Plot: What’s it about?
A strange wave of thefts has been baffling the public as well as the police, as newborn babies are being stolen from hospitals and never seen again. The crimes have been impossible to analyze since no evidence is ever left behind. It seems as though an invisible person has been committing these crimes, but that couldn’t be possible…could it? As bizarre as it sounds that is exactly what is happening, as Ching (Michelle Yeoh) has the power to make herself invisible while she perpetrates these baby heists. After she steals these babies she delivers them to her master, the Demon-Lord of the Underworld. Once he has the little tykes he starts to transform them into his army of assassins, which means bad news for everyone else. But when the acrobatic Tung (Anita Mui) catches up to the kidnapper, Tung decides to switch sides and help stop the Demon-Lord from amassing his army any further. As if that wasn’t enough another former worker for the Demon-Lord shows up in the form of Chat (Maggie Cheung), who offers her help and inside information for a price. The three have a massive battle ahead of them, but with their combined powers perhaps they can topple the toddler snatching Demon-Lord once and for all.
This is hands down one of the best superhero/fantasy films I have ever seen and I am pleased to finally own this title on our beloved format. While this film does have some serious moments at times, for the most part this is over the top fun and excitement. The characters are superheroes and do all types of cool stuff to showcase their powers, such as Wonder Woman and her amazing jumping and gliding ability. But don’t let the superhero moniker fool you into letting your kids watch this one, as it is loaded with blood and violence. Babies are tossed through the air, grenades are thrown at children, all the fun and thrilling violence you could ask for is present here. You even get to see this guy try to reattach his severed pinky finger, which is always cool. The special effects are very cool and while not at the same level as major motion pictures from America, I don’t think many will be disappointed with them. The women who portray these superheroes are some fantastic performers and they handle the roles very well, infusing their characters with charm. I recommend this as a rental to action/fantasy fans, but if you’re already a fan you need to pick this one up right now!
This film was directed by Johnny To and Ching Siu Tung, who I feel have delivered an all time classic when it comes to action/fantasy films. To is an experienced director who adds much to this film and Ching Siu Tung is a legend when it comes to fantasy films, so you know this movie is bound to turn out this good. To seems to be behind the dialogue driven sequences and such, which turn out very well and add a lot to the emotional and storyline aspects of the movie. And with Siu Tung handling the stunts and action scenes, this means the film is well rounded and offers a little bit of everything. These two would team to create the sequel to this film also, Executioners which is also well worth the time to check out. If you want to see more of To’s movies I recommend Running Out Of Time and Lifeline while Siu Tung fans will want to look up A Chinese Ghost Story, Royal Tramp, and Stone Age Warriors. The leads in this film are amazing and totally capture the superhero spirit to perfection. Anita Mui (My Father Is A Hero, Miracles) and action superstar Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies, Supercop 2) turn in excellent and exciting performances, but Maggie Cheung (Police Story) steals the show as the hilarious and beautiful Thief Catcher, Chat.
Video: How does it look?
The Heroic Trio is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This isn’t a perfect transfer by any means, but this is by far the best looking version I have seen of the movie. The source prints shows some grain and wear, but not to an extreme degree and the compression is almost flawless. The colors look bright, while staying within a more natural spectrum and flesh tones look normal and warm. The contrast is light at times, but usually displays deep shadows and no visible detail loss.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release contains three audio tracks for you to choose from, Cantonese, English, and Mandarin with all three being in the stereo format. While the include stereo is adequate for most scenes, this film will sound so much better with a dedicated surround track also included. The music sounds good and the effects have some impact, though not nearly as powerful as a full surround track would afford. The dialogue is the main concern in this mix and it comes across well, with no clarity or volume problems to deal with. This movie is begging for the special edition treatment, so maybe in the future we will see a 5.1 surround remastered track issued.
Supplements: What are the extras?
On this release you will find the theatrical trailer for this film and two other Tai Seng releases, as well as some well detailed talent files.
