Gen:X Cops

Veteran director Benny Chan Muk-sing (A MOMENT OF ROMANCE, NEW POLICE STORY) marshals proceedings into a cohesive whole, though the movie fizzles badly after a dynamic opening sequence before rallying again somewhere around the halfway mark. The action scenes are staged and executed with all the breathless abandon one expects from HK cinema, but many of them unfold so quickly, it's often difficult to know who's doing what to whom, or even why, and crucial plot points are sometimes lost along the way. Few of the actors emerge with any credit, though Nakamura is admirably solemn as an English-speaking Japanese villain who clings to old-fashioned notions of truth and righteousness in a world where such virtues no longer have currency. The young leads are OK (Wu's transition from beleaguered second-in-command to ruthless hard man is surprisingly convincing), while Tsang spends much of his screen time trading insults with his younger, slicker police counterpart (Moses Chan Ho). Stand-out set-pieces include a breathtaking skydive from the roof of a high-rise building, and the climactic scenes at the Hong Kong Convention Center which utilize ambitious visual effects supervised by a US effects team, headed by Oscar-winner Joe Viskocil (INDEPENDENCE DAY, APOLLO 13). Sensitive viewers may be irritated by some xenophobic comments directed toward the Japanese villains, and there's a couple of dialogue exchanges which play directly to bigoted attitudes about gay men, but the offence is fleeting, if unnecessary. Ultimately, this big budget fluff - designed to compete with a flood of Hollywood blockbusters dominating the HK box-office - amounts to little more than a feel-good fantasy thriller, as slick and hollow as the very films it seeks to emulate. A huge success on its home turf, the film spawned an inevitable sequel, GEN-Y COPS (2000). Original title: DAK GING SAN YAN LUI (Cantonese) or TE JING XIN REN LEI (Mandarin).

Columbia TriStar's DVD offers a fine representation of the original film, and there's a generous helping of extras, including trailers, outtakes and a US-style 'Making of' which sells the film as a major blockbuster. Sound and picture quality is excellent. Major irritation: For some unfathomable reason, the disc continues to provide English subtitles during the lengthy English-language sequences in the original Cantonese version of the film.

113m 6s
2.39:1 (Anamorphic) / Anamorphically enhanced
DVD soundtrack: Dolby 5.1/Dolby 2.0
Theatrical soundtrack: Dolby Digital
Cantonese and English, with optional English subtitles
(Dubbed English version also included)
Closed captions
Region 1

The formulaic plot satisfies for the most part and makes sense in that action movie sort of way. Nothing is too over-the-top, equaling harmless fun for all. Clearly no one is taking themselves too seriously, and director Benny Chan was smart in throwing in a healthy dose of humor. The end result is a slick, satisfying 1 1/2 hour reality break.

The cast consists mostly of young talents but the older actors turn in some scene stealing performances as well. Francis Ng, who owns every role he takes, stands out as gang boss Lok. He possesses an intensity that keeps his character believable without giving into parody. (Beware Jackie Chan fans; he produced the movie and only appears for a one minute cameo at the end.)

The DVD extras won't disappoint either. In addition to the Coming Attractions, the Special Features include cast and credit info, a production diary, a film magic sequence exhibiting storyboards and special effects, a Making Of, additional footage, and trailers and TV spots. There are Cantonese and Mandarin language tracks with traditional, simplified, and English subtitles. There is also a great in-depth commentary (w/ subtitles) from the cast and crew. Unfortunately some of the special features do not have subtitles, though you won't miss much. Another drawback is the overall sound quality of the Cantonese track, which is uneven at best.