Her Fatal Ways (1990) [Film Review]

Her Fatal Ways; or, Cousin, You’re Great!

Instead writing about the first movie from China (or, in this case, a Hong Kong production) that I have ever seen, which was probably one of Bruce Lee’s flicks, I chose to review the very first HK comedy I was fortunate enough to watch back in the VHS era.

So, here it is, the movie that started it all. The one and only, authentic, and original first instalment of Her Fatal Ways series. A thoughtful play on cultural stereotypes among the Chinese ethnic groups as well as a fast-paced roller coaster of hilarious action!

Release Info

Directed by: Alfred Cheung Starring: Carol Dodo Cheng, Tony Leung, Alfred Cheung

Language: Cantonese Original Title: Biao ji, ni hao ye! Movie Industry: Hong Kong Runtime: 96 min

Plot

The movie opens with fearless Inspector Shih-Nan (Carol Dodo Cheng) along with her loyal nephew Sheng (Alfred Cheung) who are on a mission to escort a dangerous criminal from the Mainland and to hand him over to the Hong Kong authorities. Considering Shin-Nan’s exceptional ability to screw up even the simplest tasks, it comes as no surprise to the viewers that the criminal manages to escape during transportation. Disgraced Shih-Nan and Sheng are ordered by their communist superiors to co-operate with HK police and find the fugitive. Needless to say, our mainland police officers, driven by the desire to redeem themselves, employ various tactics in order to find the wanted man, which results in situations full of raging chaos along the way.

A fine classic of HK cinematography

Her Fatal Ways is one of these movies that get your attention from the very first scene. A dilapidated bus on a desolated road, passengers spitting on the floor, and Shih-Nan smoking a cigarette and singing in a high-pitched voice. From the beginning to the end, the movie is filled with good comedy, out of the blue plot twists, slightly confusing action, and some proper action sequences done almost in the style of Lethal Weapon. On top of that, the aforementioned features are all wrapped up with a touching social message to people of not only Asian descent.

Culture, Politics, and Stereotypes

However, unlike the sequels that followed later, this particular film is more oriented on political mockery rather than pure slapstick or dialogue humour. On the one hand, we’ve got Shin-Nan and Sheng who blindly obey the Maoist way of thinking; whereas on the other, there is HK officer Wu (Tony Leung) along with his grandfather Tien-Tzu (Kau Lam) who are strong devotees of the right-wing Kuomitang party. When these four are forced to live under one roof, a disastrous clash of cultures takes place (exemplified by such activities as recitation of patriotic poems, over-the-top singing, drinking contests, and uniform competition). Viewers less familiar with Chinese history may perceive this particular layer of the movie as its drawback, while others may find it as something completely refreshing among the abundance of modern political satires. Apart from this issue, you’ll for sure be laughing at Shih-Nan’s idiosyncratic deductive skills, Sheng’s flawed ESP-abilities, or the epic showdown between the 80-year-old Kuomitang members and the triad gangsters.

Moreover, the movie also touches upon the problematic subject for the citizens of Hong Kong  which was the 1997 handover of power. While other films at that time had a tendency to ignore the anxieties about the approaching event, Her Fatal Ways greatly exemplifies these on screen with a complicated relationship between Shin-Nan and Wu. She, a woman raised within the communist regime officer; he, an out-going, prosperous HK cop. Some emotionally-charged viewers may empathise with the characters and their feelings, but it’s obvious that there can’t be any relationship between people deriving from opposing sides of power. That is proved by the couple’s bus ride through the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s night life, which highlights itself in the movie as the strongest nostalgic moment.

Recommendations

I safely recommend this movie to whoever is keen on exploring some political problems of China, taking a sentimental look back on the past of Hong Kong, or just having a good laugh. Her Fatal Ways doesn’t fail to satisfy any of those needs and it’s not surprising that it initiated a successful string of sequels. To put it briefly: a well-made comedy.

Overall score: 8/10