Was remaking classic Hong Kong films like Police Story, A Better Tomorrow a good idea?

We look at four remakes of classic Hong Kong films, from a Jackie Chan-led Police Story from the 2000s to a riff on Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury

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Lau Ching-wan (left) and Ekin Cheng in a still from Return to a Better Tomorrow, one of four remakes of classic Hong Kong films we compare to the originals.

Published: 4:15am, 10 Nov 2024

The Hong Kong filmmakers’ credo has always been that if a film does well at the box office, make it again … and again … and again.

Below, we look at some remakes and redos, and give our verdict on how they measure up to the originals.

1. Police Story 2013 (2013)

The original Police Story, made in 1985, introduced the character of cheerful police officer Chan Ka-kui and helped Jackie Chan achieve superstar status in Hong Kong.

But even though the public loved Chan Ka-kui, the film never developed into a proper franchise. Instead, the police officer would return in name only in outings of various quality.

Police Story 3: Supercop was a highlight, featuring Chan as an all-out action hero alongside Michelle Yeoh. First Strike, sometimes called Police Story 4, marked a low point, as it saw Chan Ka-kui shoehorned into an ill-fitting James Bond-style persona halfway through shooting.

Police Story 2013, written and directed by mainland Chinese filmmaker Ding Sheng, took a different approach. A serious hostage drama which eschews the original’s humour, the film has more in common with Hollywood’s Die Hard and Chan’s own dramatic Crime Story than Police Story.

This time, Chan plays Zhong Wen, a grizzled police officer working in China. He is held hostage by a ruthless criminal in a hi-tech nightclub that swiftly turns into a fortress. The stakes are high, as Zhong Wen’s rebellious daughter is one of the other hostages.