Black Mask

Hak hap (1996)Black Mask” (aka “Hak hap”) is one of those new wave Chinese action movies. Released in 1996 it must be one of the first movies of the coming era.

Directed by: Daniel Lee
Genres: Action, Adventure, Crime, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast: Jet Li, Ching Wan Lau, Matt McKenzie, Karen Mok, Françoise Yip, Kong Lung, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Xin Xin Xiong, Ellis Winston, Russ Price, Michael Ian Lambert, Moses Chan, King-fai Chung
IMDB raintg: 5.8
My rating: 6.0 [rate 6.0]

New Chinese movies that I am talking about are not those cheap and simple flicks that you could buy five for a dollar even back in the 80’s. These are upgraded artistic attempts at creating something worth the ticket price even for the audience outside of Eastern martial arts fans like myself.

This film in particular has a rather complex story. It’s not the European-movie kind of complex, but as a comparison to the classical martial arts action film stories. There are also several dramatic parallels going on. Special effects are more expensive. Sound is better. And the soundtrack that stands out. In fact, the quality of this movie is much better than many of those that we were getting from Hollywood even 15 years ago. That’s a progress.

I would have liked a simplier story myself, less drama and more kung fu. I must be getting old or something.

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