Righting Wrongs
Encyclopedia
Righting Wrongs is a 1986
Hong Kong
martial arts
action
crime film
directed by Corey Yuen
(who played Bad Egg), starring Yuen Biao
and Cynthia Rothrock
. This is the one of Yuen Biao's better known films that he made without film industry compatriots Sammo Hung
and Jackie Chan
.
title is Righting Wrongs. The international version (dubbed in English) is titled Above the Law this title was also adopted for The Weinstein Company
's 2007 US DVD release on their Dragon Dynasty
label.
Hsia initial plan is to take the law into his own hands and kill the two men he believes called for his witness' murder. He is successful in killing the first, which causes the Hong Kong police department to wake up and take action to regain order. Enter Senior Inspector Cindy Si (Rothrock), who is put on the case to find the killer under her superior Sergeant Wong Jing-wai (Wong). However, when Hsia goes to kill the second defendant, Chow Ting-kwong (Tien), he is already dead. Unbeknownst to them, both of the defendants were working under an even higher power, known only as "Crown". However, it is soon discovered that "Crown" is none other than Sergeant Wong, who was also Chow's killer.
Once Si realizes that Wong is the true mastermind behind all of the recent murders taking place, she and Ha finally work together to bring him in to prove he is not "above the law". However, depending on the version of the story told, both Si and Hsia fall victim to their ambition, with Si killed with a large screw through the neck by Wong and Hsia falling to his demise after killing Wong in an out of control airplane. However, in another version of the story, Si survives her attack from Wong, and while Hsia still kills Wong, he falls victim to a different, and rather ironic, fate: Hsia is given an eight year sentence in prison under the charge of manslaughter (English dub), or a life sentence in prison under the charge of First Degree Murder (Mandarin dub).
Hong Kong films of 1986
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1986:.-1986:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1986 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
martial arts
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
action
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
crime film
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
directed by Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen
Corey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
(who played Bad Egg), starring Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
and Cynthia Rothrock
Cynthia Rothrock
Cynthia Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress specializing in martial arts films. -Martial arts achievements:Rothrock is five-time World Karate Champion in forms and weapons between 1981 and 1985...
. This is the one of Yuen Biao's better known films that he made without film industry compatriots Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
and Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
.
Title
The film's Hong Kong English languageEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
title is Righting Wrongs. The international version (dubbed in English) is titled Above the Law this title was also adopted for The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
's 2007 US DVD release on their Dragon Dynasty
Dragon Dynasty
Dragon Dynasty is a joint venture started by The Weinstein Company and Genius Products. The company was created on May 23, 2006 for the sole purpose of distributing East Asian films on DVD in the US, whose licenses are held by, or will be acquired by The Weinstein Company...
label.
Plot
Jason Hsia Ling-chi (Biao) is a dedicated, by the books prosecutor who has tried to maintain patience and tolerance under the somewhat flimsy laws of the court. However, when his mentor is publicly gunned down in New Zealand and when the key witness of Ha's latest case and his entire family are wiped out over night, Ha can no longer go by the book.Hsia initial plan is to take the law into his own hands and kill the two men he believes called for his witness' murder. He is successful in killing the first, which causes the Hong Kong police department to wake up and take action to regain order. Enter Senior Inspector Cindy Si (Rothrock), who is put on the case to find the killer under her superior Sergeant Wong Jing-wai (Wong). However, when Hsia goes to kill the second defendant, Chow Ting-kwong (Tien), he is already dead. Unbeknownst to them, both of the defendants were working under an even higher power, known only as "Crown". However, it is soon discovered that "Crown" is none other than Sergeant Wong, who was also Chow's killer.
