Return Engagement (1990) User Reviews

ignore the story,superb action

[chrichtonsworld · 7/10 · 26 February 2006]

Return Engagement (RA) is one of those bloodshed titles where the action is more important than the the story and drama. The action,especially the ending is one to watch over and over again. Being a fan of heroic bloodshed with gun play (in slow motion),I can't get enough of these titles. Compared to action movies made in US, this one is a gem. If they made more titles like this one than I would be in heaven. Alan Tang really does a good job as the father who tries to make a mends with his daughter. Simon Yam is the typical bad guy in these kind of movies,but still he delivers style to his acting. Andy Lau plays Alan's sidekick with flair. RA made in the eighties certainly is still enjoyable now in 2012. Watch it!

An average Wong Kar-Wai script that is watered-down by hammy acting, poor voice-work, and choppy editing. The action's all that's left to save this one.

[tntokmenko · 6/10 · 12 February 2013]

All the talent surrounding this film yet it still manages to fall short of being a memorable Heroic Bloodshed flick. Return Engagement could have been up there among the ranks of great 1990's HK actioners on-par with that of John Woo or Johnnie To, however there are many scenes which are laughably bad at either an acting or technical level. First off the inclusion of white people in any Hong Kong film pre-21st century is generally a negative element, as their characters are disrespectful plus voice-overs are mismatched and over-acted. In this film the Italian mob embodies "silly" and "rude" to the extreme and the Vancouver segment should have been cut out altogether to avoid this obvious detractor. The movie wishes to be a serious action-drama about the prolonged efforts of one fallen gangster reuniting with his daughter, although there are silly moments which dissolve tension and weaken the impact of actual hard-hitting scenes later on in the movie. Next the transitions between some scenes are choppily edited, with rough cuts that leave you in haze of what's unfolding in the current scene. Wong Kar-Wai's script has some genuinely emotional moments however still is flawed with mysteries like Andy Lau's pointless character and two underdeveloped love interests. Mainly the pacing is off as there are intense shootouts followed by slow moving dialogue and filler scenes which don't progress the plot. The pros of this movie are Simon Yam's performance which is delightfully evil and the completely over-the-top shootout which happens in the final act of the film. This massive climatic gunfight alone earns this movie a 7 as it is one of the most impressive shootouts in the entirety of HK action cinema. If your interested in seeing a final shootout that rivals the work of John Woo, definitely see the movie just for the climax as it's similar to A Better Tomorrow Pt. II in terms of choreography and intense nonstop action. -6/10

Definitely worth a look for fans of the genre

[dworldeater · 7/10 · 31 March 2019]

Return Engagement is a pretty entertaining and action packed entry in the heroic bloodshed genre. By the time this was released, the market in Asia was flooded with HK gangster action flicks just like this. So, this is by no means anything original and Return Engagement is one of many A Better Tomorrow clones. Even so, as a fan of the genre, I like this this movie. Alan Tang is the lead in this film and is a triad gangster that does 10 years in prison due to a violent shootout with their gang war with The Italian Mob. He gets out of prison and goes to Hong Kong to find his estranged daughter. He tries to live a peaceful life, but events escalate to the bloody, lead filled climax. Alan Tang's performance is good, but dosen't generate the emotion and intensity that someone like Ti Lung or Chow Yun Fat would have in this kind of role. The supporting cast is good with a memorable cameo from Andy Lau, Carry Ng as his love interest and Elizabeth Lee as his daughter type of role. Simon Yam also gives a strong early performance as sadist and triad baddie. There is a ton of gunplay, explosions, but these high powered shootouts are clearly imitating what John Woo has done in the past. Overall, Return Engagement is an imitation of what at this point was seen a lot in Hong Kong, but I did enjoy it and is a good action flick I would say.

Exciting ending

[goodmen · 5 September 2004]

This storyline somewhat mimics A Better Tomorrow 2, with an awesome ending, and a north American angle (except this one take place in Vancouver). Except this one doesn't have the better actor nor is the storyline any good. Plot: A head of the Chinese mafia in Canada kills some Itialian Mafia Boss in front of the police, therefore he went to jail for more than a decade (doesn't say). He left his daughter in Hong Kong, so after he was released from jail he wants to reunited with his daughter. He soon finds out that her daughter escaped the orphan home and his only clue is the other girl who escaped with her. But that girl has her own problem.

Andy Lau is in like 10 mins of the film... this wasn't that bad of a movie, with a excellent gun-fu ending, just up right there with ABT 2 (but less realistic). The storyline is not that good, it was mediocre, and wasn't as touching has ABT 2. Though the baddie is more unrealistic in this movie but he is very evil (played by Simon Yam). He is a character that not man of his word. The acting is not that good compared to ABT either, with everyone acting unrealistic (well maybe except the main character). There wasn't anything brilliant in this movie, but i do like the location in Canada. In the beginning, in the Canada warfare between Itailian and Chinese, that was just hilarious. It soooooooo stupid, and the interview from the mafia boss from reporter is stupid too.

Silly gun fight in the end

[triplexchiu · 6/10 · 13 July 2005]

The movie was building up to be really good until this really stupid bit in the movie involving the main character and Simon Yan where he is holding the girl captive. After being shot like a gazillion times, in fact he cops more bullets than 50 Cent and yet he is still alive.

The Storyline is something like this guy goes to jail and when he gets out and wants to start a normal life again then of course his past gets to him. He goes back to his job eventually and you know whatever... I'm not gonna say anymore. Don't worry you'll get what I mean when you watch the film. A good and tragic story but just that 1 bit in the movie that really made it silly

Gloom and doom HK bullet-ballet.

[OllieSuave-007 · 5/10 · 2 April 2017]

This is a bullet-ballet action film from Hong Kong, starring Alan Tang as Lung Ho-Tin, a triad bass who got imprisoned for killing an Italian Mafia Boss. After his release from prison, Lung starts to look for his daughter, with the help of troubled teenager, Siu-Lung (May Lo).

It's action and suspense from start to finish, from Lung searching for his daughter, whose whereabouts are unknown, to him dealing with the ruthless crime bosses of Hong Kong. Alan Tang did great in his role with his right dose of drama, vulnerability and endurance, while May Lo also did well in as the juvenile delinquent. Simon Yam played a love-to-hate villain.

Plenty of explosions and gun fights, but a little too overkill in my opinion. ***spoiler ahead*** The ending was a bummer, there is no hint of any slack for the characters and any light-hearted moments were very slim. Actresses Carrie Ng and Elizabeth Lee were welcome cast members, but wished their characters had better treatment ***spoiler ends***

Grade C-