YES, MADAM!
(director: Corey Yuen; screenwriters: Barry Wong, James Clouse; cinematographer: Bill Wong; editor: Peter Cheung; music: Romeo Diaz; cast: Michelle Yeoh (Inspector Ng), Cynthia Rothrock (Inspector Carrie Morris), John Sham (Strepsil), James Tien (Tin Wai-Keung), Mang Hoi (Aspirin), Chung Fat (Mad-Dog), Michael Harry (Richard Nomen), Dick Wei (Dick), Hark-Tsui (Panadol), Melvin Wong (Chief Inspector Wong); Runtime: 93; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: John Sham, Sarno Hung; D&B Films; 2024-Hong Kong-in Cantonese & English, with English subtitles)
“Entertaining Hong Kong martial-arts comedy.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Corey Yuen (“Blade of Kings”/”So Close”) directs this entertaining Hong Kong martial-arts comedy, featuring cartoonish action sequences and some good fight scenes of the gals beating up a room full of men using their martial arts skills. It’s written by Barry Wong and James Clouse.
Two petty thieves, Asprin (Mang Hoi) and Strepsil (John Sham), steal from the Hong Kong hotels small items they sell to their fence, Panadol (Hark-Tsui). One night, they steal a passport that has in it an important microfilm. They get it off the dead man, Richard (Michael Harry), who was assassinated in his hotel room by the contract killer Dick (Dick Wei). The British agent was murdered by the assassin when an underground deal turned bad. The low-life thieves feel pressured by the theft when realizing someone important wants the microfilm, which has them reach out to the police for help. It turns out the microfilm has evidence on it of criminal activity by the town’s ruthless triad crime boss,Tin Wai-Keung (James Tien). When the boss learns of the microfilm theft, he sends his enforcers after the thieves.
Assigned to work with the thieves are the star local Hong Kong police inspector Ng (Michelle Yeoh), Richard’s friend; and, borrowed from Scotland Yard, Inspector Carrie Morris (Cynthia Rothrock, in her acting debut). Both gals are martial arts experts, who form a mismatched partnership.
Michelle Yeoh performed her own martial arts stunts, except for the very difficult ones.
The film was part of the In The Line of Duty franchise, made up of seven official sequels and two unofficial ones. Its template for the films would have lovable low-level criminals and the usual assortment of bad guys pursued by police investigators.
REVIEWED ON 7/27/2024 GRADE: B
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