When courier Ma (Ka-Yan Leung) alongside three other mismatched allies, is sent on a mission to deliver a secret cargo to a rebel leader, he soon finds himself on a patriotic quest to save the country and himself. Also starring Chow Yun-Fat (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), this historic Chinese action movie by Ronny Yu (Bride of Chucky, Freddy vs. Jason) from legendary Hong Kong studio Golden Harvest, is sure to pack a powerful punch.

For thoughts on The Postman Fights Back, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/tgmHjkh1298?si=5_s3M2DqrKvEEOZR&t=671]

Video Quality

The Postman Fights Back arrives on Blu-Ray via 88 Films with a new 1080p master in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio derived from a 2K scan of the Original 35mm Camera Negative. This new release offers a healthy presentation that ranks in the top tier of what we have seen from the label. The transfer does not show off signs of filtering or DNR which allows it to present with a fetching organic appearance. It is a pleasant sight to see how well the grain resolves, but there are fleeting moments when the grain field spikes and the image quality dips for a few seconds.

The transfer provides sumptuous color saturation on display with vibrant hues making an impression in the production design and certain garments. The vegetation of the locations proves to be another standout bit of vibrancy. Fine detail rarely comes up short as you observe intricate facets of the costumes and production design without issue. This transfer showcases precious little in the way of wear and tear, and the film does not exhibit any egregious instances of compression artifacts. There are occasional shots that skew a bit soft which likely links back to the quality of the source elements. 88 Films has impressed us with this transfer.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the Hong Kong cut of the film with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track in the original Cantonese with optional English and English SDH subtitles. The release also provides the Export Cut with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track with an alternate score, each with optional English SDH subtitles. We recommend sticking with the original Cantonese language track for creative purity, but the English mono just might be the best sounding overall. Dialogue is clear and easily perceptible throughout the film. The film packs a punch once things careen towards the finale which adds a bit of power to the overall mix. The score maintains a stable fidelity with no deal-breaking instances of age-related wear and tear. The track can sound a bit bright in the upper registers, but this only pops up in a few moments. 88 Films has done an admirable job of presenting this film in the best quality possible.

Special Features

Hong Kong Cut (1:30:28) and Export Cut (1:28:38)

Audio Commentary #1 (Hong Kong Cut): Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng is joined by director Ronny Yu to deliver an enlightening commentary track in which the focus is more on the production of the film including the painful learning experiences that come with being a young director, working with the performers, his attempt to assemble a crew to support his vision and more. It is great to get these personal accounts from those who lived the experience.

Audio Commentary #2 (Hong Kong Cut): Frank Djeng provides a second solo commentary track in which he discusses the career of the talent involved, the impact of the film upon its release, the history behind the cultural aspects of the film, the locations that were used for filming, the stylistic flourishes and more.

Audio Commentary #3 (Export Cut): Film historian Stephan Hammond provides an archival commentary track that covers some of the historical aspects, the themes of the feature, the production of the film, and more. This covers some of the same material as the solo Frank Djeng track, but there are some unique insights within this one.

Interview with Actor Chow Yun-Fat: A fun seven-minute archival interview in which the star discusses his career, working with John Woo, the process of bringing a character to life, moving to Hollywood and more.

Interview with Actor Leung Kar-Yan #1: An eight-minute archival piece in which the actor discusses the shooting conditions, working with Chow Yun-Fat and more.

Interview with Actor Leung Kar-Yan #2: Another nine-minute archival piece in which the actor discusses his career a bit more generally with welcome insights about his early work.

Interview with Director Ronny Yu: An eight-minute archival piece with the director who discusses the process of making this film, the various shooting locations, the difficulties of the production, working with Chow Yun-Fat, the legacy of the film and more.

Ronny Yu Phat Samurai Interview: A 13-minute interview with Preston (Phat Samurai Guy), Frank Djeng and Ronny Yu in which the the director discusses his early cinematic favorites, his experiences making various films, recent favorites and more.

Trailer: The four-minute Hong Kong trailer is provided here.

Stills Gallery: This disc provides various stills and marketing materials in a gallery.

Double-Sided Poster

Final Thoughts

The Postman Fights Back is not blazing a new trail within the martial arts genre, but it proves itself to be a very fun and engaging effort that stands apart within a crowded landscape. The movie takes a little bit to get going as you embark on this journey, but it makes up for any minor deficiencies with a dynamic final act. Chow Yun-Fat and the rest of the performers all bring this to life more than capably. 88 Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a welcome A/V presentation and an array of cool special features. If you are a Chow Yun-Fat fan or love martial arts movies in general, this is a fun recommendation. Recommended

The Postman Fights Back is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 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.