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Millionaire's Express
Hong Kong 1986
produced by Raymond Chow, Leonard Ho, Alfred Cheung, Wu Ma for Bo Ho Films/Golden Harvest
directed by Sammo Hung
starring Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, Olivia Cheng, Rosamund Kwan, Emily Chu, Kenny Bee, Eric Tsang, Hwang Jang Lee, Yasuaki Kurata, Yukari Oshima, Richard Ng, Lydia Sun, Richard Norton, Cynthia Rothrock, Dick Wei, Chung Fat, Fan Mui Sang, Mang Hoi, Wu Ma, Yuen Wah, Hsiao Hou, Chan Lung, Chin Kar Lok, James Tien, Wang Yu, Woo Fung, Lam Ching-Ying, Billy Lau, Lau Chau Sang, Liu Chia Yung (= Lau Kar Wing), Shih Kien, Phillip Ko, Tai Po, Yuen Tak, Bolo Yeung (= Yang Sze)
written by Alfred Cheung, Barry Wong, Wong Wang Kai, music by The Melody Bank, Anders Nelsson, Alastair Monteith-Hodge, stunt coordination by Sammo Hung's Stuntmen Team
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Having made a fortune - and not necessarily by legal means - loveable
rogue Tin (Sammo Hung) returns to his hometown in the middle of nowhere
with his stable of prostitutes - much to the dismay of the town's sheriff
Tsao (Yuen Biao), who thinks Tin is sure to plan something crooked ... and
sure enough, Tin is, but not quite as you expect: He plany to blow up the
traintracks that lead through the village, to stop the Millionaire's
Express, a train full of rich people, which will then automatically
bring the town big business and put it on the map for good. The plan even
works, but as a result, Tin is arrested, and later only freed thanks to
his prostitutes, especially Siu-Hon (Olivia Cheng), who is in love with
him. However, as a result the prostitutes are arrested, and eventually Tin
realizes the only decent thing to do is to free them in return.
In the meantime there have been some new developments in town: A gang
of bandits (with Richard Norton, Cynthia Rothrock and Chung Fat among
their ranks) have raided the town, tied up all its guests, including a
trio of Japanese (Hwang Jang Lee, Yasuaki Kurata, Yukari Oshima) who try
to smuggle Chinese national secrets out of the country, in the local
hotel, and have locked up sheriff Tsao and his deputies, and even special
investigator Lu Fook (Kenny Bee), who has been after Tin for years, in th
elocal prison (along with the prostitutes), and suddenly Tin sees himself
forced to free them all in order to save the town from the bandits. Of
course after a massive showdown involving martial arts and firearms, Tin
and company succeed, and save the National secrets from the Japanese, and
as a result, Tin's name is cleared.
A wild action comedy as apparently only Sammo Hung - a gravely
underrated director - can make them: It's a wild blend of genres, mixing
slapstick comedy, (crime) drama and violent martial arts and having the
whole thing play like a Western, of all things. And need I say it, action
and slapstick are perfectly choreographed (but as much could be expected
from Sammo Hung) and many setpiecees are simply breathtaking. The only
problem with the movie is, it contains way too many characters and as a
consequence way too many subplots, which continuously distract from the
main plot, which prevents this film from becoming a masterpiece like Eastern
Condors, which Sammo hung directed the very same year.
Still, it's an hour and a half of good, dynamic, well-staged fun which
does not fail to entertain
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