Ultra Force IV (1988)

A team of cops get brutally exposed to violence after raiding a drug operation and discovering a link between few members of the police force and an American crime syndicate dealing with drug trafficking.

Director:

Woo-Ping Yuen

Writers:

Wing-Fai Wong (scriptwriter), Kwong Kim Yip (scriptwriter) (as Kim Ip)

Stars:

Jacky Cheung, Carol 'Do Do' Cheng, Simon Yam

Cast

Credited cast:
Jacky Cheung	...	Insp. Fong Chun-Yau
Carol 'Do Do' Cheng	...	Insp. Ho Siu-Ling / Shirley
Simon Yam	...	Insp. Michael Wong
Man-Tat Ng	...	Uncle Tai
Donnie Yen	...	Terry
Ka-Yan Leung	...	Sau
Lung Wei Wang	...	Swatow Hung
Irene Wan	...	Amy
Vincent Lyn	...	Vincent
Stephan Berwick	...	Vincent's henchman #1 (as Stephen Berwick)
Michael Woods	...	Vincent's henchman #2
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Seng-Kwong Chang
Jing Chen	...	Pheasant
Hark-On Fung	...	Hung's accomplice
Wah-Fan Lam	...	Policeman at Sau's party

Storyline

After getting their drug operation raided by the cops, a drug trafficker nicknamed Swatow Hung and his American counterparts vows revenge on the ones responsible: Inspector Sau and his comrades Fong Chun-Yau, Ho Siu-Ling, Tai, and Terry. Hung manages to track down Sau and shoot him dead while the latter is planning a retirement to marry Siu-Ling. This tragic event leads to every cop in their department to hunt down Hung and put him behind bars for good. They eventually arrest Hung during his escape from Hong Kong. But Chun-Yau overhears a brief conversation between Hung and Tai, before Hung is purposely shot to death, and begins to suspect Tai of being involved with the drug trafficking. Chun-Yau tracks Tai's every step trailing and videotaping his whereabouts and soon discovers that there may be more than Tai in the police force affiliated with the drug traffickers. What soon follows are death attempts on the cops as the drug traffickers sets to wipe out anyone involved to cover ...

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | death | revenge | violence | shot to death | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English

Release Date:

28 July 1988 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Ultra Force IV

Company Credits

Production Co:

D & B Films Co. Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Followed by Full Contact (1990)

User Reviews

Hong Kong cop action at its peak

TIGER CAGE is an ensemble Hong Kong cop film with much in common with the same era's IN THE LINE OF DUTY flicks. This one features Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Jacky Cheung, Carol Cheng and others as a team of crack detectives who take down a drug syndicate at the film's outset. The only problem is that some of the bad guys survive, swearing revenge on the cops who destroyed their operation.

What follows is a roller-coaster ride of a film filled with breakneck action and all of the wonderful martial arts choreography that you'd hope from the genre. This one's directed by Yuen Woo-ping and boy, does he know how to direct a proper thriller: there are barely any slow spots, just tons of action and action that drives the plot forward at that. It's one of the most purely entertaining Hong Kong thrillers that I've seen.

Cast-wise, I have to say that most of the leading members give more than impressive performances, not least an incredibly youthful Donnie Yen in what I think might have been only his second leading part. Simon Yam seems experienced and reliable even at this early stage of his career. Jacky Cheung acquits himself well in a role that Jackie himself could have played, and it's always a pleasure to see American bodybuilder Michael Woods on top form as a hulking henchman. TIGER CAGE is a film filled with twists, betrayals, stunts and incredible one-on-one fights, and Hong Kong film fans will be in movie heaven.