Future Cops, with Andy Lau Tak-wah, Jacky Cheung Hok-yau, and Aaron Kwok Fu-sing. Directed by Wong Jing. On Golden Harvest circuit. Blade of Fury, with Tik Lung, Rosamund Kwan Chi-lam, Cynthia Yeung Lai-ching, and Yeung Fan. Directed by Sammo Hung Kam-po. On Empire circuit.
WRITER-director-producer Wong Jing is a genre unto himself. The most prolific of Hongkong filmmakers, his style is a lack of style, an ability to patch together elements from popular trends into a commercial pastiche. His films are an acquired taste; one,alas, I have yet to acquire. But the director's devotees will find in Future Cops a better-than-average Wong Jing comedy.
Part-Back to the Future, part-Japanese comic book fantasy, part-video game, part-Fight Back to School, along with an all-star cast that includes three of the four ''heavenly king'' Canto-pop teen idols - Future Cops is nothing if not calculated to set cash registers ringing. Too calculated, perhaps. It didn't set many bells ringing on my laugh-meter.
The story begins in 2043. A group of dastardly villains plot to neutralise a powerful judge and decide their best bet is to journey by time machine back a half century to July 1, 1993. Their mission is to brainwash the future jurist (Dicky Cheung) whilehe's a mere high school student at St Yuk Keung Secondary School (the academy's Cantonese name is a play on words for ''strong sexual desire'').
The bad guys don't have a chance because three ''future cops'' (Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, and Simon Yam) are on their trail. Despite his prominent billing, Aaron Kwok puts in what amounts to a cameo appearance as the fourth cop.
The raucous antics include Dicky's sex-starved mother (Kingdom Yuen); his cruel/cool sister (Chingmy Yau); and the school bully (Andy Hui). Ching Siu-tung handled the action sequences, but they're not among his most inspired. It all sounds pretty over-the-top, and it is. But there's so much we've seen before - and to better effect.
The picture comes across as a third or fourth generation copy of bits and pieces from recent hits. Future Cops will amuse viewers who have never seen the originals and/or fans. But nobody will confuse this with the real thing.