Danny Lee look-alike Callan Leung produced and starred in GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON, based on the popular (and violent) Japanese manga. After the success of his acclaimed cop drama, MAN ON THE BRINK, Leung established Callan Films and recruited then-hot Sonny Chiba to play the coveted role of Dick Togo. Chiba’s protégé Sue (SISTER STREET FIGHTER) Shiomi came along for the ride, but even though she plays a pivotal role, her screen time is kept to a minimum. This Hong Kong/Japanese co-production is helmed by Japanese exploitation great Yukio Noda, who also directed SOUL OF CHIBA, GANGSTER COP, and BRONSON LEE, CHAMPION. GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON is not really a Kung Fu film, and is actually short on martial arts even for a Sonny Chiba movie. It played in grindhouses during the 1970s before disappearing into obscurity. The film never really surfaced on home video and Chiba fans would have to obtain a copy through the video underground. GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON was one of Crash Cinema’s initial forays into the digital format and their only disc to include both Cantonese and English versions.

A Hong Kong drug tzar, Chu Lu Fung, is behind a series of mob slayings. The Hong Kong authorities assign Inspector Smith (Callan Leung) to the case. Meanwhile, Mr. Chu’s underworld rivals seek to drive the madman out of business by hiring the best assassin in the world, Dick Togo (Sonny Chiba), known by criminals and police alike as Golgo 13 (there’s a biblical reference in there somewhere). The rival gang leader hires Togo in Miami, and sends him to China to take out Mr. Chu, who also runs a nightclub as a front for his illegal activities. Inspector Smith sends his top female undercover officer Bin Lee (Sue Shiomi) to spy on the gang and secure proof if possible. She sneaks into the gang’s headquarters and grabs some evidence, but is intercepted by some goons on the way out. She uses Karate to get away from her attackers, but no martial arts can protect against bullets. Mr. Chu takes the wounded Bin Lee into custody. When Mr. Chu hears that Togo is in Hong Kong to kill him, he orders his men to search the city for him. Meanwhile, As Dick Togo prowls the streets outside of the nightclub to plan the assassination, he witnesses a hooker shoot her abusive pimp. She tells Togo that he raped her sister and drove the little girl to suicide. Inspector Smith arrives, and the woman expects him to arrest her—but Togo sticks up for her. The Inspector meets Togo for the first time, and Togo explains the pimp was murdered by another attacker who escaped. The woman thanks Togo for protecting her, but before he can reply, a cadre of Mr. Chu’s enforcers jumps them. Togo uses street fighting techniques to quickly dispatch the criminals.

Inspector Smith discovers the location of Mr. Chu’s drug factory and leads his police unit against Mr. Chu’s thugs, to rescue Bin Lee. The slimy Mr. Chu himself tortures her, then uses her life to bargain with the police. The resulting exchange of gunfire kills many on both sides, and Bin Lee herself takes a bullet. Inspector Smith promises Mr. Chu that he will bust his ass. Smith blinds one of the henchmen, causing him to accidentally blow the factory sky high (and taking all evidence with it). Mr. Chu’s beautiful but untrustworthy wife calls the police and informs them that Golgo 13 is in town. It turns out that the Inspector and Golgo 13 have an unresolved issue, even though he’s never met Togo. The Inspector must now divide his attention between Mr. Chu’s gang and Golgo 13. Togo learns that Mr. Chu is the guest of honor at a community outing (the people think he’s an upstanding citizen) and decides to use this opportunity to wipe him out. The police and gang members know that Togo will attack then and prepare countermeasures. Togo finally has a clear shot at the slimeball, but before he can pull the trigger, another unseen sniper takes Mr. Chu out! Togo is enraged, and calls his employers and threatens them for setting him up. His employers swear they have nothing to do with it, and offer up another bounty to take out the mastermind behind Mr. Chu’s death. Togo does some soul-searching and fights off various assassination attempts on himself while tracking down leads.

The trail leads to a man named Polanski (Jerry Ito), an American diplomat. Because of Polanski’s political ties, Togo finds it difficult to get a bead on him. Instead he follows Polanski to Japan. But Togo is aware that Inspector Smith himself is tailing the assassin. Togo follows Polanski around Japan learning all the can about Polanski’s illegal activities. Inspector Smith finally catches Togo in his hotel room, and they play a game of cat and mouse—until Togo escapes. Inspector Smith, Polanski, and Togo return to Hong Kong unaware they are being followed. Polanski escapes to an impregnable island fortress surrounded by the best mercenaries money can buy. Inspector Smith finally traps his quarry, Dick Togo, but not before Togo unloads his weapons on his accomplice—the same women he protected earlier. The police try to interrogate him, but the man is not intimidated in the least. Inspector Smith goes ballistic when his superiors order him to let Golgo 13 go. After all, they have evidence that Mr. Chu’s death occurred at the hands of another shooter. Inspector Smith gets to vent his frustration when he learns of Polanski’s underworld activities. However, Polanski’s diplomatic ties allow him to go untouched in the eyes of the law. Both Golgo 13 and Inspector Smith descend upon the island to put Polanski out of commission. But can they get the job done without stepping on each other’s toes?

GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON is not really a martial arts film. Oh sure, Sonny Chiba does his usual two-step Karate moves that incapacitate his opponents, and Sue Shiomi gets to take out some thugs, but GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON is really a cross pollination of cop drama and sniper picture with a manga influence. Director Yukio Noda enhances this unique combination by treading the line of sleazy exploitation. The end result is a movie high on blood, death, nudity, assassinations, and low on martial arts choreography (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Much of Chiba’s screen time is dedicated to his sniper hits. However, the non exploitation scenes that feature Callan Leung going after Chiba going after Jerry Ito bring down the movie. Despite all the violence, shootings, and nudity, the movie still has moments where it drags. There are some moments of brilliance in GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON however, such as when another assassin beats Golgo 13 to the punch. When the police arrest Golgo 13, the interrogation affects the police more than it does the prisoner. Another scene has a lethal lass seduce Golgo 13 until he (seemingly) lowers his guard to allow another killer to shoot him. The character of Dick Togo is unkillable and very interesting, like if James Bond turned to the dark side. Chiba really excels in his performance of the ultimate hard-guy, Dick Togo, but also brings the human element to the character as well.

John Woo must have seen GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON, because this movie is a blueprint for THE KILLER and about a dozen other Hong Kong shoot ‘em ups. The way Sonny Chiba looks down the barrel of his rifle is very similar to the way Chow Yun Fat does it (only Chiba did years before). The relationship between Sonny Chiba and Callan Leung is identical to the one between Danny Lee and Chow Yun Fat. They all have their own code of honor, and it doesn’t matter what side of the law they are on. Callan Leung doesn’t like Dick Togo, even when he discovers that Togo wants to destroy the same crime syndicate responsible for the death of Bin Lee. Sonny Chiba also shares a deep relationship with the prostitute he saved from the police. Here Chiba demonstrates his acting range and proves he’s more than just an unfeeling killing machine. Jerry Ito, the main villain from Toho’s MOTHRA (1962), once again plays a corrupt government official. Sue Shiomi is only in the movie for about 10 minutes, but every frame of film she’s in something interesting is happening. GOLGO 13: ASSIGNMENT KOWLOON has no shortage of beautiful Chinese and Japanese women in skimpy outfits, either.