Tokyo Raiders (2000) User Reviews

007 of the orient

[william_blake · 7/10 · 11 October 2002]

by the first few screens i thought 'what the hell is this crap' but after i finished the movie i was smiling. this movie can laugh to itself and it delivers an interesting

comedic bond parody ala orient. tony leung is dominating the movie in his role, everything else is just set decoration.

a better than average movie, that is if you can laugh about it too. recommended for people with a sense of humour.

Bizarre, to say the least!

[PoochJD · 6/10 · 7 August 2001]

Well, the DVD came out here in the UK, without any announcement, and I hadn't heard of it, so having enjoyed Tony Leung in titles like "Bullet In The Head" and "Hard-Boiled" (both John Woo films), I thought I'd give this a try. All I can say, is that it's bizarre, to say the least!

Part James Bond, part Mission Impossible, and part modern-day action/comedy ala "Indiana Jones", it's essentially a crime-caper story about one man's attempt to blackmail a Mob Boss. It will not be to everyones fancy, that's for sure, but those who stick with it, will have an enjoyable little HK action movie.

It's not what you'd expect, but it is an interesting title to watch, although some viewers may well give-up on it, before watching the entire movie. Considering that only the 97 minute edit was released here, it would be interesting to see the longer 2-hour cut, as seen in Australia, et al.

The best-bit, without a doubt, is the motorised-skateboard/BMX bike chase! Very wacky, and very funny, and very, very cool!

Boring "Asian Hollywood"

[Fat Dragon · 6/10 · 14 June 2003]

Tokyo Raiders is, in short, very much a standard contemporary Hong Kong action movie. It seems to have somewhat higher production values than most Hong Kong movies, but like so many movies out of Hong Kong these last few years it simply tries to imitate Hollywood. And like so many others, it only succeeds in proving that Hong Kong can't make American movies. It just doesn't work, and it never will. Hollywoodization is not the way to save the Hong Kong movie industry. Korea is king of "Asian Hollywood" (and the way things are going, Korea may be king of Asian cinema in a few years), and even a great cast like this can't change that.

And let me just state for the record that the cast is pretty good. Obviously, there are a lot of "pretty faces", but most of the actors do a good job acting as well, and you simply can't go wrong with Tony Leung. Tôru Nakamura is also one of my personal favourites, but unfortunately his role in Tokyo Raiders is very small.

That said, however, just about everything else is sub-par. For starters, the plot makes little sense. Why would the CIA want to devalue the Japanese yen? Well, the movie certainly offers no answer, it only asks you to accept that they do, for one reason or another. And why would any newspaper write about the love affair of a yakuza oyabun's girlfriend? Relax, I'm not giving away much here. In fact, part of the problem is that there's actually very little to give away. Nothing really happens, except for a broken heart and a few not too spectacular fights...

The music is another story. I won't get into too much detail, but I find the soundtrack choices a bit odd. The on-screen action and the music just don't fit each other. Basically, Tokyo Raiders is a fairly mediocre affair. While I wouldn't say it's a total waste, there are certainly better movies you could see.

Martially Artful. Don't blink or the plot leaves you behind.

[hayabusa-1 · 10 August 2002]

`Tokyo Raiders' starts off fast and furious. Before we are on a first name basis with one of the main characters, he is embroiled in a fight scene the can only be described as Jet Li meets James Bond meets MacGyver.

`Tokyo Raiders' moves at an incredibly fast pace, Fight and Chase, Fight and Chase, and I found myself fighting and chasing the ever elusive plot. I saw the version dubbed into English, and perhaps that's the only fault of the movie. I never fully got a grasp of who each character was, what their name was, as well as the purpose for their actions. Introductions to the characters are never properly given, and soon the plot twists so much you don't know who's who, who's Chinese, who's Japanese, who's working for which mob boss, and who's actually a good guy. This might be part of the film's mystique, or just really bad English dubbing. In any event I didn't really care. The martial arts fight scenes are plentiful in this film, and they are brilliantly done. The actors themselves are very skilled in the martial arts, and the director really enjoys playing with slow motion and rotating camera angles. The effect is absolute brilliance: a truly new art form made up of technical merit and intelligence in both filmmaking and martial arts skill.

This movie has been called a comedy. It's not so much a comedy as it is a comedy of errors. I liken it to `Lock Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels' as both involve some frantically hysterical antics that happen when average Joes get mixed up in the seedy mob underworld. Both films move at a mile a minute as well. Have I mentioned this film moves fast yet?

