Eureka Video UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Jet Li stars in an action-packed superhero spectacle produced by the legendary Tsui Hark! Tsui Chik (Li) is a librarian who leads a quiet, unassuming life – or, at least, that’s what he wants people to believe. In truth, he was once a member of the 701 Squad, a group of elite combatants produced by a failed super-soldier project. In kind with his former comrades, his central nervous system has been altered to render him impervious to pain. When several of his fellow test subjects resurface and embark on a crime wave under the leadership of their former commander Hung Kuk (Patrick Lung), Tsui is forced to use his extraordinary abilities once more. Donning a costume, he sets out to face his past – as the vigilante known as the Black Mask. Adapted from the manhua by Pang Chi-ming and Li Chi-tak and heavily influenced by Bruce Lee’s turn as Kato in The Green Hornet, Black Mask is one of the most entertaining movies in Jet Li’s filmography and boasts action orchestrated by Yuen Woo-ping, who would later win an Academy Award for his work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Eureka Classics is proud to present the film in its rarely seen uncut version on Blu-ray from a 2K restoration! (100 Mins)

​

The Vengeance Pack German Mediabook Synopsis: Fear and terror rule Hong Kong's underworld: a series of bloody massacres shake the gangster scene. The power-hungry Shung wants to take over the black market. Together with a special unit of super soldiers, the result of secret human experiments, he ensures that his claim to power is enforced. The police are faced with a mystery and cannot counter the perfectly trained killers. Suddenly a mysterious, masked avenger appears to restore law and order. Cult star Jet li in an action-packed Tsui Hark production directed by Daniel Lee – Black Mask is now considered a cult film not only among fans. Hong Kong cinema has rarely been more explosive, dynamic, and entertaining, especially thanks to the great work of martial arts director Yuen Woo Ping (Matrix, Kill Bill). (100 Mins)

 

Nova Media Korean Blu-ray Synopsis: N/A

 

Universe HK DVD Synopsis: Jet Li stars in this futuristic techno-action thriller based on a popular Hong Kong comic book. Li was part of “Squad 701”, a team of professional killers known as Black Mask, who do not feel pain or emotions. When the team was “exterminated” by the government after they discovered that some squad members are still capable of feelings, Li goes into hiding as a librarian. However, when another member of the Squad begins killing every major drug market, Li has to don the identity of Black Mask once again. (98 Mins)

 

BMG Video UK VHS Synopsis: Brainwashed by his masters to feel no pain, Tsui (Jet Li) is a member of China's elite 701 Squad – a merciless team of assassins. But Tsui wants out. Escaping to Hong Kong, he creates a new identity for himself and attempts to lead a normal life. When the city is rocked by a series of gangland murders, each hit bears all the hallmarks of the 701 Squad assassination. Their master-plan is global domination of the drugs trade and, as their killing spree takes its mounting toll, the local cops grow ever more powerless to stop them. Tsui realises only he can end the Squad's reign of terror. Determined to protect his anonymity he becomes 'Black Mask' – a crime-fighting creature of the night – and unleashes a one-man war against the most formidable fighting force on earth. From Tsui Hark, director of 'Double Team', and starring the phenomenal Jet Li, 'Black Mask' explodes off the screen with its mind-blowing blend of hi-tech weaponry, special effects and non-stop action. (83 Mins)

 

Views: Often seen as Hong Kong cinema's answer to Batman, Jet Li's Black Mask became one of the most successful Asian superhero movies ever, quickly becoming a cult classic with martial arts film and action fans the world over! Tsui Chik, a former test subject for a secret super-soldier project known as the 701 Squad, is trying to lead a quiet life as a librarian in Hong Kong when he soon finds his dark past creeping up on him. When he finds out that the rest of the squad have been involved in violent crimes across the city, Chik dons a new costume and becomes the Black Mask – an unstoppable vigilante superhero that sets out to bring down the 701 super-soldiers and his old, insane master!

​

Produced by the prolific and hugely talented Tsui Hark, who no doubt took over the helm for some scenes in the film, this 1996 production would be the third directorial feature of the fantastic Daniel Lee and the film that really put him on the map. Of course, before that, Lee had made his feature film debut with the wonderful What Price Survival in 1994 with stars Damian Lau, David Chiang, and Norman Tsui Siu Keung. It was a project that had caught the eye of Tsui Hark who then asked Lee to direct the television movie Wong Fei Hung: The Eight Assassins – a chapter of the film series that saw Vincent Zhao Wen Zhuo continue his role as the titular hero. While he has gained some criticism for his artistic approach over the years, I'm personally a huge fan of the director and have thoroughly enjoyed the majority of his work including Moonlight Express, A Fighter's Blues, Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon, 14 Blades, White Vengeance, and Jackie Chan's cruelly underrated Dragon Blade among others.

​

Aside from producing and working on 4 other features that same year, the ever-busy Hark is also credited as one of the writers, joined by the popular Teddy Chen; director of Purple Storm, The Accidental Spy, and Bodyguards & Assassins – along with the prolific Joe Ma; director of films such as Lawyer Lawyer, Fighting For Love, and Hidden Heroes – and Koan Hui who also worked as writer with Hark on The Blade and Time & Tide, as well as going onto direct Jet Li in the underrated League Of Gods two decades later. Of course, their writings would be based on the popular Black Mask Chinese comic by Li Chi Tak and would keep true to the original material for the most part, albeit for a few changes and new characters. Interestingly, the movie has since been released in 4 or 5 different versions over the years from Hong Kong to Taiwan, the US to UK and then some...

