Columbia Tristar wasted no time in picking up this acclaimed 1999 action comedy (originally called TEJING XINRENLEI) for domestic release. It takes years for most HK films to reach these shores (DRUNKEN MASTER II, for example), if they ever reach here at all. Perhaps because Jackie Chan had a hand in the production (and cameos) in this film, the Columbia Tristar marketing team feel they have additional leverage by placing Jackie Chan’s name on the box cover. Or, there are clues that Columbia Tristar are coming to their senses; consider the upcoming announcement of THE EMPEROR AND THE ASSASSIN. GEN-X COPS is the brain child of none other than Benny Chan, frequent collaborator of Jackie Chan (and no relation). Chan has directed other Hong Kong action films (such as WHO AM I? and BIG BULLET) and is predicted to be the next big director out of China.

GEN-X COPS features a slew of young, Asian talent including Nicholas (A MAN CALLED HERO) Tse as rookie cop Jack. Steven (SUNSHINE COPS) Fung is rookie cop Match. Sam (BEAST COPS) Lee plays shaggy rookie cop, Alien. Eric (SUPERCOP 2) Tsang stars as goofy Inspector Chan. Daniel (PURPLE STORM) Wu portrays turncoat Daniel. Grace (STREET ANGELS) Yip plays Y2K, and Toru (BLUE TIGER) Nakamura is ultra-evil as Yakuza leader, Akatora. Lai Yiu Cheung plays Inspector Tang, an arrogant cop who makes life difficult for our heroes.

A renegade Yakuza leader named Akatora (Nakamura) forges an empire for himself in Hong Kong. Akatora has his men seize a massive shipment of deadly contraband that places all of Hong Kong at risk. Akatora also pushes out the local gangs, led by a criminal called Dinosaur (Lam Ka Tung). Dinosaur’s younger troubled brother Daniel (Wu) betrays Dinosaur to Akatora, in a bloody shoot out. Soon the entire police force is on alert due to the shoot-out, and the stolen contraband.

Inspector Tang (Cheung) is in charge of the stolen contraband investigation, which the police believe is linked to the killing of the gangster, Dinosaur. The police commissioner assigns Inspector Chan the task of recruiting rookie police officers to work undercover on the case. The police force has little faith in Inspector Chan’s ability, and give him this recruitment task to keep him away from the stolen contraband investigation.

Inspector Chan travels to Hong Kong’s police academy, and picks out three raw recruits, Jack, Match, and Alien. The trio are about to be kicked out of the academy for criminal behavior. But this is exactly what Inspector Chan is looking for: three young rookies who are familiar with the criminal element so they can go undercover along side them. Inspector Chan introduces them to Y2K, a daredevil female officer who handles operations for their undercover scheme. Soon, Inspector Chan has the boys working alongside Dinosaur’s brother Daniel, who now controls his brother’s criminal empire.

Daniel runs his brother’s nightclub operation, but is a lackey for Akatora. When Daniel’s own gang tries to sell him out, Jack rescues Daniel from his own people as well as the police. A police officer is shot in the skirmish, and Inspector Tang declares the undercover rookies vigilantes, which causes Inspector Chan to be removed from his own case. Jack accompanies Daniel to the stronghold of Akatora, where everything comes to a head when Akatora discovers that Jack is an undercover police officer.

Inspector Tang orders his men to storm Akatora’s stronghold. Just as the policemen knock down the door, the entire structure blows up, and Akatora escapes! Inspector Tang’s poor decision-making cost the lives of many officers, and Inspector Chan is given control of the case, since his boys are on the trail of Akatora. Akatora has moved his operation into a gigantic exposition center on the Hong Kong harbor. As he prepares for the unveiling of his mysterious scheme, Akatora plants a bomb in the exposition center because he knows the Gen-X Cops are hot on his heels. The young cops must battle Akatora and his corrupt forces and escape the exposition center, before the bomb goes off!

GEN-X COPS is a big budget, rapid-fire action film with ingenious criminal melodrama. The good and bad characters go from betrayal to betrayal, making it hard to keep score (and remembering who is corrupt and who is righteous). The script does not focus too long on any characters except Jack, Match, and Alien. Even their comrade Y2K does not have much to do, so the three boys get the most screen time. Despite the main players lack of acting experience (Nicholas Tse, Steven Fung, & Sam Lee), together they prove to be a lethal and entertaining presence. Plus, they are surrounded by a lot of capable veterans in front of the camera (like Eric Tsang and Grace Yip) and behind the lens (Benny Chan and Jackie Chan). Especially notable is Toru Nakamura as the despicable Akatora; you will remember Nakamura’s cold, intense performance for a long time.

The film unfolds in a swift, ensemble manner. The narrative follows the police force, the Gen-X Cops, and the numerous criminal factions, until all the plot threads intersect later in the film. The film moves fast and does not let up until the last act. Benny Chan constantly gives the audience something to latch on to, so there are no slow moments in the film. This tends to have the opposite effect. By the time the picture is nearly over, you are just so jaded to the constant action that it just does not effect you any longer. But believe me, if you do get drawn into this jaded stupor, the ultra-explosive ending with jolt you back to reality!

While GEN-X COPS has decent characters, an above-average plot, and breathtaking action sequences, there is a major problem with the film. Benny Chan’s screenplay is laced with humor that fails to deliver. The humor is forced, and the script prompts the viewers to laugh. Sadly, the film was not funny. Though Jackie Chan helped produce the film, he should have worked on the script to flush out the humor. In fact, GEN-X COPS would have been a much better movie if they dropped the humor outright, and concentrated on making the film more gritty and realistic.

Luckily, Benny Chan makes up for this poor humor by presenting a slick, glossy, epic look. The cinematography and production design are outstanding, and make this film a winner. Chan hired the American special effects duo of Sam Nicholson and Joe Viskocil to give this film the look of a Hollywood summer blockbuster. Nicholson and Viskocil are responsible for the effects work of thrillers like ASTEROID and ALIEN RESSURRECTION, respectively. They do great work here, especially in the area of battle scenes and pyrotechnics.

- Darren Collette

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