The artfully done martial arts more than makes up for any confusion caused by the speed of the plot and the poor English dubbing. If you thought `Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels' needed some Kung Fu added to it, this movie might just be your soulmate. . 7/9 Stars

Chinese version of Twilight

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 5 December 2009]

Tony Leung (Hero, Infernal Affairs I, II, III, Red Cliff, Lust, Caution) opens with more tricks that James Bond, and an ability with an umbrella that rivals Toshirô Mifune's ability with a sword. We haven't a clue what the movie is about, but the action is hot and heavy.

He meets Kelly Chen (Infernal Affairs, Infernal Affairs III) looking for a guy (Ekin Cheng ) who owes him money. Another big fight ensues. Cecilia Cheung, who was in the infamous sex photos with Edison Chen, saves them both and takes them to the man who explains what they need to know about the missing guy.

What you end up with is the Chinese version of New Moon, a movie designed with pop stars and celebrities to appeal to teens. Nothing worthy of Tony Leung's talents, and certainly not a good Chines gangster flick.

Silly, but entertaining

[chmilar · 6/10 · 15 February 2001]

Tokyo Raiders reminds me of the T.V. action series V.I.P. The director, Jingle Ma, uses similar camera and editing techniques (speed up and slow down, rapid cuts, framing only feet or hands, rapid zoom, tilted camera). The story doesn't make much sense (or, to be less polite, it's downright preposterous), but the movie cranks along at an energetic pace, so you don't really care.

The actors have little opportunity to breath life into their characters. Only Tony Leung manages to create a sense of personality. The rest - Ekin Cheng, Kelly Chan - are minimal character sketches: just enough to establish their roles in the story.

If you want some fast-paced, lightweight entertainment, Tokyo Raiders will suffice.

total disappointment...

[migg · 3/10 · 16 July 2001]

Well i was expecting a good Honk Kong action movie with a good plot and even better martial arts but didn't find it anywhere in this one. Maybe it's because i recently had the great pleasure to watch the movie Time and Tide and I hoped that Tokyo Raiders could be just as good, but that wasn't the case at all. I'll just sum things up by advising those poor souls that want to watch this movie to go watch a Disney movie instead...

Hong Kong Lite.

[gridoon · 6/10 · 14 August 2004]

There is a sense of fun to this lightweight film, enhanced by a terrific "mambo" soundtrack and a notable absence of graphic violence; the downside is that there is no suspense or sense of danger. It is immediately apparent that the (confusing) plot is secondary to the action, but the action itself is spoiled by the director's intrusive style (he definitely overuses slow-motion). I didn't hate the film, but it's not by any means the best modern HK actioner you can find. (**)

past its sell-by date

[LunarPoise · 3/10 · 29 September 2008]

This would be a good film, if it had been made in 1975. But 2001? It tries hard to overcome the budgetary restraints, and the no-joys of filming in Japan are well-documented. But the jump cuts, in-camera effects, and even Tony Leung and Kelly Chen can't make up for poor acting (especially the J-girl Charlie's Angels rip-offs) and production values that resemble an episode of Kojak. The jokes don't really work, and the twists keep coming, because there is little else to keep you interested. What were Hiroshi Abe and Ko Shibasaki doing in this? And for the Japan audience, the choice of locations is incredibly uninspired - Shinjuku, Shibuya, Rainbow Bridge, Yokohama Minato Mirai. Tepid fare.

Tokyo raiders and the Jackie Chan effect!

[TEMPKENNEDY · 7/10 · 11 July 2005]

I enjoyed the movie and you can see the influence by Jackie Chan and the not so serious fighting scenes.I said he had an influence on the film, not make the film.Most people out there who gave it a so so rating want to see the same things over and over again.In most of the fighting scenes the stars seem to toy with the villains even though their life is at risk.In which is a Jackie Chan trademark.When Stephen Seagal has continually made movies under the CIA identity,no one makes the comment,"this is a typical Hollywood or hong kong movie".The most influential movies generally come out of Hollywood or hong kong.I believe Hollywood and hong kong put out movies that generally caters to teenage boys,such as intense gun battles with explosions included.Thats why Hollywood is making all the marvel comics into movies.The point that I'm making is Tokyo Raiders is a mediocre film to some, and when they look at the DVD cover and they see asians, martial arts is the first thought,not the relation between the people.

Mediocre at best

[jordondave-28085 · 4/10 · 15 October 2023]

(2000) Tokyo Raiders (In Chinese with English subtitles) ACTION/ COMEDY

The plot involves a stood up soon-to-be-married bride decides and hires investigator to track his soon to be husband in Tokyo with many twists, turns and double crosses! Compared with other director Jingle Ma films this one is quite weak in terms of action because their is alot of pretentious play fighting and credibility as a whole and it has alot to do with rights to film in specific areas around Tokyo! That even with big name stars such as Tony Leung (Leung Chi- Wi) and Ekin Cheng wasn't enough to save this otherwise extremely lightweight comedy.

