The Heroic Trio at UW Cinematheque

A delirious blend of superhero action and supernatural wuxia, The Heroic Trio (1993) is a truly weird showcase for three of Hong Kong’s biggest female stars. After a series of infant kidnappings that leave police baffled, masked superhero Wonder Woman (Anita Mui) tries to catch the mysterious baby-snatchers while keeping her identity a secret from her detective husband. She soon discovers that motorcycle-riding mercenary Thief Catcher (Maggie Cheung) and cold-blooded assassin Invisible Woman (Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Michelle Yeoh) are both linked to the crimes. Initially on opposing sides, the three join forces to stop Invisible Woman’s master, a powerful eunuch (Shi-Kwan Yen) trying to take over the world. 

Co-directed by gangster film auteur Johnnie To and wuxia master Siu-Tung Ching, The Heroic Trio is a combination of both directors’ highly stylized and playfully postmodern signatures. Though The Heroic Trio wasn’t a hit during original release, everyone reunited for a low-budget post-apocalyptic sequel (Executioners, screening the next Friday, September 23) the very same year in an attempt to recoup production costs. Both films will be shown in newly restored 4K DCP with English subtitles, a welcome upgrade from the questionably dubbed Dimension Films versions that made the films cult classics in the VHS era. —Ian Adcock