Plot: What’s it about?
Within the walls of prisons, a lot of underhanded deeds and corruption can be present, since few are concerned with the prisoners and their problems. But the problems that plague this prison are much worse than simple bribes or guard brutality, as it involves manipulation of the system and a very high death toll. This would usually be taken care of by the warden, but in this case he is also corrupt and as such, will not lift a finger to bring the issue to an end. It seems as though someone is faking the deaths of prisoners, then using them as assassins, since they’re expendable and no one will raise eyebrows over dead felons. But the situation is not as perfect and safe as they think, as an undercover agent, Inspector Wei Wang (Tony Leung) has been sent in to discover the truth behind the issues. With the help of a couple other prisoners (including Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung), he must uncover just how deep this operations runs, reveal the leader, then shut it down once and for all.
This film is billed as a Jackie Chan flick, but don’t expect the usual Chan style adventure here. Jackie has some solid action sequences and a nice size role, but he is not the main character, so don’t expect a one man show. But when he is joined by Andy Lau, Tony Leung, and Sammo Hung, who would complain about the screen time loss? I for one think this cast is fantastic and it is terrific to see them all in one flick, so even if Jackie has less screen time, it all pays off in the end. This also runs more as a dramatic picture, with some action and comedy tossed in at times. So if you expect wall to wall action, then you’ll be let down, but I still feel this film works out very well. But this one moves at a rather slow pace and as such, could derail those in search of fight scenes and little else. But in the end, I feel The Prisoner is a welcome addition to any Hong Kong film fan’s collection, as it blends drama, humor, action, and a blockbuster cast.
As you frequent readers know, Jackie Chan is my personal favorite performer, but I wouldn’t place this among his finest works. This film was made in 1990 and is fun to watch, but it lacks the non stop action we’ve come to expect from Jackie. He does whip things into a frenzy on a few occasions, but this is more of a suspense flick, so he doesn’t kick up the thrills as often. I don’t think that’s a problem, but some of the more recent Chan devotees seem to dislike his slower paced works, so I wanted to warn them here. But if you’re a fan of Jackie and not just one side of his skills, then I think his performance here is well worth a look. Other films with Jackie Chan include Gorgeous, Project A, Supercop, Rumble in the Bronx, Twin Dragons, City Hunter, Mr. Nice Guy, and Operation Condor. The cast also includes Sammo Hung (Winners & Sinners, Enter The Fat Dragon), Tony Leung (God of Gamblers Returns, The Victim), and Andy Lau (Running Out Of Time, Full Throttle), all of whom form an impressive martial arts supporting cast.
Video: How does it look?
The Prisoner is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a real let down, as Columbia/Tristar has issued some fine discs for Chan flicks, but here they fall short and use an older transfer. In addition to the loss of resolution, this transfer looks worn and dated at times, which lowers the score even more. The print looks very aged at times and the colors seem muted, while the contrast is good, but could be darker and sharper. A couple scenes also pulse, from a lighter context back to a darker one, which can be on the distracting side. This is a decent transfer though and on par with most import discs, but it just doesn’t measure up to Columbia/Tristar’s usual standards.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is also a real let down, as this disc includes an English dubbed track, but no option in the original language. Again, Columbia/Tristar has been good on this issue, but here they drop the ball and fans are left with a lackluster treatment. As usual, this English dub is weak and comical at best, which just doesn’t do the film much justice. But aside from the language issue, the included Dolby Digital 5.1 is strong and little flaws surface. The surrounds see a nice amount of action, especially from the music and more action driven sequences. I am lowering the score due to the lack of the original language, but this is a solid track, if you can deal with the English dubbed edition. This disc also houses 2.0 surround tracks in French and English, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a promotional trailer (not the theatrical trailer however), some talent files, and an insightful commentary track by martial arts film expert Phillip Ree, who knows his stuff.
