[Review] For Badboys Only (HK)
10-31-01, 08:01 AM
#1
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[Review] For Badboys Only (HK)
For Badboys Only (2000)
Running Time: 101 Minutes
DVD - Universe Laser, All Code (R0) NTSC
Picture - Widescreen
Sound - DD5.1 International Version (Cantonese, Mandarin & Japanese), Or Mandarin dub.
Subtitles - English, Chinese Traditional and Simplified (All Removable)
Extras - Chapter Search, Star Files, Making Of, Trailer, Coming Attractions, multi audio and subtitle choices.
The Film - 5.8/10
The DVD - 7/10
Starring - Shu Qi, Shu Qi, Shu Qi, Ekin Cheng, and Louis Koo
Director - Yip Wai Man
Ok - this film is crap... but I liked it. My <small>ex-</small>girlfriend would love this film. It starts out promising enough - stylish and whatnot. Reminded me of the Charlie's Angels movie in many respects. Probably more like Tokyo Raiders though. This film tries to emulate a few different Hollywood films but in a Hong Kong style. It's weird.
As a Sci-Fi film, this film doesn't quite cut the mustard. It's about cloning in this respect (with scenes that borrow from Alien Resurrection and the Fifth Element). As an Action film it also fails. There are some decent little flashy fighting scenes and shooting scenes and even a few explosions, but it never seems to be the focus of the film, just something for the actors to look good doing (some scenes that borrow heavily from the Matrix and a few others I can't put my finger on). As a romance, it doesn't do too bad... there's actually a script here that wasn't too poorly written believe it or not. The characters are fairly cookie-cutter generic from the HK cinema fun factory, but they do develop over the duration of this picture and they were able to make me give a crap about where they stood in their relationships with each other. Basically, think Tokyo Raiders meets Needing You with a bunch of Hollywood spoofs and you have this film.
There are many goofs in this film - hair in the lens that ended up on the print and they used it anyway... hero takes a bullet in the back and then less than a minute later, he's fine and doesn't have a scratch as if it never happened.
...lips move at times and they never went in to loop the dialogue that wasn't picked up by the mic on set... etc...
Shu Qi is stunning as always and she's pretty good in this film playing 3 people. They try to give her old-age makeup and it doesn't take... she still looks stunning. They also put her in a bunch of terrible wigs. In fact, she's in this horrible elvira wig throughout most of her time on screen. She doesn't get naked in this film, but she does make out with guys alot.
The DVD has good picture and sound and is well worth the few bucks it costs to get it from DDDHouse. The extras are gravy. If you're a Shu Qi fan, then this one should go in your collection. Don't get me wrong - this movie is godawful... it's one of the dumbest things I've seen in awhile - in fact, I think I'm dumber for having watched it. That doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed it. It's entertaining if you turn your brain off and watch it for what it is. I mean - if I didn't enjoy watching it, I'd give the film a 1/10 for being so dumb. It's not dumber than Skyline Cruisers though... that was hella dumb.
Despite all that - I'll have to give this a
with the caveat that this film is dumb and you can't throw rocks at my head if you hate it. If you sometimes like dumb films - then this is for you. 
I mean - does a film that rips off Hollywood films, looks like amatures made it, has Shu Qi in it, and is kind of a cross between Tokyo Raiders and Charlie's Angels sound appealing to you? If so - then go for it.
Running Time: 101 Minutes
DVD - Universe Laser, All Code (R0) NTSC
Picture - Widescreen
Sound - DD5.1 International Version (Cantonese, Mandarin & Japanese), Or Mandarin dub.
Subtitles - English, Chinese Traditional and Simplified (All Removable)
Extras - Chapter Search, Star Files, Making Of, Trailer, Coming Attractions, multi audio and subtitle choices.
The Film - 5.8/10
The DVD - 7/10
Starring - Shu Qi, Shu Qi, Shu Qi, Ekin Cheng, and Louis Koo
Director - Yip Wai Man
Ok - this film is crap... but I liked it. My <small>ex-</small>girlfriend would love this film. It starts out promising enough - stylish and whatnot. Reminded me of the Charlie's Angels movie in many respects. Probably more like Tokyo Raiders though. This film tries to emulate a few different Hollywood films but in a Hong Kong style. It's weird.
