Red Shield (1991) User Reviews

Another ODD COUPLE type film starring KA YAN LEUNG

[simonize-1 · 9 August 2005]

This is yet another ODD COUPLE type film starring KA YAN LEUNG aka LEUNG KAR-YANwhose earlier film with SAMMO HUNG is rightly considered something of a masterpiece. This 1992 police procedural is not nearly as successful. Co-star DANNY LEE was much more appealing in THE KILLER opposite charismatic CHOW YUN FAT. In RED SHIELD, he is a rather unappealing character, playing a policeman so involved with his work, his wife never gets the opportunity to share with him that she might be pregnant.

KA is the opposite of DANNY LEE's character; he is obsessively jealous and continually worried that his glamorous, free-spirited wife is cheating on him.

Circumstances bring the two policemen together and they are assigned to bring down the crafty Dragon Ho (BEN LAM) and his team of ruthless thieves who successfully retreat back to China, after each of their missions.

I am afraid I have seen enough HK action films that I can dismiss this film as for being only for DANNY LEE fans; however, if you are able to see it on TV, as I did, it is worth seeing simply to see how low budget HK film-making was back in '92.

Danny Lee, Action Star!

[Captain_Couth · 8/10 · 10 July 2005]

The Red Shield (1992) was Danny Lee's starring vehicle. He plays a no-nonsense cop who's paired with a laid back inspector who just wants to coast along in life. That is until one day when a gang of violent mainland criminals come into Hong Kong to make everyones life miserable. Can Danny Lee and his gang of cops take out the trash or will they cause an international incident? This was one of the few movies that Danny Lee puts himself in the spotlight. Usually he plays second fiddle to his co-star. But this time he has more screen time. Danny Lee regular Pak Man Wong directs. Another cop film from Magnum!

Recommended for fans of Danny Lee and Police Procedual films.

Excellent cop thriller

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 4 April 2020]

Danny Lee and Beardy team up as a pair of cops on the trail of a ruthless criminal gang in this excellent and underrated thriller from Hong Kong. RED SHIELD is a film with very little in the way of comedy which makes it all the more thrilling, and I'm surprised it's not better known. I've noticed a good thriller always features strong villains and they're a frightening bunch here, Yuen Wah's almost mute Vietnamese killer being a particular highlight. Lee and Beardy have endless charisma and even the extra material charting their relationship woes works well; the presence of the always-winning Teresa Mo helps somewhat. The film has strong plotting that always drives forward and great set-pieces throughout, the attack on Beardy's apartment and the incident in the refugee camp being particular highlights. Plus you get a rare chance to see the 'real' China of the era.