This reviewer isn’t sure that The Adventurers is an appropriate title for the Ringo Lam action thriller. The Andy Lau starrer is less focused on “adventure” and more focused on “revenge”. That is not a dig but rather a compliment to the Ringo Lam film that like many, if not all, the director’s filmography goes harder than one thinks it ever will.
Not many films begin with a young boy who witnesses the murder of his parents and is unable to save his sister from being burned alive. The young boy eventually turns into an Air Force pilot Mandy (Lau) with a singular purpose; kill those responsible for the murder of his family. Enlisted by the CIA, Mandy gets close to those responsible but it becomes a more complex job – as going undercover – Mandy becomes tied to the crime family that murdered his family in ways he could not imagine. Will Mandy be able to fulfill his purpose?
Lam’s film is a lot more complex than your run-of-the-mill action programmer, similar in vein to the kinds of films that eventually would make Alan Mak & Andrew Lau, and Johnnie To world-renowned directors. It’s ironic that Andy Lau is the star of the film as he specialized in the morally complex police thrillers of the early to mid-2000s to great success. Here it is more of Lam’s specialty of brutal action and scenes of tortured emotional heroic bloodshed storytelling.
The Adventurer’s panache for violent set pieces and unexpected dramatic turns is what separates it from the normal HK Action films of the era. In fact, its brutality elevates it from the doldrums to something truly special and even artistic. Even when it goes into the arched melodrama of situations the danger of violence and execution of it undercuts that melodrama giving us that sobering balance of tone and the unexpected.
The Transfer
The 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration is an excellent presentation of the film’s 35mm origins. Eureka continues to release truly revelatory discs of Asian genre cinema. Even the lesser-known titles they procure, as in The Adventurers, are beautifully restored. That restoration is due in large part to Fortune Star’s work but the work of Eureka to bring this to Blu-ray should be discounted. There isn’t a scratch, blemish, or speck of dirt throughout the runtime of the film. The razor-sharp image is nearly flawless. Fans of the film will be pleased by the presentation.
The Extras
They include the following;
New audio commentary by film critic David West
Two Adventurers – new interview with Gary Bettinson, editor of Asian Cinema journal
Previously unseen archival interview with writer and producer Sandy Shaw
Theatrical trailer
The all-new audio commentary by film critic David West begins with his bonafides before diving into the film. Some of the details include the opening and box office success of the film; the success of the film being counter to Lam’s past film Burning Paradise – which was a box office failure; the opening of the film setting up the circular nature of the film – and how many of the visuals would show up at the end of the film; the time frame that the film takes place in Cambodia – including the upheaval and violence during that time; the various countries that the production filmed in; the various other films that were successful in 1995; a discussion the history of Win’s Entertainment both the film’s they produced and those who ran it; Andy Lau’s early career and his career as a Canto Pop Super Star – including a massive TVB hit series; the action scenes – including how this relates to Lam’s career and action, the stunt performers and choreographers; a detailed discussion of the career of director Ringo Lam – both before and after The Adventurers; a discussion of the interesting career and history of Victor Wong who makes a cameo appearance here; a discussion of Lam’s Western/Hollywood filmography and Lam’s thought on essentially starting over; director David Lietch – who was a stunt man on Lam’s JCVD films – credits Ringo Lam as a mentor; a detailed discussion of the career highs and lows of star Andy Lau – including a discussion of his Canto Pop career; a detailed discussion of the career of co-star Rosamund Kwan – including her success outside of her acting career; a detailed discussion of the career of co-star Jacklyn Wu; a larger discussion throughout of the various actors that appear in the film and their various work outside of this film; and much more. Quotes from interviews
Two Adventurers: Gary Bettinson on Ringo Lam and Andy Lau (21:26) – is an all-new interview with Gary Bettinson, editor of Asian Cinema, who begins his interview with the career origins of Lam and Lau. Some of the details include Lam’s his early work in comedy; Lam’s watershed film in 1987’s City on Fire – which turned into a series of films; the shooting on location, as Lam did, without permits and why he and many others did this; The Adventurers is the last film that Lam did before transitioning over to Hollywood; the film is what they call a “Hollywood East”; the trouble nature of the production – including having shot 1/3 of the film and all of it being scrapped, and Lam not being the original director; the contentious relationship between Lau and Lam; the film was at the end of the Golden Age of HK film industry – multiple reasons why this happened; where super star Andy Lau was in his career – 10 years into his stardom; how this also included Lau being considered one of the “Four Heavenly Kings of Canto Pop”; his importance in both the art cinema and pop cinema – producing many films in the indie cinema of HK and also starring in many as well; Lam’s time in Hollywood and his return to work in HK and China until his passing in 2018; and much more.
Writing for The Dark-Faced God: An Interview with Scriptwriter Sandy Shaw (14:26) – in this archival interview with writer and producer Sandy Shaw begins with her beginning at TVB (the famous HK Television group) as a screenwriter. Some of the other details include her views on the director’s power over a film over a screenwriter; her early career after leaving TVB; the collaborative nature of Andy Lau and Ringo Lam on The Adventurers and what they brought that she felt was implied in her but they would both elaborate on; the inspirations for the film; working with director Lam and her impressions; her being brought in late as essentially a script doctor and her feelings about the work; and much more. In Cantonese with English Subtitles.
Theatrical trailer (3:17) – Cantonese with English Subtitles
The Final Thought
Eureka Entertainment continues to curate wonderful entries from HK and Asian cinema giving them excellent releases. This title is no different. Recommended!!!