As a Sci-Fi film, this film doesn't quite cut the mustard. It's about cloning in this respect (with scenes that borrow from Alien Resurrection and the Fifth Element). As an Action film it also fails. There are some decent little flashy fighting scenes and shooting scenes and even a few explosions, but it never seems to be the focus of the film, just something for the actors to look good doing (some scenes that borrow heavily from the Matrix and a few others I can't put my finger on). As a romance, it doesn't do too bad... there's actually a script here that wasn't too poorly written believe it or not. The characters are fairly cookie-cutter generic from the HK cinema fun factory, but they do develop over the duration of this picture and they were able to make me give a crap about where they stood in their relationships with each other. Basically, think Tokyo Raiders meets Needing You with a bunch of Hollywood spoofs and you have this film.
There are many goofs in this film - hair in the lens that ended up on the print and they used it anyway... hero takes a bullet in the back and then less than a minute later, he's fine and doesn't have a scratch as if it never happened.
...lips move at times and they never went in to loop the dialogue that wasn't picked up by the mic on set... etc...Shu Qi is stunning as always and she's pretty good in this film playing 3 people. They try to give her old-age makeup and it doesn't take... she still looks stunning. They also put her in a bunch of terrible wigs. In fact, she's in this horrible elvira wig throughout most of her time on screen. She doesn't get naked in this film, but she does make out with guys alot.
The DVD has good picture and sound and is well worth the few bucks it costs to get it from DDDHouse. The extras are gravy. If you're a Shu Qi fan, then this one should go in your collection. Don't get me wrong - this movie is godawful... it's one of the dumbest things I've seen in awhile - in fact, I think I'm dumber for having watched it. That doesn't change the fact that I enjoyed it. It's entertaining if you turn your brain off and watch it for what it is. I mean - if I didn't enjoy watching it, I'd give the film a 1/10 for being so dumb. It's not dumber than Skyline Cruisers though... that was hella dumb.
Despite all that - I'll have to give this a
with the caveat that this film is dumb and you can't throw rocks at my head if you hate it. If you sometimes like dumb films - then this is for you. I mean - does a film that rips off Hollywood films, looks like amatures made it, has Shu Qi in it, and is kind of a cross between Tokyo Raiders and Charlie's Angels sound appealing to you? If so - then go for it.
10-31-01, 12:47 PM
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Lol. Nice review...
I think you gave it a thumbs up only because your girlfriend is in it x3.
{just kidding}
Sounds like I could do worse than this, I may pick it up.
cheers,
Gabe
I think you gave it a thumbs up only because your girlfriend is in it x3.
{just kidding}
Sounds like I could do worse than this, I may pick it up.
cheers,
Gabe
10-31-01, 01:13 PM
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Well you could do worse than this, but it would be difficult. It's not good - but it's entertaining. I don't know... One thing I forgot to mention is that they do some fancy quick cut editing for a stylish approach in some scenes. It kinda looked like Tsui Hark's hands were in it at first or that they were trying to emulate his styles a bit. Also they have this "Badboy Squad" graphic pop up between scenes sometimes like in the old Batman tv series between scenes they would have the spinning Batman logo come in and go out again. It was super cheesey. There are much better films than this that I could recommend, but if you're scraping the bottom of the barrel or you just need a Shu Qi fix (Shu Qi in bad wigs mind you) then this is an option. I can't say not to get it, but I can't say to get it. ugh... this was a tough one to review.
11-01-01, 11:07 PM
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I thought BadBoys was pretty enjoyable. I admit that towards the end, it got a bit drab and downright silly at times, but at least the first half was really funny 
My roomate and our friend down the hall both thought the movie was really funny, and they don't generally watch Chinese movies (probably because they aren't Chinese and don't speak Cantonese), but I forced them to watch this 
I actually do have a question for anyone out there, I was wondering who the actress was that played Queen, screw everyone else, she was THE BABE! 
My roomate and our friend down the hall both thought the movie was really funny, and they don't generally watch Chinese movies (probably because they aren't Chinese and don't speak Cantonese), but I forced them to watch this I actually do have a question for anyone out there, I was wondering who the actress was that played Queen, screw everyone else, she was THE BABE!
11-02-01, 11:23 PM
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Oh yeah, daaaamn. You should add her to your hottest HK actresses thread. She looked unbelievable in Rules of the Game. To the point where it was hard to focus on the actual movie.
