Hong Kong trash auteur Wong Jing, whose uneven hand recently gave us the surprisingly wonderful God of Gamblers Returns, is the man behind the wheel of this disappointing movie — a sorry mishmash of show business satire, body-slamming action, and insufferable slapstick that goes nowhere fast. Action star Jet Li Lien-jie stars as an ex-cop who has lost his will to live following the death of his wife and son. He earns a living as a reckless stuntman, doubling for box-office champ Frankie Chan (pop-singer-cum-actor Jacky Cheung, playing a broad stereotype of real-life superstar Jackie Chan, with a dash of Bruce Lee thrown in just for the hell of it), a former kung-fu master and daredevil who claims to do all of his own stunts, but who has, in reality, lost most of his ability thanks to the years of non-stop partying, drinking, and womanizing. However, both characters are forced to prove themselves and rise to the occasion when they are pitted against a group of terrorists straight out of Die Hard. While High Risk certainly promises some sharp satire on both the Hong Kong film industry and its most popular stars, it fails miserably, with its director seemingly more interested in crude, unfunny comedy and dull, repetitive action sequences (save one involving a runaway car in a hotel lobby), than providing the audience with anything remotely resembling intelligence or wit. Ironically, in the end, Jing’s attempts at parody are unconvincing, only revealing himself to be a huckster working within the Free City. His one-dimensional observations and blatant attempts to crucify Jackie Chan are truly pathetic, envious cries from a jealous filmmaker who, despite his occasional commercial and artistic successes, is generally regarded as little more than an opportunistic hack. Sorry Wong, but High Risk will do very little to change that reputation.
This article appears in November 3 • 1995 (Cover).