​

The aforementioned Koan Hui also serves as the first AD, with Cold War director Sunny Luk and Limbo director Soi Cheang working as second AD's respectively. Interestingly, the former two would also appear throughout the movie in cameo roles. The film's comic book style visuals were beautifully captured by Tony Cheung Tung Leung; a cinematographer who had previously shot Vampire Family, Drunken Master 2, and Midnight Caller just before, and would go onto lens Island Of Greed, Beast Cops, and Hit Team, as well as Daniel Lee's very own Three Kingdoms: Resurrection Of The Dragon, 14 Blades, White Vengeance, and Dragon Blade among others. Interestingly, Tsui Hark would follow up with a sequel in 2002 known as Black Mask 2: City Of Masks, this time starring Andy On as the titular hero, although the late Philip Ko would rush out his own produced version just a year before that with Shadow Mask starring the wonderfully talented Fan Siu Wong in what was more of a prequel of sorts, although would be released in some territories as Black Mask 3. The unrelated Black Mask vs Gambling Mastermind would quietly appear in 2002, with the little known Sze Hung Bo as the star yet is, by far, the most unrelated title to the original.

​

Originally set to star the amazing Donnie Yen in the lead – a role he would similarly portray in Andrew Lau's Legend Of The Fist: The Return Of Chen Zhen almost 15 years later – it's only fair to say that Black Mask has become somewhat of an iconic role for superstar Jet Li. Paying homage of sorts to Bruce Lee's character of Kato in The Green Hornet (something that is actually referenced in the film itself) Jet does a fantastic job as Chui Chik, the rebellious super soldier of the deadly 701 Squad who has to learn to love again, and protect those around him that he cares for. Of course, Jet had previously worked with Tsui Hark on The Master, Swordsman 2, and the first three Once Upon A Time In China films with the pair ending their working relationship soon after. Incidentally, Black Mask would see them reunite for the first time in years, with the pair quickly going on to make the Sammo Hung directed Once Upon A Time In China & America in 1997, but it would be well over a decade later before Jet would star for Tsui again in the FX filled (although very disappointing) Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate, which would be their last to date.

​

In Black Mask, Jet is joined by a stellar cast of stars including the much loved and brilliant Lau Ching Wan who plays the no-nonsense cop that befriends Li's character. Of course, Lau had already been in the business a good decade and had a busy enough year in 96 with films like Tsui Hark's very own Tri-Star, Big Bullet, Muto Bontie, Beyond Hypothermia, and Viva Erotica using his services alongside this. The lovely Karen Mok, who was still fairly new although had already made a splash in films such as Chow Sing Chi's hilarious, Chinese Odyssey 1 & 2, Out Of The Dark, Fallen Angels, and Young & Dangerous 3, stars as Jet's co-worker and wanna-be love interest who soon finds herself drawn into his secret life. Canadian television actress Francoise Yip, who got her big break only the year before in Jackie Chan's Rumble In The Bronx, co-stars as another of Li's love-interests and equally deadly 701 Squad assassin, while the prolific and incredible Anthony Wong delivers another hatefully villainous role as only he can – something that audiences expected after his appearances in films such as Hard Boiled, Full Contact, The Untold Story, Taxi Hunter, and many others. In fact, Wong would prove to be one of the busiest of the production with no less than 11 films on the go in 1996, joining Lau Ching Wan in Viva Erotica and Big Bullet, as well as starring in films like Top Banana Club, Mongkok Story, Young & Dangerous 2 & 3, and his wildly entertaining Ebola Syndrome. The late Patrick Lung, who starred in Tsui Hark's Shanghai Blues just over a decade before, stars as the leader of the 701 Squad and Jet's final opponent with the pair going on to share the screen the following year in the aforementioned Once Upon A Time In China & America.

​

Viewers will also enjoy seeing Hong Kong stars Hung Yan Yan, Henry Fong, and Moses Chan show up throughout, and it's also worth pointing out Brit-kicker Mike Lambert's scene stealing showdown which is wonderfully choreographed and directed by the legendary Yuen Woo Ping – one of many great action moments throughout the film. He is aided by the talented Dee Dee Ku and Dion Lam who both appear or stunt double for certain stars throughout. Of course, this wasn't the first time Woo Ping and Jet Li would cross paths with the pair working together on films such as the epic Tai Chi Master, Once Upon A Time In China 2, Last Hero In China, and Fist Of Legend – later going on to team up for Ronny Yu's Fearless and the hugely underrated Forbidden Kingdom along with Jackie Chan. Here, Yuen Woo Ping delivers plenty of violent, fantastical, and brutal fight scenes that don't disappoint and clearly sealed the deal for his soon-to-follow work on the groundbreaking Matrix movies in Hollywood.

​

While it isn't perfect, Black Mask still stands as one of Jet's most entertaining modern action movies and a favourite for many fans the world over. Between them, Lee and Hark deliver a stylish, violent, and action packed show, and no matter what hiccups show-up throughout, one can't deny just how much fun the film really is – no matter which version you are watching - and it has never looked better than it does with this new 2K restoration from Eureka Video!

​

Overall: A modern classic of Hong Kong cinema, Black Mask is a hugely entertaining, violent, and fun action adventure that deserves to be seen!

​

Eureka Video Blu-ray Extras: 2K Restoration, 4 Versions of Black Mask, Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng (Hong Kong Version), Audio Commentary with Mike Leeder & Arne Venema (Export Version), Interviews with Mike Lambert, Andrew Heskins, and Leon Hunt, Archival Making of Featurette, Trailers

​

TVP Mediabook Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary, 4 Versions of Black Mask, Making of Featurette, Alternative Credits, Music Video, Trailers, Easter Egg

​

Universe DVD Extras: Star Bio's, Trailers