Experience death-defying thrills of the film’s original international version at UW Cinematheque on April 28.
Although both are wonderful in their own rights, there’s really no need to watch Police Story (1985) or Police Story II (1988) in order to enjoy the standalone speedway of antics and action in Stanley Tong’s Police Story III: Supercop (1992).
As the second to last screening in the 2x series at UW Cinematheque this spring, Police Story III will have you double-pumping your fists in excitement at Michelle Yeoh, who plays Inspector Jessica Yang, and Jackie Chan, who plays Inspector Chan Ka Kui, narrowly escaping a room full of ready-to-explode ammunition. A familiar cast also returns to support Chan—the titular “supercop”—including his sometimes-supportive supervisor, “Uncle” Bill (Bill Tung), and his sweet and somewhat impulsive wife, May (Maggie Cheung).
The film’s plot is wrapped up with Inspectors Yang and Ka Kui’s undercover infiltration of a drug ring, which takes them around mainland China and eventually into Malaysia. Through their earnest displays of fighting prowess, grit, and some clever disguises, Yang and Ka Kui work their way up and eventually earn the respect of the ruthless and Tetris-obsessed crime boss, Chaibat (Kenneth Tsang). More trouble ensues, and the charismatic duo fights their way through with acrobatic flips, high kicks, and sometimes-borrowed guns. The story is fast-paced and frantic, but the precise details of it melt away when the action and explosions start up; all that matters are Yeoh and Chan’s increasingly death-defying stunts.
Police Story III feels like a feature-length version of catching motorcyclists pop wheelies while riding down East Wash on a warm summer evening. Whether you’re like me, and relatively new to the joys of the action genre, or you are a seasoned Jackie Chan fan, this film (screening here in its original international version) is a surefire good time.
