To infiltrate a drug cartel, police Inspector Chan Ka Kui (Jackie Chan, Rush Hour, Rumble in the Bronx) goes undercover in a Chinese prison. There, he earns the trust of Panther (Yuen Wah, Kung Fu Hustle), a cartel member, by breaking him out of prison. With the help of another undercover agent (Michelle Yeoh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), they travel to Hong Kong and join up with Panther’s gang. Ka Kui is accepted by the gang’s leader (Ken Tsang), but his operation is jeopardized when Ka Kui’s girlfriend (Maggie Cheung, Hero) accidentally reveals his true identity.
For thoughts on Police Story 3: Supercop, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/_8_-3VPsJtU?t=4646]
Video Quality
88 Films presents Police Story 3: Supercop with a tremendous 2160p HDR Dolby Vision transfer sourced from a 4K restoration of two different versions of the film: the original Hong Kong Version and the U.S. Version known simply as Supercop. This film was previously released overseas on 4K UHD Blu-Ray by Eureka, but we do not have that set for comparison. From what we have gathered, there are some notable differences such as the fact that this 88 Films version provides the U.S. Version in 4K UHD whereas Eureka only includes it in HD. Also, 88 Films frames the film in its correct 2.39:1 aspect ratio instead of 2.35:1 from Eureka which apparently shows brief splice marks in some shots. While both releases seem to be stellar, things seem to be leaning slightly in favor of this new 88 Films release.
The Dolby Vision HDR really elevates the fetching appearance of this one, as it makes the vibrant locales really spring to life. The most impressive moments of HDR implementation are in the film’s exterior locations with bright sun, open water and natural vegetation which provide colors that permeate the screen with a vengeance. The luminous highlights are showcased with a greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels do not struggle much at all when it comes to crush, as it retains a stellar amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Skin tones look natural, and color saturation is top notch throughout.
The texture on display in the costumes, production design and within the environments are unlike anything you could have imagined. Facial details such as flecks of mud or cuts and bruises present with immaculate clarity. The level of detail is quite impressive with a striking amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves well with only a few moments which appear a bit thick or noisy due to how it was captured. This transfer is virtually free of stray specks and scratches throughout the runtime. This presentation maintains the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more natural. 88 Films has knocked this one out of the park.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc provides the Original Hong Kong cut with a new Cantonese Dolby Atmos track, along with the original Cantonese track, the Cantonese Home Video Mix and the classic English dub in DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio. The U.S. Version is provided with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track for the English dub and a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track for the original Cantonese. There are optional English and English SDH subtitles provided. While all of these tracks maintain a high level of quality, we advocate sticking with the original Cantonese for artistic integrity, although we understand many grew up with the English dub and hold a fondness for it.
The new Dolby Atmos track is as explosive and hard-hitting as you want from this thrill-ride. The track features an immersive soundscape which captures the breathless sound design of the film with perfect fidelity. Even elements in the height channels feel integrated into the experience fairly seamlessly with it providing greater immersion without seeming artificial. When the helicopter enters the picture, things get especially fun here. The track rarely lets up when it comes to environmental activity, even when there is not a fight scene occuring. The score and soundtrack is used effectively to establish the tone of the story. This track handles everything that is thrown at it with ease.
The environmental sounds are rendered perfectly alongside all other elements. Balance is maintained so that dialogue comes through clearly, and there is never a moment where any element threatens to overwhelm competing sounds. The low end response is significant, especially in the action-packed finale. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. 88 Films has taken care of business with these audio choices.
Special Features
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Police Story 3: Supercop comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer case and includes a 80-page bound book featuring two essays from Matthew Edwards and CJ Lines which delves into the film and the genre further. These works provide a great analysis of the film and the genre at large in a thoughtfully written style. This package also includes a double-sided poster and six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Original Hong Kong Version (1:36:30) and U.S. Version (Supercop) (1:30:42)
- Audio Commentary: Asian Film Expert Frank Djeng provides a commentary track for the Hong Kong cut in which he discusses various aspects of the history and production including the planning of the stunts, where this fits into the series, the different version of the film, how the relations between Hong Kong and China in the film made audiences uneasy, the return of Michelle Yeoh to the silver screen, the backgrounds of the performers and how it impacted their careers, the legacy of this film and more that is well worth a listen.
- Flying High – Interview with Jackie Chan: A nearly 20-minute interview with the star in which he discusses working with Stanley Tong, his working relationship with Michelle Yeoh, the dangerous stunts in the film, his confusion over the US edits of his non-American productions and much more that is very interesting.
- Dancing With Death – Interview with Michelle Yeoh: A 23-minute interview with the star in which she discusses her background in martial arts, her insistence on doing her own stunts, working with Jackie Chan and Stanley Tong, the scariest moments on set, her memories of the production and more.
- The Stuntmaster General – Interview with Stanley Tong: A 20-minute interview with the director in which he discusses his collaborations with the performers, the crazy stunts in the film, how they pulled off certain moments and more.
- The Fall Guy – Interview with Ken Lo: A 22-minute interview with the actor and Jackie Chan’s bodyguard and training partner in which he talks about first meeting Chan, his longtime working relationship with the actor, memories of Michelle Yeoh, the realism of the scenes in Police Story 3, how the US stunt union compares to the Hong Kong way of doing things and more.
- Stanley Tong Interview (2004): A 17-minute conversation with the director in which he reflects on his time making Police Story 3, what he learned from working with Jackie Chan and more.
- Outtakes and Behind The Scenes: A 52-minute piece which shows candid moments from the production with interesting music underscoring it.
- Guy Laroche 1984 Commercial with Jackie Chan & Michelle Yeoh: A 33-second watch commercial is provided here that is fairly amusing.
- Original Trailers: This disc provides the Hong Kong Trailer (4:05), English Trailer (2:10), US Theatrical Teaser (1:39), US Theatrical Trailer (1:38), US TV Spots x7 (2:49), US Video Screener Promo (1:37) and a Japanese Teaser (0:41).
Final Thoughts
Police Story 3: Supercop is not only one of the most thrilling Jackie Chan features we have seen to date, but it ranks pretty high when it comes to action movies in general. There are some goofy bits of humor that may not connect with all audiences, but that does not take away from the insane action set pieces that are showcased. We call this a Jackie Chan movie, and he is terrific, but this film is every bit as much a Michelle Yeoh vehicle as she steals the show away with her character work and her talent with stunts. This movie just delivers what you want out of an action film. 88 Films has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with multiple cuts of the movie, a fantastic new A/V presentation and a slew of special features that are very worthwhile. This classic deserves a spot in every collection. Essential
Police Story 3: Supercop is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: 88 Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.