It's been more than 30 years since it was release... I watch this because of a recent interview by the director regarding the movie which at the time when the releases occur it garnered quite a reputation... a lot of the jokes is indeed outdated but a few still hits the spot... the conversation between Cheng and her nephew is still got a few laugh... the Taiwan and China feud to this day and age is still relevant... furthermore in this movie I can see the hard work of every single cast from the action till the comedy deserve every praise and finally Iam glad that Dodo Cheng won her award for best actress for this role.
7 Reviews
Comedy highlight from Hong Kong
Leofwine_draca27 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
HER FATAL WAYS is a cracking Hong Kong comedy with a story a little reminiscent of the later POLICE STORY 3; it sees a female cop from the Chinese mainland forced to team up with a suave Hong Konger in order to bring a criminal to justice. It's engaging stuff, indulging frequently in one of my favourite forms of comedy, that of the political comedy (it's either that or slapstick for me, two ends of the comedy spectrum) which hits home throughout. The game cast put in fine work, particularly Carol Do Do Cheng as the lead, and Tony Leung has never been more dashing in the straight man role. Alfred Cheung, who plays in support, does a fine job of direction and the end result is a comedy highlight from the region. A huge success on release, two sequels and a spin-off followed.
A Hong Kong version of Red Heat
The-Sarkologist28 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The first comment that I must make about this movie is that it is the Hong Kong version of Red Heat, an old American Movie where a Russian cop teams up with an American cop to track down a criminal. Similarly here, except it is a communist Chinese cop joining forces with a capitalist Hong Kong cop, and the Chinese cop is female, and they are in Hong Kong to capture a drug runner who recently escaped.
I guess the interesting thing about the movie is that it focuses more on the relationship between the two cops than on any of the action. It works to become more of an odd couple, or an opposites end up attracting. It is not a tragedy per se, with us knowing that she must go back in the end and that a deep love that has developed will be destroyed, rather it is a light hearted romp where a communist, set in her ways, tries to adapt to a different environment while still trying to maintain her communist integrity.
The most interesting part of the movie is the father of the Hong Kong cop who is so right wing that he makes Hitler look like a socialist (which one can argue he was, but I won't bother). He is so right wing, that if you are left handed then you are a commie-pinko traitor and must be killed (it is never aired in such drastic language, but that is basically the idea). So when the communist cop must bunk up in the Hong Kong cop's apartment, strange things begin to happen.
This is indeed an amusing movie, not one that goes on my best seller lists, but it still is fun to watch. I guess if I was in a much better mood, I would have found it even funnier.
I guess the interesting thing about the movie is that it focuses more on the relationship between the two cops than on any of the action. It works to become more of an odd couple, or an opposites end up attracting. It is not a tragedy per se, with us knowing that she must go back in the end and that a deep love that has developed will be destroyed, rather it is a light hearted romp where a communist, set in her ways, tries to adapt to a different environment while still trying to maintain her communist integrity.
The most interesting part of the movie is the father of the Hong Kong cop who is so right wing that he makes Hitler look like a socialist (which one can argue he was, but I won't bother). He is so right wing, that if you are left handed then you are a commie-pinko traitor and must be killed (it is never aired in such drastic language, but that is basically the idea). So when the communist cop must bunk up in the Hong Kong cop's apartment, strange things begin to happen.
This is indeed an amusing movie, not one that goes on my best seller lists, but it still is fun to watch. I guess if I was in a much better mood, I would have found it even funnier.
An absolute crack-up
Issic22 December 1998
Director Alfred Cheung must either hate Mainland Chinese or something, as this film hilariously sends them up! Two Mainlander cops bring with them a prisoner, and poor Tony Leung has to look after them during their stay. Dodo Cheung gives an amazing performance as the loudmouthed, patriotic Madam-she is so funny without being anything remotely vulgar (which is a great temptation). The scenes where Tony's father and Dodo battle it out is a classic. A wonderful parody of Mainland Chinese cops and their methods of investigations...."We don't need evidence to charge people! All we need is our imagination!".
Perfect blend of action and comedy!
OllieSuave-00718 March 2016
This is a Hong Kong action comedy, a fast-paced and well-acted movie about mainland Chinese police inspector Cheng Shih-Nan (Carol 'Do Do' Cheng) visiting Hong Kong to bring drug suspect Niu (Michael Man-Kin Chow) to the custody of the Hong Kong Police. After Niu escapes, she is forced to team-up with Hong Kong Detective Wu Wei-Kuo (Tony Ka Fai Leung) to capture him, and later, drug lord Sho Kwok-Wing (Kong Fong).
It was entertaining seeing both Nan and Kuo's methods of operations as they clash with each other as their Mainland Communist and Hong Kong Capitalist credentials come in full force. While the old-fashion good guy vs. bad guy action is entertaining, the collaboration of the Mainland and Hong Kong show a sense of rare teamwork and sportsmanship and was acted out well in this movie.
Carol Cheng and Tony Leung had great chemistry together and delivered a good mixture of comedy and drama. Alfred Cheung played a great sidekick to Carol and Kau Lam played a funny and no-nonsense Nationalist patriot father to Tony Leung. The cameo appearances of Lam's old soldier comrades, played by some of Hong Kong's old legendary actors, were a real treat.
It's a movie with a perfect blend of action and comedy, with a great message. A must see!
Grade A
It was entertaining seeing both Nan and Kuo's methods of operations as they clash with each other as their Mainland Communist and Hong Kong Capitalist credentials come in full force. While the old-fashion good guy vs. bad guy action is entertaining, the collaboration of the Mainland and Hong Kong show a sense of rare teamwork and sportsmanship and was acted out well in this movie.
Carol Cheng and Tony Leung had great chemistry together and delivered a good mixture of comedy and drama. Alfred Cheung played a great sidekick to Carol and Kau Lam played a funny and no-nonsense Nationalist patriot father to Tony Leung. The cameo appearances of Lam's old soldier comrades, played by some of Hong Kong's old legendary actors, were a real treat.
It's a movie with a perfect blend of action and comedy, with a great message. A must see!
Grade A
I just didn't find it funny!
BA_Harrison30 September 2006
Her Fatal Ways is a highly successful 90s Asian comedy (the popular film has since spawned several sequels) with an award-winning performance from leading lady, Do Do Cheng, as Sister Cheng, an ultra-patriotic mainland Chinese security officer who is given the job of escorting a prisoner to Hong Kong. When the prisoner escapes, she sets out to recapture him, aided by her assistant and the HK police force.
Much of the movie's humour is derived from the clash of cultures, with Cheng's socialist character constantly at odds with her capitalist surroundings. Whilst Asian audiences may have found this side-splittingly funny, I didn't find it the least bit amusing; something was definitely lost in translation. And with only a little fight action sprinkled sparingly into the 100 minutes running time, I found myself rather bored by this distinctly Chinese comedy.
If you fully understand and appreciate the Chinese sense of humour, then maybe you will get more fun from this than I did. However, if, like me, you often struggle to get the joke, then you may be better off giving this a miss.
Much of the movie's humour is derived from the clash of cultures, with Cheng's socialist character constantly at odds with her capitalist surroundings. Whilst Asian audiences may have found this side-splittingly funny, I didn't find it the least bit amusing; something was definitely lost in translation. And with only a little fight action sprinkled sparingly into the 100 minutes running time, I found myself rather bored by this distinctly Chinese comedy.
If you fully understand and appreciate the Chinese sense of humour, then maybe you will get more fun from this than I did. However, if, like me, you often struggle to get the joke, then you may be better off giving this a miss.
Very funny
Gordon-112 May 2021
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