Brilliant HK Fusion Film

[kensmark · 10/10 · 26 April 2002]

Jingle Ma, long one of Hong Kong's best cinematographers, shows here that he can create and direct an amazing film when given greater control.

"Tokyo Raiders" is a quintessential HK fusion film, containing plenty of traditional HK elements but making superb use of Japanese and Western elements as well. The soundtrack alone makes it stand out from other HK films of the post-New Wave era, but "Tokyo Raiders" adds great humor, irony, editing, photography, and a broad spectrum of choreography and action (a nod to Jackie Chan-film regular bit actor Allen Chiu-wai Sit as action choreographer here).

The main cast comes off very well, playing characters that veer from serious (or, in some cases, at least near-serious) to absurd -- as the story does the same. "Tokyo Raiders" is really an action-comedy, and strong in both categories, and the cast is a delight.

I usually really hate fancy editing and camera-work for action scenes. If the action is any good, it should be presented cleanly and clearly, so the audience can see it. Anyone can fake action (albeit poorly, in most cases) by messing with the film. That's not impressive. If you have a cast capable of real action and go to the trouble of choreographing real action, then you're only hurting the film by chopping it up with close-ups, slow motion, rapid cuts, and the like.

But in "Tokyo Raiders", Jingle Ma shows that he has the very rare talent of actually enhancing action sequences through careful use of effects. Personally, even if the film weren't so all-around enjoyable, I think this would make it worth seeing all by itself. Most other action directors should take notes.

It's true that many viewers may find the thread of the plot a little hard to follow at times, but this isn't the kind of movie where you have to follow everything to enjoy it. (Few HK action films are, and it's a good thing, too.) And it's true that many viewers will wish that Tony Leung's character's assistants had more screen time. Well, no film is truly perfect, but "Tokyo Raiders" is definitely worth a shot if you like Asian action films and comedies at all.

Just be sure, if you don't speak Mandarin and Japanese, to get a subtitled, not dubbed copy, and not panned-and-scanned (edited to fit a TV screen) if you can help it. As with most foreign films, it makes a world of difference.

Pretty good little action movie with some pacing issues.

[kyla-72302 · 6/10 · 12 November 2021]

I watched this cuz Tony Leung. The opening sequence is particularly delightful if you have played all the Yakuza video games. I wonder if it had some influence on them.

I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed all the characters, I thought the plot and dialogue was pretty good, and the action sequences were fun.

There was something off about the pacing but it was still very enjoyable.

pretty bad

[astroview · 4/10 · 12 June 2001]

The plot was one of the poorest I have seen in several years. Perhaps something was lost in the translation, but this was one of the weakest movies I have ever viewed.

Ok, ok. This is an action movie, so plot shouldn't matter, right? That's right, but this was a weak drama to boot with a love story and the action sequences were horrible. There was one decent fight sequence, no blood, and few explosions culminating in a bad movie. Ripping off John Woo might be a better description of some moments (ahem, long shot of doves).

Save yourself the time, there are much better fighting movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or Fist of Legend (equally poor story, but excellent wire work). As for a good Hong Kong action flick, rent anything else from Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo.

Cool film

[biwbiw · 14 September 2000]

When I saw the cast on the posters for 'Tokyo' I went "wow". Kelly Chen, Ekin Cheng and of course Tonly Leung. I was at first sceptical because of the Director Jingle Ma who directed another action film 'VR cops' which was terrible. But for his 2nd action film he really has learned a lot. Obviously basing himself on John Woo (note the amount of dove shots and use of slow motions) and trying out some 'timelapse' shots, it really brings out some life into the film. Tony Leung and Ekin Cheng actually play well off each other, for the cantonese audience it is at times obvious when the cast ad-lib which was left untranslated and simplified on the English translation. The film is very simple and the twists get a bit over-done with one after another, but overall it did turn out quite good. Personally, I enjoyed the film with it's unique blend of Japanese and Chinese acting and a comedic score, it is a fun film.

Fun and fast moving spy caper

[Mike Astill · 7/10 · 12 January 2009]

After being jilted on her wedding day, Macy (Chen) journeys to Tokyo to look for her errant fiancé Ken. She's accompanied by Yung (Cheng), a disgruntled interior designer (with kung-fu skills!) who's decorated the happy couple's Hong Kong apartment and is after his pay-cheque.

