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) | |
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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) | |
Tat-Wah Lok | ... | (as Ken Lok) | |
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Lawrence Ah-Mon | ... | Operating Room Doctor (as Lawrence Ahmon) |
Henry Fong | ... | Ricky Tai | |
Mei-Yee Sze | ... | Chief of Library (as Sze Mei Yee) | |
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Roy Szeto | ... | Szeto |
Suk-Yee Chan | ... | Librarian (as Chan Suk Yee) |
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. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com>
I can't understand why they decided to release this film to introduce the American audience to the dynamo that is Jet Li. Fist of Legend would have been a much better choice. Anyway, Black Mask isn't terrible, but it certainly isn't great either. The final fight sequence is well staged by Yuen Woo Ping who went on to coordinate The Matrix. But the English release suffers from rough editing and dubbing. (I'm begging the Hollywood studios to release these films uncut with subtitles.)Jet Li shows his characteristic charisma in the title role and Francoise Yip has a cool but brief role as the female 701.
Black Mask has a strange goth style that adds some interest but it is overloaded with gun battles and explosions. More focus on Li's fantastic physical skills were in order. Black Mask is a decent film but do yourself a favor and pick up Fist of Legend if you want to see a tremendous film that really shows Li's skills.