Sexy and Dangerous
Reviewed by YTSL
Before anything else, I feel compelled to point
out that although the movie which is being reviewed does have a Category
III rating and is produced by Wong Jing (whose other productions include
"Naked Killer", "Raped by a an Angel" and "A Chinese Torture Chamber"),
it is much less exploitative than one might think from its English title.
As in quite a few other cases, the film's Chinese title -- "Wise Girls
Challenge the Hood" -- is more illuminating. However, this is not
to say that there are no SEXY AND DANGEROUS women to be found in this "Young
and Dangerous" offshoot whose top-billed performer is Loletta Lee!
Lee plays Marble, the capable arcade games-loving
leader of a gang of tough females, whose newest recruit is a cropped-haired
and snake-tattooed female motorbiker named Van (sensitively portrayed by
the chameleon-like Karen Mok). For a while, I was worried that this
movie would involve not much more than sexy yet girlish competitive jostling
and posturing livened only by the rather amusing teasing and taking advantage
of a loser rascal" named George (played by Francis Ng who, IMHO, pretty
much steals this show with an amazing performance). Fortunately,
the film does become more interesting and takes a turn for the better with
the introduction of a menacing female character named -- I kid you not
-- Aids (who Marble first encounters in a prison shower-room), the revelation
of a relationship between Marble and a lion-maned Triad leader called Brother
One (Michael Tong), and the adding into the mix of a rival Triad leader
known as Lurcher (played by an actor who looks to me like a cross between
Jordan Chan and Lau Ching Wan!).
This 1996 production obviously falls squarely
into the "triad" genre of Hong Kong movies. Beyond that, I'm not
quite sure how to categorize SEXY AND DANGEROUS since it somewhat schizophrenically
inserts some quite entertaining comedy situations plus intriguing commentaries
on love and loyalty between "bad" "boys" and "girls" as well as impressively-filmed
action into an alternately glamorous, playful and dark depiction of (the
eventful lives, societal bonds and individual rivalries of) underworld
characters. At the very least though, I can vouch for its having
plenty of interesting plot twists and dramatic complications as well as
some definitely more than run-of-the-mill violent scenes (which nevertheless
don't feature as much spurting of blood as I have become somewhat used
to!).
Though SEXY AND DANGEROUS definitely has its moments
(and tremendous performances by Ng and Mok, and a more than acceptable
one by Lee), it is too uneven a work to compete with and be comparable
to such as "Portland Street Blues" (the bona fide "Young and Dangerous"
spin-off which centers on a female triad boss essayed by Sandra Ng).
Still, while one does wish that its makers had lavished more time (and
effort) on it than the reputed three weeks that was actually spent in the
rush to capitalize on the success of "Young and Dangerous", the bottom
line is that this movie is a respectable and entertaining enough effort
worth considering renting and watching.
My rating for the film: 7.0