It soon becomes clear that Ken has been up to no good in Japan, and is in trouble with the authorities and the mob. Macy finds herself beset on all sides by people wanting to use her in their efforts to hunt him down. Luckily, playboy man of mystery Lin (Leung) is on hand to batter the baddies and rescue the fair maiden - provided no-one tries to damage his face!

This colourful spy caper from Jingle Ma is fun and fast moving. While the plot veers between baffling and boring, there's always a fight or action scene around the corner to keep you amused. The mambo soundtrack is a little off-putting at first, but you'll probably end up whistling it for the rest of the day.

Leung's physical prowess is respectable - plus he seems to be doing most of his own impressive stunts, and Cheng is convincing when he's beating on hordes of mob goons. Chen mostly screams and cowers during the fight scenes, but there's girl power on hand from Lin's team of gorgeous sidekicks, including the lovely Cecilia Cheung and Shibasaki Kou.

This is fun stuff and well worth a watch. Tony Leung is always good value, even in more light-hearted movies, and Kelly Chen is as lovely as always and - as a bonus - not too shrill in this one.

Not to be missed !!

[arid · 7/10 · 21 June 2000]

Well, after I watch this.. I became a Tony Leung fan. He was funny but also filled with those punches and kicks.. Ekin Cheng was okay as the handsome hero. Of course Toru Nakamura (^^) plays the cool, calm, devilishly, guy again. I don't quite like the girl's character but Kelly Chan who plays the role gave a good performance. This movie is action packed, a little romance, Japan plenty, suspense, I quite like the ending.. Well, I give it a 7/10. for the whole story. The plot is good but a little dry at times. But a martial arts film not to be missed. Toru Nakamura gets a 10/10 ! *^^*

It misses on every level.

[willybone · 3/10 · 14 June 2001]

This was a seriously disappointing movie, no matter what you were looking for. If you were looking for great fight scenes, you'll find only badly framed, poorly choreographed flailing, with seemingly no one actually in any danger of getting hurt by any of the strikes. If you're looking for a spy flick, turn off the movie after the initial opening sequence of Tony trying to be Mr. Gadget; it goes downhill from there. If you're looking for humor, you'll find your self laughing only at the horrific dialog. Jingle Ma wants to be hip so badly, he winds up hurting the audience. Superfluous quick cuts, one 'zany' weapon, and lots of contrived, super-slow chase scenes make for a terrible movie. Kelly Chen is absolutely detestable as the simpering, useless heroine, given to spouting what sounds like the lyrics to bad love songs. Tong Leung is not smooth, slick, charismatic, likeable, or anything else one might wish for in a lead actor. Hiroshi Abe tries desperately to be menacing, but, instead, comes across as a loopy loser with a really bad case of the flu. My only sympathy was for Ekin Cheng, who seemed like he might have actually not sucked, had Jingle given him half a chance, which he didn't. Don't be fooled by the box, folks. This movie is lame. I only gave it a rating of 2 because I spent so long laughing at Kelly Chen's dialog.

Style over substance through and through

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 15 November 2016]

This is a modern-day Hong Kong actioner, set in a variety of locations (but mostly Tokyo, as the title so nimbly puts it) and with a cast of fresh, young, attractive faces going through their varied motions. Unfortunately the plot is this film's weakest point, a rather dull tale of CIA espionage, counterfeit money, and lots of twists and double-crossings. There are numerous characters (most of whom hide their identity until the conclusion), far too many in fact, making it hard to care what happens to any of them. The emphasis is also on overbearing comedy, something I'm not a particular fan of.

What this film does have to recommend it is a wealth of action, from destructive car chases to speed boat battles, skateboards, and of course a ton of martial arts showdowns. The kung fu here is sleek and stylised with slow-motion moves and impeccable choreography; unfortunately, as this is a film with a young cast and is likely aimed at teenagers, it isn't very violent. The characters are also invariably annoying; newcomer Ekin Cheng is praised in the accompanying documentary for his martial arts skills, but they aren't really apparent here. Old pro Tony Leung steals his scenes as the slick PI with a ton of hidden devices (especially in the 'Inspector Gadget' style opening battle) whilst Kelly Chan just looks very attractive, as do the rest of the young female cast members. The music is memorably offbeat (not to mention annoying). Not a great movie but perhaps a solid offering for fans who know what to expect from this kind of style-over-substance showcase.

No Charm

[kelly-gaudreau · 4/10 · 20 March 2021]

This film lacked charm, however, there was some laughs here and there.

Overly complicated and ruined by the soundtrack.

