Black Mask (1996)

A survivor of a supersoldier project must fight his former comrades as a masked hero.

Director:

Daniel Lee

Writers:

Hark Tsui (screenplay) (as Tsui Hark), Koan Hui (screenplay)

Stars:

Jet Li, Ching Wan Lau, Karen Mok

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jet Li	...	Tsui Chik / Black Mask
Ching Wan Lau	...	Inspector 'Rock' Shek Wai-Ho (as Lau Ching Wan)
Karen Mok	...	Tracy Lee
Françoise Yip	...	Yeuk Laan (as Françoise C.J. Yip)
Kong Lung	...	Commander Hung (as Patrick Lung)
Anthony Chau-Sang Wong	...	King Kau (as Anthony Wong)
Xin Xin Xiong	...	Jimmy Jimmy
Moses Chan	...	701 Squad Member (as Mouses Chan)
King-Fai Chung	...	Police Commissioner (as Chung King Fai)
Ken Lok
Lawrence Ah Mon	...	Operating Room Doctor (as Lawrence Ahmon)
Henry Fong	...	Ricky Tai
Mei-Yee Sze	...	Chief of Library (as Sze Mei Yee)
Roy Szeto	...	Szeto
Suk-Yee Chan	...	Librarian (as Chan Suk Yee)

Storyline

Micheal, a former test subject of a project to create supersoldiers, is forced to escape with his comrades after the project was cancelled. Months later, he is trying to have a quiet life as a librarian with a tough cop as his best friend. However, a string of vicious gangland murders begins that has all the markings of his former compatriots who seem to have turned to violent crime. Realizing that the police are helpless to fight these soldiers, Micheal decides to take them on himself. Donning a mask to protect his identity, Micheal must fight these powerful villians as the mysterious superhero known only as Black Mask.

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Plot Keywords:

first part | mask | hero | superhero | police officer | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence including martial arts combat, some sexual content and language

Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese English

Release Date:

14 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Mask

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,449,692, 16 May 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$12,491,455, 1 August 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Distant Horizon, Film Workshop, Win's Entertainment Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min 89 min (USA)

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Dolby Stereo)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The games Tracy plays on the Sega Saturn while locked inside Black Mask's apartment are "Virtua Fighter 2" and "X-men: Children of the Atom."

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Goofs

When Jimmy Jimmy and King Kau's gang notices the fuse which is heading towards the powerboard, Jimmy Jimmy is smoking a cigarette. When Jimmy Jimmy gets the fire extinguisher and climbs the ladder to extinguish the fuse, he no longer has a cigarette.

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Quotes

Tracy Lee: [looks for a way to escape with Michael after he's injured] Now where do we go?
Cailyn: [grabs her and tries to yank her off the building] STRAIGHT DOWN, BITCH!

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Alternate Versions

U.S. release is missing 10 minutes, replaces/edits opening sequence and credits, and replaces original soundtrack.

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob Movie (2012)

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Soundtracks

Heavy Metal, Part 2
Performed by Bigfoot
Written by C. Barr and E. Torres
Produced by Cover
Published by Swamp City Music (ASCAP), Lexxus Publishing (SESAC)

User Reviews

How can you not love this?!!!

Man, it just doesn't get any better than this! Martial arts stunts, a plot that would make a Jackie Chan movie look intelligent and terribly drawn characters - fantastic! Bless Channel 5 for showing this or I'd never have seen it. Jet Li is amazingly great (soooo wasted in Lethal Weapon 4 when you compare that to this), especially when he jumps up and supports himself between two walls, legs akimbo. Of course all the characters are awful, the plot involving some convoluted crap about a special soldier squad. Don't expect high-brow. Just kick back, relax and let your mind go. Join us, join us...