is some kind of large farm equipment on the road in the distance. The car starts to drive away, the shot cuts to her face, then back to the car leaving. Despite the fact that the car has only traveled a few feet, the combine in the distance has disappeared.
    • Connections
      Features Die Hard 2 (1990)

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    FAQ16

    • How long is Black Cat?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 17, 1991 (Hong Kong)
    • Countries of origin
      • Hong Kong
      • Canada
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
      • Cantonese
    • Also known as
      • El gato negro
    • Filming locations
      • Panorama Ridge, South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada(Jewish Wedding Party scene)
    • Production company
      • D & B Films Co. Ltd.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 36m(96 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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