To go to a martial arts movie expecting intelligence, good acting
and a strong plot is something like expecting the same things
from a sports video. Perhaps we've been spoiled by the rare
exceptions, which have led us wrongly to believe that a martial arts
movie should consist of more than a bunch of extremely fit people
energetically kicking the snot out of each other.
"China Strike Force" is well down there with the bulk of the "Never
mind the plot, let's brawl" productions. There is a token plot -
young cops up against bad guys trying to smuggle drugs into
China - and some token characters - two "best buddy" impetuous
young cops, hot ass-kicking chick, powerful but principled
'godfather', and various villains to kick and be kicked. Nothing we
haven't seen before, and the film doesn't exactly break a sweat
making sure we understand all the ramifications of the intricate
plot.
The best performance is probably that of Siu-Ming Lau, whose role
as the 'godfather' figure is undemanding but which he carries off
capably enough. The worst performance is unquestionably that of
Coolio, as a badass black gangster from South Central. Granted,
Coolio probably doesn't aspire to play Shakespeare (although I'd
be quite interested to see him try, because he _can_ act and has a
certain presence), but as he hams his way through this crude
racial caricature, it's impossible not to imagine that he had his
eyes firmly fixed on his paycheck throughout and that it was
apparently large enough to overcome any scruples he might have
had about the role. It would be nice to think that one day the "black
man as swaggering pimp" archetype will follow Uncle Tom onto
history's cutting room floor, but "China Strike Force" unfortunately
confirms that that day isn't here yet.
Marc Dacascos radiates his usual gravitas, but after a while of this
you start asking yourself _why_ he is lending his air of dignity to
such a shallow and uninteresting film. Presumably another large
paycheck was involved. Dacascos is another actor who deserves
better. Some day someone will cast him in a role that makes
better use of his undeniable charisma and his understated style of
acting - the sometimes weak but still enjoyable "Brotherhood of
the Wolf" came close - but in the meantime he's apparently
reduced to slumming in productions of this kind.
The screenplay is largely by the numbers. There are occasional
attempts at humor, but no one seems to care whether the gags
come off of not so they mostly languish and die. The funniest part
of the movie is probably an outtake involving some fizzy Vitamin C
tablets, which suggests that the budget could have been reduced
and the movie improved by firing Coolio and replacing him with a
few bottles of soluble aspirin.
Martial arts fans may enjoy the fight sequences, for their settings if
not for their virtuosity, but there's a definite sense that everything's
been done before and better elsewhere. Overall, the lasting
impression is of a lazily put-together film with nothing particular to
offer and nowhere much to go except to video.
and a strong plot is something like expecting the same things
from a sports video. Perhaps we've been spoiled by the rare
exceptions, which have led us wrongly to believe that a martial arts
movie should consist of more than a bunch of extremely fit people
energetically kicking the snot out of each other.
"China Strike Force" is well down there with the bulk of the "Never
mind the plot, let's brawl" productions. There is a token plot -
young cops up against bad guys trying to smuggle drugs into
China - and some token characters - two "best buddy" impetuous
young cops, hot ass-kicking chick, powerful but principled
'godfather', and various villains to kick and be kicked. Nothing we
haven't seen before, and the film doesn't exactly break a sweat
making sure we understand all the ramifications of the intricate
plot.
The best performance is probably that of Siu-Ming Lau, whose role
as the 'godfather' figure is undemanding but which he carries off
capably enough. The worst performance is unquestionably that of
Coolio, as a badass black gangster from South Central. Granted,
Coolio probably doesn't aspire to play Shakespeare (although I'd
be quite interested to see him try, because he _can_ act and has a
certain presence), but as he hams his way through this crude
racial caricature, it's impossible not to imagine that he had his
eyes firmly fixed on his paycheck throughout and that it was
apparently large enough to overcome any scruples he might have
had about the role. It would be nice to think that one day the "black
man as swaggering pimp" archetype will follow Uncle Tom onto
history's cutting room floor, but "China Strike Force" unfortunately
confirms that that day isn't here yet.
Marc Dacascos radiates his usual gravitas, but after a while of this
you start asking yourself _why_ he is lending his air of dignity to
such a shallow and uninteresting film. Presumably another large
paycheck was involved. Dacascos is another actor who deserves
better. Some day someone will cast him in a role that makes
better use of his undeniable charisma and his understated style of
acting - the sometimes weak but still enjoyable "Brotherhood of
the Wolf" came close - but in the meantime he's apparently
reduced to slumming in productions of this kind.
The screenplay is largely by the numbers. There are occasional
attempts at humor, but no one seems to care whether the gags
come off of not so they mostly languish and die. The funniest part
of the movie is probably an outtake involving some fizzy Vitamin C
tablets, which suggests that the budget could have been reduced
and the movie improved by firing Coolio and replacing him with a
few bottles of soluble aspirin.
Martial arts fans may enjoy the fight sequences, for their settings if
not for their virtuosity, but there's a definite sense that everything's
been done before and better elsewhere. Overall, the lasting
impression is of a lazily put-together film with nothing particular to
offer and nowhere much to go except to video.