Pantyhose Hero

                                                       
Director: Sammo Hung
Year: 1990
Rating: 4.0
Sammo Hung had his racist film with Don't Give a Damn in 1995 and this was his homophobic film. In the 1980s and 90s the concept of political correctness was an unknown thing in Hong Kong films - and elsewhere. Racism and homophobia made guest appearances in many of their films - normally in an attempt at comedy - but it is not a guest in this film - it is the guest that won't leave. Nearly the entire film is filled with gay stereotypes that are cringeworthy - but interspersed in that are a few fabulous action scenes that make you go holy shit. And one stunt in particular that will make your socks crawl up your leg in astonishment. How do you rate a film like this? I went for the lower end because the non-action scenes which comprise much of the film are not just cringy - but also really boring. Thank you for the fast-forward button.



Most reviews throw in the fact that at a very very high level this might have been inspired by Pacino's 1980 Cruising, but that is almost insulting to Pacino's film which took it all seriously - more than many back then would have preferred. But best as I recall, Pacino didn't have to go through gay training to appear legit - walk around with an apple between his legs to get the walk down correctly - "is this how Anita Mui walks?". Or learn how to be repulsed by women. But that is what happens in this Buddy Cop film. After a nifty opening fight scene, Sammo and Alan Tam are assigned by Wu Ma and Paul Chun Pui to track down a serial killer of gay men. For three days they go through rigorous training by the attractive Jaclyn Chu Wai-shan that turns of course into a mini-Lucky Stars scenario. After they finish, they rent an apartment, pretend to be lovers and off they go to a gay bar and try being hit on or hitting on the men - it is hard to describe just how awful this scene was that dragged on forever.



Meanwhile, a gang leader (Yam Wai-hung) thinks the boys know where some drugs are hidden because the two previous tenants in the apartment had the drugs before the slasher killed them. Sammo beats up a bunch of guys who make fun of him in his gay persona - and then in the most amazing stunt - he chases one of them and is hit by a car and goes crashing into the windshield. A stunt gone wrong - play it over a few times - is that Sammo? - hard to tell but I read that he spent eight weeks in the hospital. I know Sammo has done a few of these car stunts in other films but if the timing is off - wham for real. The car driver in the film (not the real driver) is played by Joan Tong and sparks sizzle between Sammo and her. Later she thinks he is gay. The slasher comes for Sammo - a great fight in his apartment - he knows the guy and then forgets to tell the police or to tell his partner that he was attacked or who he was. Huh?



The big fight is of course at the end in a deserted warehouse when Sammo, Alan and Joan take on the whole gang plus the serial killer who shows up. This was pretty amazing - a slugfest, kick-fest, toss fest, slam-fest that goes on for a good fifteen minutes of joy. The one between Sammo and the gang leader is brutal and I was surprised to see that Yam Wai-hung was only in two other films. He is scary and big.  It is a real mixed bag. It is Sammo and one hates to pass up any Sammo film - but you have to wade through some tripe to get to the action. I wonder what he thinks of this film now. And I have yet to mention the scene when the two of them are captured by the bad guys and lychees are put down Tam's underwear and Sammo is threatened with a durian rectal insertion. Sammo was in a weird mood when he made this film.



It came in at fourteenth at the Box Office that year. Appearing also in the film is James Tin Chuen as another gang leader, Phillip Chan as the cop who raids the gay bar, Teddy Yip as the apartment desk man, Billy Ching as the number two guy in the gang, Ridley Tsui as the barman, Chung Fat as one of the gang in the opening fight and poor old Tai Bo who gets a minute before he is killed by sending him down a chute in a high building. A fine cast, directed by Sammo and choreographed by Brandy Yuen.