Island of Fire [DVD]

ISLAND OF FIRE
[Huo Shao Dao]

(Taiwan - 1990)

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono

Though Jackie Chan is top-billed in Zhu Yan-ping's ISLAND OF FIRE, he plays a secondary role in this (virtually) all-male Taiwanese action-drama which attends the fortunes of four honourable men who break the law and are subsequently incarcerated in a corrupt prison, ruled by violence and intimidation. Main player Tony Leung Ka-fai (PRISON ON FIRE, DRAGON INN, etc.) is a CID agent who goes undercover as a prisoner to investigate the murder of his fiancee's grandfather by a former inmate who's been registered as 'deceased' for several years; Chan is a victim of circumstances who killed a ruthless gangster in self-defence; actor-singer Andy Lau Tak-wah (INFERNAL AFFAIRS) is the gangster's brother, who bribes his way into the jail in search of vengeance; and ever-popular Sammo Hung Kam-bo (TV's "Martial Law") is an experienced lifer who escapes on regular occasions to spend precious time with his young son. Each of these characters are tested to their limits by the prison's cruel regime - which includes torture, murder, and a hideous form of gambling in which new inmates are forced to fight the reigning jailhouse 'champion' for the financial benefit of staff and pisoners alike - until an abrupt twist near the end of the film sends the whole thing spiralling off in a completely new and unexpected direction...

Chan filmed his extended cameo during production of his mega-spectacular ARMOUR OF GOD II: OPERATION CONDOR (1991) as a favour to producer and co-star Jimmy Wang Yu (veteran of countless kung fu dramas of the 1960's and 70's, including THE ONE ARMED BOXER [1971] and BEACH OF THE WAR GODS [1973]), and while there are a number of eye-catching fight scenes - notably the showdown between Chan and Lau - the film emphasizes hard-hitting melodrama over full-tilt action sequences, paying homage to the likes of COOL HAND LUKE (1967) whilst employing a wealth of prison cliches to examine the lives of characters under extreme duress. But the structure is half-hearted and unconvincing, and for all its drama and high emotion, the film seems merely contrived and superficial, lacking any sense of thematic credibility. Which is a shame, because the performances are uniformly good (especially Hung, as a devoted father whose loyalty to his son ends in tragedy), and the low-budget production values are solid. Fu Lap's melancholy score is bolstered by a range of music cues 'borrowed' from the likes of TOURIST TRAP (1978) and BODY DOUBLE (1984), and director Zhu (noted helmer of A HOME TOO FAR [1991] and the "Shaolin Popey" comedies) keeps the pot boiling throughout. Incidentally, Zhu is credited on-screen as 'Chu Yen-ping'.

The film's narrative drawbacks are due in part to cuts forced on most prints outside Taiwan, the restoration of which reveals a minor classic lost to the whim of a distributor's scissors. Some of the restored footage is excessively melodramatic, particularly an extended subplot involving Leung's brave but fragile cellmate (Tuo Zong-hua, later the star of Yim Ho's THE DAY THE SUN TURNED COLD [1994]) who's fleeced by a corrupt lawyer, but most of it simply extends existing sequences, crucially underlining their emotional impact and strengthening the characterisations. As it stands, the 'international print' is an OK entry, worth a look for its all-star cast and jaw-dropping plot developments, but the film is a mere shadow of its former self. Originally released on UK video (and in America) as THE PRISONER.

This film is brilliant. A mix of superb actors take time away from their busy martial arts movie schedule and show their true versitility. The fight scenes are realistic, the emotion is quite overwhelming and beautifully unexpected, this is a brutal film,not for someone expecting a martial arts hero film with Jackie Chan starring. Buy it, watch it, appreciate it.

This is not a Jackie Chan film. A lot of people misunderstand this because Jackie is billed as the "star". If fans read his autobiography "My life in action" they will understand why he appeared in this film. (As a favour to Jimmy Wang Yu, the producer and also in the cast). Jackie was also directing/starring in Amour of God 2:Operation Condor at the same time. Another reason for his infrequent appearances in this film. Even with all the above, this is an above average film, as all the main cast members given sterling performances, especially Sammo Hung. Prison life (and I assume in China it is probably worse) is pretty grim and this is portrayed pretty graphically in the film, especially in the deleted scenes on the DVD. For Jackie fans, who only want comedy and action, this is not for you, as ALL our heroes meet a pretty bad end. But if you want to see Jackie in a serious role, which he handles very well, then give this DVD a go. The quality is much better than the video and VCD formats, so that is a plus. Over to you ...!