Yes, Hong Kong had its own Green
Hornet. In fact, going all the way back to the Ming Dynasty! I expect the
TV Green Hornet was fairly popular there because of Bruce Lee and this Green
Hornet is more a tribute to his Kato than to that other guy that nobody remembers.
The black mask and his hand motioning his enemies to come forward as well
as at one point telling the baddie "You can insult me, but don't you insult
the Chinese people" is all Bruce. Still one has to wonder why anyone thought
this film was necessary. It is rock bottom budget wise taking place entirely
out in the country side, at a loading pier and on a beach. But they do bring
in some talent - Chin Ka-lok as the Green Hornet, Yu Rong-guang as a Mainland
policeman and Lam Ching-ying as the Green Hornet's support man. In fact, Lam
Ching-ying directed this film - the only one besides Vampire vs Vampire. He
was likely already sick and is uninvolved in the action. This was to be his
last film and he died in the same year - one of Hong Kong's favorite actors
with his roles as a sifu battling vampires in many films.
The Green Hornet fights bad guys - simple as that - no matter where they
appear. His communication system discards such modern conveniences as the
phone and uses pigeons. Lots of them. His house along with Lam Ching-ying
and another supporter is in the middle of nowhere with pigeons, pigs and books.
Oh, and a secret underground lair. The pigeons bring messages of skullduggery
and he is off. There is some plot here - nothing that makes any sense - but
a group of Gwielo mercenaries are up to something. What is never clear. This
being the Mainland. There is also a female reporter from Hong Kong (Esther
Kwan) who falls for this mysterious man. So forget the plot - the action
is the raison d'existence.
And it's not bad. Sped up too much, wire enhanced - but Ka-Lok who usually
was second banana in lots of action films - is extremely talented and all
the quick cut editing can't hide that fact. There are a few moments where
you have to just say damn that was a good move. There is a lot of action as
well though perhaps the best action scene is when the pig molests the girl
and won't stop. This was one of my long ago bought vcds that I finally got
to. Decent enough for a Tuesday morning with nothing to do.
