BLACKSHEEP AFFAIR (1998)

Starring: Vincent Chiu, Shu Qi, Andrew Lin, Ken Wong, Kenneth Tsang, Hung Yan Yan, Joe Cheung, Shun Lau

Ever since debuting in Tsui Hark's Green Snake, Vincent Chiu has not quite found the fame he desires. Being an excellent martial artist, Chiu has often been approached to appear in period action dramas such as Fong Sai Yuk, Once Upon a Time in China parts 4 and 5, Blade, Wong Fei Hung TV series, and Heroine TV series. He has nonetheless tried hard not to be typecast into period actioners, and made the switch to modern day actioners, but without much success. Mahjong Dragon was a dud, and The Chinese Feast had no action to speak of. He is a capable actor, so why then are the roles so hard to come by? Maybe he simply lacks star power.

The Blacksheep Affair is a modern day actioner for Vincent Chiu, and a good one at that. After saving a plane from being hijacked by a terrorist (Hung Yan Yan), Yim Dong (Chiu) is demoted to a post in Lavernia, Eastern Europe, for disobeying orders. There he meets up with an old friend of his, Hung Wai Kwok (Ken Wong), and their job is to protect the Chinese Ambassador.

Coincidentally, a master criminal, Keizo Mishima (Andrew Lin), is also in Lavernia, but unlucky for him, he is soon apprehended by Dong and Kwok. The rest of the plot is fairly predictable as we see how the followers of Mishima try to get him released from prison. The only people to stand in their way are Dong and Kwok.

Although the plot is nothing original, the direction and pacing makes the film head over shoulders of other similar action films. The martial arts action between Dong and Mishima are handled brilliantly, with a stand-out scene in a subway tunnel. In my opinion, this scene is much better than the subway scene in The Matrix, which shows that sometimes old is better than new.

There are plenty of gunfights in the film, but these are predictable and not very good as well. It is when it moves into unarmed combat, then it starts to get exciting. Both Vincent Chiu and Andrew Lin give better than average performances, especially the latter, who always possesses a cool aura around him. A particular scene in a prison bathroom shows how cold and calculating Mishima is.

The only disappointment in the whole film is the role of Shu Qi as Dong's sweetheart. Bringing her in only serves as a deterrent for Dong, and offers nothing new to the plot. In fact, her character could be cut and the film would be better off as a whole. It is sometimes inexplicable what she is capable of doing, as she runs into one mess after another. Some people find Shu Qi beautiful and talented, but I though she was damn annoying here.

Overall, The Blacksheep Affair is a good film, and one that would enhance Chiu's reputation as a modern day action star, but he would still need better vehicles if he wants to ride into the gates of Hollywood, and establish himself as a world action star.

RATING

7 / 10