[dariosmagata · 4/10 · 25 December 2019]

What could have been a decent early-2000s Hong Kong action flick is ruined for me by two factors.

One of them is the excessively complicated plot. It has more twists and turns than probably any film I've ever seen. Many of them are predictable and most are spelled out in dialogue rather than being shown somehow. I'm not sure whether this sort of thing is commonplace in HK cinema of this era but it is not something I've seen in older martial arts films, even the cheesiest ones.

The other issue is the soundtrack, regarding both dialogue and music. As you would expect, the film is dubbed, and not very well. It would be quite good in comparison to some '80s flicks but for a modern movie it is really not acceptable. Every male character sounds the same and there is very little emotion in any of their voices. Adding on to this, the dialogue itself is often stupid and there are some really lame jokes relating to American ideas of Asian culture which I am sure were not in the original script.

What really killed it in my view is the music. The film has a ridiculous techno and dance soundtrack which does not fit at all with most of the action or with the tone of the film. As someone who is not a fan of this type of music, it made me want to switch off the film very quickly - however I'd imagine that even fans of this style would not want to see it used in a film like this.

The film is at least watchable, but I would not recommend it as there is much better stuff available in this category.

highly entertaining action/comedy

[drngor · 8/10 · 19 April 2001]

I must say I came into this movie with fairly low expectations. Being that this is part of the new wave of Hong Kong action movies, I expected bad choreography (well, at least not up to the standards of the 1980s through mid-90s films) and a lot of pretty boys who couldn't fight. Well, Ekin Cheng is in it although he does better than I thought he would. The plot is some complicated mish-mash involving a bride left at the altar, a kung fu interior decorator, and a Japanese p.i. They get involved in a search for the man who left the girl at the altar. A lot of twists and fight scenes ensue.

This movie is actually quite a bit of fun. There's a whole lot of schwing women around. Kelly Chen and Tony Leung's women are real eye candy. There's some comedy here and there. The action is served up in spades. While Tony Leung and Ekin Cheng aren't actual martial artists, Alan Sit choreographs the scenes well (with a little bit of wires and fancy camera-work) and they're all entertaining. Imagine a Jackie Chan fight without Jackie Chan fighting in them. The pace is incredibly fast, which is always a good thing. Overall, just a lot of fun.

Raiders From Hong Kong

[Chrysanthepop · 17 August 2009]

Jingle Ma's 'Tokyo Raiders' is a fun-packed action comedy. It's one of those films where the story is secondary. Yes, the story is flawed and a little silly but there is enough of the other stuff to keep one entertained. The action sequences are well choreographed. There isn't too much violence or gore (there's hardly any blood on screen). The cinematography is pretty good too as it captures modern Japan so brilliantly. Tony Leung Chi Wai, Kelly Chen and Ekin Cheng form quite a cool trio. Leung proves to be a very good comedic actor which adds to his versatility. Kelly Chen impressed me with her acting for a change. Cheng does a fine job as he holds his own against Leung. With amusing fight sequences, slapstick and situational comedy and funny lines, 'Tokyo Raiders' has the ingredients of a successful enjoyable action comedy.

Good, but not recommended for everyone

[Devilfruits · 8/10 · 11 November 2006]

I somehow find it quite hilarious why people compare this movie with a martial art movie. The stars like Ekin Cheng and Tony Leung aren't even martial artists, so isn't it then obvious that you'll get disappointed? As far if I'm concerned the fight scenes were quite good, it did look like that they can fight.

But anyway the movie is actually quite nice. Overall it's quite fast-spaced and the jokes are thoughtfully made. I reckon that most people would not understand the jokes, since they simply can not understand the original language spoken in this movie. And this is exactly why I only would recommend this movie for the ones who can speak the original language.

An interesting international action movie

[ebiros2 · 26 September 2011]

Not a bad action flick by director Jingle Ma, and actor Tony Lueng Chiu Wai.

It's an international affair when the groom runs away to Japan, and his bride come after him from Hong Kong. Not only is he a run away groom, he had many underworld connection, that has gangs and yakuzas hot on his trail. All converge in Tokyo and mayhem ensues.

The visuals (on DVD) is very good, and although the story was bit silly, it had enough impact to be entertaining. If there was one thing I didn't like was Kelly Chan's acting. She always appears wooden and fails to bring the voltage up on the story. They've also failed to cash in on the talent of Japanese actors, and couldn't make a good story around them. Hiroshi Abe should have been the lead role on the Japanese side, and should have been pit against Tony Lueng Chiu Wai. Then the story and the movie would have been 200% better.

So it's a movie that needs little more work, and some change in the actors, but overall it was an acceptable action drama.