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| Images courtesy of 88 Films |
Most know Jackie Chan as a Hong Kong action movie star who crossed
over into the American mainstream film circuit with his buddy-cop action-comedies. A legend in his own time whose earliest screen
appearances are only just coming stateside now thanks to boutique labels like
Arrow Video or 88 Films, one area not as frequently discussed in the martial
arts screen icon’s career involves his work as a producer. With director Wellson Chin’s 1988 action
comedy The Inspector Wears Skirts (or Top Squad as originally
released) produced by Golden Harvest and penned by Cheng Kam-fu, Jackie
Chan this time around kept behind the camera while assembling one Hell of a
female action fighter team including but not limited to Shaw Brothers stalwart
Wai Yin-hung and American martial artist Cynthia Rothrock while funneling in
his own stunt team. The result is one of
the funniest and most breathtaking battle-of-the-sexes military training films
turned action-fighter extravaganza. For
every kick and punch, there’s laughter ahead on this deal.
Following an international incident surrounding the wife of
a visiting Sheikh, a special SKIRTS team of trained female commandos is formed
by the police commissioner with Madame Wu (Sibelle Hu) hired as the chief drill
sergeant. Among the group of plucky new
recruits are straightlaced Karen (Ann Bridgewater), competing May (Kara Hui), troublemaking
Betty (Regina Kent) and withdrawn Amin (Lee Pooi-Ling). Dismayed by the fact the new recruits seem
less interested in their training exercises and more on trying to get
romantically involved with the all-male Tiger Squad team of commandos training
in tow as well as the romantic longings of trainer Inspector Kan (Stanley Fung)
compounded with in-fighting amongst both sets of trainees, former colleague and
CIA agent Madame Law (Cynthia Rotchrock) is called in to light a fire under
their asses. Soon however, it becomes apparent
both teams have been duped by trained thieves eager to rob a fashion show of
its jewelry and the still-fresh training of the squad of female commandos is
put to the ultimate test!
A Jackie Chan movie without Jackie Chan that sports numerous
Hong Kong screen talents including Regina Kent, Sibelle Hu from The Seventh
Curse, Stanley Fung and souped up by the striking inclusion and screen
presence of Cynthia Rothrock, The Inspector Wears Skirts is a splendid
little carefree action-comedy that’s equal parts military academy comedy, a spoof
of male-female dynamics in boot camp and a showcase for some really kickass
female action fighting. Opening on an
exciting sequence involving Hu and Rothrock that triggers the events of the
film, we see such wild feats including but not limited to a grenade being
launched at Rothrock who proceeds to flip over and kick the grenade in mid-air
back at the guy who threw it. Already a
movie not concerned with realism, something of an escapist Chinese Police
Academy film replete with hazing, conniving shenanigans carried out by the
girls against the boys’ team, it comes across as a real playful if not silly
sort of action romp with fun performances from all the players involved when
they’re not performing astonishing physical actions.
With its impishly screwball electronic score by The Man from
Hong Kong composer Noel Quinlan and sporting arresting cinematography from
legendary director of photography Andrew Lau of Infernal Affairs fame,
this playful bit of martial arts action escapism opened in Hong Kong in 1988
where it became a huge commercial hit and spawned a total of three sequels up
until 1992. While not the first prime
example of what people expect from a Jackie Chan production, the film’s girl
power charm is infectious and over the course of these movies you come to know
the cast of characters rather well seeing their individual personalities play
out over the sequels. 88 Films 2K restored
blu-ray disc is great and as always the boutique label goes out of its way to
produce a handsome looking package replete with poster art, slipcover and
reversible sleeve art. Definitely a cute,
charming and finally exciting and thrilling little number. Also, stick around for a post-credits training
outtake sure to singe one’s eyebrows.
--Andrew Kotwicki
