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IMDbPro

First Option

Original title: Fei hu
  • 19961996
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
274
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
196,507
38,331
Gigi Leung and Michael Wong in First Option (1996)
DramaAction
Hong Kong action thriller, about the Hong Kong Police Department's Special Duties Unit. When a raid by customs officials goes drastically wrong, the SDU are called in to deal with the ruthle... Read allHong Kong action thriller, about the Hong Kong Police Department's Special Duties Unit. When a raid by customs officials goes drastically wrong, the SDU are called in to deal with the ruthless mercenaries responsible, but before long the operation is derailed by a series of inter... Read allHong Kong action thriller, about the Hong Kong Police Department's Special Duties Unit. When a raid by customs officials goes drastically wrong, the SDU are called in to deal with the ruthless mercenaries responsible, but before long the operation is derailed by a series of inter-departmental rivalries that could cause more innocent lives to be lost.
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
274
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
196,507
38,331
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Gordon Chan
    • Writers
      • Hing-Ka Chan
      • Gordon Chan
    • Stars
      • Michael Wong
      • Gigi Leung
      • Damian Lau
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Gordon Chan
    • Writers
      • Hing-Ka Chan
      • Gordon Chan
    • Stars
      • Michael Wong
      • Gigi Leung
      • Damian Lau
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 8 nominations

    Photos53

    First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)
    Gigi Leung and Michael Wong in First Option (1996)
    Gigi Leung in First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)
    Michael Wong in First Option (1996)
    Michael Wong in First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)
    First Option (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michael Wong
    Michael Wong
    • Officer Don Wong
    • (as Michael Fitzgerald Wong)
    Gigi Leung
    Gigi Leung
    • Inspector Minnie Kwan
    Damian Lau
    Damian Lau
    • Inspector Lau
    Kathy Chow
    Kathy Chow
    • Sue
    Tak-Kwong Chan
    Tak-Kwong Chan
    • Chief Kwong
    • (as Stephen Chan Tak Gwong)
    Man Biu Lee
    Man Biu Lee
    • SDU member
    Kwong-Kim Yip
    • Forensics tech
    Brian Banowetz
    Brian Banowetz
    • Albert
    Anthony Carpio
    June Chan
    June Chan
    • Angel
    Wai-Man Cheuk
    • Customs officer
    Alex Cheung
    Chun Hung Cheung
    • SDU member
    Hung On Cheung
    • Recruit
    Joe Man Kwong Cheung
    • Joe
    Mo-Chan Chik
    Mo-Si Chik
    Wing-Han Choi
    • Customs officer
    • Director
      • Gordon Chan
    • Writers
      • Hing-Ka Chan
      • Gordon Chan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Alternate versions
      Released in Germany in four different versions:
      • "First Option", 86min, 18 (Initial Video Release
      • "Operation Panther Force", 84min, 16 (To-Buy-Video)
      • Both versions were run on Pay-Tv, both titled "First Option"
      • TV-Version was retitled "First Option: Operation Panther Force", 84min, 16
    • Connections
      Followed by Fei fu hung si (2002)

    User reviews4

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Not the typical Hong Kong action movie...favors realism over style
    A fair amount of movies from Hong Kong about about the "PTU", or Police Tactical Unit, basically their version of SWAT. But (at least the ones I've seen) like most SWAT movies in Hollywood, they tend to eschew any realism in favor of style.

    This is a very interesting exception. Perhaps foreshadowing the burgeoning methamphetime problem, a PTU unit in Hong Kong first must confront a heavily armed gang of drug dealers who have a gigantic load of meth, then a seemingly police trained gang of thieves. And at the same deal, deal with an investigative unit that keeps wanting to join in on the gun fights, despite being hopelessly outclassed.

    The action isn't non-stop, but there are at least 3 big gun fights, the finale of which is by far the most impressive. And what's impressive is that in all of the gun fights, actual tactics are used. Not just the hero running in with a pistol in each hand and shooting every bad guy (not that there is anything wrong with that, at least if its Chow Yun Fat). Actual talk about real firearms and military hardware, too. And teamwork.

    The acting is interesting. It's not bad, but the lead actor speaks in English all the time (or mostly), while all the others mostly speak Cantonese. I guess because while Asian, the lead is from the US. Since I don't speak Cantonese either, I watched it with English subtitles, and it was weird having subtitles for the English parts in English (which I didn't need).

    Also interesting is that it features a couple other American characters, and they can actually act. (Usually it seems like they just pick a random American tourist to play Americans).

    The main character also quotes Yoda. Would have been better if he did it in a Yoda voice. But I thought it was amusing.
    helpful•3
    2
    • trancejeremy
    • Dec 13, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 14, 1996 (Hong Kong)
    • Country of origin
      • Hong Kong
    • Languages
      • Cantonese
      • English
      • Thai
    • Also known as
      • Represalia
    • Filming locations
      • Hong Kong, China
    • Production companies
      • Media Asia Group
      • People's Productions Limited
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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