ISLAND ON FIRE
Rating:
Aka: THE PRISONER
Stars: Tony Leung, Jackie Chan, Samo Hung, Andy Lau, Jimmy Wang Yu, Ko Chuen Hsiung, Tao Chung Hwa
Director: Chu Yen Ping
 
When the police realize that a man who died in an explosion outside their house supposedly had been executed by the law for some time ago, they send Andrew (Tony Leung) to go undercover in the prison responsible for the supposed execution. The life in the prison is hard and the prisoners are treated as animals. Making friends is the only way to survive. Andrew who fights like a sissy has it tough.
At the same time, Steve (Jackie) kills a guy by mistake and is sent to the same prison.
Andy Lau enters the prison to avenge his brother’s death and kill Steve.
 
Not really a kung fu movie but it’s an entertaining prison drama, the same.
Jackie has a couple of fights but doesn’t impress.
Unfortunately Samo has not a single fight; something funny about him (well not that funny) is that in the movie his name is John Liu. In one scene he cooks to this silly music and throes around the cooking instruments in a kung fu way.
Jimmy Wang Yu plays the super-bad, tattooed, feared and respected prisoner who uses egg whites to make his hair shine (watch out for this guy!).
The movie is more than passable but this is the dubbed version I have and it makes it worse than it really is. And you know what, I just realized that the guy who did this movie also directed "Fantasy Mission Force" with Jackie Chan too. If you’re interested, MIHK have the widescreen-subbed version.

<<Back

1