|
||
|
Screened at Golden Shadows on 26 May
2001 Project S is one of my favourite Michelle Yeoh films. It's also a very good example of director Stanley Tong's (Rumble in the Bronx, Police Story 3: Supercop) work, which shows he can make slick, fast paced entertainment with top stars other than Jackie Chan. The gossip at the time had wacky Jackie refusing this film offer as he was wary of being over-shadowed by the super talented Michelle Yeoh. Project S has Yeoh reprising her Supercop role as Security Officer Hua, one of China's finest. Hua is seconded to Hong Kong where she becomes involved with the investigation of a rumoured multi-billion dollar robbery of the city's central bank. A Vietnamese-born Chinese soldier Feng (Yu Rong Guang), is Hua's lover, who is also in Hong Kong working for his own better tomorrow - helping a European gang pull off the central bank robbery. Mainland star Yu Rong Guang (Rock 'n Roll Cop) adds substance to the film as an honorable soldier who succumbs to the temptation of fabulous wealth. He justifies this by telling Hua: "medals can't buy you anything". Director Tong weaves action and character development together in a near seamless manner. Project S is a high budget audience pleaser and a top-notch example of the Hong Kong action flick of the early 90s. Yeoh is surrounded by a who's who of the Cantonese cinema. Pop star turned actor Emil Chow is the HK cop Hua works with, his assistant is played by Fan Siu-Wong (The Story of Ricky), who last worked with Stanley Tong on the bizarre jungle adventure Stone Age Warriors. Japanese fighting femme Yukari Oshima (Angel) has a short but memorable stint as a shocked terrorist, and Bill Tung is along for the ride as the benevolent Uncle Bill. It's worth noting that the movie's most grating sequence belongs to a Jackie Chan / Eric Tsang cameo as cops in drag foiling a jewelry store robbery. This takes fulfilling contractual obligations to a new low. As you've probably imagined, the action content of Project S more than delivers. Michelle Yeoh is oh-so watchable as the fearless and driven Hua. The fight sequence with Hua taking on a seven foot Gwailo mercenary is classic HK film-making, we watch in awe as money bags Michelle battles this Terminator-like figure. Whatever you do don't arrive late for the start of Project S, because from the first frame of exposed celluloid Officer Hua is primed and ready to go! - JOHN SNADDEN If you are a Michelle Yeoh fan, you will love this movie. Michelle Yeoh is one of the top action stars in the business. |
|
|