Andy Lau stars in Ringo Lam’s action thriller The Adventurers. New to Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment.
The Film
This reviewer isn’t sure that The Adventurers is an appropriate title for the Ringo Lam action thriller. The Andy Lau starrer is less focused on “adventure” and more focused on “revenge”. That is not a dig but rather a compliment to the Ringo Lam film that like many, if not all, the director’s filmography goes harder than one thinks it ever will.
Not many films begin with a young boy who witnesses the murder of his parents and is unable to save his sister from being burned alive. The young boy eventually turns into an Air Force pilot Mandy (Lau) with a singular purpose; kill those responsible for the murder of his family. Enlisted by the CIA, Mandy gets close to those responsible but it becomes a more complex job – as going undercover – Mandy becomes tied to the crime family that murdered his family in ways he could not imagine. Will Mandy be able to fulfill his purpose?
Lam’s film is a lot more complex than your run-of-the-mill action programmer, similar in vein to the kinds of films that eventually would make Alan Mak & Andrew Lau, and Johnnie To world-renowned directors. It’s ironic that Andy Lau is the star of the film as he specialized in the morally complex police thrillers of the early to mid-2000s to great success. Here it is more of Lam’s specialty of brutal action and scenes of tortured emotional heroic bloodshed storytelling.
The Adventurer’s panache for violent set pieces and unexpected dramatic turns is what separates it from the normal HK Action films of the era. In fact, its brutality elevates it from the doldrums to something truly special and even artistic. Even when it goes into the arched melodrama of situations the danger of violence and execution of it undercuts that melodrama giving us that sobering balance of tone and the unexpected.
The Transfer
The 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a brand new 2K restoration is an excellent presentation of the film’s 35mm origins. Eureka continues to release truly revelatory discs of Asian genre cinema. Even the lesser-known titles they procure, as in The Adventurers, are beautifully restored. That restoration is due in large part to Fortune Star’s work but the work of Eureka to bring this to Blu-ray should be discounted. There isn’t a scratch, blemish, or speck of dirt throughout the runtime of the film. The razor-sharp image is nearly flawless. Fans of the film will be pleased by the presentation.
The Extras
They include the following;
The all-new audio commentary by film critic David West begins with his bonafides before diving into the film. Some of the details include the opening and box office success of the film; the success of the film being counter to Lam’s past film Burning Paradise – which was a box office failure; the opening of the film setting up the circular nature of the film – and how many of the visuals would show up at the end of the film; the time frame that the film takes place in Cambodia – including the upheaval and violence during that time; the various countries that the production filmed in; the various other films that were successful in 1995; a discussion the history of Win’s Entertainment both the film’s they produced and those who ran it; Andy Lau’s early career and his career as a Canto Pop Super Star – including a massive TVB hit series; the action scenes – including how this relates to Lam’s career and action, the stunt performers and choreographers; a detailed discussion of the career of director Ringo Lam – both before and after The Adventurers; a discussion of the interesting career and history of Victor Wong who makes a cameo appearance here; a discussion of Lam’s Western/Hollywood filmography and Lam’s thought on essentially starting over; director David Lietch – who was a stunt man on Lam’s JCVD films – credits Ringo Lam as a mentor; a detailed discussion of the career highs and lows of star Andy Lau – including a discussion of his Canto Pop career; a detailed discussion of the career of co-star Rosamund Kwan – including her success outside of her acting career; a detailed discussion of the career of co-star Jacklyn Wu; a larger discussion throughout of the various actors that appear in the film and their various work outside of this film; and much more. Quotes from interviews
Two Adventurers: Gary Bettinson on Ringo Lam and Andy Lau (21:26) – is an all-new interview with Gary Bettinson, editor of Asian Cinema, who begins his interview with the career origins of Lam and Lau. Some of the details include Lam’s his early work in comedy; Lam’s watershed film in 1987’s City on Fire – which turned into a series of films; the shooting on location, as Lam did, without permits and why he and many others did this; The Adventurers is the last film that Lam did before transitioning over to Hollywood; the film is what they call a “Hollywood East”; the trouble nature of the production – including having shot 1/3 of the film and all of it being scrapped, and Lam not being the original director; the contentious relationship between Lau and Lam; the film was at the end of the Golden Age of HK film industry – multiple reasons why this happened; where super star Andy Lau was in his career – 10 years into his stardom; how this also included Lau being considered one of the “Four Heavenly Kings of Canto Pop”; his importance in both the art cinema and pop cinema – producing many films in the indie cinema of HK and also starring in many as well; Lam’s time in Hollywood and his return to work in HK and China until his passing in 2018; and much more.
Writing for The Dark-Faced God: An Interview with Scriptwriter Sandy Shaw (14:26) – in this archival interview with writer and producer Sandy Shaw begins with her beginning at TVB (the famous HK Television group) as a screenwriter. Some of the other details include her views on the director’s power over a film over a screenwriter; her early career after leaving TVB; the collaborative nature of Andy Lau and Ringo Lam on The Adventurers and what they brought that she felt was implied in her but they would both elaborate on; the inspirations for the film; working with director Lam and her impressions; her being brought in late as essentially a script doctor and her feelings about the work; and much more. In Cantonese with English Subtitles.
Theatrical trailer (3:17) – Cantonese with English Subtitles
The Final Thought
Eureka Entertainment continues to curate wonderful entries from HK and Asian cinema giving them excellent releases. This title is no different. Recommended!!!
Eureka Entertainment’s Blu-Ray edition of The Adventurers is out April 29th
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