Once Si realizes that Wong is the true mastermind behind all of the recent murders taking place, she and Ha finally work together to bring him in to prove he is not "above the law". However, depending on the version of the story told, both Si and Hsia fall victim to their ambition, with Si killed with a large screw through the neck by Wong and Hsia falling to his demise after killing Wong in an out of control airplane. However, in another version of the story, Si survives her attack from Wong, and while Hsia still kills Wong, he falls victim to a different, and rather ironic, fate: Hsia is given an eight year sentence in prison under the charge of manslaughter (English dub), or a life sentence in prison under the charge of First Degree Murder (Mandarin dub).
Cast
- Yuen BiaoYuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
- Hsia Ling-chi - Cynthia RothrockCynthia RothrockCynthia Rothrock is an American martial artist and actress specializing in martial arts films. -Martial arts achievements:Rothrock is five-time World Karate Champion in forms and weapons between 1981 and 1985...
- Senior Inspector Cindy Si - Roy ChiaoRoy ChiaoRoy Chiao was a Chinese actor most famous for playing the minor villain Lao Che in the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Other English speaking film appearances of his included roles in the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Bloodsport, the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon and the...
- Magistrate Judge - Melvin Wong - Sergeant Wong Jing-wai
- Siu-wong Fan - Yu Chi-wen
- Corey YuenCorey YuenCorey Yuen Kwai is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker and producer. He was a member of the Peking Opera Schools and one of the Seven Little Fortunes.-Life and career:...
- Bad Egg - Sandy Chan – Hsia Ling-chi's girlfriend
- Chung Fat - Driver of red porsche
- Wu MaWu MaWu Ma is a Chinese actor, director, producer and writer. Wu Ma made his screen debut in 1963, and with over 180 appearances to his name , Wu Ma is one of the most familiar faces in the history of Hong Kong Cinema...
- Uncle Tsai - Peter CunninghamPete Cunningham (kickboxer)Peter "Sugarfoot" Cunningham is a Canadian kickboxer and martial arts actor.Peter, like many others, wanted to train in the martial arts after watching Bruce Lee movies. Now he is a living legend in the world of kickboxing. He is a 7-Times Undefeated World Kickboxing Champion and the first inductee...
- Black Assassin - Lau Sing-ming – Yu Chi-wen's Grandfather
- Karen Sheperd - Karen
- Tai Bo - Yellow Shirt Cop
- Chung Fat - Red Sportscar Cop
- James TienJames Tien (actor)James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
- Chow Ting-kwong - Hsu Hsia - Mr. Leung (protected witness)
- Lau Chau-sang - Cop
- Kam Kong-chow - Station Cop
- Stephen Chan - Hung
- Siu Bo - Cop guarding Mr. Leung / Hanger Thug (2 roles)
- Yuen Miu - Cop guarding Mr. Leung
- King Lee - Cop
- Paul Chang - Four Eyes Bill
- Hsiao Hou
- Fruit ChanFruit ChanFruit Chan Gor is an independent Hong Kong Second Wave screenwriter, filmmaker and producer, who is best known for his style of film reflecting the everyday life of Hong Kong people. He is well known for using amateur actors in his films...
Production information
- Cynthia Rothrock was originally supposed to act in Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
's 1987 film Armour of God, Rothrock was declined. But due to Jackie Chan's injury halting production of the movie, however Rothrock was re-assigned to played as the lead actress in this film. - This is Cynthia Rothrock's personal favorite of her own films.
- The airplane stunt finale was shot in New Zealand, rather than Hong Kong.
- Supposedly, many of the times Rothrock was doubled, she would be doubled by stuntman and fight choreographer Meng Hoi.
- Rothrock did not speak Cantonese or Mandarin, so all of her lines were spoken in English and then later dubbed into the respective languages.
- According to Cynthia Rothrock, despite being an impressive martial arts villain on screen in this film, actor Melvin Wong apparently had no formal martial arts training whatsoever prior to this film.
- According to Melvin Wong, the airplane hangar fight between him and Yuen Biao was "guest directed" by none other than Sammo HungSammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
. - The film has two main versions in Cantonese and Mandarin the primary difference being additional scenes for the Mandarin version and another ending.